text:
How Scoring Works in the SFRRC Fantasy Baseball League
The league's scoring categories have changed slightly over the past six years but the emphasis remains the same – the scoring system should accurately reflect the modern game of baseball.
Runs Scored, RBI, and Strikeouts have remained consistent hitting categories since the league was formed in 2010. In that first year, we also used On-base Percentage and Stolen Bases.
After analyzing the league for three years, we determined that hitters were overvalued compared to pitchers and we made changes. We added a category to penalize batters who hit into double plays and we changed stolen bases to net stolen bases. The changes helped level the value between hitters and pitchers.
Two years later, we made another minor change to the hitting scoring categories by replacing GIDP with plate appearances. The league's owners felt the GIDP was too random and some owners were leaving the second catcher position on their roster empty to avoid double plays and strikeouts. Plate Appearances elevated the importance of the second catcher.
The pitching categories have changed once in six years. In 2014, the Strikeout category was replaced by K/9. This helped elevate the importance of relief pitchers, which play a big role in today's game.
While slight changes have been made, the goal of the scoring system is to reflect the modern game of baseball. Starting pitchers that go deep into games are valuable but championship teams must have a bullpen that can protect a lead in the late innings. Hitters must possess a command of the strike zone, base running acumen, and power to all fields. Here is a list of the league's current scoring categories.
Plate Appearances – This category rewards players that stay healthy and hit higher in the lineup. Pitches per plate appearance would be preferable but that scoring category isn't currently offered on Yahoo!
Runs Scored – Scoring runs is the primary objective in baseball. Rewarding players that score often makes sense.
Runs Batted In – Yes, the RBI is a flawed stat, rewarding players on good teams with regular opportunities to drive in runs. But it also measures clutch hitting. Not every hitter is capable of taking advantage of the opportunities.
OPS (On-Base Percentage + Slugging Percentage) – This measures a hitter's ability to both reach base and hit for power. It's possibly the best statistical measure for a hitter's success.
Strikeouts – A strikeout is one of the worst outcomes for a hitter. By putting the ball in play, a hitter at least has a chance to reach base. In our attempt to equalize the fantasy value of hitters and pitchers to better reflect the Major Leagues, we needed a negative stat for hitters. Striking out is one of the worst outcomes for batters.
Net Stolen Bases – About six years ago, this stat began gaining momentum in the fantasy baseball community. A study by James Click illustrated that if a player, on average, isn't able to steal successfully about 73 percent of the time, the stolen base attempt isn't worth it. Not penalizing a player who is caught stealing now seems antiquated.
Innings Pitched – The ability of a starting pitcher to pitch deep into a game saves his team's bullpen. Because lineups are set weekly in this league, teams can't stream starting pitchers to accumulate more innings thus it makes sense to reward a workhorse on the mound. Veteran right-hander Scott Feldman recently told FanGraphs that the best statistic to assess starting pitchers is Innings Pitched.
Quality Starts – There is plenty of debate in fantasy baseball circles regarding this stat but it works in this league. Completing six innings while giving up three or fewer runs isn't as easy as it seems.
Net Saves/Holds – Major League managers are using bullpens differently in today's game. Over the last century, the average number of innings a Major League starting pitcher throws has fallen significantly. Today, pitchers average less than six innings per start. Bullpens are protecting leads for longer periods and setup men often face the highest leverage situations in the seventh or eighth inning.
Walks + Hits Per Innings Pitched (WHIP) – Many baseball statisticians consider WHIP a more accurate indicator of a pitcher's worth than the traditional ERA. Major League catcher Tyler Flowers sums it up well. "Limiting the number of opportunities for runs to score per inning seems like a good measuring stick for pitchers as a whole."
Earned Run Average (ERA) – This is one of the oldest stats used to measure pitching success and it's still valuable. This is what Clayton Kershaw told FanGraphs when asked to name the best stat to evaluate pitchers. "I feel like innings pitched are important because if you're pitching deep into the game, that's good, but the only way you're doing that is if you're not giving up runs, and ERA shows that."
Strikeouts per Nine Innings (K/9) – A pitcher's effectiveness is largely measured by how good he is at striking out batters. Starting pitchers benefit more if this is a counting stat while relievers receive a boost when it is turned into a rate stat. Because Innings Pitched already favors starters, we use the rate stat.


text:
Informative blog that chronicles the proliferation of bad information. Includes real world examples, helpful tips, facts, figures and discussion of bad information, information literacy, source authority and the need for well-researched, accurate and authoritative information. The latest post cites erroneous statistics about teachers cited in the movie "Waiting for Superman".]]>
by Deborah Hunt

subset: commoncrawl


text:
1) The _______ is the total number of individuals in a population who have experienced a particular disorder at some point of their life.
- alifetime prevalence
- blifetime pervasiveness
- clifetime diagnostics
- dlifetime disparity
2) _______ refers to recognizing the limits of one's competence and obtaining appropriate training, consultation, and supervision to enrich knowledge and sensitivity to cultural issues.
- aCultural humility
- bCultural humanity
- cCultural training
- dCultural intervention
3) Although individuals with low socioeconomic status are able to access healthcare services through Medicaid, ________ are still reflected in overall likelihood to receive quality treatment and care through public services.
- ahealth equity
- bhealth disparity
- chealth stigma
- ddiscrimination
4) Title VI of the 1964 Civil Rights Act states that providers receiving federal financial assistance are not required to ensure the availability of appropriate and meaningful access to services, especially if patients have limited proficiency in English.
- aTrue
- bFalse
5) How can pre-therapy intervention help ethnic minorities seeking mental health services?
- aTherapists can use these interventions to explain the role of the therapist and client in treatment plan
- bInterventions can serve to develop rapport between both parties
- cFamiliarize client with the expectations involved in a therapy treatment
- dAll of the above
6) In 2001, the report for the Surgeon General stated that Hispanic Americans were the most likely group to have health insurance.
- aTrue
- bFalse
7) Which of the following best defines the term comorbid disorders?
- aWhen a patients disorder is terminal
- bWhen a patients disorder is morbid
- cWhen a patients has an addictive disorder
- dWhen patients are suffering from more than one disorder
8) The term _______ is used in the DSM-5 to refer to a variety of drugs that can alter our physical and mental functioning.
- asubstance
- baddiction
- cmedications
- dDependence
9) Which of the following statements best explains why ethnic minorities may feel less inclined to seek mental health services?
- aFear of being ostracized for mental distress
- bMistrust of healthcare professionals
- cLack of confidence that providers will be culturally sensitive to their experiences
- dAll of the above
10) _________ bias is the failure to adhere to the diagnostic criteria during psychiatric evaluations.
- aCultural
- bClinician
- cPsyche
- dMedical
11) Care that adheres to guidelines that have been tested through rigorous empirical investigation is called _________.
- aExploratory treatment
- bCollaborative care treatment
- cEvidence-based treatment
- dScientific mindedness
12) Which of the following terms best describes when a health provider knows when to generalize care regarding certain groups and when to individualize their knowledge?
- aDynamic practice
- bDynamic sizing
- cDynamic assessment
- dDynamic intervention
13) Dually diagnosed cases tend to have a poorer prognosis due to the multiplicative effects of symptoms from more than one disorder.
- aTrue
- bFalse
14) What are some of the consequences of cultural bias?
- aSymptoms are misconstrued by diagnosticians
- bLack of trust from patient toward clinician
- cChanges perception of the quality of care
- dAll of the above
15) In what 'Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Health Disorders' was culture's influence on psychopathology first recognized?
- aDSM-IV
- bDSM-5
- cDSM-III
- dDSM-II


text:
Pink's Daughter Is Her Mini Me & It's The Cutest Thing Ever!
The singer was all smiles as she and Willow toured New York City.
Pink and her daughter Willow Hart were spotted exploring Manhattan on Monday, looking so cute together! Despite the summer heat, both girls dressed to impress. It's clear Willow has inherited her mom's cool sense of style. In fact, the six-year-old is looking more and more like her famous mom every day! Click through to see the photos of the lookalike pair!
Pink's Daughter Is Her Mini Me & It's The Cutest Thing Ever!Close gallery popup button
1 of 6
2 of 6
3 of 6
4 of 6
5 of 6
6 of 6
Sound off in the comments below!
Join the conversation


text:
If you aren't excited about the all-new 2017 Infiniti Q60, now is the time. The long-awaited sport coupe has finally hit the production line.
If you aren't excited about the all-new 2017 Infiniti Q60, now is the time. The long-awaited sport coupe has finally hit the production line. Unveiled in Detroit in January of this year, this promising replacement for the G series coupe and convertible has a few tricks up its sleeve to impress, that's if the numbers aren't enough to already make you curious.
What is for sure is that the new Infiniti Q60 Coupe is finally coming to Morrey Infiniti in Vancouver, and sooner than you think.
In fact, the Japanese manufacturer has announced that their Tochigi plant had officially kick-started the production of the Q60. Significant upgrades have been made to the production line to accommodate the technology behind the model, including deep body stamping as well as new machinery for the resin trunk lid.
A new lighting system has been installed for the quality control and inspection process and cameras have even been installed on the assembly line. It isn't only about producing a high performance vehicle, it's also about producing it right.
This is also the first application of resin on a steel frame, a technique that will allow the Infiniti designers more freedom in their designs. Would you believe that the plant has also been upgraded with a color-dedicated paint booth? The Dynamic Sandstone Red, a rich, deep red coat, requires a particular setup that involves both automated and hand applications. When the thickness of the paint is part of the controlled parameters in the production of the car, you know they mean business.
This bold and sexy new sport coupe will be available with two powertrains; an entry-level 2.0L turbocharged four-cylinder engine developing 208 hp, which already is a promise of fun, but then you can also opt for the brand new 3.0L V6 twin-turbo engine, a beast rated at 300 hp and 350 lb-ft of torque. And if that's not enough, you can opt for the Red S edition tuned up to push 400 hp. The rear-biased AWD system will add some extra grip to your Q60.
Add to this breathtaking design an equally elegant interior and this is was sport and luxury will do for you. We hope at this point that you are as excited as we are to see the 2017 Infiniti Q60 hit the roads and start turning heads. We are counting out the days to having this beauty on our floor!


