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Fire Up!
This story appears in the November 1998 issue of . Subscribe »
You start your own business so you can call the shots, set your own hours and earn unlimited income. The initial excitement of working for yourself gives you an adrenaline rush. You're motivated to make phone calls, attend networking events and generate publicity--whatever it takes to get your business off the ground.
A few months later, however, reality hits. The road to small-business success is rougher than you expected. You have to wear all the hats in your company, deal with rejection and discouragement, and cope with living on an erratic cash flow. As a result, your enthusiasm wanes. Instead of being motivated to take on the challenges of the day, you feel tired, irritable, and ready to give up and look for a "real job."
With your business dream at stake, what can you do to re-ignite your passion to succeed? How do you get motivated to promote your business when you've seen few results from your efforts? Where can you find the encouragement you need to push the pace when you feel like dropping out of the race? Here are six tips to help you light the fire again:
1. Picture yourself achieving your goals. "Visualize your dream--customers walking in the door, stacks of checks coming in, clients calling, booked calendars. You must dream it--and work it--to make success happen," advises Renee Walkup, president and founder of SalesPEAK Inc., a sales training firm in Atlanta.
When you feel discouraged, it's often because you've lost sight of your goals. "Concentrate on what will happen, not what hasn't happened yet," Walkup advises. "Even if you have only one customer so far, tell people business is great, because it will be."
2. Ignore the naysayers. "When I began my business, someone said I was crazy to quit my high-paying position to start a company," Walkup recalls. "I heard every negative story you can imagine." Fortunately for Walkup, she didn't listen. "I put on a happy face and stuck to my work. Sometimes people throw negativity at you because they have their own agenda."
3. Build relationships with like-minded people. Start-up can be a lonely time. You're the CEO, marketing director, receptionist, technical support person and janitor all rolled into one. Where do you get the support you need when you're trying to launch a business by yourself?
Join trade associations, your chamber of commerce, networking groups or any organization that puts you in contact with other entrepreneurs. "Hearing other people's stories of development helps you keep your perspective and realize you're not alone," says Danielle Kennedy, a renowned motivational speaker and author of Seven Figure Selling (Berkley Publishing Group, $12, 800-788-6262). "You'll be amazed how many times business owners have to fail in order to grow. Sharing [those stories] gives us courage to continue to try and to grow."
Barbara Winter, founder of several small businesses and author of Making a Living Without a Job (Bantam, $12.95, 800-323-9872), also stresses the importance of associating with people who share your experiences. "Although I didn't realize it at first, my early business days would have been happier if I knew a few other women entrepreneurs," Winter recalls. "It wasn't until my second year in business that I met some women who were also building their own businesses. Those relationships became powerful, positive forces in my life."
4. Find mentors. Whom do you admire who is successfully doing what you want to do? Write to them. Call them. Find out how they got where they are. "My husband and I have been partners in our sales education consulting company for 18 years," says Kennedy. "I can't tell you the number of people we've mentored. We often invite new business owners to spend the day at our operation. Successful business owners have no problem sharing."
Why learn the hard way? Mentors have already overcome the obstacles you're now facing. They understand what you're going through and can offer insights and advice that will motivate you to keep pursuing your goals.
5. Take care of the boss: you. Even if it's only a few minutes, "take time out of your day to exercise," Kennedy advises. "Go outside. You need fresh air. New business owners tend to hole up indoors for days at a time."
How do you find time for exercise when you're beyond busy? Kennedy suggests incorporating fitness into your business day to help you manage stress and get you charged up. "Good health and exercise curb the emotional roller-coastering that sometimes comes with failure," says Kennedy. "When you lose a prospect, hit the pavement and go for a walk or run. You'll feel better after 30 minutes and will have forgotten the first hurts of the loss."
Also spend time on activities that help you develop mentally and emotionally. "Really successful people constantly try to get a better understanding of themselves and the factors that make them happy--and generate more of those things," says Winter. "They keep building their self-esteem by doing things like reading personal development books, listening to inspirational speakers, and participating in seminars and groups that help them uncover their best selves."
6. Take action. Feeling discouraged because business is slow? How do you break out of the funk? Get busy!
"I make a massive amount of calls," says Barry Farber, author of Diamond in the Rough (Berkley Publishing Group, $12, 800-788-6262) and president of Farber Training Systems Inc., a sales, management and motivational training company in Livingston, New Jersey. "Once I dive in and start seeing a little progress, my whole attitude starts to turn around because I know small progress eventually becomes big business. That keeps me going. Everything starts with that first little step."
Kennedy agrees. "Call past customers--even if you only have one so far--and ask for referrals," she advises. "Make cold calls, warm-up calls, hunch calls--where a name pops into your head and you follow up. Ask lots of questions and listen to your prospects. They'll tell you what they want, and the sale will be right in front of your face."
Every business owner experiences setbacks. Successful entrepreneurs, however, have learned how to ignite their passion to succeed despite discouraging circumstances. When you focus on your goals, spend time with positive people and consistently take action, you'll get motivated to do the things that will turn your small-business dream into a profitable reality.
Bouncing Back
Feeling bummed because you lost a major account, let an ideal prospect slip away or got chewed out by a client? What can you do to overcome the "woe is me" syndrome and get your business back on track?
Danielle Kennedy, CEO of Danielle Kennedy Productions, a sales education consulting company in Sun Valley, Idaho, offers four tips:
1. Stay focused on growing your business. "Losing a customer or an order hurts most when your entire business depends on closing that deal," Kennedy points out. "If you've been working various niche markets all along, then you'll have other prospects and customers to fall back on when you lose one to a competitor."
2. Immediately following any type of rejection, call someone who believes in you and your product. "I'd say to my customer `Hi. I just need to reassure myself that you are pleased with our service.' The reply is always good. They might say: `Are you kidding? We love our widgets and are so glad you called. Can we order more?' Tell me that response won't help you forget your troubles fast!"
3. Read inspirational stories of people who had it worse than you. "There's nothing like hearing how your hero or someone you admire got punched in the stomach but didn't lie down and die--they popped up and kept going," says Kennedy, whose book is loaded with stories from legends who describe painful times in their development. "Never giving up is really the secret to success."
4. Don't overdramatize. "Rejection and failure are dramatic words that rarely apply to our situation," Kennedy contends. "Setbacks, or a stall, maybe--but a rejection? A failure? Please??? get over yourself and get to work!"
Get Psyched!
"Enthusiasm makes the difference between success and failure," says Barry Farber, president of Farber Training Systems Inc., a sales, management and motivational training company in Livingston, New Jersey. "You get a fire in your belly. You're pumped up--you get energy because you're excited about what you do."
Are you consumed by the deep-down, burning desire to make your business succeed--or is the "fire in your belly" only a flicker? If your enthusiasm is flagging, here's what Farber advises to fan the flame:
1. Commit for the long haul. "When you realize failure is not an option, the brain stops coming up with excuses as to why you should quit," says Farber. "The more you're convinced that what you're doing benefits people and that you're going all the way in your business--no matter what--the more passionate and hungry you become."
2. Read! Read! Read! "Common among millionaires is that they read a lot-even if they never finished high school," Farber notes. "Consistent reading not only makes you more competent at what you do, it also gives you a greater desire to learn and grow."
3. Surround yourself with positive people. "Negative people douse your enthusiasm," cautions Farber. "You can't afford to be brought down."
4. Anticipate and meet the needs of others. "I've had more business come back to me because I helped somebody out, and later they say `Barry, we need you [for this job].' It's like a tidal wave that overflows--all because you built those relationships."
Mind Over Matters
Long hours, demanding customers, no steady paycheck--every type of business has its unique pressure points. Why do some entrepreneurs handle stress with confidence and poise, while others panic, paralyzed by anxiety?
"A continuous lack of peace of mind is the starting point of stress, negativity, unhappiness and mental breakdown," says Brian Tracy, one of America's leading authorities on personal effectiveness and author of Maximum Achievement (Simon & Schuster, $12, 619-481-2977), "If you make peace of mind your highest goal, you'll not only be happier, but you'll also be more successful in business."
How to achieve peace of mind? Tracy offers the following tips to help you break free from anxiety and perform your best under stress:
1. Accept 100 percent responsibility for your decisions. "No matter what the circumstance, if you repeat `I am responsible [for my response],' over and over until you really mean it, you have taken the first step to getting control of your emotions and your responses."
2. Prioritize your activities. "The best question you can memorize and repeat, over and over, is `What is the most valuable use of my time right now?' The self-discipline of organizing your work and focusing on your highest- value tasks is the starting point to getting your time under control and lowering your stress levels."
3. Concentrate your efforts on one activity at a time. "The ability to concentrate single-mindedly is probably the rarest quality in the American workplace. The most important tasks take large chunks of time. Plan and organize your days in such a way that you allocate these chunks of time so that you can do the jobs upon which your success depends."
The Vision Thing
One factor affecting motivation is confidence. When confidence is high, you feel energized to take on the challenges of the day. But when confidence is low, you're ready to give up. How can you give your confidence a boost when you're running on empty? Visualize.
"Many people spend their lives `window shopping,'? says Denis Waitley, a renowned keynote speaker, member of the International Speakers Hall of Fame and author of Empires of the Mind (William Morrow, $23, 800-393-8309). "Visualization is not window-shopping--wishing you could have it--but knowing you can." How to put visualization to work for you? Waitley offers these tips:
1. See desired results through your own eyes. Visualization doesn't mean sitting there like a spectator, watching yourself make the sale or give the speech. When you visualize your goal, Waitley stresses, picture it through your own eyes. "[Visualize] looking at the audience or hearing the prospect say `yes' to your proposal," he says. "See it exactly as you would live it."
2. Focus on success, not failure. "When things aren't going well, go back and replay your best `performance,' " advises Waitley. "This way, you draw upon previous performance to reinforce the feeling of success."
3. Use all your senses. "Close your eyes and recreate a sunrise or sunset, feel the wet sand on the beach between your toes, or smell the newly mown field," says Waitley. "This exercise will strengthen your imagination, making you more effective in visualization. The mind can't distinguish between real experience and vividly repeated, simulated experience."
4. Rescript. "When you make a mistake, your immediate response should be `That's not like me. I'm better than that. What can I do to correct myself back to the target?' "
Yes, You Can
There's no doubt you need the right mental attitude to succeed in any endeavor. How do you cultivate an attitude that drives you toward your goals? Affirmations.
"Just as other people's words affect you, the words you say to yourself also affect your attitude," says sales guru and bestselling author Zig Ziglar. In his most recent book, Success for Dummies (IDG Books, $19.99, 800-762-2974), Ziglar suggests the following affirmations. Review them every morning and any time you need a lift:
1. I discipline myself to do the things I need to do when I need to do them, because I know that doing them will enable me someday to do the things I want to do when I want to do them.
2. I clearly understand that if I develop yearning power and apply learning power, I will increase my earning power.
3. I am like an eraser. I recognize my mistakes, I learn from my mistakes, and then I erase those mistakes from my memory.
4. I'm a hard worker, but I don't overdo it, because I know that the person who is always busy as a bee may awaken to discover someone has swiped his or her honey.
5. I move forward in my life every day, even if it's only a tiny step, because I know great things are accomplished with tiny moves, but nothing is accomplished by standing still.
Sean Lyden (firstname.lastname@example.com) is a writer in Kennesaw, Georgia.
Contact Sources
Brian Tracy, c/o Brian Tracy International, 462 Stevens Ave., #202, Solana Beach, CA 92075, (619)?81-2977
Danielle Kennedy Productions, P.O. Box 1395, Sun Valley, ID 83353, (800)?48-8070
Farber Training Systems Inc., (973)?35-9400
SalesPEAK Inc., (770)?20-0832, firstname.lastname@example.com
Denis Waitley, c/o The Waitley Institute, (619)?56-4201
Zig Ziglar, c/o Ziglar Training Systems, (800)?27-0306, http://www.zigziglar.com


