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March 2009
The Elizabeth River is a short tidal estuary at the southern end of Chesapeake Bay in southeast Virginia in the United States. It is located between the cities of Portsmouth and Norfolk. The estuary provides significant military and commercial port facilities for the two cities. Source: U.S. Navy photo 040213-N-7412M-001 Portsmouth, Va. (Feb. 13, 2004) by Chief Photographer's Mate Greg McCreash.
If you visit or live by the coast, then you have undoubtedly taken advantage of your nation's estuaries. Estuaries are the bodies of water "where the river meets the sea." They are:
- located next to many of our largest and oldest cities
- used for recreational fishing, boating, swimming, and bird watching
- and provide many ecosystem services that bolster our quality of life and economy.
Americans use these coastal ecosystems intensely, which affects how the ecosystems function, and their ability to provide services. The feedback loop between ecosystems supporting human activities through ecological functioning, and the impacts of humans on the ability of ecosystems to function naturally (see Figure 1), is prevalent throughout the world and across many ecosystem types.
The feedback is particularly strong in estuaries because of:
- the dense populations of humans in their area
- human activities in coastal areas
- and the rich diversity of natural services provided by estuaries. Thus, the wise management of estuaries depends on recognizing the feedback and mitigating the anthropogenic (i.e., human-caused) influences.
What is an estuary?
The simplest definition of an estuary is where the river meets the sea. But that definition does not capture the entire range of ecosystems called estuaries. In fact, scientists have no single definition of an "estuary" that is accepted universally. Consider the following diverse examples of American coastal ecosystems that could be called estuaries:
- the massive Chesapeake Bay that links several major rivers to the Atlantic Ocean through a wide mouth nearly 20 kilometers wide;
- Albemarle-Pamlico Sound, behind the outer banks of North Carolina and at the mouths of several major rivers, which is largely isolated from the Atlantic Ocean, except for a few small inlets;
- the Mississippi River delta that has resulted from geological shifts in the River and has a plume of turbid river water extending into the Gulf of Mexico;
- the Laguna Madre, Texas, which sits behind Padre Island and has no major river flow, so salinities often exceed those of the Gulf of Mexico; and
- Old Woman Creek, Ohio, which drains into Lake Erie and that has no saline waters.
In 1967, a somewhat restrictive definition of "estuary" was offered: An estuary is a semi-enclosed coastal body of water which has a free connection with the open sea and within which seawater is measurably diluted with freshwater derived from land drainage.1 This definition is still used today, sometimes slightly modified, and it is close to the "river meets the sea" definition because it highlights the dilution of seawater.
Many, but not all, estuaries have salinities (i.e., concentration of salt in water) intermediate between seawater and freshwater. This dilution process may be fostered by tides. Tidal "waves" move water in and out of the estuary from the ocean and may help mix the fresh and salt waters. When the tidal energy is not strong enough, the less dense, fresh, water from rivers may ride above the denser salt water from the sea, forming what is called a salt wedge or stratification. Each estuary has its own pattern of dilution and stratification based on the intensities of river flow and tides and connection to the sea. Some estuaries, such as the Laguna Madre, even concentrate salt through excess evaporation compared to those estuaries where dilution is the pattern.
One of the broadest definitions of an estuary, which removes the interaction of fresh and seawater is: An estuarine system is a coastal indentation that has a restricted connection to the ocean and remains open at least intermittently.2 This definition still does not include coastal systems of the Great Lakes, such as Old Woman Creek, that have no neighboring ocean. These systems are sometimes called "lacustrine" or "lake" estuaries.3
To further complicate the definition, estuaries often have considerable wetlands associated with them:
- Some wetlands exist within the body of the estuary at depths below the low-tide mark. These are dominated by a variety of plant species, collectively called submerged aquatic vegetation; and many are considered sea grasses.
- Other wetlands are flooded with estuarine water—at least periodically.
- In temperate areas, most of these wetlands are marshes—although in fresh and low salinity regions, wetland forests may be found.
- In subtropical and tropical regions, mangrove trees may dominate the wetlands.
While the definitions focus on the "water" of estuaries, the wetlands are generally considered part of the estuary for both scientific and environmental management reasons. Many of the estuarine animal species use the wetlands for food, habitat for breeding, or refuge from predation.
Although the definition of estuary may not be established universally, most researchers agree that estuaries are an important interface where the activities of land and large water bodies interact. Further, they are the sites where human activities interface with high levels of biological productivity and ecological activity.
Valued services
Ecosystems process materials and energy to grow, develop, and respond to outside forces, as well as to maintain themselves. Major, recognized processing occurs in three ways:
- Cycling of the various natural elements through different chemical forms and among organisms and their physical environment. Cycling of carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, oxygen, and sulfur, is particularly important, as these are found in all living organisms in high concentrations. Carbon serves as the "backbone" of organic matter. The availability of the nutrients nitrogen and phosphorus often controls the amount of organic matter production through photosynthesis. Oxygen availability may determine the livability of a habitat because it is required by all animals and because of the prevalence of its chemical reactions with other elements. Forms of sulfur can determine other reactions, as well; and hydrogen sulfide may stress and damage organisms.
Interactions within food webs, via trophic dynamics. Energy from the sun promotes the primary production of organic matter within plants and algae, and these organisms store some of that energy. These plants and algae provide food for others: directly as they are eaten; indirectly after death and processing of the resultant "detritus"; or indirectly, through the feeding of predators on prey who have derived food directly or indirectly from the plants and algae. The seafood we harvest from our estuaries comes from these food webs.
Water motion, storage, and associated energy for moving or depositing materials. Each estuary has its own morphology, regime of fresh and saltwater inputs, and tidal signal, which controls how materials move around the estuary; how long this takes; and ultimately, how the estuary is shaped. The biological activities of elemental cycling and food webs, as well as how ecosystems are maintained as sea-level changes, are dependent on these features.
All of the above activities are linked to the behavior of organisms. Collectively, these activities have been called "ecosystem functions." We now understand that humans benefit from these ecosystem functions. Thriving, healthy ecosystems generally provide more benefits than stressed and damaged ecosystems. Healthy estuaries are known to be particularly beneficial through the ways that we use estuarine resources. A widely cited and controversial article estimated that the functions of estuaries have the highest financial value per area of any ecosystem on Earth.4 These functions and resources provide the "services" of the ecosystems. The protection and management of estuaries depends upon the recognition we place on the value of these services.
Estuaries and their wetlands provide the following services to humans:
- Food. Many of the seafood species we eat are harvested from an estuary, or depend on estuaries for some part of their life—these species include both shellfish and finfish. Estuaries support both commercial and recreational fisheries.
Waste and runoff treatment. Nutrients and organic matter enter estuaries from a variety of sources. Wastewater treatment plants and septic systems decompose much of human wastes, but some nutrients continue to escape into our water ways. Stormwater runoff from urban and agricultural land use is often untreated, allowing additional nutrients into the estuary. The primary production, decomposition, and elemental cycling within estuaries remove and sequester these nutrients and remove organic matter.
Recreation. Recreational fishing, boating, swimming, and bird watching depend on both the physical and biological integrity of estuaries.
Protection from natural hazards. Coastal systems are highly susceptible to a variety of storms capable of rearranging the landscape and damaging human lives and structures. Estuaries, and their wetlands, can mitigate the impacts of these storms by dissipating river discharge, dampening wave action, and storing water temporarily.
Transportation and marine operations. One reason that many of our oldest cities were located on estuaries was for access to ready ship transport that were linked to safe ports. This is still true, and this commerce depends on a continued connection to the sea. Refuge from storms is also important for marine commerce.
Pressures on estuaries
Estuaries are subject to many pressures from human activities and stresses from natural phenomena, which may result from activities on or adjacent to estuaries, or even activities distant from the areas. For example, by sitting at the mouth of rivers, estuaries receive pollutants entering waterways from entire watersheds. By providing ports for ocean-going ships, estuaries receive non-native species from ballast water, and these organisms can establish themselves in ways to disrupt normal food webs. The Coastal Ocean Observations Panel listed the "drivers of change" on coastal aquatic ecosystems,5 and with some modification, these serve as a good summary of pressures on estuaries:
- Physical restructuring of the environment
- Alteration of the hydrological cycle
- Harvesting living and non-living resources
- Alteration of elemental cycles (including acidification of sea water)
- Sediment inputs
- Chemical contamination (including nutrients causing eutrophication)
- Inputs of pathogens
- Introductions of non-native species
- Global warming and sea-level rise
- Storms and other extreme weather events
- Seismic events
- Regional scale ocean currents
- Waves, tides, and storm surges
- River and groundwater discharges
Given the diversity of estuaries and environmental conditions surrounding them, each estuary is impacted to different degrees by these drivers and with different relative importance. For example, an estuary with a heavy concentration of oil refineries would be subject to different dominant pressures than one with a large infrastructure for tourism, or one associated with artisan fishing by tropical islanders. This means that both environmental assessments of condition and management options cannot take a "one size fits all" approach.
In science, however, one looks for commonalities. Ivan Valiela, of the Boston University Marine Program has studied the various drivers of change on coastal ecosystems.6 He found that loss of habitat and eutrophication (when excess nutrients deplete oxygen) were the most import drivers, and these are caused within the system or watershed. Global stressors of temperature increase and sea-level rise were among the next most important group. While this prioritization may not be appropriate for all estuaries, it serves as a useful reference by which a specific estuary can be gauged.
Several Federal agencies have jointly assessed estuarine natural resources, and hence, the results of these drivers in the United States during recent years.7,8 They identified five indicators of ecological health through the following indices:
- Water quality (largely measured by chemical concentrations)
- Sediment quality (chemical condition of sediments)
- Benthic quality (condition of the community of organisms living on and in sediments)
- Coastal habitat (based on wetland and tidal flats)
- Fish tissue contaminants (concentrations of chemical contaminants in fish and shellfish)
Water quality had the highest score in the two studies. Much of our management efforts have gone to improving water quality, and it seems that these are paying off. More efforts are required to address the other areas.
Management: observe, assess, preserve, and restore
It is clear there is strong feedback between the estuaries' abilities to provide ecological services to humans through ecosystem functions, and the impacts of humans on the ability of these ecosystems to function naturally (Figure 1). Improving and maintaining the environmental quality of estuaries is not altruistic, as this helps to ensure that we will obtain the services we rely on. How do we make such assurances?
It is also clear that estuaries associated with human activities are subject to numerous pressures of global climate change—locally and within watersheds. The long history of humans living on the shores of estuaries has led to few pristine estuaries. Conditions in these ecosystems are likely to worsen, at least in the near future, as populations and standards of living increase throughout the world. Environmental management differs among countries; we know much about what needs to happen, but it is unclear if the political will is strong enough to foster management now and into the future.
The approach to managing estuaries is similar to most, if not all, ecosystems: evaluate the condition of the system and the pressures on it, and then act to reduce those pressures and mitigate their impacts. Environmental monitoring programs are mandated at many governmental levels. In recent years, "observing systems" have expanded the nature of these monitoring systems by linking these to other systems and to mechanisms that can communicate findings and predictions to the government, as well as non-governmental organizations, industry, and the general public.5 Local assessments on individual estuaries are conducted based on similar data as used in the national reports. In addition, international assessments have been conducted;9 thus, there is a growing recognition for the need for both long-term and comprehensive observations and assessments at numerous scales.
Once the problems are known and assessed, environmental management strategies need to be put in place and carried out effectively. A major challenge to environmental management of estuaries is to weaken the feedback loop that fosters the damage of estuarine resources as pressures continue to build. Generally, management strives to preserve environmentally healthy conditions through permitting and control on activities. Various levels of government have laws and regulations to help in this way. For example, the overharvesting of fish may be curbed by managing the fishing season, limiting licenses, or setting restrictions on catch; and mineral extraction may require an extensive permitting process. Once damage occurs, regulations may be in place to restore conditions. As an example, at least in the United States, wetland loss often requires that other, previously impacted wetlands be restored. Strategies are evolving from addressing single issues at a time to addressing overall ecosystem health through "ecosystem-based management." Actual regulations, however, often involve the permitting or mitigation for a single practice. Because of the intense pressures of human populations, and their desires to make use of the ecological services of the coast, it is difficult to strike a balance between stewardship and exploitation.
Acknowledgments: Support for this effort was partly funded by NSF grant DEB-0621014 to the Virginia Coast Reserve Long-term Ecological Research site and by NOAA grant NA05NOS4781184.
© 2009, American Institute of Biological Sciences. Educators have permission to reprint articles for classroom use; other users, please contact firstname.lastname@example.com for reprint permission. See reprint policy.