text:
Expert Roundup : Tips for creating graphics that support your website
Text + images + internet = website
... right? LOL nope, but wouldn't that be nice?!
A website is made up of way more than just a bit of text and a few image. There's a lot of strategy involved in website content and design, and depending on what goals you have for your site, it'll look totally different from someone else's. Whether we're talking about brand aesthetic, colours, image style/content, or even layout, visuals play a huge part in a website's success.
In my experience, I've noticed that website graphics are a key design element that are often overlooked (but packs a major punch).
Graphics can go a long way to support your website and help to form a visual identity for your brand online. Images, animation and unique GIFs for your website or social media channels should focus on quality over quantity for best results. However, I've noticed that graphics are also something that many people get wrong. Frequent faux-pas that I see on many websites are a lack of consistency in aesthetic, sizing, branding... or that they are missing entirely!
If you're looking to build and run a website that promotes your products or services AND helps to generate revenue, quality graphics are necessary. And lucky for you, they are much easier to understand and create than you might think.
I've reached out to some of the industry's leading experts to make sure that you have the best advice possible when it comes to creating graphics for your website. These professionals are all powerhouses in the design field who specialize in online platforms. They know their stuff and have built impressive businesses sharing their knowledge and showing their work. Can you say #likeaboss?
The tips they've shared about creating graphics for your website are practical and applicable to any type of website in any industry. I have no doubt that you'll be able to take their advice and give your website graphics a facelift today.
Expert Roundup : Advice on writing your website's About page
- Expert Roundup : Advice on creating an effective Home page
- Expert Roundup : Using social media to support your website
- Expert Roundup: How to choose and purchase a domain name
To make things even more helpful and actionable, I've created a FREE worksheet outlining the 7 principles of standout website graphics and how YOU can apply that to your own website today. The worksheet is a 3-page checklist/audit with room for notes that will help you get the most out of your website graphics. This free worksheet will compliment the insights in this article but take it a step further and help you apply what you've learned in just a few minutes. You can get that worksheet by clicking the button below, and it will be delivered to your inbox right away. Enjoy!
Ready to update your website's graphics?
Download my actionable 3-page worksheet to learn the right way to design your website's graphics!
Advice from the experts
Without further ado, here's what the experts have to say about designing graphics that support your website:
"Movement can be very captivating when used in moderation. To add some dimension to a static site, replace a basic image content block with a gallery content block (slideshow), a rotating header (index gallery) or even a gif animation (in an image block). Once you create the rotation, these images become dynamic whether it's in a large header area or a smaller image block. This technique brings the element of surprise and adds pizzaz to a basic site."
Promise Tangeman, founder, GO LIVE HQ
"Create templates! Not only does this save you tons of time down the road, but it will also ensure that your graphics are cohesive and well-branded.
If you have a series of similar images, they should have a similar layout, look, and feel so that people are able to recognize your branding style and thus, create brand recognition among your audience. The easiest way to ensure your graphics all use this similar layout, look, and feel is to create a template that you can use every single time.
When setting up your template include designated areas for text, images, and design elements. Keep those elements constant through every graphic, but change out the imagery, content and/or brand colors to differentiate them from the rest.
Ready to dive into creating templates using a tool like Adobe Illustrator? This blog post on the subject is super useful."
Mariah Althoff, visual branding expert & graphic designer
"When it comes to site graphics, quality is key. Be sure your image clear (non-pixelated or blurry), properly lit and that it instantly communicates the topic it relates to. If you're adding text onto your graphic, makes sure it's always readable, succinct and doesn't interfere with the clarity of your image."
Teela Cunningham founder, Every Tuesday
"If applicable, include a reference to an opt-in incentive in your blog post graphic. You can add a screenshot of the freebie with the text, "Free download included!" or something along those lines. Those who are interested in the topic you're covering will be more likely to click through to the post if they see you have a valuable freebie to offer them. This is a great way to help increase your traffic and grow your email list. I also recommend including your website url somewhere so users can easily reference the post."
Brittney Lopez, founder, Branded by Britt
Final Thoughts
Website graphics might take a bit of time and effort to set up correctly but you will be so happy you did it once you see how great the results are! Not only do they present a professional and well-designed side of your website, these strong visuals also do a lot to catch the attention of your audience.
As you can see from the expert's advice, there are steps you can take today to give your website graphics a facelift! These changes will save you time in the long run and will do a lot to support your branding and business efforts online. There are templates you can use and leverage (yay!) and it's one less thing to worry about once they're set up. Don't be afraid to play around with the graphics on your website either. Try out different images or file formats (like gifs!) to see how they change the look and feel of your website.
Pssst: check out the other posts in the "Expert Roundup" series
Whether you're a designer yourself or a DIY website builder, graphics are worth your time and attention. Design is ever-changing and I highly recommend you follow this awesome expert advice and upgrade your website graphics today. I know you'll be thrilled with the results! Now that you know what to look for when it comes to website graphics, you're already ahead of the pack.
Don't forget that I've created a FREE worksheet to help you get the most out of your website's graphics. This 3-page worksheet will introduce you to the 7 components of standout website graphics, and there's space for your notes on each principle. It's intended to be a checklist/audit that is applicable and something you can actually benefit from, so I'd love for you to grab your copy below. Whether you've got a website up and running already or you're working on a new site, this guide will help you make sure that your graphics stack up properly.
If this article has shown you how important website graphics are and you're convinced that yours need a facelift, that's awesome! You can totally do this on your own but if it's something you'd rather pass off to an expert (like me), get in touch today and we can work together.
Now it's your turn to tell me, how much thought has gone into your website's graphics? Do you use templates? Have you changed their format recently? What style do you prefer and how do you create different graphics for different platforms? I'd love to know so leave me a note in the comments below!
Launch Your Best Site - FREE ECOURSE
Interested in learning more about what it takes to get a website up and running? My free 7 day e-course will walk you through everything you need to know. Sign up for it today!


text:
This Policy on personal data aims to inform the user of the site www.roamingbyme.com of how their personal information may optionally be collected and processed by the www.roamingbyme.com site.
Personal data are collected by Altercamino SAS.
This site and the processing of personal data that results are the subject of a declaration to the french Commission Nationale Informatique et Libertés.
As part of the operation of the site www.roamingbyme.com, Altercamino the company is likely to collect personal data. These data will be processed according to the purposes for which it was collected. In particular, the site www.roamingbyme.com may collect personal data necessary for the execution of the contract to which the user of the site www.roamingbyme.com will, if any part and / or to take steps at the application thereof. The site www.roamingbyme.com will also likely use its data for legal purposes and / or regulations.
Furthermore, the site www.roamingbyme.com may need to collect data user's personal for other purposes, taking care to obtain the consent of the user site www.roamingbyme.com. In particular, the site www.roamingbyme.com may need to collect, store, use the following data:
the name, email address, physical address and telephone number, date of birth and sometimes financial information, such as credit card numbers or bank account numbers;
shipping information, billing or other;
messages sent to the site's forum www.roamingbyme.com, correspondence that could eventually be sent to us;
the information from your interaction with the www.roamingbyme.com site, content and advertising, including information about your computer and your connection, statistics on page views, navigation data, advertising data, IP address , incidents of delivery, claims;
other additional information that you provide;
The mandatory or optional nature of the data that the user of the site www.roamingbyme.com may need to learn will be indicated by an asterisk on collection forms. The site user www.roamingbyme.com must also be aware of the possible consequences in respect of a reply. In any case, the site www.roamingbyme.com undertakes to treat all data collected in a manner consistent with the law of 6 January 1978.
It is recalled that the person whose personal data are processed has the rights of access, rectification and opposition to the processing of personal data. These rights can be exercised in accordance with the law of January 6, 1978, as amended by the Act of 6 August 2004 request by email to the address email@example.com or paper mail to Altercamino SAS, Service CNIL 62 Rue Michelet, 13990 Fontvieille, France, proof of identity and a legitimate reason if required by law. Furthermore, the site www.roamingbyme.com agrees that the data collected are kept in a form which permits identification of data subjects for a period not exceeding the time necessary for the purposes for which they are collected and processed.
The www.roamingbyme.com Site may need to disclose personal data of the user site www.roamingbyme.com to ensure delivery of orders by its contractors, ensure after-sales service, perform satisfaction surveys. Furthermore, the site www.roamingbyme.com reserves the right to transmit your personal data in order to meet its legal obligations, in particular if it was constrained by legal requisition.
The www.roamingbyme.com website uses cookies that identify the site user www.roamingbyme.com, store the consultations, customize the site offers www.roamingbyme.com offer its users. If your browser permits, you can disable cookies at any time by following the steps in the browser.
The site www.roamingbyme.com allows you, when creating / editing your account, to receive offers and information by email from:
the Site www.roamingbyme.com;
business partners of the Site www.roamingbyme.com.
In any case, the user of the site www.roamingbyme.com may at any time inform the www.roamingbyme.com site and its partners, it no longer wishes to receive such commercial offerings by making the request by email to email@example.com
The www.roamingbyme.com site agrees to take all necessary precautions against the risks presented by the processing to preserve data security and in particular prevent them from being distorted, damaged, or that unauthorized parties will have access. He undertakes in particular to comply with all technical requirements to be complied with treatment.
Shipment the same day
for all orders before 10h
Delivery 72h in Europe
Track your shipment


text:
All news tagged "furniture"
You could use this curated content as lesson starters, for students to check when settling at the beginning of lessons, or for students that finish a task early to extend their thinking about technology.
You can filter using keywords. Select a keyword under a news item to find others with the same keyword.
Hamilton students give back to primary school
Marian Catholic School had games tables made for them by two St John's College technology students.
Nine benches created by young designers enliven London
One bench, made from yellow rubber, was designed to evoke memories of the comforts of home furniture.
Porky Hefer's seating pods take the shape of giant endangered animals
The sculptural seating pods include an oversized orangutan, polar bear, sloth, blue whale, and great white shark.
Best Transforming and Space Saving furniture
Multifunctional transforming furniture is a smarter way to live comfortably in a small space.
8 standing desks that will have you ditching your chair
Research indicates that too much sitting is not good for our health.
Flexible, Movable Furniture Inspired by Hand Trucks
Each piece of furniture has two functions depending on how it's positioned.
Reclaimed Glasses And Lunch Trays Give These Chairs Their Ethereal Glow
Kim Markel's Glow chairs give upcycling a whole new look.
Nataša Njegovanović's Avlia furniture system for children references farm yard animals
This furniture system for children caters as both a functional item and toy.
8 Surprising Pieces Of Furniture That Transform Into Something Else
The furniture includes carpet squares that become seating.
IKEA is introducing a new family of children's furniture and storage
The collection of small furniture has been designed to grow as the child grows.


