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Brendan M. Dunn, Former McConnell Policy Advisor, to Join Akin Gump
(Washington, D.C.) – Akin Gump is pleased to announce that Brendan M. Dunn, formerly policy advisor and counsel to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), will join Akin Gump as a partner in its public law and policy practice. Mr. Dunn, who served as chief advisor to Majority Leader McConnell and the Senate GOP leadership on tax, trade, financial services and pension matters before Congress, was the key staff architect of the successful effort to secure the passage last year of the historic Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. He is expected to start at the firm on May 24.
"The addition of Brendan further underscores why our public law and policy practice is so highly regarded," said Akin Gump chairperson Kim Koopersmith. "He is a very talented individual with skills in a wide range of areas—including tax, financial services, trade, and health care—that our clients will find invaluable. I am truly delighted to welcome Brendan to Akin Gump."
While working for Majority Leader McConnell for the past five years, Mr. Dunn served as the primary liaison to the business community on a wide range of policy issues. Following the 2016 election, he served as the point person for the Senate GOP leadership on tax reform negotiations with the so-called Big Six—the White House, Department of the Treasury, Senate Finance Committee, House Ways & Means Committee, Senate Majority leadership and House Majority leadership. Mr. Dunn also helped shepherd the Senate passage of bipartisan legislation to ease the regulatory burden on community banks via banking regulatory relief legislation (S.2155).
Prior to working with the Senate GOP leadership, Mr. Dunn served a two-year stint as special counsel and general counsel of the Senate Finance Committee, advising the committee's ranking member, Orrin Hatch (R-UT), on a range of health, tax and entitlement issues.
Mr. Dunn will represent the second recent significant hire Akin Gump has made of an individual with close ties to Senate Republican leadership, following the arrival of Zach Rudisill, former tax counsel to Sen. Rob Portman, on May 14.
"Brendan has a tremendous breadth of experience working with Senate Republican leadership and the administration in areas such as tax, trade, banking, health care and judiciary matters," said G. Hunter Bates, co-head of Akin Gump's public law and policy practice and former chief of staff to Sen. McConnell. "This, coupled with his close work with the business community, will be of great value to our clients as they seek guidance on issues that are crucial to their business. Having worked closely with Majority Leader McConnell and the Trump administration to help guide the first comprehensive tax reform in a generation, along with his efforts on trade and helping to help pass the banking regulatory relief legislation, Brendan is uniquely positioned to serve as a valuable resource for a wide range of clients."
Added Mr. Dunn, "Throughout my career, I have enjoyed many opportunities to work across the aisle on important issues, and I look forward to continuing to do so from Akin Gump's phenomenal platform. The firm's stature in the public policy space, bipartisan team and strength in areas such as financial services, tax, trade and health care were significant factors in my decision to join Akin Gump. I look forward to working with my new colleagues to advance the interests of the firm's clients who are focused on tax reform implementation and many other important issues before Congress and across the administration."
About Brendan M. Dunn
Prior to his work on Capitol Hill, Mr. Dunn was an associate at a large international law firm providing legislative and regulatory counsel to a variety of health care clients on matters related to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and provider reimbursement.
Mr. Dunn began his legal career as a law clerk for a federal judge in Virginia. He also worked as counsel to the National Republican Senatorial Committee, advising Sen. Hatch in his capacity as vice chairman. He previously worked with Sen. Hatch on the Senate Committee on the Judiciary at the full- and sub-committee level on legislative matters and nominations, including the Supreme Court nominations of Chief Justice John Roberts and Associate Justice Samuel Alito.
Mr. Dunn received his J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center and his B.A. from the College of the Holy Cross. He also has a Ph.D. in political science from the University of Notre Dame and an M.A. in political science from Fordham University.
About Akin Gump's Public Law and Policy Practice
The public law and policy practice at Akin Gump has long understood that solutions to many issues facing clients involve the very processes by which legislation and policy are conceived, developed and implemented by governments in the United States and around the world. For this reason, Akin Gump has built and maintains one of the largest and most diverse government relations practices of any major law firm worldwide. The firm's practice stresses careful evaluation of client issues and detailed design of strategies and tactics to achieve objectives and provide advocacy that is executed in an effective, timely and coordinated manner.
The practice is consistently top rated in the field of government relations by legal directories Chambers and Partners and The Legal 500, and its members have been named "Top Lobbyists" by The Hill and "MVPs" by Law360 and as industry leaders by a number of business and legal publications.
Founded in 1945, Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP is a leading international law firm with more than 900 lawyers in offices throughout the United States, Europe, Asia and the Middle East.
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101 of Life and Deaths
- Your life is a mirror of you did
- Sell your house or cure your parents?
- 60 for live, 30 for saving, 10 for charity
- One cent for your parents or for your child?
- Telling the truth is true, but say it with gently, respectful and politely
- Don't make decision when you mad

subset: commoncrawl


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For non-techies, I'm using the Rational Unified Process from IBM. An "iteration" is a project plan increment that encompasses requirements, design, code and test. Every phase is composed of several iterations, each with specific goals. I just finished the Inception phase, which is a concept phase that focuses on business case, customer identification and technical feature analysis. Now I'm starting Elaboration. The purpose of Elaboration is to address your biggest business and technical risks by constructing a prototype software architecture.
My biggest risks are that: 1. it's tough to engage artists and writers without a product demo, because they are constantly approached by dreamers, and 2. I am a novice at Internet marketing and have very few industry contacts to create a real sales channel.
You'll note that I don't consider technology a risk at this point. The Anthracite platform technology is fairly straightforward software, so I believe any reasonably competent software engineer can drive it through to completion. Time and cost are more meaningful risks, but the only way to understand those risks better is to implement the prototype.
I originally came up with over a dozen Elaboration iterations, but then I realized that it's completely unnecessary to implement the entire product as a JavaScript/CSS prototype. I need just enough to show potential partners that the concept is real, and that I have the technical chops to implement the rest of the product plan as an iPad app. I've already constructed 60% of the use case model, which expresses (at a generic level) how the customer and system interact. The next step is converting these into sequence diagrams, or use case realizations, which show how the modules in the system interact to actually perform the use cases.
UCRs are a big step towards actual code. In my opinion they are also the toughest part of Elaboration. It's easy to lose the forest for the trees, and start inventing cool new features in the use cases, or start trying to create a finalized product architecture in the design diagrams. The former is a temptation for visionaries, who thrive on creating cool new concepts, and perhaps not so much on actually producing completed products. The latter is a big temptation for code monkeys, because you start thinking that you can avoid any rework and refactoring if you just get the design 'perfected' in Elaboration. Both are huge mistakes. All you end up doing is stretching out the phase, which actually increases your overall project risk. You've got to stay laser focused on eliminating (or quantifying) your biggest project risks by driving through to actual functioning prototype code. Many stakeholders will readily agree with high-level use case descriptions, only to have a strong negative reaction when they're actually seeing the product prototype. And you're always going to do code rework in Construction. It's much more important to get aligned that you're building the right system (business case, use cases) and that you've got a solid high-level design for that system (sequence diagrams, analysis objects, large architectural blocks, mechanisms).
Elaboration is about running through the minefield, stepping on as many mines as possible, so you know where most of them are before you commit the bulk of your development budget in Construction. Your prototype doesn't need to be pretty, full-featured or bug-free, but it absolutely, positively must address your biggest technical and business risks.
And having written that, I need to seriously consider how I'm going to address the marketing risk, because the prototype only addresses the partnership risk. :| Good thing I wrote this all out. I'll put some target dates on these goals in a subsequent post, after I do a little more analysis.
Elaboration Goal: To implement a JavaScript/CSS prototype for iPad demos and YouTube videos.
E1: Layout and Spinwheel
- Produce HTML and CSS sheet layout.
- Create a working spinwheel with radial x-y functionality.
- Manipulating the spinwheel according to use case changes text boxes.
E2: Character Templates and Objects
- Create object containers for Character (PC + NPC).
- Modify E1 prototype for single character, spinwheel selects Effect + Target.
- Establish EBTs getters, setters and aggregators.
E3: Basic Effects Resolution and Simple Battle
- Implement the following:
- Random Success
- Append Static Effect
- Post-round Static Effect check (defeat check)
- Available Effect
- 2 EBTs: Attack, Health
- NPCs get 1 Available Effect (no equip), direct assigned EBTs.
- Any successful Available Effect causes -1 Health
- PCs get 4 effects to showcase selection
- At end of round, victory check is made with Health - Static Effects
===== YouTube Video #1 =====


