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Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Voices in my Head
Almost twenty-four hours since I sat at the funeral and the voice I keep hearing in my head is "What will you be remembered for? What do I stand for? Will any of this matter? What matters?"
I don't know. What does matter? Isn't this the question we all wrestle with at some point? I used to think my old work mattered. I don't hear much from my past students so I have to wonder. I was so young in my previous profession. I was green and inexperienced. I am not sure I was very good at it.
Now, in my new profession, I matter a great deal to two little boys. What will they learn from me and what is important that they learn from me? What will they forget? What will last? What will be my legacy?
When I was younger and visiting a retirement home, I used to feel sorry for the people that lived there. I didn't understand that they were the lucky ones that lived a long life. Now when I visit, I can see that they have lived long lives and have lost so many people. They have had to make new friends and many have found new life companions. I can't even imagine what they have seen and lived through.
I still feel green but in the last year, I am starting to mature. When I was in my twenties, I remember wedding after wedding. And then, baby shower after baby shower. In the past year, my friends and I have started down a new path. It is one that I somehow never saw coming. Not at this age! But, it is one that is teaching me so much about my life and how I want to live it. I am lucky to have friends with me on this path. I couldn't do it alone. I wouldn't want to. And through these friendships, I have found strength to figure out my way, find my own voice and continue on my path.
8 comments:
- OHmommy said...
I think we all wonder the same thing about our own paths. Today was a sad day where I thought long and hard about my own path as a mother. Thanks Indy.
- April 8, 2009 at 10:49 PM
- Jessica said...
I love this post! I am such a thinker like this! I really am. I have thought about these things before...you're not alone.q
- April 8, 2009 at 11:17 PM
- Kel said...
Funny how life works - we barrel along all full of life and then one day, we wake up and realize life is not endless but quickly slipping away.
Endless fleeting moments, we must remember to make the most of...
- April 9, 2009 at 8:11 AM
For days this is what I have been thinking. What do I want to be remembered for? How do I want to live my life. What kind of legacy do I want to leave. I have also thought the more practical - I need to sit down with my dad and find out about his life before it is too late, find out his wishes and wants, and write down my own wishes and wants to make it easier on my children should something happen to me. I also thought: birthday parties and baby showers - we need to have more of those.
- April 9, 2009 at 5:53 PM
- amy said...
This has been the year of funerals. Everytime I have been to one the same thoughts go through my mind, the same as yours, what will I be remembered for, who will remember me besides my husband and children, will people laugh and share the happiness that I have had as well as the sorrow.
It always amazes me the things you learn about the person being remembered. The laughter, the tears. All of it.
The paths we take through our lives changes and at no given warning that there will be a change. Sometimes it is a wonderful change and others, well you know, they suck.
Here's to the questions that may never be answered but will help us grow as an individual and a mom,wife, person.
- April 10, 2009 at 7:51 PM
- MIT Mommy said...
Oh, Indy. I am only reading this now. I think we said everything in the car on the way to the funeral and back - but I have to thank you again for sitting next to me in this life.
I should have linked to you and told everyone there was a reason for the lack of words with my pictures on Wednesday. I SO needed flowers to come out of that snow.
I felt like the blinding snowstorm on the way to the funeral was God's way of telling us all He lost another beautiful voice on earth - fortunately that voice will carry on in so many who follow behind her.
Thanks for writing.
- April 12, 2009 at 3:18 PM
- MommyWizdom said...
Indy, I am sorry for your loss. I lost my mom two years ago and the thought of her still fills my eyes with tears.
I have had these similar thoughts too. I am trying to be the best mom I can. To teach my children things they will need to know when I am gone. I read once that when an old person dies, it's like losing a library. Their lives are full of mysteries we'll never know.
Thanks for a beautiful post.
My prayers are with you.
- April 14, 2009 at 1:15 AM
- Im2Sexy4MyVan said...
Whoa - powerful post.
I have also been thinking these things. Glad you said/wrote them out loud.
These thoughts were a big reason I wanted to have a big blowout birthday party bash. Wanted to surround myself with my friends -- in happy times as well as sad ones.
Please count me in your circle of friends to get through these milestones and hard times. I want to be sitting next to you every step of the way!!!
- April 14, 2009 at 5:59 PM


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subset: commoncrawl


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Post-pregnancy weight loss is a concern for every mother, and like every woman who has endured the physical and mental strains of giving birth, Lena Tsang Ling-ling wished she could turn back time on her body.
"My figure before I was pregnant was pretty normal, but after I gave birth [to my second son] I felt like I was gaining weight and it seemed like people would comment on that," said the 42-year-old full-time administrative manager. "I thought why, after having a child, do I have to be like this – why can't I just be like before?"
In just three years, Tsang has not only lost over forty pounds but has become one of Hong Kong's top-ranked obstacle course racers, a Spartan Race ambassador and an avid trail-runner. She finished second in the 2017 Spartan Asia-Pacific Championship female masters category and has collected awards from long-distance events along the way.
So how did a mother-of-two – whose only previous exercising experience was from "PE class in high school" – undergo such a drastic turnaround?
"I never would have thought I could do this," said Tsang, known as 'Lena Mama' on her popular Facebook account documenting her weight loss and tournament progress. "I wanted to lose 10 to 20 pounds but on the path to improving my figure, I saw my performance improve.
"After a while I signed up for my first Spartan Race with a friend in Malaysia and my finishing time wasn't that bad. I thought if I put more time and effort into training, I could get better."
As an ambassador for the sport, particularly in the Hong Kong women's scene, Tsang wants to address any stigmas surrounding obstacle racing.
"It's really necessary," said Tsang, who clinched Spartan gold in Shanghai last month and looks to do the same in Taiwan this weekend. "Sports in general should not have age or gender limitations, especially in Hong Kong which doesn't have many outstanding women [athletes]. I want to show people that even if you think 'I'm a mum' or 'I'm fat', you can change.
"This is a cultural problem. Hong Kong women either think it's unhygienic with all the mud or worry they have to prepare a lot.
"Actually, it's the opposite. Even if you haven't prepared, you can feel what it's like and see what your weaknesses are. It's only then that you can get better and up the intensity."
And once that constant desire to improve kicks in, athletes like Tsang look to daily routines and diets to shave time off their personal bests.
She wakes up at quarter-to-six every morning, eating one small sweet potato before her pre-work gym session. She eats muesli and almonds for breakfast; chicken breast, vegetables and brown rice for lunch; and fruit or boiled eggs for an afternoon snack. She leaves the office at six and undergoes intensive training with a personal trainer before returning home for a light dinner at eight. She makes sure she is in bed by nine.
Aussie couple come back to conquer at Hong Kong Spartan Race – after using last year's prize money to tie the knot
"I sleep at the same time as my boys. I don't have much time to watch TV or meet friends," said Tsang. "Some people might think I'm not from this planet, but this routine gives me a lot of safety.
"This is the most confident I've felt in my life," she added. "Before I got married, I liked to eat, drink, shop, play Mahjong, smoke ... I thought I was happy, but thinking back it's actually now that I'm living the real life.
"I realised there's no secret recipe to being an athlete. People ask why Hong Kong doesn't [produce] many athletes, and it's because they study and sleep late and eat processed foods like instant noodles and luncheon meat – it's not good for your performance."
Hong Kong Spartan Race under fire for leaving litter at ecologically sensitive site
Tsang has since encouraged her husband David and two sons – five-year-old Daniel and eight-year-old Javis – to compete in local Spartan events together and maintain healthier lifestyles.
"It's only when it's almost too late that you realise you have to teach them young," she said. "My kids now know why they have to exercise, why it's not good to eat too much sugar, and why phones get boring after a while. They are halfway there."
Now the proud owner of abs that would make any age group jealous, Tsang hopes her rather late blossoming can inspire more Hong Kong women in future.
"As a high school student I would see beautiful girls with muscles. I thought it was just genetics because I didn't have much knowledge about fitness.
"I didn't know it was all training and now that I have the opportunities to do that, I hope to keep it up at least until my own kids get to high school. You have to love yourself and influence the people around you to be healthier."


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The following news was received from photographer Wayne Levin, whom we've worked with through El León Literary Arts and Mānoa Journal. Wayne represents Hawai'i in original, formidable images that capture the spirit and nature of these islands.
London based online magazine, The Bod Edit, published a very good article and interview of my work and thoughts about the Ocean.
On my website I have new images on my New Work page and added a new section, Ghost Corals. The catastrophic coral bleaching event on the Big Island of Hawaii in 2015-2016 killed over 50% of the corals on the Kona coast.


