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Obama's immigration plan
On Nov. 20, President Obama acted with unprecedented executive powers to grant legal status and new protections to as many as 5 million illegal immigrants. Obama arrogantly ignored the contents of a letter dated the day before — issued following a Justice Department investigation — that he lacked the authority to act via an executive order.
Obama sold his executive overreach by claiming that his executive amnesty was not amnesty but actually accountability for illegal immigrants. Obama's argument was that because Congress hasn't passed legislation giving amnesty to illegal immigrants, he has no choice but to ram it through. Granted to at least 4 million currently illegal immigrants are work permits, Social Security numbers and protection from deportation.
This flouting of the law and of the Constitution will only encourage yet another wave of illegal immigration. Then, too, throughout history, unchecked power has led to the rise of tyrants and despots.
President Obama has procedural discretion, but his expansive action went way beyond that of his predecessors. How does Obama explain away the 22 times he publicly stated prior to his order that it would be unconstitutionally impossible to do so, "I'm president. I'm not king."
While it might seem the compassionate to offer legal status, what about the millions of people already in this nation mired in dire poverty? What about the millions of people who have immigrated here legally as well as those who have been waiting in the queue for years to be admitted?
What about the cost of Obama's amnesty recipients estimated to be around $2 trillion over the course of their lifetime? With our national debt approaching $18 trillion, paying it back at a rate of $1 billion per day would take nearly 50 years!
On an issue as important as solving the illegal immigration problem so 10 years from now the same situation won't exist, it is the responsibility of Congress, not the president, to act. Sealing the border before all else should be top priority.
Nancy J. Thorner, Lake Bluff
More guns, less safety
Having attended both the forum and many Libertyville Days events, I found her lack of judgment — that she would want to carry among crowds of families and children — alarming. This paper reported that another gun carrier judged he could leave his weapon unattended in his vehicle while another driver used his car (Concealed carry applications top 4,400 in Lake County, Nov. 20).
Judgment cannot be gained by the concealed carry permit training, a minimal 16 hours. These trainings focus mainly on handling the gun, according to aChicago Tribune article.
In sharp contrast, after six months of police academy training, rookie officers undergo many weeks of supervised field training before patrolling solo.
While gun-carrying people who attended the sessions clearly wanted to be law-abiding, their questions exhibited many alarming examples of lack of judgment.
Now over 4,000 permits are being granted in Illinois. These numbers add up to an alarming equation. More guns in our communities combined with a lack of judgment and experience equals a more dangerous society.
Sandra Petroshius, Grayslake
Life is a compromise
As an American of African descent, I have a question. And I hope and pray that other black people will ask themselves this question as well in regards to the Ferguson, Missouri, tragedy. If we are to progress as a people, we need to ask this question with logic and reason. And we must not respond solely with emotions. Please obey God and not your emotions.
The question is simple. What is it that protesters in Ferguson are protesting about? The protesters carry on as if they are defending a man's rights. If they are defending this man's rights, which rights are they defending? Did Mr. Brown have the right to attack that policeman? Was it right and noble for Mr. Brown to take a stand for his perceived rights to steal and to assault storeowners and policemen?
It is not noble. It is extremely self-serving. His actions closely resembled those of a wild animal. You and I know that out of control wild animals are eventually caged or killed in order to guarantee the safety of the public. It is the inevitable outcome of such behavior.
This man's only concern was to get what he wanted. He showed absolutely no concern for the safety of all those around him. That is why we have traffic signals. Everyone cannot have his own way. It would mean chaos and eventually total destruction of our society. Life is a compromise. Do we really want to promote a culture of lawlessness? Such a culture puts us all, blacks and whites, in great peril.
Charles Danyus, Zion
Plea to Dold
Congratulations, Congressman Robert Dold, on your campaign victory. Before you begin representing our state in Washington, I would like to make a few suggestions for your term in office. Let's make the upcoming legislative session about preventing and fighting cancer.
Cancer is not a partisan issue. Almost every person in our country knows someone who has been diagnosed with, survived or passed away from this terrible disease. Republican or Democrat, we all want to make cancer history.
Latest Opinion
This year alone, more than 66,000 people living in Illinois will be diagnosed with cancer — more than 170 individuals every single day. Sadly, an estimated 24,000 Illinoisans will lose their battle in 2014. That's why the time to act is now.
I urge you to prioritize public policies that reduce cancer incidence and death. Help us make cancer medications more affordable for patients. Encourage healthy habits like reducing consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages. Increase access to breast and cervical cancer screenings for uninsured and underinsured women. Until we take this issue seriously, cancer will continue to cut lives short in our state.
Congressman Dold, your constituents are counting on you. On behalf of cancer survivors and advocates like me, make fighting cancer your priority.
Maggie Powell, Waukegan
Survivor & Volunteer, American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN)


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Dominican Republic | Aged 7.74/10
Best Price Partner Price $39.99
(279 ratings)
Recommendable to most
Dominican Republic | Aged 7.74/10
Best Price Partner Price $39.99
7.7/10 (279 ratings) Recommendable to most
Sort by: Popularity | Date | Rating
Une robe acajou sombre. Un nez doux avec des arômes de canne à sucre, de vanille, de caramel et de fruits secs. De la douceur également en bouche avec un corps ayant du caractère avec des notes de vanille et de bois. Une finale longue et douce.
Im a mix drinker. I always mix my rums, sailor jerry, bayou, my favorite mixers. Welp. I just decided to poor me an open on the rocks glass and god damn i like it. Havent mixed it into anything. The bottle was sooo cool it cought my eye across the store. So i had to have it. How smooth it is going down it tremendous. I gotta say theres a mellow taste. You really feel the earthly-ness of it followed up by the cask taste. All around great rum. Its sweet off the staty and has a wooden mid taste a slight burn, not bad at all going down. And a genuine rum tatse after words. Very much a fan. Csnt wait to buy the 18 year ince this 12 is finished. Might just buy the 23 ag the same time as the 18.
Après une bonne année d'essais infructueux à me procurer cette élégante bouteille, je dois avouer que mes attentes étaient bien élevée après avoir mis la main dessus par pur hasard pendant un voyage en Californie. Malheureusement, les attentes ne furent pas tout à fait comblée....
Au nez on sent immédiatement une présence intense de cassonade et de vanille. Le coté boisé vient ensuite compléter ce premier contact avec ce rhum qui déjà, semble vouloir me laisser sur mon appétit.
En bouche, les mêmes arômes viennent, dans le même ordre qu'au nez. Cassonade, vanille, le bois carbonisé et un légère touche d'armertume qui ressemble à du zest d'orange.
Une chaleur au niveau de la gorge fait une arrivée tardive, voir 2-3 secondes après la gorgé, ce qui pour moi est de loin le coté le plus intéressant de ce produit.
Ce qui me déçois de ce rhum est son insipidité, son manque total de personnalité...
Dommage car ce n'est pas un produit mal fait ou surfait. simplement .... sans caractère.
Je donne quand même un 7 pour l'effort et aussi pour le fait qu'un 6 serait malhonnête..!
At first, I thought this was going to hit me strong, simply judging from the nose. Then I sipped it. Not overpowering, just a good balance of kick with smooth.
It had a great well rounded taste to it. Did not meet my best rums but beet most others that I have tried.
Soft with persistent flavors (sugar cane, molasses, vanilla, tobacco). Recommended !
This rum is great if you like a rum that balances some sweetness, depth, smoky and just the right amount of alcohol. The rum is just a tad less refined than the 18 year version, but still a fantastic sipper neat.
Har glædet mig meget til at smage denne rom. Flasken er super flot og indbydende.
Duften er dejlig sød med vanilje og et strejf af banan og tørret frugt man fornemmer tydeligt noget fad.
Smagen er som forventet sødlig og røget smag den ender ret tørt med en lækker eftersmag af fad.
Smooth sipper neat. Easy on the palate for a young age, with a tone of Vanilla and medium finish. Like it.
I gave this one several tries before giving my score of 7/10. It just lacks in flavor and overall smoothness. It has a good taste but comes on very strong and a bit bitter. I guess it's a recommendation when you're not into all the sweet rums and prefer something stronger. For me it's just overrated, maybe an earlier year used to be better?
A pleasant drop of Rum. Spicy and high alcohol flavours to start, with with a nice honey after-taste.
molasses. dry!
i smell vanilla and toffee notes. spicy elements at the same height.maybe some tobacco notes and some fruit.
i taste toffee, prune and honey. bold wood. almond in the back. a little bit raw with some sharp edges.
7/10 - drop 5 points if your best rum is the diplomatico or plantation xo barbados!
a nice heavy rum without sugar. good starter, the 18y old is much better!
This is a warn rum that just hits the right balance between smoothness and flavour great if you just have some nice quiet time to sit and drink
Second favorite run so far, the 23 year being my favorite. I would rate it 9.5 overall but with the price factored in I felt rounding up would be the best choice.
Price is weighed lightly in my rating. I paid $28 for a 750ml bottle, absolute steal for the price.
Enough said....not overly spicy...not bland. Just smooth
EDIT: I'm finishing off the final bottle and wanted to give it another go. I added some water this time to try and open up the flavor. Definitely a bit better than the first go. I'm still getting an odd mix of flavors and the bitter taste is still there which I'm not sure if coming from the oak or a possible dried fruit. I wonder if they tried to put too much complexity into this. I think letting it sit longer may be the secret to this. The strong alcohol and vanilla is slowly turning into banana (laffy taffy). Will update later with my final conclusion, but I did give it another star.
First: Opening up the bottle was definitely not what I expected it to be. Alcohol with a faint sweetness. What did I buy?! Once poured, a tinge of vanilla mixed with a slight molasses under tone.
First Taste: Alcohol, vanilla, burn. Somebody said dried tropical fruit. Is this a Jaimacan? No...wait...bitter, sour...pepper?
Sitting in a rocks glass for 5-10 minutes: Bloom of vanilla...taste...pepper, alcohol...bitter after taste.
Honestly, at this point, I am not a fan. Nothing about this rum makes me want to come back. Was looking at the 18Yr...I'm going to pass. I'm not sure what the big deal is about this rum. Maybe I prefer a bit sweeter rum? I find the character hard to pinpoint. It feels like it's lost between Barbados and Jamaica. I may try adding a bit of sugar to it. Maybe some water or ice. I do compliment the bottle though. Very nice presentation. Looks wonderful. For comparison sake, I'm using Mt. Gay XO and Pilar 24 as the competition.
where i live this stuff is cheap compared to other states which i was surprised. after trying it after a whim i was like wow this is great stuff. got alot of oak and smoke flavors (which if you like that then ull like that).
Good Rum for the price
I did expect a little more after reading the ratings. It is a good rum, the smell is really nice but behind the little sting of alcohol doesn´t come as much as i would liked.
Un rhum que je ne connaissais pas et qui a vraiment été une bonne surprise! Aussi chouette au nez qu'en bouche!
A delicious sipper, wonderfully complex yet smooth and not overly sweet. A fantastic value for the price.
Priced right. Great bottle. Fine sipping rum. You will be back.
Nice amber color, tad sweet but balanced vanilla and oak notes. Good value for a no burn sipper.
I tried it clean, tried it on ice, and never really found the complex flavors everyone's talking about. This is a decent rum, but a diplomatico is similarly priced and much better.
This rum is a great sipper rum. Nice and smooth with no burn. All the wonderful favors of vanilla and oak are present providing a well balanced drink. The bottle is quite unique and sexy.