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A Ghoulish Feast
This article concerns content for Secret World Legends. For the TSW Classic version, click here.
|A Ghoulish Feast
|Besieged Farmlands
|Start Location:
|Carmen Preda
|Start Coords:
|Given by:
|Carmen Preda
|Recommended Level:
|3660 Experience
|Game Version:
|Added in:
|Update 2.0
The village walls have held against many attackers, but Carmen worries this time they may not be enough. Ghouls have already begun to slink inside. Perhaps there are more to the defences than stones alone, however.
Journal Entries
There are 3 tiers to this mission.
Tier 1/3
- Enter the village of Harbabureşti
- Run down the road to the area marked on your map
- Find out where the ghouls have burrowed from
- There is a Ghoul hole in barn at (1110,1215)
- Cave in the ghoul hole
- Attack the Ghoul hole to destroy it
- Cave in another ghoul hole
- There are a few others around, one is behind the barn the first one was in, at (1095,1243), guarded by Ghoulish Scavengers
Tier 2/3
- Burn one of the rotting ghoul corpses
- There are a few of them near (1072,1120), interact with it
- Test a tree's effect on a ghoul by fighting one beneath it
- Attack a Ghoulish Squatter or Ghoulish Scavenger and bring them back to the tree
- While under the tree, they will have the Shimmering tree effect
- Lure three ghouls to the trees before engaging them
- Find more Ghoulish Squatter or Ghoulish Scavenger and bring them back to the tree to fight
- Burn three more of the ghoul corpses
- Burn the corpses as they respawn under the tree
Tier 3/3
- Examine the roots of the tree
- One of the roots of the tree will be yellow-outlined, interact with it
- Look for more exposed roots and follow them
- Follow the large, exposed roots to the southwest, you'll pass a few trees, keep going until the mission updates at (1040,1044)
- Defend the Greenkind Warden against the onslaught
- There will be several waves of ghouls
Dialogue Scene Name
- Carmen Preda: Is this not what you signed up for?
- Carmen Preda: To play a part in a medieval siege, like in old history.
- Carmen Preda: The villager say the walls of Harbabureşti held against the Golden Horde, the Templars, the Soviets.
- Carmen Preda: Peaceful resistance. A nice idea.
- Carmen Preda: Between you and I, that won't work again.
- Carmen Preda: In siege, the attackers starve out the defenders, is it not true?
- Carmen Preda: Here, the attackers are starving. The blood hunger drives them, hard and strong.
- Carmen Preda: They will not stop.
- Carmen Preda: A single vampire killed thirty people in Cluj-Napoca, where I come from.
- Carmen Preda: One night, one vampire.
- Carmen Preda: It now sleeps under a churchyard with an iron spike through its skull.
- Carmen Preda: We do not have enough soil in the churchyard or iron in the houses to seal all of these away.
- Carmen Preda: I've done the math.
- Carmen Preda: Look how the ghouls are gathering for their feast.
- Carmen Preda: Sniffing out the dead and the abandoned.
- Carmen Preda: Yet the walls still hold.
- Carmen Preda: Da, some old saint or miracle smiles down on this village, for us to have made it this far.
- Carmen Preda: I should like to drink to his health.
Other Information
Related Achievements
- This mission is required for the Foreign Affairs achievement
|Solomon Island Missions
|▪ Kingsmouth ▪ Savage Coast ▪ Blue Mountain
|Valley of the Sun God Missions
|▪ Scorched Desert ▪ City of the Sun God
|Transylvania Missions
|▪ Besieged Farmlands ▪ Shadowy Forest ▪ Carpathian Fangs
|Tokyo Missions
|▪ Kaidan
|South Africa missions
|▪ New Dawn
|Faction Missions
|▪ Dragon ▪ Illuminati ▪ Templars
|Other Missions
|▪ Hub Cities ▪ Scenarios ▪ Seasonal ▪ Events


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I know it's only New Year's Eve, but I haven't written on here since Christmas so thought I would stop by and drop a little Happy New Year. Also, I woke up before my son today so a mom has to steal that time when she can.
I only started this blog about six months ago and am still unsure of exactly where I'm going with it, but I know it's going somewhere. I already renewed the domain for another year. If you just stumbled across this one, my main blog is GeekMamas.com and I started this one as sort of a "sister site" where all the total mom stuff can go. Geek Mamas is a little more personal and humorous, so I was trying to start a more normal "mom blog" with this one. A place I could put articles that might not fit as well on my main site.
And sponsored posts of course. I was wanting to do a lot of sponsored content over here and make it a bit of a money-making machine! But a funny thing happened along the way and I found out I still don't like dealing with a lot of the sponsored content stuff unless it's actually something I would read. I have some sort of built-in journalistic integrity where it just gnaws at me if I post something really lame or salesy. So I have been going through and weeding out some of the earlier unpaid contributed content that has links to businesses. I'm all about linking to bloggers and helping other mom bloggers get exposure, but I started to feel like businesses were taking advantage of me asking for me to publish the article as if I had written it and sneaking links in there, all while submitting boring re-hashed articles.
I just couldn't do it. I tried. I really tried.
So while I still plan to accept sponsored content here, (it would be nice to cover my hosting fees at least), I'm going to be more picky. There will be a small fee for businesses, it has to be introduced as a guest or sponsored post and it has to actually be something people will read. Blogger guest posts, promoting their blog, will always be free.
So I hope to write more and publish more guest posts here in 2019. I think there is a big blogging year ahead for both this site and Geek Mamas! And feel free to contact me to pitch guest or sponsored content.
Hope you all have a very Happy New Year!


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Swinburne Alumni Brisbane
Connect with more than 1000 fellow Swinburne graduates, staff and friends in Brisbane.
Our Brisbane group gives you the opportunity to get together, reminisce and create new personal and professional connections.
With a growing number of online students, our regular Brisbane events are a great way to broaden your Swinburne network and stay in touch with the university.
Connect with us
To stay up to date with news and events in Brisbane, update your contact details or email Jessica Cruff on firstname.lastname@example.com.


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QC launches PH's 1st mobile app on city ordinances
MANILA To reduce the high record of ordinance violations, the Quezon City Council, led by Vice Mayor Joy Belmonte, on Tuesday launched the Batas QC, the country's first mobile application on local ordinances, to spread awareness about the rules and penalties concerning local laws.
This is the first user-friendly, city-based database that everyone can easily access, and it aims to counter ordinance violations by educating residents on the penalties they will be incurring, Belmonte said during the app's launching at the Quezon City Hall.
Lack of awareness on fines and offenses will no longer be an excuse, Belmonte added.
Records from the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) showed that from June 13 to Nov. 2, 2018, the Quezon City Police District (QCPD) apprehended the highest number of ordinance violators at 262,847, which is 58.4 percent of all the arrests made for ordinance penalties in Metro Manila.
Belmonte said the high number of apprehensions has led the local government to implement Ordinance 2752-2018, which mandates law enforcers to issue ordinance violation receipts (OVR) instead of jailing ordinance violators in the city.
With an OVR, the violator can pay a fine within five days at the barangay hall or Quezon City Hall for offenses such as drinking, being half-naked and smoking in public places.
Belmonte noted that the launching of the app is timely since it will help residents understand ordinances as the OVR system is rolled out.
One objective of the OVR is to mitigate the congestion in jails and detention centers, but we want to go one step further through 'Batas QC' by helping residents know our ordinances, so they will not have to violate the laws in the first place, she said.
She added that aside from the city's priority to maintain peace and order by reducing ordinance violators, Batas QC aims to educate residents about ordinances concerning roads, transportation, garbage, healthcare and other issues.
Many of our residents bring up concerns that are already being tackled by existing ordinances, pero dahil hindi pa nila alam, hindi silanakakasunod sa batas o nagbebenepisyo sa mga serbisyong nandiyan na (but because they still don't know, they are not following the law or benefitting from the services that are already there), Belmonte said.
During the launch, Belmonte demonstrated the use of the mobile app which contains all city ordinances, announcements and search functions that categorize ordinances based on their topic.
The app, which is downloadable through the Google Playstore, can be used even when offline.
Copies of the ordinance are also downloadable through the app.
To ensure law enforcers will also have access to the app, gadgets containing the Batas QC were symbolically turned over to the QCPD, Department of Public Order and Safety (DPOS), and Environmental Protection and Waste Management Department (EPWMD) during the launch.
Also present during the event were City Council Majority Floor Leader Franz Pumaren, QCPD Director Chief Supt. Joselito Esquivel Jr., Liga ng mga Barangay President Alfredo Roxas, DPOS head Elmo San Diego and EPWMD head Frederiko Rentoy.
Batas QC was developed by Thinc Office Corporation which also created MyLegalWhiz, the pioneering online legal resource in the Philippines. (PNA)
Source: Philippine News Agency


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The Image Uploader Pro add-on simplifies the work with product images in the admin panel. When you go to the product editing page and choose an image to upload, it opens in a pop-up with a crop border to adjust the image size by dragging any of the four corner handles. You can also specify the crop ratio in the add-on's settings: 1:1, 5:3, 3:5 or free.
The drag and drop feature is available in the Images tab for uploading additional images. Just choose images from your server or PC and upload them all in one click. The position of additional product images can be changed by drag and drop as well.
Key features
— Upload multiple images by drag and drop.
— Crop images with customizable aspect ratio.
— Easy change of the position of the additional images.
What you will see in the admin area
The add-on's settings
Cropping images
Uploading additional images
The add-on is compatible with CS-Cart and Multi-Vendor 4.3.1 - 4.7.4.
Need compatibility with another CS-Cart version? Contact us now.
User Guide
Learn more about the add-on in our User Guide.
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Well, we're here. The final countdown to Santa's sleigh skidding to a stop on slippery, snow covered rooftops far and wide is mere days away. How did the arrival of Christmas and the jolly old elf happen so fast?
Am I ready? That depends on your idea of ready. Is the house all tidied up? All the presents purchased? Wrapped and under the tree? Ha! No, not yet, but I'm okay with that because this year it's been about 'time'. Time with my husband, time with my daughter, time to be together as our little nucleus that more often than not gets pushed to the side when deadlines loom and obligations prey.
Last weekend we scrapped our obligations and shot off to San Francisco to celebrate our wedding anniversary. With Smudge in tow. Word of wisdom: No matter how much you love Christmas, don't get married at Christmas unless you want the holiday to completely overshadow the yearly celebration.
continue to the recipe… about Friday Faves and 10 Spirited Eggnog Recipes