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Here is my monthly calendar journal page for September. I am also putting this is for the Three Muses Challenge where the theme is back to nature.
Even though Autumn is now truly on its way I always feel that in September nature is at her most abundant. At least here in Scotland many fruits are only ripening now, we often seem to get more sun in September than either July or August and you can really experience the "fullness" of nature.
12 new distress oxide sprays:
6 hours ago

subset: commoncrawl


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Energy industry concerned Obama could pursue end-run on climate change rules
The United States has joined nearly 200 countries at a United Nations climate summit in Doha, Qatar, this week with the primary goal of coming together on a treaty aimed at preventing what activists are calling dangerous climate change.
Some point to superstorm Sandy as a primary example of the need to curb emissions that they believe are fundamentally disrupting the way Earth's ecosystem works. They would like to have a treaty signed by 2015.
But many in the energy industry are concerned the Obama administration, fresh off a re-election win, will go too far with a radical environmental strategy that will have a negative impact on U.S. businesses and consumers – not just through the U.N., but executive edict.
"They brought hundreds of millions of dollars into his re-election campaign," said Michael Whatley, vice president of the Consumer Energy Alliance. He believes the president delayed consideration of the Canada-to-Texas Keystone XL Pipeline because he couldn't afford to lose allies in the environmental sector, and may now feel pressure to deliver to those groups. Indeed, on the night of his re-election, Obama vowed the U.S. would be a leader in combating a "warming planet."
For years, both Democrats and Republicans have blocked cap-and-trade legislation on Capitol Hill which would set emissions limits and fees for those who exceed them. Now, a growing number of lawmakers are sounding an alarm about what they believe will be the Executive Branch's "end run" around Congress.
Sen. Jim Inhofe, R-Okla., believes, whether via a U.N. treaty or domestic regulations, Obama will continue to work toward reining in domestic energy production.
"The president couldn't get it done through legislation, so now he's doing it through regulation using our tax dollars to make it happen," he said.
Inhofe sent a scathing recorded message to the U.N. gathering in Doha, chastising the administration for "quietly handing over billions of dollars to the United Nations in the name of global warming" as Washington runs up against a fiscal crisis.
But environmental groups say the president is simply doing his job. Bob Deans, of the Natural Resources Defense Council, said they've found a partner in Obama.
"He understands that increased drought, record heat, wildfires, storms like Sandy ... are threats we need to do something about," he said.
The Environmental Protection Agency is taking the federal lead, beefing up enforcement actions under the Clean Water Act and issuing new regulations. Inhofe is keeping a close eye on those regulations, but says the administration is stonewalling.
Under current law, the administration is supposed to provide a full accounting every April and October of any proposed regulations that will have a "significant" economic impact. That hasn't happened since 2011.
Inhofe continues to push the White House for an explanation. A source at the White House, while not explaining the lapse, told Fox News that federal agencies are currently in the process of pulling together that information.


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For their first full-cycle recruiting efforts, Colorado basketball coaches Tad Boyle and Linda Lappe deserve props for signing players receiving national recognition.
Two Boyle signees from Southern Californian made Rivals.com's final national top 150: No. 134 Damiene Cain, a 6-foot-7, 230-pound power forward at Harvard Westlake HS in North Hollywood, and No. 146 Spencer Dinwiddie, a 6-4 point guard at Taft HS in Woodland Hills. Both signed in November and will be incoming freshmen this fall.
One of Lappe's November signees made the prestigious women's Parade All-America team that will be in the May 15 issue: 6-2 forward Jen Reese of Clackamas, Ore.
Parade is an insert to the Sunday Denver Post.


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ICTBroadcast offer all in one unified communication solution. It provides on premises and hosted solution for individual and organization. By using it, individual and organizations can easily broadcast voice message to a list of subscribers. The automated phone call system creates recorded message to recipients or establish a connection with recipients. By using an automated phone system you can increase engagement, provide help and increase satisfaction level of your client.
What Benefits We Can Get From Automated Phone Call System
An individual and organizations get ride from manually calling each person on the subscription list. The automated phone call system allows you to upload contact lists and pre-recorded message and simple run the campaign. It automatically dials the each contact number on giving list. You can also check the call detail report of answer, busy, fail calls.
It provides the facility of automatic scheduling. You can schedule your voice call to start and stop on a particular date, or time, as well as setting days of the week.
Through phone call automation you can remind your clients about important events. This is easy in phone automation system just upload subscriber contact list and pre-recorded voice message or use TTS (text to speech) and run the campaign.
Automated phone call systems installation is easy and install in a few hours. They are available in on-premises and hosted options.
Automated phone call system have option of call retries if first time your call is not answer you can use a retry option number of times. It even allows you to send voicemail and hang up call on detection of AMD (Automatic Machine Detection).
Other benefits of using the automated phone call system is you can use the custom caller id. It provides benefits if you are dialing from their personal phones and not want to show your identity.
Try It
By using ICTBroadcast automated phone call system you can get all of above and many more benefits. It is a complete automated phone call system for business needs. For more features explore this link. Now download automated phone call system free for 30 day trial.
- مدونة aatif_ict
- يرجى تسجيل الدخول للتعليق.


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Commercial Real Estate Finance Market Shows New Life
(NewsUSA) - Until recently, the commercial real estate market has made a sluggish recovery from the nation's economic recession. The good news is that property values, rental rates and occupancy rates are improving, and commercial real estate appears to be gaining critical traction.
Lower interest rates have started to help create larger demand from borrowers -- who are already feeling some effects of the improving real estate market -- which is giving the commercial mortgage-backed securities (CMBS) market some rejuvenation. In fact, 2012 saw CMBS issuance reach a post-recession high of $48.18 billion -- a number that is expected to rise in 2013 and beyond.
"I am very optimistic about the CMBS business in 2013. I think volumes will grow substantially," says Anthony Orso, CEO of Cantor Commercial Real Estate (CCRE). "You will continue to see high-quality loans, and you will see more capital raised for the B-piece community."
Orso is speaking from professional experience. The New York-based real estate finance company, an affiliate of Cantor Fitzgerald & Co., originated nearly $5 billion in securities throughout 2012. With help from Cantor Fitzgerald, CCRE sold to more than 150 bond investors last year. Orso only expects those figures to grow -- confidence that he shares with top commercial real estate (CRE) financers, like Omega Commercial Finance Corporation (www.omegapublic.com).
"Omega uses a principle based on marrying affordable financing with available capital," says Jon S. Cummings IV, president of Omega Commercial Finance Corp. "One of the advantages of traditional CMBS lenders is the ability to offer competitive rates against banks, agency lenders and insurance companies. Omega is strategically positioned to accommodate this growing market."
As a publicly traded financial holding company (OTCQB: OCFN), Omega just acquired minority stake in VFG Securities Inc., a full-service broker dealer with $180 million in Assets Under Management for the purpose of creating its own internal structured financing arm. This acquisition effectively gives Omega the capacity to raise in-house capital to originate their CRE loans. It also sweetens the pot for investors looking for new sources of future earnings.
Learn more about CRE loans and the rebounding market at www.omegapublic.com.


