text:
I'm now working on a Media Guardian column loosely based on my post below, The last presses. Please do continue commenting there; the discussion is quite helpful.
by Jeff Jarvis
I'm now working on a Media Guardian column loosely based on my post below, The last presses. Please do continue commenting there; the discussion is quite helpful.
Last month, I went to Europe for a session at the Guardian's management offsite. They were just about finished converting the Guardian and the Observer print editions to the Berliner format (halfway between a broadsheet and a tabloid) at great effort and expense and at no small risk. It has been a success so far, but this meeting was not a celebration. Instead, wisely, they came together to start figuring out what their products and businesses would have to become next, now that we have crossed over into the digital age. I won't recount what happened; this was their meeting. I'll just say that they had me in — as a few other media companies and organizations have done lately — as the scary guy: Blogboy does his bugga-bugga about the distributed, post-scarcity, small-is-the-new-big, paperless, unplatform era of citizen control of media. I apparently have found my proper role in life: frightening people. But in this case, I was the one who was intimidated, because the Guardian is the most forward-thinking print organization I know and I was all the more impressed after watching their culture in action. And I was all the more cowed when, over drinks the night before meeting, Guardian Editor Alan Rusbridger went years past where I planned to time-travel the next day. Talking about the presses they'd just spent tens of millions of pounds buying, he shrugged and said:
"They may be the last presses we ever own."
Presses are good for only a few decades.
That same day, I picked up the International Herald Tribune and read Thomas Crampton's interview with another forward-thinking publisher, Germany's Hubert Burda, who created one of my favorite print properties, the newsmagazine Focus. Crampton (of Joi.Ito.com fame) wrote:
…Burda has spent the past few years zealously pushing his media company into everything digital, even insisting that he will never open a printing plant again….
The grease and machinery of the printing press have almost become a sideline to the tool that Burda sees as central to the next generation of publication: social software. This encompasses everything from Web logs to community-building Web sites that let readers create their own content through reviews and comments.
"Printing will not go away, but I do not plan to open a single new printing plant," Burda said. "We now concentrate on using social software to build closer relations with the communities of readers around our magazines."
On the way home, I picked up Business Week and read about Random House, owned by another German media company, Bertelsmann, under the headline, "Digital Is Our Destiny."
Then I landed back home in the U.S., where too many of the newspaper editors and publishers I know of still hold dear to their identities as publishers — proprietors of presses, printers on paper, owners of content, controllers of distribution, beneficiaries of monopolies. Publishers, damnit. Newspaper publishers.
The contrast struck me as deadly.
Today, the news about newspapers in America is not good: more layoffs (despite MoveOn's whining), more competition, more fear, less revenue, lower stocks. The time that many hoped was a long way off may be upon us already. Newspapers are going to start to die.
Look at Knight Ridder: There's talk that there may be buyers for the old gray gals — namely, private equity firms. David Sanderson of Bain said at the Reuters media summit that buyers could finance the purchases on cash flow … and then hope they will get the same multiples in five years. Yeah, sure. What's unsaid is that these cash cows will have been milked dry and that there is no growth left in them. That makes me wonder whether these buyout firms will really want to buy papers now, knowing that they will have to put in tremendous strategic work to utterly change the nature of the companies. So what if no one will buy them?
Well, some papers will die sooner or later. Papers like the Philadelphia Daily News may die sooner. There are efforts to save that paper and I'm really looking forward to discussions scheduled to begin early next year in Philadelphia about the right strategy to do that … if the paper survives that long. But I have to ask whether that is the right crusade at all. Save the paper? No, it's not about saving paper. Sorry, but it's not even about saving jobs.
It's not about saving anything. Instead, this is about seizing the opportunity of the internet and whatever that brings.
The people here who are trying to save papers are concentrating on the wrong assets. Listen to Dr. Burda again: He's not saving paper and presses or even content and creators. He's growing in new spheres:
We now concentrate on using social software to build closer relations with the communities of readers around our magazines.
I'll say it again: Distribution is not king. Content is not king. Conversation is the kingdom. It's about relationships. Burda gets it. That's what my conversations in Europe were about.
Rupert Murdoch gets it, too. Note well that he did not buy a content company or a distribution company with producers or presses when he acquired MySpace. He bought a relationships company.
This means changing the very essence of what a newspaper is. It's not about scarcity. It's not even about news as mere news. Dr. Burda again (echoing VC Vinod Khosla at Web 2.0):
News has now become a commodity, thanks to the Internet, so we must differentiate ourselves in other ways. Content alone can no longer win. You must build and interact with audiences.
It's also not about power anymore. After Murdoch gave a rare interview Murdoch gave to the UK Press Gazette, Emily Bell, editor of Guardian Unlimited (note well the name of that site; it's about the Guardian no longer being limited), noted that one man, Murdoch, is no longer in the position to singlehandedly change the industry of news and media in Great Britain. That power is now distributed, just like content. Bell writes:
But what we once took from Murdoch, as an industry and as media journalists, was his ability to provide a shockingly radical lead: he was the disruptive technology which now is itself being disrupted. [Bill] Gates, who is arguably Murdoch's only peer in terms of original insight and business success, has, it seems, stepped away from his business too, accepting that the next wave of thinking will inevitably come from elsewhere….
As a media journalist it is impossible to study the evolution of News Corp and not admire the sheer brilliance of vision and the perfection of execution….
A lengthy interview with Rupert Murdoch feels like an obituary for an era – the sound of a nail being put into a coffin. And just as Murdoch symbolised the mainstream media industry at the peak of its power and used its influence so deftly, so his decline in relevance is a sharp reminder that the media establishment is all in the same boat. The only difference being that Murdoch's boat is considerably bigger.
I think Murdoch would agree. Listen to him from that interview:
Does he feel now that his internet strategy is fully formed? "It'll never be fully formed. The internet is changing, very disruptive technology and there are new inventions coming along every month. One has to stay awake and race to stay up with it, or if you get enough brilliant people around maybe you can get ahead of it."
"The point is the ease of entry. If someone has a good idea on the net the cost of entry is zero. We're going to have many, many more voices…."
There's vision left in the old guy yet.
Now hear Murdoch on the state of journalism and newspapers… in America:
Given all this activity, how fearful does he think traditional journalists have to be for their futures?
"Not at all," he says. "Just become better journalists. Great journalism will always be needed, but the product of their work may not always be on paper – it may ultimately just be electronically transmitted. But for many, many, many years to come it will be disseminated on both.
"There will always be room for good journalism and good reporting. And a need for it, to get the truth out."
In Britain he thinks journalism is in as healthy a state as it has ever been. "Maybe better, there's some great writing taking place, certainly in our newspapers – Times, Sun, Sunday Times – and we don't have a monopoly on it. There is good writing all over the place….
"And it doesn't matter because there are so many to choose from. I think the people of Britain are uniquely lucky to have such a great choice of newspapers and news, whereas in America you don't.
"Outside New York, it's all monopoly newspapers.
"Some have good work in them, but it tends to be overwritten, boring and elitist, not a reflection of the general mood in the public. And I think you're going to find their circulations falling more than they already have. With their business models, because they've already stripped all the costs out, now they have to depend on advertising. And that is certainly under threat."
I doubt he'll be buying Knight Ridder. Too bad. He might be the one guy who'd know how to save the Philly Daily News as a tab, as a paper. But I don't want to fall back into that trap again: the trap of thinking that our task is to save something from the past, to look back when we should be looking forward.
Our task is to stop seeing old failings everywhere and start seeing all the new opportunities before us, to exploit the future and expand news — to exhibit a passion about the possibilities, as Rafat Ali told the Online News Association. And we must accept the reality of the marketplace and stop wishing it wouldn't change.
To summarize some of my own pontification on the topic from this blog…
From an editorial perspective, this means we can't start with a goal of saving the newsrooms we now have. We have to find new efficiencies (how much do we spend on commodity news?) and new ways to help the public gather and share news (see hyperlocal citizens media) and concentrate on our real value: reporting. We need to think in terms of relationships, sharing training, information, promotion, and trust. How can we use online and the join with our public to grow bigger and share more information more quickly? That must be our goal.
From a business perspective, we need to stop whining about readers moving online. If that's what they want to do, then go with them, damnit! The biggest challenge is to train advertisers that online is more valuable than print because more people are there and they are more engaged in getting what they want, and so advertising there is more efficient and should be worth more. The Online Publishers Association is taking steps to do that nationally; local sites need help, too (oh, for NCN). The next challenge is to find new ways to serve new advertisers, and maybe that's not on content we own but on much larger and more targeted networks of citizens' media. I believe we will, sooner than we know, start seeing print as an added cost burden maintained primarily becuase advertisers value it more than readers . I also believe that print will shift to become value added to online. It only stands to reason: If the people are online, that is where the advertisers will be. The publisher with balls will drive toward that inevitability, killing stock tables and even whole sections to encourage readers to go online. As for arguments that newspapers have high profit margins today: Well, yes. But once again, they're not going to grow as papers. And once again, beware the cash cow in the coal mine that can blind you to your strategic imperitive to change.
The first step is to change the way we think. We have to stop thinking of ourselves on paper. Stop thinking one-way and start thinking two-way. Stop thinking centralized and start thinking distributed. Stop thinking about holding trust and power and start thinking about earning and sharing both. Stop thinking we make money by creating friction and owning scarcity and start thinking about how we can make and share money by enabling people to do what they want to do. Stop thinking of what we produce as paper. We need to stop thinking of newspapers as things.
So how do we think? This weekend, I quoted a blogger about owning media and came away thinking that life and the internet are about verbs and so should media be: What do people want to do?
I also love quoting Hugh MacLeod, who told me to share this wisdom with the Online News Association two years ago: Hugh said that rather than thinking of a newspaper as a thing, we should start thinking of it as a place, "a point on the map where wonderful people cluster together to do wonderful things." Whatever we do, we have to break out of our old assumptions and old ways of looking at newspapers and journalism.
And that is what struck me so much about the contrast I saw between Europe and America. Here, we are talking about saving newspapers and hanging onto the past for dear life. There, they are talking about what comes next and they're in a mad dash to get there.
The idea that the presses we own may be our last is not cause for mourning but for invention and investment. We have no choice.
: Here are a few ways to break out of the old ways of thinking. Robin Miller has a great piece on lessons for newspapers he has gained from working at Slashdot's parent company. Here is Dave Winer's prescription.
: Full disclosures: I write a column for Media Guardian. They paid my way to the meeting but not a fee (who flunked that business test?). I agreed that the meeting was off-the-record but I did ask Rusbridger whether I could blog his quote. And I want to disclose that I'm sorry for writing such a long post.


