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Anti-Government Movement Exacting Big Toll on Minorities
Government Budget Slashing Disproportionately Affects Jobs Held by People of Color, Data Shows
Labor Day 2011 is upon us and we ring in this day with some figures that are rarely presented in clarity in the mainstream media: The number of people in our nation who are eligible to work, but who are without work, now stands at 41.5 percent.
That's right, nearly half of the United States' available workforce is on the sidelines, either unemployed or out of the labor market (by choice or circumstance). The breakdown, according to a U.S. Department of Labor study released in August 2011: 139.1 million employed Americans; 98.8 million Americans who are either unemployed or not in the labor force — even though they are eligible to work.
Now, only some 15 million, or about 9.6 percent, of that out-of-work figure represents the unemployment figure typically reported in the media. The balance of nearly 84 million represents folks 16 years and older who have either given up on looking for a job, or who by choice, due to their economic circumstances, have decided they do not need a job — the spouses and families of the mega-rich among them.
Still, the 41.5 percent figure, current as of 2010 according to the DOL study, should give us moment to pause and consider what's going on out there in the land of "free enterprise," if so many people are now out of the game, regardless of the reasons.
One ugly scenario that is at the root of these Depression-era like employment figures is, unfortunately, the race card, which, as in past economic downturns, always gets played under the table (absent much serious media scrutiny) when it comes to the fate of minorities in the US labor force.
Part of that lack of scrutiny might have to do with the make-up of the US media itself. The percentage of minorities in US newsrooms in 2011 stood at less than 13 percent, after three straight years of decline, according to an April 2011 report by the American Society of News Editors.
From an ASNE press release announcing the report:
"At a time when the U.S. Census shows that minorities are 36 percent of the U.S. population, newsrooms are going in the opposite direction. This is an accuracy and credibility issue for our newsrooms," said Milton Coleman, ASNE president.
The Big Picture
DOL figures current as of August of this year show that the unemployment rate among whites nationwide is 8 percent, a painful figure to be sure, but it is a staggering 16.7 percent for blacks and an equally shocking 11.3 percent for Hispanics.
And these dour figures on the minority employment front during this Great Recession promise only to be made worse by anti-government enthusiasts who seek to convince voters that it is possible to cut our way to prosperity.
In fact, it can be argued convincingly that the move afoot to slash state and federal budgets as part of that deficit-reduction hysteria represents a direct assault on diversity in the labor force, and more specifically on the gains minorities have made in the past decades in the government labor marketplace.
The National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association released a report recently, based on U.S. Census Bureau data, that contradicts the heated rhetoric now common in the media concerning the so-called "bloated" federal workforce. The report shows that since 1990, the size of the federal workforce has actually dropped by some 200,000 employees.
Despite that reality, the publication Federal Times recently reported that: "Many Republicans have introduced legislation or voiced proposals to cut the federal workforce. The cuts they call for range from 10 percent — roughly 200,000 jobs — to 15 percent, or 300,000 jobs."
This federal-workplace bloodletting is on top of the jobs that are already being slashed by "cut-and-gut" governors and legislatures at the state level. A recent Reuters report indicates that some 200,000 local and state government jobs were "axed" in 2010. And these state-level job cuts are often accompanied by additional assaults on diversity, such as Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker's recent executive order that suspends a requirement that contractors working state construction jobs make an effort to hire minority and women apprentices.
The purging of government payrolls via budget cuts and the rolling-back of diversity rules can be expected to disproportionately affect minorities, given they have had more success as a group in securing work in the government sector than in the private sector.
As evidence of that fact, a recent report released by the US Office of Personnel Management, with figures current as of fiscal year 2010, shows that minorities represent nearly 34 percent of the federal workforce, while whites account for about 66 percent. However, in the civilian labor market overall, according to the same report, whites represent more than 70 percent of the labor force – yet only comprise 63.7 percent of the overall US population, according to the US Census Bureau.
So it appears whites are represented in the federal workforce at a level that is nearly on par with their share of the US population, yet are over-represented in the employment ranks in the civilian workforce overall. Simple math then tells us that minorities are underrepresented in the civilian labor force, but have had a bit more success in achieving parity in employment in the federal workforce.
From those numbers, it seems logical to conclude that any effort to slash federal jobs, given minorities are more highly represented in the federal workforce, will certainly lead to a disproportionate effect on those minorities — who are already disproportionately affected in terms of their unemployment levels in the overall workforce.
Race Wildcard
The one minority subgroup for which the federal government has not proven to be a safe haven in terms of jobs is Hispanics [a term used by government number crunchers to denote individuals of Latino descent]. Hispanics, according to the OPM report, constitute only 8 percent of the federal workforce, compared with 13.4 percent of the overall civilian labor market.
This pattern of under-representation dates back at least to 2000, when President Bill Clinton issued an executive order designed to address the lack of employment parity for Hispanics in the federal workforce. At that time, Hispanics comprised only about 6.5 percent of all federal workers. That figure has advanced little since then — now at only 8 percent, where it has been stuck for the past three fiscal years, according to federal reports.
The anemic progress on the Hispanic employment front since Clinton issued his edict in 2000 is a sign that a similar executive order inked last month by President Barack Obama is also likely to have little effect, according to Ruben Gonzalez, a former high-ranking supervisor within the Department of Homeland Security's Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in Houston.
Gonzalez in 2009 settled a discrimination lawsuit against DHS after battling the agency in the courts for more than a decade. From 1999 to 2002, while an ICE agent, Gonzalez applied for more than 30 supervisory positions. He made the "best-qualified" list for each post sought, "yet he was never interviewed for any of them," according to a class-action lawsuit filed against DHS that included Gonzalez as a plaintiff. When Gonzalez finally did receive a promotion in March 2002, he was forced to move his family from the East Coast to Houston.
Gonzalez says Obama's executive order, like Clinton's, will prove to be little more than adhesive-less red tape if it lacks strong enforcement provisions. Obama's order calls for a "coordinated government-wide initiative to promote diversity and inclusion in the federal workforce."
Gonzalez stresses, however, that unless "those who violate the rules [with respect to equal opportunity employment and discrimination] are punished," then nothing will change.
"The president can't be responsible for everything, but he does need to articulate what the problem is," Gonzalez adds.
And that problem, as Gonzalez sees it, is the existence of a "good ol' boy network" in control of the leadership posts of the federal bureaucracy, a network that has the ability to stonewall and otherwise undermine even presidential directives by the mere fact that they know how to bend the rules to their benefit. have no real fear of punishment for their actions in that regard, and also know, as career public servants, they will ultimately outlast the president.
The numbers seem to bear out Gonzalez' assessment. Despite the overall progress minorities have made in the federal workplace, they continue to be woefully underrepresented in the top ranks of the federal bureaucracy.
The OPM report shows that as of Sept. 30, 2010, whites held more than 80 percent of the senior-pay-level jobs in the federal bureaucracy (the jobs least likely to be affected by budget cuts) — with blacks at 6.7 percent and Hispanics at an anemic 4.7 percent.
Obama's executive order calling for the promotion of diversity in the federal workforce does contain some language requiring "agency accountability" but what that "accountability" might be is not spelled out. Gonzalez is quite sure that unless it puts the leadership of the agencies at risk of meaningful budget penalties, fines, demotions or job loss, it will, in the end, be ineffectual.
"We have to be honest about what the problem is here," Gonzalez says. "It is discrimination, racism, plain and simple. And how do you stop it? You stop it ... by imposing a punishment."
Labor Day in Deed
So, it seems clear that the White House has to do far more than issue orders and reports to truly create a diverse federal workforce that leaves no qualified employee behind. And it has particularly heavy lifting to do on that front with respect to Hispanic employees, who have been left behind under past White Houses under both parties.
But it is equally true that plans being pushed in Washington to gut government as part of the misguided effort to cut our way back to "prosperity" will, in effect, produce a far worse fate for minorities than any toothless executive orders. The anti-government agenda — ironically being promoted by many in government — threatens to roll back decades of advancements made by people of color now working in the government sector, since they will be disproportionately affected by a slashing of government jobs (both the existing employees and those seeking work in the future).
This outcome, coupled with the already skyrocketing unemployment rate for minorities in the civilian labor force, reveals the framework of an insidious institutional racism that, left unchecked, promises to severely undermine the economic advances made by minorities since the Civil Rights era.
But none of this is really new, even if it is under-reported or otherwise glossed over in the predominately white mainstream media.
Nor, more importantly, is its result pre-ordained, as the history behind Labor Day should remind us: Without solidarity and struggle, there is no progress.
Stay tuned….
- Bill Conroy's blog
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Nei Social Media non c'è nessuna formula per il successo. Finché non lo decidi tu
In questo interessante post dove cerca di dare una definizione di Generation-C, Brian Solis scrive una saggia verità che tanti faticano ancora a comprendere.
Non c'è successo nei Social Media finché non si definisce cosa si vuole ottenere in cambio da essi, non si fa "il botto" solo perché si è presenti o perché si è aperta una paginetta Facebook.
There is a great myth that a winning formula exists for success in social media. If we can introduce the right viral content we can get more views or friends. If we can maintain a rhythmic editorial calendar we can spark conversations that create a social effect. If we can develop the most amazing app, we can rise to the top of our customer's attention span! And, my personal favorite, if we get our company in social networks, we can build better relationships with our customers.
Perhaps businesses should ask another question…what do successful customer relationships and experiences look like in social media?
The formula for success in social media begins with first defining what success is and how it will be measured. This is one of the most important steps in any social media strategy, yet it is the first step that many businesses miss. The truth is that there is no formula for success. It requires something special for each strategy and it's dependent on the people you're trying to reach, their expectations, your business objectives and how this engagement ties specifically to your organization (sales, marketing, service, products, etc.)
Infine 5 consigli pratici, poche aziende arrivano al punto 3. Quasi nessuna al 5.
To help, there are 5 Ways to develop a strategic social media presence
1. Listen, Search, Walk a "Daily in the Life" of…
2. Define Your Online Brand: What do you want people to see and appreciate?
3. Develop a Social Media Strategy: Make your presence matter and tie it back to key business objectives
4. Build and Invest in Your Community: Participate and earn affinity to become a trusted resource
5. Learn: Repeat steps 1-5 over time to stay relevant as technology and behavior evolves