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Nagpur (Maharashtra) [India], Jan. 16 (ANI): The Nagpur police said on Tuesday that the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) judge Justice B.H. Loya had died due to a heart attack.
Nagpur Joint Commissioner of Police Shivaji Bodkhe said the police had undertaken a thorough investigation into the case and reached the conclusion after receiving the postmortem and forensic reports.
"Nagpur police undertook a thorough investigation. B.H. Loya's death was due to a heart attack; postmortem and forensic reports confirmed the same," Bodkhe told media.
Earlier in the day, the Maharashtra government handed over documents in a sealed cover in connection with Loya's death to the Supreme Court.
A division bench of the apex court, headed by Justice Arun Mishra, was hearing the plea filed by three petitioners, Aneeta Shenoy, Shehzad Poonawalla and a journalist.
All the three petitioners have sought a Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe into the alleged mysterious death of the judge.
The petitioners have claimed that Loya died mysteriously in 2014 when he was hearing the Sohrabuddin Sheikh fake encounter case, in which Bharatiya Janata Party President Amit Shah was a prime accused.
Asserting that the "matter was very serious", the top court had, earlier, asked the Maharashtra government to submit the postmortem report of the deceased CBI judge. (ANI)


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Chicken Pot Pie Casserole
Wednesday, February 27, 2019 Add Comment Edit
Add this easy Chicken Pot Pie Casserole to your quick weeknight dinner idea list. Pot Pies make for a comforting meal during the fall and winter months. Since this recipe uses store bought crescent rolls for the crust, it comes together quite easily. You can grill a few chicken breasts or use a store bought rotisserie chicken too!
- 1 lb ChÍcken Breast
- 12 oz Frozen Peas and Carrots thawed
- 2 cup Frozen DÍced Potatoes thawed (lÍke Hash Browns or Potatoes OBrÍen)
- 1 OnÍon dÍced
- 2 can Cream of ChÍcken Condensed Soup
- 1 cup Water
- 2 cans RefrÍgerated Crescent Rolls.
- 1/2 tsp Poultry SeasonÍng
- Salt and Pepper to taste.
- GrÍll chÍcken breasts untÍl cooked through. Allow to cool.
- GrÍll dÍced onÍons untÍl transparent. Set asÍde.
- Get full recipe and intruductionts, please visit here Cincyshopper.com


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Friday, September 28, 2012
Happy Friday Quilt Parade - Irish Chain
8 comments:
- Sheila said...
I like your Irish Chain. The backing, too. Thoughtful question.
I'm going to have some interesting backings as I'm trying to clear out some of my stash, too.
- Friday, September 28, 2012
- knitnoid said...
How did you quilt the chain blocks? I'm leaning toward continuous curves -- with some sort of feather in the open blocks.
- Friday, September 28, 2012
- Angie said...
Love the bright colors in your Irish Chain!
- Friday, September 28, 2012
- Andee said...
It is beautiful and I love the look of the picture with the light coming through!
- Friday, September 28, 2012
- Ann Marie @ 16 Muddy Feet said...
This one is so cheerful looking! An irish chain is on my too doo list. Just haven't decided if I will do it scrappy or controlled colors. I never did scrappy till I found Bonnie's page, now I do more scrappy than anything.
- Friday, September 28, 2012
- Kate said...
Love all those brights with the white. Congrats on another finish!
- Friday, September 28, 2012
- Kath said...
LOL does anyone look at the back? Here in England they give you cotton gloves to wear at a show because they KNOW we want to touch and turn the quilt over :-D
I expect it's the same for you American girls.
I fell in love with Irish chain after I made a table runner for my SIL. I love the quilt you made, especially the crinklyness which gives it such charm.
- Saturday, September 29, 2012
- Lynne said...
I am loving the idea of an Irish Chain quilt more and more!
- Wednesday, October 03, 2012


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Are you a new gym that's got off to a flying start? Are you filling a gap for quality leisure facilities in your local community or engaging a new audience in exercise? If so, then our Best Newcomer category is for you. To be eligible for this award, you must have opened your club on December 7 2017 or later - making your business less than two years old on the date of the 2019 National Fitness Awards. Clubs which have been open for longer than this should enter an alternative category. When it comes to picking our finalists, we'll be looking for evidence of why you set up your club, your biggest successes so far and what your plans are to build on its initial success. As well as providing details on the equipment and services you provide, we'll also expect you to tell us about your retention figures, branding and marketing strategies, as well as details of who your team members are and the valuable contribution they make to the smooth running of your facility. This is a hotly contested category and we're looking for the best new gym in the whole of the country, so clubs should make every effort to ensure their entry stands out from the crowd.
This new category covers exactly what it says on the tin … we're looking for anything and everything that fits under this heading! It's aimed at gyms and PTs who are either offering nutritional advice/classes/guidance; it's aimed at gyms who have gone down the 'diner' route where they serve the best in healthy and nutritious meals on site and/or supply a healthy meals service where they prepare the meals and then members/non-members buy them and take them home to ensure an on-going healthy diet. It's also aimed at anything that shows improvement and innovation in the field of health and nutrition – it may be a programme you've introduced; a product range. You'll be just as passionate about what your members eat as you are about their fitness programmes and you'll be educating and encouraging them to commit to a balanced diet as part of their physical well-being.
Peak physical fitness is a must for members of our Armed Forces and as such the men and women who work as Physical Training Instructors have to be at the top of their game … encouraging, challenging and supporting servicemen and women in their charge.
They play a huge part in making our military services a force to be reckoned with and moulding personnel for us all to be proud of. Many of our friends and sponsors work with the Armed Forces providing them with the latest equipment and technology – they see the amazing work carried out by these instructors and that's why we have introduced this exciting new category the Armed Forces PhysicalTraining Instructor of the Year.
It is sure to be a keenly contested category so make sure your nomination gives us as much information about their career and achievements to date and what makes them stand-out in an area brimming with talent and dedication. We would be delighted to be given the opportunity to salute you ...


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This will not be the end of Q-related wordplay. If that bothers you, I feel like this is not the right blog for you anyway…
It's been a while since I have written something of substance. Partially due to life and its busyness, but also a lot of my riding with Q lately is about consistency.
For me, I am getting back into the regular riding game. I need to remember all my tips and tricks, not become a useless sack of potatoes if things go wrong, and ride consistently. I am definitely getting it back, but it helps to have good eyes on the ground.
For Q, he needs lot of help tracking left, where he struggles with a weaker hind end and hard drift. Like I said in an earlier post, shoes have helped with some of his most obvious gaps.
Much of my riding has been targeting my and Q's weaknesses, and that can be repetitive. I am riding him in a way where he is thinking about what I am asking (transitions, changes of directions, shoulder-ins, extensions/collections). I am careful to not to over-ask and to have "light" days that complement our heavier days as he gets back up to speed.
Right now, our goals for him are to be comfortable, even on both sides, and happy to work.
With that in mind, we will not be going to the Olympics next year (shocking, because if there was a pee-wee division, he'd be great for it).
But there is a fair bit of strengthening in our agenda. And he is progressing well, which also tells me it is working, slowly but surely.
I will really look forward to the next couple months when the quality of his gaits become even better. We need more balance, a buff butt, and good feet.


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WASHINGTON ― Another European leader to the White House, another news conference, and another display by President Donald Trump of at best a hazy understanding of how Europe works.
Standing just feet from Italian Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni at a joint White House news conference, Trump complained about unfair trade relationships and other NATO members failing to "pay their full and fair share for the cost of defense."
"We both seek a trading relationship that is balanced, reciprocal ― I love the word 'reciprocal' ― because we don't have too many reciprocal trading partnerships, I will tell you that, but we will very soon," Trump said.
The grievances were common fare during his presidential campaign, and he has been repeating them to varying degrees during previous discussions and news conferences with United Kingdom Prime Minister Theresa May, Germany Chancellor Angela Merkel, and NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg.
And as they were the earlier times he raised them, they are factually incorrect. Italy, like Germany, uses the Euro currency and is a member of the European Community – which works as a trading bloc. It has no specific trade deal with the United States, although one has been under negotiation for years. Britain, while it has its own currency, is also a European Union member, although it is starting to negotiate its departure following the "Brexit" referendum of last summer.
All three are members of NATO, which has never collected dues to pay for a common military. Rather, each country pays for its own military and participates in common defense of the entire group. NATO as a group agreed in 2014 – two years before Trump's election – that each nation would increase its defense spending to at least 2 percent of the value of its economy by the year 2024.
Stoltenberg during his recent White House visit explained this in detail, and Trump appeared to accept it. He went on to take credit for the spending policy, and declared that NATO was no longer obsolete and that he would support it.
On the issue of trade, Merkel during her White House visit last month pointed out that Germany had no bilateral trade agreement with the United States. On Thursday, Gentiloni didn't even bother countering Trump's trade assertions, but did say that Italy would honor its NATO commitments.
"We have also spoken about common commitment to NATO and the goals that were identified in 2014, and the commitments on military expenses, and the contribution that each country must make towards collective security," Gentiloni said. "We are proud of our contribution."
Italy is to be Trump's second foreign visit as president, as it hosts this year's G-7 Summit of the world's largest democratic industrialized nations. Trump is to start his first foreign trip in Brussels at the annual meeting of the NATO alliance on May 25, and then travel to Taormina in Sicily the next day.
Trump as a candidate railed against NATO, accusing the other member nations of cheating the United States by not paying their fair share of the costs. He also claimed other nations, including G-7 members Germany and Japan, were taking advantage of the U.S. through unfair trade agreements.
Those stances made European and Asian allies wary of Trump, making his remarks and actions during his coming trip of particular interest to political and military leaders in those regions.


