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Many of us are familiar with news stories of starving children orphaned in Africa, special needs children in China or the poverty and danger for children in places like India. But in addition to these needs there is an entire group of children on our own doorsteps. They are the thousands of children trapped in foster care in our very own country. They are the kids that are easy to write off. Their needs are not always as obvious, but their desire for love and security are just as real. In Wisconsin alone, there are an average of 8,000 children in foster care each day. I know that when God first put a call in our hearts to adoption we were two of these people; we wrote off foster care. We only knew of the bad stigma it has been given. We had young kids. It's a messy process. We were convinced that wasn't the way God was calling us to adopt. We were so wrong. Foster care is exactly where God brought us. And what a humbling experience it has been. In some ways our preconceived judgments were true: Yes, it can be a messy process. Yes, there is the risk of getting your heart broken. Yes, many of the children are hurting and emotionally broken. But God really convicted us that his church isn't meant to run away from messy, broken things. Broken and hurting people are exactly who Jesus searched out and they are exactly who we, his followers should be focused on as well.
Since we began our journey over two years ago, we've had many people ask us questions about how foster care works. I thought I would answer some of the most common ones for you today.
How can I find out more about foster care?
You can do a great deal of research on the internet, but we found the best way to find out more was to go to an informational meeting. You can find these through your local Department of Child and Family Services (DCFS) in your county. These meetings give a good overview of what foster care is, what the different types of foster care are and what the next step in the process would be. The nice thing about these meetings is they are filled with other people just like you, with no idea what to expect and lots of questions. The meetings in no way commit you to foster care but they allow you to talk with people about the questions you may have.
What is the process to become a foster or adoptive home?
Once you go to an informational meeting, the next step is to fill out the initial application. This will include everything from your basic information to where you work to why you want to be a foster parent. After the agency processes your initial application, you will be assigned a licensing worker whose job is to get you ready to become a foster home. Over the next months they will come by your home numerous times. There will be oodles of paperwork for things like: your income, your mental health, your marriage, your family life, your hobbies, etc. (It's true, but don't let it scare you away). There will also be interviews with your licensing worker, getting fingerprinted, background checks, 3 classes and making sure your home is up to foster care "code". This sounds so overwhelming but it happens slowly over months and your worker will walk you through the whole process. Once everything is completed, you will be given your license and able to accept a child or children into your home.
How long does the licensing process take?
For us is took about 5 months to get our license. We went to an informational meeting in June, sent in our initial application in July and were a licensed foster home the beginning of November.
Can the agency place anyone in your home or do you get to have a say in it?
You as the foster family get a great deal of say in what children can be placed in your home. During the licensing process you and your spouse will fill out a VERY LONG form asking what types of special needs you are comfortable handling in your home. For example: How comfortable would you be with a child who has a physical disability like epilepsy, food allergies or blindness? Do you feel comfortable with a child who has a learning disability, mental health concerns or is a young woman who is pregnant? While one does not go into foster care to find the one "perfect" child in the system, the agency does want you to be honest with what things you can and cannot handle. The best thing for a child is to be placed in a home where they can be loved and their needs and even special needs can be met. They want the child to thrive and the family they are placed with to thrive as well.
You will also have a say in what age(s) and gender(s) you are willing to have in your home.
Finally, before any child is placed with you, you will receive a call from your agency and they will give you as much information on the child as possible before you and your spouse make the decision whether or not to welcome that child into your home.
Can I just adopt or do I have to foster first?
This is another thing you will discuss during the licensing process. You will have the option to become one of three things:
- A foster home: You home becomes a temporary one until the child is either returned to their parents or moved to an adoptive home.
- A duel license home: One can foster and also adopt without having to go through more paperwork (this is what we have).
- An adoptive home: You will still have a duel license but only children that are VERY likely to be eligible for adoption will be placed in your home (often children beyond one year of age). If you are an adoptive only home, it can take much longer to have a child placed with you. If you looking for a guaranteed infant adoption, this is not the route to take.
While God may not call everyone down the path of foster care and adoption, he calls all of us to care about these broken kids (Matthew 25:34-36). If we as pro-life Christians believe a child is worthy of life, then those same children are just as precious with drugs in their system at birth, with behavioral issues at 8 or pregnant and alone at 13 (Mark 9:37).
Do you feel that you have the ability to welcome another child into your home? Are you an empty-nester wondering what purpose God has for you now that your children are grown? Has God been burdening your heart with how blessed you are and how people so close can be in such need? While opening up your home to a child from a broken place is a challenging road, there is great joy and blessing in living out Christ's calling and seeing his redeeming work in the life of your foster child and your entire family as well.
When God started calling us to foster care we were overwhelmed and intimidated, but we felt that God couldn't give us red or green lights if we were sitting in the parking lot. So, after much prayer, we chose to take one step and continued to pray for guidance. It was incredible how clear God was with us and how at each new step he continued to confirm that this was where he wanted us. Feeling his presence and his guidance continued to give us the confidence to keep moving forward not only as we went through the licensing process but through the ups and downs of our foster care journey as well. I have great confidence he will do that same for you!
In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps. - Proverbs 16:9
*** If you have more specific questions please feel free to ask in the comments!***


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Eating disorders affect more 25 to 35-year-olds in Ireland
THE age group most affected by eating disorders in Ireland is now the 25 to 35-year-olds, according to a new report.
Bodywhys annual report has identified that children younger than 10 suffer from eating disorders.
But almost a third of those with an eating disorder are now in the 25 to 35 age group rather than the younger 19 to 24 age group of previous years.
One in five of those contacting the support service during the year were in crisis. Nearly two-thirds already had information about eating disorders and were looking for a "listening ear".
The report stresses that "eating disorders are not just a teenage issue" and points to the wide spread of age groups accessing the services.
The organisation dealt with 10,000 people during the year and while one in five had developed an eating disorder in the past six months, more than one in four had suffered with the condition for more than 10 years.
Women outnumbered men by nine to one and almost half of the callers were not engaged in any form of treatment.
The biggest age group with an eating disorder was between 25 to 35 years of age at 31pc but the age range ran from 0.3pc for those under 10 years of age to 5.7pc for those over 56 years of age.
Anorexia was the most common disorder (38pc), followed by binge eating disorder at 26pc and then bulimia at 25pc.
Bodywhys has become involved in training at third-level as part of social studies, nursing, teacher training and other courses, promoting awareness and understanding of the problem.
An increase in the number of boys' schools requesting someone to come and speak to students about eating disorders is also highlighted in the report.
Most people during the year got in touch by email, and the numbers were almost equally divided between sufferers and calls from family and friends seeking advice.
Email was used by 41pc of people seeking help, 22pc used the Lo-call helpline and 19pc consulted online groups.
When it comes to treatment, the report found that most were using psychotherapy or counselling or were in hospital for treatment.
Some were being treated by their family doctor in conjunction with a psychotherapist or a dietician.
Bodywhys is also supporting research being carried out by Noelle Fitzgerald from the University of Limerick to see if there is a link between mood, relationships, how individuals see their bodies and eating habits.
Online Editors
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subset: commoncrawl


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Earlier this year, veteran stylist, salon owner and curly girl, Alanna York made her TV debut on ABC's hit show, Shark Tank. After pouring her heart, soul and life savings into her line of professional hair care, she finally got her big break.
When York auditioned in July 2015, she didn't expect to hear back. "It was our third try so I tried not to get too excited," she admitted. "I had decided to close up shop last winter, and I didn't have much energy left for something that could be so disappointing." As an entrepreneur, York is no stranger to business challenges and pressures. She believes resilience is the key to success—and it's proving true.
Since airing on Shark Tank, York's rebranded product line, Controlled Chaos, has gained a massive curly customer base. "I always knew the Curl Crème was the fan favorite, but I never imagined it changing so many lives in such a positive way. I read at least once a day, 'thank you for giving me my hair back' or, 'I finally love my curls,'" said York. "It's truly amazing to hear feedback like this and it's exactly why I created the line in the first place—curls should not be a curse!"
It all started back in 2007, when York became frustrated with the lack of quality products on the market. "I'm a strong proponent of the brand's 'look good, feel good, do good' philosophy. You shouldn't have to sacrifice product performance, gentle ingredients or the environment to have great hair—it's possible to have all of the above." So she began developing, testing and perfecting a handful of products. The line was continuously revised with feedback from hundreds of curly-haired clients from all over New England.
York also designed a precision cutting technique that's named the Controlled Chaos Haircut."Curls have always been synonymous with 'cute.' I hate that. I want sexy spirals, not cute curls," she said. "I set out to change the stigma with a precision hair cut for all types of curly hair. It's the first (and only) precision curly cut that's actually wearable!" The Controlled Chaos Haircut allows curly clients to wear their hair curly or straight without a "choppy" appearance, and complements the Controlled Chaos Curl Crème to completely transform clients' hair. "I knew I was onto something when my clients were driving to little old Portland, Maine from New York City to get a haircut and stock up on the Curl Crème."
What began as a product intended for professional use, has now garnered an impressive consumer fan base. Curly customers are reaching out to York almost daily about the Controlled Chaos Haircut, and where they can purchase in-salon. "Everyone is so eager and truly want to share the Curl Crème with their stylist, their curly friends and well—the world! Once you figure out how to style it, curly hair is empowering and fosters amazing connections with other 'curlies'. We all just want to share our experiences."
Ultimately, York wants to stay true to her roots. "The product was designed for hairstylists, and to be used in conjunction with the precision technique," she said. "Plus, we will always sell direct to consumer on our website, but I will not succumb to diversion. That's really important to me!"
Controlled Chaos Curl Crème is available online at www.controlledchaoshair.com and in a growing number of salons across the United States.