subset: commoncrawl


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A PAWSITIVE PET CARE SOLUTION ~ Personal care when you can't be there
Pawsitively Pawesome Portraits
Our Owner loves to photograph animals and especially dogs. Her own dogs are probably the most photographed pups around! If you wish to discuss photography of your pet, please let us know. Debbi is happy to provide you with more samples of her photography but please browse the samples below.
Pet photography is about capturing a moment that represents your pet's personality. Poses are nice, but I strive to capture my own dogs and those of family in the act of doing something they love... playing in the snow, swimming, resting after a walk, hanging out on the beach. I find the unexpected moments the best ones....the photo from an unexpected perspective is also quite pleasing and allows your pet's true personality to shine through.
Beautiful Bella was a recent pet we photographed over the summer. We went to World's End in Hingham for our photo shoot. Here are a few of her photos.
She was a joy to photograph and we had a great time.
Pawesome Pals, LLC All Rights Reserved, © 2008-2017
powered by Network Solutions®
About Us - Memberships
Our Pawesome Service Menu
Why Us & Policy-Procedure
About Dog Walks
Testimonials & Bow-Wows
The Pawesome Pets & Pals
Area Veterinary Clinics
Pawesome Pet 'Tid Bits'
Puppy 101
Health & Safety
Lost / Found Area Pets
Pet Photography~Portraits
Refer a Friend
Bark at Us - contact


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How to Rehabilitate a Bowling Wrist Injury
Have the injury examined by your doctor to determine the extent of it. It may be just a mild sprain but it could also be nerve or ligament damage. A proper and through diagnosis is critical to treating it. Seek treatment immediately after injury or it may continue to linger.
The best thing you can do heal an injured wrist is to give it a complete rest. The wrist can easily become re-injured if you try to return to bowling too fast. Give the wrist a rest of a minimum of two weeks.
Use ice massage as soon as you feel pain in your wrist. Continue to use ice massage in your recovery to keep swelling down.
Wear wrist splints if ordered by doctor. Don't use the ones you can buy at the drug store. They may not work without a doctor's supervision.
The wrist is commonly injured in bowling. Bowling places a lot of stress on the wrist and if you are an avid bowler you may injure the wrist at some point. If you injure your wrist here are some tips on how to rehabilitate the injury as soon as possible.
If you are experiencing serious medical symptoms, seek emergency treatment immediately.
The wrist can easily become re-injured if you try to return to bowling too fast. Wear wrist splints if ordered by doctor. Use ice massage as soon as you feel pain in your wrist.
- When you return to bowling after an injury take it easy. Don't bowl as often as you normally do until your wrist is back to full strength. Also consider using a less heavy ball to take some stress off the wrist. Use a wrist support and concentrate on maintaining proper technique with the wrist while bowling.


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Connecting to your virtual machine
This article describes several ways to connect to a running virtual machine. Prerequisites include proper firewall settings and a floating IP.
Keypair based SSH connection
When your virtual machine has a public Floating IP assigned in cPouta cloud (or VM local IP in case of ePouta) and a [security group] that allows SSH, you can open a remote SSH connection into your instance. Any standard SSH client should work.
A new virtual machine will only have a default user account and the root or administrator account or in some cases only the root account. The user account name depends on the image used. For images provided by CSC it has usually been "cloud-user" but we are moving towards using the images upstream defaults for example ubuntu 18 uses "ubuntu". You can only log in using keypair based authentication, such as:
#for cPouta CentOS/ScientificLinux/Ubuntu 16.04 VMs
ssh cloud-user@public-ip -i keyfile.pem
#for cPouta Ubuntu 18.04 VMs
ssh ubuntu@public-ip -i keyfile.pem
#for ePouta CentOS/ScientificLinux/Ubuntu 16.04 VMs
ssh cloud-user@vm-ip -i keyfile.pem
#for ePouta Ubuntu 18.04 VMs
ssh ubuntu@vm-ip -i keyfile.pem
With the default CSC images when you try logging in as root, you will get a message that tells you what username to use instead. Some third party images may use the root account directly, or a completely different username.
You can also use an SSH agent instead of the command above. With an SSH agent, you will be able to have one machine with a public IP, and connect via SSH to the other machines from that machine, without having public IPs for all machines. To use an SSH agent in your local Linux or Mac OS X machine, start a shell and run commands:
ssh-agent /bin/bash
ssh-add ~/.ssh/keyname.pem
Now you should be able to connect using SSH to the public Floating IP of your VM in cPouta (or VM local IP in case of ePouta). The public IP and private IP of your VMs are visible in the web UI if you are unsure what they are. Once the key has been loaded, you can use SSH agent as follows:
#for cPouta VMs
ssh -A cloud-user@public-ip
#for ePouta VMs
ssh -A cloud-user@vm-ip
The difference is that you are no longer specifying the key to use using -i since this comes automatically from the agent. The -A option stands for agent forwarding. It allows you to use the host with the public Floating IP as a jump host, i.e. connect to other VMs reachable by the jump host that allow this particular key. Please note that key forwarding transfers your private key to the remote host. This may not be acceptable in some environments or security policies.
Before connecting to your virtual machine, you can check its status from the Instances view of the cPouta/ePouta web interface.
Figure Instances view of the cPouta web interface.
Figure above shows a sample of the Instances view in cPouta web interface. In this case we can see that virtual machine called a-dummy-instance is active and running. The machine has two IP addresses of which address 18.104.22.168 is the public one. The machine uses a keypair called risto.
ePouta web interface looks similar, but instances in ePouta have only one IP address field specified which is the virtual machine's local IP.
Getting root access on a virtual machine
If you logged in using a default user account, you will be able to run commands as root with sudo like so:
sudo <some command>
You can also get a root shell like so:
sudo -i
None of the accounts in the default images provided by CSC have password login enabled. In these images, you can utilize sudo without a password. If accounts that do not have root access are needed, those need to be created separately.
Connect to a machine using the Pouta virtual console
The web interface includes a console tool that you can use to login to your virtual machine directly. However, when using CSC provided images, using the console requires you to create a user account with a password into the virtual machine.
You can open a console session by clicking Console from the instance dropdown menu:
To input text into the console click the grey bar as shown:
After this you can login with the user account and password you have created.
Umlaut *characters don't work in the virtual console for most keymaps.


text: HYDERABAD: Despite the significant numbers of Christians living in Hyderabad and the interior Sindh, the community has only fielded one candidate for the provincial assembly seat PS-65, Suleman Noor Alam, who has been urging the people of his constituency to vote for him without any religious or racial discrimination. Meanwhile, Pasban-i-Pakistan (PP), a socio-political group in Pakistan that works for human rights, has resolved to firmly support Suleman Noor Alam,According to a press release recently issued by PP, the party's regional president Arshad Arain, Manzoor Ahmed and Anwar Bhatti initiated a door-to-door election campaign for Suleman, to persuade people to vote for him. The only Christian candidate in the interior Sindh has pledged to resolve critical issues of his constituency and raise his voice in the assembly against injustices with the poor, if he gets elected.Importantly, PP has strongly criticised the mainstream political parties for sidelining the candidates belonging to the minority faiths. "These parties did nothing to secure the rights of minorities but shouted empty slogans," the PP representatives said.Many prominent Christian community members including Younis Gill, Nazir Masih, John Gill, Waris Sadiq and others asserted that the mainstream political parties did not issue any party tickets to their representatives while they have been demanding an equal participation in the electoral process of the country."Since a long time, we have been demanding elections not selections," they said.Nazir Masih revealed that there were more than 20,000 registered voters, belonging to the minority faiths, in PS-65 constituency of Latifabad, and expressed hope that they would support and vote Suleman."We are being threatened to withdraw our candidate, but we are not afraid of such threats," he said adding that social media has raised awareness amongst youths.Published in Daily Times, July 18th 2018.