subset: commoncrawl


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|Photo Galleries
|World Championship Photo Gallery
With two drops now allowed Sari MULTALA from Finland holds the overall lead in the gold fleet. She recovered from sixth around mark one in race 10 to win the race. Despite a boat to boat protest in race 10 which resulted in a disqualification for Lijia XU of China, her win in race nine combined with the second drop has her in third place. Anna TUNNICLIFFE from USA climbs back to second, nine points behind the leader with Sophie DE TURCKHEIM of France in fourth after a BFD in race 10. Annalise MURPHY from Ireland impressed today with a second and fourth to improve to 10th. It is all on for some exciting racing in the gold fleet tomorrow.
In the silver fleet Ashley STODDART of Australia maintained her lead with a good win in race nine and a consistent third in race 10. Claire DENNIS of USA, is one point behind now the redress points for damage that occurred in race seven have been included. Jennifer SPALDING of Canada is a further 11 points behind in third place. Joanne PROKOP from Canada won race 10 today. Rosie CHAPMAN's (GBR) good result of second in race 10 was spoilt by an attempted port start at the pin end that resulted in an OCS.
The Japanese Race Management team under PRO Matsuyama KAZUOKA provided great courses again today and maintained the high standard of organization to ensure starts are on time and course lengths meet the target time. There is a very strong team approach across the whole team and everyone appears to have an absolute desire to achieve excellence.
Karatsu citizens have embraced this contest in so many ways from providing bicycles to friendliness and hospitality all around the city. Every day about 130 volunteers assist with the day to day running of the event. On the water there about 60 volunteers in 24 boats including race management boats, rescue, patrol, spectator and press boats. Last night Hiro KAWANO from the Japanese Yachting Federation hosted the midweek party. Sailors were able to experience a tea ceremony, Japanese cuisine and take part in some games. KAWANO also took the time today to speak to the coaches and the race management team.
The last two races are scheduled for tomorrow with conditions expected to be similar.
Results - click here


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Ayurveda literally means "the science of life" and it teaches us to tune into both the conspicuous and subtle indicators that there is room for improvement within—body, mind, and spirit. As a system of healing, Ayurveda honors the utter uniqueness of the individual while helping each of us to court an ever-improving sense of balance and harmony in our lives. Ayurveda does not purport to offer any one-size-fits-all solution—no silver bullet to heal one and all. Instead, it teaches us how to better align with our truest inner nature and to reinvigorate our own innate intelligence in order to guide a very gentle and authentic healing process.
This cleanse runs from November 9th 2015-November 23rd, 2015
The following signs and symptoms are often an indicator that your body would benefit from a cleanse:
- You struggle with digestive difficulties of any kind
- You suffer from constipation, loose stools, or irregular bowel movements
- You have intense cravings for spicy, salty, or sweet foods
- You tend to have trouble listening to what your body needs (in the way of sleep, food, rest, exercise, etc.)
- You frequently lack energy or feel exhausted
- You suffer from anxiety or stress
- You have trouble sleeping or waking up
- Your mind feels scattered and you have trouble focusing
- You tend to feel foggy-headed or lethargic
- You sense a subtle and undefined malaise; you just don't feel as well as you think you should (or maybe as well as you have in the past)
At it's core, an Ayurvedic cleanse is focused on drawing toxins and excess vata, pitta, and kapha out of the tissues and into the digestive tract so that they can be eliminated. While this is sometimes an uncomfortable process, the end result of a cleanse should be an improved sense of balance and overall health.
An Ayurvedic cleanse helps to:
- Restore a sense of calm to the mind and the nervous system.
- Foster both clarity and groundedness in the mental, spiritual, and emotional spheres.
- Nurture an improved sense of energy, vitality, and enthusiasm for life.
- Support the maintenance of a healthy body weight.
- Restore and maintain balanced sleep cycles.
- Promote regular and balanced elimination.
- Recover each individual's natural state of balance.
- Prepare the tissues for deep nourishment and rejuvenation.
- Promote optimal health.
To help you achieve your goals during this cleanse we provide you with the following tools.
1. 14 day detox fall menu plan and guide
2. Inch reducing full body wrap at the completion of your cleanse period . To learn more about our body wraps please click here.
3. 30 day supply of Probiotics Synergy nutritional supplement.
4. Access to all of our secret Pinterest boards for 30 days to help you with healthy recipe planning after you finish your 3 day diet plan
5. 1 45 minute far infrared sauna session PLUS 1 BONUS 45 minute far infrared sauna session for extra calorie loss
We are here to help make your fall a calm, healthy and happy. A detox plan is a great way to make that happen! To register and find out more about the low cost pricing for this event please click here.


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You won't believe how many flights cross the United States in 24 hours
FlightRadar put together a fascinating one-minute clip of a full day's worth of flights on April 1, 2016. Out of the 164,209 flights tracked, 76,329 flew over the U.S! It's a must-watch.
Did you notice any significant saturation or gaps? FlightRadar explains (original source here):
"On the east coast, peak traffic activity takes place between 1000 and 1400 UTC (0600-1000 local). The west coast is particularly active from 0430—0800 UTC. At 0700 UTC much of the country is quiet except for the eastbound red eye flights making their way from the west coast to cities like New York, Boston, and Washington D.C." -FlightRadar
The study showed that the largest number of flights departed from Chicago O'Hare International Airport (approximately 1300), while the largest number of flights arrived in Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport in Atlanta (just over 1200). Most traffic, total? That'd be Chicago O'Hare.


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Tularosa, New Mexico Education Lawyers
Mary R. Jenke
PO Box 650
Alamogordo, NM 88310
University of Houston Law Center
Daniel Rosenfelt
Albuquerque, NM 87110
Columbia Law School
Andrew B Israel
P.O. Box 9000
Las Vegas, NM 87701
Sonia Maria Gipson Rankin
Albuquerque, NM 87120
Gerald A. Coppler
Santa Fe, NM 87505
California Western School of Law
Ann Keith
Albuquerque, NM 87102
Lee Brown Liggett
University of Nebraska College of Law
Carol S. Helms
Ste 1360
Albuquerque, NM 87102
University of Houston Law Center
Gail Stewart
Albuquerque, NM 87106
Jerry Todd Wertheim
Santa Fe, NM 87505
Elena M. Gallegos
Ste 1310
Albuquerque, NM 87102
The University of Texas School of Law
Rachel King
Santa Fe, NM 87501
Charles Donald Noland
Albuquerque, NM
University of New Mexico School of Law
Arthur David Melendres
Albuquerque, NM 87103
University of New Mexico School of Law
Jesse Jacobus
Pamela Lord Matthews
Santa Fe, NM 87505
Evelyn Nora Howard-Hand
NW, Suite 1310
Albuquerque, NM 87102
The University of Texas School of Law
Evelyn Anne Peyton
Santa Fe, NM 87508
Santa Clara Univ School of Law
Yolanda Gallegos
Albuquerque, NM 87102
James M. Burson
Laguna, NM 87026-0194
Education Lawyers in Nearby Cities
Education Lawyers in Nearby Counties
Related Practice Areas
Need a lawyer?
The Justia Lawyer Directory is a listing of lawyers, legal aid organizations, and pro bono legal service organizations. Whether you were injured, are accused of a crime, or are merely engaging in everyday affairs that affect your legal rights or property, an attorney can help you resolve problems or prevent new ones from arising.
Here are just a few situations where you might want to seek the advice of an attorney:
- You were injured in a car or truck accident
- You have been arrested and charged with a crime, such as DUI or shoplifting
- You are considering separating from your spouse
- You have been subjected to harassment or other discrimination at work
Use Justia to research and compare Tularosa attorneys so that you can make an informed decision when you hire your counsel.
It is important to research an attorney before hiring him or her. Be sure to evaluate an attorney's experience (types of cases handled, prior results obtained, etc.). Although prior results are not indicative of the likelihood of success in your case, they can help you make an informed decision.
Also worth serious consideration is the attorney's location, particularly if you will be traveling to visit him or her for consultations.
Finally, research an attorney to see whether he or she has ever been subject to discipline. Although disciplinary actions do not necessarily impact the attorney's competence to handle your case, they may affect your decision whether to hire.
Researching Attorney Discipline


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By Jen Riddle
Did you know that CLINIC has recently created two new resources related to states permitting undocumented residents to apply for driver's licenses?
States are increasingly recognizing the importance of offering driver's licenses to all residents, without regard to immigration status. Currently, 11 states, as well as the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, have passed laws granting some type of driving privilege to undocumented residents who can meet the other eligibility requirements. CLINIC has compiled a comprehensive resource with links to the relevant laws of each state, the type of license available, the eligibility requirements for obtaining the license, and other state-specific details. CLINIC will continue to update this tool as more states join the movement to pass legislation permitting immigrants to drive legally without the constant fear of being stopped by the police, fined, criminally charged, or even turned over to ICE for deportation. If you work in a state that already issues licenses to undocumented drivers and have heard about clients' experiences in obtaining or utilizing the licenses – whether positive or negative – CLINIC would like to hear those stories. Please reach out to State and Local Advocacy Attorney Jen Riddle at email@example.com or (301) 565-4807.
As we continue to await federal comprehensive immigration reform with a path to legalization and citizenship for the undocumented, we will likely see more states pass laws allowing these residents to travel safely and legally to work and school, meet the basic needs of their families, and contribute to their communities. So far this year, legislators have introduced and begun debating driver's license bills in Hawaii, Indiana, Massachusetts, Mississippi, and Rhode Island, among other states. To support your advocacy on this important issue, please consult CLINIC's talking points, which summarize the economic, public safety, and moral arguments for why granting driver's licenses to undocumented residents is the right thing to do. As aptly articulated by renowned undocumented journalist Jose Antonio Vargas: "When you're undocumented, a driver's license is not only driver's license, it's proof that you exist."