text:
Original Techniques To Make Sales Online With These Suggestions – Sell More Canvas Photos Original Techniques To Make Sales Online With These Suggestions – Sell More Canvas Photos January 20 Gabriel Paletta Jersey , 2013 | Author: Betty Miller | Posted in Internet Business Online
Impressive canvas photos are waiting to be sold. You may sell these astounding canvas photos on the web if you know the secrets to selling canvas photos on the web. Turn astounding canvas photos into profit when you sell canvas photos on the web. Think about the tips to aid you to sell canvas photos on the web.
People pay the price for the value of a canvas photo product. This is why people haggle, because they feel that they are paying more than what is the value of the canvas photo product. You must demonstrate a value that seems to be equal to or greater than the asking price.
Do not limit yourself when it comes to spreading the word about your website. Business cards are important wherever you go. Have you contact information on them as well as your website's URL. You can even have a series of photographs of the canvas photos you sell. Simple canvas photo product catalogues are a good thing to send out to promote your site.
Be realistic. Downsize your business success expectations by at least a half. Unless you are able to sell and generate repeat sales from total strangers, your business will not make it. Remember. After you have sold to your family, friends Davide Calabria Jersey , relatives and colleagues, you will need to sell to total strangers that could care less with whom they do business.
Before signing up to a website, carefully read the regulations, terms and conditions. It will be a bad picture if you will get kicked out because you failed to adhere to these terms. Also check out whether there are any fees to be paid so that access to your page is not restricted when the customers want to buy.
To increase sales online vouchers will encourage clients to use the website and this will bring success in online selling. In this connection Cristian Zapata Jersey , it is good for the company to understand the top tips to success selling online.
Focus on the big picture. What separates you from being able to create a E-commerce business that provides you with great income and lifestyle versus one that you are chained to the doors is a matter of focus. Being a slave to your business will not help.
Be articulate. Tell about your canvas photo product in an informative, compelling and interesting way. Make your canvas photo product unique and use descriptive language to engage your shoppers. Do not use the cut and paste descriptions that the manufacturer supplies.
Interested in finding more about the topic of cheap photo canvas prints? Don't forget to go to Google and enter canvas collage prints. You could find quite a bit of information.
Betting was never so fun Strevel Morr
Submitted 2014-01-04 13:57:54 Novoline is among the most famous and highly recognized game developers with regards to games concerning betting and chances. The developers have created the finest online games, which indulge and attract the gamers and betters as well and have been the prime replacement for the conventional wagering environment from the casinos. The games, which have been created by the company Carlos Bacca Jersey , have been the ones most popular amongst modern improves and have created their impact in the world of betting. The games provide the simulator and the feel of the casinos, to which most betters are really addicted and the temptation to go to the casino is associated now to play the games produced by the company.
Video games like Sizzling Hot have certainly created their mark and are regarded as the most popular and most played video games in case of betting. People who like games of chance are normally very familiar to the game and it is play line and most of these would be experts at it. How often the regular improves play the game is a clear indication regarding the kind of action and appeal the game provides, and how much engaged this keeps a game player to the game. Many a times, individuals lose their own urge to go to the gambling establishments and prefer playing the video games like Sizzling Hot while they're earning the standard money they'd have when going to casinos.
Sizzling Hot is a game Andrea Poli Jersey , which offers a great deal to the gamers and betters. The game has an easy layout, a beautiful graphical user interface as well as lets the gamers have the the majority of amazing and relaxing time, while they are jeopardizing their money and trying to win prizes and funds in large magnitudes. It is a sport, which has no limitations Andrea Bertolacci Jersey , and no range on the amount the gamer can in fact win and take home and the relative easy playing the sport aspires many to plunge deep and obtain what they are genuinely after.
Sizzling Hot requires the gamers to be decisive as well as brave enough to take the opportunity when it is necessary. Without producing the big contact and going for a leap of religion, chances of successful and enhancing the amount acquired are really low. Sizzling Hot allows the better 5 fishing reels and Five play outlines and apart from that, there is the choice where the player has to make a call about the correct colour and on each and every correct color, the user gets double of what he currently has.
Likelihood of winning the actual jackpot whilst playing Sizzling Hot tend to be again very high. People may win lotteries as well as amounts that are unparalleled and therefore the urge to experience the game is definitely high.


text: This paper presents Kohonen's self-organisationalgorithm as an optimisation tool. Its application isillustrated by applying it to a high-level synthesis(HLS)problem - binding: the task of assigning operations to specijicinstances of functional units. It is a crucial problem,as it injluences the interconnect, wiring and register cost.This Self-Organising Binder (SOB) has a built-in hillclimbingmechanism, and being based on neural-networkit can be easily parallelised. We apply SOB to benchmarkexamples and show that the results are comparable to thebest reported in the field.


text:
From Prevention Action
Delivered 15 minutes a day for three years, the Positive Action program belongs to the "little and often" school of thought – and it works. In a recent trial, the program reduced substance use, violence, and bullying among elementary-school students in Chicago city schools.
Having already tested the intervention in Hawaiian schools, researchers including the program developers aimed to replicate the results in a large urban school system.
Starting at the age of eight, children from mostly low-income families were followed during the three-year intervention. At the end of this period, there were significant reductions in drug use, serious violence and bullying behavior among kids participating in the program.
Click here to continue reading the article.


text:
Bayern Munich were practically stampeded to complete the transfer of Germany international Leon Goretzka from Schalke after receiving information that Spanish giants Barcelona were ready to pounce, chief executive Karl-Heinz Rummenigge has revealed.
Goretzka will leave Schalke at the end of this season to join the Bundesliga champions on a four-year deal after both clubs confirmed the transfer.
Coach Jupp Heynckes and Rummenigge both hailed the deal as a positive for the Bundesliga as it kept one of Germany's premier talents in the country's top flight and Rummenigge has now claimed Barcelona were in the running for 22-year-old.
"If we had not signed Leon, he would have very likely signed for Barcelona," he said in an interview with Bayern-Magazin. "In general, that cannot be [good] on behalf of German football.
"Leon is enormously talented, he is only 22 years old, a German international with great potential in his position. We would have been really wrong if we had not tried to sign him."
Goretzka drew criticism and boos from fans, with banners unveiled in protest over the transfer, when he turned out for Schalke in Sunday's 1-1 draw at home to Hannover.


text:
Basket Updated | Go To Checkout | View Basket | Keep Shopping
This item has been added to your favourites list | View All Favourites
Religious Icon Hemetite Tile Bracelet
An unusual bracelet comprising of 12 glass cameo religious icon pictures of Jesus, the Virgin Mary, angels and other religious figures. The pictures are mounted on a hemetite backing and each one is separated by two hemetite beads. Each cameo measures 17mm x 9mm with a wrist circumference of 9cm stretching to 12cm.
You May Also Like
Thank you ! We have received your message.
Post a review, comment or ask a question | Religious Icon Hemetite Tile Bracelet


text:
I sat in an audience of about 500 other nephrologists learning the latest about diseases affecting the filtering parts of the kidney, the glomeruli, and their treatments. It was the second day of the American Society of Nephrology Kidney Week and the end of a very long day of lectures that would be capped off with a discussion of case studies, led by experts in diseases of the glomeruli, the answers unknown to them and us. A pathologist stood at the podium and described a case of a 47 year-old Black woman who had donated a kidney 5 years ago. She was a little older and I had donated a bit longer ago, but I was particularly intrigued, the story hitting so close to home.
Her creatinine test for kidney function was normal, but she had 2,000 milligrams of protein in her urine when less than 30 milligrams was normal. Her blood level of albumin, a kind of protein, was low—2.3 when normal is closer to 4.
She was already on the heavy side when she donated, with a body mass index (BMI) of 28 and she had only gotten fatter with time. If she were my height then she would be about 20 pounds heavier than I am now and had gained another 30 over the last 5 years, giving her a BMI of 33.
I stared at the screen to consider which of the 4 options staring back at me that could be causing her kidney problem and translated them in my head. Was it:
A. Secondary FSGS due to obesity?… Scarring of the kidney filters caused from being too fat?
B. Primary FSGS due to APOL1?… Scarring of the kidney filters caused by an abnormal gene found in some Black people?
C. Membranous nephropathy?... Clumps of antibodies bound to antigens deposited in the kidney filters' lining
D. Something else that I dismissed so quickly because it so obviously not the answer, that I can't even remember what it was now.
I thought about what was taught over the past 6 hours and remembered one of the experts saying how a very low albumin was a sign of a problem affecting the entire body. I remembered membranous nephropathy. While the reason why the body begins to make antibodies against itself, the disease can be caused by many things affecting the body, like different drugs, infections, or cancer.
C, I decided and pressed the button on the remote device in my hand with a reasonable level of confidence and 6 of the 10 alloted seconds to spare. When the timer reached zero, the screen flashed the results. A minority of my colleagues in the audience agreed with me. Only about 20%. A handful chose D. And the remaining 75% were divided between A and B.
I was eager to hear what the expert panelists would say. They discussed what stood out for them in the case. She had a lot of protein in her urine. She only had one kidney. She was Black. She was fat. They debated whether or not they would risk a biopsy, pushing a hollowed out needle into her one kidney to get a sample to confirm the diagnosis. They hemmed. They hawed.
"There is a lot of obesity in this country, but I can't say I see much FSGS because of it," said one.
"Oh I see plenty," scoffed the other.
And she is Black. They could agree there.
A mutation in the APOL1 gene evolved as Nature's response to the deadly sleeping sickness caused by the tsetse fly of Sub-Saharan Africa. One who had a copy of the APOL1 variant were more likely to survive—and pass on the gene to their offsprings. The unlucky one who inherited a copy from each parent was much more likely to develop FSGS someday. Researchers estimate that half of African Americans have at least one copy of the gene variant.
"I think it's either A or B," said one.
"I would have to agree," conceded the other.
The colleague leading the discussion nodded slowly with a slight tilt of his head that read disappointment to me. He advanced his slides to project an image of the fat Black woman's kidney on the screen and reviewed its findings. Findings characteristic of C, membranous nephropathy.
A brief hush fell over the experts and crowd. Then the conversation rolled on with the next slide asking what medications we would use to treat this patient.
At the end of the session, I thought about going to the microphone stand in the aisle to ask why the experts had not seriously considered option C given the low albumin… and that obesity can on rarely be confirmed as the cause of FSGS…and that only an estimated 13% of African Americans have 2 copies of gene variant… and that only a small percentage of those who have 2 copies actually develop FSGS…and that about 20 other gene mutations not specific to Black people can cause it too. But I didn't go to the microphone. I already knew the answer.


