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Visiting the Science Museum in London recently I had the pleasure of seeing 'The Bubble Show', one of their regular science shows. While this might not sound like a notable highlight for most people considering the museum's also home to the Apollo 11 Lunar lander, I had a lightbulb moment while watching.
Greeting the room full of excited big and small people, our presenter dramatically began: "Good morning everyone and welcome to the Science Museum, my name is David and I, am an Explainer!!"
How fantastic is that job title? Stick that on your CV and be proud you've achieved at least one cool job title David. Mulling over my envy, I realised that actually, being an Explainer is not a million miles away from what designers do. So, I'm calling it, designers are Explainers too and here's 6 reasons why:
1. Who, What, Where, When, How, Why
'explain' verb - 'to make something clear or easy to understand by describing or giving information about it.' That nicely sums up the role of the designer too: listening, questioning and understanding the who, what, where, when, how and why's of each business they work with. Before distilling that knowledge into a recognisable, visual message for audiences.
2. Making Choices
Once we understand the project at hand, designers can make choices about how that message is presented: be bold and obvious, with clean backgrounds and impactful single colour text? Or give the viewer a more complex visual puzzle, to capture their attention for longer? It's our job to make the right choices.
3. Giving Good Reasons
Not always a favourite part of the process - speaking or writing clearly about ideas and design choices: why we are using one font over another, the meaning behind colour selection, what impact a certain illustration style will evoke, choosing the right papers… some explanation is often necessary to get clients onboard with ideas, they are the ones paying the bill after all!
4. Always Learning
Part of the enjoyment of being a designer, is learning about each business and it's unique problems and working with different industries too: learning the terminology, oddities and customs, contrasting it with the industry we work in. Explainers have to fully understand something before they can clearly inform others and while I may not know a lot about hydrogen's affect on a giant vat of bubble mixture, I will happily watch and learn from someone who really does.
5. Finding the New
I'm sure the presenters at the Science Museum and anyone who's job it is to explain to others, are regularly updating their knowledge, whether that's via reading, researching, experimenting or attending talks. Designers consistently seek knowledge too - finding apps to help streamline client workflow, the next big social media platform, following developments in tech or understanding the implications of artificial intelligence. Great designers love to learn.
6. The Performance
Putting work out there publicly, whether it's on paper, desktop, products or giant cinema screens is a take-a-deep-breath-moment. For designers hoping their work and design choices will have the impact desired: explain the idea clearly, imploring audiences to talk, share and interact with the work.
The cool job title envy was a fleeting moment once I had realised the parity between a designers role and that of an Explainer, minus of course: the hydrogen, helium, novelty shaped bubble wands and protective googles! Once things for sure though - designers, we have a lot of explaining to do.
- Charlee Sully, Creative Director of The Usual Studio
I work across design, ideas, strategy and content, writing about design, innovation and entrepreneurship. I love sushi, tea's my cuppa of choice and BBC6 music's always on. Unlike a former housemate - I do find comedy funny.
Twitter @TheUsualStudio


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STEVE Bruce has refused to set a points target that could guarantee Premiership safety for Blues.
"It's between three clubs: ourselves, West Brom and Portsmouth," said the manager.
"Unless we can drag someone else into the equation, which I doubt, then realistically it's a straight head-to-head and it's who takes the most points out of the next eight, nine games.
"That's all I'm concerned about. It's trying to get one more point than those two, whether it means taking another five, six, 11 or whatever from now until the end of the season."
Albion have been playing well but not reaping their rewards while Pompey, after back-to-back wins and with an easier run-in, are in confident mood.
For Blues, though, it is a real struggle at present and more injuries have not helped the cause.
Both full-back positions provide posers for Bruce tomorrow as Mario Melchiot (thigh) is doubtful and Alex Bruce injured his groin playing for the reserves while, on the left, Jamie Clapham (groin) and Julian Gray (ankle) are out and Stan Lazaridis (groin) is unlikely to be ready.
There is the option of using either Olivier Tebily, Martin Taylor or Kenny Cunningham at right-back while Marcos Painter and Mat Sadler are competing for a slot on the other side of the defence.
There is an argument that the outcome of Tuesday's clash with Bolton Wanderers - Blues' game in hand - is more important than the Chelsea game, especially if Blues can recall some influential players.
The chances of Chris Sutton, Muzzy Izzet, David Dunn and Gray being fit for the Trotters were given at '50-50' by Bruce, who said: "They've intensified their training, it's how they then react."
* How many points do Blues need to survive? Tell us what you think at www.icbirmingham.co.uk/mail/blues/yourshout

subset: commoncrawl


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Health & Fitness
Sips, lapses and relapse: Falling back into substance abuse
Addiction is a chronic disease, and like other chronic medical illnesses, symptom recurrence or relapse to alcohol or drug abuse is an ever-present risk. This is because scientists have documented that addiction is a brain disease with changes affecting multiple functions, including learning, memory, motivation, and the ability to experience pleasure and to control behavior.
Vulnerability to relapse is particularly increased upon exposure to the abused substance, and a one-time use can lead to a full-blown relapse. People quickly "pick up where they left off" in terms of the severity of their drug abuse.
Many factors may lead to relapse, and the holidays may just accentuate these factors. Three main causes for relapse have been studied extensively. The first one is being exposed to the abused substance itself, such as having a glass of wine for those with alcohol addiction or taking a painkiller for those with addiction to opioids.
The second factor is being exposed to cues that remind them of drug activities, such as drug use paraphernalia, or to people, places or things associated with the abused substance. A third major factor is stress, especially when stress is excessive. The holidays may represent a risk of relapse whether people are trying to feel good or "get high," or feeling lonely and suffering from the holiday blues.
Relapse is a process, and it usually begins sometime before a person picks up a drink or a drug. The best chance to prevent a full relapse is early intervention. Evidence-based treatments are available and most effective if counseling and medications are combined with involvement in self-help groups.
Counseling helps people recognize the early warning signs of relapse and develop effective coping skills to prevent it. Effective medications are available to treat alcohol, opioid and nicotine addiction. The future is promising because novel treatments, such as the use of stem cell therapy to treat alcohol addiction associated with depression, are currently being tested at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine.
Ihsan M. Salloum, M.D., is a professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at the University of Miami Health System.