text:
Fee-Fi-Fo-Fum, Jack the Giant Slayer's Fun
- Christa Banister Crosswalk.com Contributing Writer
- 2013 1 Mar
DVD Release Date: June 18, 2013
Theatrical Release Date: March 1, 2013
Rating: PG-13 (intense scenes of fantasy action violence, some frightening images and brief language)
Genre: Fantasy/Adventure
Run Time: 115 min.
Director: Bryan Singer
Cast: Nicholas Hoult, Stanley Tucci, Ewan McGregor, Bill Nighy, Eleanor Tomlinson, Eddie Marsan, Ewen Bremner, Ian McShane, Christopher Fairbank, Mingus Johnston
After the worldwide success of Alice in Wonderland kickstarted the whole fairytale fad into gear in 2010, the films that followed have been mostly, well, meh, for lack of a better word.
Sure, Mirror Mirror offered a bit of comic relief and Snow White and the Huntsman was a visual feast and nothing more, but the real low point was January's Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters. If anything, the lame attempt to put an R-rated twist on a classic tale only seemed to indicate that big-screen fairy tales were heading in the same direction as the Twilight saga's sparkly vampires—i.e. yesterday's news.
That said, it's not exactly surprising if the average film goer's expectations are low for Jack the Giant Slayer. For one, the trailer does a pretty lackluster job of selling it, and secondly, the source material has never been a barnburner as far as fairytales go anyway. Lest we forget, it's magic beans that propel the story into gear.
Despite all Jack the Giant Slayer has working against it perception-wise, imagine my surprise when it actually ends up being a fun couple of hours. Not only does the gorgeous detail in everything from the dreaded giants to the beanstalk itself maximize the 3-D format (a rarity these days), but the old-fashioned storytelling and cleverly staged action sequences can't help reminding you of old favorites like The Princess Bride and even the Indiana Jones franchise.
Like he did in 2002's About a Boy and more recently in 2011's X-Men: First Class and February's delightful zombie rom-com Warm Bodies, Nicholas Hoult puts his gangly everyman qualities to good use as the titular giant slayer. Staying mostly true to the story's origins, Jack is still a poor farm boy who hasn't had the time—or opportunity—for many life adventures. In fact, his uncle needs him to sell the family horse because cash is in particularly short supply. But as you've probably already guessed, the transaction doesn't go as planned, and Jack winds up with beans—magic beans—instead.
But not all of Jack's time in the kingdom of Cloister was a total bust, mind you. After locking eyes with a beautiful girl named Isabelle (Eleanor Tomlinson, The Illusionist), Jack later discovers that she's a princess who also craves adventure. Not happy with her father's plan for her life, which includes marrying a man she doesn't love, the narcissistic Roderick (an enjoyably evil Stanley Tucci, The Hunger Games), Isabelle is dead set on seeing what the real world is like and plans to escape her overprotective father to do so. Making sure she stays out of trouble in the meantime is her father's loyal subject, Elmont (Ewan McGregor, Angels & Demons).
Like Audrey Hepburn's character in Roman Holiday, escaping the palace life isn't exactly easy for Isabelle. Sneaking out on a night where it's pouring down rain, Isabelle and Jack are eventually reunited when she notices the light on in a nearby cabin that Jack's staying in. Before they have much time for reconnecting, however, something positively horrifying happens when one of those beans gets wet.
Alas, it's the beanstalk. Right on cue.
While those who already know the story won't be surprised by many of the plot twists, the filmmakers do an exceptional job of keeping viewers engaged nonetheless. Not only is ample attention devoted to the characters, which gives the audience plenty of incentive to root for their well-being, but the performances, particularly from supporting players McGregor and Tucci, are inspired rather than phoned in.
Also adding to the film's bottom line are the truly frightful antagonists—the giants. With the help of motion-capture technology and a scene-stealing performance from Bill Nighy (The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel) as a two-headed beast with two distinct personalities (one is a whole lot like Gollum from Lord of the Rings), the fact he feels more real than cartoonish helps deliver the fee-fi-fo-fum with aplomb.
Distinguishing itself from the more impersonal likes of, say, Transformers, Jack the Giant Slayer is a rare instance where the special effects really do make the film special. In other words, Michael Bay should be taking notes.
- Drugs/Alcohol: Some social drinking depicted
- Language/Profanity: Bast--- is used once, hel- is used twice and the expression "piss off" is also used once. Some scatological humor.
- Sex/Nudity: Kissing. Some women sport cleavage-y attire.
- Violence: While largely bloodless, there are several intense fight sequences scattered throughout. One of the characters ends up on a spit wrapped up in pastry with two actual pigs in a blanket. Several men are casually tossed off the beanstalk to their death by their boss. A man is stabbed. Some intense scenes involving truly terrifying giants. When the giants burst through the town, several men and women perish. One character is killed off in spectacularly gruesome fashion.
- Religion: Monks play a prominent role in the plot, and God is mentioned on several occasions (both reverently and in Roderick's case, with utter disregard for His rule since he's power-hungry and ultimately wishes he was in charge).
Christa Banister is an author and full-time freelancer writer, specializing in music, movies and books-related reviews and interviews and is the author of two novels, Around the World in 80 Dates and Blessed Are the Meddlers. Based in Dallas, Texas, she also weighs in on various aspects of pop culture on her personal blog.
Publication date: March 1, 2013

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Glasgow 19″ H Arts & Crafts Outdoor Column Mount Light
$617.40 – $710.01
Product Description
Available in a variety of choices in metal finish and glass combinations. Made of solid brass gives the fixture a more substantial appearance and increased durability. Glass panels are installed with both retaining clips and silicone to ensure that they are secured and will not rattle in the wind. Choose from one of our hand applied, powder coated, or plated finishes.
Dimensions: 18″W x 19.5″H


text:
If, as the philosopher of art Nelson Goodman has argued, "Denotation is the core of representation and is independent of resemblance," then Ken Weathersby's tight wooden grids on view in Parallel Art Space's Off the Wall are more than the mere "paintings" the artist calls them — they fully inhabit the fate of canvas as partition between signifier and signified. A grid, as interpretive model in a symbolic system, embodies denotation by being itself a terrain for signification, e.g. the space that makes intelligible the slippage between "Queen to F7" and "Checkmate." And so too do these latticeworks with found objects, ranging from the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Summer 1982 bulletin to bits of textile, eschew the stable universe of easel and palette to probe a more fundamental schema of mediation.
From the outside, Weathersby's pieces straddle the clinical geometry of Op art and the organic architectural character of traditional room dividers and panels, like the Arab mashrabeya or the Japanese screen, and are unobtrusive, orderly, suggestive even of a painterly monasticism. Yet, humming with accidental multitudes, these are not a recluse's relics: bits and pieces stripped of their original context fortify the three-dimensional matrix that Weathersby constructs like scaffolding around the troubled repose of the pictorial plane. These occlusions are ghosts in an alternately rigid and brittle system (the artist's glue is visible at every junction), and flutter between the pictorial, verbal, and diagrammatical denotations identified by Goodman in the aforecited Languages of Art. The found artifacts play out the penury of signs, ripped from some original order and entrapped in the next, their irrelevant resemblances sublimated within the grid. Here together are the limits of symbolic systems and the lexical affects we adopt to parse them.
Ken Weathersby is certainly not the first artist to have manipulated painting and denotation, or desecrated the ever-cooling corpse of canvas — the project has a distinctly vintage, Black Mountain College feel to it — but there is a focused and exploratory energy at work in his pieces, a maturity of purpose that stands at ascetic remove from the cloying color and sloppy corporeality that too often comes to the fore in Bushwick.
Ken Weathersby's work is on view in Off the Wall at Parallel Art Space (17-17 Troutman Street, Ridgewood, Queens) through March 23.


text:
Yikes! Chinese Students Must Scale Cliff to Get to School [VIDEO]
Every story your grandfather told you about how many miles he walked in the snow to get to school has been obliterated by what students in the Chinese village of Pili have to go through to get their learning on.
Pili is in a mountainous region over 100 miles away from the closest school, so every semester about 80 of village's school-eligible youngsters embark on a two-day journey which includes scaling down the face of a cliff and wading across a rapidly moving river.
One of the school's teachers, who helps the students with their journey, thinks it's not all that big of a deal:
"It's very steep but we're mountain people here and used to walking like this," the teacher says. "We haven't lost one yet. There are severe penalties for truancy."
They haven't lost a student yet? At least he's optimistic. Watch a Chinese news report on the extraordinary commute below, and be thankful for school bus drivers.
[via Asylum UK]


text:
Remember the Bud Bowl? The PBR Bowl is kind of like that, only less aimed at convincing underage kids to drink.
Every year for the past nine years, a growing gathering of hardy souls has been meeting at a park outside of tiny Emerson, Iowa, on the Saturday after Thanksgiving. Their goal: play some goddamn football. That goal quickly deteriorates into just drinking as many Pabst Blue Ribbons as humanly possible.
The rules are simple:
• 40 yard field, 20 yards for a first down
• One-hand touch
• All players must have a PBR in hand at all times
• If you drop your beer, chug it and grab another
• First to 70 points wins, unless the beer runs out or everyone gets too tired
• Extra points for beards and mullets
PBR Bowl IX was held this past weekend, and as the above highlight video shows, it's pretty much exactly what you'd expect. A sloppy game that gradually gets slower and sloppier and requires time outs to go puke-and-rally in the bushes. It's the heart of America.


text:
This image is from the Shutterstock collection.
Scenic Art
Why settle for blank walls, when you can transform them into stunning vista points. Explore from imaginative scenic abstracts to sublime beach landscapes captured on camera. The possibilities are endless. The painterly quality of our canvas creates an almost life-like panorama, so you can enjoy your favorite scenery without leaving home.
Vincent Van Gogh's Starry Night is one of the most renowned scenic masterpieces. Other famous landscape artists and photographers include Georgia O'Keeffe, Ansel Adams, and Claude Monet.