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All Gain – No Pain. Strengthen Yourself!
All Gain – No Pain
Strengthen Yourself at Yoga Born!
Our nurturing environment is ideal for people looking for a supportive and safe yoga home. We take great care to teach each pose with integrity and to put your body into proper alignment. We use a variety of yoga props to expand your experience. Our approach helps students improve structural strength, flexibility, balance, stability, and too deepen the mind body connection and overall feeling of good health. We are located in the heart of Town Center Plaza right next door to Uptown Consignment. Lots of free parking!
Pop-Up Classes being offered at 7AM FLIER
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The articles selected as the 'gateway' to the literature on the various topics are nominated in the Lecture/Tutorial
Schedule. Choose one of these articles from week 1 to 6 as your core article.
Provide a brief summary of the core article enough to identify four key questions arising from that article which you will
Identifying keywords in the article will also assist your further research.
Using Proquest, do a literature search identifying at least one article relevant to each of the four key questions that you
have identified. Then summarize each of the articles you have linked to the four key questions and demonstrate its link to
the question you have identified in the core article.
You are actually constructing a mini-Literature Review. You must complete it with a Bibliography in Harvard referencing
Evaluation Criteria:
1: Requirements are minimally addressed, information is unclear and/or not well-developed.
2: Requirements are fairly well addressed but not all information is fully explained or supported.
3: Requirements are fully addressed and supported by rich, pertinent details; leading to high-level idea development
The articles selected as the 'gateway' to the literature on the various topics are nominated in the Lecture/Tutorial


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Your kids deserve a space that's as thought out as the rest of the home! Today we're sharing our tips and tricks for designing a space that feels playful and personal to them, but timeless enough to last through the years.
Invest in finishes that can grow with them
You don't want to remodel every two years.
Choose paint colors that aren't too bold. You can be more creative with interchangeable pieces like pillows, art, decor, etc. In our Calabasas Remodel we designed a space for their kids that would serve as a play room while the kids are young, but it will likely become a hang out spot for homework and friends as they grow. To make the space feel more mature, our clients can easily switch out the pillows, artwork, and the rug. Instead of a chalkboard wall, we had a custom one made that can be moved if needed. Poufs are a fun way to add extra seating that's comfortable.
Choose toys that can double as decor!
Then you can put them on display, without having to worry about storage. Another bonus is that they're kid-safe too!
Baskets, baskets, baskets!
Create enough storage for the space! Be thoughtful with decor by incorporating baskets for toys, canisters for supplies, etc.
Make the space exciting!
We love to incorporate artwork that encourages learning and stays relevant. If you'd use it in your office, then it's sure to grow with your child from toddler to teen. Maps, charts, and flags have a fun spirit that's still mature. Photographs of scenery and animals bring the space to life.
This corner exemplifies all of our tips! From the moon map on the wall, to the baskets on the ground and console, we made the most of our space.


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As someone who often sees the glass half empty rather than half fall, I'm in my element this weekend. The dark clouds just keep on swirling overhead – there has been no end of gloomy forecasts.
My favourite is the reported comment by Mervyn King, the governor of the Bank of England. He is reported to have said that whichever party wins the election will have to impose spending cuts of such severity that they will find themselves exiled from power for a generation.
You can understand why anyone would make such a grim prediction. Mr King's comments coincided with a damning report from the National Institute of Economic & Social Research warning that the next government must raise income taxes by 6p in the pound if Britain is to be brought back to full fiscal health.
Then there is the Greek crisis. For many Britons, the only Greek crisis that would concern them would be the prospect of downpours during their fortnight in Crete this summer.
But if you believe the pessimists Britain could face a Greek-style downgrade if it fails to alleviate its own spiralling deficit – and that would send us into economic turmoil.
But let me go against my instincts for a moment and identify a few positives that give reason for hope.
For a start, your home has gone up in value by 10.5pc over the past year. And if you are looking to remortgage, the cost of fixed-rate home loans has just fallen to its lowest level in two years, cutting a fixed repayment on a £150,000 mortgage by £316 to £853.
If you are someone who relies heavily on dividend payments to boost your income you can breathe a sigh of relief. More companies are paying out this year than last. Some 186 companies paid a dividend between January and March, up from 161 a year ago. Furthermore, the companies increasing payouts outnumbered those that cut.
Global markets may have wobbled in the past couple of weeks, in most part because of the Greek crisis, but not everyone believes that we are witnessing the start of a new bear market.
The equity strategists at HSBC reckon that the summer months offer an even more compelling argument to be bullish on equities. They said that many companies were performing far more strongly than investors had anticipated at the start of the year and that this performance had yet to be priced in to shares.
The issue of course is whether house prices can remain stable and whether we can avoid a double-dip recession – rumours circulating on Friday suggested that a double dip was a distinct possibility.
All three party leaders spin the positives to make us believe that they will change the nation for the better.
Yet I wonder whether they too secretly see the next parliament as a glass that is half empty. I certainly doubt that any winner will be singing along to Things Can Only Get Better, as Tony Blair did when he emerged victorious in 1997.


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Sonjai Kumar explains the importance of enterprises risk management for businesses.
Return on capital is the motive behind investor's putting their money into the business else they could earn risk-free rate investing in government securities. By investing in the business, the investor needs risk premium over the risk-free rate to compensate for taking higher risks. What are the risks to the investors in investing in a business? The actual return on investment could be lower than the return they could earn from directly investing market or the capital infused could be insufficient to run the business needing call for money at a higher cost. How could these risks be addressed using Enterprise Risk Management (ERM)?
Return on capital is a prime concern of the investors while strong capital adequacy of a business concern customers, regulators and investors. Thus, owners are interested in expected returns and the minimisation of the volatility of returns. For this purpose, a process is required that assesses risks, determines necessary capital based on risk levels and required returns, looks at volatility, and figures out how to minimise volatility.
The first step in this direction is to identify key risks and prioritise them between the material and immaterial risk and focus on material risk, and determine how to model and quantify those key risks. This could be performed using stochastic modelling. One of the methods often used for risk assessment is Value at Risk (VaR) which gives rise to economic capital for each risk pre-diversification and allows diversification effect to arrive at company level economic capital. The value at risk is calculated as a maximum loss that a company can face at a given confidence level (99%) within a certain time frame (a day or a year).
Once the capital is allocated, there is a need to look at the return on capital. The shareholder's interest is to minimise the variance of the return to stay ahead in the capital market. For this purpose, the Board must define and pre-fix the risk appetite (the standard deviation on the return) to maximize the return on the portfolio for the management to focus on. The expected return on the portfolio can be found from capital market line given the risk appetite (σ (A) on the portfolio as
E (P) = r+ [E(m)-r)/ σ(m)]* σ(A)
r is the risk free rate and E(m) and σ(m) is the mean and standard deviation on the market.
Using this risk and return trade-off at an enterprise level helps in taking the decision on which projects/products to allocate capital and on which ones not to.
So, the objective is achieving the return on the capital as E(P), given the risk appetite σ(A) in making the decision at the company level for different jobs and projects within the company, which may be broken down into small projects such that the weighted return is E(P) and overall risk is σ(A).
Essentially, while the management is focusing on the upside opportunity, Chief Risk Officer is focusing on σ(A) and tail risk. Any return over and above the E (P) while staying within the risk appetite is the value added to the shareholders. Risk management comes handy here in enhancing the shareholder value addition by helping in deciding which projects, which products, which decisions to make and accept the risk. In the absence of such a tool, the year-on-year variability on the return on company's price would be very high making its share suspect in the capital market.
While accepting the risk within an organisation, the ERM framework provides a working model of risk identification, risk measurement, risk management, risk monitoring and risk reporting so that overall risk remain within σ(A). The ERM further provides a tool for risk acceptance, risk transfer, risk avoidance and risk management. Risk governance is, therefore, important for smooth functioning of the ERM framework and taking informed decisions. Risk governance cannot be successful without a good risk culture.
So ERM, on the one hand, helps in reducing the economic capital due to lower risks through risk management, on the other hand, it helps in maximising the shareholder value by keeping the company within σ(A).
Therefore, Solvency-II and Basel-II/III for insurance and banking institutions are based on three-pillar approach. Pillar-1 is responsible for economic capital calculation, pillar-2 for risk management and pillar-3 is responsible for disclosure. When all the three pillars groove well within an organisation, it helps in improving solvency, optimising profit and minimising capital.
Development of ERM
The ERM is a companywide approach to risk management as opposed to silo approach where risks are managed by only a few functions. This allows integration of risk management from the origination, right from Board across the company to the last employee. It was realised that fragmented approach to risk management does not work as the risks are highly interdependent and cannot be segmented and managed independently. The cost of management of risk is also higher if handled in silos as the benefit of diversification does not come into force.
For example, in the insurance business, lapse rate and interest rate have a correlation. Lapse rate is defined as the number of customers who stop paying a premium in subsequent years which leads to loss to the business due to non-recovery of fixed expenses.
When interest rate moves up, the customers will get a higher return on their premium if they invest their money in the market outside insurance company and may tend to lapse their policy. While on the other hand, if the interest rate goes down, a number of customers may continue paying a premium to life insurance policy as their return on premium is higher compared to that in the market.
Both the situations could be bad for the insurance companies. In the first case, the insurance company may not able to recover its fixed expenses if lapse increases; while in the second case, higher return is to be given to more number of customers than they assumed in the pricing, which means the cost of guarantee increases for an insurance company.
This exercise is a combination of retention team for collection of premium, investment team and treasury team for assets and liability management. If silo approach is used in risk management, the risks may not be addressed totality, if retention team and investment function in isolation. In such a case, the volatility of the portfolio may increase impacting shareholder's return.
About the author
Sonjai Kumar, CMIRM, Certified Member of IRM, Ambassador in India of Institute of Risk Management (IRM), Professional Member of Institute of Operational Risk, UK.
(The views expressed in this write-up are solely mine and in no way representing my current employer's view.)