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Wednesday, October 12, 2011
Wordless Wednesday
9 comments:
What a great capture! Oh, I wish I could be there right now! It looks so inviting...mwahaha not!ReplyDelete
Thanks so much for linking up,
Deb @ Focused on the Magic
Wasn't that absolutely the best float of the parade?! Great shot :DReplyDelete
Sean, that's awesome! Would you mind if I borrewed that for my Chip & Co. article? I would, of course, give you credit and link to your site. Email me! Thanks!ReplyDelete
That is an awesome shot!ReplyDelete
Thanks for the comments, glad everyone likes it. We love this parade!ReplyDelete
Thanks, Sean! I was able to pull it from the site. I'll let you know when the article goes live.ReplyDelete
Great shot! I love that float. :)ReplyDelete
I love that shot, it's so cool..ReplyDelete
Visiting from Wordless WednesdayReplyDelete
Do you ever wonder why your Alexa Rank isn't where you want it to be?
Join Our Alexa Hop Get Your Alexa Rank DOWN! Follow the Simple Rules. Don't Join If you aren't Going To Participate.


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Mettle Mission :: Day Thirteen
Um...cause you know....What Would Beyonce Do?
I really hope she'd spend all day on the couch pinning quotes....cause then I'd be golden!
Until I get a job there will be a daily Mettle Maker - we're on a mission - a mission to get a job and maintain mettle - so we'll call it the Mettle Mission.


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Maryville Lawyers to Defend Against Drug Charges
Every drug charge is different, and you want to make sure you understand the challenges you face and the full impact of a potential conviction. At the Maryville law offices of Costner and Greene, we protect the rights of individuals throughout Eastern Tennessee facing drug charges. From the possession of illegal drug paraphernalia to federal trafficking charges, we are prepared to handle a wide range of drug charges in state and federal courts.
Responsive · Professional · Experienced
Contact Costner & Greene Today
The prosecution may try to use anything you have said or done against you, and so make sure you exercise your constitutional right to remain silent and to have an attorney present when answering questions. We understand the consequences of a criminal conviction, and we will diligently advocate for your best interests and rights against all drug charges, including:
- Sales
- Drug possession
- Trafficking
- Marijuana grow house
- Prescription fraud
- Drug paraphernalia
The exact charges you face depend on a number of factors, including the amount and type of drug involved. Protecting the accused since 1980, our lawyers have handled cases involving a wide range of narcotics, including:
- Marijuana
- Meth
- Cocaine
- Prescription drugs
If you face any type of drug charges, you want to make sure you do everything you can to get them dismissed. If that is not possible, the challenge is to get the charges reduced and minimize the potential consequences. We will answer any criminal law questions you may have, so you can do everything you can to build the best possible defense.
Contact Us
Before you say anything to the police, make sure you speak to an experienced criminal defense attorney. You do not want to do or say anything that could jeopardize your case. From our Maryville law offices, we protect the rights of the accused facing drug charges throughout the courts of Eastern Tennessee. Contact us today to find out more.


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Denied ticket for 2017 polls, MLA from Baghapurana constituency of Moga, Maheshinder Singh, has quit Akali Dal alleging bias, police harassment and ill-treatment by SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal. Son of senior Congress leader late Gurcharan Singh, Maheshinder, in this interview with Divya Goyal, opens up on his decision to leave party, regret over leaving Congress and more. Excerpts:
Watch What Else Is Making News
You joined SAD in 2008 leaving Congress. Now, in 2016 you have quit SAD too. Is this not political opportunism? Is it only tickets that matter?
It is not opportunism. My decision to quit SAD is not because I have been denied ticket. It is because police entered my home to harass me. We can be loyal party soldiers, not slaves. I left Congress due to some circumstances which turned against me. They were giving me ticket from Baghapurana in 2007 but I wanted Moga. However, this time I see no reason why I have been denied ticket. I don't want any competition with any of my colleagues, but I can confidently say I am the most popular and accessible in my constituency. There must be some compulsions to which Sukhbir Badal has bowed this time.
What are those compulsions according to you?
Some people from within the party were unable to digest my clean image, popularity and hard work. I will not name anyone but deputy CM needs to answer why I have been denied ticket. Is there any vigilance or graft case inquiry pending against me? No.
Your party colleague and agriculture minister Tota Singh has alleged you are hand in glove with Nihal Singh Wala MLA Rajwinder Kaur in this revolt plan.
It is extremely sad that being the most senior party leader from Moga, he never gained that sense and maturity. Tota Singh always wanted his one-man show in all four constituencies of Moga. He never liked three other MLAs, Joginder Pal Jain of Moga, Rajwinder Kaur of Nihal Singh Wala and myself from Baghapurana. He wants to place his own men in all four seats and rule over Moga district. Maybe that is the compulsion Sukhbir did not dare to defy. Tota Singh had never been on good terms with any of three MLAs and that is on the record.
Do you regret leaving Congress?
In a politician's life, there is nothing called regret. You never know who leaves you when. For instance, now police dared to harass MLA of a ruling party. I called all top cops and other officials but none helped me. On advice of my senior lawyer friends, I chose to resign. Else, they were ready to link me and my son with a gangster. I had good innings with Congress and I left without any enmity.
In five years, how have you found deputy CM and CM as party leaders?
Wadde Badal saab (CM Parkash Singh Badal) is a gem. He is humble, kind and grounded person who treats junior leaders like humans. I would simply not like to comment on Sukhbir Singh Badal's style of treating his own men. He might be party's God, not mine.


