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Traffic calming at Howard Street and 29th Street
In response to long-standing safety concerns and a history of crashes that have severely injured people walking, biking, and driving cars, GRIA has been asking the Department of Transportation for improvements at this intersection over the last year. DOT's Traffic Division has designed a plan that they feel will accomplish two specific goals, both of which relate to improving conditions for pedestrians:
– It will force motorists who make turns quickly today (threatening pedestrians) to turn much more slowly;
– It will shorten the crossing distance for pedestrians as they cross both streets.
To provide feedback on the plans, please contact Mr. Kwame Rose or Mr. Jeffrey Fleming at 443-984-4095. (posted 8/30/2017)
Traffic calming on 28th and 29th Streets
28th and 29th Streets carry high loads of vehicles – typically seeing between 12,000- 14,000 cars per day on each road, which is even greater than many downtown Baltimore streets. Vehicles drive well over the speed limit, which makes it difficult for neighbors to cross safely, and there are frequent accidents. For many years, GRIA has been advocating for short-term improvements to 28th and 29th Street while a longer-term redesign of these roads is considered. After meeting with GRIA board members in summer 2016, Baltimore City's Department of Transportation agreed to install traffic calming on Remington at 28th and 29th Streets. They plan to add flex-post curb extensions. These posts will reduce crossing distance for pedestrians and force cars to slow down while making turns. These improvements were slated to be installed in late-October/early-November 2016, so we should expect them soon.
Click on the design specifications below to view larger images (left: 29th and Remington, right: 28th and Remington):
Once the flexposts are installed, we hope that the Department of Transportation will approve our application to add art in the right of way (crosswalks and intersection) to supplement the traffic calming at these locations. We plan to hold community conversations about the art throughout the winter and spring of 2017, especially with neighbors on the blocks adjacent to the intersections at Remington and 28th and 29th Streets. Stay tuned on NextDoor, Facebook and your mailbox for more information! Other traffic calming initiatives along 28th and 29th Street, including at the intersections of Huntingdon Avenue and Sisson Street are also on GRIA's agenda to address with DOT. DOT has determined that the full scope of recommendations would be expensive enough to be considered a "capital improvement." The City's process to fund capital improvements requires that community have a "master plan" approved by the Planning Commission. GRIA has submitted our neighborhood master plan and hopes that it will be approved by the commission by Spring 2017.
Traffic circle on 27th Street at Remington Ave.
The intersection at 27th and Remington is confusing for pedestrians, vehicle drivers, and bicyclists. Three streets come together in a five-way way intersection, with no pedestrian crosswalk striping. A traffic circle is one approach to addressing the redesign of this intersection. DOT is currently exploring designs for a traffic circle, but has informed GRIA that the cost may be prohibitive as the traffic mitigation dollars tied to the Remington Row development are currently allocated to study parking only. There is no current source of funding for this improvement, but neighbors and GRIA will continue to advocate for construction funding to be included in the Pugh administration's budget. Some exploratory concepts for how to redesign the intersection are below, with various options to include pedestrian crosswalks, traffic circles, and extended curbs to redirect traffic and stormwater. Please note that none of these are funded, planned, or final designs.
Rearranging for additional parking spots
GRIA has been coordinating with the Department of Transportation to free up additional on-street parking spaces in Remington south of 25th street, in response to some residents concerns about increased vehicles from patrons at local businesses. We have asked them to increase parking on Huntingdon Ave. south of 23rd by installing reverse-angle parking or allowing parking on the west side of Huntingdon (2100 and 2200 blocks). We have also asked for an audit of signage and meters on 23rd Street and Sisson Streets to see if there are additional spaces that could be used by residents that are currently labeled as "no parking." This initiative began in summer 2016; DOT has yet to return the results of the study.
Traffic accidents, 2015 and 2016
Click on the images below to zoom in. Data provided by the Baltimore Metropolitan Council, compiled by neighbor Scott Hansen.


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This one was so easy to predict. For the past couple of decades, completely clueless US politicians and bureaucrats (and tech company execs) have been screaming about how China "doesn't respect" our intellectual property. They demanded that China "get more serious" about patents and respecting IP. And for nearly a decade we've been warning those people to be careful what you wish for. Because, now China has massively ramped up its patent system, often by using odd incentives, but rather than helping American companies that demanded it, pretty much every patent lawsuit in China has been about a Chinese company punishing or blocking foreign competition. This is because the Chinese aren't stupid. It's a country that has thrived on protectionism, despite global efforts to "open up trade," and here it realized that the West was handing them the perfect trade barrier: one that let them say they were doing what the West wanted, while giving it the perfect excuse to block out foreign competition.
The order comes after Chinese regulators shut down Apple's iBooks Store and iTunes Movie services in China, the company's second biggest market worldwide. In its earnings report from April, Apple also revealed that its revenue in China fell by 26%, worrying some investors. Still, Apple CEO Tim Cook said when speaking to CNBC's Jim Cramer that he "could not be more optimistic about China."
So, while clueless US and European IP bureaucrats celebrated China issuing so many patents, they totally missed that they'd actually given away everything. And, now you get stories like this: Apple has been banned from selling the iPhone 6 or iPhone 6s in Beijing, because of patent infringement. Regulators found that the design was too similar to the design of a Chinese firm's phone.
Apple Inc. violated the design patents of a Chinese device maker and may have to halt sales of its latest iPhones in Beijing, the city's intellectual property authority ruled, handing the U.S. company its latest setback in a pivotal market. The iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus infringe on Shenzhen Baili's patent rights because of similarities to its 100C phone, the Beijing Intellectual Property Office wrote in its decision.
Many are speculating that Apple's recent $1 billion investment in the Chinese Uber clone Didi was in part to help deal with attacks like this. Basically every American company that wants to sell products in China ends up investing in Chinese companies for this kind of purpose. But, once again, just as we've been saying for years, the Chinese, unlike many in the West, absolutely recognize what patents are: a trade barrier, and they must love the fact that the US keeps asking them to build more trade barriers.
Until US patent officials finally understand that patents are not about innovation, but are really about restraints on trade, innovation and competition, we're only going to see more and more stories like this.