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Gelman's, which opened in 2006 as Gelman's Gourmet Market, then evolved into more of a deli/restaurant, then closed for remodeling, has re-opened at 2911 West 38th Avenue. It's now officially Gelman's Restaurant & Bar, with renovations to both the space (it's more sophisticated) and the menu (it's more seasonal), and an expansion of the bar (it's bigger!).
Executive chef and co-proprieter Thomas Connolly's new board emphasizes local ingredients, with such entrees as pan-seared sea scallops with roasted root vegetable hash, creamy leeks and apple cider jus; buffalo pot roast with horseradish mashed potatoes, garlic glazed vegetables and natural jus; and seabass bourride with roasted fingerling potatoes, mussels, fennel, leeks and tarragon aioli. Gelman's has also added cheese board / butcher block menus and "Land, Sea & Air," a three-course fixed-price menu with wine pairings that changes every night.
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You can get a first look at the new, improved Gelman's tonight, when the restaurant hosts a debate-watching party.


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Resisting Grace
In one of her letters, Flannery O'Connor writes "All human beings vigorously resist grace because grace changes us and the change is painful."
If O'Connor is correct, then one of our biggest challenges this Advent is whether or not we really want the love that we long for. Big love is often difficult to let in. My wife, who is an Episcopal priest, recently marked the 20th anniversary of her ordination. Not one to want a fuss made over her, she wanted to observe this day by presiding at her parish's Wednesday evening service. Normally, about six people show up for this service. I decided to invite some people from St. Timothy's, the parish in which she was ordained and served for nine years, to surprise her at this service. And surprised she was. During the service I pre-empted her homily and gave one of my own, which referred to the impact she has had on other people as a steward of God's Word and sacraments. As she was sitting in the front row facing me, I could sense her discomfort with all this love, and when at the end of my homily I looked at her and said "We love you," she stood up to make sure I was done.
I then said, "You want me to sit down and shut up, don't you!"
"Yes!" she replied.
When we are overwhelmed with love, we find it hard to sit there and receive it. In part, we find it hard to sit there because different experiences in our lives have led us to believe that we aren't worthy of such love. I also have a hunch that part of the difficulty has to do with our resistance to living with the kind of freedom such love offers us. You see, if I really live each day believing that the One who said to Jesus, "You are my son, the beloved; with whom I am well pleased (Mk. 1:11), is also saying this to me; and if I really live each day believing that "nothing…will be able to separate us from the love of God" (Rom 8:39); and if I really live believing that I have been created in God's image and likeness, I would have to let go of all the ways I habitually try to justify my existence through other means. Letting go of such long held behaviors is painful. And, of course, if I am going to accept such big love, that love will insist that I love others—even the most unworthy—as generously as I have been loved, never an easy task.
When Mary was informed by a divine messenger that she would be the recipient of overwhelming love, initially she had the same reaction we do "How can this be?" The messenger then explained that nothing is impossible for God. Maybe our resistance to grace this Advent won't be the end of the story come Christmas.


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Rachel Dolezal: Still 'black' and now braiding black hair to make a living
In an interview with Vanity Fair, embattled Rachel Dolezal, born to white parents, still insists that she is black and that she did nothing to deceive people.
Dolezal ignited a nationwide discussion about racial identity last month when her estranged parents accused their daughter of passing herself off as African-American.
At the time Dolezal was head of the Spokane, Washington, chapter of the NAACP, a job she resigned from after the controversy broke.
In the Vanity Fair interview, Dolezal says that being black is not a "costume."
"I don't know spiritually and metaphysically how this goes, but I do know that from my earliest memories I have awareness and connection with the black experience, and that's never left me," she said.
"It's not something that I can put on and take off anymore. Like I said, I've had my years of confusion and wondering who I really (was) and why and how do I live my life and make sense of it all, but I'm not confused about that any longer. I think the world might be — but I'm not."
As she has all along, Dolezal maintains that she didn't do anything deceptive or misleading and "would like to write a book just so that I can send (it to) everybody there as opposed to having to continue explaining."
"If people feel misled or deceived, then sorry that they feel that way, but I believe that's more due to their definition and construct of race in their own minds than it is to my integrity or honesty, because I wouldn't say I'm African-American, but I would say I'm black, and there's a difference in those terms," she said.
Dolezal lost her job at Eastern Washington University, where she taught about the politics and history of black hair. Now she's eking out a living for herself and her 13-year-old son by braiding and weaving hair in her home.
"I've got to figure it out before August 1, because my last paycheck was like $1,800 in June," she said. "(I lost) friends and the jobs and the work and — oh, my God — so much at the same time."


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Conference Schedule & July Conference Pre-Events
Transportation from Rockland & VH to North Haven via the Equinox & J.O. Brown's (leaving Rockland at 7:30am, VH at 8:20am)
Coffee and baked goods at Waterman's Community Center
KEYNOTE by Dr. Bill Thomas: "What if everything we know about aging is wrong?"
PANEL: "How Aging Has Changed…and Should Change"
Dr. Bill Thomas, Eden Alternative
Dr. Cheryl Phillips, Geriatrician & Leading Age VP of Policy
Jessica Maurer, Exec Director, Maine's Area Agencies on Aging
Moderated by Robert Jenkens, National Cooperative Bank
Ten-minute break
Short FILM, and PANEL: "Aging on Islands – Challenges & Opportunities"
Sharon Daley, Maine Seacoast Mission
Maura Michaels, Administrator, Islesboro Boardman Cottage
Lindsey Beverage, North Haven Outreach, SHES President
Bob Candage, Vinalhaven family member & former board member
Dr. Chip Teel, Full Circle America
Moderated by Dr. Wendy Wolf, Maine Health Access Foundation
Brown Bag Lunch, Waterman's Lobby, from Calderwood Hall
(Buy your lunch in advance online w/tickets)
Middle ferry returns to Rockland
ROUND-TABLE: Optional Conference Round-table Session, On Waterman's Stage.
For eldercare board members, administrators, eldercare staff and islanders interested in organizing services for aging community members (All welcome) with Rick Erb, Maine Health Care Association, Maine Department of Health and Human Services staff, Maine Legislators, the Genesis Foundation, and others.
Island bus tour & North Haven eldercare site visit
On island residents welcome to meet us at the "yellow house" at 2:45pm
Last ferry to Rockland leaves
Tuesday, July 5th, 7:30 PM
FILM: Genius of Marian, Waterman's Community Center; Presented by Camden International Film Festival "Aging in Maine" series, $5 admission
About the film: The Genius of Marian is an emotionally complex story about one New England family's struggle to come to terms with the changes Alzheimer's disease brings. After Pam White is diagnosed at age 61 with early onset Alzheimer's, life begins to change, slowly but irrevocably, for Pam and everyone around her. As she loses the ability to write, Pam's eldest son, Banker, begins to record their conversations, allowing her to share memories of childhood and of her own mother, a renowned painter who died of Alzheimer's in 2001. The Genius of Marian paints a powerful portrait of the impact of Alzheimer's disease, the power of art and the meaning of family.
Sunday, July 10th, 4:30 PM
BOOK GROUP: Being Mortal Discussion, North Haven Library with Robert Jenkens, Kate Quinn, Lisa Shields
Initial book group meeting (for those available) will be on Tuesday, June 28th at 7pm at the library, and a larger discussion with refreshments for all interested. You are welcome to attend one or both discussions – this is a flexible book group for those interested! Books available to borrow from the North Haven Library or to purchase at the North Haven Gift Shop today.
About the book: In Being Mortal, bestselling author Atul Gawande tackles the hardest challenge of his profession: how medicine can not only improve life but also the process of its ending. Medicine has triumphed in modern times, but in the inevitable condition of aging and death, the goals of medicine seem too frequently to run counter to the interest of the human spirit. Nursing homes, preoccupied with safety, pin patients into railed beds and wheelchairs. Doctors, committed to extending life, continue to carry out devastating procedures that in the end extend suffering. Gawande, a practicing surgeon, addresses his profession's ultimate limitation. Gawande offers examples of freer, more socially fulfilling models and he explores the varieties of hospice care to demonstrate that a person's last weeks may be rich and dignified.
Tuesday, July 12, 8:30 AM
Laughing Yoga @ Oak Hill Farm, North Shore Rd,with Jeannette Sanger
Laughing yoga is good for people of all ages.
Wednesday, July 13, 7:30 PM
FILM: Alive Inside, Waterman's Community Center; Presented by Camden International Film Festival "Aging in Maine" series, $5
About the film: Alive Inside is a joyous cinematic exploration of music's capacity to reawaken our souls and uncover the deepest parts of our humanity. This stirring documentary follows numerous visionaries in healthcare including social worker Dan Cohen, founder of the nonpro t organization Music & Memory, as he ghts against a broken healthcare system to demonstrate music's ability to combat memory loss. The lm also features healthcare visionary Dr. Bill Thomas, "Aging on Islands" conference keynote speaker. This inspirational story left audiences humming, clapping, and cheering at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival, where it won the Audience Award.
Again, a VERY special thank you to our amazing sponsors of this event without whose financial support this would not be possible:
Camden International Film Festival
Viking Lumber
Synergy Massage
Pen Bay Medical Center
Maine Health Access Foundation
John T. Gorman Foundation
The Genesis Community Loan Fund
Maine Seacoast Mission
The Island Institute
And we greatly appreciate our local partners at the North Haven Library, Waterman's Community Center, and Vinalhaven Eldercare Services for their help!


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SUV Chicago Limo Scholarship (ID 3211)
Scholarship Description
- Start Date:
- 10/1/2017
- Deadline:
- 3/25/2018
- Website:
- http://suvchicagolimo.com/scholarship/
- Amount:
- $1500
- Description:
- SUV Chicago Limo provides top-notch driving services to our customers with a variety of options from our luxury SUV, sedan and stretch limousines. We have professional drivers to make luxury rides within Chicagoland comfortable, safe and stress-free. Our main services are:
Chicago limousine service
O'Hare Airport limo service
Midway Airport limo service
Much as we are dedicated to our clients, we are also devoted to helping students all over the world. Every single year, our company gives away $1500 worth of scholarship to one worthy student.
Just like in the past years, we require each applicant to send a 1,000-word essay. While the theme varies, our criteria for judging is the same every year: content, style, clarity and how engaging the essay is.
For this year, we want the applicants to discuss "Ways to Save Time". The essay should have the student's tried and tested time management practices that allow him/her to not only have time for school requirements but also for fun and relaxation. You can be as creative as you want in writing your essay. Remember that it's important to catch our attention with your content and writing style.
Contact Information
- Email:
- email@example.com
- Gender:
- Eligibility:
- Terms:
Winners of the SCL Scholarship for the past 3 years are not allowed to join this year.
We will not accept any plagiarized essays.
Sending your essay means you are authorizing us to post your work on our website. (Last year's winning essay will be posted soon!)