text:
Virden, MB (CKLQ) - It's B-side playdown time at the Viterra Provincial Men's Curling Championships.
The winners of the 4 p.m. draw now move on to the first round of the playoffs tonight.
Reid Carruthers (East St. Paul) eliminated Terry McNamee of Brandon 6-3
Steen Sigurdson (Gimli) downed Dennis Bohn (Assiniboine CC] 7-5
William Lyburn {Granite CC) defeated Trevor Loreth (Granite CC) 8-3 in 6 ends
David Bohn (Assiniboine CC) beat Ryan Thompson (Morden) 6-3
The 4 A-side finalists meet the winners of this draw at 7:45 pm.
Virden, MB (CKLQ) - It's B-side playdown time at the Viterra Provincial Men's Curling Championships.
On the 1215 draw, four teams took another step closer to a spot in the playoffs tonight.
> David Bohn ( Assiniboine CC ) eliminated Steve Irwin (Brandon) 7-4
> Reid Carruthers (East St. Paul) crushed Ty Dillelo (Fort Rouge) 10-0 in 5 ends
> Steen Sigurdson (Gimli) beat Daniel Birchard (Pembina) 6-5 in 10 ends
> Trevor Loreth ( Granite CC ) downed Riley Smith (Fort Rouge) 9-3 in 8 ends
The four winning rinks are back on the ice in the 4 pm draw, fighting for a berth in the first playoff draw at 7:45 pm.
Virden, MB (CKLQ) - Draw # 7 is in the books at the Viterra Provincial Men's Curling Championship in Virden
The 4:00 draw featured B-side action.
> Randy Neufeld (LaSalle) beat Roubert Daudent (Granite) 10-2 in 7 ends
> Jeff Stewart (Gladstone) defeated Tyler Drews (Fort Rouge) 8-3
> Trevor Loreth (Granite) downed Dean North (Carman) 10-6
> Steen Sigurdson (Gimli) beat Sean Grassie (Deer Lodge) 7-4
Daniel Brichard (Pembina CC) over Greg Todoruk (Dauphin) 9-4
Earlier today, Brandon's Terry McNamee advanced to the A side quarter finals Friday morning against Lorette's Corey Chambers, with a 9-5 win over Reid Carruthers of West St. Paul
Virden, MB (CKLQ) - Draw # 6 is wrapped up at the Viterra Provincial men's Championship in Virden.
5 A-side matches on the 12;15 draw;
> Brandon's Terry McNamee rink beat Reid Carruthers of West St. Paul 9-5
In other games
> William Lyburn (Granite CC) beat Riley Smith (Fort Rouge) 5 - 4
> Jason Gunnlaugson (Morris) beat Graham Freeman (Virden) 8-1
> Corey Chambers (Lorette) beat Ty Dilello (Fort Rouge) 9-6
> Ryan Thompson (Morden) beat David Bohm (Assinibone Memorial CC) 8-5
The 4:00 sees 5 B-side matches.
Virden, MB (CKLQ) - Draw # 3 is almost complete at the Viterra Provincial men's Championship in Virden
Brandon Curling Club's Terry McNamee is alive and well on the A side. His foursome beat Randy Neufeld (La Salle) 7-2 in 8 ends.
In the other games;
Reid Carruthers (West St. Paul) beat Robert Daudet (Granite CC) 15-1 in 5 ends
Daniel Birchard (Pembina CC) defeated Steen Sigurdson (Gimli) 8-1 in 6 ends
Corey Chambers (Lorette) downed Jeff Stewart (Gladstone) 10-5
Dennis Bohn (Assiniboine Memorial CC) downed Grant Shewfelt (Baldur) 6-5 in 11 ends
Draw 4 goes at 8:15 pm with another the last of the first-round A side matchups, and 4 B-side matches
Virden, MB (CKLQ) - Draw # 2 is complete at the Viterra Provincial men's Championship at Tundra Oil & Gas Place.
It's the second draw on the A side of the tournament
Tanner Lott (Winnipeg Beach) beat Greg Todoruk (Dauphin) 9-2 in 6 ends
Sean Grassie (Deer Lodge CC) beat Mark Lukowitch (Granite CC) 10-3.
William Lyburn (Granite CC) defeated Dean North (Carman) 8-3.
Trevor Loreth (Granite CC) beat Brett Walter (Elmwood CC) 10-3.
Braden Calvert (Assiniboine Memorial CC) downed Shaun Parsons (Elmwood CC) 9-3.
Draw 3 goes at 4:00 with another five first-round A side matchups.
For regular updates click here.
Virden, MB (CKLQ) - Scores from this morning's draws at the Viterra Provincial Men's Curling Championship in Virden.
Team Ryan Thompson of Morden defeated Brandon's Steve Irwin 9-3.
In other action Virden's Graham Freeman rink defeated Kelly Marnoch's team from Carberry 6-4.
David Bohn's team from Wpg defeated Curtis McCanell's team out of Pilot Mound 8-3.
Gunlaugson (Morris, MB) defeated Perche (Wpg, MB) 10-2.
While Riley Smith of Winnipeg was victorious over Neepawa's Kelly Robertson rink 8-3.
The afternoon draws start at 12:15 and 4pm.
For regular updates click here.


text: Red Dirt Ball The Mayor's Red Dirt Ball Every Memorial Day weekend, Medicine Park, Oklahoma has a music festival called The Mayor's Red Dirt Ball. I enjoyed it with some of my folks.Click any picture to begin a slide show. Todd ClarkMay 30, 2017 Facebook0 Twitter LinkedIn0 StumbleUpon Reddit Pinterest0 0 Likes


text:
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (Legal Newsline) - Missouri Attorney General Chris Koster announced a judgment Thursday against a failed Branson resort developer who allegedly allowed pollution to drain into Table Rock Lake.
Koster obtained the judgment in Stone County Circuit Court against Indian Ridge Resort Inc. and James Shirato, the resort's developer. Shirato and Indian Ridge started, but never finished, an 850-acre development located near Table Rock Lake on Highway 76 southeast of Branson. The development would have included a golf course, water park, conference center, an eight-story hotel, retail space, condominiums and hundreds of homes.
Construction on the project has been delayed for several years. The site features deep erosion gullies that have caused topsoil and sediment to drain into Table Rock Lake. The drainage collects in coves, harming the lake ecosystem and aquatic life.
"Table Rock Lake is a valuable state resource, and my office will continue to take action against those who endanger it and other natural resources in Missouri," Koster said.
Under the terms of the judgment, Indian Ridge Resort and Shirato must bring the site into compliance with the Missouri Clean Water Law, pay a civil penalty of $100,000, pay $25,719 in court and remediation costs incurred by the state and pay for all future state costs incurred at the site.
Koster credited the Missouri Department of Natural Resources for helping with this matter.