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Friday, April 29, 2011
In Praise of Quince
My husband has made me a convert to quince. Thanks to him we have 7 quince plants in our garden. His gardening passion is quince; mine is the common lilac aka syringe vulgaris. We planted as many lilacs as quince, but we have only 2 syringa vulgaris left. The quince are all still standing.
The lilacs must have full sun and alkaline soil to flourish; no matter how much lime I add, when I dig down a few inches, the soil remains stubbornly acidic. Only one of my two remaining lilacs has flower buds and maybe I will just have to face reality and take it out.
I'll put up with a lot for that lilac fragrance. When it's not in bloom, it's a scraggly plant susceptible to hideous powdery mildew. The quince may not have fragrance to die for but it flowers everywhere even in fairly deep shade. It's not fussy about soil ph and the foliage remains glossy and disease free throughout the season. Unlike the common lilac, quince can be pruned into an attractive shape.The lilacs always looks weedy, no matter what I do.
Most quince plants are upright and quince contorta has fantastic curling branches which are magnificent in flower arrangements:
But if you want something low, there's incredibly tough texas scarlet:
My favorite is Toyo Nishiki which has white, pale pink, and bright red flowers on the same plant.
Quince generally blooms for a full 3 weeks, about a week longer than the average flowering shrub. This may be because it starts to flower in late March/early April so its delicate blossoms are less likely to be fried by unseasonably warm weather. It's on its way out now, but put on a great show.
Quince may not have a fragrance to die for (which is why I put up with the common lilac), but it does produce an attractive lime green fruit in early Fall. The quince fruits can be boiled and turned into a tart (or not so tart depending on the amount of sugar added) quince jelly. We have yet to harvest our quince fruits and turn it them into quince jelly, but maybe we will get it together this year!
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Writing Tips & Sample Edits
While there are exceptions to every rule, here are some common mistakes (and remedies) that apply to both business writing and creative writing.
Imprecise language
Ambiguous language kills communication. Use words that yield specific images. "Green" is more memorable than "brightly colored." Avoid wishy-washy terms that can be misinterpreted or ignored, or that add nothing to the meaning. How hot is "very hot?" How finished is "completely finished?" Some popular offenders:
|The situation in Liberia….
|The war in Liberia….
|The committee gave the project an excellent appraisal.
|The committee praised the project.
|I told him many times ….
|I told him seven times….
|She is interesting.
|She is captivating.
|Certain companies don't….
|Small/large/rich/poor companies don't….
|The actress was quite beautiful.
|The actress was beautiful.
|This is a phenomenon I haven't seen before.
|I haven't seen this before.
|He kept the food in a storage facility.
|He kept the food in a storeroom/stockroom/refrigerator.
|He was quite certain that the many guests at the opening ceremony of the new health-care facility had an excellent time despite the very hot weather.
|He was certain the guests at the hospital opening enjoyed themselves despite the heat.
Adverbs and (most) adjectives
As with the examples above, these should be replaced by active, image-rich language. If you need an adverb to modify a verb, then the verb itself is likely weak or commonplace. Search for a richer verb. If you're using countless adjectives to describe nouns and feelings/states of mind, you're missing a chance to use crisp, active language. You can turn dry exposition into a passage that engages the reader:
|They walked slowly.
|They lumbered.
|He said loudly.
|He screamed.
|The strong, wintry wind made him feel cold.
|The wind blew right through him.
|She had big, brown eyes that made her look like a gorgeous movie star.
|He couldn't help but stare at her movie-star eyes.
The passive voice
The passive voice is spiritless, tedious and often a sign that the author lacks confidence or craft. You can spot the passive voice by scanning your sentences for the word "of" and variations of the phrase "to be" ("is," "was," were," etc.). Such sentences can be recast into the active voice, which is image-rich and economic, saving words and speeding the pace of the work.
|The leader of the marching band was standing by a float when he was almost knocked into the float by one of the horses, which had been spooked by the crowd.
|A spooked horse nearly crushed the band leader against a float.
|It was nine o'clock when the patrol car from the sheriff's department was seen slowing to a stop outside the motel where Jack was staying.
|The patrol car pulled up outside Jack's motel at nine o'clock.
Intrusive dialogue tags
Use simple dialogue tags. Resist the temptation to describe the way characters deliver their dialogue. "He said" or "John said" are invisible, unobtrusive ways of identifying the speaker. "He said angrily" pulls the reader out of story while the author provides a weak explanation. If the dialogue itself doesn't show character or provide telling information, no amount of description will help it. Sentence tags to avoid include almost all adverbs (. . . he said quickly/nicely/loudly/softly/etc.) and highfalutin synonyms for "he said," which distract the reader (. . . he intoned/hissed/interjected/ejaculated etc.).
Don't worry about clichés while composing a first draft, but be sure to excise them during revision. In fiction, keep some clichés if you can put a unique spin on them.
|The room felt a little like home sweet home, though with a charm that felt manufactured.
|The room didn't feel like home sweet home — more like home saccharine home.
Excessive explanations
Show but don't tell. Conflict and story development should play out before the reader's eyes, not be "told" by the narrator. Telling (long passages of exposition without real-time dialogue or conflict) robs the reader of the feeling of discovery. Readers want to experience the story as it happens, preferably through a character's eyes.
In fiction, think of plot in terms of conflict
This suggestion comes last because it applies to structure and can't be illuminated through brief examples. All writing needs a hook to win the reader's attention; it also needs continued conflict and tension to maintain that interest. In outlining fiction, put your planned story's earliest moments of conflict right at the beginning. Avoid static scenes and scenes with dialogue that is "about" something. Spare the reader exhaustively described settings and all mannered of tension "build up." Get to the good stuff right away and trust that you will be able to sustain tension by adding even better stuff later, when the heat of composition gives rise to new and better ideas.
Sample Edits
Sample Edit #1: A magazine advertorial by a Western brokerage house planning to enter Poland
Author's Version
Edited Version
The Currency Option
The Best F/X Rate Risk Security
Company managers operating in a market economy at a time when Poland is rapidly opening up to the world should be aware of the growing number of associated risks. The exchange rate risk is a serious threat which can influence the financial results of a company conducting foreign operations. Loans and contracts expressed in a foreign currency also bear a significant degree of risk. With substantial f/x rate fluctuations, the company should take steps towards minimizing that risk. Until recently, the only instrument protecting Polish businesses from the f/x rate associated risk were forward transactions.
At present, companies can take advantage of a number of other products offered on the derivative instrument market, among them the currency option. Banks offer currency options to protect companies from the adverse results of f/x rate fluctuations. Call type options protect the company from the consequences of a growing currency price, while pur type options safeguard it from a drop in f/x rates in a given currency. What makes the currency option a very convenient protective instrument is that the purchaser has the right but not the obligation to apply it. The option is a type of an insurance policy for the owner who can choose to use it under specific circumstances. In return for the security, the purchaser pays a premium to the option issuer which accounts for option costs. There are two types of currency options – exchange-traded and over the counter (OTC) options. Exchange-traded options are offered as standardized contracts with a set nominal value and execution date. Their prices are set on the stock exchange on a daily basis. OTC options are adjusted to individual customer needs (option value, execution date, currency, possibility of negotiating the price of executing the option). At present, commercial banks in Poland offer the OTC option only. Exchange-traded options can be expected to enter the domestic market as soon as a forward stock exchange dealing in derivative instruments is founded in Poland.
Currency Options:
The Best Defense Against Risk
Businesses in Poland's nascent market economy have to keep pace with the risks that come with market liberalization. Foreign exchange rate risk (f/x risk) is important to cross-border traders and companies who have foreign-currency-denominated loans and contracts. Rates can fluctuate wildly, so companies have to minimize risk wherever they can.
Until recently, forward transactions were the only thing protecting Polish businesses from f/x risk. Today, the derivatives market offers other products, including currency options. Banks offer currency options to protect companies from f/x rate fluctuations. Call options safeguard against growing currency prices, while put options shield companies from decreases in f/x rates.
The currency option is convenient. Purchasers have the right – but not the obligation – to exercise it. It functions as an insurance policy for holders, who can use it if and when circumstances are to their liking. In return for the security, purchasers pay the option issuers a premium. There are two types of currency options: exchange-traded and over the counter (OTC). Exchange-traded options are offered as standardized contracts with set nominal values and execution dates. Their prices are set on the stock exchange daily. OTC options are adjusted to suit individual customers' needs (in terms of option value, execution date, currency, and the possibility to negotiate an execution price). For now, only commercial banks offer OTC options in Poland, though the Warsaw Stock Exchange is developing a forward derivatives exchange.
Sample Edit #2: The opening chapter of a juvenile fiction novel
Author's Version
Edited Version
Chapter One
"Okay," he said menacingly. "Then I suppose we had better go through this wallet and see if you did take my money."
"But I didn't!" I exclaimed. "I would never do that! I'm not that kind of person!"
I can not believe he would do that. His name was Jonathan Meyers, and he had big hands and a long scar on his face like a gangster. I had been tormented by him for many years. He was the biggest boy back in grammar school and he was the biggest boy now in the eighth grade. He was always asking me for money to keep him from beating me up. If I did not have any money, he would accuse me of stealing from him. He would always find some way to get money from me. I hated him.
We were outside on the basketball court. The bright sun was almost setting. Jonathan had several friends with him and they were almost as big as he was. Imagine how I felt. I was barely a hundred and thirty pounds and I was surrounding by these very big, mean-looking guys. I was afraid as I had never been afraid before. It was hard for me to move a muscle.
Jonathan's long fingers went through my wallet. In the end, what he found was two five dollar bills and a library card. He took out the money.
"I'll take these," he smiled.
"No!" I cried out angrily. "You cannot do that!"
"Oh yes I can," he interjected.
"But my mother gave me that money! I did not take it from you or from any one else. My mother gave it to me", I said.
"Your mother? You are a mama's boy. Is that what you are saying?" he said as if joking. "Are you saying you are a mama's boy?"
Then they all started to say it. "Mama's boy! Mama's boy! Mama's boy!" they laughed. It seemed to go on forever. "Mama's boy!" they repeated over and over.
I am not a brave person by nature. I do not like to fight other people and I never liked to see other kids fight in the schoolyard. I was always one the meekest kids around and I did not think that there was anything wrong with that, because that's the way I was raised. My father used to tell me that the only people in the world who he hated were those people who were mean or violent. So imagine my astonishment now, when all of these goons were surrounding me and chanting mama's boy at me, when I surprised them and me and everyone who heard about it later by punching Jonathan right in the nose!
Turn the other cheek was what I always thought. Do not fall so low as to resort to violence. However, I could not think rationally at this particular moment. Believe me when I say that I punched Jonathan without wanting to punch him even though someone might argue that he deserved it. It was almost as if I did not have a choice. I was acting before thinking. Afterall, I really hate violence. I do believe in Turn the other cheek.
Moreover, while I did not really plan to hit him, I also did not plan to run away from all these boys, but that is precisely what I did. All of Jonathan's friends just stood there, shocked, while I ran. Jonathan touched his nose as if he was curious, not hurt by my punch. Indeed, he was so tough that it took more than me to hurt him. Hitting him was not wise, and I knew that, so maybe that is why I was now running.
Where was I running? I do not know. I headed for the doors to the school, but by the time I got there I found out they were all closed. Afterall, school had been out for almost two hours now. I doubted there was even a janitor still around. This was a mistake.
I was starting to calm down a little. It didn't look like they would get me. Then all of a sudden they were chasing me. They quickly had me cornered like an animal. Jonathan walked up in front of them all as they circled me.
"You are going to pay for that," he said angrily. "Nobody hits me."
I looked at all of them. Some of them were smiling. Some of them looked as angry as Jonathan. They wanted to see someone beat up and it did not really matter whether that someone was me or someone else. I thought of turn the other cheek again. Believe it or not, I felt bad for striking him. It was not that I was a good person or a pacifist or anything. It was just that I felt bad. Some times you feel bad without knowing why. It is kind of like when you say something sharp and cutting to someone and everyone laughs because you are funny, but you feel bad about hurting this person. I could not help it.
"I am sorry," I said with meekness. "I did not mean to hit you. I just did it."
"Sorry," Jonathan said, imitating my timid voice. "I will bet you're sorry. But not as sorry as you are going to be."
He came closer to me while the others stood back. He turned both hands into fists, slowly closing the fingers into his palms, and I was very scared of him but believe it or not still I felt bad for hitting him. It was almost as if I now felt that I deserved to be beat up.
So I couldn't believe it when I hit him a second time. Something within me forced me to do it. I did not even feel myself do it, but I most certainly did it.
And this time he fell down onto his knees. He did not hold his nose as he did the last time. He simply fell down and looked up at me as if he was terribly dazed and couldn't say anything.
His friends all looked at him for a while and then I noticed that they were all looking at me again, but not really at me, but at my hand, which was still a fist down at my side. They began to walk backwards. It was not long before they were far away from me and they stopped looking at me and turned around and walked quickly back away from the school. They looked like they were afraid of me, seeing Jonathan kneeling there on the ground before me like maybe he was praying to me.
For a long time I did not know what to do. Now I did not feel especially good or bad and I did not hear turn the other cheek in my mind or anything else. I felt kind of like this was a big science experiment and Jonathan and I were the subjects of the experiment.
"Are you okay?" I ventured tentatively.
He did not say anything. He reached into his pocket and took out the ten dollars. When he gave them to me he looked afraid that I was going to strike him again. I took the money. I did not know how I felt right now. I guess I felt sorry for him.
"I'm sorry," I said.
Maybe they were right. Maybe I was a mama's boy afterall.
Chapter One
"Okay," Jonathan said, "if you didn't steal my money, then you won't mind if I go through your wallet."
"But I didn't take it," I said. "I'm not a thief. You're just looking for an excuse to–"
"Yeah, sure I am."
He dipped a hand into my wallet. I found myself staring at the railway-track scar on his cheek. He wore the old wound proudly, like a gangster. I wondered who had given it to him. Not many kids in the eighth grade looked like Scarface, and not many had four other bullies to follow them around and back them up while they shook down smaller kids. Jonathan's gang flanked him, two on each side of the leader, their faces dark in the evening shadows cast by the courtside trees.
I was a hundred and thirty pounds and feeling smaller with each passing second.
Jonathan found something to make him happy: two five-dollar bills.
"I'll take these," he said, plucking the money from the wallet.
"You can't do that," I said.
"Watch me."
"My mother gave me that money. I didn't steal it from you or from anyone else."
"Your mother?" he said. "Your mother? Let me get this straight. You're saying you're a mama's boy, is that it? You're a mama's boy?"
One by one they began to call me a mama's boy. Then the insult evolved into a chant: "Mama's boy, mama's boy, mama's boy. . . ." It went on forever. "Mama's boy. . . ."
I wasn't brave. I had grown up both fearing and loathing violence. I'd learned the aversion from my father, who was fond of saying that the only people in this world who deserved to be hated were those who were cruel or violent. That made sense to me, especially while Jonathan and his goons surrounded me and chanted "Mama's boy." I hated these guys, but was too weak to stop them.
So why did I then step forward and punch Jonathan in the nose?
Turn the other cheek. That was the saying. But all popular wisdom was hollow given that my mind had pretty much closed down. I punched Jonathan like a machine following its programming instructions. It wasn't a matter of choice.
Nor was running away. Acting without thinking, I bolted, leaving Jonathan and his stunned friends in the middle of the school's basketball court. Looking back and stumbling, I saw Jonathan massage his nose. He looked curious, not hurt. It took more than me to hurt him.
I stopped running at the school foyer entrance and yanked at all three door handles. They didn't budge. School had been out for two hours. I cupped my hands to the slatted glass and looked inside. Nothing, not even a solitary janitor pushing a pail down the hall.
I glanced back at the basketball court. Jonathan and his gang were now charging toward me. I dodged left, made a bid for the parking lot, but soon they cornered me against a brick wall and formed a semicircle, cutting off all escape routes. Jonathan stepped forward.
"You're gonna pay for that," he said. "Nobody hits me."
My mouth felt frozen. Two of Jonathan's goons were smiling, eager to see a beating. The two others followed Jonathan's lead and scowled at me. In a strange way, this was nothing personal. If it wasn't me standing here in terror, it would be some other kid. The words "turn the other cheek" flashed in my mind again, and again I felt a twinge of guilt for having punched Jonathan. Or maybe it wasn't guilt. Maybe "depression" was the word. Sometimes you feel bad without knowing why. It's like when you say something cutting to someone and everyone laughs because you're such a wit – yet you feel bad about having hurt the person.
"I'm sorry," I muttered. "I didn't mean to hit you. I just did it."
"You're sorry," Jonathan said. "I'll bet you're sorry."
He advanced on me. His hands – his fists – came within striking range. I trembled. I sought words that wouldn't come. A part of me felt maybe I deserved to be beaten up.
Then everything happened either too quickly or too slowly. My mind shut down, became lost in some faraway ether while the rest of the world marched on. Finally the trilling of a bird brought me back to the present, and Jonathan was kneeling on the pavement, looking up at me with empty eyes. I'd hit him again.
His friends gaped at him. Then, one by one, they turned their gazes on me and saw something they hadn't seen before — something I hadn't seen before. Finally they inched backwards in slow-motion, watching me closely as they went. When they were twenty or so yards away, they turned and fled toward the gates.
Jonathan, meanwhile, still looked as if he were praying.
What could I say now? What could I do? The gut feeling of depression was gone. All feeling was gone. This was a science experiment, and Jonathan and I were the subjects. Someone else would know what it meant.
"Are you okay?" I finally said.
He didn't answer. He reached into his pocket, retrieved the ten dollars, and held the bills out while shivering with fear.
I accepted the money.
"I'm sorry," I said, and with the short apology the clouds in my mind parted. Now I felt terrible for him, worried about how he would handle this tomorrow. I couldn't look him in the eyes, and I couldn't say anything that would have any meaning. I stared at my feet and hid my hands in my pockets.
Maybe he was right. Maybe I was a mama's boy after all.