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- About us
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- Google SoC
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While playing with the current hsoc code, I got attacked, and saw an offer to download something from somewhere.
To honor their effort, I decided to give them a visit ...
If you can't touch it, you have to count it, I appreciate the decision to share these numbers with everybody connecting.
Today, I wanted to give them a new shot, fresh numbers, so I could compare the numbers to see if they seem reliable.
For some reason the domain v1.usbupdatestrings.at is gone already, but the service was still running on the same ip.
So, within 20hours, their ftp service had:
Getting copies of the malware from the service and submit them to virustotal, to verify if the five malware updates during the last 20 hours were worth the effort, is left as an exercise for the reader.


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GORNAL Athletic have been deducted 14 points and relegated from the Midland Alliance after players they took from Dudley Town last season were deemed to be ineligible.
When manager Andy Wyton took over at Garden Walk in February after leaving his post at The Dell, he quickly turned to 14 Dudley players that had duel registration with both clubs.
Soon after, Gornal was notified by the Birmingham County FA that the players involved were ineligible.
However, that was appealed by The Peacocks and they continued to field the players for a further 15 weeks until the end of the campaign – something they were apparently told they could do while the appeal process was taking place.
Despite hearing nothing else on the matter from the county FA or the Midland Alliance, they were notified last week that 14 points would now be taken off their total.
It is a decision that also sees them relegated as they take bottom spot from Heather St John's. It is still not known which other clubs will be in the Alliance next season.
Gornal have appealed against the decision and say they will take the matter as high as they have to.
Wyton said: "The players were duel registered and the league accepted the transfers. Even if that wasn't the case, we appealed when notified.
"We were told that we would still be able to play them while the appeal process was on-going. The next thing we hear is we will be relegated.
"It is not fair and we have to make a stand against it. This could happen to anyone."
Wyton also said the issue has made it difficult for the club to conduct their pre-season preparations.
"It makes my job a lot harder," he added. "How can I sign players when I can't tell them what league they will be in next season?"
Midland Alliance chairman Michael Joiner said: "I can't comment on the details of Gornal's case while an appeal is pending. All I can say is that the league has done what it believes is the right thing by the other clubs in the division."


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1. Tarts & Pies:
I have mini 4" tart pans and a brand new 9" tart pan. I recently thrifted a ceramic pie dish. AND I even have a fancy dough cutter to make beautiful lattices and a copy of Vegan Pie in the Sky that hasn't been broken in! It's time for me to fix this. I think I am often discouraged from making whole pies just because they aren't as convenient to share with friends in multiple locations as cookies or cupcakes.
photo by the PPK photo by Randy Mayor
2. Cakes:
I have a few Wilton course books on cake decorating that I would love to break out. Similarly to how I feel about pies, I feel about tiered cakes. I really want to practice torting, icing, and fondant work, but there aren't many occasions to bust out such a cake for. I will have to make up some excuses!
photo by Sprinkles Bakes
3. Sugar Cookies & Gingerbread:
I would love to be able to produce batches of sugar cookies that are really intricate and also consistent. I also really want to attempt making my own cookie stencils rather than relying on standard cookie cutters! Also, I have never made a gingerbread house. I plan on fixing that next winter, though I doubt I can produce something as breathtaking as this gingerbread brownstone by Kitchen Table Scraps.
source unknown photo by Kitchen Table Scraps
4. Confections:
I've never made candy before. I want to attempt to make fancy chocolates, as I have no actual experience in tempering. My friend Sheena went to pastry school, and I think she might be able to help me out here. I also want to make a few batches of caramel and figure out what works best for me.
5. Assorted:
Crème brulèe is something that I have always though about but never actually attempted. A kitchen torch would also be handy for toasting marshmallows! Now that I have a standing mixer, I think I might get the ice cream attachment and try a few batches of vegan ice cream! I doubt I will ever be able to touch Lula's Sweet Apothecary, but cashew based ice creams are something my dreams are made of.
Do you make lists of resolutions? If so, what are the things you hope to accomplish in 2012?


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Jen Lowe
Having toured with prestigious national and international artists, Lowe is a journey-woman through and through; armed with a beaten-up backpack stuffed with sentimental keep-sakes of a woman both beloved and scorned. The songs on her debut solo CD, "From the End of this Hallway", play like bittersweet battle-cries of a great victory won against fallen relationships and personal struggles in a coming-of-age war. And when the dust settles, there's the lone voice of Jen's soul, swaying gently, beautifully, between each song like a feather dropping from the heavens between the limbs of Oak trees.
Jen's eternal search for balance and connection in her life comes through strongly in her writing and performance.
Never taking herself too seriously in life or on the stage, you will often find her giggling and at ease as she tells a funny anecdote or reaches into her soul to share the darker parts of her journey. She is a true natural performer, whether she's pounding ferociously on a djembe or gently finger-picking her old guitar; as a multi-instrumentalist, Jen's shows are spontaneous, fun and never predictable.
And it truly resonates. Her stage presence, songwriting, and musical ability have instantly captured audiences from state to state. Her lovelorn poetic verses and catchy choruses will remain in your head, illuminating and fluttering, like fireflies in a mason jar, long after the last note is played.
Ron Wiles, Producer of the Ron Wiles Music Show, commented about Jen's debut CD: "In the Indie American/Folk space, Jen Lowe is as good as it gets. If you're looking for a new artist to add to your collection of great finds – look no further. Jen Lowe is that rare artist who does it perfectly — writes, sings, performs, etc."
Jen Lowe is truly a welcome beacon of light in the midnight of the soul's harvest.


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Lehigh Valley events
Lehigh Valley events
Guitar class students to perform on campus
Students from MUSIC 054, Beginning Guitar Class, will perform on campus for their class final at 1 p.m. Wednesday, April 24, in the music room. Students have been creating their own rendition of songs of their choice. Each student will perform two or three songs with familiar tunes from the Beatles, Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendrix and Bruno Mars scheduled to be played. This event is free and open to the public.
Spring Faculty Lecture Series kicks off April 4
Penn State Lehigh Valley will host four invited lecturers as part of its spring Faculty Lecture Series during the month of April. The series kicks off on April 4 during the campus' annual Undergraduate Research Symposium with keynote speaker Eric S. Boyd, assistant research professor at Montana State University. All series events are free and open to the public.
Lehigh Valley campus honors business students
To celebrate the efforts of those students achieving a high level of academic excellence, Sigma Beta Delta, an honor society for business students, inducted 14 Penn State Lehigh Valley students. An honors reception and initiation ceremony was held March 28 at the Lehigh Valley campus in the art gallery. In addition to business faculty and staff, friends and family were present to witness the induction of new members.
Lehigh Valley offers creative and academic summer youth camps
Penn State Lehigh Valley is offering two-week, half-day youth camps from July 8-19. Camps are available in writing, visual arts, math and engineering and are geared toward students entering grades one through twelve. Camps are offered in the morning (9 a.m.-noon) or the afternoon (1-4 p.m.).
Vocal performance announced for April 10
The Penn State Lehigh Valley glee club and campus choir, under the direction of Ian Holmes, will perform a vocal recital at 1 p.m. on April 10, in the Markowitz Music Room at the campus in Center Valley. This event is free and open to the public.
Campus to offer R.A.D. training program for women
Penn State Lehigh Valley is accepting sign-ups for an upcoming Rape Aggression Defense (R.A.D.) training program to be held this spring. R.A.D. is a comprehensive program for women that will be taught in the campus fitness center by a nationally certified R.A.D. instructor. The program aims to teach techniques, tactics, awareness, and risk-reduction that can aid in self-defense. Dates and times are to be announced.
Lehigh Valley students graduate from Practical Nursing Program
Twenty-six students graduated from Penn State Lehigh Valley's Practical Nursing Program during a ceremony held March 2, at the campus in Center Valley. Judith Chermansky, a classroom and clinical faculty member for the program, provided the keynote address.
Diverse Literacies Conference set for Sept. 28
The 2013 Diverse Literacies Conference will be held Sept. 28, at the Bear Creek Resort and Conference Center in Macungie, Pa. The theme of the conference is "Nurturing Diverse Learners through Student-Centered Instruction."
The Gallery to host 'Peeled: Photographs by Jane Noel'
The Gallery at Penn State Lehigh Valley will present a new exhibit, "Peeled: Photographs by Jane Noel," from March 28 to Apr. 27. An artist reception will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. March 28, in the gallery. The exhibit and reception are free and open to the public.
Terrence Roberts, one of 'Little Rock Nine,' to speak at Lehigh Valley
Terrence Roberts, one of the "Little Rock Nine," will speak at Penn State Lehigh Valley at 1 p.m. Feb. 27, in Room 135. Roberts will present "Lessons from Little Rock," which explores salient lessons from Little Rock, 1957. The event, which is part of the campus' celebration of Black History Month, is free and open to the public, and is sponsored by Student Affairs, the Student Government Association and the Diversity Committee.
A 15-year-old 11th grader when he joined eight other students and became one of the first nine black students to go to a formerly segregated public high school in Little Rock, Ark., Roberts is now co-chairperson of the master's in psychology program at Antioch University. A graduate of California State University at Los Angeles for his bachelor of arts, and UCLA for his master of social work, Roberts obtained his doctorate in psychology from Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, Ill.
Men's basketball to host Pink Zone breast cancer fundraiser
The Penn State Lehigh Valley men's basketball team is joining the Penn State Lady Lions efforts to raise money and awareness of breast cancer issues by hosting a Pink Zone event during their Feb. 9 game against Penn State Greater Allegheny beginning at 6 p.m. at Stabler Arena in Bethlehem, Pa. The event is free and open to the public. Donations toward Pink Zone causes can be made in the lobby during the game.
Actor Jeffrey Tambor to speak at Lehigh Valley's 2013 commencement
Jeffrey Tambor, Emmy-nominated film and television actor, will be the featured speaker at Penn State Lehigh Valley's 2013 commencement ceremony to be held at 11 a.m. May 4, at Stabler Arena in Bethlehem.
Tambor has earned deep respect, as well as multiple Emmy Award nominations, for being one of the most versatile and accomplished character actors in film and television. Tambor's roles in such popular programs as "The Larry Sanders Show," "Arrested Development" and "The Hangover" reveal his unique comedic gifts, while his roles in films such as "And Justice for All" and "Meet Joe Black" display the depth of his dramatic sensibilities.
Alumni Society to host Dance for a Cure THON event
The Penn State Lehigh Valley Alumni Society will host Dance for a Cure, a fundraiser to benefit THON and the Four Diamonds Fund, from 8 p.m.-1 a.m. on Jan. 25 at Mixx Sports Bar in Allentown, Pa. The event, which will feature a variety of dance styles that attendees can learn, is open to adults age 21 and over, and tickets are $15.
Sculptor Mann to show works at Penn State Lehigh Valley
The Gallery at Penn State Lehigh Valley will present "Mann's Mind," a new exhibit featuring the sculptural objects of Thomas Mann, from Jan. 28 to March 16. From 12:15 to 1:30 p.m. Jan. 31, an artist lecture will be held, and a reception is planned from 5 to 7 p.m.
Mann's style of jewelry object, known as Techno-Romantic, combines high-tech materials and romantic imagery. He currently exhibits his jewelry and sculpture in more than 200 galleries nationwide and internationally in Canada and Australia.