text:
Real Estate: Habitat for Humanity of Suffolk seeks volunteers
Habitat for Humanity of Suffolk wants you, especially if you have construction experience or leadership skills that will enable you to shepherd a small crew of volunteers.
So says Southold Town native and volunteer training coordinator Constantinos Kokkinos, who represents Habitat for Humanity of Suffolk County as an Americorps volunteer.
Habitat for Humanity brings communities together to build houses for families in need, giving them "a hand up, not a handout," Mr. Kokkinos said, adding that the organization is on track to finish 16 homes in Suffolk County this year, up from 10 last year.
"We are seeking new partnerships to foster this growth," he said, "We are looking for volunteers with leadership qualities, time on their hands and experience either leading volunteer groups or building houses."
Mr. Kokkinos, the son of a Southold house painter who's been at it for three decades, said the organization is looking for contractors like his father to donate labor.
He said the group especially needs licensed plumbers, site workers, roofers and other contractors who are willing to work — and will also warranty their work.
Habitat for Humanity of Suffolk was founded in 1987 as an independent affiliate of the international nonprofit affordable housing organization. As of August, Mr. Kokkinos said, the local group, which is based in Middle Island, has built 157 homes from Huntington Station to Westhampton, with half of them in Brookhaven Town, which by itself is bigger than Nassau County.
"We are currently building in Central Islip, Brentwood, East Patchogue, Bellport and East Moriches and are poised to begin builds in Shirley, Quiogue and Mastic Beach in 2013," he said.
Mr. Kokkinos said the organization chooses low-income family applicants based on need, ability and willingness to partner.
Need, he said, refers to those who are living in "substandard conditions" involving poor building structure, electrical wiring, heating and cooling, living space, problematic power or water supply, pest infestations or other health and safety concerns.
Ability relates to the applicant's ability to make timely payments on a nonprofit mortgage, ranging from $900 to $1,050 per month, depending on town taxes. The monthly payment includes property taxes, homeowner's insurance and mortgage insurance, Mr. Kokkinos said, adding that applicants are responsible for home maintenance and utilities expenses. PMI, or personal monthly insurance, is dealt with on a case-by-case basis.
"Willingness to partner is just that," he said. "An applicant must be willing to work with us to build their home. Partner families must acquire up to 270 hours of 'sweat equity,' which they do by working on the construction of their home and other Habitat family partners' homes."
Anyone who doesn't have time to volunteer but is willing to donate funding is encouraged to contact the local group's director of development, Les Scheinfeld, at [email protected]. Donations of building materials and supplies are also welcomed at the group's "ReStore" in Ronkonkoma; visit suffolkrestore.com.
Mr. Kokkinos also encouraged teens to consider participating in the organization's youth volunteer program. "Habitat Young Professionals is a group of young adults who actively advance Habitat Suffolk's work and mission through increasing volunteerism, spreading awareness and raising funds," he said. Teens interested in getting involved can contact Lindsey Ross at [email protected]
"Donated labor helps reduce the final cost of a home, thus reducing the price for the partner family," he said. "If you are an individual with experience, time on your hands and a desire to build with us long-term, you should reach out to me at [email protected] or call 631-924-4966, ext. 112."
Individuals wishing to volunteer their time can also put themselves on a volunteer "walk-on" list. Visit habitatsuffolk.org, click the "Get involved" button and enter your email address in the box on the left side of the page.


text:
Company Profile: 5.11 Tactical
Company Name:
5.11 Tactical Series
Modesto, California
Founded in:
5.11 Tactical Series was founded in 2003 out of outdoor and travel clothing brand Royal Robbins who begin making the original 5.11 Tactical pant in 1977, which became the standard issue of the FBI National Academy.
What type of products do you provide?
We provide head-to-toe uniforms for public safety professionals including duty uniforms, tactical pants and shirts, polos, shorts, outerwear, tactical vests, footwear, gloves, eyewear, knives, holsters, slings, bags, and flashlights.
What are your signature products?
Our top selling item continues to be the item that started it all, our khaki tactical pants. Other popular items are our no-fade, no-shrink, no-wrinkle polo shirts and our ATAC boots.
What's innovative about your products?
Starting with our very first product, the authentic, seven-pocket 5.11 Tactical Pants with the trademark slash pockets and utility strap, all 5.11 Tactical products must meet the mission statement – to be innovative and provide a value. Signature 5.11 Tactical Pants have enjoyed a considerable following for the past 30 years and counting. The pants are so comfortable and functional; they have become an industry staple. There are over 40 critical measurements on a pair of pants. The specs for 5.11 pants and other clothing are a guarded secret and they are what make 5.11 so popular. They just fit everyone!
5.11 Polo Shirts are made to the high standards demanded by public safety professionals. The no roll collar has flexible stays, which keep the collars from rolling at the edges. The pen pockets are stitched to endure constant use and all seams are designed for both comfort and durability. Because 5.11 Polo Shirts do not wrinkle, shrink or fade, they are an exceptional value. 5.11 Polo Shirts outlast other polo shirts by such a great factor and are so reasonably priced, it just makes sense to wear the best.
The UC3.400 Light for Life Flashlight from 5.11 is unlike any flashlight you've ever used. Utilizing advanced capacitor technology, it uses no batteries and charges in just 90 seconds giving you up to 4 hours of run time. Priced at $169.99 it will be the last flashlight you ever need.
Do you have any significant awards or milestones to mention?
Ranked 211 on the 2007 Inc. 500 – Inc. magazine's annual ranking by revenue growth, of privately-held, independent, U.S. based companies, 5.11 Tactical's products have received numerous awards through the years.
The most recent are:
• UC3.400 Light for Life Flashlight - Popular Science Pick of the Month, July 2009
• UC3.400 Light for Life Flashlight - Cygnus Law Enforcement Group 2009 Innovation Award
• Patrol Duty Uniform (PDU) – Uniform Market News 2009 Univator Award
• Patrol Duty Uniform (PDU) – Police Magazine 2009 IACP Best of Show
What is your company's core mission?
At 5.11 Tactical Series, we create products that exceed the needs of our customers with functional innovation while delivering exceptional value.
Request product info from top Police Bags and Cases companies
Thank You!


text:
Our Sponsors
UGA v. Georgia Tech Senior Day 2014
Georgia tried to finish off its regular season in style Saturday, Nov. 29 against in-state rival Georgia Tech. The Yellow Jackets had other ideas, surprising the Dawgs with a 30-24 overtime victory. Turnovers made the difference Saturday. Georgia coughed the ball up when it mattered.Read More


text:
Graduates, I salute you
It's graduation time again. Did you worry that you might not make it?
I got to thinking about those who are graduating and those who've dropped out. Then I remembered a high school friend named Catfish.
Back then I wondered if he was going to join me and my pals when we finished school.
You may not admit it but you probably had a pal like Catfish.
Before I met Catfish I knew only two cusswords, those were the ones my dad said when he was mad. Catfish told me a whole bunch more.
It was from Catfish that I learned "The Facts of Life."
"That's not true," I said. "When you get married they take blood and when you want a baby they mix the blood and you get a baby."
Catfish laughed.
One Saturday Catfish and I went to a matinee at the local theater. We sat next to two girls. Halfway through the movie I noticed Catfish was "making out" with the girl next to him.
"How'd you do that?" I asked after the movie. "She was a total
"She wanted to," said Catfish.
Catfish was the first of my friends to get a driver's license. He drove a VW Bug with giant slick rear tires and flames painted on the doors.
And despite being an anti-authoritarian James Dean-esque teenager, despite hanging out with a guy named Maurice who was known to get in knife fights, even though he specialized in being the consummate ladies man, even though he skipped a lot of classes, even though he had no idea what he'd do after high school…Catfish graduated.
Catfish may have seemed to some people as the ideal candidate to drop out but he didn't.
So to you who are graduating, I salute you.
Even if you did skip some classes.
Grant McGee is a long-time broadcaster and former truck driver who rides bicycles and likes to talk about his many adventures on the road of life. Contact him at: [email protected].