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Watch the terrifying new teaser trailer for The Gallows
The makers of Paranormal Activity and Insidious – two films which already set a high premise for what's to come - have now released a teaser trailer for The Gallows.
New Line Cinema and Blumhouse Productions have released the teaser for writers/directors Chris Lofing and Travis Cluff's horror film.
In the film a small town school revives a failed stage production, which sounds righteous enough.
However, on the anniversary of an accident that happened twenty years ago they soon found out instead of honouring the tragedy – they probably should have left it alone.
The film stars Cassidy Gifford, Ryan Shoos, Reese Mishler and Pfeifer Brown.
The Gallows due to arrive in UK cinemas on September 4th, in the meantime why not switch-off all the lights, close all the doors, windows and freak yourself out with this teaser…


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Private Online Support Groups
These groups are for parents, family and friends across Australia. They are closed forums to offer a little more privacy. Please feel free to join us here. Through sharing and connecting with others experiencing a loss, we hope you will find comfort, healing and hope within your heart again.
Facebook Groups
Bears Of Hope Parent Support Group
Bears Of Hope Rainbows - Pregnancy After Loss
Bears Of Hope Parenting After Loss
Bears Of Hope Family and Friends
If you feel there should be another group provided by Bears of Hope, please contact us.


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Hello and welcome to our living room! I won't say I've fully ~realised my vision~ for grand living room ideas (if only money and time were no object! oh, if only), but it's our home, so it's always going to feel comfortable as long as my dude and my cat are there. Continue reading »
Tag: potted plants
DIY Wooden Peg Coat Rack
So I learned the hard way that I can't just screw hooks into the wall and hope for the best, even when I'm using specialty plaster anchors. These textured walls said HELL NO and so I was left with a swiss-cheesed wall and no hooks for our coats. Continue reading »
So you want to grow chili peppers indoors.
It's quiet around here lately. Sorry. Jamie and I are having our spirits crushed by our #1 summer (now autumn, now winter) project — stripping and repainting the exterior walls on our house — and it's making me feel overwhelmed by all things home-related at the moment, even my beloved plants. Continue reading »
Colour change
Right now we're in the three-week spell that's peak autumn. Hobart, like every other city throughout temperate Australia, has many deciduous trees planted alongside the evergreen natives. This means you get the best of both worlds: green and lively all winter, fragrant in spring and brilliantly-coloured in autumn. Continue reading »
Succulents + a bargain plant stand
My succulent collection is growing! No, but really. All these little squirts were outgrowing their containers, so I knew it was time to consolidate them into a single large planter.
I treated my succulent collection to a new planter and plant stand. Continue reading »


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Another Day, Another Death Threat On Fox Nation
Reported by Ellen - November 18, 2009 -
This one targets Attorney General Eric Holder and appears on a thread about Clint Eastwood so it's also way off topic. Hat tip to reader Dave D. who found the comment. It not only got past the Fox Nation moderators but sat there for more than 24 hours (and counting). We just reported the comment so we hope it disappears soon. But we've got a screen grab to show you what passes for reasonable discussion on the "fair and balanced" website.


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- Correspondence
- Manuscript notes and catalogues of James McNeill Whistler's watercolours and pastels 1947-1948
- Catalogue of oil painters by James Whistler
- Notes on E G Kennedy's Catalogue of the Etched Works of Whistler (1910)
- Notes and catalogues of James Whistler material held in galleries in the USA
- Notes made in preparation of the Whistler catalogues
Papers of Joseph Whistler Revillon, 1886-1955, civil engineer and great-nephew of James McNeill Whistler (1834-1903)
- For more information, email the repository
- Advice on accessing these materials
- Cite this description
- Bookmark:https://archiveshub.jisc.ac.uk/data/gb247-msrevillon
- This material is held at
- ReferenceGB 247 MS Revillon
- Dates of Creation1910, 1947-1948
- Name of Creator
- Language of MaterialEnglish.
- Physical Description1.2 metres
Scope and Content
Administrative / Biographical History
Joseph Whistler Revillon was born in 1886 and was the great-nephew of the painter James McNeill Whistler (1834-1903). He spent his early life as a civil engineer in Russia. When he retired to Suffolk, England, in the 1940s he began work on a catalogue of Whistler's oil painters amassing in addition a considerable body of material relating to the Whistler family. He bequeathed the whole of his collection to the University of Glasgow, Scotland, where after another 25 years of work his catalogued he began was published.
Whistler and Further Family (Glasgow University Library, 1980)
The correspondence is arranged alphabetically by sender.
Access Information
Acquisition Information
Gift : Joseph Revillon : 1955 : ACCN 2481
Other Finding Aids
Item level descriptions are available via the department's online manuscripts catalogue available at http://special.lib.gla.ac.uk/manuscripts/ searching by the call number MS Revillon
Alternative Form Available
No known copies
Archivist's Note
Compiled by David Powell, Hub Project Archivist, 25 March 2002
No alterations made to date
Conditions Governing Use
Applications for permission to quote should be sent to the Keeper of Special Collections
Reproduction subject to usual conditions: educational use & condition of documents
Appraisal Information
This material has been appraised in line with standard GB 247 procedures
Custodial History
Held by Joseph Whistler Revillon
None expected
Whistlers and further family : an exhibition of portraits and pictures, manuscripts and mementos relating to the family of James McNeill Whistler [held at] Glasgow University Library, May-September 1980 (Glasgow, 1980)


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Though we like principally the electronic music… we also can estimate the good music. Today the Estonian pop singer Hannah offers us this small gift that will be available in her page in "soundcloud" 72 hours.
I believe that it is very interesting to enjoy this "Good feeling" acoustic and to say to Hannah what we feel with this song… I already have said often that she is one of my more complete favorite artists and with great musical wisdom… I have so many desires of being able to do an interview with she… Thank you Hannah for this gift!


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Thinking of OR is most of the times a thought which gives happiness as in one or the other way, its about getting one more chance, another option, plan B, standby, etc.. Like the most recent one, I took up my diary and started to write and then I had my laptop opened, and I thought if which one shall opt for either the diary or the daily post.
But the only negative point is that if there is no OR available, then a mind be more focused. It is an opportunity to have a thing done in more than one possible way or sometimes choosing a way where many other thoughts can be brought to fulfillment.
Availability of the resources can tell us if there comes either an OR or ONLY in our way. First one shall definitely broaden our scope of accomplishments and the second one can go either way depending upon the person's virtues.


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Myweigh D2-300 has a 300 gram weighing capacity and increments in 0.01 gram graduations. The new Dura Scale is loaded with new features including MyWeigh's trademarked Weighmeter and IPS design. The dual Weighmeters are located on the bottom of the scale's display and shows graphically how much of the weighing capacity range is used and remaining. IPS stands for Impact Protection System and this is the non-slip rubber bumper & grip case surrounding the outer circumference of the Durascale. Large rubber "Bumpers" act as stabilizers to keep the Durascale steady on uneven surfaces. This design also help reduce vibration and help protect the scale from damage if dropped.
This pocket scale operates on two (2) AAA batteries and comes with a protective weighing platform cover that can double as a weighing tray. The Myweigh D2-300 does NOT come with the 200 gram calibration weight required to perform calibration. We highly recommend always purchasing the OPTIONAL 200 gram calibration mass since all digital scales should be calibrated on a regular basis. If you scroll further down the web page you can purchase the Durascale D2-300 with optional 200g cal mass as a package.
Additional features include 3" x 2-1/8" stainless steel weighing platform, amber colored backlight display, and six (6) different weigh modes (g, oz, gn, ct, ozt and dwt). Myweigh's packaging offers great protection of the scale during transportation and is environmentally friendly since Myweigh Scale Company uses a 100% recyclable brown box in their packaging.
The Durascale is backed by an unprecedented manufacturer's LIFETIME warranty.
My Weigh Durascale D2-300
Disclaimer/Legal Information Sitemap


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Note the sexy hint of cling wrap at the neck and the oh-so-seductive extra big hump from the heat pack and three old hats, yummy!
Testing out the new smaller self-warming hearts and the Schwarzkopf ultimate repair conditioner for deep conditioning. A little creativity with a bandage and you can be surprisingly mobile while doing the SexySmurf: I gave the kitchen a much needed cleaning. Then rinsed and did a quick ACV dip.