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Driver's Side: Siamak and Farzaneh
Journalist and Counselor
Siamak: I've been a journalist in Iran for about 24 years. I studied political science at one of the best universities in my country. I was always the more creative journalist, not the kind to sit in the office and write something. I'm not an analyzer. I want to get out and see everything, even what's hidden. That's why I went to Iraq to cover the war there.
How did you feel about your husband going to Iraq to do this kind of reporting?
Farzaneh: It was horrible. It lasted one month. Every night he called us and said, "Okay, I'm fine." We were waiting for his call every single day. The BBC's photographer was killed at the same time in the same place.
What do you see in Siamak's personality that motivates him to take these risks?
Farzaneh: He's so pigheaded. He is. He wants to do whatever he wants, or whatever he thinks is the right way to move forward. We just let him go because we know he's going to do it anyway. It's good for him. This is his personality. He wants to find his answers any way he can.
What has it been like to live in the United States?
Siamak: When I arrived here, I was a guest at the best hotel near Capitol Hill. I was invited to the White House. Then there was a big ceremony in New York, so we went there. I received a personal award for 2015. And then, after 10 days, everything was finished. I needed to find work. Life got challenging again.
Driving has been very good for me. I have a chance to communicate with people, getting to know the culture and place. Understanding these differences is very important for me as a driver, but also as a journalist and human, too. You can't learn this through studying in a political college or university. You have to get out and communicate. You'll encounter people during a normal day, or when they've been drinking, or when their life is hard. During trips, I've talked with people in many situations. Sometimes they're sad, sometimes they're happy.
Uber is very well known here—that you can earn good money. We've worried about the cost of an apartment, buying a car, the insurance, the cell phone. With Uber, I drive as much as I can.
I do this for my family. Education is very important to Iranian families. Many are not rich, but they pay for their children to attend school. My son goes to community college and is transferring to George Mason University.
Farzaneh: Our priority is our son. He has his future in front of him and he has a long way to go. Unfortunately, because of our residency situation, we can't get any kind of scholarship. I have my master's in clinical psychology, yet I'm working in a coffee shop. I have plenty of experience working as a counselor and teacher back in my country, but here I'm a barista. I'm okay with that. But my husband is a well known journalist.
Siamak: Here in the U.S. I have limitations. The first is my language, but this country and culture are still unknown for me. I need to learn. Books aren't enough to understand a place and its people.
Photo: Magda Zofia
People | Place | Community


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Weight loss fads are all the rave but there are things about these diets everyone needs to know. In this article, we dive right in and look at ways to transform the best bits of some of the most popular fad diets into something safe, but effective.
There's no doubt that the most popular trends in nutrition, are weight loss fads. The problem is, most of these "crash diets" don't preach slow, steady, long-term weight loss. Instead, these fad diets promise to help you shed weight fast so you can look and feel your best for big life events like your graduation ceremony, or your own wedding.
Another problem with entering into weight loss fads is, many people aren't always aware that the methods are often extreme and potentially damaging to their health. They also go in expecting their health and body to be transformed forever which, in reality, is not how it works.
But, for example, after learning what a healthy diet looks like through MyPlate, you can be properly informed about what elements and aspects to adapt to your own diet for a safe slim down road to healthy weight loss.
What's the secret to dropping weight fast without risking your health?
Get Your Head in the GameThe first step is to take inventory, and ask yourself:
- Do you want to shed just a few pounds?
- Can you stick with a moderately restrictive eating plan that may leave you hungry?
- Are you okay with returning to your old weight when you go back to old eating habits?
A Critical Look at Short-term Weight Loss Fads
The Grapefruit Diet
- What it is: Moderate versions of this diet recommend eating a grapefruit before a smaller-than-usual meal. Extreme versions replace meals with grapefruit.
- Pros: Water-rich fruit has loads of flavor and fiber per calorie, and it's a simple and straightforward diet to follow. Grapefruits are generally cheap and easy to find.
- Cons: Diet quickly gets boring. The extreme version is missing essential vitamins and macronutrients. Often results in food cravings and intense hunger.
- Healthy diet hack: Eat water-dense fruit before meals. Add variety by venturing beyond grapefruit to oranges, grapes, and watermelon.
The Master Cleanse
- What it is: Replace all meals with a tall glass of water spiked with lemon juice, cayenne pepper, and just enough maple syrup to make it edible.
- Pros: Adds water and intense flavors to your diet. Hot pepper may stimulate the metabolism. Inexpensive easy-to-follow diet. May result in dramatic weight loss.
- Cons: Incredibly restrictive. Protein and other macros? Healthy fats? A wide range of vitamins? Forget it. It's challenging to stick with this diet due to hunger pains and malnutrition. Much of the dramatic weight loss comes from intense, prolonged diarrhea.
- Healthy diet hack: Drink a glass of water with lemon before meals. When seasoning food, replace salt with cayenne pepper.
- What it is: Replace one or more meals a day with a beverage of blended fruit, vegetable juices, and nut milk.
- Pros: Hides the flavor and texture of vegetables, for people who dislike them. Some recipes can, surprisingly, be tasty. Rich in vitamins and minerals. Meals can be drunk on the go.
- Cons: Equipment and some ingredients can be expensive. Fiber has been removed so you will likely become famished. Can be low on some macronutrients. Creating the juices is time-consuming.
- Healthy diet hack: Smoothies! Drop the ingredients from an appealing Juicing recipe in the blender. Add nutrient-rich foods like spinach and create a tasty snack or meal rich in vitamins, minerals, and filling fiber.
See also: The Best Fad Diets with Healthy Diet Hacks.
Putting it TogetherNational guidelines from the CDC suggest losing a maximum of two pounds a week for healthy weight loss. For this, you'll need to create a deficit of 1,000 calories a day—though these don't all have to come from a diet.
For safe, healthy, and long-term weight loss, aim to trim off 500 calories from your food. Water-rich fruits and low-cal shakes can help keep hunger at bay while replacing high sugar or processed foods with smaller servings of fresh meat and veggies can still lead to delicious meals without leaving you hungry. Make up the other 500 calories by getting active in whatever form you enjoy. Whether it be dancing with friends or cycling to class.
If two pounds a week isn't going to cut it, get rid of extra water weight. The culprit? Salt. The solution? Swap salty seasoning with cayenne pepper and herbs and drink at least eight glasses of water a day. For a greater challenge, follow the CDC's tips to slash salt use.
What if you didn't meet your weight loss goals? Then you have an opportunity to do something more daring: be kind to yourself. You went on a dietary journey and learned what does and doesn't nourish your body. So go out and celebrate on your special day no matter what the size label on your outfit says. You've earned the right to have your moment—so enjoy it!