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Saturn's Itinerary:
October 29, 2009 – Saturn's first entry into Libra.
January 14, 2010 – Saturn goes retrograde, re-entering Virgo on April 7
May 30, 2010 – Saturn goes direct in late Virgo
July 21, 2010 – Saturn makes its full blown entry into Libra, remaining there until October, 2012.
While Saturn has been in Virgo, the sign associated with health, diet and work (as in jobs), there has been a great effort expended by many people to rectify America's broken health care system. Even more crucial is the job crisis, with unemployment now reaching over 10%. Since Saturn has made its initial entry into Libra we can now add a new set of issues to our "To Be Corrected" list. Think of Saturn as describing assignments that might not be easy, but that yield tremendous rewards and compensation for the effort. Nothing is more satisfying or confidence-building than the premiums that come from fulfilling Saturn's mandates. Some of the world's most successful and accomplished people have a prominent Saturn in their charts. The greatest achievements can occur during Saturn transits.
Saturn travels around the Zodiac like a cosmic building inspector, appraising conditions and providing feedback about the soundness or deficiencies of each of the signs it occupies. Saturn points out weaknesses or problems that that need repairing. It takes Saturn 29 years to make its correcting and gratifying sojourn through the Zodiac, remaining in a sign for two and a half years. This journey resounds in the environment and in the personal spheres of your chart. If you know the house that Saturn is occupying in your chart at this time, you can see where your greatest achievements can occur. Saturn symbolizes the bones – the skeletal structure of consciousness, providing opportunities for support, strength and solidity. Just as weight lifting strengthens the bones, efforts of a Saturnian nature strengthen character and life circumstances.
Saturn also has a moral and spiritual quality to it. Transits from Saturn can awaken you to problems that need addressing, at the same time providing spiritual rewards and bonuses for jobs well done. Saturn has a particularly karmic quality, as if the homework it assigns is directly addressed to the soul of a nation or a person. Saturn often describes just what it is that you need to learn at a particular time. Lately, Saturn in Virgo has highlighted the inadequacies of the American health care system, the sad state of affairs in the job market, and the unhealthy consequences of the typical American diet.
As the Inner Adult, Saturn focuses attention on issues and problems that need to be solved. In the birth chart, Saturn represents concentration, responsibility and opportunities for achievement, growth and maturation. Libra is the sign of harmony, justice, equality and relationships. It has a particular resonance with the legal sphere. The symbol for legal, ethical fairness and for Libra is the same – the scales of justice. Libra also describes significant others, marriage, partnerships and close relationships. In the public sector, Saturn in Libra may put the spotlight on the issue of same sex marriage legislation, which will hopefully be resolved before Saturn is finished with its passage through Libra.
Libra is the sign of harmony and peace. As the nation hovers on the brink of increased war efforts, we can hope that the wisdom of Libran nonviolence and mediation will appear in the form of a white dove of peace.
Now that Saturn is entering Libra, you can tend to your relationships with greater mindfulness. Your significant others may be among the most important sources of comfort and reward you'll have during these challenging days as the nation gets itself back on its feet. Relationships, especially those built on love and trust, are one of the most effective ways of developing yourself spiritually. Since Saturn is the last visible planet, it represents the gateway to the transpersonal and spiritual realm. By tending to your personal relationships, you can discover spiritual solutions and support for this unprecedented episode in American history. The distractions of excessive spending and wasteful consumption are no longer options now that Pluto is in responsible Capricorn. Extending warmth and support to loved ones provides a much more effective solution to the pervasive angst of this historic moment. Saturn in Libra recommends a tune, oil and adjustment for your partnerships so that they endure, strengthen and evolve. The rewards will be far-reaching and long lasting.
Click Here to Visit Shelley Jordan's Website.


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Our Coaches
Our Gym's team
At Long Beach Power Co we are growing as you, our athletes, do. In other words, our coaches are seasoning alongside you, while you go through the training. Regardless of how many years of experience a coach might have, there's always a room for growth. Namely, helping each specific new athlete to reach his or her top performance adds some "bonus points" to a coaches own skill set.
Our coaches and athletes are people who take both Powerlifting and the Olympic Weightlifting seriously. We want you to make tangible progress in the GYM! We always push everyone, including our own coaches to max out their knowledge, skills and strength.
We achieve that by constantly upgrading our criteria of physical assessment, program design, and nutrition. We see Powerlifting and Olympic Weightlifting as an evolving journey of the body and mind! In our view, Weightlifting helps to connect mind, body, and spirit.
This fitness journey leads to the discovery of purpose in life, of a better way of life…
Mikey Cole
Powerlifting Coach
Mikey is an accomplished powerlifter and coach: having trained in powerlifting for the past six years, Mikey has coached powerlifts for the past four years, with private clients ranging from casual workout buffs to Top-5 ranked globally powerlifters. Most recently, Mikey has worked with Team Freel during the past two years, helping that squad to achieve a number of podium spots and records at various powerlifting meets. Mikey has a 601 raw back squat, a 363 raw bench and a 617 raw deadlift. When suited up with multi-ply lifting gear, those numbers shoot up to 804, 529 and 661, respectively!
Landon Praire
Olympic Weightlifting Coach
I began olympic weightlifting in my youth under some world class coaches to include Mike Burgener. After highschool, I joined the United States Marine Corps and began also training in CrossFit. Over the past 16 years I have had the pleasure of training and training with some of the top competitors in the US and the World. My philosophy on training is that we are all students and we can all learn from one another. Even as your coach I am constantly learning how to best train YOU so that you can achieve all of the goals that you have set forth for yourself. What is training if it isn't fun, join me TODAY!


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Our modular homes are constructed using the same building codes which apply to traditional stick frame houses. Exterior walls can be 2x4 or 2x6 construction/ Roofs can be a variety of slopes and styles.
There are three methods of heat transfer - convection, conduction and radiation. R-value is the measure of resistance to heat loss by conduction only. The most important factor in thermal efficiency is the continuity of the insulation. The Enercept system results in a solid envelope of rigid foam insulation. Therefore, an Enercept structure has the ability to resist heat transfer by conduction and convection (air movement). It is reasonable to assume that a conventional home would require an R-40 wall and an R-60 roof to compete with a 6-inch Enercept wall (R-24) and an 8-inch Enercept roof (R-32).
Yes. All our homes carry a 10-year Builder's Limited Warranty. Your new car comes with a warranty. Shouldn't the largest purchase you will most likely make come with a warranty as well? Ask and we'll send you a copy to review.
Time and Certainty - The modular home is completed quickly thereby saving months of mortgage payments. Since the home is designed and build off-site, many variables such as weather and labor shortages are avoided.
SIPs are super energy efficient building panels for walls, roofs and floors. Enercept panels are made using expanded polystyrene (EPS) rigid foam insulation laminated between oriented strand board (OSB). The result is a very strong, predictable, highly energy efficient framing system. SIPs are used in residential, commercial and agricultural applications. You will also see SIPs referred to as sandwich panels. SIPs are assembled using the same tip-up method used in concrete tilt-up panel construction.
Depending upon the cost of labor and materials in your area, the finished cost of an Enercept SIP structure is comparable to stick framing. Material cost may be slightly higher, but the framing labor cost will be lower. The real savings is realized after your building is completed and you can begin to save 50% or more on heating and cooling costs, and as you continue to save for as long as you live in your home.
Send us an email or call us at 508-728-5707 to set up your first appointment.


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So, I stayed away from my worst enemies. It was pretty easy this weekend actually. Even with Valentine's Day and everything. I think I'm actually starting to feel better about things. I'm keeping a positive attitude about things and doing what I can to help others as well.
Whose Reality is it Anyway?
When things go wrong, don't go with them.
That's a good quote to think about. This section is for those of us that have fallen into the codependent relationship. I have never been anything but. I always feel that I must take on other peoples problems, feelings, etc. When things would go wrong with my ex I would o anything to fix them. I would take over whatever needed to be done, who needed to be called, what needed to be fixed and comforted all that I could. I thought that his made me a good girlfriend and all that came along with it. Really, it just makes m codependent. I don't expect anyone to take on my problems and feelings. In fact, I want my feelings and problems. I refuse to have anyone take them on. They are mine. So, why do I insist on taking on others? I need to let people deal with their own lives. Anyone that lets you take them on are not bad people. That's just the way that they are. People can be who they are, but I have to asses in my life if someone compliments or contaminates it.
I did make the choice to have someone in my life like that and that is not necessarily their fault, but it is my choice to make sure that it doesn't happen again. I will never put my life aside and deal with someone else's. I will not hold back excitement and happiness because someone is not in the right place in their life to be happy for me. I will remember that no one's feelings are ever more important than mine. I will remember and believe this.