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Emirates Skywards is delighted to offer its members the chance to attend some of the best cultural and sporting events in the world.
Our past events include the Melbourne Cup Carnival in Australia, Champions League matches across Europe and the Emirates Airline Jazz Festival in Dubai.
Spend your Skywards Miles and experience some of the most popular events across the globe.


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8 Jan 2015, 01:48
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Round 60 & VAT Charges
Round 60 - The Fruits of War
Round 60 signups are open
and ticks are starting on Friday, 9th January at 20:00 GMT.
The key changes for this round are as follows:
This round, buddy packs can hold up to 5 planets and will be joined by 1 late joiner planet at tick 336 (or buddy packs of 4 with 2 late joiners at tick 336).
XP has been changed so that those with a high score:value ratio have diminishing returns (as demoed in the recent winter round)
When you set your alliance to "war" with another alliance, it immediately starts a 72 tick period of war where you gain a roid cap rate bonus of between 3 and 5%, and an xp rate bonus (on roids stolen) of between 5% and 10%. This also holds true for all alliances "allied" in-game to the target alliance. You are penalised for landing on planets other than those you are at war with by 3% for cap rate and 5% for xp.
More details are in our manual's
Information about VAT charges
As many of you have no doubt noticed, some players are now required to pay value-added tax (VAT) on credit purchases.
This is due to a new EU law that states companies must charge VAT based on where the customer is located, rather than the supplier. This helps stop large companies such as Amazon avoiding paying VAT by artificially basing their company in a low-VAT country.
Before 1st Jan 2015, Ranul Tech paid VAT based on UK law. Because Ranul Tech is such a small company, it did not need to charge VAT on any purchase, as it was below a threshold for VAT charges. From the 1st Jan onwards, the law states that we must charge VAT to EU residents based upon where they are when they make the purchase (even if that's not where you're normally resident!).
There is a rather high administrative burden for such a small business with these new rules, but it looks like we have solved the majority of the hurdles due to the VAT being charged has to go the tax jurisdiction in which the purchase was made (however, it is possible that the law may be revisited to make it less burdensome for small businesses - after all, who wants to file 29 VAT returns, one in each EU country, every quarter?).
The impacts to you as a player are:
1. If you're buying credits from outside of the EU, prices will stay the same.
2. If you're buying credits from within the EU, you will be charged VAT on top of the normal rate (e.g. 20% increase in the UK).
3. Credit processing may take a little longer, especially as the system is new. Not all credit purchases will be automatically applied to an account and could take up to 48hours to be approved (in reality, this should be just a few hours).
4. All the tax handling is done by us: there's nothing extra you need to do!
If you have any queries about this, then feel free to contact support or PA Team and we'll do our best to make sure that we can get you an answer.
Originally Posted By Appocomaster
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Lenoir County Smiles recipient; Fairfield Duplicate scores; SAT prep
Lenoir County keeps on smiling
This week�s Lenoir County Smiles recipient, Eartha Mumford, wraps up the eighth year of the program designed to foster �good, friendly service with a Smile.�
A co-chairman of the Lincoln City Reunion, Mumford is the last of the weekly winners, chosen by recommendations from the community, to receive a small gift and be pictured in the Sunday edition of The Free Press. The contest began Memorial Day Weekend and concludes today.
�Thanks to everyone who called to make a recommendation for this honor,� said Lucy Marston, Lenoir County Tourism director. �Have a great winter and keep on smiling. We�ll be back in the spring.�
The program is sponsored by Lenoir County Tourism and The Free Press. For more information, contact Marston at the Kinston-Lenoir County Visitor�s and Information Center, 252-522-0004 or email@example.com.
Bridge club names winners
The Fairfield Duplicate Bridge Club played a regular game on Aug. 27.
The winners were: Joe Goldwasser and Dorothy Taylor, first place; Jane Hood and Barbara Sebald, second; Edith Cahn and Nancy Barwick, third; and Geneva Hood and Pinkey Harper, fourth.
A regular game will be played at 9:50 a.m. Tuesday at Fairfield Center. The club welcomes and encourages all bridge players.
For more club information, call 252-523-6791.
Library offers SAT prep seminar
The Neuse Regional Library system and the Kinston-Lenoir County Friends of the Library are offering a free SAT preparation tips seminar from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sept. 21 in the Schechter Auditorium of the Kinston-Lenoir County Public Library. This seminar will be a timely opportunity to help increase success for any student planning to take the SAT.
The free seminar will be presented by Carol Southerland, an accomplished SAT tutor with more than 20 years of education experience. Registration is completely free of charge and on a first-come first-served basis, although high school seniors are given priority.
�We are very pleased to be able to offer this beneficial program to our local students,� said Agnes W. Ho, director of libraries. �By preparing them to take the next steps towards academic success on a higher level, we will be able to reinforce our library�s mission in a very vital and exciting way.�
To register for the seminar, contact the Reference Department of the Kinston library at 252-527-7066, ext. 134.


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- Home
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- Departments
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- Crime Prevention
- Vehicle Break-In Prevention Tips
Vehicle Break-In Prevention Tips
All auto break-ins usually have one thing in common: there's something left in the car worth stealing. Most larcenies from cars are "crimes of opportunity" that could be prevented by taking some preventative steps. The Healdsburg Police Department recommends the following:
Lock Your Vehicle…
This is as simple as it sounds, but you would be surprised at how much is stolen from cars from unlocked doors. Of course, locked doors don't do much good if you leave the windows down, so roll up all windows.
Remove ALL Valuable from Your Vehicle…
If you have to leave items in the car, put them out of sight and in the trunk. Always take personal items into your home when you park for the evening. Never leave anything visible in your car especially money, jewelry or electronics such as cell phones or laptop computers.
Park in a well-lit area…
Light removes the cover of darkness which is important to thieves. When parking your vehicle at night, always take steps to park your vehicle where there is plenty of light. Motion activated lights are a great deterrent to thief's and should be installed in your driveway.
Avoid parking on the street if possible…
This will help to reduce the opportunity for thieves to access your vehicle. If you park your car in a carport or parked near your house, leave your exterior lights on throughout the night.
Report ALL Suspicious Activity…
If you see a crime in progress or something suspicious, call the Healdsburg Police Department immediately at 707-431-3366. The most effective way to catch the person(s) responsible for thefts is for an observant neighbor or passerby to report suspicious activity.
Remember if you see something, say something. You can remain anonymous. You are not bothering us, you are helping your community. Together, we can and will make a difference. Stay alert and stay safe!
In the case of an emergency situation or crimes in progress please dial 9-1-1 immediately!
By following these tips you can greatly reduce the likelihood that you and your vehicle will be a victim of this type of theft.