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ER, Season 8
Review by Lizzie Guilfoyle
ALTHOUGH Season 13 of the popular American medical drama ER has recently concluded in Britain, Season 8 is now available on DVD. So come – let's take a trip down memory lane….to the days of Carter (Noah Wyle), Benton (Eriq La Salle), Romano (Paul McCrane), Corday (Alex Kingston), Greene (Anthony Edwards) and Maluccu (Erik Palladino) – yes, I bet you'd forgotten him!!
However, Season 8 will probably be best remembered for the departure of Greene who'd been with the series since its inception and whose death from a brain tumour was sensitively played out in the penultimate episode On the Beach.
All in all, it was tough ride for Greene. Rachel, his wayward daughter, turned up unexpectedly (Blood, Sugar, Sex, Magic) and almost immediately caused friction between her father and Corday. And when Ella (Greene and Corday's baby daughter) was rushed to the ER after swallowing some of Rachel's Ecstasy (Damage Is Done) Corday upped and left.
The pair were briefly reunited in Hawaii, Greene's childhood home and the one place he thought might favourably influence Rachel – rightly so, as it turned out. The end, however, was inevitable and unashamedly moving; silent but for the subdued strains of Somewhere Over the Rainbow.
Malucci also departed – unceremoniously sacked by Weaver (Laura Innes) after she'd caught him in a compromising situation with a paramedic in the back of an ambulance! And stupid as he sometimes was, he nonetheless had Weaver sussed. Why else would he have called her a "Nazi dyke"?
Weaver's coming out was, however, only a matter of time. Even so, it was forced upon her by 'girlfriend' Sandy Lopez (Lisa Vidal) who confronted her in the ER before brazenly kissing her in front of colleagues (A River in Egypt).
Also off to pastures new, in their case a suburb 40 minutes from Chicago, were Cleo (Michael Michele) and Benton; a move that followed Benton's successful (in spite of a DNA test confirming he wasn't the biological father) custody battle for Reese (I'll Be Home for Christmas).
Season 8 did, of course, see the start of the Abby (Maura Tierney), Carter, Kovac (Goran Visnjic) triangle. Only Lewis (Sherry Stringfield) temporarily threatened its equilibrium by daring to indulge in a brief dalliance with Carter whose personal and professional lives collided when his beloved grandmother was brought into the ER following a fall. (Start all Over Again).
And then there was the messy little business of Nicole (the waitress with immigration problems from Luka's favourite bar – you know, the one he tried to help!) and the abortion; not to mention Abby's misguided involvement with her feuding neighbours which resulted in her sustaining a broken nose. And remember, Abby was still a nurse at this juncture.
Frenetically paced as always, Season 8 also delivered its share of uncompromising cases – an ectopic pregnancy, self-circumcision (ouch!), heroine injections via a portable catheter, a meningoccal outbreak, a bride allergic to her husband's sperm and, in the season finale, two cases of suspected smallpox.
All of which is just the tip of the proverbial iceberg. But whichever way you look at it, as trips down memory lane go, this is one that is certainly worth taking.