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The Two Main Challenges faced by the Third Sector
When running a third sector consultancy business, there are two topics that are never far from my client's priority list: raising money and spending money to make a difference.
In recent times, austerity measures have moved the goalposts for third sector funding. More organisations are competing for diminishing grant funds, and local and regional authorities are pulling back their funding from all but the most essential services as their central budgets are reduced.
At the same time as the funding market is becoming more challenging, many third sector organisations struggle to make a difference with the funding they have. Under-resourced teams of paid staff find themselves working fewer hours due to reduced budgets, while the demand for their services increases. The common solution is to run volunteer programmes, however these are some of the hardest to manage due to the lack of time to manage the volunteers as you would paid employees. There is little time for goal setting and performance reviews, let alone for finding out the best fit of volunteer role for the individual outcomes sought by the volunteer. So, with all of these competing pressures, what is a third sector manager to do?
Third sector organisations often spend as little as possible on external support and often seek support services for free. This is in the mistaken belief that all of their money spent on non-service provision costs is wasted money, however with the services offered by a third sector consultancy, there should be a return on what should be seen as an investment.
For example, there are third sector consultancy fundraisers who can be paid to find funding from grant-giving bodies who share the aims and objectives that you do. Many of these will also offer training if you wish to gain the skills yourself however some external help in this area can lead to real financial gains that enable you to help more beneficiaries.
A further area of third sector consultancy help is in developing a balanced portfolio of income from a combination of grants, activities and donations, and sustainable revenues from your activities. Many third sector organisations offer services that are beneficial not only to their service users but to other support agencies as well. The input of a skilled consultant can help to identify new conversations that can lead to shared budgets, or to other agencies applying for funding on your project's behalf.
Finally, as with all operations involving people (which is all of them!), there are excellent third sector consultancies that can help you with the management of people, teams, volunteers, and of course external partners such as corporate social responsibility.
So, where you have a need for help with either raising money, or spending it effectively, invest in a third sector consultancy and give yourself the chance of great returns.


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KakiTeater: Talking with Jason
Posted on 26 July 2013
Venue : PJ Live Arts, Jaya One
Date : 26–28 July 2013
YouTube : actspressions
Event : Kakiseni Listing
Tickets : RM30/RM50 (Purchase online)
Facebook : Actspressions
Theatre-goers will get a show full of dreams and steampunk this weekend! The Tailor-Made Man opens this Friday and promises to deliver the most elaborate production in PJLA yet. We talk with the director of The Tailor-Made Man, Jason Ding, about the upcoming play: Tell our readers a little bit more about The Tailor-Made Man. The Tailor-Made Man is a story of a dreamer, Joseph, and his journey from his father's house to the unlikeliest of places. He meets different, interesting characters along the way; and goes through some nightmares before eventually seeing his dreams come true.
Tagged: Darren Yeoh, Jason Ding, Justin Ooi, PJLA, steampunk, The Tailor-Made Man, theatre


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Ring in fall with Butternut Squash, Caramelized Onion and Cambozola Quesadillas!
Butternut Squash, Caramelized Onion and Camba…. what Quesadillas? Cambozola® baby!
This is not a sponsored post, I'm just a huge fan of this cheese! Cambozola® is an amazing German cheese that is part brie and part blue cheese. In fact, it's often referred to as a "blue brie."
I guess I'm somewhat fascinated with anything German right now because, in just a few days, we're heading off to Germany, Austria and Switzerland for a two-week Rick Steves' tour in celebration of our 20th wedding anniversary.
Have loved Rick Steves since the days of Rick Steves' Europe on PBS. Back when I was single and living in Milwaukee, I used to watch it every Saturday morning, living vicariously through him. I so wanted to travel, but boohoo, had no one to travel with. How that's all changed!
Anyway, let's get back to this wonderful cheese!
It's got all the creaminess of brie with the tanginess and delicious yet very delicate "bite" of a blue cheese. Needless to say, it pairs beautifully with sweet butternut squash and caramelized onions!
Caramelizing onions is a labor of love. I like to start off with lots of fat in the pan, cover slightly until they begin to soften up, then let the onions go for an hour or for however long they take. It's something that really should not be rushed. Sure, there are little tricks like adding sugar and I've even heard about baking soda to speed up the process. Sorry butno baking soda in my onions, please! When they're beautiful and golden, I then drain off the excess fat. Season with salt halfway through the process and you have gorgeous and flavorful caramelized onions!
Piled into whole grain tortillas and then browned until crisp is the perfect way to enjoy this combination!
Let's eat!
From A Chef's Kitchen
Serves 2
15 minPrep Time
1 hr, 15 Cook Time
1 hr, 30 Total Time
1 medium butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cubed (about 4 cups)
1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
2 jalapeno peppers, sliced thick
10 cloves garlic
2 tablespoons olive oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1/2 stick unsalted butter or ghee
1/4 cup olive oil
3 large onions, halved and thinly sliced
salt, to taste
4 (10-inch) whole wheat tortillas
1 small wedge Cambozola cheese (about 1/4 pound), rind removed
2 tablespoons olive oil
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Toss butternut squash cubes, onion, jalapeno peppers and garlic with olive oil. Roast for 25 to 30 minutes or until squash and onions are tender. Transfer to a bowl and mash with a potato masher. Set aside.
Heat butter and olive oil over medium-high in a large skillet or saute pan. Add the onions, cover, reduce heat to medium and cook 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. (With the cover on, the onions will get very soupy and wet.)
Remove the cover, add salt to taste and continue cooking, stirring frequently for at least another 30 minutes or until the onions become golden to light brown in color. (It's important for the onions to "stick" a little bit here and there without burning as this helps them caramelize.) Transfer to a sieve for the excess fat to drain off.
Spread equal amounts of the butternut squash filling on two of the four tortillas. Top with equal amounts of the caramelized onions, followed by evenly distributed bits of the Cambozola. Place remaining tortillas over the filling, pressing slightly to adhere. Alternately, place equal amounts on one half of each tortilla, folding the other half over creating four half-moon shapes.
Heat oil over medium-high heat in a non-stick skillet or griddle. Brown the filled tortillas 3 to 4 minutes per side.


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by Jonathan J.B. Mijs
In service
I saw her today and
it was freaking scary
A Thursday afternoon
at JP Licks She was
not even smiling but
her voice closely followed
all prescriptions of the
customer service professional,
American standard:
unhuman friendliness
with a rollercoaster pitch
Her eyes were dead
Two long dark tunnels
into the abyss
Name tag says Katie
I'm not ever coming
Jonathan J.B. Mijs is a Doctoral Candidate in Sociology at Harvard University. When he is not writing about himself in third person, he is studying how (young) people come to see and explain setbacks in their own lives and that of others, which is the topic of his dissertation.
Categories: Sociological Fiction, Uncategorized
Tags: sociological fiction


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The Battleground
River Grille, Chatham, New Jersey
The Contenders
Garlic and Herb P.E.I. Mussels vs. Blackened Cajun Catfish Sandwich
I've spent more time (and money) at River Grille than I care to admit. Lots of evenings after work are spent with my friends who work there and the bartenders who have become my friends. Dive bars have always held a special place in my heart, and the hilarious, kindly collection of townies who gather here are sure to provide you with a fun time.
For all the time I've killed on their bar stools, my culinary adventures never really went past the wings, fries and onion rings (all of which are awesome). I'd heard tales of their award-winning mac and cheese, and my friends who work there won't shut up about the mussels.
So mussels it is.
My favorite seafood buddies, mussels are just little nuggets of yummy joy. These ones came immersed in the most gorgeous white wine, lemon garlic sauce to ever be paired with seafood. Seriously, this broth needs to be made into a soup so I can shamelessly spoon it up. It's that good.
The mussels themselves were good. Not a single bit of sand present. Not one. They were, however, rather fishy at times. About half were absolutely pristine, but the other half were just… ocean. Luckily I had my trusty garlic bread lifesaver to reel the mussels back into safety. Cheesy, buttery, garlicy, soft with a crispy crust… perfect. As an added bonus, it allowed me to eat more sauce!
Walking into River Grille as an irregular with Legs always feels like being invited into a friendly yet secretive club. It's a little loud and a little pricey considering the atmosphere, but I was still eager to try what this Zagat rated tavern had to offer.
I adore Cajun seasoning, so when my catfish arrived I was more than excited to dig in. That first brilliant bite brought all of the usual suspects in for questioning: paprika, salt, pepper, oregano, and the infamous outlaw cayenne. I didn't get any char flavor despite its claim to be blackened, but the seasoning was lovely. Unfortunately the show was over after just a few bites as catfish and his posse were run out of town by Cajun mayo and provolone. What's worse? The mayo wasn't very Cajun inspired at all. Over dressing and an unnecessary cheese component turned what could have been a great sandwich into average pub fare.
Although the sandwich proved to be standard, the fries were anything but. Perfectly crisp, just the right amount of chew, and never oily, these guys make some of the best beer-battered fries around. If only I had some serious Cajun mayo on the side to dip these golden gods into. You can't always get what you want.
I'm happy with my experience at River but this may be the end of the line for yours truly.
And the winner is… Legs!
✗Protein ✓Sauce ✓Sides/Veggies ✓Presentation
Presentation is kind of a given when you have an entire bowl stacked with seafood goodness versus a sandwich. And my sauce… I'll be dreaming about it for ages. Mind blowing. Seriously, it needs to be made into a soup.
I've demolished Snax these past weeks and am officially the winner of September and October! Tune in next week to see him shovel something nasty into his mouth as punishment.
September/October wins:
Legs: 4 – Snax: 1