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i 140 impact crusher, screening, washing
this new generation impact crusher finlay's cone crushing equipment this option prevents build up and blockages in the crusher chamber by removing fines
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Sunday February 17 5pm
Jeannette, l'enfance de Jeanne d'Arc (Jeannette: The Childhood of Joan of Arc)
Bruno Dumont, Blu-ray, 105 min, France, 2017 (French)
Based on Charles Péguy's 1910 play, Dumont's musical weaves folk, flamenco, and heavy metal to portray the weight of the French Nation resting like armor on the frail shoulders of the young Joan of Arc as she grapples with matters of the soul in early 15th century France.
In memory of Nicole Darmon Chandler, a resident of Milwaukee for over 40 years, and a former president of the Alliance Française. Nicole participated in French language activities at UWM for decades. She was a fan of "old movies," and Josephine Baker was among her favorite actresses. En souvenir…
Presented as part of the Tournées Film Festival
Co-sponsored by UWM Department of History


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Doctors List in Bhagyoday Tirth Charitable Trust Hospital & Medical Research Centre, Sagar
Dr.B.P. Trivedi
Ayurveda Specialist
M.Sc(Psychotherapy & Management), M.D (Ayurvedic-Herbal Medicine), PGDPC, CPKS, CPY, ND
- Ujjain
- 45 Years Experience
- 3 Hospitals
Ask a Doctor
Need help finding the right alternative medicine specialist?
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Get Medical Advice from certified Alternative Medicine Specialists.


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Shannon Rice, PHR
Business Services Manager
LinkedIn Profile • Download vCard
As Business Services Manager, Shannon leads our company wide Human Resource functions including: hiring, performance management, Affirmative Action, compensation, and great place to work initiatives. In addition, Shannon manages IT and is working to create a quality IT environment that meets employee's needs and increases efficiency/productivity. Shannon also has an active role in the company's Strategic Planning process, which is currently underway. Prior to joining Wangard, Shannon worked for MRA-The Management Association. Shannon is a graduate of Marquette University with a Bachelor of Arts in English and Education. She excels in managing multiple tasks while being mindful of the employee's best interests. She is currently affiliated with MRA and is actively engaged on their HR Roundtable.


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Winxmedia CD MP3/WAV/WMA Converteraudio converter
The Winxmedia CD MP3/WAV/WMA Converter is a great software for audio conversion. This software lets you rip all the audio CD's you need. With the help of this app audio file formats can be converted. It doesn't matter which format you are working on since most popular audio file formats can be converted. These include VQF, APE, AAC, Vorbis, Ogg, MP2, WMA, WAC, MP3 and more.
The Winxmedia CD MP3/WAV/WMA Converter is not just for geeks. With the easy to use, intuitive interface, even laymen can quickly learn and use it. There is a built in CD player that comes with this software. In addition the built in audio file player offers support for various file formats. Click here to download now and try it out for free!
Output file management is a snap with this handy application. It can be used to test and check output files from the extractor or converter. It is a simple process. With an internet connection, you can also choose to download CD data from the freedb.
In addition this software offers support for CD-Text. In addition ID3, ID3V2 support is offered. You can creat playlists with this handy utility. There are advanced options offered for audio format and CD. The price of all these facilities is $19.95. Click here to buy it now!


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Buying a business part 2
By AdvocateDaily.com Staff
Closing the deal on the purchase of your new business is just half the job, Edmonton corporate commercial lawyer Kirk Goodman tells AdvocateDaily.com.
Once buyers have navigated the complicated process of acquiring a company, says Goodman, principal of KGPC LLP, they have new decisions to make about how it should be structured going forward.
Sole proprietorship vs. Incorporation
Sole proprietorship is the simplest structure, says Goodman. It limits ownership of the business to one person with direct control over all decision-making and management, entitling them to all the profits, but also exposing them to any associated liabilities.
He says some buyers may wish to convert the company to a corporation in order to benefit from the protection offered by a corporate veil. This option separates the business from its owners by creating a legal entity separate from its shareholders.
"Each one has its own legal privileges and protections," Goodman says. Either way, "You need to see a lawyer who practises in corporate law to talk you through your options."
Adding partners
"Once you've bought your business, you may want to grow it by adding partners," says Goodman, explaining that there are two main methods for doing so.
In a joint venture, he says the relationship between the partners in the company is governed by contract, with negotiated terms. The second option is to add shareholders, which can be a complicated process, even for small businesses, regardless of whether the new shareholders are close friends, family or entities at arm's-length to the owner.
"There is a misconception that if you're not a big enough company, then securities law does not apply to you," Goodman says.
In fact, provincial laws governing securities apply to every issuer, though he acknowledges there are certain exemptions available.
"To protect against any lawsuit, you will want to consult a lawyer who practices in securities, and paper any transaction to make sure it's done right," Goodman adds.
In addition to a lawyer, he says new business owners should engage other professionals, such as an accountant, for help.
"A securities lawyer should work with your team of other business advisors to ensure the corporate structure is effective and compliant with all relevant laws," Goodman says.
To read part one, click here.


text: Our 25-year-old cask strength Scotch Whisky was inspired by Mary Queen of Sots and insurrection by Catholics in England led by Sir Francis Throckmorton. The Throckmorton Plot 5to assassinate Queen Elizabeth I and to install Mary Queen of Scots on the English Throne Failed. Throckmorton was convicted of "high treason" and executed, but Mary Queen of Scots was not deterred. Several years later she was convicted of devising yet another insurrection in unseat Queen Elizabeth I. She was beheaded in 1587 - her voice silenced, but her legacy eternal. Our rare whiskey, from a closed distillery in the Scottish Lowlands. is the perfect drink to inspire an insurrection of your own. the smooth taste is to be savored indeed, but enjoy it in England at your own risk!


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Chambers of Gavin Kealey QCTEMPLE, LONDON, EC4Y 7DS, ENGLAND
- Tel:
- Work 020 7910 8300
- Fax:
- Fax 020 7910 8400
- Email:
- Web:
- www.7kbw.co.uk
The Chambers
7 King's Bench Walk (7KBW) has a pre-eminent reputation for excellence and intellectual rigour in all areas of commercial law. They are at the cutting edge of developments in commercial law. The members of 7KBW pride themselves on adapting matters of intellect to practical and commercial priorities, producing a hand-crafted and modern approach to advocacy and advice.
As advocates, members of 7KBW accept instructions to appear in any court, tribunal or board of enquiry in England and Wales. 7KBW specialises in cases before the Commercial Court and in commercial arbitrations in London. With their commercial expertise, members also appear in other jurisdictions, including Hong Kong, Singapore, Bermuda, Cayman Islands, the Bahamas, the British Virgin Islands and Gibraltar, and before international arbitration tribunals in numerous jurisdictions.
Members undertake advisory work and the creation of written submissions and legal documents for litigation and non-contentious matters. Members regularly sit as arbitrators and/or mediators and also as court-appointed examiners for the purpose of conducting deposition hearings. Several members have written or contributed to leading legal textbooks, articles in the press and journals, and contributed to academic research.
Work Undertaken
7KBW's practice areas are exclusively commercial. Members have a respected expertise in the full breadth of commercial law: 7KBW has maintained an enviable reputation and experience in all aspects of insurance and reinsurance; shipping and transport; professional negligence; international trade and commodities; energy, oil and gas; international arbitration; injunctions and arrests; shipbuilding; banking and financial services; product liability; futures and derivatives; aviation; media and communications; construction; conflicts of law; state immunity; international investment and a growing reputation in civil fraud. Recent high profile cases include OW Bunkers, Ocean Victory, Republic of Djibouti -&- Boreh, Yukos Finance -&- Lynch, Sebry -&- Companies House, Rathbone Bros -&- Novae Corp and Excalibur Ventures -&- Texas Keystone. A large proportion of 7KBW's practice is of an international flavour and members regularly work with overseas clients and foreign lawyers. In appropriate circumstances members are delighted to accept instructions directly from overseas clients and foreign lawyers.
7KBW attracts pupils of only the highest quality, and pursues a policy of only taking tenants of such quality either from those starting their careers in law or from those in mid-career who have elected to change from another part of the profession. The emphasis on quality has meant a steady but selective growth in the overall number of tenants over the past years.
7KBW is the Insurance Set of The Year , an accolade awarded by Chambers UK in 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2016 and 2017. For further information about 7 King's Bench Walk and the range of work carried out by its members, please visit the chambers' website at www.7kbw.co.uk.
Above material supplied by 7 King's Bench Walk (Chambers of Gavin Kealey QC).