text:
Wende Curtis, owner of Comedy Works in LoDo and south in the Landmark development, is peddling a six-minute "sizzle reel" for a reality TV series …
This item is available in full to subscribers.
If you're a print subscriber, but do not yet have an online account, click here to create one.
Click here to see your options for becoming a subscriber.
If you made a voluntary contribution in 2022-2023 of $50 or more, but do not yet have an online account, click here to create one at no additional charge. VIP Digital Access includes access to all websites and online content.
Wende Curtis, owner of Comedy Works in LoDo and south in the Landmark development, is peddling a six-minute "sizzle reel" for a reality TV series about her crazy Comedy Works world.
"The working title is called `Comedy Works'," said Curtis, who wouldn't divulge where or to whom she's pitching the pilot project. "The principal characters are me, Lucy (her four-legged child), Jeff, our GM of the south club, and an assistant who is a sexy little 20-something who wants to break into comedy.
"There are a few more (characters) slated to be introduced early on, but there's only so much to get across in six minutes! We've gotten some strong feedback from the business; now let's see if we can sell it."
Curtis said her motivation for exploring the reality TV possibilities was primarily financial.
"Money inspired me ... to get out from underneath my debt faster!" she said.
Presidential project
Want to show former President Jimmy Carter and first lady Rosalynn Carter what you would do if you had a hammer? Would you hammer in the morning? Hammer in the evening? All over this land?
A few lucky folks will be chosen to work alongside the Carters during the 2013 Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter Work Project for Habitat for Humanity of Metro Denver from Oct. 6 through 11.
This is the 30th anniversary of the presidential Habitat for Humanity event, and Denver is one of three cities in the U.S. getting the special project.
Volunteers will build 11 new townhomes and repair up to 15 existing homes in Denver's Globeville neighborhood.
For more information, visit www.habitatmetrodenver.org.
Makes sense
When the creative team behind the musical interpretation of Jane Austen's classic novel "Sense & Sensibility" first presented their idea to Tony-nominated director Marcia Milgrom Dodge, she thought they were kidding.
How could Austen's iconic 1811 work of romantic fiction possibly translate into a piece for musical theater?
But the team convinced Milgrom Dodge, who fell in love with the formidable project. The result made its world premiere April 5 in Denver Center's Stage Theatre.
The result is a whimsical romp through the lives and loves of the Dashwood sisters, who go from riches to rags after the death of their father.
The sisters and their mother move to Barton Cottage in Devonshire, near the home of her cousin, Sir John Middleton. It's at Barton where a series of tangled romances finally straighten themselves out.
The exciting production values include sets that slide on and off stage or emerge from below or descend into trap doors.
"Sense & Sensibility the Musical" runs through May 26. Tickets: 303-893-4100 or www.denvercenter.org.
DIA's design delights
"USA Today" recently included Denver International Airport in its list of the "world's most beautiful airports."
Here's what the story said:
"Denver International Airport's iconic peaked fiberglass roof is meant to resemble the Rocky Mountains. Interior details throughout the airport have sparked numerous conspiracy theories — everything from supposed Templar markings in the floors to the theory that the airport serves as the secret headquarters for the Illuminati."
For more of the story, plus recommended Denver sights worth seeing, go to www.usatoday.com/story/travel/flights/2013/04/07/worlds-most-beautiful-airports/2056899/.
Steak escape
The Travel Channel recently aired an episode of the series "Food Paradise" with a third "Steak Paradise" edition, which included a stop at Vesta Dipping Grill, 1822 Blake St.
Personally, when I think Denver steak house, Vesta doesn't come to top of mind, but the "Food Paradise" peeps "steaked" a claim to Vesta.
In the piece, diners rave about Vesta's beef steak dishes - including the signature surf and turf, which is a flatiron steak with Manila clams - as well as waxing poetic about Vesta's venison filet.
Former executive chef Matt Selby (who now runs the kitchen at Corner House), talks about the veracity of venison for the camera.
The segment likely will air again on the Travel Channel, but until then, you can check it out at www.travelchannel.com/video/a-steak-by-any-other-name.
More restaurant scoops
Those of you who've been around the Denver dining scene since the 1990s might remember Michael's, a former fine dining spot at 2710 E. Third Ave. that lasted until 2000 when chef/owner Michael Shiell sold the place and relocated to The Big Apple.
After a chef stint there, he headed to the other coast as a restaurant consultant in California. But he longed to get back to his chef self, and to again own his own restaurant. Shiell got his wish when Lime owners Curt Sims and Pam Savage decided to leave Larimer Square and set up shop in the Denver Pavilions.
Shiell leased the below-ground level space in a Larimer Square courtyard (near Bistro Vendome), and will open Milk & Honey Bar Kitchen (he hopes) in August.
"We chose the old Lime spot because ... well ... it's Larimer Square, and I always love those tucked-away little gems personally when I go out," Shiell said. He was particularly attracted to the large below-ground patio, which he plans to decorate with numerous flowers and plants similar to his Bistro Vendome neighbor.
The "contemporary American" cuisine includes appetizers such as yellow fin tuna tartar, roast hen and foie gras terrine, rabbit rilette and honey-soy lacquered pork belly.
Entrée selections vary from butter-poached halibut, roast French hen, crispy duck breast and veal osso buco. Other dishes are soups and salads, an assortment of artisan cheeses and salumi, pasta and a burger.
Farther west as part of the Union Station redevelopment, Zoe Ma Ma, an Asian eatery with a location in Boulder, will open in the former south parking lot on 16th and Wynkoop.
The menu features Dim Sum, noodle and rice dishes and daily specials. "We use organic unbleached wheat flour, all-natural meats, cage-free eggs and wind power," the menu says. "We don't use MSG."
Check out the complete menu at www.zoemama.com.
Moving east from LoDo to Uptown, Pitch Coal-Fire Pizzeria is slated to open on 19th and Pennsylvania with another Marg's taco joint opening across the street next month.
Marg's World Taco Bistro, which has Denver locations in Cherry Creek North and LoDo, serves soft tacos with unusual fillings, housemade guacamole, chips and salsa. Complete menu at www.margstacobistro.com.
Pitch Coal-Fire Pizzeria, with one store in Omaha, Neb., is expanding into the Denver market.
Pitch is the brainchild of Willy Theisen, the founder of Godfather's Pizza who sold the operation in 1983 for millions of dollars. But despite his gah-zillionaire status, Theisen, in his mid-60s, has marinara sauce running through his veins and refuses to retire.
But Pitch is more than a pizza place. The menu includes steaks, pasta, fish, fowl, salads and appetizers. Check it out at www.pitchpizzeria.com.
Comedy in Arvada
Local comedian Bob Meddles is producing a series of monthly comedy nights at West Woods Golf Course in Arvada, beginning with a May 1 performance, starting at 7:30 p.m., featuring national touring comedian Bryan Keller (Comedy Central and "Last Comic Standing") and another local comic, Talon Saucerman.
The monthly event will be performed in the intimate setting of West Woods Bar & Grill. Seating is available for 62 people, so tickets will be limited. Tickets are $12 and available at www.comedynightatwestwoods-es2005.eventbrite.com/?rank=1# (keyword: west woods). West Woods Golf Course is located at 6655 Quaker St. in Arvada.
Wings of Hope fights cancer
The Wildlife Experience in Parker will host the second Evening of Hope, a fundraising event for Wings of Hope, at 6 p.m. on Thursday, April 25. Author and former Vietnam War-era Air Force pilot Brian Shul will give a special presentation for the benefit for pancreatic cancer research at the University of Colorado Cancer Center. The event also will include a silent auction, drinks and hors d'oeuvres.
Walt Imhoff, who lost his wife, Georgia, to pancreatic cancer in 2009, is the event's presenting sponsor. Maureen A. Shul, who lost her brother and mother to pancreatic cancer, founded Wings of Hope and was the founding mayor of Castle Pines. For tickets and more information, visit www.wingsofhopepcr.org or call 720-733-0491.
Kids' day in Wheat Ridge
The Wheat Ridge Police Department is sponsoring the third annual Children's Day on April 27. Scheduled for 11 a.m.-3 p.m. at Wheat Ridge 5-8 School, 7101 W. 38th Ave., the family-friendly event is designed to introduce parents and children to members of the Wheat Ridge police department.
The event will include free bike inspections, child ID kits and car-seat checkups. The child safety fair will include a bike rodeo for all kids, face painting, jumping castles, a miniature fire truck and an appearance by Cheezo, the Internet safety program's mascot. A Flight for Life helicopter also will make a landing at noon.
Replacement car seats will be available for a donation. Parents just need to be sure to have both your child and your vehicle with you. For more information, contact officer Betsy Sailor at 303-235-2910.
Spokes town
The people have "spoken" and Denver has emerged triumphant in REI's hotly contested Cycle Town Showdown, which pitted several U.S. cities against each other in a battle to see which city was the most bike friendly.
The outcome was no surprise to anyone who has enjoyed the Mile High City's 850 miles of paved off-road bike paths and more than 300 days of sunshine every year. Denver defeated Portland in the final round of the eight-city NCAA Tournament-style bracket. See the final bracket at www.rei.com/features/infographics/cyclingtown-showdown.html.
Visitors can experience this two-wheel paradise by using Denver B-cycle, the pioneering bike-share system. B-cycle features 56 B-stations located all over the city. The program will increase to 86 stations by the end of 2013. More information: www.denver.bcycle.com.
Adams at Comedy Works
My former Rocky Mountain News and Denver Post colleague Sam Adams hosted a gang of VIP supporters during a book-signing April 10 at Comedy Works South.
Adams, who penned his first book "If You Don't Believe Me ... Lessons Learned From Listening to the Greats," thanked gathered guests for guiding him through his journey as an insurance company employee to a freelance high-school sportswriter for The Denver Post to a full-time position as a sportswriter to columnist to stand-up comedian and now author.
In the book, published by Books to Believe In (www.bookstobelievein.com), Adams recalls close encounters of the celebrity kind including John Elway, Bill Cosby, Sugar Ray Leonard, John "Buck" O'Neil of the Negro Leagues, Floyd Little, Magic Johnson, Quincy Jones, James Caan and on and on ... Adams admits to being a notorious name-dropper around friends.
It's an interesting memory walk down the lane of a life well lived ($20, www.amazon.com).
A man talking to a small group of people at Sam Adams' book-signing party: "This must be the media, isn't this free?"
Penny Parker's "Mile High Life" column gives insights into the best events, restaurants, businesses, parties and people throughout the metro area. Parker also writes for Blacktie-Colorado.com. You can subscribe and read her columns (Monday, Wednesday and Friday) at www.pennyparker.blacktie-colorado.com. She can be reached at firstname.lastname@example.com or at 303-619-5209.
Other items that may interest you
We have noticed you are using an ad blocking plugin in your browser.
The revenue we receive from our advertisers helps make this site possible. We request you whitelist our site.


text:
Evelyn Winters
REVELATIONS' cover is live!
Feb18, 2013 |
Filed in:blog hop,blog tour,contest,cover art,cover release,cover reveal,Evelyn Winters,J.A. Souders,Renegade,Tor Teen,Uncategorized,YA,YA book,YA novel,YAY
I can't believe that today's the day! It's so so surreal that I'm not focusing on RENEGADE any more. This time last year, I was worrying over how Renegade would do. Now it's REVELATIONS' turn. Wow. Just wow.
Anyway, you want to see the cover not hear me complain about how fast time goes by. LOL.
I've been lucky enough to have a TON of extremely awesome bloggers help me with this cover reveal. And I owe them a HUGE debt of gratitude, especially Jaime Arnold from Two Chicks on Books. Thank you, Jaime! <3 <3 And all the other bloggers who are listed below, for being as awesome as they come. 🙂
Also, there's a contest! It's pretty easy. 🙂
See list below:
Bumbles and Fairytales
Fiktshun's Ramblings
Liz Czukas
Haunted Orchid
Books As You Know It
Magical Urban Fantasy Reads
The Book Life
Books Mystify
Burning Impossibly Bright
Tez Says
Akossiwa Ketoglo
The Daily Bookmark
My Library in the Making
A Dream From My Heart
Dear Restless Reader
Goldilox and the Three Weres
MTG Reviews
Shadow Libros