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O2 implements new service concept for people with hearing impairments
MUNICH. Telefónica O2 Germany is starting a new service concept on May 12: people with hearing impairments will receive advice tailored to their specific needs as well as discount offers. O2 is providing this special offer via an online shop, which has been set up specifically for this purpose, as well as the normal O2 shops. With that, O2 continues its commitment to people with disabilities. Only a few weeks ago, O2 hosted a dialogue and presented the pilot project VerbaVoice together with association 'Social Affairs'. VerbaVoice enables spoken language to be translated into text.
The new offer is a result of conversations O2 has led since the beginning of 2009. "O2 has looked into the needs of people with hearing impairments and created an attractive package", says Rudolf Sailer, President of Deutscher Gehörlosen Bund e.V. (DGB - German Deaf Association). The new online shop for people with hearing impairments (www.o2.de/hoergeschaedigte), which can also be accessed directly via the website of the DGB, presents offers in a manner geared towards the specific target group and also provides visitors with advice on the various products. In addition to contract and identification details, explanatory videos are available in sign language as well as a chat hotline. During the development of this website, O2 worked with the Pfennigparade Foundation to ensure access to the site was kept as simple as possible. In addition to this, O2 has provided its shop employees with documents that will help them to better assist people with hearing impairments. Furthermore, in a pilot project, a sign language interpreter will be present every Thursday afternoon in the flagship store in Munich. "We want to provide all of our customers with a service that matches their needs. The basis for our offer is O2 o, a tariff without basic charge. If you don't make any calls, you don't pay either," says André Krause, Managing Director Finance at Telefónica O2 Germany. O2 provides people with hearing impairments a 15% discount on the monthly invoice: The cost airbag limits cost of domestic calls and SMS to 42.50 euros instead of 50 euros per month. [Please note: To see our latest offers for people with hearing impairments please visit www.o2.de/hoergeschaedigte (in German)] As O2 is one of only a few of integrated communication providers to allow chatting and the use of voice over IP, the optional mobile surf flat rate for 8.50 euros instead of 10 euros should be of particular interest to people with hearing impairments. Further information about the new tariff can be found on www.telefonica.de/presse.
|Telefónica O2 Germany GmbH & Co. OHG belongs to Telefónica Europe and is part of the Spanish telecommunications group Telefónica S.A. The company offers post and prepaid mobile communication products to both private and business customers in Germany as well as innovative mobile data services based on GPRS and UMTS technologies. In addition to this, as an integrated communications provider, the company also offers DSL landline telephony and high-speed Internet services. Telefónica Europe has 49 million mobile and landline customers in Great Britain, Ireland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Germany.
Additional information
Telefónica O2 Germany GmbH & Co. OHG Press department Iris Rothbauer, Press Officer Georg-Brauchle-Ring 23-25 80992 Munich


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Marcie Miller Gross
Within my site responsive installations, drawings and objects, I am fascinated by the interplay with the spatial, conceptual, and architectonic conditions of a place. Through an incremental means of building with utilitarian materials, industrial felt, paper towels, clothing, hospital and bath towels, I make structures that address mass and void, line, weight, density, compression and expansion. Within these qualities, I find parallels in the physical and psychological states of the body, and the human condition. These pliable materials have an intense relationship to the body, and the capacity to carry traces, memory and a potent history of former use. My interest in the physical actions of folding and stacking finds its focus in organization and reduction. The directness of a simple activity of the hand, in addition to issues in the industry of labor and serial repetition, make reference to artistic precedent such as mono-ha and minimalism.
Artist-in-residence from 2006 to 2011.


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What I soak up from the flow of information on the web. Shooting the breeze on the language of forms against the technology landscape. Discussing what matters in my little world!
Look at this guy on the day prior to the show. Every one is busy around him setting up the booth, it was just too much for him!
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- The Packers and Giants are playing in ~-20 degree wind-chill conditions. Jimmy Johnson showed his glass of water frozen-solid at the pre-game show. It's been in the 30s here in Fort Worth this weekend, which is pretty painful to my Texas-acclimated skin. These guys are insane.
- Speaking of "Cloverfield: Bring Your Barf Bag," my poor neighbors have been afflicted by a barf-fest that's rotated from their son to both parents. I'm somewhat curious whether Cloverfield indeed had the epic yacking-power I believed it did or whether the inclination for hurlage was actually aided by some virus action. Mmmm...chunky.
- Monika and I are dog-sitting this weekend for Miles' friend, Caedmon. After approximately 50 hours of playplayplayplayplay the dogs are finally out of commission. I almost can't believe it.
- The Australian Open has been pretty interesting thus far. Who'd have thought that Tipsy would take Fed to five sets? Suddenly the Swiss machine looks like he might be beatable. That's only in theory, though; every time I begin to think that Fed decides to turn it on and prove us all wrong.
- My wife is the best chef ever. I've mentioned that before, but it frequently deserves reiteration.
- The Giants/Packers game is actually shockingly tight right now. Time to pay attention to the rest of the game...


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Today in Twitter
- New Elvis Costello Day! Me and @bclaymoore will be indisposed. #
- And the new Elvis Costello is pretty awesome. Probably the best since Brutal Youth. #
- @bclaymoore It's not. Only on iTunes and Vinyl with MP3 Download. #
- @remender is a pussy. I'm on six different allergy medicines AND weekly shots. My allergies can kick your allergies' ass. #
- @ivan brandon it seems that @jasonaaron only posts about Chick-Fil-A. Which makes us Popeye's entrenched folk jealous. #
- @Rantz1 I like when I call the pharmacy for refills and they keep saying, "And is this one for your wife?" "No..." "What about this one?" #
- Have I mentioned I had an unfortunate shaving accident that's left me looking like Trotsky? #
- @JasonAaron I just tell them I'm from the future. That ends all discussion. #
- @RobLevin makes my dreams come true everyday. Or at least once a month when the checks show up. #
- @TonyLee I'm in pretentious goatee mode. It'll grow out in a week or two... in theory. #
- I really wish someone would hire me to write Westerns. Someone make it so. #
- @TonyLee I said pay me, not cost me a fortune. Very different things. #
- I bought a banjo. All of my free time is spent learning to play the hits of the 70's on it. #
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The story behind this piece is about the end of my career as a watchman. I have spent the last ten years of my life working as a watchman in the ancient Haida Village sites in the Gwaii Haanas National Park Reserve, on Haida Gwaii. I have spent years studying the works of the old Haida masters that still stand in these village sites today. It has been an honor and a privilege to work in the villages of my ancestors, but my life had to take a turn in an other direction — particularly towards art.
The watchman figure represents the last few years of my life that I had spent in the villages of my ancestors. The raven figure has an abstracted killerwhale crest on the wings, to represent myself, coming from the Raven/Killerwhale clan of Naikoon.
Although my career as a watchman is now over, I will always love and cherish the villages of my ancestors that I used to protect.
James Crawford
Raven / Killerwhale Clan of Naikoon
(1980- )
James was born in Prince Rupert and resides in Skidegate on Haida Gwaii. Growing up in the North, he was strongly influenced by his artistic family. He has drawn much of his inspiration from working as a watchman in ancient Haida villages.
Spirit Wrestler Gallery
101-1669 West 3rd Ave.
Vancouver, BC
Canada V6J 1K1
Toll Free: 1-888-669-8813
Phone: 604-669-8813
one block West of the Granville Island gates
Between Pine St. and Fir St.
Tuesday to Saturday, open 10-5
Sunday and Holidays, open 12-5
© 2019 Spirit Wrestler Gallery. All Rights Reserved.