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Family Therapist
Joanne Koopmans, Registered Psychologist, MSc MFT
Registered Psychologist, Marital and Family Therapist
4701 49 Avenue, Leduc, Alberta T9E 7H8 | 587-274-3939
Our experiences in our family of origin strongly influence how we deal with life today. When we grow up with a secure attachment style we find life enjoyable and are able to work effectively with choices made by the people who really count--friends, lover, children, or other family members. We an all grow into a secure attachment style for the benefit of ourselves, our partners, our children, and others.
Family Therapist
Kevin Fleming Ph.D.
Coach/Change Agent/Consultant
At Home or Private Discreet Intensives
Most family therapists inadvertently create more chaos through their well-intentioned efforts to assist a family move through a change process. Why? Brains are inherently deregulated (all of us, may I add) and most talking and dialoguing misses brain-centric problems that need more intensive help. Many times the emotional trauma created by years of solving problems ineffectively can wreak havoc on the brain's parasympathetic nervous system, not ever giving the family a break from flight or fight thinking. Contact us for an innovative neuroscience solution to family dysfunction. email@example.com or 877-606-6161.
Family Therapist
Kevin Alderson, Ph.D.
Registered Psychologist
Available for Online Therapy
[NOTE: MY OFFICE IS IN CALGARY -- I DO VIDEO SESSIONS ELSEWHERE IN ALBERTA]. None of us took degrees on how to be great parents, yet despite our best efforts, things can go amuck quickly. I have a son and a daughter of my own… I know how challenging raising children and making families work can be. Let's not waste time but instead get down to the issues that are affecting your family right now. Book an appointment by going to https://app.acuityscheduling.com/schedule.php?owner=14249112
Family Therapist
Mallory Becker, M.A., R.Psyc.
Registered Psychologist
Suite 201, 6720 104 Street, Edmonton, Alberta T6H 2L4 | 587-855-5598
Families can be one of the most rewarding human experiences and the most difficult experiences . I work with various types of families and work with issues from everyone involved. I can help you enrich your current relationships or help with problems such as conflict, arguing, lack of family connection, communication difficulties or understanding past experiences in a positive and safe environment. Several formats are used including counselling individually (such as only one family member solely attending counselling or the entire family. Families have the opportunity to grow individually and together.
You Have Found the Best Family Therapy in Leduc, AB. Let's Get Started.
Thank you for visiting our Alberta search of licensed family therapists in Leduc. Discord due from strife, marital problems, sibling rivalry, family of origin issues and blended families (just to name a few) can strain and hurt loving relationships. Counselling with honesty and depth will get to the heart of the issues and work towards healing. Find resolution for your family in Leduc right now, please contact a specialist above, you can email 24/7.
Leduc is located in Alberta, Canada. It has a land area of 42.44 square kilometers.  The population of Leduc is 30,498 people with 11,319 households . The population ranking for Leduc is #150 nationally and #14 for the province of Alberta with a density of 706.70 people per sq km. Leduc therapists serve postal code: T9E.


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a few more birds and wildflowers….
In the last few days I've been painting my house. I hate having to step away from the camera even for a bit of awhile. No matter how beautiful the view is outside my window – but I guess I had to concern myself a bit on the inside.
My hubby and I only managed the basement so far – so yep, been busy but I'll catch up!
Meanwhile, I'll toss out some photos of some birds that did capture my attention. One's I'm sure I haven't posted yet and then I'll drink coffee and maybe this morning I'll get a chance to capture a few more photos. (Boy, I hope so, painting in a word "sucks" – the end results are worth it however.)
Initially I was going to post the wikipedia website on the Lark Sparrow but it does not do the bird justice so I quoted this one instead.
Here is lark sparrow that has been wandering around our feeder.
It was the distinctive eye line that I loved on this fellow.
I also wanted to post this lady. I just adored this angle I'm pretty sure that she is a lady red winged blackbird. I could be wrong – because recently I've had a more difficult time figuring out the "sparrow" looking birds. So if I am wrong I'm completely up for correction.
And a male goldfinch – this isn't the best composition in the world but finally I got a decent shot of ones of these birds – so I'm posting him. Usually the yellow is so bright that it washes out how really wonderful they look. They are so darn small and difficult to shoot (well, at least for me) that once I got a clear shot I was posting it regardless of the lack of my artistic eye! He does however come complete with a seed!
I had mentioned, somewhere in one of my posts, that I was sure that the sky rockets come up later over here. I discovered they show up around the first week of June.
Sky Rocket (Gilia aggregata)
And here is another shot because I wanted to capture inside of the blossom.
If you'd like to see another exellent photo of a lark sparrow here is a really lovely shot! http://montucky.wordpress.com/2007/06/13/sparrow-in-a-pine/
Filed under: Local Birds, Pacific Northwest, Uncategorized | 9 Comments
Tags: Bisbee Mountain, Environment, Kettle Falls, Kettle Falls Washington, Nature, Orient Washington, Rural, Washington, Washington State, Wildflowers, Wildlife
9 Responses to "a few more birds and wildflowers…."
The Goldfinch and the Sky-Rockets were just a treat for the eye. My after-lunch desert, so to say 🙂
Thanks for the lovely photographs!


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- 0"w x 21.5"h
- 300 Total Watts
- 3 Lights
- Incandescent Output
Wheaton is a tribute to versatility. In brushed nickel it offers a soft contemporary feel while in the weathered iron finish and dusted alabaster glass, it takes on a rustic charm. Wheaton delivers excellent transitional style that can fit within various home decor styles.
The Sea Gull Lighting 65626-782 Wheaton collection Pendant Lighting in Heirloom Bronze uses Incandescent light output and brings Transitional style. This item is 21.5"H. The wattage is 300. The Sea Gull Lighting 65626-782 requires 3 bulbs (not included). Additional Information: Shade-Satin Etched
By Selecting the Options above you can view all of these Sea Gull Lighting Lighting Products in this Wheaton Collection: 65626-782, 65626-962