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Do More Award Winner Lindsay Rae
Beautiful work everyone on the last submissions. I love seeing what everyone has to offer. Keep up the great work! Congratulations goes to Lindsay Rae for her beautiful piece. The way you use shadow to paint around the body is wonderful! Great work Lindsay!
The next contest for the month of August will be "Your Best Of", we want to see your favourite work. New, old, let's see it! The winner of our August contest will win a spread in Rangefinder Magazine! You do not want to miss out on this opportunity. Rangefinder Magazine goes out to over 100 000 subscribers all over the world. Win a chance to see your work in print!
*all entries must be submitted to www.domoreforum.com
*two entries per photographers
*prize has no cash value
*prize can not be transferred
*contest ends August 31/16


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RockyGrass: For many, it is the bluegrass new year. The sacred family pilgrimage to Lyons. A chance for that special mandolin or guitar to return to its native home on the Planet Bluegrass Ranch. A weekend of tubing, camping, and dancing along the St. Vrain. Three days to celebrate at the tree of Bill Monroe and its many generations of roots and branches.
Half the tickets for the 38th Annual RockyGrass (July 23-25) were sold before January - before the news of Patty Loveless and The Horse Flies, Peter Rowan Bluegrass Band and Alison Brown. For those far-sighted festivarians, the magic of RockyGrass is July's other national holiday. Now with the announcement of the complete single-day lineup, the time has come to stake your place among the tarps of the 2010 RockyGrass...
We complete the RockyGrass single-day lineup with four more artists: SPBGMA 2010 Album of the Year winners Junior Sisk & Rambler's Choice; Lyons' own KC Groves delivers the Sunday morning gospel set with the help of Long Road Home; two of the great bluegrass guitar stylists Tony Rice & Bryan Sutton share an intimate set of duets; and one of our all-time favorite musicians, Tim O'Brien returns to RockyGrass with his band.
Throughout the weekend we honor the legends of bluegrass (Doc Watson, Bobby Osborne); discover the new young voices (Frank Solivan, Sierra Hull, The Farewell Drifters); let the Sam Bush Bluegrass Band, Tony Rice Unit, Seldom Scene, and Greensky Bluegrass gently nudge traditional bluegrass in different directions; and so much more.
Single-day tickets (as well as 3-day passes) are available now at shop.bluegrass.com or 800-624-2422. As always, Planet Bluegrass charges no handling fees on any tickets, and RockyGrass tickets are fully refundable prior to June 25.
From the instrument and band contests to the workshops and renowned campground jams this is bluegrass heaven along the St. Vrain River. But bluegrass heaven will sell-out. Typically before June. Don't miss out, order your tickets now.
Twenty-five years ago Peter Rowan & Crucial Country made their debut at Telluride Bluegrass. Over the years this all-star collaboration of Peter Rowan, Sam Bush, Jerry Douglas, and friends has given us some of the festival's defining sets, including their legendary 1994 set, released as a live CD. This June, 10 years since their last Telluride performance, Peter Rowan convenes Crucial Country again on the Telluride Bluegrass stage for another unforgettable set of music.
This summer solstice weekend also marks the 20th anniversary of the Telluride Troubadour Contest. This prestigious showcase welcomes gifted songwriters from around the world to share songs with us in Telluride, as they vie for the handcrafted Shanti Troubadour guitar and the title of Telluride Troubadour (an honor shared by Catie Curtis, Deb Talan, Gregory Alan Isakov, and others). Only two weeks remain to submit songs to be considered for the 2010 Troubadour contest - all submissions must be received by April 16.
Tickets (4-day festival passes and single-day tickets), camping, and lodging are all now available to join Alison Krauss, Lyle Lovett, Yonder Mountain String Band, Brandi Carlile, Sam Bush, Leftover Salmon, Béla Fleck, Edward Sharpe, Dave Rawlings Machine, The Telluride House Band, and many more at the 37th Annual Telluride Bluegrass Festival (June 17-20). Our trusted lodging partners in Telluride and Mountain Village (see links at right) are eager to help you plan your trip to Telluride, whatever your specific lodging needs or budget.
As we approach just 75 days til festivaaaaal, take a few minutes this weekend to begin your musical preparation. Watch live videos from Court Yard Hounds debut at SXSW (or these reviews) and Cadillac Sky in the studio with producer Dan Auerbach; read Paste Magazine's glowing 91/100 review of Mumford & Sons' debut; and stream a complete Josh Ritter live concert at NPR. Then share your excitement in the Festivarian Forum or on Facebook - there's an entire nation of festivarians at least as excited as you.
Summer solstice in Telluride: music, mountains, magic. Round-up your festivarian family and make your plans now to join us for Number 37. (And watch for NightGrass announcements in the next few weeks.)
Last Saturday's season-opening Wildflower Concert with Chatham County Line (video) felt like a declaration of Spring: music, community, and jubilation had returned to Planet Bluegrass. We continue to revel in this springtime energy next Friday (April 9) as we welcome Pete Wernick & Flexigrass and Long Road Home to the Wildflower Pavilion in Lyons.
Béla Fleck praises the fundamentally futuristic acoustic sextet Pete Wernick & Flexigrass (video): "I love the way [Flexigrass] blends bluegrass banjo into an early jazz band. A very appealing combination." Meanwhile, the traditional bluegrass of Long Road Home, brings together five of Colorado's finest musicians - RockyGrass band contest winners Martin Gilmore & Justin Hoffenberg, RockyGrass mandolin contest champion Jordan Ramsey, Grammy winning bassist Gene Libbea, and Dr. Banjo Pete Wernick (video).
We'll open the doors and light the bonfire along the St. Vrain River at 7pm. Arrive early, grab a New Belgium beer at the bar, gather with fellow festivarians around the bonfire, then settle into our "cathedral of bluegrass" for a rich evening of music beginning at 8pm. Tickets ($15) are available now at shop.bluegrass.com or 800-624-2422. The season continues thru May, including the recent addition of Martha Scanlan (of Reeltime Travelers) to the Anne & Pete Sibley show on May 14.
"Nothing beats a day at Planet Bluegrass' Lyons ranch." So writes the Colorado Daily as they recognize the Rocky Mountain Folks Festival with the "Best Music Festival" award in their CU and Boulder's Best 2010.
But this isn't just an average year for the Folks Fest - this is the historic 20th anniversary! And we've invited Ani DiFranco, John Prine, The Swell Season, Richard Thompson, Greg Brown, Jenny Lewis, Marc Cohn, and many others to help us celebrate.
We're excited to welcome new, young artists to the Folks Festival community, including our latest addition: Joy Kills Sorrow. This Boston-based stringband has released a beautiful album of songs - led by a stunning young singer and virtuosic musicians who love melody and texture.
Tickets and camping are available now to spend a mid-August weekend with us along the St. Vrain River - shop.bluegrass.com or 800-624-2422. Bring your family, bring your tent, bring your guitar, or just bring yourself. New friendships will be surrounding you on tarps in all directions.
It's going to be a rewarding summer of music and festivatiaon on Planet Bluegrass. We can't wait to share it with you.
The Folks on Planet Bluegrass
Pete Wernick & Flexigrass
and Long Road Home
April 9, 2010
Telluride Bluegrass
June 17-20, 2010
RockyGrass Academy
July 18-22, 2010
July 23-25, 2010
The Song School
August 8-12, 2010
20th Annual
Folks Festival
August 13-15, 2010
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Planet Bluegrass | 500 West Main | Lyons, CO 80540 | 800-624-2422


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Worship and Music
Here at White Oak Baptist Church we love to use our musical talents and abilities for praise and worship to Jesus Christ. Here are the many different ways you can connect and serve with us in our Music Ministry
- Sanctuary Choir- We meet every Wednesday nights from 7:00-8:15pm
- Praise Ensemble- We sing once a month with special music
- Praise Band- We meet every Wednesday night and leads worship every Sunday morning.
- Handbells- Meets every Wednesday night from 5:00-6:00pm. The handbells play on special occasions, and for Easter and Christmas
- Special Music- We have special Music each Sunday morning for the choir and a soloist.
- Music Classes- Once to twice a year Luke Littrell will teach a basics of music class for people that are interested in learning how to read music.
We hope that you will join us and help serve as we lift up the name of Jesus Christ through song.


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Anyway, this week has been horribly cold. They say it's going to last for the whole week. Am i not glad today is Thursday? 3 more days and the week is done. Phew!
So i braved the freezing weather at -11, with a wind velocity of 52kph which sums up to a feeling of -24. Do you know how strong that wind is? With my size and my weight, i could barely walk easily as the wind just blows me a step backwards. When i came home, my face was all red. If i was in Asia, they'd call it Sun Burn. I don't know what they call it over here in Canada. Cold Burn, maybe?
Lake Ontario is one of the great lakes in Northern America. It's so huge at 19,000 sq mtrs, i thought it was an ocean, until somebody of course corrected me.
I didn't use any tripod for this shot, as i wouldn't be able to carry it by myself with the strong winds and shivering feeling.