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I received this tumbler and was anxious to see how well it did, because I had seen it on Amazon!
The tumbler is pretty good…I just think it could have been a little better.
When I received it, there were a couple of small chips and cracks, probably from shipping (so be aware that might be a possibility). There were also a couple gashes on the infuser.
I liked that the plastic ring was around the infuser and not the lid.
Usually this ring prevents leaking and is on the lid. And if you think about using any of these tumblers without it, don't. I forgot mine once…on my Kendall (which is a great tumbler). BIG mistake!
It comes with a lid for the top, which is similar to any water bottle lid, as is the shape of the bottle (part of the reason I thought it was so cute!) and one for the bottom, which goes over the infuser. You can pour the steeping water through either end, once the tea is in. The bottle isn't double walled, so you have a few seconds before the bottle heats up (with those chips and the crack, I was a little scared, but it held up!), but it has a carrier you can put it in.
The carrier is a little tricky with one hand, because it is so flimsy and you almost have to stretch it around the bottle. But, you can't put it in the carrier first, unless you fill it from the smaller opening on the top.
All and all, it was ok. It wasn't a great tumbler, but it got the job done and I got a little attention when I took it out and about. Over steeping is a concern, but if you don't care about that or have a place to take out the basket and set it, it isn't so bad a bottle. But, really, in that case, you could just use any water bottle! 😉


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Junior Lotus Racing had a strong run in today's Formula Renault 3.5 Series race in Monte Carlo to finish in ninth and 10th positions.
Frenchman Nelson Panciatici headed Russian team-mate Daniil Move throughout the race as both drivers finished in the points-scoring positions around the streets of Monaco.
The duo started from the same positions on the grid, but lost out to a rival into the first corner. Panciatici and Move held 10th and 11th places respectively for most of the race, before moving up in the closing stages when a driver in front made a mistake and crashed.
From then on, the two Junior Lotus Racing drivers shadowed the car in eighth position, but on such a tight circuit there was little chance to overtake unless the driver in front made a big mistake.
Junior Lotus Racing team manager Peter Crolla said: "We are very happy with both Nelson's and Daniil's performances. They managed the start well and avoided contact with each other and the barriers. Both cars had the pace of the front-runners, but the ISR car defended well and we had to settle for the points finishes. After the previous round at Spa it was important to pick ourselves up and start moving forward, and I think at Monaco we have made the first steps."
The Formula Renault 3.5 circus now moves from the glamorous Mediterranean to the forests of Central Europe for the next round on June 5/6, which takes place at the Brno circuit in the Czech Republic. This is a long and challenging circuit, and is being visited by the World Series by Renault for the first time this year. After the single-race Monaco Grand Prix support, it will be back to the regular format of two races, one on Saturday and one on Sunday.
text & pix: Junior Lotus Racing


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Writing workshop with The Griot Collective of West Tennessee at the Jackson Madison County Library, 433 D. Lafayette St., Jackson TN. 38301 from 10 a.m. to noon. To register, contact: James E Cherry at email@example.com. Poetry reading open to the public at 1 p.m. at the library to follow. Books will be available for purchase and signing.
Back to All Events
Earlier Event: April 22MONTGOMERY, AL: Alabama Book Festival April 22 reading in poetry venue at the Alabama Book Festival
Later Event: March 2225th READ ALABAMA SERIES


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A giant purple gorilla creates a large impression when people drive by your dealership, however, there are several gorillas sleeping inside your dealership that can create much larger impressions.
These gorillas are the TV screens in your dealership.
In most stores, these screens are displaying local or cable television programming that can alienate your audience. However, you can wake these screens up with custom content to drives the success of your dealership.
Let's look at a few ways to drive custom messaging on the different screens in your dealership.
You never get a second chance to make a first impression and nothing makes a bigger impression than a large video wall in your showroom. Imagine the first time someone walks into your dealership and they see a massive screen detailing the sleek lines of the newest model of your featured cars, displaying the performance specs and creating appeal. Follow this up with customized dealership branding media to make your visitors connect emotionally with you.
With a digital signage program, you can create custom channels for the video screens your visitors see when they enter your dealership. These initial images should be high-level looks at your top of the line products that help generate appeal for your brand.
F&I Waiting
Once a person has agreed on the deal and passed to F&I, they are often left stuck in front of a screen where you have no control over what they see, or worse they have nothing to command their attention and their mind can begin to question their buying decision. This is a fantastic opportunity to serve up messaging that encourages them to engage with your social media accounts, drive reviews and learn more about the F&I product offered to more easily engage in conversations about vehicle add on programs.
For example, you could feature true stories of people who have purchased an extended warranty on the screen. They could talk about how easy the program was to use, how much money it saved them or other excellent features and benefits. This tees up the conversation for an extended warranty program.
Service Waiting Lounge
The Service Lounge is a great place to catch returning visitors, educate them about the myriad of items available to them, and most importantly reinforce your dealership brand. A few of the most popular we see dealers using are:
- Specials on service
- Other services offered
- New car trade in programs (with offers based on vehicles knows to be coming in that day)
- Loyalty reward programs
An example for many car service shops is tires. Most consumers do not naturally thing of the dealership when they need new tires. The digital signage can educate customers on the hazards and tire wear, and then we can create on your screens of ads that focus on tires, how you compare to competitive chains and even offer some sort of reward for returning for new tires in the future.
These are just a few easy examples of how to better leverage the TV screens in your dealership. For a custom consultation on how AutoVision TV can work with you to wake up the gorillas in your dealership contact us today.