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Holyrood PR make (muddy) waves in the press
Monday, October 19th, 2015
on behalf of Holyrood PR
Our brave (read mad) exploits raise £1500 and make some handy headlines in the process
Have you heard about the time we completed Total Warrior as a team, after months of training?
It is safe to say we are mighty proud of our achievements, and we have certainly been doing a fair bit of tweeting/blogging/filming and photoshoot-ing. So if you're feeling a wee bit inundated at this stage we do apologise.
But we do it for good reason. And that is because we are a 'Show and Tell' agency.
So what does that mean? Well we fundamentally believe in what we offer to potential and current clients – there is a huge amount of merit in telling your stories to the world – whether it be through the medium of print, social media, video or by blogging.
So when we know we have a great story, which will generate captivating images and
video, we do our best to package it up and well…tell the world.
(Plus, what could be funnier than seeing your exhausted bosses, Raymond Notarangelo and Scott
Douglas trawl through thick claggy mud?)
Somehow missed our Total Warrior campaign? Check out these photos to see what we went through to raise over £1500
So we were delighted when on top of helping our clients gain business boosting coverage, we were getting the morale boost ourselves.
And this came courtesy of a great mention on the hugely influential PRweek, which included our highly entertaining video, as well as a further feature online on the Scotsman's newly revamped website. It also featured in the Edinburgh Evening News as well.
Prior to the event we also teamed up with Claire Smith of the Scottish Government Marketing team, ensuring print coverage in Claire's weekly article in the Edinburgh Evening News.
Want to learn more about PR, Social Media and Digital?
Get in touch with us on 0131 561 2244 or use the handy wee form below:
Chris Fairbairn
Chris Fairbairn is an Account Director with award-winning public relations agency Holyrood PR. He is part of an expert PR team delivering PR services to a wide range of clients from headquarters in Edinburgh, Scotland.View Chris's Profile
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Compare hot water systems from Rheem, Rinnai, Bosch, Dux and AquaMax. Systems are reviewed on their effectiveness, reliability, quietness, ease of use, after sales service/warranty, value for money & overall customer satisfaction.
See our Ratings Methodology.
You might think that all hot water systems are basically the same – after all, they all do more or less the same thing, right? Well, they certainly all heat up your water so you can enjoy nice, long showers at the end of a hot day – but how they go about doing it, plus how reliably they do it, and how much they cost to do it, can vary greatly. Finding the best water system for your home is no easy task. You first need to understand what different types of systems are available, get to grips with their ongoing running costs, and find a product that meets your needs and budget.
To help you on the road to a reliable and cost-effective water system, Canstar Blue has produced this guide. In it, we review the types of hot water systems available in Australia, compare ongoing running costs, and find out which brands are rated best on factors like effectiveness, reliability, ease of use, and value for money.
To produce our customer satisfaction ratings for 2018, we've surveyed hundreds of households across Australia – finding out which type of system they use, how much they paid for it, and how they rate their brand of choice across seven key variables. The idea is to give you the information you need to make an informed decision before you go out and buy your next hot water system. Finding out what other Aussies think of the rated brands is a great place to start.
The five brands to feature in our latest hot water systems review have been rated in the following order for overall customer satisfaction:
So, households that 'install a Rheem' are the most satisfied this year – who'd have thought? The company was rated five stars across most research categories, and replaces Rinnai at the top of the table. Rinnai and Bosch received four stars overall, with Dux and AquaMax on three stars. It should be noted that Rinnai still earned top marks on value, while joining Rheem on five stars in regards to reliability.
Now we know which brands are rated highest, let's dive into detail about the types of hot water systems available in Australia, what they are likely to cost you upfront, and how much they could add to your ongoing energy bills.
The humble hot water system might seem like an unlikely culprit for large energy bills – but did you know that the cost of heating water can make up 30% of an average Australian household's total electricity bill? Your system may be costing you big time – depending on the type you have – so we've compared electric, gas, solar, and heat pump hot water systems to help you find the best and most cost-effective water heating solution for your home.
Basically, hot water systems come in two designs – 'storage' and 'continuous flow' (also known as instantaneous). A storage hot water system heats and maintains warm water in a tank until it is ready to use. This provides instant hot water, but is limited by storage capacity. Continuous hot water systems, on the other hand, rapidly heat up an unlimited amount of water when you need it. While it does take a few moments to heat up, an instantaneous system won't waste energy by keeping water warm when no one is using it. You'll find these two types of systems available in electric, gas, solar, and heat pump varieties – each with pros and cons to their energy source. The example pictures are courtesy of Rheem.
Electric storage hot water systems heat water using an electric-powered element which sits at the base of the water tank. Continuous systems work in a similar way, but instead the element is coiled around the pipes to rapidly heat the water inside.
Electric hot water systems have relatively low upfront costs, and are a reliable way to keep your water warm. The majority of large electric storage hot water systems are connected to controlled load tariffs and do the majority of their heating at off-peak periods to help reduce your energy bills.
Electrical hot water systems are almost always the most expensive long-term hot water solution if used on a continuous day rate tariff. The electricity that powers them may also have high greenhouse gas emissions if the power does not come from renewable sources such as solar PV, wind, or from a hydro scheme.
Storage gas water systems use a gas burner to continuously heat and maintain water in a tank at 60°C. Continuous flow systems also use a burner which ignites only when the water is needed.
Gas hot water systems will produce few greenhouse gas emissions. Additionally, depending on your location, gas systems are usually considered to have lower usage rates compared to electricity, making them a more cost-effective option long term.
Gas hot water systems are only really viable if you're connected to mains gas, as using LPG bottles is more expensive, and creates the risk of running out of hot water. Gas hot water systems must be located outside, or have an exhaust vent if they are located inside.
Solar hot water systems are storage units which generate heat from the sun using panels installed on the roof of the property. This heat is used to warm and maintain the water in your tank. When there is insufficient solar generation, systems can be boosted to a temperature of 60°C by either electric or natural gas boosters. Solar water systems can be split-system (like the one pictured) or combined.
Solar hot water systems could reduce your hot water system's energy consumption by as much as 90%. Being that hot water systems are notoriously energy hungry, this could mean significant savings on your power bills. Solar hot water systems are also the most environmentally-friendly option. Accredited solar systems might also be eligible for STC rebates from the federal government through the Clean Energy Regulator, as well as other state-specific rebate schemes.
Solar hot water systems have the greatest upfront costs – anywhere from $2,000 to $7,000 after rebates, depending on the system size and excluding any installation costs. Some solar hot water systems may also be unreliable on overcast days, although most models will kick-over to natural gas or electric back-up heating if the water isn't hot enough.
Heat pumps include a fan that draws warm air into the system, which is transferred to the water storage tank. It's essentially a reverse fridge. Rather than pumping out hot air to keep your fridge cool, it pumps hot air in to heat the water up.
Heat pumps are one of the most energy-efficient hot water solutions. While they need electricity to run, they are roughly three times more efficient than traditional electric water heaters.
Heat pumps are only really suitable in warm environments. While some heat pumps come with boosters, if the climate isn't suitable, there is little benefit in spending the extra money on a heat pump. They are also considered unreliable and servicing costs are generally expensive.
Our 2018 survey found that households that have purchased a new hot water system in the last five years spent an average of $1,712. Respondents reported buying the following types of hot water systems:
A further 1% were unsure which type of system they have.
The following table – courtesy of the Victorian government – provides an example of the estimated running costs of different types of hot water systems. As mentioned, natural gas boosted solar storage hot water systems are the cheapest over time, with an annual cost of only $65 for a medium-sized household (three people). LPG gas and continuous flow electric systems prove to be the most expensive, costing more than $600 and $900 a year respectively. However, running your system on a controlled load tariff can reduce running costs significantly, as the table shows. The following calculations, based on a three-person household in Victoria (120L/day), should be treated as a general guide only:
|Water Heater Type
|Energy Star Rating
|Annual Energy Cost
|Annual GHG emissions (kg/yr)
|Natural gas – storage
|Natural gas – instant
|LPG – storage
|LPG – instant
|Peak tariff – storage
|Peak tariff – instant
|Off-peak tariff – storage
|Natural gas boosted
|High efficiency
|LPG boosted
|High efficiency
|Electric boosted – peak tariff
|High efficiency
|Electric boosted – off-peak tariff
|High efficiency
|Heat Pump
|Peak tariff
|High efficiency
|Off-peak tariff
|High efficiency
Annual costs based on Melbourne household with average daily hot water use. For gas instantaneous and gas boosted solar water heaters, running costs take electricity use into account. Electricity tariffs based on general usage rate of 31.9 c/kWh, and off-peak rate of 20.9 c/kWh. Natural gas tariffs based on typical declining block structure for house with gas heating, water heating and cooking. Natural gas tariffs used for gas storage and instantaneous water heaters: 2.49 c/MJ; 2.46 c/MJ. For solar-natural gas boost, tariff of 2.36 c/MJ has been used. LPG tariff based on bulk supply (210kg cylinder) in Melbourne area: $1 per litre or 4.0 c/MJ. Energy tariffs do not include the annual supply charge or cylinder rental fee.
Solar and heat pump water heaters efficiency levels are based on the following STC allocations in Zone 4 (southern Victoria): solar gas boosted – standard (29), high efficiency (33); electric boosted solar – standard (27), high efficiency (31); heat pump – standard (28), high efficiency (35).
If you're connected to mains gas and your home receives at least moderate amounts of sunlight, then the most ideal system for you could be a solar storage hot water system with gas boosters. If your home doesn't get much sunlight, the next best thing in terms of running costs would likely be a continuous flow gas system.
However, there is no 'one size fits all' solution when it comes to cutting your energy bills. It could be said that you should avoid electric hot water systems if possible, particularly continuous flow models, as they have high emissions and are often considered to be the most expensive option. But the cheapest hot water system for you will come down to personal circumstances.
Let's now get an overview of the five brands in our 2018 review, with details about the types of hot water systems they offer.
Rheem produces all kinds of water heaters, including electric, gas, heat pump, and solar storage, as well as gas continuous flow systems. Rheem's hot water systems are deliberately designed to cater for a variety of needs. It has steel systems for added durability, compact systems for those tight on space, plus extra-large models, and plenty more. A small electric Rheem storage system will usually set you back at least $500, with larger models costing up to about $1,500. Continuous flow systems start around $800. Solar hot water with Rheem can cost anywhere between $1,200 and $3,000.
Rinnai produces two lines of continuous gas water heater: Infinity and Hotflo. It also produces a range of domestic and commercial solar, electric, gas and heat pump storage systems, along with natural gas boosters and other accessories to manage hot water usage, provide added security, or improve the aesthetics of your system. Prices for a storage system start at around $500, while continuous flow systems will generally set you back at least $1,000. If you're considering a Rinnai solar hot water system however, expect to pay at least $2,000.
While Bosch does produce electric and heat pump storage systems, what actually sets the brand apart from others is its range of gas continuous hot water systems, with its patented 'Optiflow' technology. Bosch claims its Optiflow hot water systems provide more responsive hot water, and include Bluetooth connectivity so users can track usage data and adjust the water temperature from their phone. Bosch Optiflow hot water systems start at a reasonable price of about $800.
Dux has a huge range of hot water systems, including heat pump, electric, gas, and solar boosted storage systems, as well as gas continuous flow water heaters. Dux's storage systems come in a plethora of sizes, between 25L and 400L. But if continuous flow is more your style, you might be interested to know that Dux systems have a 6.7-star energy-efficiency rating – higher than most similar models on the market. Small Dux electric storage systems start at around $350, while its continuous flow systems will set you back at least $800. Solar water heating should cost a couple thousand, depending on the size of the system.
AquaMax produces gas storage, electric storage and gas continuous flow hot water systems. The company also has a 'premium' range of stainless steel storage systems which it claims are lighter, more energy-efficient and easier to maintain than regular models. AquaMax prices start from as low as $400 for its smallest electric storage system. The continuous flow systems are considerably more expensive, however, priced around the $1,200 mark.
Hot water is a necessity, meaning it's somewhat of an inevitable cost. That said, there are ways to minimise your hot water system's impact on your energy bills.
One of the easiest ways households with electric storage systems can save on hot water is with a controlled load tariff. Sometimes just referred to as a 'dedicated circuit' or 'two-rate' tariff, it's an arrangement where the hot water system is metered separately to the rest of the house and electricity is charged at a lower rate. Electricity is only supplied to the hot water system during off-peak usage hours – usually from 11pm to 7am depending on the electricity network. During these hours, the hot water system will heat the water and store it for use later on.
Most hot water systems are installed with a dedicated meter, meaning energy retailers will often put you on a controlled load tariff by default. If, for whatever reason, you don't have a controlled load tariff, you stand to save big by making the switch.
Canstar Blue surveyed 3,000 Australian adults across a range of categories to measure and track customer satisfaction, via ISO 26362 accredited research panels managed by Qualtrics. The outcomes reported are the results from customers within the survey group who have purchased a new hot water heater in the last 5 years – in this case, 394 people.
Brands must have received at least 30 responses to be included. Results are comparative and it should be noted that brands receiving three stars have still achieved a satisfaction measure of at least six out of 10. Not all brands available in the market have been compared in this survey. The ratings table is first sorted by star ratings and then by mean overall satisfaction. A rated brand may receive a 'N/A' (Not Applicable) rating if it does not receive the minimum number of responses for that criteria.
Electricity - November 3rd
EnergyAustralia has become a major challenger in Australia's energy industry. But is EnergyAustralia cheaper than AGL? Find out with our cost comparison.– Read more
Compare NSW Electricity Providers - November 2nd
Which electricity company is cheaper – AGL or Click Energy? Canstar Blue compares their electricity plans, prices and offers.– Read more
Business Electricity Providers - September 21st
Canstar Blue reveals what happened to energy brands that no longer exist, such as Integral Energy, TRUenergy and Country Energy.– Read more
Business Electricity Providers - August 1st
Canstar Blue has calculated and compared the average kWh price of electricity in NSW, QLD, VIC and SA. See how your state compares.– Read more
Business Electricity Providers - January 3rd
Sometimes it's good to be average. If you're wondering how your electricity bills compare to other customers, Canstar Blue has the answers for you.– Read more