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According to Newsarama, Geoff Johns is going to be writing an episode of the 8th season of "Smallville" that will introduce the Legion of Super Heroes to the show. The episode will (naturally, in keeping with the show's one-word episode title format) be titled "Legion".
The big question is: What took them so damn long to come up with this? I mean, in a show that was based on chronicling Clark Kent's teen years, would it have killed them to guest-star some characters who were actually associated with Clark's teen years?
Look at the DC characters our young Clark has already run into over the course of this show, many of whom he didn't meet in the comics until he was Superman.
Perry White. The Flash. Aquaman (aka "A.C"). Brainiac. General Zod. A lame Mxyzptlk. Martian Manhunter. Black Canary. Cyborg(!). We've had a Lois Lane who has already been a season regular for years. A Jimmy Olsen (now the same age as or older than Clark?) who is already a regular. And now a Green Arrow who is about to become one.
We've had a Supergirl who can already fly while her older cousin Clark still can't.
But we've had no Mon-El story. And, until this upcoming season, we've had no Legion. Let me reiterate: Clark has interacted with Black Canary and Cyborg but not Mon-El or the Legion.
The thing is, bringing in the Legion now may be too little, too late.
Why? Let me put it to you this way: Remember how I kept listing what "we" have had regarding the show? Well, that may not be entirely accurate. You see, I haven't been a regular "Smallville" viewer for a season or two.
The main reason? "The Office" and "30 Rock" are on at the same time, and I'm too cheap to get Tivo.
But that's not the whole reason. Quite frankly, the quality of the show has gone downhill over the past few years.
I remember when I first started watching the show. It was far from perfect, but it had potential and improved over time where it had gotten entertaining. Then-newcomer Tom Welling was a little stiff as Clark, but he was counterbalanced by young talents like Michael Rosenbaum as Lex Luthor and vets like Annette O'Toole and John Glover, as well as a surprisingly good John Schneider. (If you had told me back in the early 80's that the actor who played Bo Duke would provide a strong acting presence that would be sorely missed after he left a show, I would have laughed my ass off. But that's what really happened after his Pa Kent passed on in "Smallville".) And while Lionel Luthor and Chloe Sullivan were not originally part of Superman canon, Glover and Alison Mack made their characters popular with their performances.
But the show was not without flaws. Plots became increasingly Lana-centric, which took time away from the Clark-Lex story and the evolving Superman mythos. Clark was rather whiny at times, but I attributed that to growing pains involved with his destiny. Over a period of time, the "Lana-centric aspect came to dominate the show to the point where viewers were nicknaming the show "Lanaville". Also, some characters were being introduced too early in Superman history (Flash, Lois, Perry).
But those were OK initially, because I came to regard the show as an "Ultimate Superman", in the same way that "Ultimate Spider-Man" differed from mainstream Spidey but still retained the same basic elements. However, as the series went on, it became more of an Elseworlds or a "What If". Namely, "What if Clark Kent grew up to become a super whiny moron instead of becoming Superman?" The biggest problem? The show overstayed its welcome. It really should have only lasted 4 or 5 years. Clark not flying at 16 is one thing, but still not flying at 22 (with the exception of one possessed incident)? Something's wrong. It's like watching a baseball player who was a flawed-but-full-of-potential rookie grow over time to...never come close to reaching his potential.
This is the "Smallville" into which the Legion will be introduced.
It's too bad they didn't introduce the Legion back in Season 3 or 4. Back then, I had an interesting idea for an initial Legion story. It was inspired by "The Zeppo", an episode of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer". In this episode, Buffy and her crew were all preparing to fight a powerful world-threatening supernatural menace. All, that is, except Xander, who was sidelined and relegated to donut orders for his own safety. The twist was that the majority of the focus was not on Buffy's epic fight (we never got to see the world-threatening monster), but rather on the sidelined Xander, who ended up saving Sunnydale High (as well as Buffy & crew) from being blown up by a gang of beer-drinking terrorist zombies, all unbeknownst to Buffy, the "Scooby Gang", or, well, anyone.
(The Justice League Unlimited cartoon later used a similar plot in "The Greatest Story Never Told" featuring Booster Gold.)
I imagined Clark going against an average Freak of the Week, with Chloe's help, while the original Legionnaires would be going undercover at Smallville High on a different mission. At some point, Clark's mission and the Legion's would intersect. The twist would be that, while Clark would meet the Legionnaires as their undercover selves, he would have no idea of their true identities, powers, or purpose. There would be a follow-up episode, of course, where Clark would learn this information.
Ah, what could have been.
Still, there's some hope. After all, the Legion episode would be written by Geoff Johns, who has recently written some of my favorite comics (Action Comics, Booster Gold, Green Lantern, and now Final Crisis: Rogues' Revenge). If anyone can produce a gem from the dirt, he can.


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Comfort for your family–in every season–day and night.
Controlling your indoor climate improves your family's quality of life. A customized sanctuary away from the raw temperatures, humidity, allergens, and pollutants of the outdoor environment alleviates stress, giving your family a healthier place to live. If your heating or air conditioning system fails—even if we didn't install it—we can get you back to normal whether it's day or night.
Our skilled technicians are fluent on all the advanced heating systems offered by our premium brands, many of which can save you up to 56% on your annual energy costs. A simple tune-up to your current systems can save you 25% each month in the winter.
Air Conditioning
Take that noisy box out of the window and upgrade to state of-the-art Carrier cooling technology. While you stay cool, mold and mildew is reduced with humidity control features for healthier living. Whether you need to repair or upgrade an outdated system or install brand new, our teams are extensively experienced with:
- Central air conditioning
- Ductless units
- Geothermal
Whether you wish to add central A/C, upgrade an existing cooling system, or wish for service – our technicians are NATE certified and factory trained. For new systems, an engineering analysis will be performed on your home and ductwork will be carefully constructed and installed to maximize efficiency and keep noise to a minimum. It pays to use an experienced, trusted contractor.
Whether you use oil, propane, or natural gas, we can install and repair:
- Furnaces
- Boilers
- Heat Pumps
- Ductless units
- Geothermal
We service all brands and models of equipment. For new equipment, we prefer Carrier® as it has proven to be the most reliable, quiet and cost-effective. We are a Carrier® Factory Authorized Dealer and a four-time winner of their highest honor – given to only a few dealers in New England. But we will discuss your needs with you, and make a selection based on what is best for your home!
Learn how to set up your new Carrier Wi-fi Thermostat
Tips for using the Carrier Infinity Touch Control App
Click here to go to Carrier Infinity Touch Control How-to video series


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I am especially pleased today to introduce two guest authors: Changhai Ke and Thomas Baudel. Changhai was developer #1 on the JRules rule engine -- there is very little about rules, inference and decision management he doesn't know! Thomas is an expert in visualization technology, and has recently taken on IP review/patent responsibilities.
I hope you enjoy this deep-dive on how we integrated JRules and SPSS in the recently released Analytics SupportPac.
Daniel Selman
Rules and predictive analytics are two complementary forms of knowledge. In a decision support system, or more widely in decision management, these two techniques may collaborate to produce better decisions.
Rules express deliberate heuristics to take decisions. They are most often expressed by human experts or business people, and find their roots in the human experience, in the policies, regulation rules, or any sort of guidance.Below is an example of business rule, which accepts or rejects a loan:
Predictive analytics come from the data mining. Previous transactions may have gathered a significant quantity of historical data. From this data, data mining techniques are used to analyze it and build a model, which is then used to predict the future, hence the name "predictive analytics", or "predictive models", or even "predictive modeling".
For example, still in the area of credit loans, it is useful to build a model that predicts if a borrower may default on a loan. This is often expressed in terms of likelihood: what is the likelihood of this person to default, taking into account the historical data.
Saying "taking into account the historical data" is not quite accurate. Indeed, only the predictive model is executed to predict an outcome (here the likelihood to default). The historical data have been used, at design time, to build the model. The model is only composed of some algorithms (mathematical formulas...), which are executed to produced a result.
For example, a model to predict a default may use easily quantifiable customer data:
- The age of the person
- The yearly income
- The education level
- The number of years in the current job
- The number of years in the current address / residency
- The current level of debt (debt to income ratio)
Along with these data, we also need to know if a person has defaulted in the past x years, so that we can build a model. In this particular case, a Bayesian network method is often used. The Bayesian method builds a correlation between the input factors listed above, with the result (the defaulter value), in a statistical robust and executable form.
Once the model is built, one can execute the model by providing the input data. Some input data can be even by marked as optional.
It is essential that these two decision techniques collaborate, so that one unified decision system can produce the best result, combining human knowledge/experience and statistical insight. We have seen above that rules are closer to human reasoning, they are often the façade of a decision system, and drive usage of predictive models.
The JRules Analytics SupportPac, released early 2011, provides an intergration between the JRules rules engine and SPSS. It binds a predictive model deployed in IBM SPSS, such that this model can be invoked from JRules. JRules Rule Studio first asks for the description of the predictive model, in terms of input and output data, and then builds a XOM class to map to that model. In JRules, a XOM class is an executable class, which can be a concrete Java class, or a virtual class which builds a bridge to another data model.
Here the XOM class is the interface to SPSS.
Typically, the rule engine executes Java XOM classes: the Java classes are reflected, instances built, and the engine modifies them using getter and setters methods. However there may be other sources of data, such as databases, XML, web services. These sources are not Java classes, while we also want the rule engine to process instances of these models. The XOM has therefore been "virtualized": a XOM class is no longer necessarily backed by a Java class, it can be virtual, as long as it specifies how its getter and setters are implemented, how its instances are identified, and how to execute its methods. This virtual XOM has been used as the basis for the ILOG XML binding technology, and is now also used for SPSS model binding, as implemented in the Analytics SupportPac.
As an illustration, below is the XOM class that results from the binding with a SPSS model, for predicting the defaulter of credit loans.
When you build an instance of this class, and fill in the input fields, you call getScore() to invoke the SPSS model. Then you can read the output fields, defaulter and MarkovProb. Note that MarkovProb is a probability between 0 and 1, to express the confidence in the produced result.
After this XOM class is produced, you can use it to implement any virtual BOM method. For example we add a "predictDefaulter()" method to the class Borrower, and we implement this class using the XOM class produced by the SPSS binding capability:
The BOM method can then be verbalized and used in the business rule language by business users. We can improve our previous rule by invoking this method for example. To express a stricter credit policy, or a better credit policy, we can invoke the model to predict the likelihood for the borrower to default, then accept or reject the credit loan, based on the result.
We can modify our initial rule:
This rule becomes stricter, as a person who is not predicted as a defaulter is accepted. We can implement a finer policy by using the probability produced by the model.
It is very useful to let rules determine the context in which predictive models are to be invoked. In turn, the results of predictive modeling help refine the rules, giving the rules more accuracy. This is one of the foundational pillar of decision management.
The approach presented in this article aims at embedding predictive models in rules. Here, the predictive models are encapsulated in JRules BOM classes, and made accessible to rule authors. The embedding is transparent to rule authors and pertinent in many cases. Other couplings will also make sense, depending on the application architecture. In the example described, we employ two decision technologies, and integrate them to produce a coherent business decision.