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Tresse Obsession: Hair Products I AH-dore
Between blow drying, hot tools, and dying, everyone's hair takes a SER-ious beating, especially mine. Over the years, I've learned just how to care for my tresses so they're still healthy, despite all of the pressures I put my strands through. Here are a few of my fav, fav, fav products that I AB-solutely cannot live without, and a recipe for the coconut oil mask I make for my hair when my hair is feeling especially dry. This is a great one to use during the summer months when you're out and about in the sun, or in and out of chlorine water!
I mean … Oribe Dry Texturing Shampoo just gives you that beach hair in an instant. Do not wash your hair everyday ladies. Use this instead.
Because I do a lot with my hair everyday, it can get stressed. I use Lemon Drop Daily Detangler when I get out of the shower and throughout the day because it is gentler on the hair.
Tracey Cunningham of Mesh Salon told me about It's a 10 Conditioner and it is to die!!!!!!!!!! Both products are inexpensive and will get out any tangle!!!! Leaves hair feeling AH-mazing.
Michelle Pugh is a great colorist who got me addicted to this Malibu Crystal Gel treatment. It removes all the gunky build up from your hair. Plus it's 100% vegan and enhanced with organic herbs.
Enzo Milano's Cipless Curling Iron is my go-to hardware for the perfect done/undone look.
Because every girl has to wear her hair up at some point, these Golden Goddess hair ties don't mark your hair with that ponytail look.
Ladies, it is so, so, so important to protect your hair from heat. Start with Nexxus Pro Mend Styling spray and your tresses are good to go.
Prenatal vitamins are awesome for making hair grow; prescriptions are also great. I used these when I was modeling and when my hair broke, it really helped it to grow it back thicker and longer. Addicted.
My hair is the type of hair that really needs to be built up after I wash it so it doesn't have the 'limp look' as I call it. Bumble and Bumble Thickening Spraydoes the trick.
Coconut oil is great because you can cook with it as well and use on really dry parts of your body. It not only smells delicious, but is also the perfect lightweight moisturizer for your thirsty strands. A DIY Coconut Hair Mask is something I try to do once a month."
- 2 parts Coconut oil
- 1 part Olive oil (optional)
• Combine coconut and olive oil in a small bowl and mix well
•Apply the mixture to your hair, focusing on the ends
• Wrap hair in a bun on top of your head, cover with a shower cap and leave on for 15-30 minutes
• Rinse out in the shower
• Shampoo and condition as usual


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The return of Raidou's RPG
Whether or not that thought has ever penetrated your mind, the latest in the "Devil Summoner" saga of Atlus' prestigious "Shin Megami Tensei" library of prestige, a quirky Japanese role-playing game for the Playstation 2, turns out to be an engrossing and entertaining experience for those that can survive the cultural translation.
For the many that missed the original "Devil Summoner," released state-side in October 2006, you control Raidou Kuzunoha (the 14th, mind you,) who rose through the ranks of the "Devil Summoner" family to become a stalwart force in the war against the other-world. Like others in his particular line of work, Raidou has the ability to capture the physical essence of unwanted demons and confine them to tubes called "kuda," where they can then be called upon for battle or for use in Raidou's more normal job front, an apprenticeship at a local detective agency.
Things open similarly in "Devil Summoner 2," where yet another strange missing persons case in Tokyo acts as a proxy for something much larger and supernatural at work. This time around, the very world is at risk, as Raidou must once again gather his friends (his detective partner/mentor Narumi, his talking cat Gouto and journalist Tae) and combat the forces of darkness. But the gods themselves are in on the action this time and are causing much chaos in Tokyo.
The best story mechanic is luck, the usually irrelevant character statistic. The gradual depletion of it over the game will affect your battle skills and the morale of those around you. The further you progress, the lower the general luck factor will sink, dragging down those around you into a deep despair that you must keep Raidou from succumbing to. It's an excellent method that keeps the player drawn into the world and those inhabiting it to act as a general impetus to keep fighting.
The story is far from the usual paint-by-numbers RPG (role-playing game), and its eccentricity can dip into some aspects of Japanese culture that will be lost even on the most hardcore manga-fan. The plot turns the bland dichotomy of good versus evil on its head, and you can often sympathize with your enemy. Even when the narrative goes into melodramatic territory, there is always someone to relate to and a plot point to keep interest up.
The main game play in "Devil Summoner 2" is broken up between exploration, combat and subsequent demon collecting. Raidou and Narumi's detective agency acts as the game's hub, from which various cases can be taken on. Once a case or mission is selected, the player is launched into various locales across post-WWI Japan to traverse and battle through, meeting with NPCs (non-player characters) and occasionally hitting upon important plot points.
Like "Kingdom Hearts," the battles in "Devil Summoner 2" unfold in real time, with the player free to move around the battle ground and attack at will. Atlus has improved what were rather loose controls in the first installment, adding more evasive maneuvers and demonic help options to create a much more balanced combat system. The player has access to the basic attack and defense options, such as Raidou carrying a gun and equally devastating sword for most melee combat, and the more specialized magical combat of demon summoning.
Collectible demons can be swayed to join your party either through intelligent negotiation, or defeat in battle. Elemental weaknesses are essential to netting the various baddies in the game, the spamming of which brings the creatures to their knees much faster than the hack-and-shoot approach.
New to "Devil Summoner 2" is the ability to allow your demons to aid in negotiation and non-aggressive demon acquisition, adding another reason to amass a varied menagerie.
"Devil Summoner 2" strikes a good balance between solid real-time hack-and-slash and gotta-catch-them-all collecting without any of the elements feeling out of place or unpolished. It's all been done before, and better, but the game combines the well-used elements into a refreshing mix. The battle controls are still not as tight as other action-RPGs, but it's far from game-breaking.
Technically speaking, "Devil Summoner 2" is an unimpressive game. Nearly every aspect of the visual presentation feels dated, as bland graphics drag the experience down significantly. However, the overall package still draws attention, not for any amount of blatant polish, but for an underlying dark and poetic style. The main and supporting characters are given a unique feel and look that is immediately recognizable: halfway between porcelain dolls and over-made-up Shakespearean performers. It won't catch your eye on the street, but players that give it time will come away with an incredibly visceral visual experience.
The main artistic draw to the game is Shoji Meguro's orchestral score, which, while recycling many tracks from the original game, throws in a couple new pieces and mixes. The repeated tracks are still fitting and enjoyable, and the rough jazz of the new tracks is aggressively entertaining. The fact that Atlus reused most of the set list, however, comes off as a lazy cop-out. Sound effects and voice work are middle of the road but more than functional.
With both its game play and storyline requiring a decent amount of dedication, "Devil Summoner 2" is definitely a poor rental. If you can put forth the budget price, though, you'll come away with a uniquely styled, strong blend of classic game play, complete with a fascinating, if over-reaching story. Those whose first instinct is level grinding may want to try before purchase, but for anyone else hungering for an engrossing 20 to 30 hour experience, you'd be remiss not to capture this beauty.


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Enjoy a nice trip to Tanners Apple Orchard with the MCSRA. Take a walk through the grove and pick your favorite apples out, It'll be a relaxing and fun way to kick off the Fall season.
Depart from Macomb Park District at 10:00 A.M.
Program Fee: $12 for Macomb Residents, $14 for Non-Residents, $14 for Macomb Residents with transportation, $16 for Non- Residents with transportation.
* Date change from September 2nd to September 16th


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: the subjects (as reading, spelling, literature, and composition) that aim at developing the student's comprehension and capacity for use of written and oral language
We spend 90 minutes a day on the following: Whole Group instruction, Guided Reading, Writing, Grammar, and Spelling. An additional 30 minutes is spent in "WIN" What I Need. Which is when students have the time to read or work in small reading or math groups based on what they need.
AR- Check on your students AR weekly or bi-weekly.AR Goal
Wonders Home Access:
Informational Letter
Reading Wonders Letter Home.pdf
Wonders Link


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This company is main exhibitor of
Screen printing machines – sheet-fed, fully automatic
IR/dry air dryers, IR/hot air dryers
IR dryers, infrared dryers
This is a special high-power unit (170watts/cm or 450 watts/inch) with intelligent UV Control System, in excellent condition. It has the latest reflector design. The dryer has a separate electrical control cabinet.
Warranty is 6 months parts and labour UK, or 6 months parts if exported.
We sincerely appreciate your interest in and support for our company.
Since incorporating in 1946, Sakurai Graphic Systems corporation has manufactured printing equipment and provided sophisticated services to customers closely tied to the domestic and overseas printing industry under our corporate philosophy of developing and maintaining customer relationships that endure for generations.
Over this time, the information industry and an information-based society across the world have grown rapidly, benefiting from the advances in information technology. The printing industry, which plays such a vital role in the communication of information, is undergoing a structural revolution in response to increasingly diversifying and sophisticated market needs. We at Sakurai Graphic Systems Corporation intend to continue developing printing equipment with advanced technology as a total solution-oriented company that satisfies the needs of the market.


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Wake. Coffee and Salad. Talk to Erica. Read baseball articles. The Giants outfield is terrible. Unpack my bags and arrange my work/ sleep area behind the bookcase. Stella and Erica are on the couch talking about Bread Face. Receive a text that there's been a death in the family. It's hot and the air is heavy in this house. The look of the sky reminds me of summer in Sudbury.
Eric and I have our first practice. We haven't played since last fall's tour. The practice goes well. After practice, on the way to dinner Erica uses the word "pussy" in a sentence referring to her lack of courage in negotiating with the beautiful Ethiopian from the previous evening. I tell the story on how I was scolded recently by my friend Vanessa who had said: "that part of my body is not cowardly." I had replied that I wasn't talking about that part of your body, that's not how I use that word, but I love you and would never want to hurt your feelings so I'll say scaredy cat or whatever from now on. Stella, sitting next to me in the back seat says that my friend's scolding of me is due to a misunderstanding of feminism. Eric makes a false equivalency joke about a disembodied sense of fear.
We have dinner at Zingerman's Deli in Ann Arbor, outside on the metal patio furniture, indulging the cool relief afforded by a recently passed summer rain. On the way home we witness Erica's friend from college being asked out by a Doctor on the sidewalk and Erica interrupts the scene to invite the woman to our house concert tomorrow evening. The poor doctor, clearly nervous already, was most likely unsuccessful after we departed.