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QWinOutQWinOut DIY Foldable GPS RC Racer Tarot X8 TL8X000 8-Axle Frame 350KV 40A PX4 32 Bits Flight Controller Radiolink AT9S TX with RX
Outstanding points for the frame:
8 Rotors Provide Sufficient Power, Even If One axle Unexpectedly Stop Working, But Also to Ensure That The Aircraft is In a Stable Condition. Whole Has Lightweight, Portable and Convenient. Maximum Take-off Weight of About 10kg, Easily Carrying 5d Level Aerial Equipment, with 15 Minutes of Battery Life, as Well as 12 Minutes of Effective Working Time.
Specification for the AT9S transmitter:
Programmable mix control ,The most full types and functions
Humanized switch positioning, Navigation Menu,PROGRAMMABLE MIX CONTROL,
Green and low consumption:90mA operating current, MULTIPLE ALARM PROMPT
AT9S First transmitter with DSSS and FHSS Spread Specturm
Support SBUS,PPM,and PWM,3ms quick response
Multilanguage, Data telemetry, Low RSSI alarm setting
Control distance: 900 Meters ground 1500 Meters air
Package listing:
NOTE: Have not include battery(we suggest you use 14.8-22.2V,4-6S,8000-12000Mah battery.)
1* Tarot X8 TL8X000 8 axle Octocopter Umbrella Type Folding Frame with Electronic Retractable Landing Skid
8* XT-XINTE 350KV Brushless Disk Motor
8* Tarot TL100B15 Aluminum Alloy Folding Propeller Holder Clamp
4* Tarot TL100D03 Folding Forward CW CCW Props
4* 2pcs Hobbywing XRotor Pro 40A ESC No BEC
1* PX4 32 bits 2.45 version flight controller board
1* Mini M8N GPS Module NEO-M8N GPS
1* Radiolink AT9S 2.4G 10CH DSSS FHSS Transmitter R9DS 9CH Receiver
1* SKYRC Imax B6 60W Mini Professional Balance Charger
1* 12V5A AC 100-240V Converter Adapter


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Repaving of Kalihi Street scheduled to begin Monday
The work is expected to be completed within 30 days.
A city contractor is scheduled to begin paving work on Kalihi Street from Nimitz Highway to Auiki Street beginning on Monday, April 15.
Barring weather related delays, the work is expected to be completed within 30 days.
Allowable work hours will be from 8:30 a.m.to 3:30 p.m., Mondays through Fridays.
Motorists are advised to observe and obey all traffic controls, posted signs and special duty police officers and proceed with caution through the construction area.
On-street parking will be prohibited during working hours.
Please observe the dates and times on posted roadway signs as illegally parked vehicles may be towed, if necessary, at the owner's expense.
Drivers should anticipate delays due to detours, lane and/or road closures, and allow extra travel time while driving through the work areas.


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Invicta makes watches which are impeccable and flawless for women. They express style, elegance and class all at the same time.
Style may be characterized as a concordant mix of snazzy gimmicks, effortless refinement, sharp effortlessness and honorable accuracy. Invicta watches convey these attributes yet accompany a strong sticker. Invicta women's watches rethink style as we know it. With its incomparable craftsmanship and specialized configuration motivated by the establishing guideline of its creator to make naive timepieces of value, quality and toughness, the Invicta women's watches can be purchased at an unassuming cost.
The general look and feel of the Invicta ladies' watches would let you know by and large that this is a quality timepiece. The value may be incredibly humble yet the quality is reasonably incomparable. Invicta women's watches are a decent option to lavish extravagance watches on the grounds that it offers the same usefulness at a lower expense. Certainly gives genuine worth for your cash.
The Invicta watches accumulation is genuinely enormous when contrasted with more fragile adornments watches accessible in the business and weighs heavier as well however not cumbersome and larger than usual. Its thick case is built to keep going for a considerable length of time of utilization the way a chronograph watch ought to. Its significant weight provides for it a robust look and feel of a genuine Swiss-made extravagance watch.
The reasonable Invicta women's watches have different scope of decisions and models that brag of excellent yet polished gimmicks. A wide determination of genuine Swiss quality watches offers more decisions. Its mark styling makes it different from all different watches of its kind in the business. The mix of cleaned and brushed stainless steel provides for it an upscale yet complex look.


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New set photos and a new set video for Michael Bay's Transformers 3 have popped up online. The set photos won't blow your mind unless you find lead actress Rosie Huntington-Whiteley attractive (she doesn't do much for me, personally). However, one of the images has her wearing a bizarre/great apron that's worth checking out.
There's also another video of the moving platform set that we reported on a couple weeks ago. This new video is of the "tilting" set during a night shoot. You see something like that or a memo to the production office that "stuntmen skydiving from helicopters and deploying parachutes at low altitudes while being filmed from a second helicopter," next Sunday in Chicago, and you don't really need any reminder that Michael Bay is making this movie. Hit the jump to check out the photos and the video. Transformers 3 hits theaters on July 1, 2011.
Click on the photo to see a larger version. Click over to ComingSoon for more set photos. The quoted memo above also comes from them.
These photos of Huntington-Whitely wearing a Barack Obama apron come from the French version of Premiere Magazine.
And here's a video of the tilting set during a night shoot [via AICN]:


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Penalties for Driving Under the Influence
According to noduicolorado.org last year, 151 DUI arrests were made in Routt County, 94 in Moffat County, and 147 in Grand County.
noduicolorado.org provides an explanation for the consequences of a DUI also. For example, depending on the number of prior convictions, if you are convicted of driving under the influence (DUI), you face license suspension up to two years, mandatory education, assessment, and treatment, and the requirement of installing an ignition interlock device. Even if it is only your first DUI, your license can be suspended for up to nine months.
This can prove incredibly disruptive if you need your car to go to work or if you drive trucks to run a ranch. Many people find DUI convictions limit their employment prospects and frustrate their family obligations. Other restrictions, like avoiding places that do not serve alcohol, place a strain on social lives. That is why facing a DUI is no small matter and requires the attention of a good criminal defense attorney.
Combs uses 17 years of trial skills to defend DUI charges. These are never completely cut and dry cases. The arresting officer may have made mistakes in your sobriety test or violated your constitutional rights. If you were accused of driving under the influence of marijuana, there is no test in existence to prove you were impaired at the time. That burden of proof is on the state and it may not have the evidence for a conviction.
Our experienced attorney will examine these possibilities to find a way to dismiss your charges. If it appears you were driving under the influence, we will inform you of your options so we can plead down your penalties and allow you to move forward with this merely being a lesson learned.
Even if you feel this situation is hopeless, it is still worth it to consult with an attorney. This is often a frightening experience, especially for first-time offenders. There may be options that you have not considered.
The criminal justice system is one of the deadlines and strict procedure. Time is of the essence so if you were arrested for DUI, do not delay. Contact Combs to schedule a consultation so we can start working on your defense strategy immediately.


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- Conference
- Events
- Community
- Startups
- Content
- About Us
Tyson Hackwood – Head of Asia for Braintree Payments, an PayPal company. Tyson has been actively involved in both Online Payments and Mobile Payments for 15 Years, with extensive experience working with both traditional and next generation businesses. Tanmai is the Founder and CEO of Mesitis, creator of the Canopy account aggregation and visualization application.Read More
The Hub Singapore (New Venue)
128 Prinsep Street
188655 Singapore