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"I bought a new Note 7 as soon as it came into market. It enjoyed high level of popularity recently. I happened to be tired of my old HTC so I changed it. In the beginning, I was contented with my new phone. But later I found that I can't transfer the important data such as contacts, photos and videos from HTC to Note 7. Can you provide me a good method?"
My good friend Ada asked me for help recently. To be honest, I don't know how to transfer them at first. But fortunately, I was introduced with a helpful software Mobile Switch. I know Mobile Switch occasionally under the similar circumstance.
It is an ideal software for transferring data between Android, Symbian, WinPhone and iOS devices, and backuping and restoring phone data effortlessly. I think it is indispensible for me to share this helpful software with you because probably all of us will meet a problem for data transfer sometime. With its help, it is just a piece of cake for you to transfer the contacts, sms, photos, apps, videos and more between two Android devices. What's more, the program also allows you one click to permanent wipe all data on Android device without restored.
Now, it's time for me to introduce the whole three steps.
The user interface will crop up as long as you run Mobile Switch. Then click on "Phone to Phone Transfer" and press "Start" to go on.
Link both of your devices to PC with USB cables. Then wait for Mobile Switch to recognize both devices.
Put a check mark before file types that you need and click on "Start Transfer" to begin the process. Make sure that both your devices are connected to the PC so that the transfering goes smoothly. You can check the "Clear Data before Copy" box if you want to erase data on the destination phone before copying the new data.
I hope much more people can get benefit from Mobile Switch. It'a truly a handy tool that worth to have a try.


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How do I cook Quorn products?
Quorn products are so easy to cook that they can be cooked from frozen, so there's no need to defrost. Quorn products can be cooked using a stove, air fryer, microwave, oven or grill. Quorn products are delicious, tasty and easy to prepare, just refer to the cooking instructions on pack. For Quorn ingredients products like Mince, Pieces and Swedish Style Balls, our cooking instructions often recommend that the sauce is cooked before the Quorn product is added, as our products often require less cooking time than animal proteins. For Crispy Nuggets and Southern Fried Bites, you can air fry them for 10-12 min at 180°C or deep fry them for 3-4 min at 175°C.


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|Cowboy Bebop
|5: Ballad of Fallen Angels
|Mao Yenrai has a huge bounty on his head and Faye is out to collect. Spike goes to learn more information and we learn that he and Mao were commrades at one time. Here, he learns that Mao has been murdered and Faye runs into the murderer!
Faye is allowed to call the "Bebop" and plead for help while Spike goes to confront the murder -- another person from his past named Vicious.
|This was a great episode in that we get a look at Spike's past which now appears to be catching up with him. I liked the "Highlander" feel of the church scene (you'll know it when you see it). All in all, a darker but enjoyable episode.


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Photo by Betsy Bassett
Born in Newark, New Jersey, in 1952, James Orleans began his musical studies with the trumpet, which he played for nine years. His growing interest in jazz precipitated a move to the double bass in 1972. Mr. Orleans majored in composition with a concentration in double bass at Indiana University and graduated magna cum laude from the Boston Conservatory of Music in 1981. He was awarded fellowships to the Tanglewood Music Center in 1981 and 1982. Mr. Orleans' bass teachers included William Rhein, Robert Olson, and Edwin Barker. He joined the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra under Lukas Foss in 1982 and became a member of the Boston Symphony Orchestra in 1983. Mr. Orleans maintains an active interest in contemporary music and has performed with Collage New Music, Dinosaur Annex, the Brandeis Contemporary Chamber Players, and Boston Musica Viva. He has recorded with these ensembles for CRI and Northeastern records. Mr. Orleans has written articles on 20th Century orchestra music programming and has served on advisory panels of such organizations as the American Composers Orchestra, the American Symphony Orchestra League, and the National Endowment for the Arts.


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The Records Verification Report is to be completed and submitted to the Executive Office by October 1st and February 1st. All of the steps listed below in this report must be completed in order to receive credit. By completing all of the steps in this report, all of the chapter's information will be current with the Executive Office.
NOTE: Changing the billing status is not the same as changing the membership status. At this link, you can find how to make Chapter Roster Updates via Chapter Desktop.


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7 Hand Lettering Artists Who Are Making Calligraphy Cool Again
7 Hand Lettering Artists Who Are Making Calligraphy Cool Again
We're at a point in the digital era where some people are returning to or incorporating analog arts into the digital space. Part of this shift is the comeback of hand lettering. In a world full of highly digitized and clean, uniform, Apple-esque style, something created by hand is a novelty that is increasingly appreciated. Calligraphy is exponentially more human than sans-serif typography, and here at Snapfluence we're all about humanizing marketing. Not to mention hand lettered art is highly shareable.
So here are 7 of our favorite hand lettering artists on Instagram who are bringing their messages to life beautifully.
1. @neilsecretario
Neil's feed is full of effortlessly cool lettering, helpful process videos in Adobe Illustrator, quick tips, and behind-the-scenes of his workflow.
2. @cl_lettering
Holly shares a wealth of hand lettering hyperlapses with a variety of marker, pen, and brush types. She even frequently uses good ol' Crayola markers, which proves you don't need fancy materials to make something beautiful.
3. @samzawrites
Sam's playful and bright hand lettering is sure to make you smile. Bonus for Harry Potter fans: She's currently participating in a HP lettering challenge so she's got lots of Potterdom themed content.
4. @handlettereddesign
Lisa stands out by cleverly using hand lettering to visually convey messages & questions to her audience, and to generate dialogue. Bonus: Lisa and her hand lettering partner in crime Addi also offer online classes and resources for those who want to learn lettering.
5. @pfirnberg
Paige incorporates a lot of incredible textures into her hand lettering, and her letterform arrangements are gorgeous.
6. @mdemilan
David creates some killer color gradients in his lettering (although he has yet to reveal his secret method) and infuses a lot of his content with humor. Bonus: his #TypeMyBrand series is brilliant, beautiful, and a noteworthy method for catching the attention of a brand you want to work with.
7. @ep_lettering
Erica's lightweight pencil and micron hand letterings are elegant and flawless. Can't help but swoon at that line work.
What other analog arts are popping up in your social networks?
Creative Community Developer at Snapfluence.
I'm the Oxford comma's biggest fan.


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Haters Back Off: Miranda Sings Is Getting Her Own Netflix Show
UPDATE (9/23): Haters Back Off has its first teaser trailer. Watch below.
YouTubers are taking over, and don't you dare forget it.
The latest evidence? Miranda Sings, lipstick enthusiast, natural beauty and Voice Of Our Generation (as played by actress Colleen Evans née Ballinger), is getting her very own show.
In her latest video, Sings dropped the big news to her adoring Mirfandas (and haters): She's pregnant! No, just kidding. She's not married! How could she be pregnant? She's not a SINNER. She's giving birth...to a Netflix series called Haters Back Off.
"I thought I would do some charity work this year, and that's why I wanted to help out Netflix. It's this little website and I thought I could really help them out," the ever-humble chanteuse explained before going into graphic detail about the physical stress of putting together a show. Writers! Set designers! Costume designers! And all she wants is just do it herself.
Netflix is taking forever to finish the show, but she'll let us know when it's finally done. Stop ticking her off, Netflix!
For now, you can tweet #MirandaSingsOnNetflix on Titter to show her that you're really, really essited about this new development.
Know Your Internet Star: The Most Popular YouTubers and Viners


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Golf is 100% mental and 100% physical.
You can't tease one from the other. They are completely interconnected. When you are playing well, you are thinking well. Conversely, when you are playing bad, you start to think worse.
The problem is that when golfers engage in bad play, they blame it on their physical game. However, in most cases, their bad play comes from their bad mental game such as performance anxiety and lack of confidence. Both will have a disastrous effect on your game and score.
The other major problem is that golfers don't know how to work on their mental game. However, working on the mental game will fix your problem.
Well here is your opportunity!
The International Golf Psychology Association (IGPA) has created a golf psychology certification course called, Mastering Golf Psychology™. This course will share with you the secrets of the mental game that all the best players on the PGA Tour and LPGA Tour use to play their best under pressure. You will learn all the essential mental game fundamentals as well as how to apply these fundamentals to your game.After completing this course, you will be able to take your best swings from the range to the golf course and become the player you always wanted to be.
The course will teach you how to master anxiety, confidence, concentration, motivation, and awareness in its 5 sections. In each section, there are easy to understand videos, articles and drills. Go to "Sample Lesson" to see the Anxiety section, which is representative of each section.
Also, and essential to many, once you complete this course you will be certified as a golf psychology expert endorsed by the IGPA-The World Leader in Teaching the Mental Game of Golf.
To be certified, you will be given an assessment which follows every section (There are five sections). You need only a 70% to pass every section test. But you will be able to take the test as many times as needed to pass. Once you pass all sections, and you will pass, you will be certified as a golf psychology expert endorsed by the IGPA.
Once you complete this course, you will be an expert in golf psychology. The Mastering Golf Psychology course will help your own game as well as help you to teach these concepts to your students.
This golf psychology course is the only mental game course endorsed by the United States Golf Teaching Federation and the International PGA.
PGA Professional will earn "2" PGA Required Education Credit when they complete the course.
LPGA has also approved this course for continuing education credit.
Keith Willocks, PGA Class A Professional states, "As an instructor and tournament player for the last 20 years, I know the importance of the mental game. This course is the best course in this field to teach you the key fundamentals to golf psychology."
Click the Select button below to begin!
(If you have a promo code- you will be able to enter it after you have added the course to your cart.)
|Mastering Golf Psychology
|$399.00 now.