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Luna Mirror - the perfect piece to enhance your home decor
Mirrors had become one of the most important and elegant accessories regarding home decor. Traditional, eccentric or modern, we all have mirrors in our home decor and we can not live without them.
Inspired in the moon and her beautiful shape, Luna is a round mirror handcrafted with the most traditional portuguese joinery techniques. The wood frame can be in oak or walnut, and you can choose a smoke or a bronze mirror.
Available in three different sizes, Luna mirrors are perfect individual ou all together, as they made a beautiful set.
Article by
Adriana Campos


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Massages of Thanks: Prayers for hope Share what it means to be Human
Source: Messages of Thanks
because Jane is Awesome
Massages of Thanks: Prayers for hope Share what it means to be Human
Source: Messages of Thanks
because Jane is Awesome
Source: Things I didn't know
When we let ourselves, we learn so much.
Just because a truth is uncomfortable, doesn't make it less true.
My culture is one
Where people
Who look like me
Can stand fearlessly
And express hatred
Of people who look different.
My culture is one
Where terrorists
Are always "them"
And never "us".
My culture is one
Where freedom
Means the freedom
To oppress and abuse
Anyone different.
My culture is one
Where laws pay lip service
To illusory equality
While turning a blind eye
To casual prejudice.
My culture is one
Where my membership
By virtue of my skin
Brings me shame
Of association.
What's inside us all
{image is a screenshot of Joy from Inside Out watching Riley's daily inventory of memories slide down the chute}
Brooke and I settled in to watch Inside Out the other night. Though that may seem like a simple sentence, for my girl, watching a movie is not a simple thing.
For various reasons, movies just don't tend to work for her. While there have been a couple of exceptions over the years (literally two), even those have recently fallen by the wayside.
Although all the characters of Godspell are still a big part of our lives, not long after Oomahdied, Brooke declared that that we would no longer watch the movie or see the play. The scene when Jesus dies is now more than she can bear.
As for the other movie, The Chipmunks, well, I don't know, after years and years on a loop, it just stopped seems to…
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I want to thank David M. Perry for calling my attention to something distressing last night. It both sickened & shocked me, but then really as much as it "ground my gears" also had me examining my own thoughts & attitudes towards the two rare diseases I've been living with for so long.
View original post 1,274 more words


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I got a call from my buddy Blake in Miami recently. I could hardly make it out, but after seeing his video appear on World Star, I knew my suspicions were right. He was up to no good...and was wondering where the hell I was at!
He was wakeboarding around their facility behind a Custom Chevy Duramax 2500 he recently built for a client through his company Exotic Car Trader. This is Blake...
Despite my missing the shenanigans in the rain, I did get to spend the day riding one of my custom bikes driving a Lamborghini Aventador around South Florida at break neck speeds.
Which didn't suck...
Long story short, Blake has an eye for automobiles and I the same for motorcycles. (Or at least I'd like to think so...) And we thought we should get together, have some fun, build some cars (and bikes) and share the story with you.
This isn't some bullshit PR stunt to get rich people who like fancy cars to get into bikes. Blake has a serious interest for motorcycles. So much interest, that he accompanied me to Confederate Motorcycles a few days later for a behind the scenes learn more about how one of the greatest engineering feats of motorcycle design came to fruition.
Talks of building bikes, riding them and similarities that exist between custom cars and bikes could be heard as we crashed every bar in Birmingham.
Needless to say, Blake is hooked. Expect some cool stuff coming down the line from us as a team. At the very least, we'll provide you with some laughs...
Here's a little intro piece we shot, ENJOY!
*No beards, exotic cars or pelicans we're harmed in the filming of this video.


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Elegant, easy to style, and fashionable all-year round, fine friendship bracelets are one of the most recognisable and favourite jewellery trends of the past decade. Glamorise your look with a hint of signature Arabel Lebrusan with this lovely Filigree Friendship Heart Bracelet. This delicate piece of jewellery is an excellent interpretation of modern ethical jewellery design combined with the fine art of traditional filigree.
Made from high-shine recycled silver and fondly handcrafted by our master artisan, this bracelet also features a pretty timeless symbol of love in the centre.
Our Filigree Friendship Heart Bracelet will stay comfortably on your wrist, easily fitting every size with different locking positions. Casual and classy, it is the ideal accessory for a daytime look as well as a night of dining and dancing!
This bracelet comes with a beautiful 100% recycled cardboard box, cushioned with soft velvet to keep your bracelet safe and clean.


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Infertility affects 1/8 couples, so chances are you either are having trouble getting pregnancy, had trouble in the past, or you know someone who currently is having difficulty. On this Infertility Awareness Week, here are some tips to be just a little more sensitive.
You should avoid saying these 12 things to your friend or colleague with infertility:
1. Just relax.
Yes, stress does play a role infertility and stress reduction techniques can help couples conceive, but infertility is a medical diagnosis and seeing a fertility doctor can discover real problems that require treatment.
2. Minimize the problem.
Regardless of how you view it, research shows that the inability to get pregnant is one of the great stressors in life, up there with losing a job and being diagnosed with cancer.
3. Worse things could happen.
Chances are your friend does not see it that way.
4. Maybe you were not meant to be parents.
Don't go there. Many couples with infertility see their condition as a divine punishment rather than what it is, a treatable medical disease. This will only reinforce their self doubt.
5. Why are you not doing IVF?
IVF is the most effective treatment out there for infertility, but it is not for everyone. It can be expensive, invasive, stressful and conflict with some people's religious values.
6. Just adopt.
Adoption is always a reasonable option, but most couples take time to get there, and still others do not want children if they cannot have their own genetic children.
7. You're young. There's still plenty of time.
Younger women usually have an easier time getting pregnant, so if things aren't working, it's time to figure out why. Yes, the chances for success are higher in younger women, but there are no guarantees.
8. Gossip.
Infertility is private. You wouldn't want someone talking about your medical problems to others.
9. Crude remarks.
Fertility problems deal with the most sensitive and personal parts of our lives. Don't assume your friend will find humor in it.
10. Complain about your own pregnancy.
No matter miserable your pregnancy may be, your friend sees pregnancy as the greatest blessing she ever could hope for. Seeing other pregnant women is one of the most difficult challenges for women facing infertility.
11. Minimize their concerns because they already have a child.
For many couples, a family is not complete with only one child, and it is just as common for couples to seek out help for child number two as for the first. Doctors refer to this as secondary infertility.
12. Ask whose fault it is.
Infertility is a couples thing. While oftentimes, it is one of the partners who has the problem, it takes two to have a baby. Sometimes even when it is a male issue, the female partner must go through most of the treatment. Assigning blame, is counterproductive and can cause considerable strain i a relationship. Don't add to it.
adapted from Resolve.org.