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Webinars 101: How To Build An Email List Without Blogging
Learning how to build an email list is one of the most important steps you can take for your business. One of the most common techniques is to utilize your website's blog to draw in visitors and encourage them to sign up for your list. But for hard-working entrepreneurs, a faster and more effective list-building tool is the webinar.
After all, you don't have to spend an exorbitant amount of time brainstorming how to spin your content a hundred different ways for your blog articles – you simply create a slideshow and talk outline to follow…and the tantalizing invitations you send out will do the rest.
Table of Contents
- How To Build An Email List With a Webinar & Why It Works
- How to Create Your Webinar
How To Build An Email List With a Webinar & Why It Works
Webinars present you with an amazing opportunity to connect with your audience at a deeper level.
With live communication and no geographical limits when it comes to your invitation list, you can interact with ideal clients across the globe.
Here are a few specific benefits found in webinars:
Real-time Communication
There's no substitute for real-time communication…but for online business owners, this can be a challenge.
During your webinar, you can take advantage of this rare opportunity to converse with your tribe instantly to hear their thoughts and questions now.
Enhanced Learning Experience
Information shared within a webinar is far more effective than if it were simply written down in a blog. Why? Because studies have shown repeatedly that online readers don't read – they skim.
But by utilizing both visual and audio components, you command the attention of your attendees. Without additional distractions, they're much more likely to take in the information that you're sharing with them.
That having been said, I do like to pointedly remind everyone in the beginning of my webinars to log out of their emails and Facebook accounts, and to refrain from browsing online during the webinar…then at least I've done my part to set the stage for a positive learning experience.
Personalized Information
Videos, blogs, and podcasts are great ways to spread your message to a ton of old and new audiences. But one thing they can't offer is personalized information.
Even though your webinar content is pre-planned, you still have the flexibility to answer any question asked by your audience.
After all, you might be talking about the greatest thing since sliced bread, but if someone's stuck on "how will this solve my unique problem?" you won't make the sale till you address that hangup with them.
More Opt-Ins for Your Email List
The easiest way to build an email list is to offer a free webinar. The only thing required to take advantage of this free information is an email in your opt-in form.
You're putting yourself out there and offering valuable, personalized information…without requiring attendees to look up from their computers or smart phones. If you've created and marketed a webinar that will really hit home with your ideal clients, you can bet they'll want to take advantage of your offer.
Better Conversion Rates for Your Products
The end of your webinar is a perfect time to offer a special bonus that upsells another product.
The best thing about advertising at the end of your webinar is that most of the people who hear your offer are automatically pre-screened and qualified.
How to Create Your Webinar
This all sounds great, right? Personalized experience, email list explosion, and high conversion rates during your upsell…as long as you know how to fit the pieces together to get it done right!
Here's a checklist of what you'll need to run your very first webinar:
1 – The Right Topic & Title
Choose something that will really hit home with your ideal client and that you're passionate about. This topic should be focused enough so that you can offer some real meaty information, but general enough so that your pool of interested participants is big enough to make it worthwhile.
For example: "50 Ways to Improve Your Life" is far too broad; there's no way you could offer valuable advice that lives up to the title in an hour.
2 – Choose the Right Tools
To run a webinar, you'll need a few technological tools:
- A website – You'll want to create a unique page on your site for the webinar. As you begin to market the webinar, you'll need to be able to direct interested participants to a specific URL where they can join in.
- Webinar software – These range from free to really expensive.
- A computer with video and audio capacities
3 – Get the Word Out There
The important thing is to get the invitation to your webinar to as many qualified persons as possible. To do this you can use a variety of advertising options:
- Emails – Send messages to your current list with links to opt-in to your webinar. Begin about 1-2 weeks in advance to give them time to add it to their calendars…but not enough time for them to forget about it!
- Paid Advertising – If your tribe's on Facebook, send out specially targeted Facebook ads to garner excitement and bring in the participants.
- On-site advertising – Design a special popup or homepage ad to increase the visibility of your webinar opt-in within your own website.
- Reach out to your peers – If you think your webinar could be of benefit to the following of a peer within your industry, its worth reaching out to them to ask for some collaboration.
4 – Get People to Opt in
The whole point of getting the word out there is to get people to opt in! If it seems like no one's interested, go through your content to find out what's missing…or what might be irrelevant to your ideal clients.
Webinar titles are extremely important to get people interested at all, as are your opt-in pages and email subject lines.
For more in-depth tips on this topic in the How to Build Your List Using Webinars eBook.
5 – Practice, Practice, Practice!
Don't wait until the day of the webinar to practice. Make a full run-through a couple days in advance to confirm that you know how to use your webinar technology and are comfortable delivering your content.
6 – Deliver Impressively
Be bold and confident when delivering your webinar material.
Whether 5 people have showed up or 500 are there, this is a personal experience for each one…so give them your very best!
A good length to shoot for is 1 hr – 1.5 hrs. That's plenty of time for you to deliver your information (if you've narrowed down the topic properly) and have time for a Q&A session at the end.
7 – Reuse the Content
The research and writing that you put into your webinar can be recycled many different ways for your website. You can turn it into an eBook, blog series, or simply post the completed video on your website for others to discover and enjoy.
2 Comments
Hi Nathalie,
Very timely advice – making use of alternatives and being more than just a blogger is what it is all about. I also like you advice to re-use your content – once you make something of value there is no use just letting it rot on the vine – it needs to be re-purposed and re-distributed through social media channels and inner links.
Great job – I love how your advice is so easy to apply across different domains of expertise!
[…] no need to have to worry about whether you can make your webinar "happen." You totally can! There are an abundance of tools and tutorials available for you to use to bring […]


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Mosaic Tile Design
Mosaics for Architecture & Fun
Contact Mosaic Tile Design
Do you have questions about creating mosaics? If so, go to the Yahoo Group "Mosaic Artists" where a large group of active folks will help you solve problems or lead you in the right direction.
It appears the "Mosaic Artists" group no longer exists. This is a link to the search results for mosaic artists in Yahoo Groups. I don't personally know which groups are best, but this may give you a starting point.
Sorry, but due to the volume of email received from several websites I manage, I cannot answer 'how-to' questions from individuals.
Lundy Wilder - Designer and Occasional Mosaic Artist
email: firstname.lastname@example.com
My Blog: www.lundini.blogspot.com
My Business: Villa Lagoon Tile - The leading source of decorative cement tile.
My other sites:
www.mosaicphotos.blogspot.com - Photos of mosaics from a trip to Europe and some U.S. locations.
www.ScrapbookScrapbook.com - Over 3000 printable craft pages.
DAC-ART Building System - The Construction Blog of my home, Phase I
www.ConcreteCottage.com - Phase II of my hurricane-proof home.
Clic Magnetic Reading Glasses - I LOVE these inexpensive indestructible reading glasses with a magnet closure in front.
For beach vacationers, I have a few about the local area:
Copyright 2002-2014 Lundy Wilder


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Your aim is Machu Picchu and you want to reach it along the famous Inca Trail path but you also want to explore the area while meeting your goals well we propose you an unforgettable experience, the Salkantay-Machu Picchu Expedition. This trekking expedition will take you at the base of the sacred Salkantay snow peak (6,271 meters; 20,700 feet), considered by the local natives to be the "Guardian Spirit of the Jungle" and will provide you with the opportunity to experience remote native communities before joining the famous Inca Trail path to Machu Picchu. This is one of the most picturesque trip offered in the Cusco area, so bring your camera to snap the landscape changes as you hike along. The trip is supported with horses for part of the journey. We provide you with top quality camping equipment and a very balanced and energetic diet. This is a trip that you will never forget!!!
Early morning pick up from your hotel, following a 2:30 hours drive in a private bus to Mollepata (breakfast stop), optional stop in Limatambo town, here we visit Tarawasi very important religious Inca remains. We rejoin the bus journey to Soraypampa (3,800mt) trailhead, and after an orientation we start the walk in the direction of Salkantay pampa (LUNCH SPOT), which has a great view of the ice caped Humantay Mountain (5902 m.), and later on a spectacular view of Apu Salkantay at dawn to appreciate it. The mountain range is crossed to the right of Salkantay; walking up to the pass we have Humantay on the left, Rayusca on the right and in front the imposing Salkantay. Campsite at Ichupata.
Early wakeup call and hot drinks in bed. We start the ascend very gradually to Inka Chiriasca (where the Inca colds down) pass which is the highest point of the trip (4,950mts/16,236feet) from there you can see the magnificent views of Salkantay snow peak and Humantay mountain and different natural lake Turker color after this view we will go gradual down towards Pampacahuana small community which exist an original Inka channel we will camp and have at this place.
After breakfast we hike in the direction of the 'Paucarcancha' Inca remains, and then towards the village of Wayllabamba lunch spot. Here we will join the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu and our mule drivers and mules will be replaced by porters. We continue on the trail to Yuncachimpa , where we will spend the night.
The fourth day is a day of hard trekking. The distances are great and we climb 900 m. to the top of the first pass, descend and then ascend the second pass 400 m before we camp. The fourth day is a day of pure trekking we start early to make it to a designated campsite. We ascend through cloud forest still following the river. The path is steep and relentless and as you gets nearer the top the vegetation changes to barren grassland. The main problem with this day is the lack of oxygen as you near the DEATH WOMAN PASS (WARMIWAÑUSCA), and also the path towards the end gets increasingly steeper. However once at the top, if it is clear, you are rewarded by beautiful views. Then the descent; this is very steep and the differences in temperature are noticeable as the altitude gets lower. Lunch stop at PACAYMAYO
We stay fairly high as we make our way to RUNKURAKAY Inca remains. These are the first ruins that we actually encounter on the trail. The name means "Egg-shaped building" due to its form. It was probably a guard post or lodge (Tambo in Quechua) for the trail but it also could have had other uses. From the ruins it is a short climb up and over the second pass. There are three beautiful black lakes here and magnificent views. We descend along the first section of the original Inca Trail using huge steps that can be quite slippery when wet. The major ruins along the Trail are here. Firstly we come to SAYACMARCA Inca remains or "dominant town". This is situated on a spur jutting out into a valley. It has magnificent views but due to its altitude these are often obscured by the presence of clouds. We descend slightly and approach our second campsite at CHAQUICOCHA, a flat plain looking over the same valley.
Wake up to the call of bird songs, you will be offered a consistent breakfast. The hike to the Wiñay Wayna campsite will take you to the lunch vegetation of the cloud forest where exotic birds (Andean Guan, Gray-Breasted mountain toucam, red crested cotinga, etc.) will salute your passing: enjoy the scenic views of the Cordillera Oriental with the stunning snow-peaks of Salkantay (6.271m), Humantay (5.735m) and Pumasillo (5686 m). Walk around the Inca remains of Phuyutamarca before descending to our campsite at Wiñay Wayna. Enjoy the sunset above the Urubamba River perched amongst the many Andean terraces of this marvelous Inca site.
This day is arguably the most beautiful with the vegetation changing from high altitude stunted bushes and grasses to thick rich cloud forest. Also on this day we encounter the most beautiful ruins on the trail. Thus the long second day enables us to enjoy the third day at a more leisurely pace. On the morning of the fifth day we start ascending again for the third pass. This is a long pass but is not as steep as the first one. We make our way around the valley through a tunnel cut by the Incas; all the time on the original paving slabs of the Incas. When the third pass is reached we can see the next Inca remains on the trail, those of PHUYUPATAMARCA (town in the clouds). This is perched on the side of a valley with typical terraces trailing down the hillside. This was probably a religious site as there are numerous water fountains. However it was almost certainly agricultural as well. The trekking from here is probably the most beautiful part of the trail. We descend all the way from here to WIÑAYWAYNA. We go through cloud forest that is humid and fairly warm. It is here that the majority of the 3000 steps down are - so watch your knees! Eventually we reach the remains of WIÑAYWAYNA (forever young). Again this beautiful complex probably had religious and agricultural significance. Campsite at WIÑAYWAYNA.
Today is a short walk to Machu Picchu. We start early so we can arrive at Inti Punku (sun gate) above Machu Picchu as day breaks. This is a short undulating 5 kilometers walk. From the sun gate, it is a short walk down Machu Picchu Inca remains. And the guide will give you a few minutes to rest after the walk and soak up the view after which he will give you a guided tour of the remains. Make your own way down to Machupicchu town for lunch and chill out in town until train departure time.
1.-Pre-departure briefing
2.-Private transport from Cusco to the trailhead
3.- Meals: 5 breakfasts, 5 lunches, 5 dinners, 5 afternoon teas
4.- Camping equipment: two man tents, sleeping roll mat
5.- Communal dinner tent, cooking tent, and cutlery
6.- Toilet facilities
7.- Stools, and tables.
8.-Entrance fee to the Inca trail and Machu Picchu
9.-Porters for heavy gear: like tents, food and others). In case of the Salcantay trek section, we include horses to carry 7 kilograms per person
10.-A chef
11.-English speaking professional tour guide
12.- Drinking water from Day 2 to Day 5
13.-Transport back to Cusco (Back-packer class)
1.- First day Breakfast (we stop at Ollantaytambo)
2.-Last day Lunch (recommended in Aguas Calientes)
3.-Left luggage at Machu Picchu. 4 Soles for each bag (1.3 USD or 1.1 Euro)
4.-HUAYNAPICHCU TICKET (65USD entrance fee)
HUAYNA PICCHU also known as WAYNA PICCHU (Quechua: "Young Peak") is a mountain in Peru around which the Urubamba River bends. It rises over Machu Picchu, the so-called "lost city of the Incas" and divides it into sections. The Incas built a trail up the side of the HUAYNA PICCHU and built temples and terraces on its top. The peak of Huayna Picchu is about 2,720 metres (8,920 ft) above sea level, or about 360 metres (1,180 ft) higher than Machu Picchu.
Since last year, there is a limit in the numbers to climb Waynapicchu Mountain; this is 400 people a day, so there are two timetables for entrance, the first 200 hundred and second 200 hundred people:
At 7 am first entrance
At 10 am second entrance
If you are interested in climbing WAYNAPICCHU, please make a request in advance, as it is highly requested, this is an extra cost of 65USD that is charged by the park administration, and not by UNITED MICE
5.-Bus from Machu Picchu down to Aguas Calientes (10USD a single ticket)
6.- Personal Porter, if you have not got any experience of having hiked and carried all your staff including sleeping bag and sleeping mat, we suggest you hire a personal porter (if you are interested, please request at the same time you are booking your Inca trail, a personal porter costs 140USD for the whole trip) carrying a maximum of 14 kilograms/30 pounds , this is regulated by the government
7.-Sleeping bag (at 30USD for the whole trek)
8.-Tipping your trek staff is customary!!!
Av. Pachacuteq 424 A-5 - Cusco - Perú
Telefax: +51 84 221139