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How The Junto Institute Got Its Name/
In 1727, a young man in colonial Philadelphia formed a group of 12 artisans and tradesmen for the purpose of mutual improvement and philosophical debate. They were the entrepreneurs of the day: cobblers, lithographers, blacksmiths, etc.
They met every Friday evening and, over time, their discourse-fueled sessions led to experiential activites and initiatives. The most famous one involved the members borrowing books from each other.
Over time, those initiatives began to spill into the Philadelphia community and, as they took root there, began to spread across the emerging nation.
Today, such American institutions as our volunteer firehouse, public universities, public hospitals, and yes - our public library system - all trace their roots back to these 12 young men and what they initiated. Led by a young Benjamin Franklin, it's an understatement to say that they changed the course of American life.
Franklin called this collection of 12 men "the Junto" which means "group" in Latin, one of the many languages that Franklin was believed to be fluent in. Furthermore, he used an alternate name for the group - the Leather Apron Club - since so many of the members literally wore leather aprons as part of their vocation.
As a Benjamin Franklin buff, this story was an inspiration to me. Twelve young men had such an impact on American society and changed the course of history.
Some of my old friends and colleagues know that, in 2006, I formed a small group of entrepreneurs with the mission of creating peer-to-peer dialogue that could help improve Chicago as an entrepreneurial community. Inspired by Ben Franklin's Junto, I named this new group the "Chicago Junto" and it met regularly for about two years, after which it went dormant.
Fast-forward a few years to the period when I was working on what became The Junto Institute. As I wrote recently, I had two friends - David and Jeff - who helped me in the initial research and development period. We were debating different names, none of which garnered a consensus buy-in.
One day in March of 2012, we resumed the naming discussion in our West Loop office. David and Jeff were both seated on a couch and I was standing in front of a long whiteboard that had the dozens of names we had brainstormed.
It suddenly occurred to me that there may be a name which would be perfect so I decided to tell them the story of Ben Franklin's group...a longer, more detailed version than the one above. I explained who was involved, why he did it, and how much of a lasting effect Ben and his colleagues had on our country.
I paused and finished, "Because we believe that this venture is going to have an impact on the people and the companies that go through it, and since it will be a learning organization, I recommend we name it, 'The Junto Institute'."
They both literally jumped up and exclaimed "Yes!" as we exchanged high-fives. And that's how The Junto Institute was christened.
A little over a year later, Catherine and I agreed that we didn't want to give standard diplomas or certificates to the Junto graduates. Instead, we decided to give each company a custom-made leather apron. It was an appropriate symbol of the hard work they put into improving themselves under the tutelage of their Mentors and Instuctors: seasoned entrepreneurs and CEOs who are the craftsmen.
And once again, we decided to honor Benjamin Franklin's group by naming our alumni organization, "The Leather Apron Club".


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updateThe version of X-LR available on this site now includes some minor improvements since the initial version 1.40.0 was released.
If you want to take advantage of these, download the plugin again and install it.
Or just wait until I trigger the automatic update process for the next full version.
The next version has some significant improvements:
- Support for X-H1 Eterna film simulation
- Extracts maker notes as custom fields
- Can run a preset if the camera detected faces
- Read ratings and film simulations from JPEG-only shots
- Expert Mode
- Incremental Lightroom slider values
- Ranges of values – eg FacesDetected tag greater than 1 can apply a portrait preset
- Better logging
As well as English, X-LR supports Italian, German and French, but I would appreciate help with Lightroom's other languages – I have Spanish, Swedish, Dutch and Portuguese ready. Email me if you feel like translating about 20 pieces of text in return for a free licence.
Feature requests and ideas
Go on, ask…..


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Attractive easy interface. Excellent results in independent lab tests. Effective built-in support. Speed full scan. Bonus system tuning and privacy features. Rescue Disk can scan even systems that won't boot.
Earned mediocre scores in my hands-on malware removal and blocking tests. Erroneously identified two PCMag utilities as malware (false positives).
Bottom Line
Kaspersky's latest antivirus looks better than ever, and independent labs consistently put it at or near the top. In my hands-on tests it scored well below what the labs would suggest, though, and it made a couple of serious faux pas false positives.
Kaspersky Lab is a household name for European computer users, and Kaspersky routinely releases its new versions in Europe several months before they do so in the U.S. Your friends in Madrid or Prague may have installed the latest version months ago, but for us here in the states Kaspersky Anti-Virus 2011 ($59.95 direct for three licenses) is brand-new, and it's pretty good, too.
Similar Products
Based on user feedback the company has toned down the user interface. The main window used to bristle with full-color icons representing different security components. Now it includes just a handful of iconssimple one-color silhouettes. I like the new look.
On the "Protection Center" tab you find panels for different types of protection. Expanding a panel lets you easily enable, disable, or configure the individual components. Kaspersky offers the now-expected red/yellow/green status indicator with a button to fix any problems. A savvy user can get more details about any pending actions by clicking the Status tab of the Reports window. Overall, the UI is attractive and easy to follow.
Praise from the Labs
The independent testing labs have nothing but praise for Kaspersky antivirus technology. West Coast Labs and ICSA Labs both certify it for virus detection and cleanup; West Coast gives it additional checkmark certifications including detection of Trojans and general malware. The most up-to-date Kaspersky technology has passed all of the last ten VB100 tests by Virus Bulletin, though an older product tested earlier this year didn't quite make the grade.
When AV-Test.org ran a special two-month dynamic protection test last year Kaspersky ranked in the top three for both malware detection and malware blocking. The other two top slots in each case went to Norton Internet Security 2010 ($69.99 direct, ), which took the top score for detection, and PC Tools Internet Security 2010 ($49.95 direct, ), which demonstrated the best removal.
AV-Comparatives.org regularly tests antivirus products, alternating between on-demand tests and proactive non-signature tests. In both the latest on-demand test and the latest proactive test, Kaspersky scored ADVANCED+, the top score possible, and in both cases it registered few false positives. AV-Comparatives ran their own dynamic protection test last year; Norton and Kaspersky were the only products to achieve ADVANCED+ in that test. Kaspersky also scored ADVANCED+ in a performance test, less impressive considering over 60 percent of the products tested achieved this top score.
Easy Installation, Helpful Support
Kaspersky's antivirus is specifically designed to install even on malware-infested systems. Installation was no trouble on 11 of my 13 test systems, but a devious malware trick derailed its installer on the other two. I simply burned a Rescue Disk on one of the successful systems and used that to clean up the holdouts. I could also have downloaded the Rescue Disk directly from Kaspersky or tried the no-installation Kaspersky Virus Removal Tool.
I did run into one situation where Kaspersky deadlocked with a pesky malware sample. Kaspersky detected it and offered to run a special disinfection scan followed by a reboot. However, on reboot it made the same offer again and again, ad nauseam. The Rescue CD didn't help, scanning in Safe Mode didn't help, and this clash of the Titans rendered the test system almost unusable.
Kaspersky's impressive built-in support came to the rescue. On advice from a support tech, I turned on tracing and generated a log file. I then used a built-in tool to create a system state report, and I ran a Kaspersky-supplied tool called GetSystemInfo. After analyzing the resulting data the tech supplied a cleanup script. When I fed the script into the built-in support tool, it wiped out the malware, breaking the deadlock. Hooray! Note that U.S.-based phone and live chat support is free for all Kaspersky users.Next: Scan and Scan Again


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patterns > Run To the Outhouse and 2 more...
> Union Suit - Babies & Toddlers
Union Suit - Babies & Toddlers
buy it now or visit pattern website
Buy 2 or more Union Suit patterns and receive 20% off. Offer applies to any previously purchased Union Suit Patterns. Children's Sizes & Adult Sizes
"Based on the one piece long underwear worn for the past century in the America's, the Union Suit is a classic outfit that is designed for comfort and warmth. It features seamless construction with raglan shaping, a front buttoned opening from neck to gusset, a backside opening with a buttoned flap, a roomy gusset, tapered arms and legs & doubled cuffs.
"When worked in soft wool, the Union Suit is the perfect outfit to wear over a cloth diaper.
"Diaper changes can be done by pulling babies legs through the backside opening or through the front opening. The backside flap is also convenient for parents who practice Elimination Communication.
"The Union Suit is sure to be a favorite go-to garment for all parents!"*
Advanced Beginner due to short rows, lifted increases, seamless knitting, in the round
Children & Adult Size Patterns will be coming soon!
2644 projects
stashed 1528 times
- Page created: September 6, 2011
- Last updated: September 8, 2014 …
- visits in the last 24 hours
- visitors right now