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The real challenges facing media companies today are not technology or opportunities, but how to monetize activities in digital video media. The popularity of video downloads and streaming video on internet and mobile devices is growing exponentially and motion picture and television production companies are rushing to create deals to participate in the phenomenon.
The biggest challenge is finding workable business models. A combination of technology and capricious consumers are altering existing media business models and making success with new models difficult. The traditional business models of media are eroding as audiences and advertisers respond to changing media markets and today both legacy and new media are struggling to find effective new business models for their existing operations and new products and services.
It is complicated because a fundamental shift in financing media is underway and many companies are finding it difficult to adjust their business perspective. During the period of industrial society consumers made relatively few direct payments for media and business models worldwide were based primarily on advertising expenditures, license fees, and tax payments. In post-industrial society, the rise of new social and economic arrangements and the proliferation of types of media and media content, business models are shifting toward a consumer model. Today, for every dollar spent in the U.S. on media by advertisers, consumers now spend 7 dollars. Media have shifted from a supply driven market to a demand driven market.
This means that companies must spend a good deal of effort ensuring they are creating value for customers. However, it is not enough to create value for customers. At the end of the day, economic value must be created for the company or it is not running a business.
Although media firms are rapidly entering digital video provision, there are significant business problems with contemporary deals involving new forms of digital video media. Companies are not buying return on investment, but are buying market share in hopes that income will follow. The trend is especially evident in social media, where companies are pinning their hopes on Internet advertising growth and increased abilities to better target advertising. It is a big gamble because social media users have been ad averse and click through rates are less than one-tenth of those on other internet sites.
You Tube was purchased by Google for $1.65 billion but has advertising revenues of about $250 million and My Space, which was acquired by News Corp. for $580 million, receives about $450 million in advertising revenue. On the face of those numbers these do not appear to be rationale business investments, but what the firms are actually doing is buying large audiences in hopes of positioning themselves as leaders in online advertising.
They are doing so because Internet advertising expenditures are heavily concentrated and the top 10 sites in the U.S. account for 70 percent of the total advertising expenditures. The high prices for social media are part of a fight for the top because of the ad revenue concentration. The companies are taking a business risk that may or may not pay off depending on the willingness of the users of those social media to accept advertising and monitoring of their activities.
Across digital video media we are now seeing a variety of company strategies. Some firms are pursuing ad-supported free media business models, whereas other firms are taking the road toward conditional access as part of subscriptions to Internet and mobile services. Still others are mixing income streams from both conditional access and advertising. The industry is not yet mature enough and consumer preferences are not yet clear enough to determine which will be the most successful revenue model. As a result, firms need to be agile, flexible, and able to change rapidly in their approach to digital video media.
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That didn't take long: Just 24 hours after Google announced it was changing the way Adwords works on mobile devices, a whole bunch of advertisers have come out to say that they regard the move as unhelpful at best and a cynical back-door price increase at worst.
Previously, advertisers bought separate search word campaigns on mobile, tablet and desktop devices. They paid different prices for each type of device, depending on the demand.
There are fewer bidders for mobile users, however, and cost-per-click prices on mobile were thus lower. In fact, Google in November had to warn Wall Street of a "deceleration" in its desktop ad business caused by a shift of advertisers into the cheaper mobile medium.
Now, Google is simplifying its Adwords process by making advertisers buy search words across desktop, mobile and tablet devices all at once. Advertisers will get less of a choice about where their ads appear. Advertisers can weight their campaigns in favor of mobile or desktop, but they can't focus only on one medium. That will have the effect of lumping demand together across devices, and raising prices overall. There is no guarantee they'll get better results, either, these advertisers say.
One search marketing exec told ZDNet:
"They're stealing money from advertisers because they can," he said. "It's the most lowbrow thing Google has ever done. The damage this is going to do to advertisers is big. They're going to sell a story to the public and be the Wizard of Oz behind the curtain."
iProspect, a search marketing agency, said:
Advertisers who do not have a smartphone strategy will be forced to come up with one, or leverage the bid multiplier workaround (setting the bid multiplier to negative 100 percent) to opt out of smartphones. Advertisers who don't take the time to make this adjustment, or are unaware of it, will start serving ads on smartphones unintentionally. This is an example of Google deciding what is best for the advertiser - however, in this case they're not just opting you into a setting by default, they're removing the option of opting out or using a workaround. iProspect believes that the increase in the number of advertisers participating in the auction on smartphone searches will lead to increased overall CPCs.
Search Engine Watch described the move as " cynical":
A cynic might suggest that this move will change the pattern of mobile bidding. By removing advertiser control at a keyword level we might see mobile CPCs rise, pushing up Google's revenues by pretty serious amounts.
And in a carefully worded opinion piece, Adobe came out swinging against Google, noting that it was now impossible to run a tablet-only campaign, and that advertisers might see lower return on investment for higher costs:
According to Google's announcement today, advertisers can no longer target tablet users individually. Tablet users will be lumped in with desktop users, while smartphone users can be targeted differently through Google's new "Enhanced Campaign" functionality. ...
That's just half of the story though. Currently, CPCs are lower for tablets given that competition for tablet traffic is still relatively low (but increasing). By lumping the higher performing tablet traffic in with desktop traffic, revenue per search (RPS) will increase for Google as CPCs increase on the combined desktop and tablet traffic. This, presumably, will address Google's mobile monetization gap as an increasing share of searches is coming from tablets and smartphones.
The downside for advertisers in the long run is they may see lower overall ROI as these CPCs creep up.
The critics are right about one thing. Google's CPC has been declining for a while, and it's almost certainly because of mobile. Here's a chart:
Following that decline, Larry Page told investors on his Q4 earnings call that Google may have been wrong to encourage advertisers to pursue mobile-only marketing strategies.
It's rare for their to be this level of public protest, this quickly, when a major advertising partner like Google changes it policies. In the ad biz, people tend to be polite in public and express their displeasure behind the scenes.
So expect Google to take these complaints seriously.
Get the latest Google stock price here.


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Alpha Delta Pi Button Mirror - Alexandra Co. a1089
This Alpha Delta Pi Button Mirror comes in your Sororities' Colors and features the Alpha Delta Pi Greek Symbols on the pouch. Mirrors are 3-inch in diameter and includes the felt pouch. Rush service is available for 15% of the total, this service can be selected during checkout.
Style #: a1089


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Monarch Cagers Read Books to Local Elementary Schools Wednesday
By ODU Athletics
Oct. 9, 2007
The Old Dominion University men's and women's basketball teams will visit five area elementary schools, sharing their favorite children's book with students, to kick off the second annual Monarch Reading Program with Norfolk and Portsmouth PublicElementary Schools.
ODU student athletes will visit the following schools:
10 am Richard Bowling Elementary (Abdi Lidonde) Chesterfield Academy (Brian Henderson and Jen Nuzzo Brighton Elementary (Megan Pym and TJ Jordan)
10:30 am Coleman Place Elementary (Kent Bazemore) Lindenwood Elementary (Etiole Imama)
In partnership with Norfolk and Portsmouth Public Schools, 30,000 official bookmarks will be distributed to students in each public elementary school in the Norfolk and Portsmouth schools. Every child who reads four or more books during the six-week program will receive a free ticket to a Monarch or Lady Monarch home basketball game, where they will be recognized at halftime.


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Ethnologists, Exasperation, and Epa
December 4, 2011 Leave a comment
While Collecting African Tribal Art one comes across the herculean exploits of the Epa masqueraders. The substructure of the mask is a grotesque form consisting of bulging eyes, and features. The superstructure conveys different motifs and can be in stark contrast to the janus type support.
In the late 1970s J. Oyo indicated that there was substantial variation in the form and function of various Yoruba masquerades. The main ones identified were as follows,
- Egungun, which could be ancestral, or entertainment based, and found among Oyo Yoruba groups.
- Agemo, Agbo, and Ekine which are found among the Ijebu,
- Gelede, found in the Egbado,
- and Epa, found mostly in the Ekiti region.[1]
During the week ending 120311 we added the first EPA mask (shown below), to the collection. The mask is approximately 50″ high, over 60lbs, and displays a dog with pup, grasping a goat, while having a hen on his back. The mask conveys fertility, and caring, while at the same time covering all the sacrificial bases normally associated with Epa related deities.
The names of the headpieces, as well as the names of individual masquerades, are based on the sculptural motifs on the superstructures of the headpieces. These motifs include mothers with children which are connected with the Yoruba's desire for plentiful issue; warrior motifs which reflect the wars waged against the Ekiti and Igbomina in the past; and motifs based on Qsanyin, the god of medicine; these emphasise another attribute of this group of masquerades as giver of physical and spiritual health, (J. Ojo 1978)
According to J. D. Clarke, the celebrations of the Ora people are somewhat different. In this instance of the celebration, Epa is believed to have been a great craver, who is a principal Orisha of the Ora people, and who watched over the fortunes of the community. This to some extent explains the arrav of carved and painted masks which are put on display during the festival.
Some of the masks are four feet high and two feet broad. The principal mask is called Oloko (lit. "he who has the farm") and represents Ekun, the Leopard, shown as an animal jumping upon the back of another animal. The mask next in importance is Agbo, the Ram, followed by Aja, the Dog. Olomoyeye, the Mother of Children, a mask representing a woman seated, surrounded by many children, and Ologun, the Warrior, a man on horseback also surrounded by children, are two other important masks. The majority of the smaller masks depict rams with long horns, or dogs with long tails.[2]
One distinct difference was that the festival witnessed by Clarke (1944), involved tests of manhood and strength, demonstrated by wearers of the Epa masks jumping on a mound approximately three feet high. Ojo (1978) also disputed the weights of the mask as not exceeding sixty pounds.
Yet another perspective is provided from the Opada people in Egbe, where the Epa festival is celebrated to commune with their deity.
The Epa day is preceded by a seventeen day notice to the entire community, the notice affording time to re-establish the legitimacy, and legality of the Epa festival for that year. An announcer, who is also a clan member goes about with his agogo (local bell) every evening to remind people about the great festival on the way.
The worshippers build a statue to symbolize the Epa deity. On the day of the celebration, the image is carried by a designated member to Irele (Shrine) of the Epa. The Shrine is at the forest of Epa situated at the outskirt of the town. The Opada clan, (the custodian) of Epa is comprised of four sub-groups, each of which possesses its own statue for Epa. At the Epa forest, each presents its image to appease the deity with different animal sacrifices.
Sub-Clan Name
Name of Epa Statue
Animal Sacrifice
|Oke Oba for Oba Opada
The author concludes that the festival provides more ample opportunities of appreciating the culture, since the value judgement of the participants for their culture is rekindled, re-orientated, and re-solidified. This is important in the face of the gradual erosion of the cultural values by westernization, actualized through education, technology, and religion (Christianity, and Islam).[3]
[1] http://www.jstor.org/stable/2801941 The Symbolism and Significance of Epa-Type Masquerade, 1978, J.R.O. Oyo, pg.456.
[2] http://www.jstor.org/stable/2844297 Three Yoruba Fertility Ceremonies, 1944, J. D. Clarke.Three
[3] http://www.unilorin.edu.ng/publications/balogun/Doc1.pdf Okun Orature: The Socio-Cultural relevance of 'Agiri' and Epa Festivals, 2007, Jide Balogun.
E1 http://www.jstor.org/stable/40793609 A Yoruba Epa Mask, 1997, Fasiku Alaye
E2 Yoruba, Sculpture of West Africa, W. Fagg et al, pg. 21
E3 Yoruba, Sculpture of West Africa, W. Fagg et al, pg. 21