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Liberty News
Liberty reaches out to Sandy Hook community
Liberty University has extended its support to the community of Newtown, Conn., contributing to a relief fund and sending children's books to the library at Sandy Hook Elementary School in the wake of the massacre that claimed the lives of 20 children and six adults on Dec. 14.
Freshman Josh Anderson, who lives three minutes from Sandy Hook, returned home for Christmas break the night before the shooting. He contacted Liberty's leadership shortly after the tragedy asking for prayer support for the community.
"It was hard … the whole community had gone into shock," said Anderson, who was a Vacation Bible School leader for one of the victims. "It's great to be at a college where I can Facebook someone on leadership and they are able to pray, even from a distance, it just helps."
In addition to prayer support, Liberty's leadership asked if there were other ways the university could help in the community, and Anderson told them about a fund set up at his church, Walnut Hill Community Church, in nearby Bethel, Conn., to provide seven years of counseling to those affected by the tragedy. Liberty is sending a donation to the fund.
"That gave me a sense of pride," Anderson said. "To find out that Liberty would be giving financially was something I wasn't expecting and I was very grateful that (Liberty), which is not even remotely close to Connecticut, would give time and money to pray and help sow into the community."
Liberty's library staff also purchased 50 books for Sandy Hook's library, contributing to a combined effort of several local churches in the Newtown area, including Second Chance Baptist Church in Bethel, which is home to a number of Liberty alumni. Alumna Ashley Kelly, a native of Bethel and member of the church, helped organize the book drive. She is a teacher in a nearby district and knows teachers at Sandy Hook.
"Having grown up in the area, it is so hard to believe something like this could happen. It is such a safe area, a small town," Kelly said. "It was amazing to see how the community came together to show support for Sandy Hook."
As a teacher, Kelly thought a book drive would be a great way to show the love of Christ to Sandy Hook. Kelly said she remembered her time at Liberty and how "the people were always willing to step in and help" and decided to reach out to her alma mater.
On Thursday, Jan. 10, library staff gathered to compose a list of book titles. They also contacted Sandy Hook to see which titles the school did not have.
"We are just delighted that we could do this to show our support and concern for the people of Sandy Hook, for the children in particular," said Marcy Pride, dean of Liberty's Integrated Resource Learning Center, which includes the library.
She said they wanted to send a wide variety of titles that were age and content appropriate for the children, including both new and classic books. Some of the books deal with grief, sadness, and loss, but they were also sure to include many fun, entertaining books.
Cynthia Schmidt, curriculum librarian, and Rachel Schwedt, head of communication and customer service, managed the selection process. On Friday, Jan. 11, Schwedt picked up many of the books from Liberty's Barnes & Noble Bookstore and the rest were ordered. On Tuesday the staff packaged and shipped the books.
"We are pleased and thankful to be able to do this, it is a blessing," Pride said.

subset: commoncrawl


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Habitat volunteer extraordinaire
April 22, 2015 One of Cape Coral's quiet heroes received some well-deserved national recognition Thursday morning. more »»
'Kitten season:' Be part of the solution
April 15, 2015 Lee County Animal Services is already gearing up for a time of the year that stresses staffers and animal lovers alike — "kitten season. more »»
On the mend
April 1, 2015 The U.S. Census Bureau issued a release Thursday announcing the fastest-growing "metros" in the country. Cape Coral-Fort Myers came in at N. more »»
No other option
February 17, 2015 Count us among those weary of war, tired of conflict, torn by an American military death count that has hit 6,839 in the War on Terror, mostly young service personnel 18 to 24. more »»
Rest in peace
December 31, 2014 For the wife and children of NYPD?Police Officer Rafael Ramos, Christmas held no joy this year. Nor has the holiday season been joyous for the widowed bride of Officer Wen Jian Liu. more »»
Vote No on school board 'expansion' proposal
October 29, 2014 Lee County voters are being asked whether substantive changes should be made to the makeup of the School Board of Lee County. more »»
Vote No on term limits
October 29, 2014 Lee County voters are being asked whether they would like to limit the number of consecutive terms a Lee County commissioner may serve. more »»
Vote Teuber in District 4 Lee School Board race
October 29, 2014 The School District of Lee County easily holds a position at the pinnacle of regional enterprise. With a budget of $1.3 billion and a daily cost-of-operation obligation standing at $. more »»
Vote yes on Amendment 2
October 21, 2014 In November, Florida voters will decide whether the state will join nearly two dozen others in legalizing the use of marijuana for medical purposes Amendment 2, a grassroots initiative — no pun... more »»
Get flu shots 'early' this year
October 14, 2014 Fever. Chills. Fatigue. Muscle aches and more. more »»
Don't let pets roam
September 30, 2014 There are lots of reasons to keep cats inside rather than letting them roam. And the latest should make even non cat-lovers wince. more »»
Decision to rescind vote, move in a different direction applauded
September 9, 2014 Less than a week after voting to "opt out" of statewide testing requirements, the School Board of Lee County rescinded that vote with an eye toward a more measured approach. more »»
School Supply Drive a good cause to rally around
July 2, 2014 The Foundation for Lee County Public Schools has invited the community to join this year's School Supply Drive, which runs through July 15. more »»
Hurricane season is here — be prepared!
June 18, 2014 Forecasters are predicting a "below average" hurricane season this year but local officials offer one salient reminder: It only takes one storm — and not a particularly bad one — to wreak havoc and... more »»
Soldiers: thank you for your service
April 2, 2014 As the U.S. military budget faces the chopping block and great reductions in troop levels to save money, American service men and women continue to pay the price for their service on our behal. more »»
Whew! FDEP decides not sell environmentally sensitive land
March 19, 2014 Area residents and officials who were opposed to the state selling environmentally sensitive land it had previously purchased on Cayo Costa and North Captiva can breathe a sigh of relie. more »»
And they're off...
March 5, 2014 The ballot for the upcoming special general election and related primary for the congressional seat vacated by former House Rep Trey Radel was finalized Wednesday. more »»
For the good of all, Radel should resign
November 27, 2013 "I'm sorry, I have no excuse for what I've done, and I'm not going to try to make any excuses for what I've done... I've let down our country. I've let down our constituents. more »»
There's still time for input on Cayo Costa
October 11, 2013 Area residents who have an opinion on whether the state should retain or sell environmental lands on Cayo Costa and North Captiva in the hope of buying "better" sites who knows where, still have an... more »»
Cape, Mariner bands need our support
September 25, 2013 The Mariner High School Silver Magic Marching Band and the Cape Coral High School Marching Seahawks have been nominated to take part in the 2014 National Memorial Day Parade in Washington, D.C. more »»


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Trademark Global
Monica Fleet 'Empowering Heart' Matted Framed Art - 14" x 11"
$85.00Sale $50.99 (40% off) Sale ends 12/18/19
With offer $43.34
Qty: 1
Product Details
This ready to hang, matted framed art piece features a pink flower. This high quality print is matted using antique white matting and comes in a wood frame. A clear acrylic facing is added to protect the print. The piece is fully assembled by professional framers and comes ready to hang.
- Dimensions - 14" x 11"
- Artist - Monica Fleet
- Subject - Floral
- Style - Contemporary
- Product type - matted Framed Art
- Giclee advanced printmaking process for a high-quality reproduction
- Limited 30-day warranty against manufacturer's defects
- Acrylic, Wood
- Spot Clean
- Made in USA
- Request warranty information
- Savings based on offering prices, not actual sales
- Web ID: 9248197
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text: Excellence in Theory is especially designed to creatively enrich the curricula of beginning instrumental, choral, and general music classes! It's all here - theory and ear training, notation, composition, and history, complete in three volumes. Progressive theory concepts and skills are reinforced and reviewed through both written and aural exercises. The history pages come alive with vibrant, full-color images and comprehensive quizzes to help put events, styles, and details into perspective. Separate theory and history sections are presented, offering multiple teaching possibilities. Theory and history can be taught together or separately, depending on your class objectives and scheduling considerations. A keyboard illustration, glossary, and blank manuscript page are also included as convenient study tools. Enhance your students' music learning experience with this superlative resource!