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If you see a door, enter it. If you see a staircase, climb it. This year I am choosing to move toward my challenges. Showing up and doing the work. Not "please make it easier" but "please let me feel it."
I am choosing to trust the process of life. From career, to relationships, to health, I am trusting what is to come. Living in a spirit of faith and believing in the process. Trusting that people are good at heart even when things do not go the way I planned. Trusting that this beautiful life will supply all my needs and fulfill my deepest desires. Trusting that as I learn more about nutrition, fitness, and health that I evolve into the best version of myself and can give inspire others.
I am choosing to let go of trying to always be in control. My Type A personality makes this extremely challenging, but I am present to my controlling nature and letting things go one day at a time. Letting go of past hurt. Letting go of damaged relationships. Letting go of a lacking mindset. Letting go of bitterness. Letting go complacency. Letting go of blame.
I am choosing to be abundant in every aspect of my life. Being open to dreaming big and taking big action on growing my business to new heights. Being open to meeting my partner in crime. Being open to saying Yes Yes. Being open to receiving love. Being open to fully owning being a business owner. Being open to meeting new people who I can work and grow with.
Trust. Let Go. Be Open fully encompasses what my heart desires in 2019. Do you have a yearly mantra? If so, share below.


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Design and Sew the Perfect Bag
Anna M. Mazur
When I picked up Handbag Workshop I was honestly expecting something different. The other bag books I have read or purchased are honestly more 'crafty'. I love quilting, so making quilted bags is sort of my thing – though I have several knitted and felted bags in my stash. This? This is something much different. And I mean that in an "OMG, this is INCREDIBLE! Sort of way.
The bags in this book are, in a word, stunning. That doesn't mean that my quilted bags aren't – but these are bags that you might pick up in a quaint little shop in Italy or Paris. They are made of leather and/or high quality tapestry, and beautiful fittings. Anna Mazur's book is somewhat of a work of art itself. She starts you out slowly, teaching bag forms, such as the 1950s Princess Grace Kelly trapezoid-shaped tote designed by Hermes and now known as the Kelly Bag. Beginner bags, intermediate and advanced level bags, from simple pouch style zippered bags to a Shaped Cube Drawstring Bucket Bag, each of the bags included in the book are small works of art. Works of art which, of course, require the right tools and materials. Tools and materials? Anna Mazur leads you through everything you need to create these bags, based upon the needs of each bag's materials. She is extremely clear in all of her instructions, from materials to neat little tricks to make your work easier to complete in order to create a stunning bag.
With all of the positives in the book, my favorite part? The photos. Anna has taken gorgeous step-by-step photos which lead you through the making of each bag without questioning whether or not I am doing something wrong. The tools list is broken out for each bag so that you don't have to purchase any materials you don't need in order to complete the bag you are working on.
Overall? If you are looking for simplistic bag making, sans zippers and other fittings, I can recommend other books which will meet your needs perfectly. If you want to create a bag (or let's face it – multiple bags!) that will astound everyone who sees it, and make all of your friends achingly jealous, you really must buy a copy of this book. It is Gorgeous, well written, beautifully photographed, easy to follow, and one of those books that will take pride of place on your art bookshelf.
I received this book from the publisher in return for a realistic review. All thoughts are my own. If you are interested in creating bags of true beauty and elegant design, you can't go wrong with Anna Mazur's Handbag Workshop.


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Join us Saturday, October 1 as we help kick off Atlanta Pride Week with a free all-levels workout and donation drive to benefit Lost-n-Found Youth.
Lost-n-Found Youth assists homeless youth from 13-25 in stabilizing their lives, including preparing them for permanent housing & stable employment. In addition, LNFY is Atlanta's leading non-profit with the specialized expertise on & dedication to the needs of LGBTQ homeless youth & we take a special responsibility to ensuring their well-being.
All donations received from the drive will go to the Lost-n-Found Thrift store. For more information on accepted donations, how to get a tax deductible receipt & how these donations benefit the homeless LGBTQ population in Atlanta, please visit: http://lnfy.org/thrift-store/.
In addition, we'll be hosting a raffle to raise cash donations which will also go to Lost-n-Found Youth. Raffle tickets are $15 each & there's no maximum number of entries you can purchase. Each raffle ticket gives you a chance to win a special treat from lululemon Howell Mill. The winner will be gifted one from short sleeve top or tank of his/her choosing. (Raffle tickets can be purchased in cash at Venture CrossFit.)
If you aren't a member at VCF, please reserve your spot in class by visiting www.venturecrossfit.com/5free.


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I've been thinking a lot about plastic bags lately, mainly because I'm down to my last three recycled bread bags since so much food has been processed or baked and put into the freezer or fridge lately. After watching The Clean Bin Project a few months ago, I find myself looking carefully at every bag, determining whether it's reusable or too holey, and feeling regretful any time I have to throw one out because it's come to the end of its usefulness.
And I'm the same way about a lot of other single-use things. Disposable cups, forks, knives, spoons, napkins (my friend, Supersu, gifts people with these great little portable sets complete with cloth napkin that can go anywhere with her and her friends). Then there are cottage cheese containers, excellent for storing left-overs. Plastic vegetable trays (I'll never buy a full one from Costco again when it's possible to refill it myself!) Ball point pens (why don't they all come with refills?) and markers. Heck, I even use my insulin needles and blood testing lancets more than a few times, much to the horror of some healthcare professionals (but hey, I'm the only one using mine)! And I refuse to buy a coffee unless I have my travel mug along because there's not much worse than seeing single use Tim Horton's and Starbucks garbage blowing down the street. It's the same with getting groceries -- no reusable bags? Take only what I can can carry without the store-offered plastic ones. Their average lifespan is maybe twenty single-use minutes (or less)!
We've become such a disposable society that refusing to use disposables is odd, unusual, strange and counter-cultural. If I was any good at Photoshop, I'd come up with a line of "Rebel with a Cause" posters featuring James Dean with a travel mug on his motorbike. Or maybe Madonna, the original "Material Girl" with a rag bag. I'm sure if I put my thinking cap on, there'd be dozens of other possibilities. How about a "Keep Calm and Reuse (and reuse, and reuse...)" Poster?
Anyway, today's challenge is to look around life and actually see the single-use items that our parents or grandparents never took for granted, but washed and used again, and washed and used again -- and do the same. And in the same vein, not to allow too many of those things into our lives in the first place.
I really ought to get back to baking my own bread, come to think of it...
Looking for more Simple Suggestions? Click here.
Simple Moodlings \'sim-pѳl 'mϋd-ѳl-ings\ n: 1. modest meanderings of the mind about living simply and with less ecological impact; 2. "long, inefficient, happy idling, dawdling and puttering" (Brenda Ueland) of the written kind; 3. spiritual odds and ends inspired by life, scripture, and the thoughts of others
Wednesday, October 14, 2015
Simple Suggestion #241... Reduce and reuse those single-use items
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During this 3-day sea kayak journey, we'll work together to build the skills required for multi-day kayak touring in a moderate coastal environment. Departing from Stonington, we'll work together to select an itinerary that suits the weather, our groups interests and abilities, and our instructional goals. During 3 days on the water, we'll have opportunities to practice cockpit navigation, improve our boat handling in wind and waves, and plan our travels to take advantage of currents and weather. With 2-nights of island camping, we'll consider Leave No Trace principles, island access, wilderness cuisine, and basic trip planning. (For more complete coverage of trip-planning and preparation, consider joining us two days earlier for our Trip Planning and Leadership course on July 2nd and 3rd).
This course is appropriate for paddlers who have learned rescues and basic boat-handling, and are capable of paddling up to 15 miles in a day in up to 2-foot seas, and 10 knots of wind. To discuss whether this trip is right for you, please contact us.
$640 per person, includes all necessary equipment, and meals from Lunch on Friday through Lunch on Sunday.