text:
As the manager of sales engineer and operations for NEC Corporation of America, I have seen numerous changes in contact center technology, but one thing was the same – technology drove the solutions – until now. We have moved to an environment that is significantly more consumer driven, and those needs drive the solution. What makes this most interesting from the standpoint of contact center technology is that the technology is moving beyond the contact center and into the rest of the organization.
According to Carmela Fairchild, contact center technology expert at dvsAnalytics, workforce optimization is being used in financial areas such as credit collections, for higher education and in hospitality. In all these cases, the uses are beyond a traditional call-center environment. Organizations realized that the amount of data that can be accumulated in the call center could be used to assess customer experience, responsiveness and overall effectiveness of many other departments. For example, a reseller of automotive parts with more than 1,400 locations throughout the United States and Canada realized that call center technology would empower it to record all the phone calls to its small locations, providing actionable data.#Customer engagement is a metric that is here to stay, particularly as consumers become more sophisticated w/ tech Click To Tweet
We see a similar trend with our customers, and find that there is increasing interest in deploying contact center technology for uses outside the traditional center.
"I used to spend most of my time speaking with contact center executives, but now I spend 90% or more speaking to CIOs and CFOs who realize the power of this solution and how it can positively impact their business," said Mary Irwin, solutions architect for NEC Corporation of America. "Organizations realize that data can be retrieved via this technology, and that they can provide better customer engagement by routing calls so they are answered, rather than going to voice mail."
Irwin went on to say, "Tracking the entire organization has become important so they can ensure the right information is given to the right people to do their jobs more effectively. It's more about solving a business problem rather than tracking call times or other metrics."
Organizations are focused more on customer engagement than ever before, with an eye to self-service as well as getting answers to questions quickly and efficiently.
"Customer satisfaction has become more important, so in addition to self-service to provide convenience, organizations are now realizing they must get customers to the right person, no matter the cost. Otherwise, they run the risk of losing that customer, which costs them more in the long run," said Irwin.
Customer engagement is a metric that is here to stay, particularly as consumers become more sophisticated in their technology use and also increase their expectations. So what else is in store for contact center technology?
The Future is About…
"Even with all the best technology and self-service capabilities, I believe that voice will become the de facto standard for escalation. When consumers cannot get what they need by other methods, speaking with a live expert is the next logical step. However, I do see it improving via the use of speech analytics," said Fairchild.
One trend we all agree on is that contact center technology will start to include gamification. Reasons include:
- Agent retention and motivation
- Competitive differentiation
- Improve operational efficiencies
According to Gartner research, by the end of 2015, more than 40% of the top companies will be using gamification to transform their business operations. Therefore, workforce optimization solutions will need to provide the framework to support the trend.
Multiple media, sometimes called multi-channel or omni-channel, will expand significantly in the years ahead. Virtual queuing, or what we used to identify as "callback," will become the rule as opposed to the exception. Companies are learning that virtual queuing can vastly improve their first call resolution while keeping customers happy.
For more information on how contact center technology can support your operational initiatives as well as future needs, visit our recorded webinar series where you can learn more about NEC's latest contact center innovations, why they are so important and which are appropriate for your organization.


text:
The Latest: Texas hits new high for COVID-19 deaths, with 98
AUSTIN, Texas —
— U.S. government to advise health care workers to reuse PPE
— Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker calls for national mandate on masks
— European Union urged to agree to 'ambitious' recovery fund
— Six months after COVID-19 started spreading around the globe, desperation rather than information is still driving many decisions about how to treat the disease. Two drugs have been shown to help but key questions remain about their use.
— Africa now has more than a half-million confirmed coronavirus cases. The continent-wide total is now over 508,000 after South Africa recorded another day of more than 10,000 confirmed cases as a new global hot spot.
Follow all of AP's pandemic coverage at http://apnews.com/VirusOutbreak and https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak
LONDON — The humanitarian group Oxfam says the coronavirus has worsened the hunger crisis in the world's poorest corners and warns that up to 12,000 people could die each day from hunger linked to the social and economic impacts of the pandemic.
The group's report issued Thursday says mass unemployment, disruption to food production and declining aid as a result of the pandemic could push an estimated 122 million people to the brink of starvation this year.
The charity's chief executive warns that the knock-on impacts of COVID-19 are far more widespread than the virus itself, affecting many in middle-income countries like India, South Africa and Brazil.
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Los Angeles County's public health director is urging local school officials to prepare for a possible delay of classroom instruction next month.
Gov. Gavin Newsom on Wednesday said that is a setback he would like to avoid by convincing more people to wear masks and avoid gatherings to slow the spread of the coroanvirus.
Los Angeles County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer urged school districts to have a "plan b" because of the uncertainty around the spread of the virus. Newsom said school districts will decide for themselves if they can safely reopen. He said he hopes the school year is not delayed.
NEW ORLEANS — Louisiana officials are sounding the alarm about coronavirus infections continuing to rise across the state, and officials in New Orleans say they will soon restrict bars and restaurants to table service in hope of reducing the disease's resurgence.
Gov. John Bel Edwards said Wednesday at his weekly pandemic briefing that "we have a statewide epidemic. It's no longer one or two regions."
New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell, meanwhile, issued new regulations ending table service at the city's bars and restaruants. The new rules also limit indoor gatherings to 25 people. The mayor says the rules take effect at 6 a.m. Saturday.
The state health departments said Wednesday that bars have been identified as the focus of 36 coronavirus outbreaks that infected 393 people.
UNITED NATIONS — The leading U.S. infectious disease expert says he is cautiously optimistic that a coronavirus vaccine with some degree of effectiveness will be successfully developed by the end of the year or the beginning of 2021.
Dr. Anthony Fauci told a U.N. event Wednesday that Moderna's vaccine will go into Phase 3 trials "sometime at the end of July and then others will follow in August, September and October."
He says Moderna's vaccine has shown "very promising" results, "which makes me cautiously optimistic, although you could never, ever predict with any certainty whether a vaccine is going to be safe and effective."
Fauci heads the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. He says "a strategic approach" has been adopted to test multiple vaccine candidates using the same standards and measurements.
OKLAHOMA CITY — President Donald Trump's campaign rally in Tulsa in late June that drew thousands of people, along with large protests that accompanied it, "likely contributed" to a dramatic surge in coronavirus cases, health officials said Wednesday.
Tulsa County reported 261 confirmed cases on Monday, a new record one-day high, and another 206 cases on Tuesday.
County Health Department Director Dr. Bruce Dart said those large gatherings "more than likely" contributed to the spike.
A reporter who attended Trump's rally is among those who have tested positive for COVID-19, along with six of Trump's campaign staffers and two members of the Secret Service.
Statewide, Oklahoma health officials on Wednesday reported 673 new confirmed cases of the coronavirus, the state's second-highest daily total since the start of the pandemic.
RENO, Nev. — The first coronavirus antibody study conducted in Nevada suggests COVID-19 test results dramatically underestimate the number of people who actually have been infected by the disease.
The joint study by the Washoe County Health District and researchers at the University of Nevada, Reno concludes that four to five times more people have been infected with the virus that causes COVID-19 than have been formally confirmed as positive cases to date in the Reno-Sparks area.
Based on blood tests for antibodies, the June study indicates 2.3% of adults in Washoe County had an infection or exposure resulting in an immune response to the virus.
SANTIAGO, Chile — Chile will begin easing lockdown measures in two southern regions on Monday with 800,000 people able to resume some of their activities and those over 75 able to go out once a day.
Restaurants, cinemas, theaters and cafes will be allowed to open at 25% capacity. Sporting activities can be carried out without an audience and can include up to 10 people in enclosed spaces and 50 in the open.
The new measures will apply in the Los Ríos and Aysén regions in the country's south. If a new outbreak occurs in either region, the government said tighter restrictions will be considered.
The number of people with confirmed infections of the new coronavirus surpassed 300,000 in the South American country, the sixth highest figure in the world.
JOHANNESBURG — A health official in South Africa's new coronavirus hot spot of Gauteng province says authorities are preparing over 1.5 million gravesites as confirmed cases rise.
Bandile Masuku, a medical doctor and member of the province's executive council, said it was the public's responsibility to make sure the gravesites were not needed.
"It's an uncomfortable discussion," he said. Gauteng province includes Johannesburg and the capital, Pretoria.
The number of confirmed virus cases in Gauteng is now over 71,000, or 33% of South Africa's cases. The country has more than 215,000 confirmed cases and is posting some of the world's highest daily totals of newly reported cases.
Meanwhile, the easing of lockdown measures continues.
ANKARA — Turkey is preparing to appoint "observers" at weddings and engagement parties to ensure that social distancing practices are adhered.
Health Minister Fahrettin Koca told reporters following a weekly meeting of the country's scientific advisory council on Wednesday that the decision was reached after several recent COVID-19 outbreaks were traced back to weddings.
Authorities in eight provinces have banned traditional send-off ceremonies for young men starting their military service—considered another source for coronavirus infections.
Meanwhile, religious authorities were considering measures to ensure social distancing at funerals gatherings, Koca said.
Turkey saw an uptick in daily confirmed infections and deaths in mid-June, after it eased restrictions aimed at curbing the virus' spread.
On Wednesday, the total number of infections in Turkey rose to 208,938. The death toll now stands at 5,282.
ATLANTA — Atlanta's mayor says she will sign an executive order mandating masks in Georgia's largest city, defying Gov. Brian Kemp's decision to encourage voluntary masking.
Spokesman Michael Smith says Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms plans to sign an order requiring masks, which could set up a confrontation with the Republican Kemp.
Like several other local leaders in Georgia, Bottoms has unsuccessfully appealed to Kemp to change his order that local governments can't exceed the state's requirements. Bottoms announced she tested positive for the coronavirus on Monday.
"Other cities have taken the approach that they are going to defy the governor's executive order. Savannah has done it, some other cities have done it, and Atlanta is going to do it today," Bottoms told MSNBC in a Wednesday interview. "Because the fact of the matter is that COVID-19 is wreaking havoc on our cities, specifically black and brown communities with higher death rates."
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Federal prosecutors say a Florida man and his three sons are facing federal charges that they illegally sold a bleach-like chemical mixture as a miracle cure for the coronavirus and other diseases.
Prosecutors say the substance was sold nationwide through an entity called the Genesis II Church of Health and Healing in Bradenton, Florida. A Miami federal judge in April ordered the self-styled church to stop selling the substance, but authorities say they ignored the order.
Charged in the criminal complaint are 62-year-old Mark Grenon and his sons with two conspiracy counts and criminal contempt. Court records didn't list attorneys for them.
PHOENIX — Arizona residents sat in cars up to 13 hours to get coronavirus testing. Others say they've waited weeks for results.
Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego called the situation "desperate." She told local and national outlets this week that FEMA dismissed her pleas for a testing blitz in the nation's fifth-largest city.
So far, Arizona has reported more than 108,000 confirmed coronavirus cases in the state from more than 827,000 tests. Experts say more tests are needed beyond just the sickest people if Arizona wants to get a handle on its surge.
FEMA administrator Robert Fenton said Tuesday the agency is doubling the number of testing supplies it plans to ship to Arizona this month. The federal government plans to provide more manpower to do contact tracing and clinical care.
SALT LAKE CITY — Utah Gov. Gary Herbert is considering issuing a statewide mask mandate after discussing the issue with state legislators this week.
The Republican governor raised the possibility of a statewide order last week because of a spike in coronavirus cases. He held a virtual meeting with House Speaker Brad Wilson and Senate President J. Stuart Adams on Tuesday to discuss a potential state measure.
Herbert is also facing mounting pressure from the Utah Hospital Association, which sent a letter urging the legislative leadership to require Utah residents to wear masks.
ATHENS, Greece — Greece's government has eased more coronavirus restrictions, ending a six-person limit per table at restaurants and allowing visitors to shop at malls without wearing a mask.
The measures were announced as infection rates remain generally low in most of the country, despite some concern about the growing number of cases among tourists.
The Health Ministry on Wednesday reported 33 new cases, 24 from people visiting the country since tourism was allowed.
The total number of confirmed cases reached 3,622, while the death toll reached 193.
WASHINGTON — Vice President Mike Pence says the U.S. government will issue guidance encouraging front-line health care workers to reuse personal protective equipment.
Pence, speaking at White House Coronavirus Task Force briefing on Wednesday, added that PPE supplies remain "very strong" but the Trump administration will be encouraging healthcare workers "to use some of the best practices" to "preserve and reuse" face masks and other protective equipment.
The head of the White House task force says Americans in states that have seen a recent spike in cases need to do more to clamp down on gatherings in order to stem spread of the virus.
Dr. Deborah Birx says in addition to closures of bars, ceasing indoor dining and wearing face coverings, Americans in hot spots should stop holding or cut down on the size of gatherings they hold in their homes.
WASHINGTON — Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker is calling for a national mandate on masks, saying that it "might be the most important thing we can do to save lives.″
Illinois mandated masks in public spaces on May 1, one of the first U.S. states to do so. Pritzker, a Democrat and frequent critic of President Donald Trump, says his state's move "aligns with our most significant downward shifts in our infection rate.″
The governor told a U.S. House committee on Wednesday: "It's not too late for the federal government to make an impact – in fact, it's more important than ever.″
Pritzker testified before the House Homeland Security Committee.
WASHINGTON — Vice President Mike Pence says the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will be issuing new guidance for the reopening of schools in the fall.
School districts across the United States are struggling with how to safely reopen as the coronavirus continues to surge in some states. The vice president, speaking after a meeting Wednesday of the White House coronavirus task force at the Education Department, called it "absolutely essential" for students to return to the classroom for in-person learning.
Pence announced plans for new CDC guidelines shortly after President Donald Trump took to Twitter to criticize the public health agency for asking schools "to do very impractical things."
Arizona, Florida and Texas are among states in recent weeks that have seen some of the biggest spikes in coronavirus infections.
MADRID — Spain says that the daily coronavirus infection count has doubled up in the past 24 hours amid dozens of small outbreaks.
Contagion was up Wednesday with 257 confirmed infections, from 124 the day before and to more than 252,500 since the pandemic hit the country, official Health Ministry statistics showed. There have been at least 28,300 confirmed deaths, nine of them recorded since Tuesday.
Admissions into hospitals and intensive care units are increasing, the data showed, especially in parts of the northeastern Spanish region of Catalonia. That's where authorities have made mandatory the use of face masks even when social distancing can be maintained.
Infection clusters around the Catalan city of Lleida, population 200,000, have led to the first localized lockdown since Spain emerged from a nationwide stay-at-home order.
BAGHDAD — Iraq's Ministry of Health says the country has recorded 2,741 new cases of the coronavirus, its highest daily total yet.
The number of cases has risen dramatically despite a prolonged lockdown followed by weekly weekend curfews.
The country with a long history of conflict and fragile health system is gripped by a severe economic crisis brought on by plummeting oil prices, and its hospitals are now overflowing with coronavirus patients.
Doctors are running low on medical equipment, including key protective gear and large numbers of medical staff have reportedly been infected.
Field hospitals have been set up throughout Baghdad, where infections are highest, to cope with the exponentially rising number of virus patients.
The total number of confirmed cases in the conflict-torn country stands at 67442 , with 2,779 deaths.