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54 King Street North, Smithfield, Co. Dublin, D07 EE76
Cafe Oasis is a Lebanese and Mediterranean restaurant experienced in serving and delivering a wide array of delicious dishes such as Kebab, Falafel, pizza soups, grilled chicken and beef and lamb.
Read more about Café Oasis | View Map of Area | Photos


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I love receiving gift cards as Christmas gifts…looove them. Usually nothing makes me happier than strolling into Victoria's Secret the week after Christmas with a gift card buying exhorbitantly priced undies with wild abandon. Popping my head into Bebe and buying a cute dress for New Years with my little plastic gift card buddy. But this year things are different, the economy sucks, companies are declaring bankruptcy and gift cards at many stores will be rendered useless when they close their doors forever. This Christmas season will be do or die for many retailers and if it is die for the store you bought a gift card for – you or your friends and family will be stuck with a worthless piece of plastic that someone dropped good money for.
There is no law preventing stores that are going out of business from selling gift cards until the doors are shut forever. So buyer beware. I know I will get comments saying Chapter 11 bankruptcy is different than Chapter 7 etc. etc. but I say better to be safe than sorry! So since gift cards are out…I am a size 4 and my favorite color is red 🙂
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Select a topic or year
Energy Aid recognizes that improved access to energy can be a route out of poverty for the 1.3 billion people globally who have no access to electricity. As a result, the charity will identify and address issues preventing large portions of the population from using electricity safely such as helping the 2.7 billion people a year who cook with biomass, wood, dung, coal and other solid fuels to avoid indoor smoke from cooking stoves[1]. Surpassing the death toll caused by Malaria, indoor smoke kills 1.4 million people each year, most of which are women and children.
Energy Aid will provide investment and resources including data, technology, skills and research across the world's poorest areas including South America, South Asia and sub Saharan Africa. This will support charities and agencies running or planning energy projects in these regions, helping people to find their own way out of energy poverty. Currently more than 80 percent [2] of these energy projects are not achieving their goals and charitable investment is under pressure. This situation highlights the need for a charity that will support local organizations and charities and encourage collaboration between the private, public and charity sectors, which can attract private investment.
"Energy Aid is an excellent initiative and I support their call to business leaders to help address such an important issue," said Rt Hon Andrew Mitchell MP, Secretary of State for International Development. "Sustainable, reliable energy supplies are vital if businesses in the poorest countries are to grow and develop, while new technology and better use of renewables can bring low carbon energy to many more people. With better access to sustainable energy the poorest will be better placed to lift themselves out of poverty."
The London School of Economics sent researchers to projects in India and Peru to assess how Energy Aid could make a difference. The research discovered many projects would welcome support from a body such as Energy Aid not only with knowledge sharing and awareness programs, but also in terms of guidance on funding access and visibility for projects. The promotion of charities like Energy Aid can place selected energy projects on a recognized international platform along with other successful ones.
"Energy powers human progress, from job generation and economic competitiveness, from strengthening security to empowering women. This is a matter of equity, first and foremost, but it is also an issue of urgent practical importance," said Kandeh Yumkella, Director General, United Nations Industrial Development Organization.
Energy Aid will provide support through three key strategies:
1) Global campaign: An awareness campaign will launch in 2012 dedicated to raising the issue of energy access in the public conscience. The increased awareness will support fund-raising which will be made available for qualifying member projects.
2) Open Knowledge Base: An open source of data, resources, technologies and research potentially including information on existing project success stories and databases of people and places in need which will be accessible to NGOs, charities and other bodies to support and provide input to planning and project execution. It is dedicated to reducing the incidence of failure for energy access projects around the world, through support for collaboration between practitioners and the distribution of best practices, insights and experience.
3) Fund: The Energy Aid fund will raise and invest money into deserving long-term game-changing projects. Operating as a patient investor in high-risk environments, the fund will identify opportunities to create economically viable and sustainable markets, which in turn will attract private investment to achieve extensive scalability.
Founding Partners – IBM and Practical Action
The concept behind Energy Aid emerged from HRH Prince of Wales' 'Start' sustainability summit organized and run by IBM last year. As a founding partner IBM has provided early development support from its workforce to help bring the charity to life, and technology input to the IT and data infrastructure to support the Open Knowledge Base. IBM will continue to develop Open Knowledge Base projects utilizing its analytical and technical capabilities alongside its Smarter Energy expertise. IBM will also give Energy Aid a leading role in its consumer behavior change initiatives while using its extensive network of people and resources to support the awareness campaign.
"Just over a year ago at the IBM Sustainability Summit at Start held in London, one particular idea emerged that has since caught many people's imagination - the idea of Energy Aid. Providing universal energy access is one of the most important challenges of our time but no one organisation can do this alone and collaborative approaches are now needed," said Stephen Leonard, Chief Executive, IBM UK and Ireland, Chair of the Trustees, Energy Aid.
Through the creation of Energy Aid these challenges will now be addressed through collaboration across Government, NGO and commercial organisations. IBM is proud to have been part of the creation and the development of Energy Aid and we remain committed to supporting its emergence as a charity of global importance."
"The creation of Energy Aid was inspired by the work of Practical Action. We have been working for over 40 years with communities providing them with the tools and opportunity they need to lift themselves out of poverty. Practical Action is an expert in energy solutions for the developing world and we are proud to be involved in this exciting initiative," said Simon Trace, CEO Practical Action and Founding Trustee, Energy Aid.
"Achieving universal energy access is a vital step in reducing extreme poverty, but current efforts to address the issue are too fragmented and are not changing the outlook quickly enough," said Jonathan Steel, CEO of Energy Aid.
Our research shows that only a fifth [2] of projects in this space achieve their goals, and there is a lack of long-term planning and investment. We aim to address these shortfalls, combining commercial rigor, corporate expertise and finance with best-of-class NGO experience to create a charity for the 21st century that can work with existing actors to achieve the change we need. IBM and Practical Action are already on board, and we're in discussion with many potential partners in the UK and around the world to support us in this mission."
Sustainable energy is an increasingly prominent global concern; 2012 was announced as the "UN Year of Sustainable Energy for All," with Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon giving a personal commitment towards the cause, and the UN Earth Summit Rio 20 in June 2012 will focus on alleviating energy access.
Supportive quotes:
"The lack of access to energy in the world's poorest areas continues to be a major concern. By enabling those areas to leapfrog to the newest, sustainable energy technologies, Energy Aid will help create a truly level playing field for economic development and prosperity for all," said Guido Bartels, General Manager, Global Energy and Utilities Industry, IBM. "As a member of the Energy Aid global board I encourage other corporate organizations to recognize how their business can make a difference and bring the Energy Aid vision to life."
"Start has closely followed the emergence of Energy Aid since its initial inception at the IBM Start Summit in September 2010. We are delighted to see such a force for global good emerge from HRH The Prince of Wales' vision to create momentum around sustainability, both locally, in the UK, and as we can see demonstrated by Energy Aid, globally as well," said Joey Tabone, CEO Start.
"On behalf of the founding Partners supporting Start, I would like to wish Energy Aid every success upon its launch. There is an onus and responsibility on business to increasingly work hand-in-hand with NGOs and others to make a real difference to people's lives both in the UK and around the world. Energy Aid is launched with that intention and it therefore has our support and best wishes," said Ian Cheshire, Group CEO Kingfisher and Chairman of Start.
Notes to Editors
Energy Aid is a registered charity and will be regulated by the Charity Commission in England and Wales. Energy Aid's charity registration number is 1144467.
For more Energy Aid information go to: www.energyaid.org
For more IBM information go to: www.ibm.com
For more Practical Action information go to: www.practicalaction.org
For more Start information go to: www.startuk.org
[1] Source for statistics: International Energy Agency report: "Energy for All – Financing Access for the Poor", October 2011
[2] Energy Aid research from multiple academic and funding source interviews.
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Water Contaminants
Does your water contain lead, arsenic or other invisible contaminants?
Arsenic enters the water supply through its natural presence in bedrock, or as an industrial byproduct. The most concerning health risk posed by arsenic is low-level, long-term exposure via drinking water, and as a result, the possibility of increased occurrences of cancer and other health problems.
The taste and smell of chlorine are unappealing and can also dry out your skin and hair. While municipalities use chlorine to disinfect the water supply, it should be filtered out before you use it to eliminate harmful/annoying effects.
Raw water comes into your home with any number of impurities that can cause turbidity. Tiny particles of clay can hang in suspension, giving the water an unpleasing cloudy appearance or cause your water to have a milky colour.
Lead seeps into the water supply from the lead pipes, solder and fixtures used extensively across the United States. There is no safe level of lead exposure, especially for children, who can suffer harmful and potentially chronic effects ranging from stomach pain to brain damage.
Magnesium is a mineral that enters water when rain soaks into the ground, running through sand, soil, and rock. The presence of magnesium creates hard water. Although this is not a direct health hazard, magnesium in water can cause buildup in pipes, shortened life spans for your appliances, increased soap and detergent use, dry skin, dull hair, and spotted dishes.
Nitrates are essential for food, flowers and greener lawns, which makes them a major ingredient in most fertilizers. Although nitrates are naturally occurring in soil, overuse of fertilizer is the largest cause of contamination. Nitrates spread on lawns and fields can move quickly through soil and grow more concentrated in groundwater, creating potential health risks for everyone, especially infants and pregnant women.
Radon is a colourless, odourless, tasteless gas that exists due to the radioactive decay of uranium, a common element in our bedrock that can cause cancer. Radon gas dissolves into groundwater and then is released into the air when a facet is turned on in your home or office.