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Last week, I talked to you about setting goals for business blogs. At the end, in a sort of offhand way, I mentioned that once you had set the goals, all you had to do (hah!) was have a think about how you were going to achieve them and you had yourself a content strategy.
You read it, right? If not, I'll wait here while you do. And that cute little squirrel-inspired infographic at the bottom is downloadable.
The word "simply" may have slipped in a few times. Of course, making a content strategy both is and is not simple. It is, in that it is simply (there it is again!) a documented plan to achieve your goals. It is not, as in documenting your plan is actually a multi-step process and then, after that, you've actually got to follow the bloody thing to see any results.
But you weren't laboring under the misconception that business blogging was easy, were you?!
When I researched similar articles to this one, which I always do, I noticed a theme. Many had really valuable advice but were focussed on the "elements" of content strategy, like calendars, promotion, scheduling, etc. They're all super important, but when I thought about making an article about creating a content strategy, I was really thinking more along the line of what one should do to achieve a given goal, and not content strategy basics - however valuable - for people who are blogging.
Then it struck me that as everybody's goals are totally different, I can't really provide a theoretical scenario for everyone. So, what I will do is reason my way to a content strategy for one of the goals I set in the last article, and hopefully, by following my thought process and advice, you can do this for your own.
First of all, I cannot stress enough the importance of making sure the goals themselves are solid. Investing time and, often, money in achieving crappy goals is, as you might imagine, a massive waste of time.
As we discussed the last time, the first few times you do this, this can be hard, because many of your goals will be best guesses. That's fine and unavoidable, but try to protect against major mistakes by running the goals by a few third parties, like (business-savvy) friends and family, a mentor, or online peer support groups. Not Yahoo Answers, though, ok?
Ok, here goes:
Goal 1: Increased customer engagement on posts: 25% increase in blog comments, 40% in shares.
Strategy objective: engagement. Ugh. My first thought is, "Engagement?! Why did I pick such a goddam squirrely goal?". My second thought is, ok, if you want something from your readers, ask them!
- So, in all blog posts, we will ask for comments and shares
- We can research the old posts we did and see which ones got the most engagement, and see if we can pick out any trends that we might be able to replicate
- We can tell our readers, via social media, about our goals, and ask them to help in the task
- We can encourage engagement by offering prizes and rewards for shares
- We can reach out to our most influential fans (using a tool like Buzzsumo) and ask for help
- We can examine the tools on our blog for sharing and commenting, and make sure the process is very easy
- We can read posts and articles on increasing blog comments and make a hit-list of techniques to try
Ok, once more, let's try to form these into nice, official, strategic-looking tasks. You'll also need to schedule them and block off time to ensure they get done. Use your usual task manager or calendar app to do this - but do it now!
- In all blog posts, ask for comments and shares
Add to call to action to all posts.
- Research old posts and see which ones got the most engagement, pick out any trends
Research old posts and create hitlist of high-engagement post features (for example length, subject, publication time, images, sharing). Draw possible conclusions and pass to writer to implement.
- Tell readers, via social media, about our goals, and ask them to help in the task
Find "warmest" social media audience and, politely and appreciatively, ask for help. Think about a reward (free yogurt for everyone if we hit the goal!).
- Encourage engagement by offering prizes and rewards for shares
Plan and carry out 4 contests, attached to "star" articles, offering a prize for sharing/commenting etc.
- Reach out to most influential fans (using a tool like Buzzsumo) and ask for help
Investigate tools and assess investment vs. cost. If feasible, contact 10 influencers and schmooze!
- Examine the tools on blog for sharing and commenting and make sure the process is very easy
Spend time examining sharing and commenting features on the blog. Research possible improvements, make list. Comment and share while not logged in to test. Ask a volunteer to comment and share, watch the process and note any problems.
- Read every single last post on increasing blog comments, and make a hit list of things to try
Brainstorm increased comments techniques and schedule 1 new technique to try every month. At end of month, assess and detail (write) results and impressions
Ultimately, creating a strategy is just a matter of having an educated guess as to how you might achieve a goal and then setting yourself some tasks. With time and reassessment, you'll get much better at it.
Unfortunately, this side of strategy doesn't mean that you can neglect more pedestrian concerns, like scheduling, calendars, promotion and maintenance, but I do see the two aspects as equally important. Start with the "how to achieve the goals" aspect, and you'll find you have more material to fill in the "when and how to blog" aspect.
Also, bear in mind that goals will usually produce more tasks as you work through them. Reschedule, tidy and expand on tasks after every session, or you'll risk leaving tasks uncompleted. I use Asana to manage my tasks, and keep it open and update it throughout the day.
Post originally published on 14/02/17 on Niamhly.com and moved to Clockwork Blog and edited slightly on 31/10/17.


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TEHRAN, Iran — Iran will resume uranium enrichment regardless of the outcome of its negotiations with three European powers over its nuclear program, a Foreign Ministry spokesman said Sunday.
Speaking to reporters five days before Iran is to resume nuclear talks with France, Britain and Germany, Hamid Reza Asefi said the Europeans appeared to be serious in seeking an agreement with Iran. But he added that any settlement had to respect Iran's right, as a signatory to the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty, to enrich uranium.
The Europeans have been offering economic incentives in the hope that Iran will turn its temporary suspension of uranium enrichment activities into a permanent freeze.
Asefi said Iran would not continue its suspension of enrichment for long.
"It is not a matter of a year, but months," he said of the suspension, which was imposed last year to boost confidence ahead of negotiations.
"If Iran feels that the Europeans intend to waste time by prolonging the talks, Iran won't insist on continuing the talks."
The United States, backed by Israel, believes Iran is using a civilian nuclear development program as a cover to make atomic weapons. It has threatened to refer Iran to the U.N. Security Council, which can impose sanctions, but has held off pending the negotiations with the Europeans.
The Europeans also have called on Iran to abandon enrichment, a process that can produce fuel for nuclear reactors and, taken to a higher level, material for bombs.
'We will resume doing it'
Iran insists its nuclear program is entirely for the generation of electricity and has offered to provide safeguards of its good intentions.
"We will put the issue of uranium enrichment on our agenda and, after some time, we will resume doing it. We will do it whether the talks with the Europeans lead to failure or agreement," Asefi said.
Asefi said that while the talks had moved slowly and had failed to meet Iranian expectations, they had not been a total failure.
Earlier this month, President Mohammad Khatami said the negotiations with Europe had been difficult, but they were making progress. They are due to resume April 29.
© 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


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Miracle Beyond Miracles! Photos of Joe's Mother and Two Brothers Found!!!
In 1942, Joe Rubinstein (21) was taken from his home by the Nazis and sent to Auschwitz. He would never again see another member of his family; they were all killed in the Holocaust. Since the war's end, Joe has been praying for just one photo of them. This week, by a miracle beyond our wildest imagination, Joe was able to hold a photo of his mother and two of his brothers-- Dawid, and Joe's identical twin Chaim. "This is the greatest, greatest gift of my life," 95 year old Joe whispered over and over. After reading about Joe's life story in Auschwitz 34207, people all over the world have joined Joe in praying that he find a photo of his family. Through the great work of a researcher, we were able to obtain the original ID forms with photos, long believed lost, of when Joe's family was forced by the Nazis into the ghetto in Radom, Poland.
As you can imagine, this was an incredible shock to Joe to suddenly see the beautiful faces of his beloved family. Please keep him in your prayers as he processes waves of new emotions--joys and sorrows anew, and that we will still find photos of two additional siblings. Through these long lost photos, we all feel as if his mother and brothers have in a sense, come back to life again. The miracle of Joe's Journey continues and continues. We are praising God for such a tremendous blessing this Thanksgiving week! Amen! (Joe's identical twin Chaim is on right with dark hair.)