text:
Results 1 to 1 of 1
Thread Information
Users Browsing this Thread
There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)
Voters to choose 2 governors, decide ballot issues Tue.
Voters to choose 2 governors, decide ballot issues
By ANDREW WELSH-HUGGINS, Associated Press â 48 minutes ago
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) â Votes on immigration, union rights and President Obama's health care law could hold hints of the American public's mindset, four years into an economic downturn and one year from the presidential election.
Tuesday's elections also include governors' races in Mississippi and Kentucky that will point to political prospects for 2012, when an additional 10 governorships will be contested. In both states, the governors' offices are expected to stay in the hands of incumbent parties, perhaps indicating that voters aren't ready to abandon their loyalties.
But regardless of the ballot questions and key political races, most experts agree the most important factor in 2012 remains the stubbornly weak economy.
"If the economy were to turn around in the next year, that's going to matter a lot more than what happens in ballot issues," said political analyst Justin Buchler.
Lawmakers have tried to tie other issues, such as public employees' union rights, to their states' economic struggles.
In battleground Ohio, voters will decide whether to repeal a law severely limiting the collective bargaining rights of more than 350,000 teachers, firefighters, police officers and other public employees, and whether to prohibit people from being required to buy health insurance as part of the national health care overhaul.
A vote against the health care law would be mostly symbolic, but Republican opponents of the measure hope to use the vote as part of a legal challenge.
Recent polls suggest voters are leaning toward rejection of the collective bargaining law, but the final tally could be close. If approved, it would permit workers to negotiate on wages but not on pensions or health care benefits. It also bans public-worker strikes, scraps binding arbitration and eliminates annual pay raises for teachers.
The vote will be a referendum on both Republican backers and GOP Gov. John Kasich, who pushed strongly for the legislation. The outcome will also be closely watched by presidential candidates as a gauge of the Ohio electorate, which is seen as a bellwether.
No Republican has won the White House without Ohio, and only two Democrats did so in more than a century.
The governors' races will be closely watched by both parties, since governors can marshal resources and get-out-the-vote efforts crucial to any White House candidate.
In Mississippi, Lt. Gov. Phil Bryant appears poised to keep the governor's mansion in GOP hands, succeeding Haley Barbour, who toyed briefly with a run for president. Hattiesburg Mayor Johnny Dupree is the first black major-party nominee for governor in Mississippi, but an upset win for him isn't in the cards.
In Kentucky, Democratic incumbent Gov. Steve Beshear is waltzing to re-election despite high unemployment, budget shortfalls and an onslaught of third-party attack ads.
Tuesday's election comes just weeks after two other governors' races. Republican Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal won 66 percent of the vote last month in the state's open primary, more than enough to avoid a recount. And in West Virginia, Democrat Earl Ray Tomblin narrowly beat Republican Bill Maloney in a special election.
Political analyst Alan Rosenthal says voters are so polarized today â with fewer crossing party lines â that choosing a candidate is a better indication of the public's mood than deciding a ballot question.
Picking sides on a referendum may reinforce party loyalty, but "it's not going to be as clear as when you're voting for a candidate," said Rosenthal, a Rutgers University professor.
Social issues are also on the ballot. In Mississippi, one referendum asks whether the state should define life as beginning at conception. The measure stands a decent chance of becoming the first victory in the country for the so-called personhood movement, which aims to make abortion all but illegal.
Similar attempts have failed in Colorado and are under way elsewhere.
Also in Mississippi, a proposed constitutional amendment would prohibit the government from taking private property by eminent domain and transferring it to other people.
In Arizona, Republican state Sen. Russell Pearce, architect of the immigration law that thrust the issue into the national political debate, faces a recall that could throw him out of office. The Republican attempting to defeat him has made immigration a constant theme, but Pearce has a 3-to-1 fundraising advantage.
Other votes of note:
â In Kentucky, comic-turned-politician Robert Farmer upset local residents with some hillbilly jokes, but he could ride name recognition to a new job as agricultural commissioner. In Ohio, politically incorrect comedian Drew Hastings, a "Comedy Central" fixture, is running for mayor of tiny Hillsboro.
â In Maine, voters will decide whether to repeal a new state law that requires voters to register at least two days before an election. A repeal would effectively restore Election Day voter registration, which had been available for nearly four decades. Maine has two other ballot questions asking residents whether they want to allow casinos in specific communities.
â New Jersey voters are being asked whether to legalize sports betting in a measure polls indicate will likely pass. But it won't change much since New Jersey is among the vast majority of states subject to a federal ban on sports betting.
â In Philadelphia, Democratic incumbent Michael Nutter is expected to win easy re-election.
â In Washington state, voters decide whether to end the state-run liquor system and allow large stores to sell liquor. The effort has been bankrolled by giant retailer Costco, which spent more than $22 million to make it the costliest initiative in Washington history.
â Oregon, the first state to let residents vote by mail, is pioneering another voting option: casting ballots by iPad. Election workers are taking iPads and printers to the homes of voters with certain disabilities â poor vision, for example â ahead of Tuesday to let them vote and print out ballots that are ready to be mailed.
Oregon also holds a special primary to replace Democratic Rep. David Wu, who resigned his seat in August after a newspaper published allegations that he had an unwanted sexual encounter with an 18-year-old woman. Wu was the fourth member of Congress to quit this year in the wake of a sex scandal.
â In Seattle, even voters in this liberal bastion appear unlikely to support an increase in license plate fees to plug budget gaps.
â In San Francisco, voters are deciding pension-reform measures designed to save the city money billions of dollars.
Andrew Welsh-Huggins can be reached at http://twitter.com/awhcolumbus.
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/art ... 0b252a584eNO AMNESTY
Don't reward the criminal actions of millions of illegal aliens by giving them citizenship.
Sign in and post comments here.
Please support our fight against illegal immigration by joining ALIPAC's email alerts here https://eepurl.com/cktGTn