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I'm trying to create a versatile Wordpress network . In order to speed up development, I imagine I'll need to channel projects to different themes at an early stage. At the core of my network install I'd like to have three or four themes, pre-configured to handle a specific class of website.
What's more, I'd like each of these themes, though configured differently (as far as content-types, page templates, and layouts), to use the same basic functions, markup and general best practices (think html 5 boilerplate). In essence, each of these core themes should be a child theme of some parent that fits my basic technological requirements.
The problem is that when it comes time to actually create specific websites, I would like them to each be a child of an appropriate core theme.
In essence, I'm running into the problem of granchild themes as brought up in this article:
If you're not familiar with it, it argues that a lot of parent themes are wrongly considered frameworks, and that Wordpress is not built to accommodate grandchild themes.
So my question is this:
Is it better to duplicate a theme (no parent-child relationship) to create my few core themes and deal with updating them manually as needed, or should I have each core theme be a child theme of some parent and create an artificial (not wordpress native) grandchild inheritance system for the actual websites I create.
I look forward to hearing your thoughts


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Earth & Space Science: Session 3
Session 3. Journey to the Earth's Interior
Learning Goals
During this session you will have an opportunity to build understandings to help you:
- Explain how we know about the Earth's exterior and interior
- Describe the internal structure of the Earth and the nature of its layers
- Describe how igneous rocks are formed
- Relate the nature of lava and its source to the movement of tectonic plates
Video Overview
The theory of plate tectonics represents a unifying set of ideas that have great power in explaining and predicting major geologic events. In this session, we continue to explore this theory by focusing on how it is possible for tectonic plates to move. This leads us to examine Earth's internal structure and the dynamic nature of its interior, which reveals another story of the Earth that rocks can tell.
Video Outline
How is it possible for tectonic plates — giant masses of rock the size of continents and oceans — to move? To better understand the theory of plate tectonics, we need to understand what is happening inside the Earth. No one has ever journeyed to the center of the Earth, except in the movies. What would such a journey reveal about the interior of the Earth?
In the video, our journey starts at the Earth's surface. Just what is a tectonic plate? And how do we know that plates move? Dr. Keith Klepeis, who studies plate boundaries, offers evidence from current scientific theory to help us answer these questions, which lead us to questions about lava: What is lava, what clues does lava give us about the Earth's interior, and how is lava connected to plate movement? Dr. Dave Sherrod, a volcanologist with the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, takes us to an active lava flow as a starting point for building answers, with earthquakes becoming an important source of evidence.
During the video, we watch interviews that highlight children's ideas about how continents move and Earth's internal structure. We also visit Keedar Whittle, a science coordinator in Dorchester, Massachusetts, and listen in as his sixth graders discuss earthquakes and the nature and source of lava.


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A 14-foot long Python was found in the Everglades Sunday.
The giant female snake was shot and killed by a ranger and is now in the hands of Brian Wood, owner of Exotic Love of Fashions.
"This is a 14-foot female snake which can produce many offspring," Wood said. "So by taking this one out of the Everglades, it's going to help the environment because we have a big problem with the invasive species with that particular area, so it's very good."
Because the snakes have no natural predators, native mammal species in the area are easy prey, researchers say. Wildlife officials are trying to control the python population to save ongoing efforts to restore natural water flow through the Everglades. According to a study released last year, mammal sightings in the Everglades are down sharply in areas where pythons are known to live.
This one python in particular, said Wood, could have posed a particular risk.
"Being that it's 14-feet and as large and healthy as it is, it could produce 60-plus eggs per year," he said.
More on NBC6.com:
- Substitute Teacher Arrested for Engaging in Sexual Acts With 13-Year-Old Boy
- PHOTOS: Rock Stars Then and Now
- Kidnapped Squirrel Returns Home for the Holidays
- Father of Six Shot and Killed on Thanksgiving
- Man Robs Bank, Changes Clothes, Waits at Bus Stop: Deputies
- WATCH: Deer Bursts Through Shop Window
- PHOTOS: Outrageous Black Friday Behavior
- Family: We Tipped Server, Didn't Pen Anti-Gay Note


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Handibot® Laser Sight 2.0
Align your tool for quick hole cutting. This battery powered laser sight magnetically snaps on to your Handibot® Adventure Edition router bracket. Watch the video.
Note: This laser sight only fits the new Adventure Edition Handibot. Owners of v1.1 and earlier Handibots can still purchase the original laser sight.
If you are a school in the US and would like to order with a PO or multiple tools for a classroom, please contact us or fax to 919-502-7724.
Shipping Methods
Our goal is to offer you the fastest and lowest-cost shipping method. The shipping charge will be noted at Checkout. Delivery of oversized items (Handibot Smart Power Tool included) or special handling orders will require an adult signature at the time of delivery. Most orders ship via FedEx Ground for domestic orders and FedEx International Priority for international orders.
We cannot ship to PO Box addresses. Please use a physical address.
Shipping Locations
Orders ship from our production facility in Durham, North Carolina.
Shipment Delivery Time
Your purchase of in-stock merchandise will be shipped on the day you order if we receive the order prior to 12 PM, Monday through Friday, not including holidays. Orders of in-stock items received after 12 PM local time will be shipped the next business day. Special orders and out-of-stock merchandise may require additional time prior to shipment.
Please note that Handibot Smart Power Tool orders may require 2-3 days to ship for domestic orders and 7-10 days for international orders, if the item is in stock. Time in transit is typically 1-7 days depending on your location; international orders that are slow to move through customs may require additional time for delivery. If the shipment of your order is delayed, we will notify you by email. If multiple items are ordered where one or more items are out of stock, by default all items will ship when out-of-stock items are available. If you wish to receive in-stock items sooner, you may order these items separately in which case they will be subject to the delivery schedule above.
International Shipping
We ship the Handibot via FedEx International Priority. You will be responsible for paying any duties and taxes, including GST and VAT. FedEx ships to more than 220 countries and territories. Check the FedEx International Countries Served list to see if you country is included. We are not able to ship internationally via US Mail.
Shipping Charges
Your shipping charge will be based on the weight of your order. This includes items shipped in multiple boxes. To get a shipping estimate based on your cart, enter your country, state and zip here.
Orders Damaged in Shipping
If you believe a package received from us was damaged in transit, please refuse shipment and tell the carrier that you are refusing delivery because the package is damaged. Contact us to let us know about the damage via email or call 919-213-8348.
Shipping Refunds
Your original shipping charge will be refunded for a part sent to you in error, a defective part, or an order you refuse due to damage in shipping. This refund will automatically be credited once we receive and inspect the part. If only a portion of your order is returned, the refund for shipping costs will be prorated. Details can be found in the Returns Policy.
We Also Recommend


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Holiday Inn & Suites Warren
Holiday Inn & Suites Warren
30000 Van Dyke Avenue
30000 Van Dyke Avenue
Warren, Michigan
United States
Check In: 3PM
Check Out: 12PM
Check-in Age: 21
Book With Us Advantage
- Best Price Guarantee
We promise you access to the guaranteed best available prices, or your first night is free.
- Online Reservation Guarantee
Your room is guaranteed.
- No Booking Fees!
We do not charge any booking fees for making reservations directly with us.
- Data Privacy and Site Security
IHG takes your privacy seriously and works to protect you. All personal information you provide is encrypted and secure.
Welcome to Holiday Inn & Suites Warren
Welcome to the Finest Hotel in Warren, MI
The finest, full-service hotel in Warren - Sterling Heights, MI is the outstanding Holiday Inn® Hotel & Suites in Warren. Our convenient location is just off the I-696 freeway and only minutes from the excitement of downtown Detroit, MI.
Our hotel is ideal for business travelers because we're located directly across from the General Motors Technical Center and minutes from Chrysler, US Army TACOM and General Dynamics. You can stay connected with colleagues and clients with a 24-hour Business Center and complimentary copies and faxes. We offer free high-speed, wireless Internet access throughout the hotel to help you stay productive. Our four banquet rooms can accommodate up to 90 guests for meetings or a business event in Warren, MI.
Our hotel is the perfect choice for leisure guests who want to be near fabulous shopping, cinemas and the attractions of the Motor City. You can spend the day in Detroit visiting museums, watching one of our professional sports teams, touring the Detroit Zoo or enjoying the MGM Casino. Don't miss Greenfield Village or the Henry Ford Museum.
Guests of our Warren, MI hotel enjoy unmatched amenities and service. We offer a terrific Fitness Center, an indoor heated pool. Our updated rooms and suites are an oasis of comfort. And don't miss a super dining experience at our Picasso's Restaurant. See why our guests keep coming back to our hotel in Warren, MI.
Kids Stay and Eat Free
Kids ages 18 and under stay for free when sharing their parents' room. Up to four kids ages 11 and under eat free any time of the day in any Holiday Inn® on-site restaurant.
|Kids Stay Free
|Kids Eat Free
|United States, Canada, Central America, South America, Mexico, Caribbean
|18 and Under
|11 and Under
Free High-Speed Internet
Standard Wireless Internet service is included for all guests.
Shuttle/ Parking
- Car Parking Available
- Complimentary Daily Self-Parking is available
Pet Policy
- No pets allowed
- Service Animals Allowed
- Guide Dog or service animal will be allowed. No other pets will accepted, call the hotel directly for local kennel.
Credit Cards
- American Express
- Visa
- MasterCard
- Diners Club
- Carte Blanche
- Discover
- Smoke-Free Facility
- Number of Floors: 6
- Total Number of Rooms: 127
- Number of Suites: 22
- Number of Non-Smoking Rooms: 127
- Number of Accessible Rooms: 7
- Connecting Rooms Available
- Public Spaces Renovated in: 2015
- Guest Rooms Renovated in: 2015
- Public Entrance
- Guest Rooms
- Elevators
- Public Restrooms
- Registration Desk
- Exercise Facility
- Business Center
- Pool
- Number of Accessible Meeting Rooms: 4
Accessible Hotel Areas
- Registration Area
- Accessible Guest Rooms
- Business Center
- Meeting Room
- Exercise Facility
- Pool
Hotel Areas with Accessible Routes from Accessible Public Entrance
- Accessible Self-Parking
- Van Accessible Self Parking
- Ramp Access
- Portable Bathtub Seats
- Closed Caption TVs
- Visual Alarm/Alert in Guest Rooms
- Visual Alarm/Alert in Public Spaces
- Communication Kits with Visual Alarms
Provided by Hotel