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(Published in Al Jazeera English; May 24th, 2019)
Today, Eritrea is celebrating its hard-won independence, a victory earned after 30 years of fierce and deadly armed struggle, followed by 20 years of deadlock with neighbouring Ethiopia, after the border conflict of 1998-2000.
Like previous years, the Eritrean authorities have made extensive preparations to mark the anniversary with a major festival in the streets of Asmara. But this year, the celebrations will also feature a new element: two mannequins representing Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki with Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, who in a landmark move last year opened the common border for the first time in 20 years.
The regime clearly wants to celebrate the peace agreement and rapprochement with Ethiopia, still brandishing it as a major achievement. However, it will do so under tight security. While round-ups, patrols and checkpoints have been routine features of Independence Day security, they have reportedly been significantly boosted this year as a clear warning to the general population.
The Eritrean people, who initially also rejoiced at the peace agreement, hoping that the resolution of the cold conflict could bring them much-desired relief, are yet to see any change in their daily lives. Click here to read


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NHN Seeks to Buy Firm Or Be Acquired by a Rival
SEOUL -- NHN Corp., South Korea's largest Internet company, may seek to acquire an Internet company or to be taken over by a rival if that helps it become a global player, its chief executive said.
"We're particularly interested in acquiring a company with advanced search-engine technology," Chae Hwi-Young said in an interview. "Also, we don't mind becoming a takeover target if the case makes sense."


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Beyond Academia
Kyle Davis
Hometown: Baltimore, Maryland
M.S.: Washington University in St. Louis, 2013
(Biomedical Engineering)
B.S.: North Carolina State University, 2011
(Electrical Engineering)
Christie Spence
Hometown: Atlanta, Georgia
Current Institution: Atlanta Veterans Affairs Medical Center
Position: Primary Care Mental Health Integration Psychologist
Brett Hammond
Hometown: Silver Spring, Maryland
Current Institution: Cuyahoga County, Ohio Prosecutor's Office
Position: Assistant District Attorney
Bobby Trawick
Hometown: Dothan, Alabama
Position: Chemist; MetaPhore Pharmaceuticals
B.S. : Morehouse
Ph.D.: Washington U, 2002 (Chemistry)
Felix B. Lloyd
Hometown: Salt Lake City, Utah
Position: Vice President & General Manager of MoneyIsland; BancVue, Ltd.
Erica Jones
Hometown: Ruckersville, Virginia
Position: Contract Team Trainee; Washington University in St. Louis
Philip Harris
Hometown: Kingston, Jamaica
Position: Lawyer; Legal Services, Rotterdam Area, Netherlands
B.A. Morehouse, 1998 (Math)
J.D. Washington U, 2009 (Law)
Kimberly L. Duke-Hutson
Hometown: Brighton, Missouri
Position: Lawyer; Land of Lincoln Legal Assistance Foundation
Mikah Dixon-Story
Hometown: Kansas City, Kansas
Position: Lawyer; Bryan Cave LLP
B.A.: SW Missouri State
J.D.: Washington U, 2001


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If you're new to Think Splendid, here's an intro to what it's all about. If you're a regular here, keep reading, because there are some new updates as well.
First, in case you're wondering, my name is spelled Liene but pronounced Lynn. No, my parents weren't hippies — it's a family name. I'm the founder of The Splendid Collective, a family of business-to-business brands that empower the wedding and lifestyle industries. The two brands currently under its umbrella are Think Splendid and Splendid Insights.
THINK SPLENDID is a management consulting firm that helps wedding industry leaders succeed. Everything I write, speak, and consult on is focused on developing leaders who will leave the world a better place than they found it.
I'm lucky in that I love my job. Creating strategies that allow people to define and achieve success on their terms is one of my favorite things to do. I also have real-world experience in doing just that.
I built a company where I led a national team of employees, managed multi-million dollar budgets, and brought in over $27 million for the local economy. I've also successfully sold a company I started, as well as helped over a dozen others sell theirs as well. I keynote wedding industry conferences worldwide and my research on the millennial generation is taught as part of the MBA curriculum at three top-tier US universities and is cited in scientific and academic journals. And I've done all this debt-free.
Prior to working in weddings I worked in international development and am fortunate to have called several different countries home, which allows me to bring a more nuanced global perspective to the table.
Some of my clients are companies who have found themselves in a position of leadership at an early stage, while others have been leaders in their field for decades.
My work revolves around five core beliefs:
- I believe that people have a right to live fully, not just merely.
- I believe that if you've "arrived," you've settled.
- I believe that if your dreams don't add good to the lives of others, you're dreaming too small.
- I believe that balance doesn't exist, but that margin is life-giving.
- I believe that true humility doesn't hide its gifts.
SPLENDID INSIGHTS is the leading wedding market research firm, providing unbiased research on the $298 billion global bridal industry.
Most non-custom wedding market research costs upwards of $10,000. I wanted to level the playing field. I started Splendid Insights to make consumer market research accessible to the creative businesses that are the backbone of the wedding industry: a floral shop owned by a mother and daughter team, a husband and wife photography studio, a wedding planning company run by a single mom, and so on. The wedding market reports from Splendid Insights empower you to create smart, fact-based strategies, earn more money, and grow your company faster.
I'm a believer in the idea that to grow in a healthy way, you must prune. Putting that into practice is a little more difficult.
In 2013, I sold Form+Function, a company I co-founded that provided professional-grade, legally-compliant human resources materials to companies with less than 100 employees.
Three years ago, I shut down Find A Wedding Job, the wedding industry job board. This one was a little harder to do, as it was profitable and a steady stream of pretty "hands off" revenue for The Splendid Collective. I also didn't get to have the ego-boost (gross, but true) or payout of selling it. However, in order to more strategically focus on my long-term goals, this was a darling I needed to kill. (John Bell has a great book on this, called Do Less Better, if you're facing a similar situation.)
I also discontinued the long-running Splendid Sundays feature two years ago year for the same reason: strategic focus.
While I am a polymath, I am not a publicist, media coach, or graphic designer. I'm also not a life coach. If you're considering one, I'd recommend spending the money on a reputable licensed therapist instead.
You can find me on Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest. You can also find me here on ThinkSplendid.com most weekdays.
This blog is a place for my to share my thoughts and observations on a variety of topics, most notably leadership, influence, and generosity. On occasion there will be a "how-to" post, but in general this is not a tactical blog. There are many other great resources to choose from that cover the basics, if that's what you're looking for.
If you don't want to miss any updates from the Think Splendid blog, you can subscribe via RSS here (or here if you use Feedly) or you can also sign up to get new blog posts delivered straight to your email inbox. New posts are published at 4:45 am EST most weekdays and delivered via email at 6 am EST.
I use Instagram as an exercise in seeking out creative inspiration (cataloged under #500daysofinspiration), and I eat much better (and healthier) now because of Pinterest, but Twitter and my blog are the platforms that bring me the majority of my clients, so those two are where I focus the bulk of my social media energy.
I believe in being a wholehearted, multi-faceted person, and as such I share my perspectives and opinions based on all of my interests (including orphan care, politics, international development, pop culture, etc), not just those that directly relate to my brand. That said, I do have a few boundaries when it comes to social media:
I don't post much about my family online for the simple reason that their stories are their own and are not mine to share. If I do post something about them, I have permission from them to do so. The Internet is forever and I believe they have the right to choose when and what to share about themselves.
I don't post much about my faith on social media because it is sacred to me and the thought of using it as a marketing gimmick grosses me out.
Not allowing strangers to have access to every part of your life does not make you any less authentic.
These boundaries aren't for everyone, but they work well for me and my family.
It is hard to believe I started this blog twelve years ago as a way to market my company through sharing my expertise. A huge, heartfelt thank you to everyone who has read over the years and allowed me to do something I love. I am always floored when I find out who is reading and I am incredibly grateful to all of you.