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District Staff
General Manager Tony Constantouros
Anthony Constantouros has nearly 40 years' experience working for 5 Bay Area local governments. Most recently, he served 18 years as the City Manager for the Town of Hillsborough. Career highlights include:·
- Economic development projects
- Community development block grants
- Fire Department merger
- Resolution of labor conflicts
- Detention facility planning
- 10-year capital improvement programs
- Balanced operating budgets
- Conversion of closed school to Sports Center
- Terrace Gardens Senior Housing
- Ford automobile assembly plant conversion
- Shoreline Park audit & reorganization
- Redevelopment project areas
- Update of General Plan
- Revision of City Code
- Housing element certification
Mr. Constantouros holds a B.S. from the University of California at Berkeley and an M.B.A. from the University of San Francisco. He has been an Adjunct Professor at Golden Gate University,
Instructing over 40 M.B.A. and M.P.A. courses. He has also instructed at San Francisco State University and the California Fire Academy. He has been awarded a Program Excellence Award from the International City/County Management Association.
District Adminstrator Lynn Wolter
Police Specialist Andrea Di Napoli


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- Difficulty to Follow
- Research Support
- Cost
- Safety
- Effectiveness
What is it?
It is a 12 week diet program that has been designed on the basis of the diet followed by the contestants of the NBC reality TV's much acclaimed fitness program, The Biggest Loser. The prime aim of this low calorie diet plan is to lower the intake of refined carbohydrates as well as fats, thereby reducing the amount of calorie consumption and promoting for a healthy lifestyle. In fact, the Biggest Loser Diet Plan focuses on calorie restriction, which at the same time depends on the dieter's weight.
How many calories do I ingest?
In order to calculate the allowed intake of calories, a dieter has to multiply his present weight by seven and the result will be the amount of allowable calories intake per day. For instance, if your weight is 220 lbs, then your allowable calorie intake will be 1,540 (220*7). As you begin to lose the weight, your calorie allowance will also decrease.
Developed by Dr. Michael Dansinger in conjunction with experienced dietitians, this meal plan has been structured in accordance with the 4-3-2-1 Biggest Loser Pyramid, which in turn represents the number of servings that you could consume daily. As such, it includes 4 servings of fruits and vegetables, 3 servings of lean proteins, 2 servings of complex carbohydrates and 1 serving of healthy fat.
How does it work?
As discussed earlier, the Biggest Loser Diet is a 12-week diet program that works on the basis of a simple concept ie 4-3-2-1. In other words, over the period of 12 weeks, you are expected to intake small, low calorie, recurrent meals loaded with plenty of protein and fiber. In order to participate in this diet plan, all you need to do is to log on to the NBC's subsidiary diet plan, www.biggestloserclub.com. Upon joining the program, it offers an individualized diet plan that is akin to the reality show. This in turn is focused to meet your specific health as well as nutrition requirements, and includes daily meal plans, grocery lists and recipes. The Biggest Loser Club enables you to contact the show's two trainers: Bob and Jillian for further support and information. Apart from these, the program also renders animated fitness demonstration, in addition to useful diet tips, nutrition articles and a message board.
What are the foods allowed ?
This plan primarily recommends you to eat natural and unprocessed food items, as they are typically lower in calories and help to deal with the hunger more effectively. In fact, whole grain food items are an integral part of this diet program because they rich in fiber and hence provide natural fullness, thereby causing the dieters to eat less. Additionally, protein, especially lean protein, is recommended. As such, the food items that could be consumed while observing this diet plan are:
- Plenty of fruits and vegetables
- Turkey or chicken breast meat
- Egg whites
- Omega-3 enriched fish items such as cold water fish
- Small servings of nuts and seeds
What Foods are not Allowed?
Simple carbohydrate foods such as:
- Foods containing sugar and white flour
- Desserts
- Jams
- Condiments
- Refined carbohydrate foods such as: white rice, potatoes.
- Processed meats like: red meat, sausages, bologna, hot dogs
- Foods with high content of saturated fats: butter and cheese, high fat dairy products
One of the prime benefits of this diet plan is that it helps you to shed off your extra weight without deprivation or losing your energy. In fact, you can intake a variety of whole and natural foods while observing this diet plan. Another benefit of this diet plan is that it has been designed by expert nutritionists in conjunction with a panel of professional medical practitioners. Other significant things regarding this diet plan are:
- Convenient and easy to follow
- Nutritional advice is available on the website
- Diabetic meal plan is available
- Meals can be ordered online or by phone
- Home delivery right to the door
- High success rates
Is there any drawback for this diet plan?
There are few drawbacks associated with this diet plan, such as:
- Meals plans are not customizable
- Limited vegetable choices
- Limited fruit choices
- Portion controlled meals are not available
Meal Plan
Meal plans as well as recipes that range from 1,200 to 1,800 calories per day. This is a very calorie restrictive meal plan.
Exercise in the Plan
Exercise is key to achieve desired results from this diet program. The personal trainers will recommend certain workout plans, mostly cardio and strength training exercises, for the uses, and they are required to follow them as prescribed.
How much will it cost to participate in this diet plan?
It may set you back about $20 to become a member of the Biggest Loser Diet Plan.


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The kid during his early life requires physical exercise and entertainment, while being active. Moms and dads nevertheless need to make sure that their youngsters travel in comfort and luxury whenever they are in open public areas. That's exactly where the infant stroller comes in handy. When you have two little ones the best sit and stand stroller with twice as much space and power is expected. Each and every new double baby stroller will come with the usual and fundamental framework, color, design, characteristics and normally its largest differences are generally in the level of quality of their design and material utilised. The pros of carrying two youngsters at one time assist the parents. All of these twin spaced baby strollers enable you to lock the front tires whenever needed making your kids journey a safer one. This is extremely beneficial for those who don't wish to be using the braking system repeatedly in a slope or any other unbalanced landscapes, helping to make climbing up and down easy.
The braking system also works by foot which is indeed pretty effectively reactive, also, the rear wheel includes suspension to avoid any potential turbulence and also your children are totally free from unexpected hazards. A new twin infant stroller like this could actually save you lots of cash in the end depending on how its made for kids over six months all of the way to tots and doesn't skimp anyplace in quality as well as construction.
You will find a bunch of economical double strollers in the marketplace and indeed they may appear alright, nevertheless they are in fact not the best travel systems trollers to buy. The top brands comes pretty near to excellent and for those who truly require a long lasting twin stroller with incredible quality it's absolutely correct for you to have a take a look around in different retail shops. After all ones kids health and safety is dependent upon this point.
Typically the baby jogger can be a faster way to carry the little ones outside in style. This baby Jogger is as well a leading line of baby transportation strollers. Typically the Baby Jogger Corporation stands out as the leading original developer and supplier of maximum functionality joggers and the all-terrain 3 wheel stroller to ensure that your youngsters could go hiking together with you. Baby Jogger's pushchairs happen to be the industry leader for the last 25 years or so and they are world-renowned regarding their remarkable level of quality, revolutionary styles, agility and very simple performance making the company a legend in the market. Its wholly commited in making strollers for kids that are very high end, great on quality and also provides the infant product group with its first-class items. Mothers and fathers no longer have difficulty having to take their children anyplace .Let's be honest, your baby desires to be a part of your life's joyful moments.