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Panorama: A Prescription for Murder – MQ's opinion
On Wednesday 26th July BBC 1 broadcasted an episode of Panorama titled 'A Prescription for Murder' - the show investigated the link between antidepressants and homicidal behaviours.
Cynthia Joyce, MQ's CEO said:
"We are concerned about the representation of antidepressants in last night's Panorama, 'A Prescription for Murder'. A claimed correlation between the use of certain medication and homicide is unfounded and irresponsible to report.
There is strong evidence demonstrating the effectiveness of antidepressants in treating depression and other mental health problems in clinical trials and real world experience. The majority of people have seen a positive impact on their mood and a reduction in suicidal thoughts and self-harm while taking antidepressants. Side effects of these treatments are well-known. Any conclusions about causality regarding adverse effects of mental health treatments must be drawn from research and data and there is simply no evidence to suggest that there is a link between taking antidepressants and homicidal behaviours.
The programme focused on individual experiences, suggesting devastating actions were a direct result of taking antidepressants. Although stating that these cases were rare, the fact that a link was drawn between them at all is unjustified and stigmatising.
If you are taking antidepressants and are worried about the recent coverage, it is important to speak to your doctor before stopping your prescribed treatment. You and your doctor can talk about the best course of action for you going forward."
What did you think? Share your thoughts in the comment section below.
Last updated: 27 July 2017


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e: firstname.lastname@example.com: 0121 351 1100
Solutions2 believe in the effectiveness of exhibitions and live events, we have provided quality bespoke stand design and build solutions to a variety of sectors. From space only stands to conference rooms, stage sets and first time exhibitor packages, we can help you deliver results and make the most of your marketing investments.
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One of the many things I love about blueberries is how well they freeze. They're the gift that keeps on giving during the cold winter months. Back in June, I picked a large basket of the lovely orbs at Soergel's Orchards. It's a tradition I started with my friend Barb a few years back.
It's now February and the opportunity for fresh, local blueberries is several months away. I was in the mood to bake and came across a few recipe ideas that paired blueberries with lemon. Both ingredients are a perfect combination of tarty and bright flavors, something I have been craving for a while.
This recipe did not disappoint. Truth be told, I originally intended it to be healthy. That went out the window somewhere between allowing the bread to absorb a cup's worth of simple syrup and watching the same amount of lemon glaze drizzle down the sides. This pound cake is perfect for anytime of the day – breakfast, lunch, dinner or even a midnight snack.
- 1 ½ cups + 2 Tbl. all-purpose flour, divided
- 2 tsp. baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup plain 0% Greek Yogurt
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup canola oil
- 3 large eggs, beaten
- 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest (approximately 2 lemons)
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups blueberries, fresh or frozen, thawed and rinsed
- 1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1/3 cup sugar
- ¾ to 1 cup confectioners' sugar, sifted
- Juice from one lemon, about ¼ cup
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Coat bottom and sides of one 9 x 5-inch loaf pan with butter; dust with flour, tapping out excess.
- In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking powder and salt; set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the yogurt, sugar and canola oil, eggs, lemon zest and vanilla. Slowly whisk the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients.
- In a separate bowl, mix the blueberries with the remaining two tablespoons of flour, and fold them very gently into the batter. If using thawed frozen berries, be careful about mixing too forcefully and breaking the berries.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake 50 to 55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean. I recommend checking at 45 mins. Let cool in the pans for 10 minutes before removing loaf to a wire rack on top of a baking sheet.
- While the loaf is cooling, make the lemon syrup in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir together the lemon juice and sugar until the sugar is completely dissolved. Remove from the heat; set aside.
- Use a toothpick to poke holes in the tops and sides of the warm loaf. Brush the top and sides of the loaf with the lemon syrup. Let the syrup soak into the cake and brush again. Let the cake cool completely.
- To make the lemon glaze, pour the lemon juice into a small bowl. Slowly whisk in the confectioners' sugar. The mixture should be thick but pourable.
- Pour the lemon glaze over the top of each loaf and let it drip down the sides. Let the lemon glaze harden, about 15 minutes, before serving.


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How a Bail Bond Works
We can bond you right out of the Jail so you don't get sent up to County.
Our Agents are Ready to Help You Get Through This Fast and Easy.
The Process to Get Someone Bailed Out is Straightforward…
Step 1
The Arrest and Detainment
Police have charged your friend or family member with a crime and have detained them under arrest.
Step 2
Court Sets the Bail
Bail amount is set by court depending on the charges, criminal history, flight risk of not showing up to court, and other factors.
Step 3
Bail is Posted
Bond is posted by Doc's Bail Bonds to the court. Defendant comes to our office or transfer bond office for pictures and signatures.
Step 4
Released from Jail!
Your friend or family member is released from jail. You are responsible for them getting to court, so don't miss your court dates; it will cost you.
First Thing is You Need to Get Bail Set by the Court
This Requires a Bail Bond Hearing.
When a person gets arrested and booked for a serious crime they must wait in jail until a bail hearing. At the bail hearing the judge will set the bail amount. The judge will consider a variety of factors, including the severity of the crime, previous convictions, the defendant's ties to the community, family, and whether or not they have steady employment. Depending on the specifics of the case, bail is oftentimes set by the court based on the charges for Class A and B misdemeanors. If the crime is not severe they can be eligible to have time served after being in jail for just a few hours. If the crime is more severe or a felony and the person cannot afford bail, they must wait in jail until their court date. There is a better option, they can hire a bail agent and get out while waiting for court by posting a bond to the court. Bail is a process by which you pay a set amount of money to obtain your release from police custody. As part of your release, you promise to appear in court for all of your scheduled criminal proceedings. You will pay a small fee to the agent, who will take on the responsibility of the full bail amount.
When contacting a bail agent, have as much information as possible including the full name of the person in jail, what jail they are in, their booking number and what charges. Our bail agents are on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and will meet you regardless of the time of day and answer the phone at all hours. We can meet you at the jail to post the bond or at our offices. If you are not in the same city as the defendant all paperwork and payments can be handled over the phone or electronically.
How Much Do Bail Bonds Typically Cost?
What Does Doc's Charge for Bail Bonds?
When you "post bail," you are paying the amount that your bail was set at. This can generally be done in a few ways, including:
- Paying by cash or check in the amount of your bail;
- Signing over ownership rights to property that has a cash value that is equal to or exceeds the amount of your bail;
- Giving a bond (a promise to pay if you do not appear) in the full amount of your bail; or
- Signing a statement that says you will appear in court at the required time, generally called "being released on your own recognizance."
Most bail bonds agents typically charge 10-15% of the full bond amount. This can be higher or lower depending on the circumstances and the location of the arrest. Different counties charge different administrative fees. You will not get this money back. You can also sign over collateral or property like a house, car, jewelry, or other goods that can help guarantee that the defendant will show up to court. Our bail agent will post the bond once the premium is paid. It can take a short time or as much as a few hours to process someone out of jail depending on how crowded the jail is.
Doc's has a minimum bond fee of around $125 for a bond of $350 set by the court. The fee on a $500 bond is around $150, for a $750 bond it's around $175. As you can see, for the smaller bond amounts and less serious the crime the fee charged is not based on a percentage of the bail. We don't charge as a percentage until the bond gets up into the thousands. For example, the fee on a $4,000 bond is usually $400 for a first time offender. For someone who has been arrested a number of times, the fees are going to be higher. If they've had a bond forfeiture in the past or have other risk factors, the prices go up. Each bond is different and carries different risks, so the prices can vary. That being said, most bail bond companies charge fees ranging from 7-15% of the bail amount depending on the specifics. If you need help financing a bond with a short term payment plan we can help.
How Long Does it Take to Get a Person Bailed Out of a Jail or Detention Center?
Doc's Bail Bonds processes bail 24 hours, a day 7 days a week; we never close. Unfortunately for some detention centers and jails, they are not open when we are for processing bonds. Generally it takes 1-3 hours to get someone out of jail. It depends on the status at the jail, the court and police booking processes and then getting your paperwork submitted quickly and approved.
The process of bailing someone out can take a short time or several hours. It depends on the circumstances and how crowded the jail is.
When contacting a bail agent, have as much information as possible including the full name of the person in jail, what jail they are in, their booking number and the charges. Our bail agents are on call 24 hours, a day 7 days a week and will meet you regardless of the time of day and answer the phone at all hours. We can meet you at the jail to post the bond or at our offices. If you are not in the same city as the defendant all paperwork and payments can be handled over the phone or electronically.
What Is Needed to Get a Bail Bond Done?
What do we need from you?
-The full name of the person who was arrested
-Where the person is being held for custody (you should include the name of jail, city, and county)
-The person's booking number. You can find out this information by calling the correctional institution he/she is located in. If the number is not available, the bail agent will be able to get this at a later time.
-What are the charges against the person
-How much is the bail. Again, the bail bondsman can get this information when contacting the jail, but if you know the amount, it will be easier for the bail bondsman to tell you the amount that it will cost to post bond and any requirements to get the person out of jail
-Any other information abut his/her arrest that may be important
Getting Released from Jail and What You Must Do After
Getting Released On Your Own Recognizance
After the person has been released, they must show up for all court hearings and meet any conditions set by the court and bail agent. If the defendant fails to show up to court, the bail agent must pay the court the full bond amount. When this happens because the defendant violates the bail conditions, the bail agent will locate the defendant and take them back to jail. Keep in mind, that if the defendant does not make their court date, you can lose any collateral that was signed over with the bond. So long as the defendant complies with the terms set by the bail agent and shows up for all court dates, you won't have anything to worry about regardless of whether the defendant is found innocent or guilty. The bond is then exonerated or completed when the trial is over and both the co-signers and defendants are off the bond and no longer obligated financially.
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Many people resist the idea of church membership in our culture. Part of that may be because people distrust institutions and part may be because they misunderstand what it means to be a member. If you see the church as a corporation, then you probably don't see the need for membership. But if you understand the biblical picture of a church as a place of belonging, as a family, as a place where you grow spiritually and a place where you can express your God-given gifts, then your view of church membership is different.
The first church I served as senior pastor is a wonderful church with a strong core of committed believers. Soon after I became their pastor, however, I made a shocking discovery. There were lots of people who claimed to be members of the church but they never attended, served, or gave. They were members in name only. They signed a piece of paper saying that they had received Christ and been baptized and that they wanted to "join" the church. That was pretty much all that we required of them. Doesn't that miss the point entirely?
Many Christians treat church membership like they treat a gym membership. They sign on the dotted line. They show up occasionally. They are usually sore for a while afterward. They like the idea of being a member but they do not ever fully experience the benefits of being a member because they never fully participate.
The biblical model of church membership is not as much about joining as it is about participating. That is why at Avalon Church we emphasize participation rather than membership. Does signing a piece of paper make you a member of the local body of believers? No! Participating with a group of believers makes you a part of the group. Signing a piece of paper is about exclusion but participating is about inclusion. You only really belong when you participate.
So how do you participate? We emphasize taking your next step in your relationship with Christ. No matter if you are a new believer or a mature believer, you must always take your next step. I believe these steps are necessary for "membership." Notice that these steps are all about participation and are foundational to growing into a committed follower of Christ:
Identify – We must identify with Christ through salvation and baptism. Only then can we truly be a part of a church. You identify with a church when you attend regularly and hear the teaching of God's Word so that you can grow in your faith.
Involve – Getting involved by serving is vital to the Christian experience. God has gifted you and you have something to contribute. Getting involved with a group of believers for fellowship, support, and growth is critical for spiritual growth.
Invest – By giving to spread the gospel through a local congregation you are helping fulfill the biblical mandate to take the good news to everyone everywhere. You can give without loving but you cannot love without giving. Generosity is a big part of obeying Christ's command to love others.
Invite – You play a huge role in bringing others to Christ. By simply inviting others to church you are also inviting them into a relationship with Christ. You play a role in God's story. God wants us to share that story with others.
What about you? Are you a paper signer or a participant? Lots of church members are not really church members yet – but you can be by taking your next step today! Make sure to participate in our Next Step class at 9:30 each Sunday in August.