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Five Best Ways Smart Minimalist Couples Win Now and Always
Picture the familiar routine; you're sitting at your desk at work, writing your to-do lists for today, ok here goes, one for the office, check, one for the family and household, check, but did you make one for yourself, and one for your husband or significant others (SO)? Uh, probably not! You're busier than busy, and there is always one more activity either for the dogs, cats, kids, parents, whatever.
Whoa, just stop what you're doing and take a deep breath!
Remember when you've told yourself in January this year that things will be different, the house will be tidy, your office will be organized, the kids' toys won't trip you on the way to the kitchen to make coffee in the morning, and of course you'll have your exercise routines down pat.
So why is it that you can't seem to simplify your life and cut down on clutter?
One of the most important parts of the Minimalism journey, when you're in a relationship, is called Teamwork. You couldn't succeed professionally by working alone, so why would you want to do that at home without your spouse or S.O.? There need to be some degrees of partnership, and it doesn't have to be perfect either, but you need to start however small to include your partner and make it fun, so promise me, no nagging!
Here are Five Best Ways Smart Minimalist Couples Win Now and Always
Start going down the list and do these steps to simplify your life!The S.O might skip the first two. But step 3 is a couple's activity.
1. First thing first, have you done your Vision Board in this article, (Use these templates by joining our community) and put down everything visually of how you'd like your home, life, work, relationships, kids, exercises should look like this year? If not, why not? Why not have some fun this weekend and cut out some photos of how your life would look like, so you'll be more relaxed and fulfilled.
2. Next, Use these Minimalist Goals Checklists (Get yours now)to summarize what you want to achieve in words for daily, weekly, monthly, or however, you'd like to track your progress. Use these printable checklists or the editable PDFs version to cut down on paper waste; either way, just do it! Don't wait for the perfect moment; it doesn't have to be perfect, just start already.
3. Compare goals and agree to work on common goals first:
- Print out your filled out 3 Goals Checklists and share them with your S.O.
- Ask him/her to rank in order of importance which goals to achieve together, in another word, what goals do you have in common which shows a significant step in the right direction of what you both want to work on first.
- Alternatively, if your partner welcomes the idea, he/she can fill out the checklists, and you both compare the results to choose something in common to work on together.
4. Choose the time intervals (daily, weekly, monthly) to track progress together and check off your accomplishments. Make an inventory of things you've gotten rid of and celebrate with an agreed upon reward like a date to the movies or a hike, etc.
5. Make adjustments to the Goals and Checklists and continue on your journey. It's tough to work on minimalism alone and stay motivated when a couple doesn't set goals and track progress. As a bonus and incentive, keep track on a chart of how many items you've gotten rid of and if you've made money selling them, or getting the IRS write-offs for the donations.
"Either way, you both win because I promise you this, when couples work on their household chores together, they improve their communication, strengthen their commitment, stay connected on a deeper level and feel understood by the other one."
Now I know it can be a hard thing to convince your partner sometimes, so make it easier on yourself, fill these out first to get a clear picture of what you want to accomplish, then choose a time that you both can focus on each other with undivided attention then discuss it with each other.
In the end, you know your partner best so choose the best way to approach and consider a change in lifestyle and routine that will positively impact your life and marriage, and the rest will fall in its place. Remember, self-care first, couple second, and everything else will be on cruise control.
Let me know how this works out for you and if you have anything to add to the conversations so other couples can benefit on their minimalism journey as well.
Related Articles:
- What are Vision Boards and How to Live Out Your Dreams
- Secrets to a Lasting Relationship
- Get Your 30-day Minimalist Challenge PDF
- Stop Drowning in Toys and Learn How to be a Minimalist Mom
As always, I invite you to engage with me on my website and social media:
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/chibeingchi
- Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/chismith/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hoangchitruong.author/
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/beingchi (Author Page)


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Eric Iversen
Two cheers for STEM funding
The paths to final spending levels for STEM education and research in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2017 omnibus spending bill ended up leading to different places: could-have-been-worse for education, pretty darn good for research.
When we last checked on the budget outlook a few weeks ago, things looked grim across the board. Federally funded research programs faced "seismic disruption," with NASA, NIH, and EPA all lined up for double-digit reductions. On the education side, teacher professional development, afterschool programs, and NASA's Office of Education all faced threats to their very existence, along with "just" large cuts to various other STEM-related activities.
An atomized process
In the end, much less than "seismic" effects ended up being felt. For better or for worse, authority for making actual spending decisions is widely distributed across the federal government. Dozens of committees and subcommittees in Congress make small-bore, program-level decisions about how much money goes to which departments and agencies.
In a year like this one, with most individual appropriations bills abandoned, legislators throw all the numbers together in one big spending bill called an omnibus. It adds up to a haphazardly assembled "plan" for how the federal government spends our money. It's not called sausage-making for nothing, but this year, for STEM, that was good.
A "normal" outcome
For the remaining five months of FY2017, Congress has returned a budget of dimensions similar to recent years. Overall, it outlines $1.07 trillion, in annualized amounts, in discretionary spending, and it was signed into law late last week.
Research overachieves
Some research programs get notable increases, such as Defense and NIH research, and most others get smaller increases. Overall, federal spending on research and development rises five percent over FY2016 levels to $155.8 billion.
This increase is meaningful, relative to the budget as a whole. At 0.81 percent of GDP, research spending is growing. And in a fiscal environment still governed by mandated caps on discretionary spending, an increase of this size marks strong support from legislators for spending on R&D.
Education achieves …
STEM education programs came out of budget negotiations bruised but unbowed.
- NASA keeps its Office of Education, slated for zeroing out in the White House budget plan.
- Also targeted for elimination, the 21st-Century Community Learning Centers program, funded out of the Department of Education, actually got a $25 million increase to $1.19 billion. Afterschool and summer learning programs in STEM and many other areas get money from this program.
- NSF, another vital center of STEM education support, gets a small bump, as noted above, but that money is for construction projects. The Directorate for Education and Human Resources is flat at $880 million, along with most other program centers.
Here it gets tricky
The funding environment for formal STEM education programs at the Department of Education is more convoluted. Most of the money for STEM education comes from Student Support and Academic Enrichment Grants (SSAEG), located in Title IV of the 2015 Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). This program works as a block grant to states for funding activities meant to provide students with a "well-rounded" education.
Elements of such an education could include foreign languages, the arts, civics, and other areas. Title IV also provides funding for STEM education and educational technology purchases, as well as student health and safety efforts.
Less to work with
SSAEG was authorized at $1.6 billion in ESSA, with funding to be distributed by formula to all school districts in the country. The omnibus funds SSAEG at only $400 million. Moreover, the funding mechanism could, at a state's discretion, be competitive grant-making rather than a formula for widespread dissemination.
The threat of portability
Even more confusing, Title IV funds are fungible. States can repurpose the funds for use by low-income school districts (Title I) or teacher professional development and class-size reduction (Title II). Given the over-12-percent cut to Title II funds in the budget – especially distressing to K-12 administrators – this option could well prove appealing to states.*
Other suboptimal features of the budget deal include elimination of both the department's program to build a STEM Master Teachers Corp and the Obama initiative, Computer Science for All. However, computer science may be part of a "well-rounded" education, so some level of support for this area is theoretically still available under general Title IV funding. Scroll down to page 112 of the actual budget tables to see the specific figures.
The other hand giveth
In mid-April, meanwhile, the Department of Education signaled some meaningful interest in STEM education. It released an actually quite useful document offering guidance to state and local education agencies in how to make use of funds available for STEM education in ESSA as well as in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), and the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act (Perkins). It calls out specific examples of activities for which funding is available:
- Increasing students' access to STEM learning programs
- Supporting educators' knowledge and expertise in STEM
- Providing materials and resources for STEM education
Uncertain prospects ahead
Between the changes just starting to roll out with ESSA and this amorphous budgetary landscape, getting a fix on the status of STEM relative to other funding priorities is next to impossible. Moreover, given the disaggregated nature of funding decisions that shape the federal budget, the answer to this question will depend mostly on how adept STEM education supporters in Congress are at winning local arguments among advocates for both education and other areas over where federal dollars should go. As with most issues to do with budgets, it means making hard choices for allocating scarce resources.
STEM education funding will rise or fall, then, according to people's willingness to make the case in its favor. Here's how to contact your local elected officials.
Please feel free to share with interested friends or colleagues. STEM education funding prospects are only as strong as we're willing to make them.
*Many thanks to the inestimable Patti Curtis, Director of the National Center for Technological Literacy, for her generous, invaluable help making sense of the funding circumstances surrounding SSAEG this year.
Eric Iversen is VP for Learning and Communications at Start Engineering. He has written and spoken widely on engineering education in the K-12 arena. You can write to him about this topic, especially when he gets stuff wrong, at email@example.com.
You can also follow along on Twitter @StartEnginNow.
New this spring! The updated version of our Start Engineering Career Guide is an all-in-one resource for getting middle and high school kids excited about engineering.
We've also got great new posters,
And remember, our books cover the entire PreK-12 range. Get the one that's right for you at our online shop.
Credits: Figure 1: S&T Agency Funding, courtesy of AAAS and the awesome @MattHourihan; "Well-rounded education," courtesy of National Education Association.