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Live: Panel discussion kick-off to Tech Week YQG
We will be live at 6 p.m. in the Windsor Star News Cafe for a panel discussion kick-off event to start Tech Week YQG.
Join us as Yvonne Pilon, president and CEO of WEtech Alliance, sits down with Brent McPhail, president Brave Control Solutions, Heather Pratt, executive director, research and innovation University of Windsor, Jim Marsh, chair, School of Business & IT, St. Clair College, and Sarah Morris, labour market info communicator, Workforce WindsorEssex, as they explore "The State of Technology in YQG".
Watch live in 360 from the comfort of your personal device.


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How We Hire Is Changing
The future of recruitment is exciting and unpredictable especially for recruiters. AI and machine learning are revolutionizing the way we hire. Recruitment technologies are making strides in the field of artificial intelligence to help us understand more about the people we hire, using algorithms to predict performance, detailed personality profiling and cognitive insights, you could say that we are simply unravelling disorganized human data. Does this make hiring easier and more accurate? Or is AI recruitment leading to more advanced methods to perfect our hiring decisions? The world of recruitment is shifting, machine learning and humans are blending in an entirely intriguing way. There are so many possibilities using AI to understand who a person is. AI is disrupting the recruitment markets. Will AI replace recruitment? We believe it will. Stayed tuned for the next recruitment blog focused on 'The Cost of Hiring'
Lee Burton
Lee Burton CEO | Founder of Start Up Recruit http://startuprecruit.ca Start Up Recruit partners with startups to provide an affordable and easy recruitment solution. We specialize in technology recruitment. Our recruitment strategy is simple, our goal is to impact your business with experienced and motivated candidates that make a difference.


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The past is never dead. When the wheeling, dealing, asset-stripping Hanson Trust finally collapsed in 2007, having played a major part in the deindustrialisation of Britain – but having greatly enriched its Thatcherite founder Lord Hanson – I thought a stake had finally being driven through the heart of a particular ghoul.
Never again would our Westminster, Whitehall and City establishments indulge a glorified super-accountant who knew the price of everything but the value of nothing. And, in the name of "culture change" and rigorous "management", had laid waste to industrial Britain. I was wrong.
The ghoul lives on, reincarnated as Chris Miller, the executive chair of Melrose, a company self-consciously cast in Hanson Trust's image, and now the victor in the £8bn battle for control of Britain's third largest engineering group, GKN. Miller is in fact a Hanson protege and, like his former boss James Hanson, he trained as an accountant – the perfect professional background for asset stripping.
For what glory days were those! The young Miller will have been part of the finance team working to Hanson and his chief accomplice, Gordon White, at their headquarters overlooking Buckingham Palace. It was a company wholly controlled by the two men, insisting on approving every expenditure above £500 by the companies they acquired – even while they pioneered stowing profits in tax havens and raiding pension funds of the companies they took over.
Crucially, Miller will have seen firsthand how Hanson and White stalked their takeover targets, set about winning the battles and then made a fortune from breaking up the victim company while running its core businesses to incredibly stringent financial targets. I have no doubt that, like Hanson and White, both ennobled by Margaret Thatcher who admired them uncritically, he believes in the virtue of what he does. Since founding Melrose, the financial returns have been stratospheric. Miller has yet to be named capitalist of the year by the Times as Hanson was in 1986 – but he is on his way.
But, like Hanson's, Miller's is a capitalism organised entirely around extracting rather than creating value. Hanson's model was brutally simple, exemplified by the 1982 takeover of Berec, the manufacturer of Eveready batteries, and its subsequent breakup – Miller will have had a ringside seat.
Like GKN, it was a proud Midlands-based British engineering company setting about the hazardous business of becoming the international brand leader in batteries, based on high investment in research and development. Who knows? In a different business culture, Berec might now be the world's leading battery manufacturer, set to exploit the electrification of cars. Instead, it does not exist.
For, like GKN, it made a mis-step – the share price dipped and Hanson launched his bid. The European division was sold off to its chief competitor, Duracell, thus recouping most of the cost of the takeover. Battery prices were increased across the board, so that Eveready quickly lost market share. All new investment could only be justified if the cash was returned in four years while making a 20% return. Ten years later, Eveready had been milked dry, and Hanson sold out to Ralston Purina. Its verdict on Eveready as it assessed its purchase: a company "a number of years behind the times… a business in decline… the whole infrastructure was pretty thin".
Hanson had made a fortune – but Britain had lost another pivotal company. So it continued. Two years before he left Hanson to found his own Hanson-like shell company, Miller would have been in the thick of the 1986 bid for Imperial Tobacco – then dismembered like Eveready. But the Hanson business model was inherently unstable. To grow and maintain his own share price, he had to go for ever bigger targets to feed the beast. Hanson had an unsuccessful shot at ICI, which saw him off – but only at the price of ICI changing its declared business purpose from bettering society through science to maximising the share price. ICI then broke itself up – but so did Hanson, with the company ignominiously being sold to a German cement company.
We can foretell what will happen to GKN. Businesses will be sold to repay the £8bn. Prices will increase, and market share will be foregone: there is no other option given the millstone of debt around Melrose's neck. R&D will be frozen at the current levels, already running at half to two thirds the rate of its chief competitors, rendering virtually valueless the promise to the business secretary, Greg Clark, to maintain it. Investment will only be allowed on Hanson-type terms – four-year paybacks and 20% returns. Yes, the company headquarters will remain in Britain – but in Mayfair, not in Redditch. In 10 years' time, some company will buy the rump of GKN, only to find it in the same condition as Ralston Purina found Eveready.
Melrose's future is also foretold. For all the hundreds of millions it is making, it will wind up like Hanson. Britain, which already has no major indigenous company in an array of sectors, will have them in even fewer – with all the implications for work, wages, careers and skills. For most of the young analysts at the asset management groups who took the decision to accept Melrose's offer for GKN, the events I describe will seem like ancient history.
But the same mistakes keep being repeated. To prevent them, the government simply has to rule that only shareholders who own shares at the time of the bid can vote, so disenfranchising the arbitrageurs and hedge funds who swung the decision. But the City establishment lobbies ferociously against this move. For the City is wedded to the value extraction on which its fees depend.
• Will Hutton is an Observer columnist