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Health article writer and researcher; Over 10.000 articles and research papers have been written and published on line, including world wide health, ezine articles, article base, healthblogs, selfgrowth, best before it's news, the karate GB daily, etc.,.
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Some articles have been used as references in medical research, such as international journal Pharma and Bio science, ISSN 0975-6299.
Vitamin B2 also known as Riboflavin, is a water-soluble, yellow-orange organic compound found abundantly in milk, meat, eggs, nuts, enriched flour, green vegetables, etc. The vitamin is essential for normal cellular growth and function and best known for converting energy from protein, fat, and carbohydrates during metabolism and its antioxidant effects in oxidation-reduction reactions.
Intake of riboflavin supplement accompanied with other nutrients may improve physical function in athletes and active individuals, a renowned institute study suggested.
According to the Arizona State University, on the basis of metabolic studies, young and older women in exercise moderately (2.5-5 h/wk) appears to be poorer of the riboflavin status in periods of exercise, dieting, and dieting plus exercise than during control periods.
Dr. said, Manore MM " Exercise appears to decrease nutrient status even further in active individuals with preexisting marginal vitamin intakes or marginal body stores" and " active individuals who restrict their energy intake or make poor dietary choices are at greatest risk for poor thiamine, riboflavin, and vitamin B-6 status".
Importantly. active individuals should be more careful with body nutritional status for B-vitamin, as decrease of this nutrients not only may reduce the ability to perform exercise but also lower higher levels of exercise intensities.
The study also suggested that examining dietary intakes and nutritional status in active individuals must be related to to physical activity requirement for promoted energy metabolism and cell regeneration.
Dt. Woolf K, the lead author also found, " exercise may increase the requirements for riboflavin and vitamin B-6, while data for folate and vitamin B-12 are limited. Athletes who have poor diets, especially those restricting energy intakes or eliminating food groups from the diet, should consider supplementing with a multivitamin/mineral supplement".
Taking together, there is no doubt that vitamin B2 is important for ensuring the performance of people with moderate and high levels of physical exercises, but intake of the vitamin should be taken with care.
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(1) Effect of physical activity on thiamine, riboflavin, and vitamin B-6 requirements by Manore MM1.(PubMed)


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When we - individually and collectively - learn and practice the '3rd Way of Expressing Anger Constructively', there is no longer a danger of destruction in the face of our anger. In fact, our anger becomes purely constructive. It dismantles that which is obstructive to well-being. And in its former place it creates something refreshing and new. We might aptly call this 'de-constructive' - dismantling that which is untrue, that which is Continue Reading
What are Boundaries? – Part One
Boundaries are the mechanisms via which we protect and enhance our integrity. It is easy for us to comprehend physical boundaries. We understand and we accept that fences are erected to keep dogs out of gardens and children in safe playgrounds. Longitudinal and latitudinal check points are maintained at roads and at ports to defend countries and to maintain their perceived sovereignty. We keep liquids that are poisonous locked away from Continue Reading
The 'Map of Emotions' – #5 – Fear
Fear is the domain in which many people live. Our media feeds on this. Fear sells. Fear is an absence of faith - an absence of trust in ourselves, the universe and the ultimate goodness of humankind. Many people live in mind-made stories which evoke fear. Most fear is not 'real' - it is not a response to real and true danger in the moment. Most fear is a negative 'food source' of our mind. When you notice that you feel afraid, ask Continue Reading


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Australia (AUD)
One Brand, Two Stories. Learn more
One Brand, Two Stories. Learn more
We have a new Carhartt WIP website for customers in the US and Canada. Now offering domestic shipping and returns. Check it out.
France-based skateboard company Trauma just released a new video called La Deca-danse on their website!
(Bastian Loewen)


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After a year away, Ralf Aron will make his return to Prema Powerteam in 2018, and becomes their third signing alongside Marcus Armstrong and Robert Shwartzman for the FIA European Formula 3 Championship.
The Italian outfit gave the Estonian his first opportunity in the category back in 2016 having taken the Italian Formula 4 championship the year previously and took a solitary victory at the Hungaroring, but moved to Hitech Grand Prix in 2017, where he claimed two podium finishes.
Aron is hopeful of a successful, podium-filled third season in the category, and is delighted to be back with Prema Powerteam.
"I am very excited to be back with Prema Powerteam for 2018," said Aron. "We won a championship in F4 together and I have learned from the mistakes I have made in F3.
"Combining the experience and determination that I and Prema have, we will be stronger than ever and ready to conquer the podium at Round 1! I am excited to get back to racing already!"
Team Manager René Rosin believes Aron has what it takes to be a contender in 2018, and alongside Armstrong and Shwartzman, he is happy with how his team line-up is shaping up for the forthcoming campaign.
"We are really looking forward to work with Ralf again," said Rosin. "He is smart, fast and consistent and he's also a very positive person to have within the Team.
"He was able to take victory straight away with us at his Formula 3 debut and I'm sure he has the skill set to become a real contender this season.
"I couldn't be more satisfied with how our line-up for 2018 is shaping up so it will sure be a great season."


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No matter whether you require emergency service or proactive preventive maintenance, our dedicated group at Atlas Overhead Door Sales, can assist you. We have 26 years expertise with surveyors, engineers and sales staff who have been with us for a lot of of these 25 years and have gained a wealth of expertise in all types of garage doors – excellent and poor. The common doors consist of. The additional powerful and heavy duty doors consist of 5×1 ledges and brace and 21mm. Founded in 1995, Doormatic is an independent organization with the largest choice of garage doors on the market place. This was the original insulated aluminium roller garage door manufactured for the UK marketplace and is nevertheless assembled making use of a majority of German produced elements. From classic wooden interior doors to glazed panel doors, there is something to suit every single type of decor and style of residence.
Apart from substandard components and workmanship, the biggest risk is that several of the roller shutters at present provided for sale DO NOT conform to Construction Merchandise Directive, ARE NOT Machinery Directive compliant and ARE NOT CE marked. Have utilised Jolicoeur twice, for garage door repair, and after to replace garage door opener. Just fill in our on the internet form to get an instant online quote for your garage door, and you will also be in a position to see some of the finishes and optional extras available. Based upon the style of residence you have you can even go for traditional swinging doors in GRP or fibre or if you have a contemporary home you can go for some higher-tech aluminium sliding doors that look cool and clean and and extremely modern day. One more selection to contemplate when attempting to get the greatest door rates is on the web purchasing. Roller Garage Doors offer the best good quality and overall performance at the lowest cost.
Lightweight but strong, good quality garage doors are effortless to lift and yet secure enough to keep out intruders. Canton, Marietta and Alpharetta residents select Legacy Garage Doors for all of their garage door service and repair wants since we not only supply competitive rates, but our consumer service is unmatched. If you are worried that roller garage doors won't match your home's exterior, then take a appear at our colour variety. A trip to the regional house improvement center will also supply the homeowner with needed information, for the workers there can recommend specific brands of garage doors and explain the pitfalls of other people.
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SIMCOE MUSKOKA – A Midland woman has won an iPad2 for her awareness of the health impacts of drinking beyond the low-risk drinking guidelines (LRDG).
Deborah Crawford was looking for information about well water testing on the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit website when the link to the LRDG page caught her attention. That link drove her to the howmanydrinks.org blog, where she correctly answered four quiz questions to enter a contest for an iPad2. The contest is continuing, with two more quizzes for a chance to win the second iPad2.
The low-risk drinking guidelines suggest that people should consume no more than two standard drinks in one day and that the weekly number of standard drinks should not be more than nine for women and 14 for men. Moderate drinking of alcohol increases the risk of chronic diseases, including cancers, cardiovascular diseases such as heart disease and strokes, liver disease and inflammation of the pancreas.
The blog, which aims to raise awareness around the LRDG, marks the health unit's first foray into social media. Twitter and Facebook are also being used to increase interest in the issue and the iPad2 contest, as is traditional media.
For more information about the low-risk drinking guidelines and to enter the contest, visit the blog at www.howmanydrinks.org, see www.simcoemuskokahealth.org, or call Your Health Connection Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at 705-721-7520 or 1-877-721-7520.
Health Topics A to Z
Copyright 2017 © Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit. All Rights Reserved.