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Most drivers don't put too much thought into something they step on daily to work. Still, your braking system is an essential component that sees a lot of shoe action but not a lot of thought until something, well, breaks.
At Guaranteed Tire and Auto, we specialize in brake repairs and services. If your brakes are acting strange, squealing, or stopping you with apprehension instead of your car, contact our team for repairs. If you live in Spartanburg, Greenville, or the neighboring areas, come to us for brake repairs.
Show Me Hours & Directions Schedule Service Online
Just because your brakes seem to be working fine does not always mean they are. If you're not sure whether or not you need to have your brakes checked, listen or watch for some clues.
If your brake pedal shakes when you press it, this may be a sign of bad rotors. It is also important to feel if your car pulls to one side when braking. Pulling indicates a bad caliper or uneven brake pad wear.
These sounds can indicate a problem with your brake pads, which can lead to other brake problems:
At our shop, we handle all of the following brake repairs:
If we do find a problem with your brakes, we will discuss repair options with you. A minor repair now can prevent a major repair, or something worse, in the future. Call us now at the mechanic shop nearest you to schedule an appointment.
125 N. Buncombe Rd Greer, SC 29651 – Phone: 864-469-3437
547 John B. White Sr. Boulevard Spartanburg, SC 29306 – Phone: 864-541-8845
8297 Asheville Highway Spartanburg, SC 29316 – Phone: 864-469-3437
Contact Us for More Info on Brake Repairs
Locations Served: Greenville, Spartanburg, Easley, Seneca, Anderson, Clinton, Laurens, Greer, Simpsonville, Landrum, Mauldin, Fountain Inn, Columbia, New Berry, Chapin, Woodruff, Cross Anchor, Clemson, Pelzer, Piedmont, West Minister, Tryon, Hendersonville, Asheville, Brevard, Flat Rock, Gaffney,Gastonia, Boiling Springs, Berea, Charlotte, Kings Mountain, Blacksburg, Union, Cowpens, Lyman, Duncan, Reidville, Travelers Rest, Taylors, Inman.
Auto Services & Repairs Provided: Alignments, Brakes, Lube/Oil Change, Belts and Hoses, Heating and A/C, Cooling System, Axle Repair, Electrical, Engine Diagnostics, Preventative Maintenance, Transmission Repair
Tire Brands Carried: BFGoodrich®, Bridgestone, Continental, Dunlop, Firestone, General, Goodyear, Hankook, Kumho, MICHELIN®, Uniroyal®


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Here I am!
Here I am with the first outfit of the Milan Fashion Week.
I wore very different looks during one of the most anticipated weeks of the year and this is definitely the most romantic and feminine one. A touch of oriental style and some rock details to complete the look.
I fell in love immediately with the high-waisted skirt by Kor@Kor, an Italian brand that you will see in my blog very soon! I wanted to dare with the crop top by Alexander Wang to give a more strong style to the whole outfit; a reinterpretation of the classic "romantic girl" who steals dresses to the older sister who has the sexiest pieces in her closet, and adds them to her look with a very personal mix&match.
I loved this outfit right away, I find it original and glamorous, even if the 12cm heels are not so comfortable to run from one show to another, I never focused on the problem of "comfort". :P
Italia Independent sunglasses are a Must for me and I can't certainly do without it during all my Fashion Weeks.
The beautiful earrings by DanySery are really fabulous on any look, give elegance and uniqueness to any outfit. I recommend you to take a look at their creations.
Very soon on my blog all the other look of MFW.


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Recipes For Face Mask, Physique Scrub, And More
Many people know that in terms of the pc that there's no scarcity of data that may be discovered. Today, she's relaunching Follain's website to make it a place where customers can find out about the most effective pure beauty manufacturers available on the market and, importantly, discover the suitable combination of merchandise for his or her specific needs. Look for: mineral make-ups which are rich in vitamin A, B and E and have a built-in sunscreen.
Hydrate skin together with your favourite face moisturizer , enriched with a cocktail of vitamins" that may work to energise and oxygenate pores for a contemporary, youthful-trying appearance. The completion: Barnwell gave her pores and skin a healthy glow with Neutrogena SkinClearing Liquid Make-up , a weightless basis that absorbs oil and delivers pimple-preventing salicylic acid.
I need my purchasers to know that we're on the identical staff with the ultimate aim to improve their skin. Discover out why you want a superb night time sleep next… We assist you choose merchandise from the DermaQuest which is an moral pharmaceutical grade skin care range that is paraben free and does not test on animals.
Test in at Pores and skin Makeover Artistry on the Yelp App to unlock this test in supply. Using the The Body Store® make-up assortment you will receive an individual consultation, a whole makeover, and a great deal of ideas and tricks to reinforce your finest features everyday.
See our 9 skin types or take the Pores and skin Sort Quiz and get merchandise advisable. We chatted with Helena Rosenberg, lead esthetician at The Spa on the Hazelton Resort in Toronto, for her professional recommendations on the best way to get beautifully glowing pores and skin— in beneath 5 days.


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Top 100 Complaints And Reviews About Regional Finance
Close cooperation between the IMF and regional financing arrangements can contribute significantly to global financial stability, a new IMF paper says. The Customer Review Rating is based on the number of positive, neutral and negative customer reviews posted that are calculated to produce a score. The experience from African countries thus far shows that while regional organisations may be easily formed, they can be quite difficult to take forward. Claim this business to view business statistics, receive messages from prospective customers, and respond to reviews. This means that vertical financial adjustment shall have an impact on the state budget as well as on the budget of regional self-government. B. Develop, implement and oversee country level trainings and updating mechanisms on Finance and Admin policies and supplements.
Support the CSEF Regional Finance and Grants Manager in the follow-up of internal and external audit recommendations as they relate to good coalition management. Thanks Regional Finance for the loan when I needed my own bank would not give me to. You other people, who are disrespecting putting bad comments about Regional Finance, just pay your bills. If you are ever asked to pay an up-front fee by someone claiming to be a Regional employee prior to receiving your loan proceeds, you may be dealing with a scam lender, and you should contact us immediately at (877) 762-8011.
On the 9th of September 2015, the EuroCham Regional Finance & Tax Committee invited Ms. Jillian Lim and Mr. Franki Au, Head at Financial Incentives at the Economic Development Board (EDB) to update our members on the tax incentive policy of the EDB in the wake of global developments.
If we are to add interactions with an RFA into our financing operations, we may need to adapt our internal processes to take into account the fact that some policy decisions impacting program design are made at a regional level. The proportion of commercial debt, which is far more expensive to finance than debt incurred from federal loans, has therefore increased , leading some regions to spend 4-6 percent of their budget just to service their debt. This study empirically tests for the effect of regional presence of lending institutions on different financing options utilized by SMEs. Throughout the 2000s, growing oil and gas windfalls promoted regional competition over the redistribution of federal resources. If the BBB Rating is NR then only Customer Reviews are used for the Star Rating.
Miyoshi: A regional financing arrangement (RFA) is a financing mechanism through which a group of countries in a region mutually pledge financial support to countries within the group that are experiencing financial difficulties, drawing on resources pooled at the regional level.Tags: about, complaints, finance, regional, reviews


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BeavEx Incorporated ("BeavEx"), the leading national provider of customized, same day delivery solutions, today announced that Ivan T. Hofmann, former Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of FedEx Ground, was appointed to the Company's Board of Directors.
"Ivan has extraordinary business and transportation/logistics expertise, and we are delighted that he is joining the BeavEx Board of Directors," said Mark Tuchmann, the Company's Chief Executive Officer.
Hofmann retired as Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of FedEx Ground in 2004 after a 33-year career in the transportation industry. Mr. Hofmann joined FedEx Ground, then RPS, as Vice President of Operations shortly after its founding in 1985 and was instrumental in building the company into a major competitor in the small-package ground market.
He was promoted to Senior Vice President of Operations in 1990 and President in 1993, during which time the company exceeded $1 billion in annual revenue and reached coverage of all of North America. With the acquisition of former RPS parent company, Caliper Systems, by FedEx in 1998, Hofmann was named Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of FedEx Ground. He was a driving force in elevating the company's field productivity, safety and overall operations performance to record levels.
Mr. Hofmann graduated from Ohio University with a bachelor's degree in Political Science, and began his transportation career in 1970 as an executive trainee with a national LTL carrier, McLean Trucking Company. In 1973 he joined Roadway Express where he held various management positions including Operations Manager, Terminal Manager, Breakbulk Manager and District Manager – responsible for both Sales and Operations.
Mr. Hofmann was an outside director on the board of directors for Kenan Advantage Group, a Littlejohn & Company portfolio company providing fuel distribution logistics that was recently sold to Goldman Sachs Capital Partners and Centerbridge Partners.
Mr. Hofmann currently serves as an outside director on several other corporate boards of directors.
About BeavEx
Headquartered in Atlanta, GA and operating in 47 states and the District of Columbia, with over 4,100 independent contractor owner operators, BeavEx Incorporated is the leading national provider of customized, same day delivery solutions, picking up and delivering mission critical packages for financial services, pharmaceutical, retail/distribution, clinical lab and critical parts customers across the United States.
For more information, customer inquiries can be directed to David Bacic, Senior Vice President Sales, at 404-664-4888.


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Programmable Logic Design House
El Camino is a very experienced and certified design house (Certified Design Center, CDC) for programmable logic. We offer a broad spectrum of services, from small PLDs or FPGAs to highly complex embedded systems, from a simple printed circuit board to production-ready products with optimized EMC, testability and manufacturability.
Verification Expert
For more than 10 years, El Camino has supported chip manufacturers with functional verification of ASIC designs, as well as system manufacturers with verification, integration, and testing of the most complex hardware and software systems. Modern methods like coverage driven, constrained random or assertion-based formal verification are used, as well as classic approaches.


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Andy Waite
Click on the thumbnails below for a larger image or click here for a detailed view of Andy's work.
Andy Waite is a Sussex based artist, originally trained in graphics but a full time painter since the 1990's. His landscapes draw from the tradition of the Romanticists whilst expressing an energy that is distinctly contemporary. These paintings immerse you in, and are a celebration of, the English landscape and all its elemental power. Their abstracted quality and emotive spontaneity mean they do not always reveal themselves immediately, asking you to return and discover something not at first seen, offering an ongoing dialogue that only slowly unfolds. Unspoken conversations playing out that embrace all the senses, in a coming to terms with the imponderable nature of the earth beneath us and the sky above.