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Welcome to Jim's Photos, LLC - Professional photo ordering made easy. Please feel free to browse the many galleries found here.
Find photos you like? Use the green "Buy Photos" button to order prints, digital downloads and other stuff.
All images are for sale unless otherwise noted. Please ask about discounts that may be available for Groups, Teams, Schools & Clubs.


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(14 items)London–The following links showed up in our daily search for news on the web. Readers might be interested to read these news stories.
ERJ editorial staff strongly advises readers to heed the warning below, these stories are not confirmed, and may contain mistakes.
This is an external link and should open in a new window. ERJ is not responsible for the content of external sites.
Court upholds $20M verdict
Ledger-Enquirer (US – Ohio)
Run-flat tires safe, but not safe from lawsuits
San Francisco…


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Press Release:
Legendary hip hop artist Chuck D, who cofounded the rap group Public Enemy, will visit the University of Massachusetts Boston to talk about "Race, Rap, and Reality" on Tuesday, February 1 as part of the campus's kick-off for Black History Month.
This free lecture takes place in the Campus Center Ballroom from 3 to 5 p.m.
"Whether you agree or disagree with his words, Chuck D commands attention," said Chancellor J. Keith Motley. "I'm proud of our Office of Student Activities & Leadership and our Student Arts and Events Council for bringing Chuck D to our campus, and I am truly looking forward to hearing his remarks."
Best known as leader and cofounder of one of hip hop's most influential groups of all time, Chuck D redefined rap music and hip hop culture with the release of Public Enemy's explosive debut album, Yo Bum Rush the Show, in 1987.
He is the author of two critically acclaimed books, a political activist, publisher, radio host, and producer. His messages address weighty issues about race, rage, and inequality. Chuck D and Public Enemy were celebrated in the May 2004 issue of Rolling Stone magazine as one of the "50 most important performers in rock & roll history." In 2007, he was named one of the 100 Most Influential Black Americans by Ebony magazine.
Chuck D is also a national spokesperson for Rock the Vote, the National Urban League, and the National Alliance for African American Athletes. He has appeared in numerous public service announcements for national peace and the Partnership for a Drug Free America. As he continues to work on commentary, music, and writing on diversity, politics, rap, and technology, it is clear that there are few who have transcended music and have made an impact as loud as hip hop speaker Chuck D.
The event is sponsored by UMass Boston's Student Arts and Events Council.
About the University of Massachusetts Boston
With a growing reputation for innovative research addressing complex issues, the University of Massachusetts Boston, metropolitan Boston's only public university, offers its diverse student population both an intimate learning environment and the rich experience of a great American city. UMass Boston's eight colleges and graduate schools serve more than 15,000 students while engaging local, national, and international constituents through academic programs, research centers, and public service activities. To learn more about UMass Boston, visit www.umb.edu.


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Now, in my life, listening to intuition is holy to me, but learning to trust it has been a long journey. I grew up in Beverly Hills the only daughter of two-physician parents with twenty-five physicians in my family. From age nine, I had dreams and intuitions that would come true. I could predicts illness, earthquakes, even the suicide of one of my parent's friends. This confused and alarmed me, as it did my parents who were entrenched in the hard-core rational world of science. We had no idea that intuition was a gift, that it came from my early, natural spiritual connection. At first they tried to write my intuitions off as coincidence. Finally, though, after I dreamed my mother's mentor would loose an election for judgeship--which to my horror, came true--she took me aside and told me, "Never mention another dream or intuition in our house again!" I'll never forget the look in my dear mother's exasperated, frightened eyes, nothing I ever wanted to see again. So from that day on, I kept my intuitions to myself. I grew up ashamed of my abilities, sure there was something wrong with me.
Luckily, I've had many angels in human form who've pointed me to my true calling as physician. In the Sixties I got heavily involved with drugs in an attempt to block my intuitions out. Following a nearly fatal car accident at age sixteen when I tumbled over a treacherous 1500 foot cliff in Malibu Canyon, my parents forced me to see a psychiatrist. This man was the first person who ever "saw" me--not who he wanted me to be, but who I was, the magic that therapy can be. He taught me to begin to value the gift of intuition, and referred me to Dr. Thelma Moss, a intuition researcher at the UCLA Neuropsychiatric Institute. She was to become my mentor and guide to developing my intuitive side.
While working in Thelma's lab I had an amazingly specific dream which announced, "You're going to become an MD, a psychiatrist, to help legitimize intuition in medicine." When I awoke, I felt like someone was playing a practical joke on me. I'd never liked science, and I was bored around all my parent's doctor-friends. I was a hippie living in an old converted brick Laundromat with my artist-boyfriend in Venice Beach, working in the May Company's towel department. (I've had a great love of towels and sheets since!) The last thing I envisioned doing was medicine. But because I was beginning to trust my intuition from working with Thelma, I enrolled in a junior college just to see how it would go. So one course became two, became fourteen years of medical training--USC medical school and a UCLA psychiatric internship and residency.
The irony was, that during my medical training I strayed far from the intuitive and spiritual world again. Traditional psychiatry equates visions or even an extra-assertive inner voice with psychosis. Working in the UCLA emergency room, I'd keep seeing psychotics who were wheeled in screaming, strapped to gurneys, accompanied by cops with billy clubs. These patients professed to hear God and to be able predict things. They also felt their food was poisoned, and that the FBI was on their tail. A mishmash of claims no one even tried to sort through. Typically, these patients would be medicated with Thorazine, hospitalized on lock-down inpatient units until their "symptoms" subsided. Seeing this so many times I doubted whether it was safe or appropriate to integrate my intuitions in medicine.


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How to Find Hidden Jobs
I Just Got Hired for a Role that Never Existed
By Nimish Thakkar, Career Coach and Professional Resume Writer (CPRW)
The Hidden Job Market refers to over 75% job openings that are never advertised. Yes, the employment ads (online and offline) account for just a small fraction of openings that actually exist. As a career coach and resume writer, I have observed that most of these jobs are filled through networking and other internal channels that job seekers rarely care to exploit.
The Hidden Job Market is powerful, but the strategy that I am about to reveal calls for even more creativity. The following stories illustrate how job seekers got hired for roles that never existed:
Hidden Job Strategy Case #1:
Max Smith was about to graduate with a Master's in Healthcare Administration. Though interested in a Pharmacoeconomics (Health Outcomes Research) Fellowship, he wasn't qualified for the role. Historically, his "dream company" considered only Pharm.D. or Ph.D. candidates. Max was far from being a doctoral candidate. On the contrary, he was already enrolled in an MBA (Finance) program.
Undeterred by his "lack" of qualifications, Smith took the initiative and called the company. After persistent digging, cold calling, and gatekeeper screening, he was finally able to speak with the head of the Outcomes Research Department.
Max had done his homework and had prepared compelling scripts and presentations to demonstrate how he would add to the program's diversity despite not being a "wish list" candidate. It clicked. He was invited for an interview the following week -- never before had the company considered similarly-situated applicants.
If you think this was just an isolated case, here's another example:
Hidden Job Strategy Case #2:
Stella was interested in working as an affiliate marketing manager for a startup E-business venture. Unfortunately, she was hired for a search engine marketing role and all her job functions were geared toward driving traffic to the employer's website (via search engines). She started doing her research and through internal networking conversations, she identified a "solid need" within the company. The company had never hired an internal affiliate marketing manager before and the position did not exist officially.
Stella decided to pitch for the role, though, and she created a comprehensive proposal with robust cost-benefit analysis outlining how the company would benefit from her contributions as an internal affiliate marketing manager. Through the proposal, she was able to convince her employer that she could actually add to the company's bottom line. Her marketing director was convinced and approved a brand new position.
Hidden Job Strategy Case #3:
Amanda is another interesting story. She approached me in 2010. Amanda was working in the technology sector. Traditionally, her target employer would always outsource key roles to its network of consulting companies. Amanda was convinced, though, that an internal employee would deliver more "bang-for-the-buck."
Convincing senior management was a very challenging task, but I worked with her to create a solid proposal that not only pitched her strengths, but also showcased her idea's merit on the basis of cost-benefit analysis. Together, we provided industry analysis, key trends, charts, and several insights that convinced senior management that an internal role would be the way to go. The company is now reconsidering its hiring policies.
These stories are not just isolated incidences. In my practice as a resume writer and career coach, I come across hundreds of success stories where a little creativity opened doors to openings that never even existed.
Read more hospitality career tips. Find more hospitality jobs by visiting the career center.
About the Author
Nimish Thakkar is a sought-after career management coach and professional resume writer. He recently created www.DontSpendMore.com, a site that allows consumers to save hundreds of dollars every month. As a resume writer, he has helped thousands of clients through his sites, www.ResumeCorner.com and www.SaiCareers.com. Thakkar holds two graduate degrees, including an MBA. For a free resume evaluation, contact him at firstname.lastname@example.com.
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Thursday, October 18, 2012
ETC Group Goes After Canadian Government
Meanwhile, in Hyderabad, the ETC Group has branded Canada one of the "four horsemen of geoengineering," along with the UK, Australia, and New Zealand, for resisting attempts to enhance the CBD moratorium and institute a test ban. The CBD Alliance, a civil society network that shares ideological affinities with ETC Group, presented "Dodo Awards" to both Canada and the UK for supposed damage done to biodiversity resulting from their receptivity to climate engineering research. A contact group of government representatives continues to discuss outstanding technical and legal issues.
1 comment:
People who would like to get the full flavor of how whacked out ETC is should visit the ETC website to read their "Geopiracy: The Case Against Geoengineering" webpage.ReplyDelete
On it, readers will be informed there is a giant conspiracy involving the world's leading scientific institutions, i.e. the US National Academy of Sciences and the UK Royal Society and others, acting in collusion with conservative think tanks. This unlikely alliance, we are told, is actually a front group for the real villains, i.e. large energy, aerospace and defence companies, who are waiting in the wings for now.
The role of the front group, i.w. the world's leading science academies and the conservative think tanks, according to ETC, is to soften up the general population by telling them its too late to save the planet without geoengineering it. Once the population is suitably receptive, the energy, aerospace and defence companies will step forward with their geoengineering schemes.
Jim Thomas complained to the Google Geoengineering Group moderator about my satire of ETC published there, until I described the ETC Geopiracy page to the group after which Jim suddenly was very busy, too busy to respond apparently.