text:
The Price of Entanglement - Chapter 3 (Complete)/
The following day, Jo found herself pacing back and forth across the small living room of the house, soaking up information as fast as her phone could deliver it to her. None of it looked helpful at all. Finally she pocketed the phone and sat still just for a moment. She needed to clear her head.
Her Gran was out; she'd seen him off to visit with friends earlier in the morning. She wouldn't have to pick him up until late afternoon, so she had plenty of time to go somewhere, preferably somewhere she could be more productive.
The rain was falling again, gentle this time, and for a wonder, it held hardly a trace of acid. It streamed all but silently down the cab windows as she crossed the city. Her destination this time was farther than the gym; she leaned her head against the glass and did her best to relax and recapture some of the calm she'd worked for after her climb.
She'd just about fallen asleep when the phone buzzed in her pocket, making her jump a bit. She grabbed it out of her pocket and stared at the indicator, then grinned. Quinn. She gestured for it to pick up, then slipped it back in her pocket as his deep but quick voice filled the large interior of the cab. "Josie! Just the girl I've been wanting to talk to!"
"What a surprise. You called me, Quintrell. What do you want this time?" She tried and failed to keep a straight face, but she was reasonably certain she'd kept it out of her voice.
"Naturally, because I wanted to talk to you! What I want is to get together, and soon."
"… and? Are you finally asking me out on a date?" she teased.
"Oh, if only," he laughed. "No, not a date, not this time. Maybe next time. This time, like so many before, I'm calling for a favor. Unlike so many before, this is a favor I'm doing you."
"Your loss," she smiled. "What's this favor you're going to do for me?"
"You wouldn't happen to be looking for work, would you, Josie?"
She leaned forward on her seat, all attention firmly on his voice. "Yes! How'd you hear? But yes, I could definitely use the work."
"Whoa, whoa, I haven't even told you what it is yet. It's not really your usual deal."
"Well, stop teasing me then, and spill it. What's the job?"
"Nothing you can't handle, I'm sure. It's just … it's a bit of a desk job. Corporate stuff. Mail room, in fact."
Her stomach soured a bit at the thought, but really, running packages around the city was pretty much the same thing, and it'd be a lot more common in an office. Courier work was rare, the jobs few and far between when most deliveries were made at the speed of raw data.
"I'm in. Let's meet tonight, I want details. You're the best, Q-ball!"
"Great," he said with the slightest hint of sourness in his voice; he'd always hated that nickname. "I'll send you the when'n-wheres. Catch you later!"
She sat back with a genuine smile and sense of relief. Quinn wasn't the first person she'd have thought of to come through when she needed work, but he did have a knack for being around at just the right time.
Fifteen minutes later, the cab dropped her off at a coffee shop she was fond of; she settled in for a few hours to study her contact lists and the local news, looking for anything that suggested opportunity. She was a firm believer in having backup plans.
She took her usual table at the Capital Cappuccino cafe, their titular beverage in hand. She'd been to just about every coffee place in the city, including most of the big franchise locations, but Capital was by far the best, as far as she was concerned. No other place in the region had Capital's clean, comforting look and old-school charm.
The front of the store was all glass; not as much of a benefit in the rain as it usually was, but it afforded her a great view of the cars sweeping majestically by the windows as they carried their passengers from one part of the city to the next.
The rest of the walls were very plain; hardly a decoration in sight, and numerous pipes were visible, painted to match the wall. The overall impression it gave was of cleanliness, rather than the spartan feel that other places might have suffered.
The smell of the coffee was strong, but somehow not overpowering like it was in some places. It greeted you as you walked in, and settled around you like a warm blanket the longer you stayed.
The real highlight of the place though was the furniture. It was real, genuine wood, cut and polished with the grain still visible. The golden shine of the wood counter under the hanging lamps had been breathtaking the first time she'd seen it years ago, and it never lost its impact. The chairs were darker, a more reddish brown hue. The tables were surfaced in a more typical blank white.
She'd hardly ever seen wooden furniture before setting foot in this place, and took a special joy in sitting in the wooden seats. It was probably her imagination, but she always felt like the seat was just a little warmer than it should be, like the tree it'd been cut from was somehow still alive and warming it just for her.
She'd been seated for less than an hour, sipping her cappuccino and scanning the news, when Quinn's details came down the data tubes to her.
Capital Cappuccino, 3pm.
— Quinn
Easy enough, already here, she wrote back. She glanced at the time; it was 2:30. That was plenty of time to finish her research, and she didn't have to pick up her Gran until 5.
She glanced at the time again. 3:05. Hmmm, she thought. He's late again. She was neither surprised nor especially angry; it wasn't uncommon for him. She was anxious though.
Wakey wakey, she pinged him. You said 3:00!
Just then he walked through the door, checking his phone for her message. She rolled her eyes and smiled.
Quinn was a small guy, about average height, but thin and a little spindly. His blonde hair was pale, though not as pale as his skin. It was a slightly shaggy mop on his head. His features were thin, too, but his eyes were laughing as he read her message, and his lips followed suit, quirking into a lopsided grin. He hadn't noticed her; he grabbed one of the small white porcelain mugs and gestured to the server.
That was one of the other things she liked about the place, she reflected; actual people doing the serving. It was a novelty; most places were completely automated. She was grateful that at least the payment mechanisms were automated; you just took what you wanted and it was verified and charged automatically, no fuss, no muss, just coffee.
Right behind you, she sent just as his espresso was handed over. He took it and glanced at his phone, then turned and caught her eye with a grin. He sat himself down.
"Josie! It's been way too long. Your hair's growing out. You going for the longer look?"
Ugh, she thought. It was going to be this way, then. He never commented on her hair or anything like that unless he was stalling, trying to drive her crazy.
"Thanks. Thought it was time for a change. And speaking of changes, what's the job?"
"Oh Jo, always in such a rush … okay, fine," he said with mock melodrama. "Fine, fine. It's Westall Holdings."
Her eyes widened a little in recognition. That was the company Sal's husband David worked at.
"Don't get too excited. I know they're pretty big around here, but it's nothing glamorous, like I said. Mail room stuff, maybe some archives, that sort of thing. And it's short term, just a few months. Not huge pay. A buddy of mine knows a guy who works there, he's lookin' for bodies to fill the ranks. They got some kind of big project on the go."
She narrowed her eyes at him. "What's the catch? You never give up your teasing this quick."
"No catch, we're just late to the game. We've gotta hurry if we're going to get in before the getting's gone."
"How much time do we have?"
"Couple of days, tops. Can you be ready to go see 'em tomorrow?"
Westall Holdings. She didn't know much about them aside from the name, because of David. She could definitely use the cash though. "Tomorrow? No problem. Got nothing else to do."
The city spread out below her like a carpet of lights in the night, mesmerizing in its intensity. In order to avoid light pollution that would impede the progress of science, some long-gone ruling body had decreed that lights should be blocked from shining into the sky. The results were a boon to astronomers, but it was just as lovely from on high. Jo's vantage point at the top of an old apartment complex let her look down on a big swath of the cityscape; from a distance it looked like stained glass.
Even the air felt fresher than usual. Maybe she'd climbed high enough to rise above the smog, or maybe it was all the rain; it had just about stopped, but a misty drizzle still made itself felt. Instead of feeling damp and depressing, she felt somehow more alive.
Maybe that was due more to the interview; she had shown up with Quinn and talked with a company representative for fifteen minutes. She'd left feeling buoyed, sure that she'd landed the job.
The line of questioning had started off standard enough, but as the interview progressed, the rep seemed more and more interested in her athleticism, especially her climbing hobby. She'd spent the last five minutes describing past climbs in detail, and she was sure the woman she'd been talking to had taken more notes during that time than at any other point in the interview.
How'd yours go?
Quinn. She hadn't seen him after her interview. Went well, how was yours? she sent back.
Pretty much what I expected. Very straight forward, very easy. Do you think you got it?
Yeah, I think so. She paused a moment. Did they happen to ask you about climbing or anything?
No, just the standard stuff. Why?
No real reason, she just seemed real interested in my climbing. Guess it's nothing. She paced the rooftop as she messaged. Her home lay to the south-west, toward old town. A dark spot in the glowing stained-glass city caught her eye out beyond where she lived. She was just thinking it must be the old ironworks when a tiny spark dragged her eyes to itself; a blue spark, out in the middle of that patch of darkness. She frowned and tried to image it, though it was hopeless at this distance without a tripod for the imager. She got about a second of it before it winked out. She felt a touch of that creepy dread she'd experienced walking out in front of the place the other day and shivered.


text:
Housing Construction Down For 8th Month
The 0.2 percent decline took construction down to a seasonally-adjusted annual level of $1.18 trillion. That followed declines of 0.3 percent in October and 0.8 percent in September.
Analysts believe that home building could remain weak for several more months as builders work to reduce their backlog of unsold homes.
Housing has been in a slump after a boom fueled by the lowest mortgage rates in more than four decades.
Spending on nonresidential projects showed strength last month, rising to an all-time high.
Sharper-Than-Expected Housing Slump Gave Federal Reserve Jitters
Heightened concern about the harsher-than-expected housing slump was a key factor in the most recent decision by Federal Reserve policymakers to leave interest rates untouched.
Minutes of the Fed's deliberations last month show that policymakers revealed increased concern over the real estate bust — even as they were reiterating that their No. 1 aim was to see inflation, which has been calming down, continue to recede.
The Fed held interest rates steady at the December session. But it also left the door open to a possible rate increase, if needed, to thwart inflation.
However, one Fed member — who was not identified in the minutes of the meeting — thought the central bank should have held out the possibility of a rate cut as well.
That member thought the Fed's statement issued last month "should emphasize that policy could be adjusted in either direction, depending on the evolution of the outlook for inflation and economic growth."


text:
Chairman David A. Ford
Region Manager, Local Public AffairsSouthern California Edison
Vice chairman Michelle A. Avan
Supervision Executive West DivisionMerrill Lynch Wealth Management
President Angela Gibson
PresidentAG & Associates
Treasurer Kimberly Carter
Senior AssociateOgletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart, P.C.
Secretary Winifred Yancy, P.E., MBA
Intergovernmental Affairs & Community Relations
Los Angeles Department of Water & Power
Parliamentarian Joseph Chow
Supply Chair Strategy & Planning ManagerSouthern California Gas Company
Celeste M. Alleyne
Director, Citizenship & Public Affairs, U.S. Education LeadMicrosoft Corporation
Christine Keith
PresidentElite Auto Network
Gene Hale
PresidentG&C Equipment Corporation
Vicky Harper-Hall
Sec. Manager, Socio-Economic Bus Programs & Gov. RelationsNorthrop Grumman Corporation
Eric Boyd
Executive DirectorSanta Anita Family YMCA
Ken Billups
Senior Outreach ManagerClark Construction Group
Felix Whittaker
Senior Vice President, JP Morgan Chase
Kevin Anderson
District Manager
Vivint Smart Home, Inc.
Greater Los Angeles African American Chamber of Commerce (GLAAACC) 5120 W. Goldleaf Circle, Suite 230Los Angeles, California 90056Email: firstname.lastname@example.com Phone: (323) 292-1297 | Fax: (323) 292-1451Hours of Operation: Monday - Friday | 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
© 2015 Greater Los Angeles African American Chamber of Commerce. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy