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Open today until 11:00 PM
View full week
- Home >
- Festive Menu
Festive Menu
Festive Menu
2 Courses for
3 Courses for
Chicken, Garlic & Smoked Bacon Pâté
A smooth chicken liver pâté, flecked with smoked bacon and infused with garlic. Served with an ale & caramelised onion chutney and lightly toasted bread.
King Prawn Cocktail
With brown bread.
Tomato Soup
With a cheese croûte and bread roll.
All of our main courses are served with roast potatoes and a selection of seasonal vegetables, unless otherwise stated.
Beef & Rioja Pie
Award winning, slow-cooked British beef in a rich Rioja gravy, all encased in shortcrust pastry and topped with puff pastry.
Roast Turkey
Served with a pig in blanket, sage and onion stuffing, gravy and cranberry sauce.
Parsley Cod
A baked cod loin topped with a rich parsley sauce.
Candied Nut Roast
A combination of candied cashew, pecan and almond nuts with peanut butter, butternut squash, spinach and root vegetables. Topped with a sticky red onion and black cherry relish and served with a jug of gravy.
Festive Twists
Four Cheese Steak £3pp Extra
An 8oz sirloin steak cooked to your liking, topped with melted Cheddar, Monterey Jack, Stilton and Brie cheese. Served with chips, grilled tomato, a flat mushroom and peas.
Snowman Burger £1pp Extra
A beef burger on a cranberry sauce and stuffing base, with slices of creamy Brie cheese in a seeded bun, topped with crispy sprout fritters, pigs in blankets and cranberry sauce in a mini brioche slider. Served with chips and coleslaw.
Snowman Veggie Burger £1pp Extra
A soya burger on a cranberry sauce and stuffing base, topped with slices of creamy Brie cheese in a seeded bun, with crispy sprout fritters, mini veggie sausages and cranberry sauce in a mini brioche slider. Served with chips and coleslaw.
Sweet Shop Sundae Sharer £1pp Extra
A mountain of vanilla flavoured ice cream topped with Haribo Starmix™ sweets, Cadbury® selection box chocolates, cream and lashings of raspberry and chocolate sauce.
Damson Gin Orchard Pie
A slice of Kentish Bramley apple and gin infused British damson & Stanley plum jam pie. Served warm with custard.
Chocolate & Cherry Cheesecake
A chocolate biscuit base, topped with an indulgent chocolate and cherry cheesecake, finished with a layer of chocolate ganache. With vanilla flavoured ice cream.
Christmas Pudding
Served with brandy sauce.
Pigs in Blankets
Cheesy Roast Potatoes
Cauliflower Cheese
Festive Drinks
Christmas G&T
A festive blend of Tanqueray Flor De Sevilla gin, cranberry juice and Britvic tonic.
Served either separate or three in a tree!
Festive Spritz
Ciroc vodka and Chambord topped with lemonade creates a perfect Christmas treat.
Served either separate or three in a tree!
Baileys™ Latte
A smooth latte coffee topped with a serve of Baileys™ Irish Cream.
Glass of Prosecco
Enjoy a glass of Prosecco on arrival.
Nika Tiki Sauvignon Blanc (750ml)
Marqués de la Concordia Crianza Rioja (750ml)
Canaletto Pinot Grigio Rosé (750ml)
Canaletto Prosecco (750ml)
Children's - 5-10 years
2 Courses for
3 Courses for
Tomato Soup
Garlic Bread
Roast Turkey
With roast potatoes, carrots, peas, a pig in blanket, sage and onion stuffing, gravy and cranberry sauce.
Veggie Sausages
Served with roast potatoes, carrots, peas and gravy.
Beef Burger
With crisp lettuce and tomato in a lightly toasted bun served with chips and baked beans.
Veggie Burger
With crisp lettuce and tomato in a lightly toasted bun served with chips and baked beans.
Ice Cream
Vanilla flavoured ice cream.
Chocolate Brownie
Served with vanilla flavoured ice cream.
Children's Under 5's Menu
2 Courses for
Roast Turkey
Served with roast potatoes, carrots, peas and gravy.
Veggie Sausages
Served with roast potatoes, carrots, peas and gravy.
Ice Cream
Vanilla flavoured ice cream.
Additional Information
Menu Information
1. A deposit of £5 per adult diner is required – payable upon booking. This deposit is non-refundable. The balance of monies must be paid on the day of the party. 2. Please be prompt, as we can only guarantee your table for 15 minutes. 3. We promise not to pass your information on to third parties. Data is held in compliance with the Data Protection Act 1998. Data controller: Marston's PLC, Marston's House, Brewery Road, Wolverhampton WV1 4JT. 4. Alcohol may only be purchased by persons aged 18 years or over and photographic identification may be required at the party. 5. Vouchers and promotional offers are not valid when dining from this menu. 6. V - Suitable for vegetarians or vegetarian option available. Ve - Suitable for vegans or vegan option available. V*/Ve* We cannot guarantee that our vegetarian and vegan ingredients have been cooked in dedicated fryers. Please ask a member of staff for more information. We regret that we cannot guarantee that any of our products are free from nuts or nut derivatives and our fish and turkey dishes may contain bones. Food is prepared in kitchens where nuts, gluten and other allergens could be present and our menu descriptions cannot include all ingredients. If you have a food allergy please let us know before ordering. Full allergen information is available. 1oz equals 28.3 grams, all weights are approximate prior to cooking. 7. Prices include VAT. 8. We reserve the right to change, amend or withdraw this offer at any time without prior notice. 9. Photography is for illustrative purposes only. 10 Cadbury is a registered trademark of Mondeléz International.


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Fantastic Four #51, art by Jack Kirby and Joe Sinnott...
My friend Rich should like this one.
It's not just that you animate them that makes these great, it's also that you know what to animate. It takes a lot to make me look at such a familiar Jack Kirby cover as if I'm seeing it for the first time...but your choices here made me do exactly that. Bravo.
(If you return to Kirby in future, I'd be interested to see what you make of some Kirbytech. He designed it to look moving and alive, so it would be fun to see that put into effect. Though it would take a huge amount of time and effort to create, so I'll understand if it doesn't happen soon...)
nuff said!
Richard, I love the idea of doing Kirby machinery! I might have to look around for some good images. Hmm....
Absolutely incredible!


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Stephen Madera
P.O. Box 127
Abbot, Maine 04406
(207) 876-4736
Welcome to the Song in the Woods website.
Please take the time to view what we offer and especially our photo galleries.
We pride ourselves in customized back country adventures at affordable prices and we assist you in finding lodging to fit your lifestyle. My furry friends and I started Song in the Woods in 1997 as a dogsled adventure company.
I personally wanted to bring a taste of the past to our fast paced society.