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The Beaufort County Board of Education will hold open forums with three superintendent finalists to lead the district of 20,000 students.
The finalists, selected from a pool of seven candidates interviewed by the board last week, are:
• Gloria J. Davis, currently superintendent of the 9,100-student Decatur Public Schools in Decatur, Ill.
• Kathryn LeRoy, currently director of high school programs for the 125,000-student Duval County Public Schools in Jacksonville, Fla.
• Jeffrey Moss, currently superintendent of the 9,850-student Lee County Schools in Sanford, N.C.
Each finalist will visit Beaufort County for a second interview with the Board, a meeting with district employees and a public forum that will be televised live on the Beaufort County Channel.
The adjusted schedule of three public forums includes two sessions at the district office in Beaufort and the third at the conclusion of the Board's Feb. 19 meeting at the Bluffton branch of the Beaufort County Public Library. The new schedule is:
• Wednesday, 7-8 p.m. - Finalist Jeffrey Moss, district office at 2900 Mink Point Blvd. in Beaufort.
• Thursday, 7-8 p.m. - Finalist Kathryn LeRoy, district office at 2900 Mink Point Blvd. in Beaufort.
• Feb. 19, 7:30-8:30 p.m. - Finalist Gloria J. Davis, Bluffton Library, 120 Palmetto Way in Bluffton.
At each forum, that night's featured candidate will make a brief opening statement and then answer questions from audience members. Questions will alternate between live audience members and television viewers who submit their queries via email.
The public will be able to comment on the finalists using paper forms at the forums or electronic forms posted to the school district's website beginning Tuesday.
Before each public forum, district educators will have the opportunity to meet that day's featured finalist and ask questions.
The live broadcasts can be viewed on Hargray (Channel 113 for digital TVs and Channel 9 for analog TVs); Time Warner Cable (Channel 63); and Comcast (Channel 2). In addition, the forums will be live-streamed on the County Channel's website.
The board hopes to have a new superintendent under contract by the first week in March. Although the person selected will not likely report to work until July 1, Chairman Bill Evans said the board will seek opportunities for regular visits to the district before that date.
The school district's former superintendent, Valerie Truesdale, retired in October for a job as technology chief of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg School District. Jackie Rosswurm, the district's human resources chief, has been serving as acting superintendent but did not apply for the superintendent's position.
Ray and Associates, an Iowa-based firm hired by the board to coordinate the national search, said it received 122 applications from candidates in 42 states. The consultants conducted background checks on the 122 applicants and brought 11 candidates to the board, which interviewed seven. The finalists will come to the district for a second round of interviews with the board and for the forums.
Gloria J. Davis
Davis, who holds a Masters of educational administration from Washington University in St. Louis, says she would imitate an initiative she started in Illinois in which a "coalition of community leaders" takes on tasks such as establishing after school programs, helping students prepare for college entrance exams and complete applications.
Drawing a parallel to her time running the schools in Dodge City, Kansas, Davis said she has experience weathering times of rapid growth while improving academic growth. The Hispanic population was growing rapidly in the early 2000s, and she oversaw capital expansions to accommodate the surging population, she said.
Kathryn Leroy
Leroy, who holds a certificate of educational leadership as well as a pending doctorate of teaching and learning, cites 21 years in the Miami-Dade County District and the rapidly growing Duval County Schools.
While serving as executive director in Miami-Dade she says she helped create a model for academic turnaround that clustered schools based on academic need to focus resources and approaches.
She also says she developed a technology plan in Jacksonville and believes in programs combining one-on-one interaction blended with the use of technology as a learning tool.
Jeffrey Moss
Moss, who holds a doctorate of education from South Carolina State University, touts a 12-point graduation rate improvement under his watch to 84 percent as well as academic gains among African American (69 to 81), Hispanic (71 to 80.4), exceptional students (59 to 70) and those receiving free or reduced lunch (60s to the high 70s).
In a written survey he acknowledged the need for public education to become more competitive as "vouchers and school choice loom before us."
"I am basically opposed to providing public funds for private schools, but welcome the challenge to make any school I lead the 'school of choice' that all will want to attend because of the quality education we can provide.
Moss said in his survey that the governor of North Carolina "tentatively" offered him the job of Education Policy Advisor, "which is the equivalent of state superintendent."


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Message Board
Oliver Bayley Message Board
Talk about the novels, new and used books that Bayley has written!
Author Bayley's Book Reviews
Dagger Of The Mind
Military technology has reached the stage where most strategic spying is done by psychics. In the same way that the connection of computers created 'another world', cyberspace, the link-up of the minds of hundreds of people also creates its own kind of reality space, a kind of 'psychospace'. N.A.T.O. and the Euro Army are currently at war with Russia and China. Jack Banks, a psychic of the British Army is assigned to obtain information as to the military...


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ODU Hosts JMU Saturday Night
February 03, 2006
By ODU Athletics
By ODU Athletics
Feb. 3, 2006
Complete Release in PDF Format
Download Free Acrobat Reader
The Monarchs (15-7/8-4)return home to host the Dukes of James Madison (3-16/0-11) Saturday night in the CAA matchup. JMU is led by freshman Juwan James who is averaging 13.3 points per game and shooting .515 from the field. Ray Barbosa is second on the team in scoring at 10.7 points per game. This is the first meeting between the two this year. Saturday's game is alumni night as ODU will honor former basketball players from 1930-1970.


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Where has the time gone?
The last out in a spring game in Clearwater is now history. At one point, this day seemed so far in the distance.
Reporting time for the players was 11 a.m., rather than the normal 9:30 routine they've been following for the last six weeks.
Some players will be boarding a 9:15 bus tomorrow morning for the last Florida game in Bradenton. The team will fly out of Sarasota tomorrow evening and play the Red Sox on Friday and Saturday in the traditional On-Deck Series at Citizens Bank Park.
Some players will not be on the charter as they are remaining in Clearwater to rehab their injuries.
Some players left the Bright House Networks Field clubhouse today, no longer Phillies.
Some players on tomorrow's charter will return to the minors after this weekend.
So, the end has come to another spring training in Clearwater, the final one for me in this PR capacity. As a rookie in 1964, I was able to put on about 25 pounds thanks to expense accounts and endless restaurant dinners and deserts. I'm proud to say, I haven't shed one pound since.
Six weeks or 43 springs. Where has the time gone?
1 Comment
You said this is your final ST in the PR capacity – are you retiring or changing positions? I hope you're still planning to come around on the Winter Caravan circuit.


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This article originally published on BikeRadar
After several seasons of working together with aerobars, the Cannondale Pro Cycling team (formerly known as Liquigas-Cannondale) will move to Vision as its exclusive wheel sponsor for the 2013 season.
Cannondale Pro Cycling will have seven models to choose from. The Metron 3 Spoke, and Metron Disc will be used for time trials; the Metron 81, TC50, and TC24 carbon tubulars should see use across a wide range of disciplines; and we expect the T42 and T30 clinchers to be ridden solely for training.
In addition, Vision representative Gloria Radaelli says Cannondale Pro Cycling will also test a variety of prototypes for the company before they're finalized for production.
"This is a very important decision for both of us," said Vision European general manager Claudio Marra. "This will bring Vision and Cannondale together to cooperate for innovative product and will offer the best performance and advantages to the team."
Cannondale Pro Cycling had previously already used Vision for aerobars so the move to add wheels seems like a natural one. Moreover, Marra says the company's personal relationships with the team manager and top riders Ivan Basso, Elia Viviani, and Peter Sagan also helped pushed the deal forward.
"The final choice from the team was made because there has been good cooperation between us for a long time," said Marra. "They have seen the proof that as we produce all the components and wheels in our company, this gives us the best and fastest flexibility for development. This possibility really gives the team a big advantage."