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lululemon: Why Shares Are Skyrocketing Today
Yoga-inspired athletic apparel company lululemon athletica (NYS: LULU) has been in the news quite a bit lately. First, for announcing the resignation of the company's founder and later for raising its fourth-quarter earnings forecast. Let's look at the recent changes, as well as what might be in store for the retailer heading into 2012.
Lululemon's loyal base of customers shows no signs of shopping fatigue. Strong holiday sales prompted the brand to raise its profit outlook for the quarter ending Jan. 29. The company now expects earnings to come in between $0.47 and $0.49 per share, up from the previous estimate of $0.40 to $0.42 per share. Lululemon predicts revenue of between $358 million and $363 million for the period.
How fitting
The boost in projected sales isn't entirely unexpected, considering prior observations that the company's earnings outlook had been too conservative. Lululemon has also been in the spotlight for news that its founder, Chip Wilson, will resign from his position as chief innovation and branding officer on Jan. 29.
While Wilson didn't give a reason for the sudden departure, Lululemon fans needn't worry. The company's chief executive, Christine Day, who has been successfully running Lululemon since 2008, is still at the helm.
Looking ahead
The coming year should be even better for Lululemon as it focuses on increasing inventory to meet higher demand. At the start of 2011, the retailer struggled with weak inventory. Now it seems some analysts are concerned that Lulu's inventory may be rising too quickly. However, given the company's better-than-expected holiday sales, moving that merchandise shouldn't be a problem.
As inventory ramps up, we can also expect online sales to improve. In its third quarter, direct-to-consumer revenue jumped 71% to $23.9 million, which accounted for about 10% of total revenue. We should see these figures continue to grow as the company offers more products online.
Bottom line
The way I see it, Lululemon's brand loyalty will drive significant growth for the retailer in the year ahead. While the stock tends to be volatile, patient investors would be wise to buy and hold this winning pick for the long run. Track Lululemon's growth in 2012 by adding it to My Watchlist, The Motley Fool's free tool for tracking your favorite stocks. Click here to get started!
At the time this article was published
Copyright © 1995 - 2012 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.


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Alright Tit by Lisa Lynch: author • editor • blogger • breast cancer survivor
Sunday, 11 March 2018
It was twenty (minus fifteen) years ago today…
3 comments:
- Lorri said...
Thank you for the update Jamie. Lisa's blog was the first I'd ever read and I found it very early on. Lisa's warm and humor shone through and I somehow felt like I knew her in real life. My sister had cancer at the time and it helped me see things from her perspective. Sadly I lost my sister 7 1/2 years ago. At times it feels like a lifetime since I last saw her and in others it feels like no time at all. You're right you get used to the shituation. It becomes the norm then always when I least expect it I feel engulfed with grief. Sometimes for a day, sometimes longer and sometimes it only lasts a minute. Anyway as I said thank you for the update. At times I 'be wondered how you, your parents, Pete and even Sgt Pepper are doing. Thinking of you all today. Xx
- Sunday, 11 March, 2018
Hi, I'm a mum of two boys who was diagnosed with MS six years ago. I really only stumbled across The C Word when skimming through the TVs channels one night some years ago when I was at a really low point. Depression and pain had overtaken me and I could barely function as a mum or a wife. I was so moved by how Lisa coped through hard times and immediately bought the book. I started to see that I was not the only one who was going through a 'shitstorm'. I decided that if I could still eek out just a little bit of humour, as Lisa seemed to, then maybe things would be a bit better. Reading her book made a huge difference to how I have handled my illlness. If ever I am at rock bottom again I re-read and pull myself together. I can almost feel her give a kick up the arse and say 'where's your sense of humour?'
She must have been an awesome individual and I (and, I'm sure my boys and husband too) am just so grateful she wrote. 😀
- Monday, 19 March, 2018
Don't know how I managed to miss this when you posted it but Simon told me about it the other day and I have been waiting for a quiet moment to read it. It's more beautiful than anything you've written before and that's saying something. It continues Lisa's legacy of writing about impossible things with such truth and humour and clarity. And she's laughing at me right now (approvingly, I'd like to think) for giving you comments on the writing but I can't help myself - I do love your writing. Please never stop posting. Think about your sis most days and imagine myself in communication with her so so often. Thank you for writing this. Much love to you and the fam. xxxx
- Thursday, 22 March, 2018


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You won't find any guides at Technopolis, but rather staff members who are happy to provide you with explanations or assistance if you run into problems with one of the experiments. You can recognize them by their red Technopolis shirts.
Cycling on a steel cable 5.2 metres above the ground. Does this sound too dangerous for you? No need to worry!
The monitors will give you a hand during your journey of discovery through science and technology and are ready to answer any questions you might have.
They can give you a detailed description of the scientific or technological phenomenon you will learn about with each exhibit.
Edutainers make science appealing not only by developing educational programmes, but also by providing demonstrations, workshops and spectacular shows.
They do so both at Technopolis and at schools and events.