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Random, Oklahoma, was named for a good reason. And when a storm forces Clint Adams to stop in the remote town, the only things he wants are a bowl of hot grub, a good night's rest—with company if possible—and a fast exit come sunup.
Except Random has a big problem with a big man with a big name—Bittermeyer. He's a one-man bank, mayor, and overlord all rolled up into one nasty package; and when he says jump, the citizens of Random don't ask 'how high'—they ask if they can come down. But the Gunsmith doesn't back down so easy, and he's about to tip the balance of power—one bullet at a time.
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It's no secret, we're always looking for the best deal when traveling abroad. My go-to has always been Skyscanner. I've heard there are cheaper sites to scout but it's kind of like when an Android user tells you their phone has better features than the Iphone. Maybe it's true, but honestly I couldn't care less. They have never let me down, especially when I'm not quite sure where my next trip will be. They have this feature where you can select your departing airport and destination "everywhere". They give you a list of all the flights RT from cheapest to most expensive. It's how I found RT to Cuba for $240! How can you beat that?!
back to the real topic at hand. Layovers and giving them plenty of love. A lot of people dread long layovers but I'm here to tell you can absolutely make the most of it!
12 hours in a city? No problem!
Many cities are now offering tons of tours, some free, for those long unwarranted hours you don't want to spend in the airport. For instance, Turkey's airport now offers free, yes FREE! tours from 8am-9pm EVERY. SINGLE. DAY. Recently, I booked my flight to Beirut and purposely choose a flight with a long layover just to take advantage of this very free opportunity.
Icelandair also provides long layovers, just so you're able to explore the city. Iceland is known for being quite expensive, so taking a layover tour was about the only thing my wallet was set up for. There are a few competitive touring companies but I ended up booking with Northbound.is to visit the Blue Lagoon. Their website has TONS of options, but again wallet size/time, this is what I could afford.
Let me just say, the Blue Lagoon is absolutely worth! If you have the time, don't second guess it, just go. Here's a rundown on what I took advantage of.
I booked my transport through Northbound that cost $35, the Blue Lagoon offers transport but turns out, it's more expensive. There are different entrance fees once you make it to the Lagoon, depending on the package you choose. I decided with the "Comfort" package, which cost $65 and included a mud mask, towel, and a 1st drink of my choice.
Oh, I didn't stop there.
If anyone knows me, they know I can't resist a good massage. Blame it on my granny and her tactics she used to make me sleep as a child or the fact I lived in Asia for five years. Either way, it's absolute kryptonite. Months before, I gripped my wallet and closed my eyes as I pushed the confirm button on a 30min – $93 massage.
" This better be worth it! "
I didn't know what to expect as shook hands with a huge Scandinavian man, hopped on this floating device, covered up with a towel, and was asked to strip down to mid-waist. Though the massage area is more private, I was still out in the open and with a strange man. However, there was NO WAY I was letting $93 go to waste.
When I tell you this was absolutely one of THE best massages I've had in my life, there is no exaggeration. ZERO. This strange man had touched my body in ways I never knew I needed. 30 minutes felt like 5 and here I was trying to figure out how to extend my time. I didn't even care how much it cost at that point. Unfortunately for me, my lovely Scandinavian was booked for the rest of the day. So let me say, don't make my mistake. If you love massages, just booked the 60 minutes, and thank me later.
While I didn't get to explore Iceland as nearly as much as I'd like, I did get a small sample of what the country had to offer. Layover tours are awesome way to cut the costs and see parts of the world in just a few hours time!
The Blue Lagoon is a man-made geothermal spa but is filled with TONS of minerals great for your skin!


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A key part of Microsoft's strategy for serverless computing is ready for prime time.
Azure Event Grid, first announced last August, is now generally available, Microsoft is expected to announce Tuesday. Azure Event Grid gives developers a way to manage serverless computing, one of the more promising cloud computing technologies heading into the end of the decade.
There are plenty of servers involved in serverless computing; the name comes from the notion that developers don't need to know anything about the underlying hardware on which their apps will run, a big shift in software development tactics. Cloud providers manage that hardware for them, and developers write simple commands around events — say, a user uploads a photo — and functions, instructions that can be issued following those events.
Cutting-edge infrastructure architects are intrigued by serverless computing because it allows you to bill your cloud provider by the second, rather than the hour. It also allows you to easily deal with sudden spikes in demand, since functions can be written to anticipate a spike rather than having to have an operations engineer on call to notice a surge of interest and act accordingly.
Azure Event Grid allows people who have bet on serverless technology to manage the array of functions needed to make this work, said Corey Sanders, head of product for Azure compute. With a little modification, the product can be used with both Microsoft's Azure Functions and functions services from other cloud providers, such as Amazon Web Services' popular Lambda service, he said.
And if you're still using older development techniques — which the vast majority of tech shops are — Azure Event Grid gives you a way to reap the benefits of an event-driven setup without having to fully embraces functions. Companies using Azure Event Grid can basically have their applications subscribe to various events that would be helpful to track, even if those applications weren't written with serverless techniques.
The top users of Azure Event Grid during the beta period were companies automating IT infrastructure around events and those heavily involved in internet-of-things applications, Sanders said. In an interview last year, Microsoft Azure CTO Mark Russinovich told GeekWire that serverless computing and edge computing are two complementary emerging technologies, and that's playing out with early users of Azure Event Grid.
Signifying its graduation to general availability, Azure Event Grid now comes with a service-level agreement guaranteeing 99.99 percent availability, just short of the fabled "5 9s" promise enterprise computing vendors like to make about their flagship products. The service will also be available in more regions than it was during the beta period.


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Seal Finds Toy Version Of Itself, Can't Stop Hugging It
I have been looking at the pictures of this seal treating the plush version of itself with obvious feelings and every time I shake my head and say… "no, animals can't love".
But what if what we see on these pictures is what love is, and not what we have been calling love on the Tree of Knowledge? What if?
I have a stuffed toy, a tiny bean bag tiger, I have been acting the same way as this seal. And the feelings I feel myself, and the feelings I feel from the seal are exactly the same.
So what is love? What is the seal feeling, what am I feeling?
SOURCE: click to continue reading When the empath is stumped… or what is love? Can seals love?


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I discovered Natasha Metzler quite by accident. Or providence, if you prefer. Someone had linked this incredible post of hers on Pinterest, and I became an immediate follower. I am so grateful that Natasha is willing to add her voice to our Advent series. I know you'll be blessed by what she's written here.
Sparkles of snow swirled on the windowpane as I stared into the darkness. "Oh, Lord," I whispered, "how do I face this holiday with grace, when everything in me is crying?"
It was the truth that scraped me raw. Infertility doesn't mix well with celebrations. Especially celebrations that focus so much on children. The children my body refused to bear. I could still feel like sinking feeling that had come when the doctor first confirmed my fears. Dreams of a family faded like the sun set, inch by inch, until darkness won.
But that day as I whispered my prayer, God's voice rushed over me. I knew it was Him. I knew it was the greater Truth that overshadows everything else. "Rejoice in every tiny taste of beauty," He said. "Acknowledge Me and I will direct your paths."
It didn't come naturally. I had to fight for it. Crying my way through hanging up Christmas ornaments, mourning the children that were not there to share the memories, and then taking a deep breath and speaking into the stillness, "God, I thank you for the beauty of twinkle lights." Silly, to be sure. Nothing profound or glorious. But yet, even in the ordinariness, He was there.
I was struck with the realization of the many times I stood and raged at God, asking where He was, what He was doing, why couldn't He just give me some kind of direction? And the entire time He was standing, with arms open, waiting for me to simply acknowledge Him. In the book of Proverbs, chapter 3 verses 5 & 6, we are told, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him and he will direct your paths."
In the Hebrew (3045) of "acknowledge" is the word "Yada" which also means, "to recognize, to admit, to confess, to know, to make known". It carries the connotation of observation, care, and recognition.
And so, with just a broken whisper about the beauty of the lights on my Christmas tree, I began a journey into the knowledge of God. He was faithful, dear friends, to show Himself to me. In my recognition of beauty and the confession of thanksgiving, I found that His presence became more and more obvious. His grace was filling me up.
This year, as the holidays buzz through, I encourage you to take a few deep breaths and drink in His presence. Even if all you can find are small tastes of beauty, because the loss and heartache fill so much of life, practice acknowledging Him in that. And I promise, you'll find more of Him than you ever dreamed.
He is here. Really and truly. He is here.
Natasha lives and writes from a farm in Northern New York. She is the author of Pain Redeemed: when our deepest sorrows meet God which tells the story of her walk through infertility and loss. You can find her blogging at natashametzler.com or follow her on Facebook, Twitter, and Google+.
Thank you so much for joining us in this Advent series.


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https://www.podbean.com/media/share/pb-7hbj9-b0ece9 Join us as we revisit the high's and even more high's that was Dapper Day at Disneyland in April. We also have a lot of news to share so grab your headphones, push play and enjoy! News & Rumors Virtual Queue at Disneylands Star Wars Galaxys Edge starting June 24 Bongos Closing in August 4… Continue reading Episode 14 – Dapper Day at Disneyland Trip Recap
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Episode 5 – What is Disney Bounding
Click the below link for our full episode! Make sure to subscribe on iTunes or Stitcher and leave us a rating! https://www.podbean.com/media/share/pb-nhhmd-980e22 DisneyBounding as Briar Rose meeting Joe Rhode at D23! News & Rumors: Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party Begins Caribbean Beach Dining Update New Disneyland Hotel on Hold New Tron ride at Magic… Continue reading Episode 5 – What is Disney Bounding