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The Downtown Development Authority was formed to improve the economy of Roswell by coordinating public/private programs that promote the redevelopment and growth of Roswell's central business district.
On January 9, 2012, the City of Roswell reactivated the Downtown Development Authority (DDA) by appointing seven well qualified volunteers with extensive real estate development and market expertise. The DDA was charged with leveraging the vibrancy of the downtown area with more than just sidewalks and street lamps through promoting redevelopment throughout the entire City of Roswell. Furthermore, the DDA's creation and implementation of a Downtown Development Plan is strengthening Roswell as a viable business district while protecting the priceless historic culture that is invaluable to its citizens and local business owners.
Meet the Team
Please click here to meet the Roswell Downtown Development Authority Team.
DDA Boundary
Please click here to view the Downtown Development Authority Boundary Map.


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The simplest way to achieve your dreams is to take care of your mind, spirit, and body. But in modern America, it's easy to be distracted and lose sight of the fundamental care we must give ourselves each and every day.
The great side benefit of caring for yourself is that you have the energy and stamina to care for others in your life.
Ignite Your Life is concise and to the point. Written in a workbook style, it helps you identify good habits to replace bad habits.
If you're ready to take care of yourself, and help the people you love, enter your email below and I'll send you the link to my free book.
"If you take the advice, the possibilities are endless."
—Dr. Dennis Weinstein
"…this inspiring book to guides us to become better versions of ourselves."
—Kevin King
"I found this book to inspirational, full of good common sense, interesting and something that I will refer back to often."
—From an Amazon Review


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Junior Master Gardeners plan service project in Moapa Valley
Posted 4/14/2016
Students will learn about endemic and native species and plant Milkweed seeds
University of Nevada Cooperative Extension Junior Master Gardeners (JMG) of Southern Nevada will be participating in a community service event on May 7, 2016. The students will meet at 9 a.m. at the US Fish and Wildlife Service located at 4240 Warm Springs Rd, Moapa, Nev. where they will learn about endemic native species; some of which are endangered or sensitive.
The students will then travel to the Southern Nevada Water Authority's Warm Springs Natural Area where they will be planting native Milkweed to attract Monarch butterflies. The Warm Springs Natural Area is located approximately seven miles northwest of the town of Moapa, and contains more than two dozen springs, which form the headwaters of the Muddy River.
Since southern Nevada is part of a migratory pathway for this sensitive species of butterflies, planting Milkweed encourages them to lay their eggs on the plants. The goal is to plant over 2,000 native milkweed plants.
Community service is part of the JMG program. Along with JMG students, their parents and siblings, community members are encouraged to participate. 4-H members and their families are also invited to attend.
The event should wrap-up around 1 p.m. and families are welcome to bring a lunch for a picnic before returning to the Las Vegas.
If you are interested in attending, email or call Karyn Johnson at 702-257-5523. Plan to wear closed toed shoes, a hat and sunscreen, and bring a refillable (not disposable) drinking container.


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" Malibu " is by Miley Cyrus ( Miley Ray Cyrus born Destiny Hope Cyrus ), the American singer, songwriter and actress.
Miley became a teen idol starring in the Disney Channel television series Hannah Montana, playing the part of Miley Stewart. The American musical comedy television series first aired on Disney Channel on the 24th of March 2006 and finished on the 16th of in January 2011. The show ran for some four seasons and ninety-eight episodes.
The song was written by Oren Yoel ( who produced this track ) and Miley Cyrus. Oren is an American record producer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. He has worked with many artists including Macy Gray, Eliza Doolittle and the American pop rock band, Parachute. He also co-wrote with Miley Cyrus " Adore You ", which reached number twenty-one on the Billboard Hot 100 Chart in 2014.
" Malibu " was released on the 11th of May 2017 by record label RCA ( Sony Music Entertainment ) and is taken as the lead single from Miley's upcoming sixth studio album, which is due to be for release in October 2017.
Miley wrote " Malibu " while on her way to her first day on The Voice, where she was a judge during the show's 11th season. She was taking a ride in an Uber cab, operated by the controversial transportation and food delivery mobile apps company. Lyrically the song focuses on her relationship with current fiance and fellow The Last Song co-star, Liam Hemsworth.
The song has had a mixed reaction from critics. Writing for The New York Times, Jon Pareles, said the song was as " nice as can be ", adding " The only shock is that there's no shock."
Entertainment Weekly's Joey Nolfi was positive for the song in his review saying it was " minimal, refreshing, and simple in tone ", calling it " radio-friendly. "
However, not everyone shared the enthusiasm for the song. Writing for Pitchfork, the American online magazine, Jillian Mapes was critical of the track. He called it " sedated ", " wholly inoffensive ", and " a shrug of a song ", also adding that " [Malibu is] so breezy, it makes Sheryl Crow seem edgy, or Lady Gaga's Joanne resemble a legit rock'n'roll reinvention. ".
The accompanying music video was directed by Miley and Diane Martel, the American music video director and choreographer. Diane has worked with many artists like Gang Starr, Method Man, Christina Aguilera and Mariah Carey, who Diane directed the video for the Christmas hit " All I Want for Christmas Is You ".
The video, released on the 11th of May 2017, was filmed the central California coast and features Miley several shots on a beach holding balloons, sitting in front of a waterfall, in wildflower fields and running with a dog. Throughout she is dressed in various white outfits.
" Malibu " has been a commercial success for Miley. In the United States the song reached a peak of number ten on the Billboard Hot 100 Chart and to date has spent four weeks on the chart there. It also peaked at number twenty-one on the Billboard Adult ( Top 40 ) and eighteen on the Mainstream Top 40.
In the United Kingdom, the song entered the UK Singles Chart on the 25th of May 2017 and reached a peak of number eleven. It has spent three weeks in the Top Twenty and to date three weeks on the UK chart.
( Chart positions are approx, the song may move up or down on the chart )
BillBoard Hot 100 Highest Chart Position: 10
UK Highest Chart Position: 11
Other Countries Highest Chart Positions: Australia (ARIA) 3, Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40) 8, Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders) 30, Belgium (Ultratip Wallonia) 1, Canada (Canadian Hot 100) 4, Czech Republic (Singles Digitál Top 100) 4, Denmark (Tracklisten) 15, Finland (Suomen virallinen lista) 12, France (SNEP) 14, Germany (Official German Charts) 20, Hungary (Single Top 40) 17, Hungary (Stream Top 40) 4, Ireland (IRMA) 7, Italy (FIMI) 24, Latvia (Latvijas Top 40) 11, Netherlands (Dutch Top 40) 20, Netherlands (Single Top 100) 30, New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ) 4, Norway (VG-lista) 4, Portugal (AFP) 12, Scotland (Official Charts Company) 2, Slovakia (Rádio Top 100) 36, Spain (PROMUSICAE) 4, Sweden (Sverigetopplistan) 21, Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade) 16, Turkey (Number One Top 40) 18
Official Website: Mileycyrus.com
FaceBook Page: Facebook.com/MileyCyrus
Twitter: Twitter.com/mileycyrus
Wikipedia Page: Wikipedia.org/MileyCyrusFemale Artists malibumalibu miley cyrusmiley cyrus


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A Letter from Herman
The Arctic Passage Paddle Update
I want to take this opportunity to thank all contributors, sponsors, followers and supporters who combined efforts last year to make the paddle possible. Your contributions were, and still are, greatly appreciated.
The 2014 portion of The Paddle was a unique life experience; without question, the most interesting aspect was the people I met along the way. I was able to sample a little of life up north by interacting with the Inuit and all the others who have made it their home.
It was also physically challenging; from the long drive up Baja, Mexico to the Northern Territories in Canada, to the unseasonably hot weather along the southern part of the route, to an inflamed hamstring frequently causing me to get out of the kayak to stretch and relax the muscle. The pain was finally unbearable. I was able to reach the hospital in Inuvik and the attending physician advised that it would be irresponsible to try to continue paddling, especially since the next section would be on the Arctic Ocean where the paddling conditions are much more challenging than on the river.
I started a period of rehabilitation in Inuvik while waiting for my wife to make an early return from visiting relatives in Europe. The healing of my hamstring has been a slow and laborious process, but with steady improvement, I am now close to full recovery.
Leaving in the middle of August, we visited the Feathercraft factory in Vancouver, Canada and I tested their latest designs in improved seating options (Feathercraft is the recognized leader of designers and builders of folding kayaks). Since returning to Baja in early September 2014, I was preparing for the 2015 Arctic Ocean paddle and adapting my kayak seat for my hamstring issues.
In November 2014, a devastating occurrence completely changed my life, and with it my plans for the paddle in 2015; my wife, Marijke, suffered a stroke. She is recuperating very well but it will be at least 12 months before she will be completely recovered and we may face some remaining deficiencies. As a result, I have to cancel the continuation of my Arctic paddle for 2015. It hurts me to cut the paddle short and disappoint everyone, but I am sure that you will understand that my wife's return to full health is my priority for the foreseeable future.
My special thanks and appreciation go to the team of the Baja Blues Fest Organization. These people have selflessly and with a great effort created and maintained this KayakforKids.org web site. They also have very actively propagated the paddle for the benefit of the various charities that they support and been instrumental in obtaining sponsorships and contributions. Please continue to support the children of Baja via the Baja Blues Fest.
Again, a big THANK YOU to everyone for your support.
Herman Stiphout


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Have confidence at a social gathering
Be a smash hit at any party with this easy enchantment
You will need:
- Bottled spring water
- A few drops of jasmine oil
- A clean white handkerchief
- A pinch of silver glitter
- A seashell
- A silver charm or 5p coin
- Blue ribbon
On the day of the event, wash your face three times with the spring water. When getting ready, have a warm bath with jasmine oil added to it, to clear your mind. Next, take the handkerchief and lay it on a table. Sprinkle the glitter in the centre, along with the seashell (to represent calmness) and silver charm or 5p-piece (for luck). Bring all four corners of the handkerchief together and tie with the ribbon, which represents communication. Carry the magical pouch in your bag when going to parties or events, and you'll breeze through the evening.