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Experience Design
Research + Development
Packaging + Product Design
RED BULL X SMOKING MIRROR: a new method to merge augmented reality with Red Bull packaging in a way that transfers power from the smartphone to the packaging material itself.
Our goal is to open the user to an experience driven by incidental discovery instead of the traditional path of "scanning for a surprise" or deliberately downloading an application. In Smoking Mirror augmented reality first takes the shape of infrared ink— invisible to the naked eye— that forms a hidden design on the classic Red Bull can. The design can only be rendered on the lens of the built-in camera application of current generation smartphones.
"Top of Feed" as Consumer Ownership
- Users implicitly feel a sense of ownership of their unexpected discovery
- They are entitled to manage the implications of their discovery:
• Appreciate the nested discoveries within the Red Bull package and demonstrate allegiance to the concept by letting others discover it themselves
• Opt to cash in on the social credit of being the first to know and share the link to the augmented reality app, populating Smoking Mirror with their friends New Rebels and Surprising People Who Have Seen It All
• New Rebels have the potential to influence the buying decisions of their peers by expressing their own support for a brand based on critical thinking and modern ethics
• Smoking Mirror offers New Rebels a tailored connection with the brand, breeding a sense of respect and understanding of a company they may have otherwise written off as "The Man"
• The layered and mysterious nature of our concept satisfies the craving for a surprise in an era where we can know about anything
• The user's chance discovery adds a frictionless element, widely regarded as a preferred element of product design
Occasions for Discovery
A can of Red Bull is an emblem of the Gen-X commitment to life experiences and stimulation. In combination with our inclination to document all things digitally (and popular apps that leverage smartphone hardware-- Instagram, Snapchat), we believe that the user flows for incidental discovery are exponential.
• The infrared design easily reveals itself in the foreground of a photo of a group of friends at a party
• Somewhere a student is taking a Snapchat of his sad studying set up when he happens to catch the can on camera
Innovation Context and Research
We researched several pathways to lift the mechanism for augmented reality from the smartphone to the packaging. The guiding principle for our research was that our method must only incorporate the built-in camera application of the phone thereby aligning with the goal of surprising users and generate intrigue. The first compelling option we identified for rendering a hidden design exclusively on a smartphone camera required no infrared ink-- instead using a thin-film transistor of electrically tunable photonic crystals to fully modulate color and maintain a high optical quality through communication with the smartphone's built in CMOS active pixel sensor. Existing research indicates that this technology is paving the way to generation of a novel display, which we imagined could translate well to Smoking Mirror's hidden design. This option was overtaken by printing a hidden design from participating artists on the cans (or other packaging) in infrared ink. This approach is the most practical to implement on the large scale rollout intended for Smoking Mirror. Aluminum cans are simple to make and the addition of infrared ink requires only one more step estimated to be low cost. Current generation smartphones come equipped with built-in infrared sensitivity, so infrared ink emerged as a desirable avenue to surprise the user with the hidden design-- in the presence of a can of Red Bull and their smartphone, the user has everything they need to render the pattern and reveal the greater concept behind Smoking Mirror. This yields an exclusive experience playing on the user's interest in feeling connected to the minority in the know.
The Underlying Augmented Reality
The hidden design in infrared ink features a link to www.smokingmirror.com, creating a doubly veiled inner circle for access to the creative augmented reality app. The app uses a camera to recognize the grid formation within the Red Bull can design and turns the identified surface into a screen for visualizations and creativity. The Smoking Mirror web platform introduces a submission or posting system for user-generated designs for augmented reality concepts. All user-generated designs would live online in a feed or gallery, allowing users to try out appealing designs from their kindred contemporaries.
The disclosed technology, Smoking Mirror, proposes an unprecedented method for native augmented reality using digital image capture devices and the physics of light and photonics. The sections outlined in the research breakout prove the underlying scientific and technological principles of the disclosed technology, but are not prescriptive. With hands on prototyping and experimentation, the discussed resources, technology, and materials may be used in combination with smartphone market foresight to create Smoking Mirror.
The unprecedented nature of the disclosed technology may also necessitate adjustments to existing resources, technology, and material, as well as custom proprietary versions. The avenues of research discussed in the following sections represent the first areas of inquiry for developing the disclosed technology.
In support of Smoking Mirror native augmented reality using only infrared materials and a smartphone camera.
The INFRARED (IR) SPECTRUM is the spectrum of light energy from electromagnetic radiation, characterized by wavelengths longer than the human eye can detect by itself. Devices with CCD/CMOS Sensors take infrared wavelengths from the invisible spectrum and convert them to the human eye's visible range.
CMOS Sensors are the built in mechanism in smartphones and other image capturing devices that sense both visible and invisible light in a scene. CMOS sensors can synthesize the visible and invisible spectrums by displaying any invisible infrared wavelengths within a visible scene.
A review of the current state of smartphone hardware for mobile photography and light sensing to understand the feasibility of Smoking Mirror today.
Current and past generation smartphone built in cameras can detect infrared light with the iSight and FaceTime (and non-Apple equivalent) camera features. The CMOS sensors in the camera control the device's ability to detect infrared light using only its native hardware.
The iSight (and non-Apple equivalent) camera in new generation smartphones features an infrared filter within the CMOS sensor structure, removing its ability to detect infrared light out of the box. The FaceTime (and non-Apple equivalent) camera in new generation smartphones does not have the infrared filter, which means that the newest smartphones can detect infrared light out of the box with the front-facing camera hardware.
Backside Illumination CMOS (BSI) sensors are the current industry standard for smartphone cameras.
BSI CMOS sensors prevalent in smartphones have higher spectral responsivity than the human eye, improving picture quality and making it possible to see what the human eye cannot.
BSI CMOS sensors can detect and display infrared wavelengths unless an infrared filter has been incorporated into the camera hardware of the device.
Important considerations for innovating in the realm of smartphone photography: market predictions, developments, and technology that Smoking Mirror can leverage in the near future.
Smartphone cameras are predicted to go beyond autofocus and implement real zoom cameras as well as add-on lenses for wide angle, telephoto, and IR capabilities. These advancements suggest that smartphones will eventually match the features of point and shoot cameras.
(Extreme Tech)
MIT's smartphone division is developing a component for advanced post-processing photography effects in real time. Google and HTC are predicted to follow suit in the interest of keeping Nexus competitive and relevant.
(Extreme Tech)
The CCD sensors found in high quality digital cameras and video recorders are predicted to appear in smartphone cameras as an alternative to CMOS. CMOS sensor capability has improved, narrowing the performance gap between the two and making significant improvements on smartphone camera hardware completely possible.
("What is the Difference")
Until recently, image sensor advancements did not target consumers. Now there is significant market activity in the realm of consumer-oriented personal imagers like thermal imaging smartphone add-ons and applications.
First in class examples of innovation in smartphone cameras that will set the bar for hardware and product features in next generation smartphones, and improve feasibility of Smoking Mirror.
The HTC One M8 launched in March 2014 features the IR Blaster, a built in infrared light source. Intended to work as a TV remote, this technology can lend itself to wider applications. The IR Blaster can trigger the activation of materials like upconverting infrared ink and reveal visible fluorescence.
(HTC Product Site)
In August 2014 Microsoft Research provided a proof of concept for modifying the camera hardware of a Galaxy Nexus to perform the complex functions of a Kinect caliber depth camera on mobile.
(Slash Gear)
Eigen Imaging has started to sell pre-adapted Google Nexus 5, iPhone 5s, and Galaxy Nexus smartphones for multi-spectral imaging applications and visible-to-near-infrared capability, indicating existing consumer interest in this type of functionality on mobile.
In addition to visible-to-near-infrared wavelength detection, these adapted smartphones are able to detect near infrared fluorescent security and anti-counterfeit materials like ink and barcodes.
(Eigen Imaging)
Infrared detection capabilities can be used on both image capture mode and live video mode.
(Eigen Imaging)
The company also offers FluoroVu, a smartphone attachment lens for capturing ultraviolet fluorescent images of certain materials.
(Eigen Imaging)
An abbreviated review of the infrared capabilities of the top consumer rated smartphones as of November, 2014.
(Tech Radar)
#1 HTC One M8:
IR Blaster, an IR light emitter in the phone intended to give the smartphone remote control functionality
Built in IR light source could be used for alternative purposes like triggering fluorescence in IR upconverting and excitation ink
Backside Illumination (BSI) CMOS Sensor
#2 Iphone 6:
Hybrid IR filter on standard rear facing camera to keep out IR light for traditional photography purposes
Front-facing FaceTime camera is built without a Hybrid IR filter and is able to display IR light
Backside Illumination (BSI) CMOS Sensor
IR Blaster, an IR light emitter in the phone intended to give the smartphone remote control functionality
Built in IR light source could be used for alternative purposes like triggering fluorescence in IR upconverting and excitation ink
Backside Illumination (BSI) CMOS Sensor
#4 Samsung Galaxy Note 4:
IR Blaster, an IR light emitter in the phone intended to give the smartphone remote control functionality
Built in IR light source could be used for alternative purposes like triggering fluorescence in IR upconverting and excitation ink
Backside Illumination (BSI) CMOS Sensor
#5 iPhone 6 Plus
Hybrid IR filter on standard rear facing camera to keep out IR light for traditional photography purposes
Front-facing FaceTime camera is built without a Hybrid IR filter and is able to display IR light
Backside Illumination (BSI) CMOS Sensor
#6 Sony Xperia Z3 Compact
No built in IR filter, allowing front and rear facing camera features to display IR light
Backside Illumination (BSI) CMOS Sensor
#7 Nexus 6:
IR Blaster, an IR light emitter in the phone intended to give the smartphone remote control functionality
Built in IR light source could be used for alternative purposes like triggering fluorescence in IR upconverting and excitation ink
Backside Illumination (BSI) CMOS Sensor
#8 Sony Xperia Z3
No built in IR filter, allowing front and rear facing camera features to display IR light
Backside Illumination (BSI) CMOS Sensor
#9 Moto X (2014)
No built in IR filter, allowing both camera features to display IR light
Backside Illumination (BSI) CMOS Sensor
#10 OnePlus One
Backside Illumination (BSI) CMOS Sensor
New formulas of the following materials may be necessary to achieve the unprecedented Smoking Mirror effect. Available information about the following materials indicates that they could be used in Smoking Mirror. Because of difficulty communicating with suppliers of these materials, product samples must be acquired and tested to determine for certain their visual effects and compatibility with aluminum's pasteurization processes.
Infrared Excitation Ink:
Predominantly used for anti-forgery and security purposes, this clear ink responds to an infrared light source (e.g. the increasingly common IR Blaster feature on current generation smartphones), in a process called upconversion. Once it is triggered, the ink in its excited state fluoresces a bright light wherever the ink has been applied. The ink comes in variations of clear-to-red, clear-to-green, and clear-to-blue.
(Smarol, MaxMax).
A similar product is referred to as Infrared-Active Absorption Ink in a successful recent study proving that an iPhone 4 can display markings of this material on a poker card.
("Invisible Mark Detection…")
Polarizing Ink
Also known as color flop ink, polarizing ink uses cholesteric liquid crystal polymers to make the ink appear to change color. The outcome effect, known as color travel, results from subtle changes in viewing angle. Many custom formulas for this material are available, including formulas that combine infrared and UV ink with visible ink, resulting in a more extreme visual effect that appears as if the design emerged from nowhere. It is also possible to control the speed and intensity of the color change.
(Chelix Novel Pigment Approaches, Chelix Pigment Technology)
Precise information on substrate and printing instructions could not be obtained from the suppliers due to communication barriers and no formal purchase order. However, most printing inks must be mixed with a binder base such as polyethylene terephthalate resin (PET) after purchasing, indicating that it is possible to adjust the formula in-house to meet Smoking Mirror production requirements.
("Invisible Mark Detection…")
Based on general information listed on supplier product sites, the majority of inks are printable by standard techniques such as offset, UV offset, protrude, UV flexographic, screen printing, and UV screen printing.
(Anti-Forgery Ink)
Anti-Forgery Ink, (http://www.anti-forgery-ink.com/).
Chelix, Pigment Technology. (http://www.chelix.com/products_pigment.html).
Chelix, "Novel Pigment Approaches…" (http://www.chelix.com/pdfs/Novel_Pigment_Approaches.pdf).
Eigen Imaging, "Smartphones NIR".
Extreme Tech, "Beyond Megapixels: the Future Evolution of Smartphone Cameras".
HTC Product Site, "HTC One M8".
IMVeurope, "Image Sensors: the Smartphone Generation".
"Invisible Mark Detection…" (http://www.pubfacts.com/detail/24529777/Invisible-ink-mark-detection-in-the-visible-spectrum-using-absorption-difference).
MaxMax, "IR Inks".
Slash Gear, "The Irony: Microsoft Makes Depth Tracking Phone…". (http://www.slashgear.com/the-irony-microsoft-makes-depth-tracking-phone-while-ignoring-kinect-12340829/).
Smarol, "Infrared Excitation Ink".
Tech Radar, "10 Best Smartphones in the US".
"What is the Difference Between a CCD & CMOS Video Camera?".
Wiki, "Back-Illuminated Sensor".