text:
Easter Brunch at Café Modern
- April 20, 2014 10:00 AM
Join us at Cafe Modern on Easter Sunday for brunch!
Appetizers, Choice of one:
Mini Bagel and Lox with Caviar & Dill Cream Cheese
Creamy Wild Mushroom Soup with Freshly Shaved Black Truffles
Sesame Seared Tuna with Red Miso Dressing and Cucumber Ginger Salad
Little Gem Wedge Salad with Bacon, Maytag Blue Cheese Dressing and Baby Tomatoes
Ham and Gruyere Turnovers with Pineapple Conserva
Entrees, Choice of one:
Surf and Turf Eggs Benedict
One Lobster Benedict and One Braised Short Rib Benedict Served with Béarnaise and Fingerling Home Fries
Peanut Butter and Jelly French Toast
Topped with Whipped Cream and Strawberries. Served with Your Choice of Bacon, Sausage, or Fruit
Tex-Mex Steak and Potatoes
Sous-Vide 10 oz. NY Strip with Chile Relleno – Potato Enchiladas
Country Picnic
Buttermilk Brined Fried Chicken, Deviled Egg Potato Salad, and Angry Corn
Strube Ranch Chili
With Poached eggs, Tortilla Strips, Queso Fresco, Red Onion, and Cilantro
Asparagus Leek and Gruyere Quiche
With a Petite Café salad and Fresh Fruit
Dessert Trio
Lemon-Raspberry Cheesecake Tart, Chocolate Panna Cotta with Salted Caramel, Strawberries & Cream Cookie Sandwich
$39.95 per person (beverages, tax and gratuity not included).
Reservations suggested. Please call 817.840.2157.


text:
bin/logon script provided with SessionPlugin accomplishes this. It is an artifact of the original TWiki:Plugins/SessionPlugin. The
bin/logon script must be setup in the
bin/.htaccess file to be a script which requires a valid user to authenticate. However, once authenticated, it will simply redirect the user to the view URL for the page from which logon was linked.
There are three TWikiVariables below that retrieve this logon URL. One of them is used explicitly by the TWiki:Plugins/TigerSkinPlugin and other similar plugins like TWiki:Plugins/GnuSkinPlugin.
?skin=_skinname_ after every URL, but this is hardly transparent to the user.
An idea that was implemented in the original version of TWiki:Plugins/SessionPlugin was to create the notion of a "sticky skin" which could be set via a configurable CGI variable (normally
stickskin) and would end up setting a session variable SKIN that would be respected over all other SKIN variables. In effect, this session variable would be exactly like passing
?skin=_skinname_ to every TWiki script.
This same idea is still implemented. The sticky persistent skin is available regardless of whether or not the user has logged in. On top of this, if the sticky skin is set to a configurable value (normally
default), the session SKIN will be cleared and let any other SKIN variables take over.
There are a number of TWikiVariables below that provide for easy methods to access these sticky skin features. If %SKINS% is set to be a comma-separated list of skins, the SelectSkin script will give an easy interface to changing skins on the fly and having them stick to the current session. An example of how to link to SelectSkin is given below. SelectSkin itself gives information on its usage as well. Plus, TWiki:Plugins/TigerSkinPlugin and TWiki:Plugins/GnuSkinPlugin both make a use of this SelectSkin page.
%GET_SESSION_VARIABLE{ varName }%The session variables can also be set and cleared via CGI variables (include more than one in the string if necessary, separated by commas, as demonstrated here):
%SET_SESSION_VARIABLE{ varName, varValue }%
%CLEAR_SESSION_VARIABLE{ varName }%
set_session_variable=" varName = varValue , varName = varValue , ... "That is, to set the session variable SKIN equal to "gnu" while clearing the session variable TEST, adding this to the end of a TWiki URL should work:
clear_session_variable=" varName , varName , ..."
Of course, all of the "sticky skin" features are shortcuts to this functionality (as hinted at in the above example).?set_session_variable=SKIN=gnu&clear;_session_variable=TEST
$doRememberRemoteUser feature, is left at its default setting of on. This is an important security feature that should only be turned off if you are confident that your users are going to be coming from some sort of proxy which frequently could change its outgoing IP. An example might be a load balanced firewall. However, it's better to insist that the administrator of that proxy or firewall install modern technologies to make HTTP connections persistent rather than turning off a major security feature on your system. Sessions are often used for more complicated authentication and/or storing of valuable information from the user in a hopefully secure place. It may not be worth trading off keeping this information secure.
NOTE: This setting currently cannot be set here in SessionPlugin. In order to change its setting, you must edit SessionPlugin.pm directly. This is because this plugin has a key role in authentication and must run earlier than preferences are initialized in the current version of TWiki. Because of this, this setting cannot be set like a normal TWiki preference. Edit the plugin module directly.
%SESSION_IF_AUTHENTICATED% Authenticated User %SESSION_ELSE% Not Authenticated %SESSION_ENDIF% %SESSION_IF_NOT_AUTHENTICATED% Not Authenticated %SESSION_ELSE% Authenticated User %SESSION_ENDIF% %SESSION_IF_AUTHENTICATED% Authenticated User %SESSION_ENDIF% %SESSION_IF_NOT_AUTHENTICATED% Not Authenticated %SESSION_ENDIF%If you have correctly installed this plugin, these will appear properly rendered here (square braces have been added around the tags since some of them will render an empty string if properly installed; these braces are not necessary and are only added here for clarity):
[ Not Authenticated ] [ Not Authenticated ] [ ] [ Not Authenticated ]
|You type
|You get
|If correctly installed
|The unique ID for this session
|The CGI and session variable that stores the session ID
|The current "sticky skin" being held in the session (see above for description)
|Put in WebLeftBar - it'll change from Logon or Register to Welcome WikiName
|Register or Logon
|Pre-linked logon (used by TigerSkinPlugin)
|URL for forced logon script
|URL path for forced logon script
|Expects %SKINS% to have comma-separted list of installed skins. Produces select input to select a "sticky skin"
|Returns a 1 if the current session has gone through authentication. Otherwise returns a 0. Useful when used with something like TWiki:Plugins/ConditionalPlugin
|Session conditional.
|See above for description and example.
|Session conditional.
|See above for description and example.
|Session conditional.
|See above for description and example.
|Session conditional.
|See above for description and example.
|Gets a session variable.
|See above for description and example.
|Sets a session variable.
|See above for description and example.
|Clears a session variable.
|See above for description and example.
|You type
|You get
|If correctly installed
|Whether to verify that session ID is coming from same IP as its original creator (can currently only be set within SessionPlugin.pm)
|The session variable that stores the authenticated user name. By setting this to different values, hopefully this plugin can be more easily integrated into other authentication schemes that already fill this session variable in before this plugin gets a chance (can currently only be set within SessionPlugin.pm)
|Whether to use transparent session IDs
|The CGI variable to select "sticky skin"
|The skin name to which to set the above CGI variable in order to turn off "sticky skins"
SessionPlugin.zip in your twiki installation directory. Content:
|Plugin topic
|Plugin topic repository
|Plugin Perl module
|Script to force logon
bin/.htaccess so that
bin/logon needs a valid-user. In other words, add these lines to
<Files "logon"> require valid-user </Files>
?stickskin=plain to the end of the URL for this page and see if the skin changes to the plain skin.
?stickskin=default to a URL.
$doRememberRemoteUser inside TWiki.cfg so that after a user logs in, his or her logon becomes tied to the IP address from which the user is connecting. This causes a problem when the user is going through a firewall that many users use or when the user's IP frequently changes (in the case of load balanced firewalls, both of these things might be happening at the same time).
Other fixes involve creating duplicate copies or links of non-authenticated scripts and force those copies to authenticate. Then, once a user authenticates, force them in some manner to only use the authenticated scripts. In the right implementation, this can work fairly transparently, but it still involves a noticable change of URL of TWiki pages after the "authentication barrier" is crossed. User's that want to copy and paste URLs to other people over e-mail will end up sending an authenticated URL to perhaps a person who does not even have a TWiki account.
|Plugin Author:
|Plugin Version:
|03 Sep 2021 (V2.122)
|Change History:
|28 Sep 2004:
|(V2.99) Minor patch to introduce LOGON_OR_WELCOME, to replace SessionPlugin and to make it work with Cairo. (TWiki:Main.MartinCleaver)
|03 Sep 2003:
|(V2.122) Changed things so plugin will work with modperl, SpeedyCGI, etc.
|24 Aug 2003:
|(V2.121) Added set_session_variable and clear_session_variable CGI sensitivity to allow for mangling of session variables from CGI as well.
|24 Aug 2003:
| (V2.120) Added SET_SESSION_VARIABLE, GET_SESSION_VARIABLE, and CLEAR_SESSION_VARIABLE and suggested addition to Plugin API to make clearing session variables easier from other plugins. This change really warns that
TWiki.pm should be patched according to TWiki:Codev/SessionVariablesOverrideFinalPreferences to prevent users from easily overriding FINALPREFERENCES settings. Anticipate ways to set, get, and clear with CGI variables in 2.121.
|23 Aug 2003:
|(V2.111) Added conditional operators SESSION_IF_AUTHENTICATED, SESSION_IF_NOT_AUTHENTICATED, SESSION_ELSE, SESSION_ENDIF that give ConditionalPlugin-like behavior without ConditionalPlugin (especially since ConditionalPlugin does not currently support SESSION_IS_AUTHENTICATED-based solutions).
|23 Aug 2003:
|(V2.110) Added new SESSION_IS_AUTHENTICATED flag for use with things like TWiki:Plugins/ConditionalPlugin. Anticipate internal conditional symbols soon.
|23 Aug 2003:
|(V2.103) Fixed minor bug that would not resolve %STICKSKIN% if it was not defined.
|17 Aug 2003:
|(V2.102) Fixed minor bug that session to be cleared immediately after it was created. This bug was a result of an attempt to clean up some perl warnings. Fixed now (and still no warnings).
|17 Aug 2003:
|(V2.101) Fixed minor bug that caused non-quoted hrefs to not render properly with transparent CGI session IDs.
|17 Aug 2003:
|(V2.100) First release. Some new features. Fixed some bugs. Does not break mailnotify anymore.
|19 Jul 2003:
|(V2.010) Beta release to fully replace TWiki:Plugins/SessionPlugin - lots of new features
|17 Jul 2003:
|(V2.001) Initial alpha release to replace TWiki:Plugins/SessionPlugin
|CPAN Dependencies:
|Other Dependencies:
|Perl Version:
|5.6.0 (though Perl5 should be fine)
|Plugin Home:


text: The bottom line is what I'm talking about. They're interleaved and I'm playing it on one piano (though it's written for two). I've been doing 2/3 in each hand, with the left hand over the right, near the top of the keys. I feel like a T-rex playing it. Any other ideas?