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Welcome to Tia's Tex-Mex!
Tampa Bay's Tastiest Tex-Mex
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Come visit us for the best
Tex-Mex east of the Mississippi!
At Tia's we strive to be our guest's first choice, a great place to work, to display superior ethics and behavior, and to realize that words of wisdom come only with the pain of experience.
We offer a great menu, catering, and 2 patios for private parties.


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MSE Blog Series Part 1: How to Optimize Your CleanAir Experience
This is the first in series of blogs discussing various features of the Cisco Mobility Services Engine (MSE), an integral, yet often overlooked component that can turbocharge your existing interference detection capabilities. This post describes MSE and how it can help locate interference in your wireless network.
So you have a CleanAir Solution comprised of top-grade, enterprise-class Cisco access points and controllers: finally, a network of minimized interference.
But what happens when a rogue device intrudes on your peaceful network? How can you maintain crisp, fast wireless performance?
Luckily for you, the enterprise-class wireless experience enabled by CleanAir technology can be further enhanced and maintained with Cisco's Mobility Services Engine (MSE).
MSE is a platform on which you can run services like Context Aware Service (CAS), Wireless Intrusion Prevention Service (wIPS), and Mobile Concierge, all of which are services that can help in monitoring your wireless infrastructure. Designed to integrate with existing CleanAir infrastructure, MSE is a ground-breaking technology that allows network administrators to achieve extremely high quality, interference-less wireless performance.
How exactly does it do this?
Location Services
MSE, layered on top of a CleanAir solution, enables network administrators to locate sources of interference on an indoor network map. While CleanAir access points can detect interference and the Radio Resource Management (RRM) module on the Cisco Wireless LAN Controller (WLC) can greatly reduce the effect of interference on your wireless network by switching channels, neither eliminates the source of interference—they are merely working around the problem.
MSE generates a map denoting sources of interference within a matter of seconds once detected by the Wireless LAN Controller (WLC). This allows network administrators to locate, identify, and eliminate the source of interference, effectively nipping the problem in the bud.
For example, consider a hospital environment where a device such as a Jammer can threaten the functionality of mission-critical hospital equipment. A Cisco MSE can quickly identify the location of these foreign devices when they are detected by the access points on the floor and aggregate the information into a single record. The network administrator can look at this information on Cisco Prime Network Control System (NCS). Alternatively, if they have configured an alert using the rich MSE notification system, they will be instantly notified of the location of the interfering device. They can then go ahead and remove the device.
Figure 1: NCS showing the location of interferers (Bluetooth Link) on a map using MSE.
Location History
MSE not only allows for interference location tracking, but also records the location history so you can know where the source of interference has been. In addition to location history, MSE also tracks other useful information, such as duty cycle and severity of these interference sources. Having this data is extremely important for monitoring security compliance.
For example, consider this example where one of our customers saw serious degradation in their wireless network on one side of the building, curiously at 3 pm every day. After monitoring the location history of existing sources of interference, we noticed that there was an interferer that would come up every day at 3 pm on the far wall. A quick physical search near the location didn't reveal anything. Later, the culprit was discovered: a city bus.
Now you must be thinking: How could it be? Every bus driver in that city was equipped with a 2.4 Ghz device to manipulate the traffic lights right outside our customer's premises, so when a bus driver used the device at that particular intersection, it would deteriorate the wireless service for the customer. With a MSE integrated CleanAir solution, the customer could look at the location history of the device and configure the channels on that section of the premise to avoid this kind of interference.
Some larger deployments, such as at airports and hospitals, often have certain requirements for channel availability, SLA compliances, etc. If a network isn't meeting their requirements, network administrators can use MSE to quickly audit the location history of interferers and correlate the dip in network quality of an area to the location of a particular device. They can then go ahead and remove that interferer to improve the network characteristics to optimize the mission-critical wireless for their organization.
Figure 2: NCS showing the location history of a particular interferer using MSE.
Integrating the Cisco CleanAir solution within our Cisco Aironet access points allows us to provide optimized convergence of interference sources. MSE allows our customers to confidently track sources of interference through our 2 stage interference identification that is baked into a radio chip. More importantly, we can do this without affecting the load that our access points can carry. Using MSE, we take this convergence to the next step and present the administrators with highly accurate information about the location of the interference source.
So now you know all about how MSE can enhance your wireless CleanAir experience. Adding this game-changing product from Cisco to your network portfolio will give you the ability to deliver the best mission-critical wireless to your stakeholders.
Stay tuned for the next post in our next MSE Blog Series, where we'll discuss how MSE's flexible notification architecture makes tracking interference child's play.
In an effort to keep conversations fresh, Cisco Blogs closes comments after 60 days. Please visit the Cisco Blogs hub page for the latest content.
1 Comments
Dr. Jose A. Wong - Perez
…Excellent post…this keynote and all the links regarding Cisco MSE and Cisco Cleair, enhances my Cisco's Wireless Class Presentations…Thanks for sharing it. I am looking forward to read more. Regards from PR.


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"Eat, Cry, Poop: Baby Blues Scrapbook 28"
Eat, Cry, Poop: Baby Blues Scrapbook 28 (Andrews McMeel Publishing, LLC, $12.99, November 2011). A candid portrayal of suburban living in a chaotic family of five, Eat, Cry, Poop is a true represention of everyday life. From the fights for who gets to record the answering machine message to Mom and Dad being the most loyal lemonade-stand customers, Eat, Cry, Poop will remind readers of the timeless joys of growing up and the delight in raising kids. Baby... Read More


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Meal Plan: Week 6
Have a look at this week's Meal Plan: Week 6, print off the recipes and head to the grocery store!
Superbowl is here (you may even be reading this while stuffing your face with last week's Milky Way Brownies.
This week I've got a "cook once, eat twice" meal! These are some of my favorite kind of meals, less work for sure!
I'm also sharing a delicious chicken dinner recipe that caught my eye from my blog friend Katerina. You may have seen her blog, Diethood? I got to FINALLY meet her in person and she is the sweetest, funniest friend a girl could ask for. Her dinner recipes are all over pinterest, if you follow me over there I'm sure you've seen me pin a few
So let's get to the menu for this week, shall we? As always, if you like what you see, print the recipes and head to the grocery store. It's that easy!
- Beef Enchilada Mac and Cheese: we'll be warming up your palate this week with pure comfort food! This delicious stove pot meal comes together in 30 minutes, perfect for your busy night!
- Buffalo Meatballs with Homemade Blue Cheese Dip: sure it's "technically" an appetizer, but I won't tell or judge. We love this as our main dish. Serve with a big salad or a plate of carrots and celery! Another bonus? These meatballs are healthier than your typical version!
- Garlic Sauce Chicken from Diethood: Every once in awhile I like my family to think I'm fancy…and this easy, yet impressive meal is just what this week calls for! Just 15 minutes prep, I can't wait to give this easy dish a try this week!
- Slow Cooker French Dip: with a 5 lb rump roast, this meal feeds our family of 6 with enough leftovers for tomorrow's meal! Adjust the size roast for YOUR family. Once you've cooked the french dip recipe, put aside about 4 cups of sliced beef. Then assemble those French Dips!
- Beef Enchiladas: simmer up that leftover beef from the night before with the seasonings and sauce. Then assemble your enchiladas! You're family won't even know that this beef was last night's sandwiches!
- Strawberry Meringues: I shared this recipe earlier this week, and it's time for you to get it done! Valentine's Day is next weekend, and these will impress your loved ones! Melt in your mouth, easy to make, and perfect for a week's worth of snacking!
Have a great week! I look forward to hearing from you if you give this dinner menu a try!
Be sure to follow my Weekly Meal Plan Pinterest Board for more recipe ideas:
Follow Shugary Sweets 's board Weekly Meal Plan on Pinterest.
**There may be affiliate links in this post! By clicking on them, or purchasing recommended items I may receive a small compensation. However, I only recommend products I love! Thank you for supporting Shugary Sweets! See my disclosure policy for more info**


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It's a cliché, a book and a song….'live each moment as if it was your last'. While the concept behind the words is understandable in that we often take our time for granted and get so caught up in the business of life that we put off living, it occurred to me this morning, while snuggled on the couch in my soft night gown, drinking coffee with my husband like I am so blessed to do every morning, that if I truly faced each day like it was my last I would be feeling a constant sense of closure and terminal thinking.
What if, instead, we lived each moment as if it was our first?
Remember all the amazing 'firsts' when you were little? The first time you rode a bike by yourself, the first time you made a snow angel or tasted 'snow ice cream'…..the first time you liked a boy and he liked you back…the first time you rode a roller coaster or held a puppy?
But those firsts were just the beginning of many firsts. The first time you set foot in the crystal blue Caribbean water….the first time he kissed you…..the first time you saw something so beautiful it literally took your breath away…the first time you held your baby. The feeling is so intense and spectacular that you want to soak up every second of that minute.
There's a bible passage in the old testament that says "...His compassions never fail. They are new every morning…"
The truth is we can't truly experience something for the 100th time as if it was our first nor can we imagine that it's our last and know how it would actually feel. But if I reach over and put my arms around my husband's body as we both begin to awaken each day and hold each other knowing that this first moment of this new day I get to wake up next to him then maybe…just maybe…I can experience first love over and over – new every morning.