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Modern Classics
Aiken, Joan The Wolves of Willoughby Chase, 1962.
Bonnie Green and her cousin Sylvia come under the power of a wicked governess when Bonnie's parents
leave on a sea voyage.
Alexander, Lloyd Book of Three, 1964.
In this fantasy with origins in Welsh mythology, Taran has many adventures on a hazardous mission to
save the kingdom of Prydain from the forces of evil.
Armstrong, William Sounder, 1969.
Angry and humiliated when his sharecropper father is jailed for stealing food for his family, a young black boy
grows in courage and understanding by learning to read, and through the devotion of his dog Sounder.
Babbit, Natalie Tuck Everlasting, 1975.
The Tuck family is confronted with an agonizing situation when they discover that a ten-year-old and a
malicious stranger now share their secret about a spring whose water prevents one from growing older.
Banks, Lynne Reid The Indian in the Cupboard, 1980.
A nine-year-old boy receives a plastic Indian, a cupboard, and a key for his birthday and finds himself
involved in an adventure when the Indian comes to life in the cupboard and befriends him.
Blume, Judy Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing, 1972.
Peter finds his two-year-old brother an ever increasing problem.
Brown, Jeff Flat Stanley, 1964.
After a bulletin board falls on Stanley while he is sleeping, he finds that being flat has its advantages.
Burnford, Shelia Incredible Journey, 1961.
A Siamese cat, an old bull terrier, and a young Labrador retriever travel together 250 miles through the
Canadian wilderness to find their family.
Catling, Patrick Skene The Chocolate Touch, 1952.
A boy acquires a magical gift that turns everything his lips touch into chocolate.
Cleary, Beverly Ramona the Pest, 1968.
Five-year-old Ramona starts kindergarten with a series of misdeeds.
Collier, James Lincoln My Brother Sam is Dead, 1974.
Recounts the tragedy that strikes the Meeker family during the American Revolution when one son joins
the rebel forces while the rest of the family tries to stay neutral in a Tory town.
Dahl, Roald James and the Giant Peach, 1961.
A young boy escapes from two wicked aunts and embarks on a series of adventures with six giant insects
he meets inside a giant peach.
Fitzgerald, John D. The Great Brain, 1967.
The exploits of the Great Brain of Adenville, Utah, are described by his younger brother, frequently the
victim of the Great Brain's schemes for gaining prestige or money.
Fitzhugh, Louise Harriet the Spy, 1964.
Eleven-year-old Harriet keeps notes on her neighbors and classmates in a secret notebook, but when
some of the students read the notebook, they seek revenge.
Forbes, Esther Johnny Tremain, 1971.
After injuring his hand, a silversmith's apprentice in Boston becomes a messenger for the Sons of Liberty
in the days before the American Revolution.
George, Jean Craighead Julie of the Wolves, 1972.
While running away from home and an unwanted marriage, a thirteen-year-old Eskimo girl gets lost on
the North slope of Alaksa and is befriended by a wolf pack.
George, Jean Craighead My Side of the Mountain, 1988.
A young boy relates his adventures during the year he spends living alone in the Catskill Mountains
including his struggle for survival, his dependence on nature, his animal friends, and his ultimate
realization that he needs human companionship.
Greene, Bette The Summer of My German Soldier, 1973.
Sheltering an escaped German prisoner of war is the beginning of some shattering experiences for
a twelve-year-old Jewish girl in Arkansas.
Jones, Diana Wynne Charmed Life, 1977.
Gwendolen Chant and her brother Cat find the Chrestomancie Castle family's magic powers difficult to
counter with the inferior powers of the Coven Steet witches.
Juster, Norton Phantom Tollbooth, 1961.
Milo journeys through a tollbooth to a fantasy land where learning the importance of words and numbers
provides a cure for his boredom.
Konigsburg, E.L. From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler, 1967.
Having run away from home with her younger brother to live in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, twelve-year-old Claudia
strives to keep things in order in their new home and to become a changed person, and a heroine to herself.
L'Engle, Madeleine A Wrinkle in Time, 1962.
Meg Murray and her friend become involved with unearthly strangers and a search for Meg's father, who disappeared
while engaged in secret work for the government.
LeGuin, Ursula Wizard of Earthsea, 1968.
A boy grows to manhood while attempting to subdue the evil he unleashed on the world as an apprentice to the Master
Morey, Walt Gentle Ben, 1965.
Traces the friendship between a boy and a bear in the rugged Alaskan Territory.
O'Brien, Robert Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH, 1971.
Having no one to help her with her problems, a widowed mouse visits the rats whose former imprisonment in a laboratory
made them wise and long lived.
O'Dell, Scott Island of the Blue Dolphins, 1960.
Left alone on a beautiful but isolated island off the coast of California, a young Indian girl spends eighteen years,
not only merely surviving through her enormous courage and self reliance, but also finding a measure of happiness
in her solitary life.
Paterson, Katherine Bridge to Terabithia, 1977.
The life of a ten-year-old boy in rural Virginia expands when he becomes friends with a newcomer who subsequently
meets her ultimate death trying to reach their hideaway, Terabithia, during a storm.
Paulsen, Gary Hatchet, 1987.
After a plane crash, thirteen-year-old Brian spends fifty-four days in the Canadian Wilderness, learning to survive with only
the aid of a hatchet given to him by his mother, and learning also to survive his parent's divorce.
Peck, Robert Newton Soup, 1974.
The adventures and misadventures of two boys growing up in a small Vermont town.
Peterson, John The Littles, 1967.
The adventures of a family of tiny people who live within the walls of the Bigg's house.
Raskin, Ellen The Westing Game, 1978.
The mysterious death of an eccentric millionaire brings together an unlikely assortment of heirs who must uncover the
circumstances of his death before they can claim their inheritance.
Rawls, Wilson Where the Red Fern Grows, 1961.
A young boy living in the Ozarks achieves his heart's desire when he becomes the owner of two redbone hounds and
teaches them to be champion hunters.
Robinson, Barbara The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, 1972.
The six mean Herdman kids, lie, steal, smoke cigars, and then become involved in the community Christmas pageant.
Rockwell, Thomas How to Eat Fried Worms, 1973.
Two boys set out to prove that worms can make a delicious meal.
Rodgers, Mary Freaky Friday, 1972.
A thirteen-year-old girl gains a much more sympathetic understanding of her relationship with her mother when she
has to spend a day in her mother's shoes.
Selden, George The Cricket in Times Square, 1960.
The Adventures of a country cricket, who unintentionally arrives in New York, and is befriended by Tucker Mouse and
Harry Cat.
Taylor, Mildred D. Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry, 1976.
A black family living in Mississippi during the Depression of the 1930s is faced with prejudice and discrimination.
Talyor, Theodore The Cay, 1969.
When the freighter on which they are traveling is torpedoed by a German submarine during World War II, an adolescent
white boy, blinded by a blow in the head, and an old black man are stranded on a tiny Caribbean island where the boy
acquires a new kind of vision, courage, and love from his old companion.
Tolkien, J. R. R. The Hobbit, 1977.
Bilbo Baggins, a respectable, well to do Hobbit, lives comfortably in his hobbit-hole until the day the wandering
wizard Gandalf chooses him to share in an adventure from which he may never return.
Voight, Cynthia Dicey's Song, 1982.
Now that the four abandoned Tillerman children are settled in with their grandmother, Dicey finds that their new
beginnings require love, trust, humor, and courage. (sequel to Homecoming)


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Captain Phasma isn't going anywhere.
"I will be in the next 'Star Wars' movie," Gwendoline Christie, 37, said of returning for "Star Wars: Episode VIII," to be directed by Rian Johnson. "I think that's an exclusive, actually."
It's the first time the role reprisal has been confirmed, but Lucasfilm's Kathleen Kennedy had hinted in December that Christie would get more screen time in the next installment. "She's an important character," she told The Los Angeles Times, "a baddie in the best sense of the word."
Christie, perhaps best known for playing Brienne of Tarth in HBO's "Game of Thrones," says she was "very overexcited" to land a role in "Star Wars: The Force Awakens," which has earned nearly $2 billion worldwide. "I made no secret of the fact that I really campaigned for the part for a long time," she told People. "And then I was delighted when J.J. Abrams wanted to have me in the film and then wanted to cast me in this role that had originally been designed for a man."
Similarly, the actress said she loves the "incredible" armor she got to wear as commander of the First Order. "I thought the costume was incredibly striking. "I also just liked this notion of a female stormtrooper. I felt it encouraged diversity and it was doing something new and it was an interesting bit of casting for women," she said, "and I hope that in something that was such a mainstream success it would breed more of those kind of opportunities for other women."
Christie thought a lot about how to best represent women with her role. "Kathleen Kennedy said to me, 'Have you ever Googled 'female heroines'? I said, 'No,' and she did it for me," she told The Los Angeles Times. "If you do it, there are a lot of scantily clad women. Now women should be allowed to dress exactly however they choose, but the idea that you Google female heroines and there isn't a diverse range of examples that come up, I find it a bit depressing."
"We see women in a different range of roles in the film. And the reason I love my character so much and I feel so enthusiastic about Capt. Phasma is, yes, she's cool, she looks cool, she's a villain – but more than that, we see a female character and respond to her not because of the way she looks. We respond to her because of her actions," Christie continued. "I think we're a society that has promoted a homogenized idea of beauty in women – and in men – and I think it's really interesting, modern and necessary to have a female character that isn't about the way her body looks. It isn't about her wearing makeup. It's not about her being conventionally feminized. The idea of this enormous legacy and franchise embracing an idea like that, which of course to many of us feels logical, is actually really progressive. And long overdue."
"Star Wars: Episode VIII" will hit theaters Dec. 15, 2017.
PHOTOS: "Star Wars" premieres around the world
PHOTOS: "Star Wars" stars' magazine covers


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In 1972, the first Pongsri Thai Restaurant launched in the heart of Chinatown, New York City. At that time, many people wondered how we could compete with Chinese food. Twenty some odd years later we are still standing in the very same location, and have since expanded to two more branches throughout Manhattan. The public knows our place as much as they know Thai food.
Khun Pongsri and her husband Khun Prasit Tangchakkrachai started cooking real authentic Thai cuisine ever since then until now that is the only reason why they stay successful in the business. Over the years anyone and everyone came for a good Thai food in all four locations, many famous people movie stars, prime ministers, ambassadors including the royal family. Pongsri catered to Her Majesty Queen Sirikit the queen of Thailand and many royal princesses so many occasions both state visits and private visits. It is easy to say that the most famous Thai restaurant like Pongsri is definitely a goodwill ambassador who put Thai cuisine on the world map.


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Sort Products:By Name
By Price
Madame Coco
The Aude Valley boasts a tradition of sparkling winemaking dating back to the sixteenth century – well before Dom Perignon in Champagne. Madame Coco was created by Le Chat Noir winemaker Hilde Chevillot to add a touch of class to any occasion. Sourced from cool climate vineyards in the south of France, Madame Coco is a crisp and refreshing sparkling wine with an impressive depth of flavour – perfect as an Aperitif or served with oysters or other shellfish.
Madame Coco Blanc de Blanc Brut Vintage (12pk)


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Thank you for calling in at House of Cards Challenge Blog.
Group 2 are sharing their creations with you today for our current challenge!
Add Sequins and/or Colours
Thank you so much for taking time to look at Group 2's creations! We hope you join in our current challenge--we love to see your creations! Don't forget to check and see if you are one of our most recent winners, too! We'll be back soon with more inspiration from the Design Team. Until then happy stamping, friends!


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Via The Sexist: the astute cultural analysts of The O'Reilly Factor (not Bill himself, but his sub, Laura Ingraham) know why feminists don't like Sarah Palin (because apparently it is mid-2008 again?): we are just totes jealous of her cute hubby and her cute little babies and her smokin' bod! Ingraham breaks it down with her guests, WaPo columnist Sally Quinn and Republican pollster Kellyanne Conway. See, it's simple: all feminists are ugly, barren spinsters who are also firmly supported by the old boys' network and who require you to have an abortion before they give you the time of day. (If you haven't yet had an abortion, you should go ahead and get knocked up right quick so you can get the mandatory abortion out of the way ASAP.)
Sally Quinn, lord love her, seems to have both a sense of what feminism is and why Sarah Palin sucks:
QUINN: And most women I know are feminists. So I think it depends on who you call feminist. I think one of the producers was saying the sort of raging crazed pro-choice liberal women. But I have to say that of all the people I know, I don't know a single person who feels jealous about her. I think that most of the people I know who are not Sarah Palin fans just don't like what she has to say.
(Emphasis mine.)
But hers is not the voice of reason! For that we need professional Republicans.
KELLYANNE CONWAY, REPUBLICAN POLLSTER:Yeah, the qualified stuff is a canard, and it came late after she made many women feel inadequate, Laura. This is a woman who is — her path to power was so unusual for women in power. She didn't have the money or the power or the access of a father, of a husband. She certainly didn't go to an Ivy League school. She was a standout athlete. I think of some of the spinster childless columnists who have attacked this woman for her right to choose…
INGRAHAM: Can you name names?
CONWAY: …and have five children. There are too many to name and then it would make them relevant on such a great show.
Also, you're fat and your SO is ugly.
CONWAY: …the extended family. He's cute to go. And look, she lost all her baby weight. It makes some women crazy. They've got 1.3 children and a Pilates schedule they have to keep, and it makes some of them crazy.
These, of course, are not the spinsters, but don't worry — they're still jealous! You don't understand how CRAZY you get when you do Pilates. Conway knows. I mean, the name is even crazy, am I right? Pilates. Pilates Pilates Pilates. No wonder feminists are crazy jealous bitches.
Look, you know who loves Palin? Caregivers, that's who, you selfish jealous feminist fatty.
CONWAY: But the people who love and support her are still pushing babies in strollers and elderly women in wheelchairs just to go see her, just to go buy her book, which is already No. 1 and not even out.
Maybe the babies and the old ladies aren't that wild about her, but whatever, that's cool — you can just push them to the side while you coo over Trig and check out Palin's muscular thighs. Grandma can wait! She doesn't have an opinion of her own — I mean, she uses a wheelchair.
Palin-hating feminists, let's just come clean. Sure, we say that we dislike her because she coopts feminist rhetoric to push an agenda that hurts women, or because she encourages her followers to be shockingly disingenuous about reproductive rights, but we all know we're just blowing smoke. We are just so fucking jealous of Sarah Palin. She has a book and everything! You don't hear about feminists writing books, now do you?
Now quit being jealous and start making some babies, for god's sake.