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Dont know how true! But......
The following letter turned up in the CAA file of a certain pilot during a recent Investigation. The identities of the people and organisations concerned have been withheld for obvious reasons....
Dear Sirs
I have been asked to make a written statement concerning certain events that occurred yesterday.
First of all, I would like to thank that very nice CAA man who took my student pilot license and told me I wouldn't need it anymore. I presume that means that you're going to give me my full PPL. You should watch that fellow though; after I told him this story he seemed quite nervous and his hand was shaking. Anyway, here is what happened.
The weather had been pretty bad since last week, when I soloed. But yesterday I wasn't going to let low ceilings and pouring rain deter me from another exciting experience at the controls of an aeroplane. I was proud of my accomplishment, and I had invited my neighbour to go with me since I planned to fly to Sun City, where I knew of an excellent restaurant that served steaks and draught Windhoek beer. On the way to Lanseria my neighbour was a little concerned about the weather but I reassured him and told him about the steaks and beer that were waiting for us and he seemed much happier.
When we arrived at the airport the pouring rain had stopped, as I already knew it would from my meteorology classes. There were only a few small hailstones around.
I checked the weather and I was assured it was solid IFR. I was delighted. But when I talked to the flying club, I found that my regular aeroplane, a Piper J4 Cub was down for repairs. You can imagine my disappointment.
Just then a friendly, intelligent hangar assistant suggested that I take another aeroplane, which I immediately saw was very sleek and looked much easier to fly. I think they called it an Aztec C, also made by Piper. It didn't have a tailwheel, but I didn't say anything because I was in a hurry. Oh yes, it had a spare engine for some reason.
We climbed in and I began looking for an ignition switch. Now I don't want to get anyone into trouble, but it shouldn't be necessary to get the manual out just to find out how to start an aeroplane. That's ridiculous, I never saw so many dials, needles, knobs, handles and switches. As we all know, they have simplified this in the J4 Cub. Forgot to mention that I did file a flight plan, and those people were so nice. When I told them I was flying an Aztec, they told me it was all right to go direct via the airway, which I understand is a sort of local superhighway. These fellows deserve a lot of credit. They told me a lot of other things too, but everybody has problems with red tape.
The take-off was one of my best and I carefully left the pattern just the way the book says it should be done. The controller at Lanseria told me to contact Johannesburg Radar but that seemed silly since I knew where I was and I knew where I was going. There must have been an emergency of some sort because all of a sudden a lot of airline pilots began yelling at the same time and made such a racket that I just turned off the radio. You'd think all those professionals would be better trained.
Anyway I climbed up into a few little, fat clouds, cumulus type, at three hundred feet, but the highway was right under me, and since I knew it was due north to Sun City, where we were going to have drinks and dinner, I just went up into the solid overcast. After all,it was raining so hard by now, that it was a waste of time trying to watch the ground. This was a bad thing to do, l realised. My neighbour undoubtedly wanted to see the scenery, specially the Magaliesburg but everybody has to be disappointed sometimes and we pilots have to make the best of it, don't we?
It was pretty smooth flying and except for the ice that seemed to be forming here and there, especially on the windscreen, there wasn't much to see. I will say that I handled the controls quite easily for a pilot with only ten hours. My computer and pencils fell out of my shirt pocket once in a while, but these phenomena sometimes occur, I am told. I don't expect you to believe this, but I thought it was really funny and I asked my neighbour to look but he just kept staring ahead with a glassy look in his eyes. I guessed he was afraid of heights, like all non-pilots are.
By the way, something was wrong with the altimeter - it kept on winding and unwinding all the time. Finally I decided we had flown long enough, since I had worked it out on the computer. I am a whiz at the computer but something must have gone wrong with it, since when we came down to look for the Pilanesburg Airport, there wasn't anything there except mountains. These weather people had got it wrong too. It was real marginal conditions with a ceiling of about a hundred feet. You just can't trust anybody in this business except yourself, right? Why, there were even thunderstorms going on with occasional bolts of lightning.
I decided that my neighbour should see how beautiful it was and the way the lightning seemed to turn that fog all yellow but I think he was asleep, having overcome his fear of heights, and I didn't want to wake him up.
Anyway, just then an emergency occurred because the engine quit. It really didn't worry me since I had read the manual and I knew where the other ignition switch was. I just fired up the other engine and we kept on going. This business of having two engines is a real safety factor - if one quits the other is right there ready to go. Maybe all aeroplanes should have two engines. You might want to look into this.
As pilot in command I take my responsibilities very seriously. It was apparent that I would have to go down lower and keep a sharp eye in such bad weather. I was glad my neighbour was asleep because it was pretty dark under the clouds and if it hadn't been for the lightning flashes it would have been hard to navigate. Also it was hard to read road signs through the ice on the windscreen. Several cars ran off the road when we passed and I see what they mean about flying being safer than driving.
To cut a long story short, l finally spotted an airport and, since we were already late for dinner, I decided to land there. It was an air force base so I knew it had plenty of runway and, judging by all the coloured lights flashing in the control tower, we were going to be made to feel welcome. Somebody had told me that you could always talk to these military people on the international emergency frequency, so I tried it, but you wouldn't believe the language that I heard. These people ought to be straightened out, and as a taxpayer, I would like to register a complaint.
Evidently they were expecting somebody to come in and land, because they kept asking about some "goddamn stupid ?/**!% up in that fog." I wanted to be helpful so I landed on the taxiway to be out of the way in case that other fellow needed the runway.
A lot of people came running out waving at us. It was pretty evident that they had never seen an Aztec C before. One fellow, some General with a pretty nasty temper, was real mad about something. I tried to explain to him in a reasonable manner that I didn't think the ATC should be swearing at the guy up there, but his face was so red I think he must have a drinking problem. I then heard that we had ended up at Hoedspruit Air Force base - what a stroke of luck!
Well, that's about all. I hired a car and drove home from Hoedspruit because the weather really got bad, but my neighbour stayed at the hospital there. He can't make a statement yet because he's still not awake. Poor fellow, he must have the 'flu, or something.
Let me know if you need anything else, and please send my new license by registered mail.
Yours faithfully.....................
Aviation Humour....
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Program Details
The online DNP degree program from Old Dominion University prepares students to serve as leaders, researchers, and expert clinicians in addressing health disparities and barriers to healthcare. Graduates possess the knowledge and skills required to:
- Take leadership in developing interdisciplinary teams
- Conduct evidence-based research
- Develop programs to improve healthcare outcomes
- Become business owners
- Address national policy issues
- Advocate for the use of healthcare technology
- Have a voice in healthcare change
- Overcome issues related to healthcare
- Completed a MS or MSN degree.
- Advanced practice education and licensure as a NP, CNS, CNM or CRNA.
- Graduate degree with quality point averages of 3.2 overall.
- Required to travel to main campus ODU once a semester for a long weekend of advising and experiential activities. Upon program completion, you'll be eligible to take the national certification examination.
Accreditation & Licensing
Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on Colleges
Collegiate Commission on Nursing Education (CCNE)
This program is not available in the following states: Washington.


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Used BMW 4 Series cars for sale
We currently have 58 in stock
There are 2 trims of 4 Series manufactured by BMW in our current stock
Featured used BMW 4 SeriesBrowse All
BMW 4 Series Coupe
M Sport
BMW 4 Series Gran Coupe
BMW 4 Series Gran Coupe
M Sport
BMW 4 Series Gran Coupe
M Sport
Our stock of used BMW 4 Series come in a range of gearbox and fuel type options and are currently located at the below sites
If you're looking for a professional-looking executive car to drive for business purposes, or you want a dependable and attractive vehicle which is both comfortable and a pleasure to drive, then a nearly new or used BMW 4 Series car is just what you need. We have a variety of second-hand BMW 4 Series cars for sale which come with a wealth of different features and options. This means we're confident we'll have a model for you in our listings, so take a look and make an enquiry with our dealerships.
If you can't find what you're looking for then make the most of our search tools, as these allow you to filter our collection of used and nearly new BMW 4 Series cars by different features. These include, colour, mileage, fuel type, transmission and much more. At Motorpoint, we can also offer you finance options and part-exchange on this quality range.
Watch Ken Gibson's video review of the BMW 4 Series above or read the full review here.
Motorpoint Car Finance
Motorpoint, the UK's leading car supermarket, has a comprehensive range of tailored finance packages including Personal Contract Plans and Hire Purchase Agreements.
Find out more about our finance plans and additional services and use our calculators to tailor your potential finance packages.More about car finance