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An undeveloped metahuman in the lineages of Gina Tzanetakos, Matilda Schwartzenhelm, and Jess Hardesty. His powers are left up to the GM, but the Power Lines Wiki describes him as having "unknown powers [but] probably a soldier." Jess Hardesty's description provides an image of a "tall black man from Vietnam" who was killed when his car careened into the Mississippi, just as Jess Hardesty predicted.
Considering that Mason is in a direct line of succession from Andrew Colt through a number of other soldiers, it's possible that he was given powers purposefully in a manner similar to Nguyet Cam's Progress Cadre. If so, Mason was evidently the break in that program since he gave powers to a non-military person and since he evidently was disillusioned by his time in Vietnam.
Lineage: Amanda Sykes - Andrew Colt - Jason Blume - Jasper Carruthers - Jackson Kingford
Power Level: Tier Six
Offspring: Jess Hardesty and four others


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Que faire à Berlin?
Découvrez la ville à travers les yeux d'un habitant. Trouvez les meilleures activités, les meilleures tables et obtenez des conseils inestimables des habitants de la place.
"Sundays this Market is booming and has become the most popular attraction for Berliners and visitors alike. The Sunday karaoke is not to be missed. The annexed Fleamarket is worth a stroll over!"
567 personnes du coin recommandent
"The only airport in the world that has been transform into a parc but all the facilities including the runways and the terminals remained untouched. Its the only location in the city where you can appreciate the perfect sunrise and sunset, like on a beach. Open until sundown."
502 personnes du coin recommandent
"Monumental square with strong socialist-era aesthetics & East Berlin's shopping district."
316 personnes du coin recommandent
"Visit on a sunday - lots of people singing and dancing - a must see during summer"
599 personnes du coin recommandent
"A wonderful big park which encouraged us to experience all the different sides of it. Like the fairytale fountain, beachvolleyball area, the peace bell next to the big pond. Or you just sit there grill and chill. "
451 personnes du coin recommandent
Boîte de nuit
"World famous gay nightclub. Very strict door policy. Small tip to save you unnecesary queing and disappointment: if the bouncer thinks you are not gay, you will not be allowed in!"
415 personnes du coin recommandent
"Huge park on the Spree with possibility of renting small boats. Nice on summer days!"
279 personnes du coin recommandent
Arrêt de bus
"Must-see in Berlin. Come and walk some of the remains of the wall that separated Berlin up until 1989. Various artists have decorated the wall and it is a very popular photo-opp while in Berlin. "
379 personnes du coin recommandent
Monuments/Sites célèbres
"Starting point for every tour in Berlin. Free walking tours every day in different languages. Do a web search "free walking tour Berlin" for more details"
227 personnes du coin recommandent
Aire de restauration
"Only on Thursday night. Indoor Street food market with some of the most interesting food proposals if the neighborhood. "
392 personnes du coin recommandent
"Famous Rooftop, worth a look, but to avoid a long queue better go there during the week or in the afternoon than in the evening."
412 personnes du coin recommandent
"Engineering marvel of the DDR (German Democratic Republic). Expensive 20 EUR trip, but you can find discount passes. There is a restaurant and a bar at the top. The view is beautiful both during the day and during the night."
226 personnes du coin recommandent
Lieu historique
"The Gedenkstätte Berliner Mauer (Berlin Wall Memorial) commemorates the division of Berlin by the Berlin Wall and the deaths that occurred there. The monument was created in 1998 by the Federal Republic of Germany and the Federal State of Berlin. It is located on Bernauer Straße at the corner of Ackerstraße and includes a Chapel of Reconciliation, the Berlin Wall Documentation Centre, a 60-metre (200 ft) section of the former border, a window of remembrance and a visitor center. Source: Wikipedia "
258 personnes du coin recommandent
Natural Feature
"impressive collection in different museums and nice walk in the heart of the city"
323 personnes du coin recommandent
Grand magasin
"TIP: The shopping mall has an excellent cafeteria on the top floor with a lovely view."
270 personnes du coin recommandent
Lieu historique
"This famous historical sight is just 20mins away by foot. Visit the museums and amusement features on sight and have lunch in some of Kreuzberg's most famous restaurants. You could also visit its notorious bars later in the night. Enjoy! Nearby sights are the Topography of Terror and the Jewish Museum."
181 personnes du coin recommandent


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Feminist housewives
Choosing to stay home to raise my children is the most empowering choice I've ever made.
It wasn't something I fell into or felt forced into by my husband, my church or my guilt. I wanted to stay home to be a full-time mother to my children. I did not want someone else raising them for me.
So, I walked away from a career I loved as a journalist. I remember a male boss at the time telling me I would be back in six months, tops. I wasn't the sort of woman who could just stay at home, he said.
The comment smacked of a sense that staying home was somehow a worthy but unrealistic back-up plan to a career. It's a sentiment I have felt from lots of different sources since becoming a mom. Sometimes I am even the one to perpetuate that myth when I hear myself tell other working moms that I am "just" a stay-at-home mom —like raising my children is no big deal and definitely not as impressive or important as a career that brings home a paycheck.
So I was so happy to read this article in "New York Magazine" last week about feminists who are having it all by choosing to stay home with their kids.
Rather than being at odds with feminism, the movement to stay at home and raise children rather than pursue full-time careers is a truly feminist act. Moms are taking control of their lives and doing what they think is best for their children. If that's working a traditional job, fine. But if it means staying home to be a full-time, deliberate mother, then that's every bit as empowered and conscious of a choice.
"Home, to these women, is more than a place to watch TV at the end of the day and motherhood more than a partial identity. It is a demanding, full-time endeavor, requiring all of their creativity, energy, and ingenuity. …" the article says. "By making domesticity her career, she and the other stay-at-home mothers she knows are standing up for values, such as patience, and kindness, and respectful attention to the needs of others, that have little currency in the world of work. Professional status is not the only sign of importance, she says, and financial independence is not the only measure of success."
I love that motherhood is becoming more of a respectable, admirable life choice.
Some days I love being a stay-at-home mom. Some days I hate it. Sometimes I battle with jealousy that my husband leaves every morning to a job where he has adult conversations and receives accolades for hard work. Other times, I feel sorry that he doesn't know what it feels like to have a kindergartener run at you at full speed off the bus with a hug that's been waiting all day.
But good days or bad days, this is who I am at this stage of my life. I am a full-time mom. And it's the best choice I've ever made.
5 comments
Stewart should be commended for doing what is right, rather than what is popular. If more mothers would do the same, society would be much better off.
Studies confirm that the vast majority of working mothers are not working to provide necessesities, they are working to obtain luxuries. Indeed, they are seeking bigger homes,fancier cars, and the latest electronic gadgets. How sad that they are willing to put their children at risk in order to pursue material goods.
I will never forget talking to a local prosecutor about his caseload in juvenile court. He told me that a great part of his caseload was made up of sex offenses committed by one juvenile against another. When I asked him where these juvenile perpetrators learned about these perverted sex acts in the first place, he said that the majority of them learned these things from other kids in daycare.
As a society, we can no longer ignore the fact that kids raised in daycare place huge burdens on all of us. It is simply not fair for society to suffer from increased rates of crime, substance abuse, and immorality so that working mothers can pursue a few extra luxury items.
I actually do agree that daycare can be a dangerous place to send our children. I would not send my child to a daycare facility unless circumstances made it absolutely necessary. Unfortunately, many people are in those circumstances where it is necessary. When that is the case, I completely believe that our Heavenly Father will step in and help us raise our children. He will protect them from the evils that they are exposed to if we ask him in faith, and do our best to counteract those influences.
I always thought that a feminist was a woman who chose her own path in life and didn't let others choose for her. She is the one who is trying to do what is best for her life and her situation regardless of other's opinions.
JCS – I would love to see these studies of which you speak. In my own experience, I and other working mothers are often the sole support for our families. My husband was unemployed for about a year and then not fully employed for several years after that. It was a very good thing that I had a job. I and others that I know drive 10+ year old cars, live in nice but certainly not fancy homes and while we have a few electronic gadgets, we don't always have the latest and greatest.
As for Juvenile sec offenders, I'm sorry but your information is wrong. The vast majority of sex offenders (adult and juvenile) learn from family members that offend on them. It is rare (but highly publicized) that a stranger will offend against a child. I would say that the vast majority of the kids that your prosecutor friend had to deal with, probably were abused by some family member (most likely male). The good thing about juvenile offenders is that if they are caught young and get into a counselling program 90% or better will not reoffend.
@john charity spring… And what about the mothers who are working to keep a roof over their child's head? Or works to help feed their family? Yet again I am amazed at your complete lack of sensitivity. Working moms are capable of raising happy, healthy, productive kids, just as stay at home moms can raise "juvenile delinquents."
Erin, do I dare say 'let the real feminist stand up'? If all I am allowed to do as a man is say 'thank you', then let it be said. Thank you.


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LAKEWOOD — November 29th marks seven years since the four Lakewood Police officers were killed and once again this year, the department is holding a food drive in their memory.
From November 28th – December 2nd, officers and volunteers will be accepting donations and raising money to make sure no one goes hungry this holiday season.
"All the proceeds and the food go to benefit Pierce County's Emergency Food Network that's actually based here in Lakewood, says Lakewood Chief Mike Zaro. "The base of it is that there's such a need for this kind of assistance. Everybody needs food. That's the one thing that crosses all boundaries and all lines is that it's a basic need that we want to be able to help provide."
CLICK HERE for more information