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PP is a python module which provides mechanism for parallel execution of python code on SMP (systems with multiple processors or cores) and clusters (computers connected via network).
It is light, easy to install and integrate with other python software.
PP is an open source and cross-platform module written in pure python
Nowadays software written in python finds applications in broad range of the categories including business logic, data analysis and scientific calculations. This together with wide availability of SMP computers (multi-processor or multi-core) and clusters (computers connected via network) on the market create the demand in parallel execution of python code.
The most simple and common way to write parallel applications for SMP computers is to use threads. Although, it appears that if the application is computation-bound using 'thread' or 'threading' python modules will not allow to run python byte-code in parallel. The reason is that python interpreter uses GIL (Global Interpreter Lock) for internal bookkeeping. This lock allows to execute only one python byte-code instruction at a time even on an SMP computer.
PP module overcomes this limitation and provides a simple way to write parallel python applications. Internally ppsmp uses processes and IPC (Inter Process Communications) to organize parallel computations. All the details and complexity of the latter are completely taken care of, and your application just submits jobs and retrieves their results (the easiest way to write parallel applications).
To make things even better, the software written with PP works in parallel even on many computers connected via local network or Internet. Cross-platform portability and dynamic load-balancing allows PP to parallelize computations efficiently even on heterogeneous and multi-platform clusters.
continue discussionInstallation:
Any platform: download a module archive and extract it to a local directory. Run the setup script: python setup.py install
Windows: download and execute windows installer binary.
Module API Quick start guide, SMP Quick start guide, clusters Advanced guide, clusters Command line options, ppserver.py PP FAQ
Parallel Python usage examples
Parallel Python downloads
Support forums:
Parallel Python forums provides help from parallel python community.
Please help us to spread the word, link to us:


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You are here
/ Community Support
Licensing Trusts have a unique social mandate - to sell alcohol with care, moderately and responsibly.
Profits are not the sole objective of our Trust and with its publicly elected Board and community ownership there is a direct accountability back to its public.
A key objective of our Trust is to contribute to our community in a number of important ways:
Donations and Sponsorship
The ILT and ILT Foundation provides donations of approximately $8 million annually to over 500 organisations. For further details, see our Grants and Donations page.
Promotion of Conferences and Special Events
The Trust actively promotes conferences and seminars and provides both financial and personnel support to those organisations hosting Conferences/Seminars in the City. We also help attract events to the city through funding and by providing personnel and expertise to local groups. This activity benefits our city and many organisations as well as the Trust itself.
Promotion of the Southern Region
The Trust actively promotes Invercargill and the southern region of New Zealand as a tourist, events and conference destination. The Trust plays its part in regional promotional activity, both in New Zealand and abroad as well as working with the local regional tourism organisation to ensure we contribute to the marketing of our region.
Sport and Recreation
Our Trust supports nearly every sport played in Invercargill as well as funding professional coaching and development programmes in many sporting codes. This enables those sports to develop infrastructures that benefit thousands of young Southlanders. The leading role the Trust adopts in assisting and promoting high profile sports such as the Southern Steel Netball Team and Rugby Southland are well known.
The Local Economy
The ILT is a major contributor to the prosperity of our city with the employment of over 700 people and, in addition, the purchase of local goods and services amounting to in excess of $26 million provides a significant boost to the city economy.
Reinvestment Programme
Over many years the ILT has invested a substantial amount of funds in new projects and businesses as well as redeveloping its existing properties in order to ensure it continues to provide the very best standard of licensed premises and accommodation facilities within the city of Invercargill.
/ Want to apply for a Grant?
Apply Online.


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SNDP General Secretary Vellapally Natesan says that the real leader in Kerala politics is CM Pinarayi Vijayan. Here is a candid interview with Vellapally. Chodhyam Utharam Episode 191
Anchor: Unni Balakrishnan
As the Pinarayi government reaches its third year, scandalous corruption cases was what greeted them. And this was brought up by Opposition Leader Ramesh Chennithala. The state government is under pressure on not being able to give fitting replies to
The Assembly passed the Kerala Conservation of Paddy Land and Wetland Act (amendment) the other day. But, confusions and anxieties over the amendment are still rife among the public. In this context, Revenue Minister E Chandrasekharan answers questio
The Assembly passed the Kerala Conservation of Paddy Land and Wetland Act (amendment) the other day. But, confusions and anxieties over the amendment are still rife among the public. In this context, Revenue Minister E Chandrasekharan answers questio
IMG director and former Vigilance chief Jacob Thomas said he was placed under suspension as the government feels that he is the kind of person whom it cannot get along with. While responding to questions in the 'Chodyam Utharam' programme on Mathrubh
Cyclone Ockhi has left the shores of Kerala after leaving a trail of destruction. However, the miseries generated by the cyclone has not subsided as the long wait for the missing fishermen is still going on. Against this backdrop, Vicar-General of th
BJP National President Amit Shah demanded that Pinarayi Vijayan should take responsibility for the political murders in Kannur. "CPM is in the power in the state and it is their responsibility to control the law and order situation in Kerala," he sa
The Pinarayi-led LDF government has presented its second budget before the Assembly. Now, Kerala is looking forward to what will its liquor policy be. State excise minister TP Ramakrishnan answers questions related to his department on Chodhyam Uthar
Finance Minister Thomas Isaac will be presenting LDF government's second budget on March 3 which is crucial for the state. Thomas Isaac is busy preparing the budget and he shares some of his prime objectives he wants to achieve in this budget in Chod
Last week, the main topic of discussion was the strike at Law Academy which acquired a political form with all major political parties joining in. CPI took a strong stand on the strike which also saw itself moving away from CPM on the core issues tha
PWD minister G Sudhakaran said the state could not convince the people that the salary payment crisis was caused by the policy of the Centre. This could have been a result of over optimism, he told Mathrubhumi News while attending the 'Chodyam Uthara
The country is undergoing an internal economic crisis after the note demonetisation. The right to common man to his money, the need to curb black money..discussions vary. Kerala is also caught in the muddle coupled with a grim financial condition. An
CPM central committee member and an important minister in the Pinarayi cabinet, AK Balan recently landed in a controversy when he made some remarks in the Assembly about tribal children and women. A section of the people alleged that the culture mini
IUML general secretary ET Muhammed Basheer said that his party is for allowing Muslim policemen to sport beards. Talking to Unni Balakrishnan for the Chodyam Utharam interview, Basheer said that the League is not happy with the way the UDF is working
The CPM took stringent action against minister EP Jayarajan when the posts for kin controversy unravelled. What could be the follow up corrective measures? CITU state president and CPM state committee member Anathalavattom Anandan explains the party
Opposition Leader Ramesh Chennithala said politicians children studying in self-financing colleges is not morally wrong . Speaking at Chodyam Utharam programme he said that those availing admissions to their children secretly after openly opposing th
Minister EP Jayarajan assured that government will intervene in the unofficial ban of media in various courts of Kerala. Media is one of the pillars of democracy and freedom of press should be held high, he said. His assurance came in 'Chodhyam Uthth
Chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan and Travancore Devaswom Board president Prayar Gopalakrishnan openly engaged in a war of words at the Sabarimala review meeting held the other day at Pamba. The CM alleged that the board president was trying to impleme
PC George who walked out of the Kerala Congress (M) and ever since a strong criticiser KM Mani, speaks about the situation in which Mani left UDF. George alleges that former chief minister Oommen Chandy, IUML leader and Industries Minister PC Kunhali
The Congress high command and KPCC are straining hard to revive the state unit, badly mauled in the Assembly elections. The high command and the state leadership of the party have discussed the issue several times recently and it seems they have made


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All paper work is signed and we are on our way to a new downtown Chandler location. As part of that plan we are serious about a walkable/bikeable city. We are going to assemble a half dozen bicycles to be used as "zip" bikes. Similar to ZipCar's only with no cost associated. Reserve. Ride. Return. It's that simple.
Authority Labs has donated our first ZipBike. (below)
In true Gangplank style we are looking to build the rest of the fleet from scratch. Our first project bike is an "Overkill Chopper" from Atomic Zombie Extreme Machines.
We need your help. We are looking for some one to loan us the following tools to help us complete this project.
- Metal Cutter
- Angle Grinder
- Welder (for tack welds)
- Pipe Cutter
- "Shoe" Pipe Bender
- 15″ Rim
We have plans to build several more and partner with local businesses and Heat Sync Labs to have a wicked stable of ZipBikes for your enjoyment!!!!
Please email email@example.com if you have access the the above equipment or want to get more involved.