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Hi everyone!
Last week we presented Survarium at the KRI 2013 conference in Moscow. It was quite risky to bring a game which had only been in alpha-testing for less than a week to a public demonstration. However, due to the amazing support of the players already testing we could successfully rise to the challenge! Throughout the three days of the show our small booth was crammed with spectators and volunteers wanting to play Survarium. The finale of the trip was the receiving of 'Best Debut' award and, particularly important for us, - the 'Visitor's Choice 'award. Of course, the game is still full of bugs, drafts and incomplete features, but that small victory reassured us that we are moving in the right direction.
As for the game itself, on the first day of the show we released a patch that added a new playable location ('Chemical Plant') to the game, as well as considerably modify the fire arms' balance.
- With the upcoming update we will add a few more changes to the zone-based damage system, which will allow the players to enjoy themselves a lot more. (Currently it's easy to kill a guy, rather than injure his arm).
- The sound improvements are almost complete. In the upcoming patch we will release part of the changes. We plan to finish fixing the known problems by the end of the month.
- Some graphics optimizing has been done.
- Running the game on systems where RAM - VRAM (RAM memory minus Video memory) is less than 1.5 GB is still a slight issue. Those would be most of the computers with modern video cards and 32-bit OS installed. We expect to solve this issue by the end of the month.
- We expect to launch the English/International closed Alpha testing in the second half of June (we want to ensure all the current critical issues are solved before we can start testing internationally).
And, to cap it all off here are a few stats:
- We've had 454 players in-game the last week.
- The max game session time registered has been 6 hours and 12 minutes.
- The max number of frags in one game was recorded at 36. Achieved by three players at a time.
Ruslan "Stohe"Didenko
Survarium Project Lead


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Best known for making waterproof and outdoor clothing for hunting and other country living pursuits, Barbour was founded in 1894 by John Barbour who began the company with oilskins for use on Scottish ships in the frigid North Sea. Noted for its high-quality, hard-wearing clothing, the firm holds royal warrants to supply "waterproof and protective clothing" to HM Queen Elizabeth II, HRH The Duke of Edinburgh, and HRH The Prince of Wales. Barbour proudly proclaims its brand to be "an authentic British brand providing a wardrobe of clothes for country pursuits, country living and for those who simply love the country, while still maintaining the core values of its heritage, durability, fitness for purpose and attention to detail."
Infused with Style and Comfort
For more than a hundred years, Barbour has developed garments that are comfortable and stylish, from fabrics that are technically innovative to meet the demands of outdoor living. The Barbour distinctive wardrobe includes waxed and quilted jackets, sweaters and knits, moleskin and corduroy clothing, midlayers, plus bags and accessories for men, women, and children. While maintaining its traditional country range for which it is known, the company also provides a modern mix of sophistication and heritage with updated coats and jackets based on designs from Barbour's archives.
Barbour's Collections
Barbour clothing for men and women runs the gamut from classic to sporting. Their contemporary collection includes updated garments sewn of new and traditional fabrics in stylish, fitted shapes. Their classic clothing is more generous in size, made to wear over jumpers and fleeces. Barbour's heritage pieces have been inspired by designs from their extensive archives, and the sporting/active clothing is designed for an active country lifestyle and is specially cut for functionality.
Meeting the Demands of an Active Lifestyle
Barbour clothing is designed and constructed to meet the demands of an active country lifestyle. With the addition of wool and leather clothing to its recent collections, there are beautiful, well-made, and functional styles to suit everyone's tastes and interests.


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see our gallery
The Project Manager's Challenge: Dealing with budgets based on minimal information
- February 15, 2018
- Posted by: Strive
- Category: thought leadership
It's that time again – time for companies to begin new projects in the new year. Ideas have been gathered and technology departments have estimated the effort needed, usually based on very little information. An annual ritual that is so challenging that acronyms like "SWAG" have been created to imply some of the uncertainty in
The Best Interview Questions to Ask A Candidate
- February 2, 2018
- Posted by: Strive
- Category: events
Recruiters in the staffing and consulting industries are often viewed as transactional, process driven and impersonal. Many prospective candidates would prefer speaking with hiring managers directly rather than with recruiters because of the limited associations they feel we have towards them and the end client. Questions remain as to what recruiters can do to improve
Looking Back at 2017
The year of 2017 was a memorable one for Strive! Some of the highlights include: We were named one of the Best and Brightest Companies to Work For in Atlanta, in Chicago (third year in a row) and in Dallas. We were named one of the 2018 Best Places to Work by Glassdoor. We unveiled
- January 4, 2018
- Posted by: Strive
- Category: events
Chicago, Dallas and Atlanta Operations of AIM Consulting Group Become Strive Consulting, LLC
- June 6, 2016
- Posted by: Strive
- Category: events
Chicago, IL, June 6th 2016—Following the buyout of minority owners in April 2016, the Chicago, Dallas and Atlanta offices of AIM Consulting are officially consolidating their respective operations and rebranding as "Strive Consulting". As industry leaders in technology solutions and services, these companies had been operating independently, and now, together as Strive, they possess a


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A Redwood Frame
On her second submission, we see Sariah Bunker delve into another bevy of difficult subjects: rejection, religion, and family. Replete with heartbreaking detail, we're proud to present "A Redwood Frame."
A family should never have to choose between one of their own and their God, but they so often do.
On May the fifth,
when Mexicans caressed on bloody bedsheets
and battled between layers of control and freedom, the sky made love
—a violent thrashing romp—
and I bit the hand that fed me.
But I've been starving myself for too long;
I submitted to one love and denied another.
My portrait swung on their wall—the only one with a vermillion rim.
Except for the one of our brother,
hands still, crimson robes draped around His bearded face.
His smile and disappointed eyes,
a long dead brother hanging on the wall.
I sink slowly, my portrait sliding down the plaster,
scraping off the paint.
I'm drowning, brother!
"Lord Save Me."
Instead you swung, My Brother, you seized my place.
If you care to cross the wood,
take another stroke,
build yourself a frame
of the finest redwood.
Drive to the lumberyard, gather long-grain with scratches from navel to nose.
Glue it with the paper mache my mother used to boil on the kitchen stove.
Carve it with my family's old Cutco knives,
but hold the handles carefully,
the blades are might cut your palms.
Climb into this frame, your coffin,
you will be accompanied by seven more.
My living room will be a crypt,
and none will rise.
sariah bunker
Sariah Bunker is a sophomore at NYU who is in a constant existential crisis. She's just trying to pay the bills, travel when she can, and organize her frazzled, spinning consciousness.


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Each year, Asian Side of the Doc offers invaluable networking opportunities to hundreds of professionals from 40 countries.
The 4-day event brings together broadcasters, decision makers, financing bodies, distributors, content creators and producers from across Asia and beyond to sell or buy projects and programmes, and to find coproduction partners.
The international documentary community convenes in Bangkok to follow the latest industry trends in the APAC region, present untold stories, make new connections and embrace interactive forms of storytelling including virtual reality.
A powerful platform for international co-production.
Extremly useful to build lasting contacts, new co-operations and to get new financiers for your documentary projects.
Asian Side of the Doc is really the place for the factual and documentary TV market. The professionalism of the event and the levels of the decision makers make this event highly business effective!


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Wonderful film, I just think it splendid. I'm transported.
I watched this beautiful film this evening and found it very informative and very well done.
It is no easy task to produce a vivid and captivating one hour documentary film on the life and accomplishments of a 19th century botanist. Filmmaker Lois Leonard has, however, accomplished this. Finding David Douglas makes creative use of glowing botanical prints, richly-toned photographs, intensely filmed comments from scientists and historians, and bright contemporary footage of Pacific Northwest flora, to tell its tale. The resulting film weaves together the short life story of Scotsman David Douglas (1799-1834) and his compulsion to document his world's astounding array of plant life, focusing on his two visits to the West Coast of North America, and to Hawaii, in the 1820s and 1830s. Douglas was a man of small stature, a shy disposition, and immense stamina and drive. In his travels he was able to engag the collaboration of both Native Americans and sojourning trappers and traders. Gathering, drying, pressing, labeling, and describing, Douglas walked thousands of miles in North American woods. His findings—his written accounts as well as seeds and specimens—added to Europe's botanical knowledge, but they also aided wealthy Englishmen in creating exotic gardens and pointed ahead toward a reforestation of his native Scotland. As the Douglas fir stands tall in Northwest forests, Finding David Douglas stands tall in regional filmmaking, an epic tale of an iconic figure.
Finding David Douglas is based on prodigious archival study and accurately and engagingly depicts the life of this famous plant collector. The documentary is made visually pleasing by revisiting many places Douglas collected.
Finding David Douglas is a wonderful journey through the life and times of David Douglas. I enjoyed every minute of it. It brings the adventures of the "Grass Man" to life and provides a stunning glimpse into the natural world of western North America in the early 1800s. The character and personal challenges of Douglas are particularly well conveyed and juxtaposed with his enormous scientific contributions.
[Douglas's] legacy remains in the forests, woodlands and gardens of Scotland and Britain. Finding David Douglas, in just under an hour, accurately tells the story of the man and his work.
The documentary makes evident not only the contributions Douglas made to the introduction and promulgation of North American plants but also his achievements as a traveler and geographer. Despite the intervening centuries the narrative gives a real sense of Douglas and his time largely because of the extensive footage of the wonderful landscapes of western North America as a backdrop to excerpts from Douglas's own writings. The documentary is both scholarly and entertaining, a rare combination and one that is likely to have wide appeal. The use of various voices gives a pace and variety to the production which shows a solid understanding of what makes a successful documentary.
This production is a first rate documentary that is both vivid and compelling in telling the story of famed botanist and explorer David Douglas and his extraordinary contributions to botany on an international level. I found this film to be exceedingly well done from both a storyline and production point of view.