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Mr HUSIC (Chifley) (21:23): Tonight I want to raise and represent the grave concerns of constituents about the scale and breadth and impact of cuts to local government services and also other services provided by both the Liberal-controlled Blacktown City Council and the New South Wales Liberal government. For all of my life, and for years before that, the part of Western Sydney that I am proud to represent has been more than capably cared for by a Labor-controlled local government alongside dedicated Labor state and federal members of parliament. As a young adult, what attracted me to become a member of the Labor Party was a record of service that I could see, delivering for the breadth of our community and taking care to do what could be done to help those sections of our community that had many low-income families and the disadvantaged.
For the benefit of members who have not ventured into the Chifley electorate, I would not mind providing a brief overview of the challenges faced by many families who live there so that they can better appreciate the devastating impact that cuts have, particularly cuts on essential services in an area like ours.
The electorate of Chifley sits wholly within the most populous local government area in New South Wales, Blacktown. Chifley has the second youngest median age in the country. We have the highest proportion of single-parent households in Australia. More than a third of residents live in rented accommodation and a disproportionate number of those live in public housing. Large numbers of people in Chifley rely solely on public transport to get around. We have stubbornly high rates of heart disease, diabetes and cancer.
Despite the challenge, I am especially proud of the way communities and neighbourhoods band together to improve the quality of life in our area. I am proud, in particular, of the achievements and the energy of our younger generation, who have been strengthened by that challenge. But we should see government helping make life easier. It should provide a platform for advancement and progress. Instead, we see the opposite, with state and local governments, who are supposed to pride themselves on being closer to communities, actually making it harder by running down services and infrastructure.
I want to provide some examples, starting with transport. Just before the 2011 New South Wales election, the state Labor government announced plans to install lifts at two railway stations in our area. They had actually done a very good program of completely rebuilding Blacktown station and providing lifts at Mount Druitt and Marayong stations, refurbishing Seven Hills station in the neighbouring electorate of Greenway, and providing a significant commuter car park to make it easier for people to use public transport.
We had promised, in that last state election, to build lifts at the stations of Doonside and Rooty Hill. These suburbs and the surrounding areas have large proportions of older residents, defying the electorate trend. Both of the stations have island configurations and the only access to them is via stairs, long gangways or long, elevated platforms that go to the overhead footbridge, where you are presented with stairs, yet again, to access the platforms below.
The very first thing that the O'Farrell Liberal government did after coming into office was to scrap the draft plans for the lifts, remove the funding and, in my belief, redirect resources to the North West Rail network. Not a week goes by in which this matter is not raised with me. The failure of Premier O'Farrell to deliver on essential accessibility to public transport infrastructure only serves to make public transport less attractive and more difficult to access.
The other issue that has been raised with me is the matter of car parking alongside these stations. On the weekend, on Saturday, I had the pleasure of attending a very well attended Edgeworth residents' association group, who raised with me the fact that it is hard to park at Doonside, in a close proximity to the railway station—and, by virtue of that, not add to congestion on Sydney's roads. Those residents have been asking—and rightly so—for an investment in that associated infrastructure to make public transport more accessible. I will be raising this with my colleague, the state member for Blacktown, John Robertson.
In a further blow to our community, the state Liberal government announced earlier this year that it intends to close the Mount Druitt Hospital cardiac ward so that services could be rationalised with the larger Blacktown Hospital. However, they do not like the term 'close'; they prefer the term 'relocate'. For people who cannot access Mount Druitt Hospital's cardiac ward, that is cold comfort. The decision has mightily angered the community, which knows all too well how many lives have been saved by this critical health service.
I mentioned earlier that we have stubbornly high rates of heart disease. Closing a cardiac ward makes no sense. It has prompted the largest grassroots movement I have seen locally, with over 10,000 people signing petitions in the space of a few short months to keep the cardiac ward open in Mount Druitt. I was pleased to support the work of my state colleague, the member for Mount Druitt the Hon. Richard Amery, who is petitioning the Speaker of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly in order to bring on a debate about this issue on the floor of the lower house and ensure residents' voices will be heard. Mr Amery told me about a couple who turn up to his office every week with more and more pages of the signed petition. They are motivated by the simple fact that the cardiac ward saved the husband's life. This person has now been going out into the community getting people to sign the petition.
Liberal service cuts are not restricted to the state government. Last year's council elections delivered a council chamber with an equal number of Labor and Liberal councillors, but with the support of a lone Independent the Liberal Party now controls the Blacktown City Council. It has been a source of pride locally and it inspired the disadvantaged in the area. Blacktown City boasts community service and recreational facilities as good as anywhere in the country. Successive Labor governments have had the vision to plan for population growth in our area and invest in the social fabric of our community, and levels of government have been able to work together. For instance, I was delighted, after lobbying, that the federal Labor government was able to match funding of $4 million with Blacktown council to deliver a refurbishment of Blacktown Library and the creation of the Mt Druitt Community Hub, which has become an asset to our area. It provides for the community's library, a senior citizens centre, community service offices and meeting spaces.
The new Liberal controlled council appears to be on a pathway to undo a lot of this good work. In just its first year the council voted to wind back or discontinue a number of services. Just recently, with little notice or consultation, they shut down the Mt Druitt Swimming Pool, a sporting and recreational facility used by thousands of people, primarily school students or clubs like the Rooty Hill RSL Youth Swimming Club. Their justification for the decision was that the pool was not operating profitably. Since when have community services provided at taxpayer expense had to turn in a profit? In another stunning move, the council scrapped the pension rebate on council rates. For the life of me, I cannot understand how they could do this in such a cavalier and callous manner. This is on top of the state government increasing rents to 4,000 public housing residents who are pensioners by pocketing the increases to pensions that the federal Labor government delivered to them. It is simply a powerful reminder of the best Liberal tradition, which is to cut services and take funds away from the vulnerable in our community, figuring that they do not have a voice to defend themselves. Liberal councillors have looked to privatise council owned child-care centres, again because they are not turning a profit. They are affordable services provided to families who pay for them through their rates.
More contentiously, the council threatened the homes of people living in the suburb of Blacktown with a draft local environment plan giving them the power to acquire properties to develop high-rise dwellings or turn them into recreation space at the same time as the council was looking to sell other parks. When residents asked councillors to shelve the LEP and redraft it, Liberal councillors voted as a block to oppose the proposal, but then some broke ranks later to help stop the sale of a dog pound. Animal welfare is certainly a serious matter, but how do you stand up for the protection of a pound while not standing up for a roof over a resident's head? It is just staggering that these decisions are being made.
There is no doubt that governments have to make difficult decisions, but what is painful for the local community is the lack of consultation on these decisions, and there was no warning prior to any of the elections that this would be done. Certainly, the same could be said for the state Liberal government. People have witnessed what has happened there. While many people voted Liberal for the first time in their lives in our area, I am certain that they are now having second thoughts about this decision. I would certainly ask that the Leader of the Opposition defies this trend, is upfront and transparent with the Australian public and tells them what he has in store for them should he become Prime Minister. What would he do to residents in our area?


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Tuesday is National Night Out for Brown County and area residents are getting ready to hold block parties to meet neighbors and local law enforcement.
This year, dozens of block parties are scheduled across the county in Brownwood, Early, Bangs, and several rural locations.
The Brownwood and Early Police Departments; the Brown County Sheriff's office; area fire departments; along with other city and county officials will visit these parties taking place Tuesday, October 4th between 5:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m.
This year's National Night Out is sponsored locally by Heart of Texas Crime Stoppers, 3M Company, Hendrick Surgery Center, ATMOS Energy, Oncor, TexasBank, and Weldon Wilson Electric.
For more information about National Night Out, call the Brownwood Area Chamber of Commerce at 325-646-9535 or the Early Chamber of Commerce at 325-649-9317.
Below is a list of block parties scheduled for the 2016 National Night Out in Brown County for Tuesday, October 4th:
2708 Pheasant Grove Lane
2019 Elizabeth Drive (side street)
101 Brentwood
Asbury & Good Shepherd Park
8 Crestview Ct.
1219 Indian Creek Drive (behind church)
201 W. Baker (Brownwood Music)
1500 Davis Lane (Wildwood Trails Apts)
340 Marketplace (Marketplace Apts)
2501 Morris Shepherd Dr. (Oakridge Manor)
1605 Calvert Rd (The Chatfield)
3811 2nd Street
1907 4th Street
Azalea Drive (Tanglewood Gardens)
Corner of Norwood and Cottage
4235 Hwy 377S (The 377 Villa Apts)
3310 Stephen F. Austin (Yellow Rose Estates)
318 Bluffview (Bwd Retirement Village)
3 Durango Court
2200 block Durham
606 Valley View
4516 Oakridge Drive
1804 Pecos Drive
208 Quail Run
Fisk and Austin Avenue (Old Main grassy area)
Brownwood Apartments 1 & 2 (office of #2 complex)
814 Hillcrest Drive
2400 block Good Shepherd
4006 Glenwood
3301 1st Street
196 Abbey Road (Ridgewood Gardens)
175 Mesquite Drive
5600 County Road 614
117 Rainbow Drive
12 Mistletoe Lane
The Oaks Apartments
Rural Parties
4710 County Road 192
Flagship Inn (Lake Brownwood)
8057 County Road 564
4010 Whitaker (Thomas Ranch Estates- Kyler Dean singing)
8086 County Road 604
2901 Stanley Lane
Bangs City Park (hosted by Bangs Police and Bangs VFD)