text:
Air traffic controllers call for end to govt. shutdown in Albuquerque
Kassi Nelson
January 22, 2019 10:15 PM
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.- Air traffic controllers are giving fliers to flyers at airports across the country, including in Albuquerque.
They want people to call lawmakers and ask them to reopen the government.
Adrianna Woltman is feeling the impact of the shutdown.
She's married to an air traffic controller in Albuquerque, who is working without pay.
"Having the paycheck held even though you're performing the work, it's just hard to think about," Woltman said.
There's no telling when the shutdown will end and Woltman said that's worrisome for her and her husband.
"I can see it in his eyes that he's worried about if we're going to put food on the table, pay our power bill, water bill anything like that," Woltman said.
Right now, the Woltmans are relying on savings, but that won't last forever.
"We could only maybe go another month or so before we have to really kind of panic," she said.
Handing out a pamphlet may seem like a small gesture. However, Woltman said she hopes it makes a big difference.
The union members at the Sunport said handing out the pamphlets is not a political stance, they just want the government back open.
Updated: January 22, 2019 10:15 PM
Created: January 22, 2019 08:57 PM
Copyright 2019 KOB-TV LLC, a Hubbard Broadcasting Company. All rights reserved


text:
Affordable Airdrie Tree Surgeon
Got urgent tree surgery jobs that needs attending to in Airdrie, Scotland, UK?
On a limited budget and keen to locate a trustworthy but cheap tree surgeon in the Airdrie area?
You need to choose rated, reviewed and reliable Airdrie tree surgeons, recommended by local people.
|Find a Recommended Tree Surgeon in Airdrie Here
Describe your Airdrie tree surgery job and your budget, and obtain several estimates from expert local tree surgeons in Airdrie.
Find the most reasonably priced and recommended tree surgeon in Airdrie.
Read customer reviews to identify the cheapest, best rated Airdrie tree surgeon for your task.
Get a local Airdrie tree surgeon for your tree removal, pruning, crown thinning, stump grinding, hedge trimming, pollarding, tree felling, crown lifting and much more.
Cheap local tree surgeons cover Airdrie and these locations: Salsburgh, Gartcosh, Bargeddie, Baillieston, Plains, Newhouse, Wattson, Holytown, Viewpark, Coatbridge, Chryston, Stepps, Muirhead, Calderbank, Glenboig, Bellshill, Chapelhall, Uddingston and more.
Also Locate a Cheap Tree Surgeon in These Towns and Areas:
- Affordable Tree Surgeon Irvine
- Affordable Tree Surgeon Falkirk
- Affordable Tree Surgeon Glenrothes
- Affordable Tree Surgeon Rutherglen
- Affordable Tree Surgeon Dumfries
TOP - Airdrie Tree Surgeons - Airdrie Gardeners - Airdrie Fencing Contractor
Cut-Price Airdrie Tree Surgeon - Budget Airdrie Tree Surgeons - Low-Cost Airdrie Tree Surgeons - Inexpensive Airdrie Tree Surgeon


text:
Orange County
Is junk removal and hauling one of your biggest worries these days? Do you wish your trash would just disappear, never to be seen again? Then you've come to the right place!
Junk Call provides an exceptional range of services including hauling and removal of junk from residential areas and commercial ones alike. Whether you need your kitchen demolished for a renovation or your patio cover removed, we've got all your demolition needs covered, without having to worry about hauling away the junk yourself!
All you need to do is pick up the phone right now and give us a call! After discussing your junk removal and hauling needs, our friendly and helpful drivers will head over to your location and get to work! Our junk hauling services are operational in the entire Orange County area and accompany a complete clean up and organization of the location we are working on. We ensure that our clients are left happy and satisfied with our services, no matter how big or small the hauling project is!


text:
US Campgrounds
Sherman County
Rufus RV Park
Rufus RV Park, Oregon
Custom Search
RV hookups are available
Pets are allowed
Boat Ramps
Laundry Facilities
Picnic and Barbecue area is available
WIFI is available
Bait and tackle
Activities: fishing, fly fishing, windsurfing, waterskiing and hiking
In the event that you like fly fishing, this is a glorious site, and boats can be launched at the boat ramp. This campground has some wonderful and comfortable cabins; going for a splendid hike is always fun here. If you don't mind getting wet, you can go water skiing here. Of course there are restrooms here, and this is an excellent
place for boating. Hope you enjoy fishing, Rufus RV Park has some perfect fishing, and in the washing machine room you can wash your garments.
Obviously there are showers at this campground, and bait and tackle is available at
this campground. There's a delightful restaurant at Rufus RV Park that provides delightful things to eat. For all you thrill seekers, the wind surfing at Rufus RV Park is exceptionally great. Remain connected during your stay at Rufus RV Park with the wifi supplied. Places like Maryhill State Park are delightful to visit; you'll meet a lot of folks from Rufus here. Brooks Memorial State Park is a nice place to pop by; in the event that you enjoy bowling, Golden Lanes Bowling close to Rufus RV Park is pleasant for you. Scott Canyon is a great place to spend some time at, and Goldendale Golf Club is a magnificent golf course close by. The warmest time of the year at Rufus RV Park comes with
high temperatures in the 80's. All through the dark hours of summer temperatures sink down into the 50's. Highs throughout the wintertime are usually in the 30's while Rufus RV Park nighttime low temperatures during the winter are in the 20's.
Quality Inn & Suites, Goldendale
8 miles away
Shilo Inn Suites Hotel The Dalles, The Dalles
28 miles away
Comfort Inn Columbia Gorge, The Dalles
28 miles away
Celilo Inn, The Dalles
28 miles away
Other campgrounds near Rufus RV Park, Oregon:
Rufus RV Park, Rufus
, 0 miles away
Bob's Budget, Rufus
, 1 miles away
Giles French, Rufus
, 1 miles away
Cliffs Park, Rufus
, 2 miles away
Peach Beach RV Park, Goldendale
, 6 miles away
Maryhill State Park, Goldendale
, 6 miles away
LePage Park, Rufus
, 6 miles away
Sunset RV Park, Goldendale
, 8 miles away
Cottonwood RV Park, Goldendale
, 9 miles away
Philippi, Rufus
, 10 miles away
Paddling Rivers Near Rufus RV Park, Oregon:
Little Klickitat River, Klickitat County
, 14 miles away
Class IV-V - 9.7 miles long (Olsen Road to Klickitat River)
Swale Creek, Klickitat County
, 20 miles away
Class III-IV - 10 miles long (Harris Road to Wahkiacus)
Canyon Creek - Klickitat drainage, -blank- County
, 24 miles away
Class IV-V - 5 miles long (Soda Springs Road to Little Klickitat)
Klickitat River, Klickitat County
, 27 miles away
Class II-III - 10.5 miles long (Klickitat Springs to Fishing Access)
Deschutes River, Wasco County
, 30 miles away
Class III - 44 miles long (Sherar's Falls to Columbia River)
Public Lands near Rufus RV Park, Oregon:
Maryhill State Park, Washington
, 6 miles away
Brooks Memorial State Park, Washington
, 13 miles away
Horsethief Lake State Park, Washington
, 26 miles away
White River Falls State Park, Oregon
, 30 miles away
Fort Simcoe State Park, Washington
, 32 miles away
Golf Courses Near Rufus RV Park, Oregon:
Goldendale Golf Club, Goldendale
, 10 miles away
Current weather conditions at Rufus RV Park, Oregon
Local climate location: MORO 28 miles away
Outdoors Recreation Near City of The Dalles, Oregon
Outdoors recreation in the vicinity of City of The Dalles, Oregon, the metro area neareast to Rufus RV Park. Find info on campgrounds, marinas, hiking trails, ski resorts, lakes, beaches, parks, whitewater, golf courses and more.
Oregon Campgrounds
Complete list of all campgrounds in Oregon
Sherman County Campgrounds
Complete list of all campgrounds in Sherman County
Books about campgrounds in Oregon
List of books available on Amazon.com about campgrounds in Oregon.
Copyright © Stratus-Pikpuk, Inc.


text:
Episode 23: Don't Think Mechanically About Deepwater
Wes and Marcos review 'Deepwater Horizon,' 'Don't Think Twice' and 'Mechanic: Resurrection.'
Rent the movies. Let them know if you agree and let them know if you don't.
But most of all ... Keep on Boxin'.
Review Times
Deepwater Horizon - 2:31
Don't Think Twice - 11:40
HGH: Dan in the Woods on Mechanic: Resurrection- 21:16


text:
It has been said that less successful people read to get entertained, but successful people are the ones who read and take actions on what they are reading. Many successful people with the likes of Bill Gates, Warren Buffett, and Oprah Winfrey devote and make time to read.
That is their secret to success!
This is also seemingly true with Jochen Siepmann, an entrepreneur, an investor, a trainer, a mentor, a public speaker, and the author of Property Apprentice: How to Earn While You Learn.
In an interview with The CEO Library, Jochen shared the significance of how reading a book and taking action are the keys for him to succeed especially in property industry.
The CEO Library was built at the intersection of our long-lasting relationship with reading, and our strong desire to know what books influenced the people we admire. It gathers in a single place all the books that shaped the journey of business people we look up to.
In the insightful interview, Jochen also revealed the books he read that helped him change his mindset and had him started earning his passive income and be financially FREE; he also shared the actions he took, the common mistakes he believes entrepreneurs make, and myths when it comes to property investing.
The following are the books that he considers to have impacted his journey to property investing:
- Rich Dad, Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki
- Money, Master the Game by Anthony Robbins
- Secrets of the Millionaire Mind by T. Harv Eker
- The Property Apprentice by Jochen Siepmann
- Property Magic by Simon Zutschi
Being inspired with what he read, Jochen further enthuses, "While most people seem to find excuses (which they call "reasons") why something doesn't work for them, I am an action taker, and I learn, try out, practice, improve, and get better. This way, as Robert (Kiyosaki) has described, I changed my mind set, took action, and over some time have built up a sizeable property portfolio that is giving me enough passive income to become financially free."
Read more about Jochen's interview and check out how books can make a big impact on you HERE.
Indeed, reading about success without taking action on it is dead! Cheers, Jochen!
Our mission is to help you figure out the right books that will make a difference in your entrepreneurial journey. To put those books into context, to show you not only what, why, and when you should read but also how you can apply those lessons when you're building a business, thus saving you your most valuable asset: time. To know more about us, visit https://www.theceolibrary.com/about-us.
Looking to enhance your author credibility platform? Our team of experts is thrilled to provide you support on this. Get a FREE coaching call session to propel you forward to success! Email email@example.com for your FREE coaching call now!