text:
RJ MuTTaylor :+: ZencomMedia :+: DoggyDaddy.Dog VirtualRescue.org
Artist, Writer, and Editor in Palm Springs, California
Robert Jonathan (RJ) #MuTTaYlor
Pet / House Sitting
***Read My Pet Sitting Reviews***
Call To Book! 760-808-3240
Inside Info, Entertainment, Events
Remedy4.Us Kratom & Moringa Information, Sales, Distribution
The Miracle Cookie Kure
Founder of ZencomMedia
Social Media Expert
VIDEO BLOG Services! Digital Media Creation and Publishing Services: WeBlog4U, Website Design, Graphic Design (Print and Digital) Newsletter/ Email-Blast / Mailing List Creation & Data Base Maintenance Social-Media Creation, Optimization, Organization, Execution ZencomMedia offers complete HD video production services from script writing and storyboard concepts through music scoring, filming, editing, color correction, motion graphics, and final delivery, for broadcast or theatrical release. ZencomMedia co-produces with other video production companies, producers and editing houses, as well as broadcast television & cable studios, filmmakers, videographers, corporate clients, ad and public relations (PR) marketing firms and agencies worldwide, drawing on some of the most innovative directing and production talent available. ZencomMedia offers a wide range of pricing packages custom tailored to meet each client's exact requirements. We work with experienced ad agencies and PR firms from inception & execution, to completion & distribution. Call us today and let us know your Digital Dreams.


text:
Jill loves the Northlands
12 comments:
- AnonymousAugust 2, 2013 at 11:36 PM
i saw a recent photo of Katie Couric hiking in IcelandReplyDelete
Can't wait to hear about your upcoming adventure. Iceland is on the list, just haven't gotten there yet.ReplyDelete
- AnonymousAugust 4, 2013 at 9:11 AM
I'll play anonymous too.ReplyDelete
i saw a recent photo of Joe Schmoe hiking in Iceland
The interior is out of this world type of placve, good running Jill & Beat.
Good luck while you're here in Iceland! Shame you're not stopping(?) as we'd love to meet you in person having followed you on your blog for years :) Best regards Hallsteinn and Sigga (firstname.lastname@example.com)ReplyDelete
Iceland is BEAUTIFUL! SO looking forward to your pics and narrative...be safe and have fun!ReplyDelete
This comment has been removed by the author.ReplyDelete
Sorry bout that..ended up with a duplicate comment..the anti-robot/spam filter was KILLING me this morning...like 15 tries!ReplyDelete
Sorry to be a comment-hog..but check out this article (thanks to William over at Rant's for the link) about a woman who RAN the entire Tour De France route! THAT is a serious run!ReplyDelete
- AnonymousAugust 5, 2013 at 7:02 AM
Since when was Iceland in the North pacific?ReplyDelete
This comment has been removed by the author.ReplyDelete
I'm loving your adventures in Switzerland and Iceland! Keep it coming. I've had my eye on The tour de Geant in like 2015! I haven't even thought about the PTL. Kudos for being brave enough to commit to it. Ps Don't let the nitpickers get to you. The rest of us have your blog bookmarked because we read it for the pleasure of it and no other reason.ReplyDelete
Meant North Atlantic when I wrote this, but it's actually the Arctic Ocean. Some (most) of these blog posts are hammered out without copy editing. Sorry. :)ReplyDelete
Sigga — wish I could stay! It's such a beautiful country and my kind of landscape. I'm a northerner at heart.


text:
Truth doesn't compromise . . . It doesn't bow . . . It doesn't bend . . . It always stands. "But what is the divine response to him? 'I have kept for Myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal," Romans 11:4. Furthermore the Bible says, "But the Word of the Lord endures forever. And this is the word which was preached to you," 1 Peter 1:25.
Post a Comment


text:
aHartill 22.826 Xiang Feng Zhong Bao, Guangxi Guilin Mint Large Value 50 Cash Coin
ANCIENT CHINA, Xian Feng Zhong Bao
One Coin Value 50 Cash
Authenticity guaranteed for all items!
Reference: Hartill 22.826
Guangxi Gulin mint, 50 cash
53 mm; 44.5 grams; Brass!
The Xianfeng Emperor
The Xianfeng Emperor (simplified Chinese: 咸丰帝; traditional Chinese: 咸豐帝; 17 July 1831 – 22 August 1861), personal name I-ju (or Yizhu), was the ninth Emperor of the Manchu-led Qing dynasty, and the seventh Qing emperor to rule over China, from 1850 to 1861.
The Xianfeng Emperor's reign saw the continued decline of the Qing dynasty. Rebellions in the country, which began the first year of his reign, would not be quelled until well into the reign of the Tongzhi Emperor and resulted in millions of deaths. The Xianfeng Emperor also had to deal with the British and French and their ever growing appetite to expand trade further into China. The Xianfeng Emperor, like his father, the Daoguang Emperor, understood very little about Europeans and their mindset. He viewed non-Chinese as inferior and regarded the Europeans' repeated requests for the establishment of diplomatic relations as an offence. When the Europeans introduced the long-held concept of an exchanged consular relationship, the Xianfeng Emperor quickly rebuffed the idea. At the time of his death, he had not met with any foreign dignitary.
The Hsien Feng period was one of great strife in China. The Tai-ping rebellion, which lasted from 1853 to 1864 and was at le


text:
United States Code
USC most recently checked for updates: Oct 02, 2023
§ 19.
Interlocking directorates and officers
No person shall, at the same time, serve as a director or officer in any two corporations (other than banks, banking associations, and trust companies) that are—
engaged in whole or in part in commerce; and
by virtue of their business and location of operation, competitors, so that the elimination of competition by agreement between them would constitute a violation of any of the antitrust laws;
if each of the corporations has capital, surplus, and undivided profits aggregating more than $10,000,000 as adjusted pursuant to paragraph (5) of this subsection.
Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraph (1), simultaneous service as a director or officer in any two corporations shall not be prohibited by this section if—
the competitive sales of either corporation are less than $1,000,000, as adjusted pursuant to paragraph (5) of this subsection;
the competitive sales of either corporation are less than 2 per centum of that corporation's total sales; or
the competitive sales of each corporation are less than 4 per centum of that corporation's total sales.
For purposes of this paragraph, "competitive sales" means the gross revenues for all products and services sold by one corporation in competition with the other, determined on the basis of annual gross revenues for such products and services in that corporation's last completed fiscal year. For the purposes of this paragraph, "total sales" means the gross revenues for all products and services sold by one corporation over that corporation's last completed fiscal year.
The eligibility of a director or officer under the provisions of paragraph (1) shall be determined by the capital, surplus and undivided profits, exclusive of dividends declared but not paid to stockholders, of each corporation at the end of that corporation's last completed fiscal year.
For purposes of this section, the term "officer" means an officer elected or chosen by the Board of Directors.
For each fiscal year commencing after
September 30, 1990, the $10,000,000 and $1,000,000 thresholds in this subsection shall be increased (or decreased) as of October 1 each year by an amount equal to the percentage increase (or decrease) in the gross national product, as determined by the Department of Commerce or its successor, for the year then ended over the level so established for the year ending September 30, 1989. As soon as practicable, but not later than January 31 of each year, the Federal Trade Commission shall publish the adjusted amounts required by this paragraph.
When any person elected or chosen as a director or officer of any corporation subject to the provisions hereof is eligible at the time of his election or selection to act for such corporation in such capacity, his eligibility to act in such capacity shall not be affected by any of the provisions hereof by reason of any change in the capital, surplus and undivided profits, or affairs of such corporation from whatever cause, until the expiration of one year from the date on which the event causing ineligibility occurred.
(Oct. 15, 1914, ch. 323, § 8, 38 Stat. 732; May 15, 1916, ch. 120, 39 Stat. 121; May 26, 1920, ch. 206, 41 Stat. 626; Mar. 9, 1928, ch. 165, 45 Stat. 253; Mar. 2, 1929, ch. 581, 45 Stat. 1536; Aug. 23, 1935, ch. 614, § 329, 49 Stat. 717; Pub. L. 101–588, § 2,
Nov. 16, 1990, 104 Stat. 2879; Pub. L. 103–203, § 1, Dec. 17, 1993, 107 Stat. 2368.)
cite as: 15 USC 19


text:
Nurse Asst Cert (CNA)
Job Description
$3,000 Sign on bonus for eligible, experienced CNA's!
This is a Full time position working a day shift, 12 hour shifts 7am-7pm and every other weekends may be required, in the Skilled Nursing Unit.
Performs various direct patient care activities under the supervision of a Licensed Nurse. Assists patients in dressing or undressing, bathing, or eating. Collects non-invasive body fluid specimens or gathers vital signs but does not start or administer intravenous fluids. Aids physicians and nursing staff members with procedures if needed. Documents patient interactions as needed. Relies on limited experience and judgment to plan and accomplish goals. Performs a variety of tasks. Works under general supervision.
High school diploma or equivalent. Certified Nursing Assistant required. BLS certification. Valid Fingerprint Clearance Card.
Oro Valley Hospital (OVH) is a 146-bed hospital that also has a freestanding emergency center and large physician group. With these varied access points, you have your choice of settings in which to work. Oro Valley Hospital's culture centers around providing safe, quality care to patients, but also to foster a work environment based on teamwork, commitment to a shared goal and recognizing employees for all they do to care for our patients. Often described as a "family," the staff at OVH take pride in doing the best they can to care for their community. OVH is accredited by The Joint Commission and is an equal opportunity employer: race, gender, disability and Veteran status, and VEVRAA Federal Contractor – priority referral Protected Veterans requested.
Application Instructions
Please click on the link below to apply for this position. A new window will open and direct you to apply at our corporate careers page. We look forward to hearing from you!Apply Online
Posted: 9/6/2023
Job Status: Full Time
Job Reference #: NURSE268931