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Effective restaurant management is balancing many different groups and processes in a seamless operation. Food costs, inventory tracking, staff scheduling, food production, customer service and marketing are part of restaurant management. Here's a look at how to manage a restaurant in six steps, along with tips and advice from experienced restaurateurs.
Since restaurant management depends on tracking every aspect of your operation and tying it all to your bottom line, you really should consider using a restaurant point-of-sale (POS) system. Lightspeed Restaurant POS tracks ingredient inventory to meals sold, streamlines orders between kitchen and servers, and provides an array of detailed reports so you can closely monitor operations and costs. Try Lightspeed free for 14 days to see how it can boost your operation.
1. Create a Menu with Food Costs in Mind
Your restaurant menu plays a defining role in communicating your brand to patrons. The types of foods you sell, your pricing and even the way your menu is presented — every aspect impacts your customers' overall impression of your restaurant. Naturally, for many restaurants, menu management is job one.
However, when it comes to sound restaurant management, your menu is more than just a colorful list of the foods you sell. "Profitability should drive every menu decision you make," says Allison Bethell, who has owned and managed a variety of restaurant and bar businesses.
"Your food and liquor costs should dictate your entire menu, whether you run a burger and beer joint or a swanky upscale eatery," says Bethell. "We make up our food and drink menus, including specials, based on our potential profit for each item."
Develop Your Standard Menu
According to Bethell, the first step in planning how to manage a restaurant is building out a standard menu from a profit standpoint. "Ideally, the restaurant owner, manager and chef should develop this together," she says. "For startups, it's really important that at least one of these decision makers has experience in food costing and preparation needs to ensure that the menu is profitable."
Bethell says the restaurant management team should:
- Decide on the types of foods the restaurant will offer
- Create ingredient lists for each menu item
- Figure up average costs for each menu item
- Create recipes and preparation processes for each menu item
- Price menu items only after knowing both the actual ingredient costs and preparation times
She reminds managers to include "dash" ingredients like salt and seasonings in food and mixers and garnishes in drinks. "It's easy to overlook small 'dash' ingredients, but your cost of 'a pinch here and a splash there' adds up over time," says Bethell, "so you need to include these costs in each menu item, even if it's just a few pennies."
When pricing your menu items, Bethell recommends following these food cost average rules of thumb to ensure you leave enough room for profit:
- 25 percent for casual dining: If a menu item has a $4 total food cost, your menu price for that item should be $15.95 or more
- 35 percent for fine dining: If a menu item has an $8 total food cost, your menu price for that item should be $22.95 or more
Once your menu is set, Bethell has another piece of advice. "Research shows that a reader's eye naturally rests about one-third of the way down the menu page. So, when you design and print your menu, specials or more expensive and profitable dishes should appear in this spot on your menu. It's also smart to use callout boxes or highlighted text in this area of your menu to attract attention."
You can find a huge selection of ready-to-go menu designs on Vistaprint or create your own look using simple, free, online design tools. After all the details are in place, you can order menus using Vistaprint's fast, budget-friendly printing service. Prices start at just $15 for 50 full-color menus like those pictured above.
Make the Most of Specials
Specials are a great way for restaurant management to maximize profits and keep the menu current and fresh for repeat customers, according to Bethell.
"We create drink specials that use liquor we have in bulk or that we find on sale," she says, and the same applies to food specials. "If we get a discount deal on a fresh food item like salmon, we buy more than we need for regular menu sales. Then, we create a variety of salmon-based specials in addition to our usual salmon menu items. This lets us maximize our profit on fresh food deals, plus sell through fresh stock before it gets spoiled."
Remember Your Liquid Moneymakers
"Liquor sales are always more profitable than food sales," says Bethell, "and mixed drinks are generally more profitable than beer and wine." She recommends including pairings of wines, craft beers and even mixed drinks on the menu to boost profitability. She also adds, "restaurant management should train waitstaff to make these suggestions when taking food orders. It really helps if they understand and can explain the nuances behind the pairings, especially in a fine dining operation."
2. Always Watch Your Food & Operating Costs
The top reason that restaurants fail is not watching actual costs over time — food costs, in particular. "Creating your menu with your food costs in mind is step one," says Bethell, "but regularly reviewing your actual food costs over time is the only way to know what you're really spending per meal."
Reviewing actual food costs also helps restaurant management spot excess waste and even theft, says Bethell. "If you know your average cost of the ingredients that go into meals, then you know the number of meals you can prepare with your current inventory. If you run out of ingredients before you make the forecasted number of meals from stock-on-hand, you know you have a waste or theft problem."
So, be sure to track running food costs as part of your weekly or even daily restaurant management tasks. Here's the basic formula for tracking your average food costs over a period of sales, like a day, weekend or week:
Beginning Inventory + New Purchases – Ending Inventory = Cost of Goods Sold (COGS)
COGS ➗ Number of Meals Sold = Average Cost per Meal
Let's look at how this works using inventory and sales numbers from a hamburger shack that sells a variety of burger baskets:
In this example, knowing the average cost-per-meal — in this case, $2.74 per basket — lets the restaurant's manager:
- Set profitable sales prices: Using the casual dining 25 percent food cost rule-of-thumb, baskets with a $2.74 food cost should sell for at least $10.95
- Forecast the number of meals: If the shack has $100 in food inventory, it can expect to make 36 meals
- Spot waste or theft issues: If the shack's inventory shows it can make 36 meals but runs out of burger ingredients after making 28 baskets, there's probably a waste or theft problem that restaurant management should investigate
How to Track Sales Income & Food Costs
Tracking sales, inventory numbers and food costs can be done manually or by using the inventory and sales management tools that most restaurant point-of-sale (POS) systems provide.
"For manual sales, inventory and cost tracking, restaurant managers can pair cash register tallies with an inventory spreadsheet that tracks food quantities and purchases," says Bethell. "But a restaurant POS system makes all of this far easier, plus it provides up-to-the-minute numbers and really detailed reporting."
In fact, a system like Lightspeed Restaurant POS lets restaurant managers track menu costs by recipe, even to the ingredient level. Plus, you can review real-time running sales totals, meal orders and per-meal costs anytime with just the click of a button.
Consider Your Other Restaurant Management Costs
When planning how to manage a restaurant, your bottom line is everything and you need to track it closely, says Bethell. "Tallying sales and ticket totals should be part of any restaurant's daily closing procedures," she says. "Beyond that, you also need to track all of your operating costs closely."
In addition to watching food costs, Bethell recommends that restaurant management pay close attention to overhead costs and trim excess spending wherever possible:
- Payroll costs: This is generally the second-largest restaurant operating cost, after food; smart scheduling can help minimize your payroll costs
- Property costs: This includes rent or mortgage payments, plus any property taxes and maintenance; be smart when picking a space and don't overcommit to large space or long lease with a new launch
- Insurance: Property, commercial liability, liquor, health and workers' compensation insurance adds to your overall operating costs; be sure to review and compare rates each year
- Improvements and equipment: Set aside funds to cover equipment repairs and replacement so these issues don't catch you by surprise
- Utilities: Electrical, water, gas and Internet costs can add up, and some like heating or air conditioning can spike due to seasonal temperatures; plan for these fluctuations or look into flat-rate billing so you don't have cash flow issues due to large bills
- Licenses: Food handling permits, liquor licenses, building permits and related permits need to be kept up to date; the licensing costs are far lower than paying a fine or getting shut down for not having the proper permit
- Marketing: Some marketing and advertising outlets like radio, local magazines or newspapers can be more costly than social media or email marketing but, sometimes, that's money well-spent; watch your marketing dollars but also use the most effective medium for your brand and customers
- Taxes: Don't forget your taxes! — sales taxes, payroll, local property taxes and state and federal income taxes all need to be reported and paid on time to prevent costly fees and other headaches
POS systems like Lightspeed Restaurant POS include a range of staff management tools to help track employee productivity and control payroll costs. Plus, you can connect all of this data to your bookkeeping software like QuickBooks to integrate sales, inventory and staff data into your overall bookkeeping easily.
3. Manage Your Inventory Closely
Since food costs are the primary cost in any restaurant management plan, it's critical that you have a sound inventory management process in place to track food inventory to the ingredient level. "You always need to know what inventory ingredients you have on hand, what it all cost and how many meals you can make with it," says Bethell.
Know Your Ingredient & Menu Needs
Any restaurant, large or small, should have a master inventory list that outlines every ingredient that goes into menu items. This helps you track per-meal food costs plus ensures that both your fresh ingredient and dry goods orders are timely and accurate.
Chef Michael Bargas of the culinary school at The Art Institute of Houston says correct inventory starts with ordering the correct ingredients.
"It's important to be as detailed as possible when creating ingredient lists and placing orders," says Bargas. "An onion is not necessarily an onion. It could be yellow, white, red or green. It could be pearl, globe, large, small, jumbo, sliced, diced, peeled, frozen, dried and so on."
Bargas recommends using product specification sheets that clearly identify all necessary information about the items in your inventory and to use these "spec sheets" when ordering.
"A specification sheet helps communicate the right information about an ingredient to your supplier," says Bargas. "It also clearly describes ingredients to your kitchen staff, who are the ones will be using them in recipes," he says.
Small, limited-menu operations can get by with manual or spreadsheet-based ingredient spec sheets and master inventory lists, but larger establishments benefit greatly from using a POS system with restaurant-specific inventory management like Lightspeed Restaurant POS.
POS inventory systems let you create a master inventory list with detailed ingredient items, and then link each ingredient to specific menu items.
Know How Much Inventory You Have & Need Each Day
You can't prepare and serve what you don't have on hand, but you also don't want to overorder inventory, especially perishables. "Par" is the restaurant industry term for the inventory needed to meet daily demand. Accurate inventory checks and sales forecasting are restaurant management tools that keep stock levels on par with daily sales.
"A restaurant must have a keen focus on expected sales levels," says Bargas. "If I have a good idea of how many meals are going to sell on a given day, I can forecast my needs and purchase the appropriate amount of food."
However, being caught short on inventory is also something to watch, according to Chef Tommy Child and culinary instructor Vennessa Garner from the culinary school at The Art Institute of Houston.
"You can't do $20,000 in sales if you only have $5,000 worth of inventory," said Child and Garner. To prevent overspend or understock situations, they advise restaurant managers to set par levels that reflect projected sales but keep inventory levels low. "Bring in produce and fish daily," they say, "and order dry goods biweekly or as needed to maintain par without overspending."