text:
There is so much about QtCon and all its diversity and enthusiasm right from the Traffic Cone hats to the Ratatouille to the parallel KDE, FSFE, Qt tracks that all of it can't be summed up even across numerous dot stories. So this article in particular aims at giving a detailed summary of some of the talks not covered in the previous dot story and a more detailed version of the lightning talks for those who prefer a quick read over watching videos.
Governments Migrating to Free Software
From 1 to 4 September 2016 the communities of KDE, Qt, FSFE, VideoLAN and KDAB join forces in Berlin for QtCon. The program consists of a mix of Qt trainings on day 1, unconference sessions, lightning talks and more than 150 in-depths talks on technical and community topics on days 2 to 4. Track topics range from KDE's Latest and Greatest, Testing and Continuous Integration and QtQuick to Free Software policies and politics, Community and Beyond code. Check out the program.
QtCon 2016 Call for Papers is open. The event will assemble KDE Akademy, VideoLAN Developer Days, Qt Contributors' Summit, FSFE Summit and KDAB Qt training day. We invite contributors to these projects to present their work and insight at QtCon 2016. The conference will take place from 1st to 8th September in Berlin, Germany. The talks will be from 2nd to 4th with KDE continuing with BoFs till the 8th
2016 is a special year for many FLOSS projects: KDE has its 20th birthday while Free Software Foundation Europe and VideoLAN both have their 15th birthday. All these call for celebrations! This year KDE has come together with Qt, FSFE, VideoLAN and KDAB to bring you QtCon, where attendees can meet, collaborate and get the latest news of all these projects.
KDE will have an exhibit in the Expo at the upcoming LISA (Large Installation System Administration) Conference. The full conference takes place November 8 ‒ 13 in Washington D.C. The Expo is open on the 11th and 12th. There is no charge to attend the Expo.
We are raising money to support KDE sprints. People have asked legitimate questions about those funds—who gets the money? Who benefits?
For an overview of what happened in the BoFs, meetings and hacking sessions during the second half of the week, you can watch the wrap-up session video
Many of you already know that FISL (The International Free Software Forum) is one of the biggest FLOSS conferences in the world. From 8 to 11 July 2015, 5281 free software passionate people met in Porto Alegre (South Brazil) for the 16th FISL edition, enjoying activities such as talks, panels, hackathons, workshops, and community meetings. All kinds of FLOSS-related topics were in place: development, translation, artwork, education, robotics, entrepreneurship, audio-visual, women and gender, politics, academia and research ... Phew!
Today continued the BoFs, meetings and hacking sessions. For an overview of what happened today, you can watch the wrap-up session video
Video recordings of the Akademy talks are now available in a low quality version to enable them to be released quickly. Higher quality version will be available later.


text:
Everything Everywhere, formerly T-Mobile and Orange, has reported savings of £21 million in the first half of the year following IT integration work.
The mobile phone operator, which is jointly owned by Deutsche Telekom and France Telecom, achieved the savings by transferring IT infrastructure activities to T-Systems and through a five-year IT testing services outsourcing agreement with Capgemini.
It plans to make £13 million in savings in networks and IT in the second half of 2011, to reach the goal of a total £130 million savings for 2011. The rest of the cost reduction will be in areas such as marketing and distribution.
Everything Everywhere said that it was ahead of its cost savings targets, having achieved £203 million in gross operating expense savings since 2009, the beginning of the joint venture. It hopes to reduce costs by £445 million by 2014 through further integration work.
However, the group recorded a slight fall in the number of mobile phone customers in the second quarter of 2011, compared with the same period last year, from 27.9 million to 27.5 million customers. The growth of contract customers (net increase of 267,000) was offset by a reduction in prepay and home broadband customers (net decrease of 220,000).
Tom Alexander, CEO of Everything Everywhere, said: "The first half of 2011 was a period of good progress for Everything Everywhere. We are delivering on our strategic plan set out in September 2010 and are ahead of plan with our synergy capture [cost savings]."


text:
Not long ago, Katie (Thyme for Cooking) was extolling the virtues of brown rice. Alanna (Kitchen Parade) claims that her oven baked brown rice is so good she makes it every week. Kalyn (Kalyn's Kitchen) uses brown rice all the time, saying she loves its "nutty flavor". And recently, SAVEUR magazine devoted several pages to the wonders of brown rice.
Brown rice, eh? Is this a conspiracy to trick me into thinking that brown rice tastes good?
In the 70s and early 80s, we ALWAYS ate brown rice because it was good for us. Secretly, I always felt like I was chewing on crushed cardboard. It didn't taste quite as bad as cardboard, more like nothing at all, but the texture was definitely just that: crushed cardboard.
And then I met the wonderful man I married, who released me from my brown rice prison and decreed that we would always eat white rice – basmati or Thai or Arborio. Perfect rice every time. Delicious rice. No cardboard.
So…. Apparently, brown rice isn't like cardboard anymore? Really? Clearly, we would have to try it again.
I broached the subject, saying that maybe it would be good. And T jumped on it. "Yes!! Let's try it! I'm sure I can make it so we like it! Let me look at that SAVEUR article…."
(click on image to see larger view and more photos)
And so, we jumped on our bicycles and headed to the store to buy some long grain brown Jasmine rice. T made the rice, basically following his usual "perfect rice every time" method*, to go with grilled chicken and green beans.
The rice smelled fabulous. I really really really want to say that I loved it.
Not that it was bad. It was really not bad at all. In fact the texture was fabulous. But it was virtually tastefree. Just like tastefree crushed cardboard.
The rest of the dinner was stellar. We garnished the rice with a coriander sprig (from the garden!!) and served it with grilled chicken (Teriaki sauce) and steamed green beans drizzled with a little butter and chopped summer savoury. (Green beans with summer savoury are, to steal a line from "What's Up Tiger Lily", so good they'll make you plotz.)
Convinced that brown rice couldn't possibly be so dull, we tried it again another night. T made "Spanish rice" with the brown rice (sorry, no photos). And again: perfect texture but tastefree. Let me reiterate, it was not bad. The tomatoes, olives and ham helped a lot but, but, but… we just couldn't believe that it could be so dull!
Maybe it was the kind of rice we got? Does it really make a difference if one pays designer prices for the rice? Maybe if we cooked the rice in chicken stock, the way that Katie does….
In the meantime, we're going back to our favourites: Basmati and Jasmine. White rice is good for us too, isn't it?
* T's method for "perfect rice every time" is to gently rinse the rice in water, put it in a pot and fresh clean cold water with salt. He brings the rice and water to a boil then turns the heat OFF, covers the pot and leaves it to sit on a rack on the stove for 30 to 40 minutes. The water is absorbed by the rice. All it needs is a bit of fluffing up and it's perfect!
1 part Thai (Jasmine) rice to 1½ parts water
1 part Basmati rice to 2 parts water
Cooking Brown Rice
T used a similar method to the above with the long grain brown Jasmine rice we bought. But he added 2 parts of water to the rice. Which didn't absorb all the water after it sat for 40 minutes. He drained it. The rice was still quite firm – not mushy, by any means. Chewy, in fact. And, as mentioned earlier, tastefree.


text:
The worst of all hurricanes, Hurricane Michael, made landfall on the Florida panhandle yesterday, and wreaked havoc and destruction on every home in its path, with at least one death recorded so far. This is the worst hurricane to ever hit the region, and Florida continues to be pummelled by Hurricane Michael, with Georgia and the Carolinas next in its imminent path as a category 1 storm.
When Hurricane Michael hit Florida, it was a category 4 storm, with winds of between 150 mph, then it went down to winds speeds of 125 mph as it weakened down to a category 3 storm. Such high-speed wind speeds, rising flood water, flying debris, power lines down and damaged buildings, have created unimaginable hazards along the way.
With the hurricane now moving inland to Georgia and the Carolinas, there's also a further risk of tornadoes springing up. All the elements in the wake of Hurricane Michael are why officials are calling it the "worst storm to ever hit the region".
More than 375,000 people had been urged to evacuate, but emergency officials fear that some people did not heed the warning, with an estimated 320,000 people on Florida's Gulf Coast estimated to have not evacuated.
President Donald Trump declared a state of emergency for the entire state of Florida on Wednesday, while Republican Senator Marco Rubio warned anyone in the storm's path, with "you're going to die" unless you evacuate.
Roads were extremely flooded, trees were uprooted, and homes destroyed as the storm first hit Mexico Beach in Florida on Wednesday, before sweeping across the state.
A total of 311,000 homes and businesses in Florida, Georgia and Alabama have all lost power, according to peer companies in the region. Flood waters have submerged the sunshine state, and with incoming rain, the water levels could surge to fourteen feet deep.
Through Thursday morning, the threat of tornadoes in Florida, southeast Georgia, and even in southern South Carolina, will cause even further destruction and damage. Thus far, 6,000 people have moved to 80 shelters in five states, including the 1,200 whom are still in shelters after Hurricane Florence.
Panama City Beach in Florida was caught up in the eye of the storm, damaging every building in the area, with extraordinary video images being caught of the ocean making landfall in St. James City to unprecedented levels.
The head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Brock Long, told President Trump before the storm hit, that it was the "worst kind" of hurricane.
Brock Long said, "Storm surge estimates are anywhere between nine and 14 feet. Storm surge is going to be the worse where eye makes landfall – just to the east or south of where the eye makes landfall… Coupled with that you have over 145 mph winds. Structures built before 2001 are not designed to handle that type of wind, typically."
Hurricane Michael still continues to batter Florida today, and now, Georgia and the Carolinas are bracing themselves for the worst as the eye of the storm is headed their way, albeit downgraded as a category 1 storm.
Florida has been hit by a crazy amount of devastating storms lately, as well as Georgia and the Carolina's too, making one wonder just how and where all this bad weather is really coming from. Stay safe out there and evacuate, if you still can.
Story by The Narrator
Featured Photo Credit: AP