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2 Avery Street #33c
About This Property
Stunning Views from Every Room! This soaring 33rd floor 3BR/3.5 bath home features 2707 square feet surrounded by expansive views of the Charles River, Boston Common and Public Garden, Back Bay, South End and sweeping over to the Boston Harbor. Expansive living room with separate dining is excellent for entertaining. The large corner master bedroom features eastern & southern exposures with en-suite five piece marble appointed bathroom and walk in closet. There are two additional bedrooms each complete with ensuite bathrooms and stunning city views. The Ritz Carlton Residences features world class five star concierge service, uniformed doorman and porter, 24 hour valet parking, & room service. Two valet-parking spaces included. Onsite direct access to Equinox Sports Club and Spa as well as the Ritz Hotel lounge, restaurants and world-class amenities!
About Midtown
One of the most exciting neighborhoods in Boston, Midtown has truly become a hub of luxury living. This began with the rise of the ultra-luxurious Ritz Carlton towers which soar 38 stories into the sky, and the building has not stopped since. With millions of square feet planned to be completed in the next 12 to 48 months, this is a very exciting time for development in Boston. Running through the heart of Midtown is Downtown Crossing, an outdoor pedestrian mall anchored by Macy's department store. Here you will find all kinds of street vendors and shopping to enjoy. There are also a handful of ultra-luxury high-rises being constructed which will bring further 24/7-life to this neighborhood.
For more information about Midtown homes for sale in Boston, don't hesitate to contact us today. Let our knowledgeable Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Warren Residential agents help you in your search!
Contact Agent
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- 3 Beds
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The property listing data and information, or the Images, set forth herein were provided to MLS Property Information Network, Inc. from third party sources, including sellers, lessors and public records, and were compiled by MLS Property Information Network, Inc. The property listing data and information, and the Images, are for the personal, non commercial use of consumers having a good faith interest in purchasing or leasing listed properties of the type displayed to them and may not be used for any purpose other than to identify prospective properties which such consumers may have a good faith interest in purchasing or leasing. MLS Property Information Network, Inc. and its subscribers disclaim any and all representations and warranties as to the accuracy of the property listing data and information, or as to the accuracy of any of the Images, set forth herein.


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For this episode of Dispatches from the Buckle, we pull out of the catalog some segments of our Tokens show done last presidential election year, including an interview with Shane Claiborne (pictured below) and Chris Haw about their book Jesus for President, a Monty-Pythonesque telling of the parable of the weeds and the wheat, plus Our Most Outstanding Horeb Mountain Boys did a bit of Dixie land jazz to help us get in the mood for politics. We hope you enjoy. See you next week.
Remember, you can subscribe to Dispatches from the Buckle on iTunes.
Likewise, you can subscribe to our RSS Feed on Feedburner.
Be sure to follow Dispatches on Twitter for all the latest.
Lee C. Camp, Professor of Theology & Ethics at Lipscomb University, in Nashville, Tennessee, is the host of www.TokensShow.comand the Dispatches from the Buckle Podcast, and the author of Who Is My Enemy?