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CostumeRentals, a combined project of the Guthrie Theater and Children's Theatre Company, was established in 2002. This truly unique collection of over 30,000 theatrical costumes is available for public use year-round. Costumes can be rented by individuals, business, and organizations for use locally, or to be shipped anywhere in the world. Reduced rates are available to schools, theaters, and nonprofit organizations.
855 East Hennepin Ave.
Minneapolis, MN 55414
Phone: 612-375-8722
Fax: 612-375-8733
Email: [email protected]
Web: http://www.costumerentals.org/


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New debate over 'working poor'
"Where are the jobs?" Speaker John Boehner likes to ask. But do his fellow House Republicans really want to kick the unemployed off food stamps if they can't find the jobs either?
That's the question behind a simmering farm bill battle over reimposing work requirements on millions of able-bodied adults enrolled in the nutrition program. Most have no reported earnings, and without added job training or workfare slots, the change could spell real hardship in today's economy.
Story Continued Below
For this reason, House Agriculture Committee Chairman Frank Lucas (R-Okla.) is resisting the move. But back home, the Oklahoma state Legislature recently took steps to reinstate work requirements. And the office of Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.) has repeatedly raised the issue with Lucas as a way to win conservative votes for his farm bill, now slated for markup May 15.
( Also on POLITICO: Green vs. green battles continue)
For the GOP, it's a fight that echoes of the welfare reform debate of the 1990s — and a test of what the party learned, or didn't, from its losses in the November elections.
Mitt Romney's old-style "makers vs. takers" rhetoric is taboo. The new buzzwords are steering "limited resources" to those "truly in need" while "promoting employment and self-sufficiency." Some even see the work requirement debate as a campaign theme for a remodeled GOP in the 2014 elections.
"We are looking to motivate people to get back to work and create a life of prosperity," says Oklahoma House Speaker T.W. Shannon.
At the same time, the debate raises questions about just how enduring the GOP's pledge is to help low-income, working-class Americans at the edge of the poverty line.
( Also on POLITICO: Dems get immigration concessions)
Back during welfare reform, the "working poor" were the great Republican model for social advancement — helped along by the boom of the 1990s. But the same households are struggling to find work in today's economy of low-wage, part-time jobs. As safety-net costs rise, there's more conflict with the GOP's budget-cutting agenda.
Much of the pressure comes from the right. The conservative Heritage Foundation, under former Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.) and with close ties to Cantor's office, is a big player. The Wisconsin-based Secretary's Innovation Group and Republican Gov. Scott Walker's administration are helping drive the train at the state level.
But this is not a simple right-left issue. Indeed, one of the most steadfast proponents of the food-stamp work requirement is New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, whose human resources commissioner, Robert Doar, is the son of no less than the famous civil rights figure John Doar.
"The mayor is a big believer in work," the commissioner told POLITICO. "We believe work is the path out of poverty."
Food stamps — officially known as SNAP or Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program — offers a prime testing ground for Republicans trying to put a new face on their approach to poverty.
Enrollment reached 46.6 million in 2012 with total costs of $78.4 billion. That's double the spending level in 2008 and reflects not just the recession but also President Barack Obama's decision to increase benefits as a way to stimulate the economy.
Even SNAP's friends describe it as the little program asked to do too much. And critics contend that too often Congress has allowed states to simply waive SNAP rules, without going back and updating them in a more careful fashion.
Thoughtful people in both parties agree the program is ripe for some reform — if only some real thought could be given to the task. Instead, liberal food groups can be the most rigid of activists; conservatives lunge toward quick solutions.


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He was a hardworking farm boy. She was an Italian supermodel. He knew he would have just one chance to impress her.
—Advertisement for language-learning software program.
LESSON 1—Beginning conversation; basic nouns and verbs. Memorize the following vocabulary:
Hello! — Ciao!
name — nome
telephone number — numero di telefono
to live — vivere
Quad Cities — Città "Quad"
Valentino — Valentino
ag school — scuola agraria
to be — essere
stock-tank de-icer — macchina che toglie il ghiaccio dal serbatoio dell'abbeveratoio
Fall Fashion Week — Settimana della Moda dell'Autunno
Sample sentences. Practice saying these out loud:
Hello! May I have your name and telephone number?
Ciao! Potrei avere il suo nome ed il suo numero di telefono?
My name is Stan, which is a nickname for Stancil.
Mi chiamo Stan, che è il diminutivo di Stancil.
I live on a farm near the Quad Cities.
Vivo in una fattoria vicino alle Città "Quad."
They are Moline, Rock Island, Davenport, and Bettendorf.
Sono Moline, Rock Island, Davenport, e Bettendorf.
Not many people know what the Quad Cities are.
Non molte persone sanno cosa sono le Città "Quad."
East Moline is technically one of the Quad Cities also, but it's usually left out, because that would make five.
Tecnicamente, East Moline è una delle Città "Quad," ma di solito si omette perché sennò sarebbero cinque.
Who is your favorite Italian fashion designer?
Chi è il suo stilista italiano preferito?
Personally, I have been a fan of Valentino ever since ag school.
Personalmente, sono stato un ammiratore di Valentino fin dalla scuola agraria.
During Milan's Fall Fashion Week, in which hotel will you be staying?
Durante la Settimana della Moda dell'Autunno di Milano, in quale hotel starà?
Could you please give me directions how to get to that hotel from western Illinois?
Per favore, mi potrebbe indicare la strada per quell'hotel partendo dall'Illinois occidentale?
Now I must repair the stock-tank de-icer in our back pasture.
Ora devo riparare la macchina che toglie il ghiaccio dal serbatoio dell'abbeveratoio, che sta nel pascolo.
It is a piece of junk, and has once again broken down.
È un relitto, e si è rotto ancora una volta.
Well, goodbye, and have a good day, O.K.?
Arrivederci, e buona giornata, O.K.?
LESSON 3—Regular verbs. Familiarize yourself with the conjugation of the verb "to milk" (mungere):
I milk io mungo
you (s.) milk tu mungi
he/she milks lui/lei munge
we milk noi mungiamo
you (pl.) milk voi mungete
they milk loro mungono
Milk! (imp.) Mungi! (s.)
Mungete! (pl.)
Many other verbs—to water (innaffiare), to hay (falciare il fieno), to pose (posare), to mow (mietere), to pleat (pieghettare), to manure (concimare), to accessorize (dotare di accessori), to sashay (ancheggiare), to diet (fare la dieta), to apply bag balm (applicare balsalmo per mammelle), and to hiss (fischiare)—take more or less the same endings, so it will be useful to learn them all.
LESSON 7—At the Fuel Co-Op.
Now you are ready to make simple purchases and discuss everyday topics with people on the street. Repeat this typical conversation alone or with a partner until it comes naturally to you:
Good afternoon, Owney. I would like to buy two tanks of propane.
Buon pomeriggio, Owney. Vorrei comprare due serbatoi di propano, per favore.
I said, "I would like to buy some propane!"
Ho detto, "Vorrei comprare del propano!"
Of course you can't understand me. That is because I am talking in Italian.
Certo lei non può capirmi. Sarà perché sto parlando in italiano.
Laugh if you wish, Owney, but someday I will be having sex with a beautiful Italian supermodel in Milan, Italy, while you are still here sweeping fertilizer pellets off the floor.
Rida se vuole, Owney, ma un giorno farò sesso con una top model italiana a Milano, Italia, mentre lei sarà qui a spazzare via le palline di fertilizzante.
Well, goodbye, Owney. I will buy my propane another day.
Arrivederci, Owney. Comprerò il propano un altro giorno.
LESSON 13—Verbs of motion. Italian verbs of motion use different forms depending on their contexts, as the following examples demonstrate:
to drive (in a vehicle) — guidare
to ride — farsi dare un passaggio
to walk — camminare
Example: If you will not drive me to the bus station, Mom, I will ride with the mailman, or walk.
Mamma, se non mi porti alla stazione degli autobus, mi farò dare un passaggio dal postino, o camminerò.
to run — correre
to fall — cadere
to board — imbarcarsi
Example: I ran down the concourse, fell over somebody's suitcase, and boarded my flight to Milan just in time.
Correvo lungo l'atrio, e sono caduto sulla valigia di qualcuno, ma poi mi sono imbarcato per Milano giusto in tempo.
to fly — volare
to hurl — lanciare
Example: I don't like to fly. I might hurl.
Non amo volare. Potrei lanciare.
LESSON 18—At the police station.
Often, foreigners who can speak Italian have difficulty understanding native speakers when they talk quickly, use idioms, or do not pause for response. Listen to the following common sentences in the audio portion of the lesson and replay them as often as you need to.
May I see your passport, please?
Potrei vedere il suo passaporto, per favore?
I must ask you to come with me.
Devo chiederle di venire con me.
Spread your arms and place your hands against the wall.
Stenda le braccia e collochi le mani contro il muro.
Are you aware that stalking a supermodel without her consent is a violation of Italian law?
Lei è consapevole che infastidire una top model senza il suo consenso è una violazione della legge italiana?
This pocket dictionary of Italian prison slang may be useful to you.
Questo dizionario tascabile di gergo carcerario italiano le potrebbe essere utile.
Please surrender your chewing tobacco to the desk clerk. It will be returned to you upon your release.
Per favore depositi il suo tabacco da masticare all'impiegato. Le sarà restituito quando sarà rilasciato.
LESSON 25—Review and summary.
Congratulations on completing this introductory course in spoken Italian! Now that you have put in all the required work, you may be interested to know that most of the people you will meet in Italy probably speak English already. Diplomats, tour guides, stylists, supermodels, and so on may be relied on to have a good command of our language. In that regard, you have largely wasted your time.
Just because they speak English, however, does not mean these folks are a breeze to understand. Quite the contrary! Often, their speech is heavily accented and their phrasing and word use are so eccentric that you must pay close attention in order to get their meaning. Practice your comprehension skills by listening to the passage on the audio as you follow along below:
"Ah, Stancil, I am so fortunata that you came into my life! At first, true, I did not—come si dice—realize what a blessing you were for me. And, true, I had you jailed in prison, but later I changed my thoughts, and paid your bail money, so we could be together now and always. Your love rescued me from the cruel fates of catwalk model, such as attending parties and enjoying cocaine and earning many, many milioni every year or even every month—but at such a cost! My unnatural thinness, so unwelcome for me, so malsana, when my bust measurement is in fact fuller than is suggested in this industry! Always my dream has been to meet a young American with a dairy-cow-and-feeder-pig operation somewhere in the valley of the Des Plaines River of Illinois, to where we will now go immediatamente so we can be married and have many children, and I will join the local 4-H advisers' group to give me something to do when I am not cooking gourmet Italian dinners for you and satisfying you matrimonially!"
Pinch yourself to test your comprehension. ♦