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If you are suffering from aches and pains due to sitting for long hours behind your desk, it may be time for you to consider getting yourself a better office chair. A good quality office can help lesson your discomfort. Thus, you should take your time in choosing the right chair for you. Finding office chairs is easy as there are a lot of office chairs on sale. But choosing which of them would be most suitable for you can be a bit more challenging especially if you don't have any idea what type of office chair you should be looking for. When it comes to comfort, one of the best options are reclining office chairs.
Reclining chairs are also available in many different styles and models and they are made from different material as well. Among the most common are reclining leather office chairs on sale. Leather chairs are known for their durability and also for their elegance. They may be more expensive but they are definitely worth the price. Reclining chairs are available in different reclining positions as well. If you are looking for comfort and durability, you should consider purchasing these chairs. They are ergonomic and designed to provide proper support and to make you more comfortable. They are also adjustable so you can adjust it according to your preference.
You can also find modern office chairs on sale that can recline. The cost of these reclining chairs may vary depending on the quality and the function of the chair you choose. Some reclining chairs are more expensive compared to others but even the regular reclining office chair would last for a long time. When looking for an office chair, you should also consider the padding and the foam used for the chair. A seat cushioning that is too thin would not be worth your money.
If you have decided go with a leather office chair, it would be best if you choose one that can be reclined. If you want to sit back and relax and take a short break from your work, you would find these chairs very useful. With the high level of comfort these chairs provide, you would be able to work more efficiently as it helps relieve stress. If you spend a lot of time sitting in your office, wouldn't it be better if you are sitting in a very comfortable office chair?
Tips in Choosing a Heavy Duty Office Chair
Considering the economy, it is only natural for most companies to find ways to save money. In purchasing office furniture, they would want something that would be worth their money. While they can save money on cheap office chairs, these chairs may not be able to last for a long time. Thus, they would have to replace these chairs after some time. It may be better if they choose a heavy duty office chair that would be a bit more expensive but one that is very durable so that there would be no need to replace it from time to time.
In order to make sure that you are getting heavy duty office chairs, it would be a good idea if you check out and compare the different models and brands of office chairs available in office furniture shops and online stores. As there are probably hundreds of choices available, it may be better if you make a list of the features you would be looking for in an office chair to narrow down your search and to make it easier for you to choose the right one. It would also be a good idea to test the chairs yourself as some chair may only look durable but are not really that durable if you sit on it for a long time.
When looking for extra heavy duty office chairs, you should sit on the chairs to check the durability and to make sure that the office chair you choose would also be comfortable. One thing you should also not forget to check is the base of the chair. Chairs with a star base may be the best option as these chairs allow your weight to be evenly distributed so that the chair will not collapse. The weight of the chair should also be taken into consideration. Most people prefer lightweight office chairs but this could also be dangerous. If the chair is too light, there is a chance that it would tip over.
If you want to get the best office chair, you also need to check the seat of the chair. The chair should also provide proper support to the body and one that will help the user maintain proper posture. The back of the chair should also keep your back in an upright position and prevent you from slouching. If you don't want to suffer from back problems, you would consider these things carefully.
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If you're seeking an experienced cosmetic dentist who can bring out the potential of your smile, you've come to the right place! At Carnelian Family Dentistry, our multi-specialty professional team makes the most advanced options in care available for the benefit of you and every member of your family. From routine checkups and pediatric dentistry, to the most advanced restorative, laser, implant and cosmetic treatments available today, our specialists are sure to have you smiling with our outstanding results of care. Whether you're interested in having your teeth professionally whitened, straightened discreetly with Rancho Cucamonga Invisalign®[1], or are interested in a complete smile makeover, you can count on us to help you achieve your cosmetic best!
With Rancho Cucamonga Invisalign, we can correct the alignment of teeth that are spaced, crowded, or otherwise improperly aligned teeth with one of the most discreet and comfortable methods of orthodontic care available today. Beginning with a sophisticated digital smile analysis, we can customize your course of treatment with the utmost exactitude. Orthodontic treatment comes in the form of clear, plastic aligners, custom-contoured to the ridges and rises of your smile for comfortable wear. Each set of aligners is worn for a period of time specified by your dentist—typically around 2 weeks—before switching to the next set in the series. In this way Invisalign aligners can incrementally, using gentle controlled forces, move your teeth into improved alignment. Virtually invisible to the naked eye, and completely removable for short periods of time, Invisalign aligners enable you to maintain your professional appearance, and continue to enjoy your favorite foods throughout your course of treatment!
Thanks to the help of Rancho Cucamonga Invisalign, orthodontic treatment can feel less overwhelming! To learn more about how we can bring out the best in your smile, contact the friendly staff at Carnelian Family Dentistry today!
6626 Carnelian Street
Alta Loma, CA 91701
(909) 287-3117
[1] Invisalign is a registered trademark of Align Technology, Inc.


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Automate your people admin processes with digital documents, intelligent workflows and real-time notifications.
Sapling allows you to build streamlined and repeatable people operations for your organization, anticipating your needs and sending reminders automagically.
Create a unique and engaging experience for your employees - even before they start.
With a clean and simple UI, Sapling is not just easy to use, but an HR tool people want to use.
One size doesn't fit all. Sapling is highly customizable and allows you to build the right processes for your team.
Run data-driven HR programs, with high-level visibility across your entire organization.
Allow your teams to track the data and insights that's right for them, with configurable, permission-based reporting and powerful dashboards.
Sapling gives you beautiful dashboards and insightful analytics at your fingertips, and helps you generate a variety of customizable reports in seconds.
Sapling provides a system of record for your global workforce data, seamlessly integrating with your international HR, IT and Finance systems like ATS, Payroll, Benefits, G Suite and more.
No more compromising; you can now leverage best-of-breed HR integrated with your favorite tools.
Allowing you to build better processes with automation, visibility and consistency
Connects with your ATS
Deliver amazing new hire experiences
Create digital paperwork and packets
Streamline processes and reduce risk
Foster team alignment with a vibrant people directory
Make the request and approval experience a breeze
Save your IT and Operations team time and money
Beautiful reports and analytics at your fingertips


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Free Index Reviews:
You can see our reviews on FreeIndex.co.uk by clicking here.
Facebook Reviews:
Jim & the team have recently totally overhauled our overgrown, tired gravel driveway & have given us a beautiful resin…
Posted by Claire Louise Depledge on Thursday, 28 February 2019
You can see more reviews from our many happy customers on our Facebook back by clicking here.
Google Reviews
Jed Long
An excellent product. The guys worked flat out out to rip up old paving, dug down to remove all loose rubble, removed it, laid fresh hardcore, tarmac, and then the resin. I also had them build a few garden walls whilst here. At every stage I was asked if I was happy with work done so far. Definitely recommend West Yorkshire resin driveways.
Richard Greensmith
Very pleased with my drive and standard of workmanship. A job well done. Value for money. Thank you
Martin Travis
West Yorkshire resin driveways were complete professionals from start to finish and we are delighted with our new drive.Jim and his team were happy to provide what we wanted and sorted any additional work as the job progressed.We can well recommend West Yorkshire resin driveways we don't think they will be beaten on quality of work or price
Mr & Mrs Travis . Wakefield
Paul Armstrong
Since contacting the Company they have worked in a meticulous manner ensuring we got exactly what we wanted. Our driveway now looks great. Thanks so much for all your hard work and efforts.
Steven Walker
great job looks fabulous thank you very much
You can see more reviews from our many happy customers on Google by clicking here.
Get In Touch Today
To find out more about how we can help you, simply fill out the contact form below and one of our team will get back to you.


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The reason why we all can't stop talking about a mythical " Facebook phone" is because everyone—Facebook included—understands that there's a big vulnerability in Facebook's mobile strategy.
The glimmers we've seen of the new software Facebook will unveil Thursday suggests that the social network has figured out a way to secure its future on smartphones and tablets.
Google and Apple have deep control over smartphone apps because they design the software that runs them— Android and iOS—and the marketplaces that sell them—Google Play and the App Store.
At first, Facebook hoped to bypass the smartphone giants by building mobile Web versions of its social network. But those just didn't work well. And crucially, they did not adequately support developers who built apps for Android and iOS.
What we've seen of Facebook's promised "new home on Android" is a home screen that prompts users to log in with Facebook. And that's what you really need to know.
What can Facebook do once you've logged in? It knows about the apps you've installed—at least the ones connected to Facebook. Perhaps it can install mobile versions of apps you use on the desktop, or reinstall apps you've used on another device.
And Facebook can also run ads prompting users to download new apps, or expose them to new apps in its App Center. (It would be fascinating to see Facebook's App Center, currently a feature of Facebook's website and mobile apps, become a standalone app.)
None of this, by the way, requires exclusive Facebook hardware. And Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg has repeatedly said that Facebook is not building a phone. But a sample phone, made by a partner, which clearly demonstrates how this strategy will work in practice, makes perfect sense.
Socially informed app distribution—paid or unpaid—is a critical advantage Facebook has over Google and Apple, whose stores tend to favor the highest-ranking apps in a rich-get-richer economy that disfavors new entrants.
Facebook has also highlighted how much money it makes for mobile developers. Facebook-connected players of Diamond Dash, a game made by Wooga, are nine times more likely to spend money in the game, and Facebook users generally account for a disproportionate share of in-app spending, the social network reported in a January study.
Facebook has some measures of integration with Apple's iOS, and the companies have a good relationship. Google and Facebook don't get along, but because Android is a relatively flexible operating system, compared to iOS, Facebook and its software and hardware partners can tweak it.
The question is how far Facebook can push it before Google pushes back. Already, Google is hoping developers will push users to log in with their Google accounts, rather than Facebook or another alternative.
But as long as Facebook is more effective at making money for developers than Google, Google will likely have to tolerate it, lest it lose the affection of restive developers. Much of the value of a smartphone lies in its apps. And much of the value of apps—at least for now—lies in their connections to Facebook.