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(originally posted on 21 August 2017)
An ode to my seeester, expect not really. Because an ode is "a lyric poem in the form of an address to a particular subject" and this is not that. It's just a letter to my not so little sister who starts her very first day of COLLEGE tomorrow.
Hey seeeester,
The first thing I wanna say is stop. Stop being nervous, and anxious, and scared. Be confident in yourself, your abilities, and who you are. I know tomorrow is a scary nerve-racking day. It's always intimidating starting a new journey and walking into something you've never expereince before. But you've been the new kid countless times, you've started new schools more than you should've had to, and you've been successful every single time. This is no different! YOU GOT THIS! (remember, you're an MFE!) College is just the next step. And I am so damn proud of you. College alone is a huge milestone. I am proud of you for taking on a challenge I was never brave enough to tackle myself. I am proud of you for knowing excatly what you wanna do in life and I have absolulety no doubt that you will be accepted into nursing school and that you will thrive when you get there.
The second thing I wanna talk about is why I love you! You embody the kindest and sweetest soul I have ever met. You are one of the most selfless people I know, and I admire that about you. I strive to be as selfless as you are. You put others before yourself, always. Especially me. I can't even tell you the amount of times you have put me before you (and you never had to do it, but you wanted to). I don't like to have any regrets in life becuase honestly regrets are a waste of time, the past is the past and you can not change it. But if I had to regret anything in my life, it would probably be how poorly I treated you when we were little. I know growing up with me as your sister probably wasn't always fun. I know I use to be mean. Like really mean. And I apologize with everything in me for the way I use to treat you. But you're Payton. And you forgive. And you accept. Over the past few years our relationship as sisters has grown so much and not only are we seeeesters, but we're friends too. Best friends. All through middle school and high school I only had one best friend; Tal. But now I have two! I love how our realtionship and friendship has evoled since I moved away from home three years ago and I am so thankful for what it has become. I'm so lucky to have a sister and a bestfriend in one and I am confident our relationship will only get better and stronger as time goes on! For the past 18 years we have gone through and expereinced everything together. So many moves, new schools, new houses, family road trips, family vacations, so many family outings or family dinners, all our family inside jokes we get to share, and so much more. And I love that.
I also love that we are both at that point with mom where when she's trying to yell at us we just crack a joke and suddenly we're no longer in trouble. I remeber I got to that point with mom before you did and you would always be so mad! "You never get in trouble, it's not fair!" And now you are there too. (Sorry Nate, your time will come….maybe) I love watching the relationship you and mom have with each other, it makes my heart so warm. I love watching you interact with Nate, I love watching you progress futher apon your own fitness journey, and more than anything I love watching you grow. It's been a privilege to watch you grow up and grow out of your shell (even though I still don't think I've ever heard you fart). You used to be such a timid person, even around your own family. Now you make comments and crack jokes that leaves us all holding our stomachs in laughter.
You: Knock Knock…
Fam: Who's there?
You: NOT MY SWEDISH FISH!!!
You have grown into such a smart, funny, beautiful young women and it's been a blessing to watch you all these years. As your big sister, it has always been my job to be a role model for you, someone you can look up to. But now the roles are reversed. I look up to you too. I strive to have the same gentle loving heart that you do. I strive to be more studious and actually care about my studies. I strive to be selfless, just as you are. All these things I have learned from you! You are one of my favorite people and I am SO thankful for how often I've been able to visit you and the rest of the fam this year. I know this will probably be my first year not coming home for Christmas and that is gonna suck!! But we will still see and visit each other often and I look forward to all our future adventures.
You are such an exceptional daughter, sister, friend, and cat mom. Anybody who knows you is a lucky one.
I love you SO much Pay!
I am extremely proud of you. Proud of what you're doing and who you are.
And I am sooo excited for you to start this new chapter in your life. I know you will be successful at whatever you take on and as mom says, "I'm so glad to have a front row seat to watch the rest of your life!"
And Pay, no matter what happens in life always remeber you are a mother fucking Eihusen! Love you sis!
Now go kick some college butt!


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Tantalizing Twos
Our program for two year olds fosters each child's evolving communication skills and inner drive to test their new skills. We understand that children this age have unique physical development needs, which are fostered through appropriate opportunities to assert their independence and individuality. Our two your old classroom provides open spaces and quiet places.
Damaris is an active caregiver who keeps up with our busy two year olds. She provides positive guidance during this unique stage of development. Knowing that independence is important to our twos, she helps then exert that in socially acceptable ways. Our families have grown to appreciate her ability guide their children in positive ways while fostering their development.
Why Choose Us?
- A well-rounded education
- Community involvement
- Homework assistance
- Develop strong character values
- Appreciation for the arts
- Integrity in dealing with all walks of life


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After analysing Metal Gear Solid 5's chances of being one of the PS4's launch titles it is now time to take a look at what other first-party games could release alongside it.
Killzone 4
What we know:
A notable absentee from the E3 Press Conference was Sony's first-person shooter series, Killzone. That can only mean that the next instalment in the series is in development but the question arises for the current console, the PlayStation 3 or the next generation console, PlayStation 4?
A statement from one of the employees at Guerrilla Games, the developers of the series, confirmed reports that the studio were working on a new title, however, the source remained tight-lipped on what it could be.
The chance of Guerrilla working on a new IP seems highly unlikely as the Killzone series has become the premier first-person shooter for the PlayStation console and is something that one would expect to release every other year if not annually.
The game will pick up where Killzone 3 left off. This is not an arrogant assumption but if anyone stayed till the end of the credits will have noticed the scene that gives some hint as to where the series is headed.
After nuking an entire planet, namely the Helghast home planet (Helghan) the game's protagonist Sev, along with the rest of the ISA forces, makes his way back to meet up with the rest of the ISA.
Rumours are rife that the ship at the end of the game was carrying Scolar Visari's daughter, who can be seen briefly during the opening intro to Killzone 3.
One can expect the game to raise the bar in terms of visuals as the series has been known for doing in terms of the first-person shooter genre as no one could deny that both Killzone 2 and Killzone 3 were the most atmospheric shooters on the console.
In fact, the atmosphere continued on to the multiplayer component as well, which won GameSpot's best multiplayer game award. Killzone 3 built on two's success and provided a more action-packed experience.
One can expect the third instalment to build on that and maybe even introduce more vehicles into the online component of the game.
Co-op is more than likely to make a return in the fourth part but the main area that the game will have to improve is in the single-player department which, apart from a few moments, has been largely run of the mill.
The fact that no Killzone related announcement was made during Sony's E3 Press Conference means that Killzone 4 is more than likely to be announced alongside the PlayStation 4 next year.
Disclaimer: the views and opinions expressed in this article are the writer's own and do not reflect the editorial policy of wishfree.com.