"First-in, first-out inventory, called FIFO, is the inventory management process that restaurants use, especially for fresh ingredients," says Bethell. "This translates to the newest produce, meats, dairy and other perishables going to the back of the shelf and using the oldest stock first to prevent spoilage and waste."
Regular inventory count procedures help you manage par levels and prevent overordering, especially on fresh foods. "A daily inventory check walkthrough allows you to order foods based on immediate need," says Bargas. "However, a monthly count of everything in stock should be done to see trends in usage from month-to-month."
A small operation can track inventory and stock quantities manually or in spreadsheets, but a POS system does it all much faster and far more accurately. POS systems track ingredient usage in real time, plus you can print inventory-on-hand sheets to check stock counts.
Using a restaurant POS system, as you order and receive food from suppliers, your inventory counts are updated constantly. Plus, ingredient counts are adjusted as meals are ordered, so you always know what you have on hand. You can even set up low-inventory notifications so you'll know when it's time to reorder to ensure you're not caught short.
4. Create Your Operating Procedures & Training Manuals
Planning how to manage a restaurant starts with clear processes that define and guide the daily tasks involved in producing food, serving customers and maintaining facilities.
"Without processes and procedures, it's difficult to set expectations, train staff and manage the overall food production and serving process," says Bethell. "Front-of-house (FOH) processes that drive dining room and bar staff activities differ greatly from back-of-house (BOH) kitchen-area processes," she says, "but both are equally important."
Small operations like burger joints and food trucks might need just a few procedures that all staff adhere to like opening and closing procedures. Large establishments generally need procedures tailored to specific operational areas and functions like food prep stations, food storage and serving procedures.
Small or large, most restaurants can benefit from having:
- Opening and closing procedures: From turning on the lights upon opening to shutting off the grill at night, opening and closing procedures ensure that every step if handled correctly
- Inventory checking procedures: These govern when and how often you count inventory
- Food storage procedures: Correct food storage rules and procedures are critical to your restaurant's reputation and health inspection grade
- Food prep, cooking and plating procedures: The kitchen is an assembly line and these procedures ensure that every plated meal looks and tastes great
- Bar stocking procedures: Good restock procedures help you stock liquor correctly per your permit, allowing you to serve drinks quickly and keep your patrons happy
- Serving procedures: From greeting patrons upon seating to the way glasses are refilled and plates served, serving procedures cover every aspect of your waitstaff's interaction with customers
- Bussing procedures: Cleaning tables promptly is a necessity and these procedures make sure it's as unobtrusive as possible
- Cleaning procedures: From kitchen end-of-day sanitizing to day-long dining room tidying, good cleaning procedures keep your FOH space inviting and BOH safe for food production
Career restaurateur Tara Sullivan emphasizes that procedures are the lifeblood of sound restaurant management and the secret behind many large operations' success.
"If you look at all the big corporate restaurants, they all have one thing in common — there are rules and everyone sticks to them," says Sullivan. "Everything is documented, and they run reports and analyses regularly to make sure everything is running efficiently."
In fact, once you've outlined the processes and procedures that define your restaurant operation, it's a good idea to collect them into two working documents:
- Standard operating procedures (SOPs): This is the master copy of your processes and procedures for every area of your operation; include in this roundup any regulatory, health or licensing procedures that your operation must follow so your SOP document is complete
- Staff training manuals: This can be a single manual or BOH/FOH specific manuals, depending on the size and demands of your operation; include all human resources-related documents in your training manuals, such as an employee handbook, to give employees a single point of reference for all employment-related information
Having SOPs and staff training manuals in place makes your next step, which is training staff, far easier.
5. Train Staff & Manage Schedules
Staff training and retention are among the top challenges that most restaurant operations face. According to Bethell, that's no surprise. "Most restaurant positions are part-time at minimum wage," she says. "For many workers like students or night help, it's simply a stopover job, not a career commitment."
Management issues like bad scheduling, incomplete training or favoritism often drive staff to quit unexpectedly, which leaves management to fill in the gaps. "But. effective training, combined with clear processes and efficient scheduling, can help you retain good employees," she says.
Create a Staff Training Program
No restaurant operation is too small for a training program. If you're not sure how to put one together, start with the procedures covered above and combine them into a staff training manual. Once you set up procedures to cover the operational tasks in your operation, you can use these procedures as checklists to train your staff.
Also, consider letting the shining stars on your staff take on training responsibilities or at least let new hires shadow or back up your top performers. This frees up time for you and your managers and helps new staff slide into the workflow more quickly. A simple training checklist like the one below can help guide the process, track your new hire's progress and ensure all key training points are covered.
If you use a POS system like Lightspeed Restaurant POS, you can even give new staffers a limited-access login to create practice orders and self-train on the system without saving actual data.
Schedule Staff Effectively
Restaurant scheduling is critical to smooth day-to-day restaurant management operations. "The challenge," according to Bethell, "is to have enough staff to provide efficient service but not be overstaffed and find yourself paying people to stand around." Bethell also warns against excessive cutting due to overscheduling. "If you regularly overschedule and cut staff, employees will get frustrated and start to quit. Scheduling should be handled carefully and not thrown together at the last minute."
Clearly, scheduling is a delicate balance and here's a look at how industry pros manage it effectively:
- Use shifts: If your restaurant is open breakfast through dinner, try running a morning shift, swing (midday) shift and late shift to cover service needs throughout the day
- Publish schedules early: Try to publish schedules at least five days before the schedule's start date so staff can plan other needs like school or child care around scheduled shifts
- Don't play favorites: Be fair with your staff and spread shifts out among better nights like Friday and Saturday nights and slower midday times when tips aren't as plentiful
- Respect your staffs' availability: If you hired a student knowing they have early classes, don't abuse them by regularly scheduling closing shifts during the week
- Have a firm no-show policy: Being firm on firing staff that no-shows without a completely unavoidable reason prevent others from doing the same
- No same-day drops: A firm no same-day drops policy (except in extraordinary circumstances) helps you prevent abuse
- Dedicate your top servers to private functions: If you have a party room or a reservation for a large group, dedicate one or more of your best servers to this group so they don't split their time between stations
Everything above, ranging from standard operating procedures to good scheduling and staff management policies, sets up clear expectations that Danica Copus, the retail district manager for Caffe Umbria, says "employees respect and even appreciate."
"One thing I've learned in my years managing people is that they like to have clear expectations and a clear job description," she says. "It's very easy for communication to break down, and this can create poor morale that can morph into poor customer service."
She advises restaurant management to make sure employees know what you need from them and what their role is in your organization. "That can make all the difference in your restaurant's overall success, plus it goes a long way in helping retain good employees."
6. Manage Growth Through Marketing Channels
With a sound set of restaurant management procedures and processes in place, a well-trained staff and a system to track your income and costs, you've set the stage for growth. There are many ways to manage your marketing and advertising efforts. We outline the entire process in our restaurant marketing guide, but here's a quick look at the many marketing avenues available to you:
Your restaurant website – Every restaurant should have its own website to list menus, specials, events, communicate with repeat and potential clientele and even take online orders.
Our free restaurant website template helps you set up your own restaurant website on WordPress quickly, complete with your own customized menu and easy-access contact information for your customers.
Loyalty programs – Point- and discount-based loyalty programs incentivize customers to return frequently and are highly effective restaurant management and marketing tools. Some operate independently while others integrate with various POS systems.
In fact, Copus heartily recommends using loyalty programs to connect to and grow a customer base. "Loyalty programs are not only a great way to keep regular customers but they're also a great way to get new ones," she says. "It's a good conversation tool and people feel more invested in your cafe or restaurant." At Caffe Umbria, Copus uses an online rewards program as well as the old standby — a punch card, "and customers love both," she says. "Living in a time where coffee drinks can cost upward of $5, it's a wonderful perk."
Email campaigns – Email marketing campaigns are low cost and, done right, highly effective at driving repeat business to restaurants establishments.
Social media – Social media is another top marketing tool that restaurants use to reach repeat and potential customers. Facebook and Instagram campaigns can target very specific geographic locations as well.
Review platforms – Platforms like Yelp and Google reviews are also effective in driving customers through your doors. They also give you insight into the customer service experience your restaurant delivers and give you a chance to respond to dissatisfied customers that you otherwise might never hear from. Streamline your reviews management process with a roll-up service like Yext.
Coupon and deal site marketing – Groupon and similar online deal and coupon marketing sites are powerful traffic drivers and are especially useful for bringing in new customers who might not otherwise know about your restaurant.
Traditional advertising – Local radio, newspaper, and direct mail advertising can still be a good value as can working to garner coverage through event publicity and other public relations efforts.
The Bottom Line
A successful restaurant operation is made up of many moving parts and we've touched on several key factors here: menus, costs, inventory, processes, staffing and growth. The main takeaway is that learning how to manage a restaurant right starts with understanding your costs and watching every detail that affects them like inventory and creating processes and training and managing staff.
With a sound operation and trained staff in place, you're ready to focus on marketing your restaurant. However, are you ready for the extra demands that growth can bring?
In micro-operations, things like sales, pricing, inventory and staff activity can be managed manually. But, to really prepare for growth, a POS system like Lightspeed Restaurant POS is an invaluable tool that gives you insight into and control of an array of operating details like ingredient-level inventories, automated purchasing, seating management, staff performance and comprehensive business reports. If you've set the stage for growth, it's time to see how a POS system can move you to the next level.
How do you manage the day-to-day tasks in your restaurant? Do processes drive your operation or do you handle things differently? Does technology play a role? We'd love to hear your thoughts on how to manage a restaurant in the comment section below.