text:
|Shyan School
|Contact: 09831271320 (10 am to 6 pm)
|Musical Books
|About us
Hailed as a "holy grail of recording," by Recording magazine (and adopted worldwide as the largest-selling audio plug-in of all time), Auto-Tune corrects intonation problems in vocals or solo instruments, in real time, without distortion or artifacts, while preserving all of the expressive nuance of the original performance - with audio quality so pristine that the only difference between what goes in and what comes out is the intonation. All with a user-interface that is a model of clarity, speed and ease-of-use.
For most common pitch problems, Auto-Tune 5's Automatic Mode instantaneously detects the pitch of the input, identifies the closest pitch in a user-specified scale (including minor, major, chromatic and 26 historical and microtonal scales), and corrects the input pitch to match the scale pitch. A Retune Speed control lets you match the retune rate to virtually any performance style.
For meticulous tweaking, the Graphical Mode displays the performance's detected pitch envelope and allows you to draw in the desired pitch using a variety of graphics tools. This mode gives complete control over the correction or modification of the most elaborate expressive gestures.
Auto-Tune is used daily by thousands of audio professionals around the world. Whether to save studio and editing time, ease the frustration of endless retakes, to save that otherwise once-in-a-lifetime performance, or to create striking special effects, Auto-Tune 5 is the tool of choice.
What's New in Auto-Tune 7 ?
By far the most dramatic addition to Auto-Tune 7 is its entirely new time correction and manipulation system. Seamlessly integrated into the Graphical Mode interface, Auto-Tune 7's time control capabilities allow you to quickly and easily edit the timing of your vocals right along with their pitch.


text:
« October 2017 |
| December 2017 »
Happy weekend!
Posted at 06:41 AM in Fashion, Travel | Permalink
Comments (0)
| |
| |
Growing up my parents taught me to never take things for granted and to appreciate even the smallest blessings in life. It is a principle that I have tried to follow through the years but even more so now that I am a parent. Today, on my favorite holiday, I would like to give thanks for everything that I hold dear in my heart.
I wish you all a safe and joyful Thanksgiving!
Grace is wearing:
Polo Ralph Lauren Dress
Crocks Sandals
The Splendid Bow
On me:
J.Crew Collection Dress&Shoes
Celine Sunglasses
Posted at 08:18 AM in Fashion, Travel | Permalink
Comments (0)
Happy Thanksgiving week!!!!
Posted at 10:59 PM in Fashion, Travel | Permalink
Comments (0)
Greetings, friends! My husband and I went on a little New England retreat this past week and it was absolutely wonderful. The first stop on our journey was Castle Hill on the Crane Estate. We visited on a cold November morning and were the only two people walking the grounds the entire time we were there. The Great House, a 59-room Stuart-style mansion, presides over the Crane Estate, one of the most scenic, historically important, and ecologically diverse landscapes of the region. The property offers panoramic views of the ocean- the Grand Alleé, pictured above, stretches half a mile from the the Great House to the Crane Beach, a four-mile of pristine, white-sand beaches and trails across dunes also part of The Crane Estate.
We look forward to visiting again and attending their picnic concerts, theater, and holiday celebrations.
Posted at 07:50 AM in Fashion, Travel | Permalink
Comments (0)
Have a glorious Sunday!
Posted at 06:29 AM in Fashion, Travel | Permalink
Comments (0)
Happy Friday, friends! It is always with great pleasure that we return to Washington D.C. and this time around it was even more special as we traveled with Grace in tow. Once again, the capital with its marvelous architecture, rich history, and restaurant scene made for an excellent weekend. Here are a few pics from our first day there.
Posted at 05:28 AM in Fashion, Travel | Permalink
Comments (0)


text: Resonate rsnt is saying that it has agreed to be acquired for $49.1 million by Rocket Holdings, a limited liability company representing Chief Executive Officer and President Peter Watkins and Chief Financial Officer Richard Hornstein. The deal values Resonate shares at $1.79 each. The transaction calls for the use of the company's cash and cash equivalents and it remains subject to customary regulatory and shareholder approvals. Shares of Resonate, a Sunnyvale, Calif., developer of business software applications closed Monday at $1.27.


text:
Dombivli contractor killed for asking back loaned money
mumbai Updated: Sep 28, 2015 22:55 IST
A 36-year-old contractor from Dombivli in Mumbai was killed by a group of seven people on Saturday night. Two people were arrested.
Ganesh Maniya Chavan had been pestering the main accused, Santosh Chavan, to return the Rs2 lakh he had borrowed a few months ago.
On Saturday around 10.45pm, Ganesh Chavan and his friends were standing near a private hospital near Davdi Road when Santosh came with his six aides in an autorickshaw. They stabbed and attacked Ganesh with weapons.
Ganesh's friends took him to the AIMS Hospital in Dombivli where he was declared brought dead on arrival.
During the investigation, the Manpada police learnt that Ganesh and Santosh knew each other. "Few months ago, Ganesh pawned his sister's gold ornaments at a jeweller's shop and loaned Santosh Rs2 lakh as he needed the money," said GS Randive, senior police inspector.
"When he asked for his money back, Santosh refused. Ganesh kept pestering him for the money so Santosh plotted the murder. We have arrested two people -- Ramesh Pawar, 31, and Jamil Shaikh, 19," added Randive.
A case has been registered at Manpada police station under sections 302, 143, 147, 148 and 149 of the Indian Penal Code and sections of the Arms Act.
First Published: Sep 28, 2015 22:55 IST


text: By Kyle Richardson |Staff Writer| Is it just me or has everyone been a little too sensitive lately? Most college students are considered Millennials or Generation Y. We get this title because we were born between the late 1980s and early 2000s. Our generation is the upcoming generation in line to run the world as we are graduating college, finishing grad school, starting families, and infiltrating top tier companies. The biggest problem with it all is that most people of our generation, who we look to lead our country, are a big group of sensitive children. Social media shares the blame. We are all connected to each other, as our voiced opinions on certain subjects spread like … [Read more...] about Keep calm and carry on


text:
Company included non-disparagement clauses in purchase agreements, but was anyone really hurt?
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) filed suit against weight-loss supplement marketers Roca Labs Inc., Roca Labs Nutraceutical USA Inc. and two of their officers (collectively, Roca). The complaint was filed in September 2015 in the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida and alleges that Roca made deceptive weight-loss claims, false establishment claims, misrepresentations through testimonials, deceptive discount claims and unfair use of non-disparagement provisions.
The suit centers on Roca's "Formula" weight-loss products, which are powders and gels that, once consumed, allegedly fill up the ingesting consumer, suppressing hunger and reducing food intake.
The FTC alleged these products were heavily marketed through search ads, online videos and websites (including descriptive URLs such as Mini-Gastric-Bypass.me). The websites allegedly made a number of claims, including weight-loss results of up to 100 pounds over 7-10 months, a 90 percent success rate and – alarmingly – claims that the products were comparable in effect to bariatric surgery, which effectively allows users to avoid a gastric bypass procedure. Testimonials from users and doctors rounded out the picture and added to the misrepresentation through testimonials.
Gastro Nostra
Based on the available evidence, the FTC maintained that Roca's claims of drastic successful weight loss were false and misleading. Importantly, there were no clinical trials or other scientific evidence proving the product's effectiveness, and according to the FTC, those providing testimonials were compensated but this material connection was not disclosed.
One of the most interesting aspects of this case was Roca's alleged use of "gag clauses." These gag clauses were non- disparagement provisions contained in the product purchase agreements that threatened legal action against dissatisfied customers who complained about the product in public fora. From Roca's point of view, the gag clauses supposedly justified Roca's efforts to sue customers for defamation and slander if the customers publicly complained about the product. As an example, one version of the gag clause allegedly read: "[Roca Labs makes] it clear that RL and its Regimen may not be for everyone, and in that regard, the foregoing clause is meant to prevent one person from ruining it for everyone. Should any customer violate this provision, as determined by RL in its sole discretion, you will be provided with seventy-two (72) hours to retract the content in question. If the content remains, RL would be obliged to seek all legal remedies to protect its name, products, current customers, and future customers."
Another version of the clause supposedly maintained that "any report of any kind on the web will constitute defamation/slander," involving "a predetermined compensation of $100,000."
The FTC argued that these legal threats, which were pursued in court against Roca customers, were not only illegal, but deprived "prospective purchasers of … truthful, negative information," which led to more profit than Roca would have otherwise earned.
The Takeaway
The FTC filed an amended motion for summary judgment in April 2018, and Roca filed an opposition memo in the closing days of May. In addition to arguing that genuine questions of fact existed for most of the claims, Roca attempted to undermine the FTC's attacks on its gag clauses.
Roca maintained that the FTC had no right to bring unfair practices charges centered on the gag clauses because the Consumer Review Fairness Act of 2016 had been signed after the alleged violations took place. Therefore, Roca argued that the FTC's unfair practice charges did not meet the legal standard for summary judgment. Moreover, Roca claimed the FTC was required by its own policy positions to demonstrate that the clauses caused tangible harm to consumers in order to meet the substantial injury standard for unfair practices. Roca claimed that the FTC had not cleared this hurdle because the FTC relied on intangible injuries to justify the claim.
Roca also maintained that the FTC failed to present the required analysis weighing the costs of false negative reviews and compliance costs against "the magnitude of any substantial consumer injury caused or likely to be caused by the disparagement clause and the attempts to enforce same."
Where the court lands on the use of intangible harm to prove substantial injury may have an interesting effect on the future use of non-disparagement clauses and will likely have an impact on how companies choose to continue using such non-disparagement clauses. This case is also another example of how the FTC continues to monitor and bring claims against companies who make weight-loss claims. Companies and advertising agencies should continue to exercise caution when claiming remarkable weight-loss results unless such claims are supported by competent and reliable scientific evidence.
The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.