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Shraddha Das (born March 4, 1987) is an Indian film actress who has mainly appeared in Telugu films.Shraddha Das was born in Mumbai, Maharashtra to Bengali parents.1 Her father is a businessman, who hails from Purulia, her mother is a housewife. She was brought up in Mumbai, where she completed her studies. Shraddha graduated from University of Mumbai at SIES College of Commerce and Economics with a Bachelor of Mass Media degree in journalism.Shraddha Das made her acting debut in 2008 with the Telugu film Sidhu from Srikakulam. She thereafter starred in a number of Telugu films, including Target, 18, 20 Love Story, Diary and Adhineta, which all proved to be critically and commercially unsuccessful.She played the female lead in Adhineta, her sixth film in Telugu with hero Jagapati Babu and director Samudra. She played the other female lead in the remake of Maro Charitra produced by Dil Raju, opposite Varun Sandesh. She then landed a lead role in Sai Om Films' maiden venture Lahore, directed by Sanjay Puran Singh Chauhan. Shraddha played a Pakistani character in the film, cast opposite Aanaahad, and received critical acclaim for her performance. The film was released in March 2010 and won awards at the 42nd WorldFest-Houston International Film Festival. Due to her appearances in the sequels of Arya (Arya 2), Mantra (Diary) and Chandramukhi (Nagavalli), Shraddha Das has acquired the nickname "sequel queen". In her upcoming venture, Rey, she plays an American pop singer.
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Publisher: Scholastic
Genre(s): YA/Middle Grade Fantasy
*5 Books*
~Spoiler free~
The Underland Chronicles tells the story of Gregor, a seemingly average 11year- old boy, and his adventures in Underland, a world he discovers one day when he falls through a vent in his apartment.
~Spoiler free~
The Underland Chronicles tells the story of Gregor, a seemingly average 11year- old boy, and his adventures in Underland, a world he discovers one day when he falls through a vent in his apartment.
UNPOPULAR OPINION ALERT: To be honest, I liked this series waaaaaay better than the Hunger Games. In fact, I felt like this series was really underrated and overshadowed by the Hunger Games.
Well, I think that topic merits its own post.:)
For now, I've complied a bullet list of the reasons of why I absolutely love the Underland Chronicles.
For now, I've complied a bullet list of the reasons of why I absolutely love the Underland Chronicles.
(Note: There won't be any spoilers for this series but there will be a few spoilers for the Hunger Games that I have left uncovered. Read at your own risk!)
1 1. Characters: (Was it just me or were all the characters really similar to the ones in Percy Jackson? Or the other way around, since this series came out first. Gregor wasn't quite a sass master like Percy, but other than that, they were pretty similar. This type of character must be a common thing because I've heard the characters of Percy Jackson be compared to Harry Potter (mostly in appearance; I'm not sure personality-wise because I haven't actually read Harry Potter). Maybe that's why I really loved this book series- because it was so similar to Percy Jackson. )
The thing I loved most about this book, and what I felt was somewhat lacking in the Hunger Games, was the chemistry between the characters. There wasn't really romantic chemistry (hints here there), but the family and friendship dynamic was amazing. You could see how much Gregor loved and cared for his sister. It was clearly evident throughout the book with everything Gregor did. In contrast, yes, Katniss did love her sister, and yes, her actions showed it, but as I was reading the book, I felt like Katniss viewed her sister as more of a delicate object to be protected (she was delicate, but a person isn't an object). The love Katniss felt for her sister could be argued as genuine, but at the same time, I personally felt there was an underlying coldness and a little resentment from Katniss to her sister. There was something off about their relationship. But with Gregor, all I could see was his sweet affection and unconditional love for his sister. (I'll explore this more on the next post!)
There were other relationships I adored, especially Luxa and Gregor, Ripred and Gregor, and Ares and Gregor.
In a bullet list within another bullet list:
- Luxa and Gregor: They went from I-find-you-interesting-and-as-about-trustworthy-as-cockroaches (not to bash cockroaches, but they were seen as lower class; to be honest, though, they were actually really cute in this book) to I'll-trust-you-with-my-bat (which is a pretty big deal!).
-Ripred and Gregor: Ripred is the snarky (and hilarious) mentor who, besides the cockroaches and Ares, was one of my favorite non-human characters in the books. They have a I-care-for-you-like-you're-family-but-I'll-pretend-I-don't type of relationship. Ripred is gruff, but caring in his own way.
- Ares and Gregor: They started off as sort of enemies, but grew to love and care for each other. Their relationship was very honorable with a tinge of sweetness. (It's a bit weird to describe their relationship like this, but I think "honorable" really sums up their interactions.)
2. The plot: Oh my goodness, the story was AWESOME. I can't gush about it enough! It was exciting, entertaining, and fun. It was fast paced too, and there were so many twists and turns with each book; it definitely kept you on your toes. Again, I felt the stories were similar to Percy Jackson in nature; I don't know if it was just me, but there were A LOT of similarities between *certain* scenes.
But read and decide for yourself. ;)
I can't really say more about the overall plot without giving away spoilers, but it was really something (prepare thy heartstrings to be tugged and soul to be ripped). And that ending? I can't guarantee it won't disappoint (in a good way!), but it was satisfying. So satisfying. (Mockingjay doesn't hold a candle to it.)
3. The world: Made me want to find a vent and jump in myself ;). It might not be appealing to everyone (there were rats, bugs, bats…), but I personally love bugs, and the description of this place was beautiful. Seriously. There are few authors that could make an underground fantasy world beautiful, creepy, and real all at the same time- Ms. Collins is one of them.
The world building was just amazing. The author built up this world slowly, telling us only what we needed to know at that time- and there was a lot to know (esp. the prophecies!). No info dumps or lack of info. This book was a great example of balancing telling and showing.
4. Messages/themes: This series was really lovely, not just in the plot and characters, but also in themes and messages. It was mostly focused on themes of loyalty, family, doing what's right, and destiny/fate (PARTICULARLY THIS!). Now, these themes might sound cliche and overly done (esp. nowadays with YA books popping out like cake pops), but the author doesn't just plow you in the face with them. It was very subtle, and writing this review now (I read this series again a month or two ago), I found myself realizing more connections and more themes within the novels that I hadn't before.
5. Addiction level: INSANE. This series was amazing. Honestly, I think I've read this series only a few less times than I've read Percy Jackson (and you guys all know my obsessive love for that!!). The thing I think that made this book so great was the chemistry between the characters and the characters themselves. The plot itself was amazing, but with cardboard characters, even the best plots can be ruined. Here, we were lucky enough to get both a great plot and awesometastic characters!
Final thoughts? So usually, I would take issue with the fact that Gregor was THE ONE. But here, there was a rare exception of that being done well and being done with a plot twist. (!!)
Can't recommend this series enough!!
Rating: 5 out of 5


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Heavenly Strawberry Drop
Heavenly Strawberry Drop
Angelic in appearance with sparkling personalities, try adopting one of the "Heavenly Drop" Bats. Gold flakes in its fur is the distinctive feature of this specific Candy Shoppe Bat. Because of its sparklyness it can be a bit of a diva.
Designed and Handmade by Stove and Yoshi Studios


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This is something we are going to try out called Saturday Morning CARtoons. This is where we are going to share a car related video that we think is cool every week. It could be anything from racing videos, to car reviews, to documentaries. It may relate to what is happening in the automotive world, or in our podcast, or it could just be a random video we like that week.
This week is Ken Block's first Gymkhana video. This was brought back into my mind by this week's release of Gymkhana 8. Of all his videos, I have always liked this one best. There is no huge budgets, no insane exotic locations, just a man and his car. It has a very grassroots feel that I just like more. It is almost like any of us could make this video if you had an overpowered car, lots of car control skill, and a few friends with GoPros.
Let us know what you think of this video, or even the idea of Saturday Morning CARtoons, in the comments below or on any of our social media sites. Keep an eye on this Blog space, because we have a lot more coming for you guys. Enjoy!


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The Relationship Series: Dating the Right Way
When I was a single gal in my late teens and early twenties, this is what I envisioned for my dating life: I would meet the man of my dreams and we would date for a short time, get engaged, have the perfect wedding, and ease right into a long life together. I basically wanted the fairytale story without any bumps or hurdles along the way.
Little did I know that the dream I concocted in my head was just that...a dream. I did find a husband who was more than I could ever want, however, it wasn't all fairytale.
Too many people spend more time in their head dreaming up the perfect person [who doesn't exist] with their lists and sometimes impossible standards instead of being real, in the moment, and open to possibilities they never dreamed of!
Here's what I'm getting to--don't spend more time dreaming up the perfect person than living out an authentic life devoted to what God has called you to. Be open to the possibilities in your dating life!
Now, once you've found that person you want to date and explore a future with (and you should be ready for a future!), go into it with eyes wide open. I just wrote an article for Propel Women about how I didn't do this and it cost me big time; I hope you'll check it out here. In it, I share how my lack of awareness, openness to weakness, and boundaries had devasting effects.
This is what I want to share with you today.
Be aware - that the enemy would love nothing more than to take a godly couple and isolate them. To use the excitement and newness of the relationship to have them drift from church, their community, and God's desire for their life. It's here he wants you so that temptation can get the best of you and lead you into sin.
Be open to your weakness - which I go into in great detail in the Propel article. Peter was not open to what Jesus said about his coming failure and so he did not properly prepare for the moment he would be tempted (John 18). Peter was not open to his weakness and thus did the very thing he never thought he would do.
Establish boundaries - so that you can properly guard yourself. This might mean never being alone together, or waiting to kiss, or I don't know, but you do! Know your weaknesses and do what you must to protect yourself from going there.
Dating is fun, adventurous, and exciting! However, if not pursued with realistic expectations, it can leave you confused, hurt, and with baggage. It goes back to what I shared last week regarding being single: first and foremost you must stay connected to Jesus. Without Him, your dating life is just asking to be a mess, in all honestly. Furthermore, your first love for him will allow you to love others better.
Pursue dating in a way that is as healthy as possible. Stay connected to Jesus, be open to possibilities (good and bad), establish boundaries, and take your time. There's no rush to get married! My husband's mom once told him to date someone for at least all 4 seasons so that he can get to know a girl. We did that cycle 5 times, haha, but I'm so glad we didn't rush it. I went into my marriage really knowing the man I was marrying and it's made being a newlywed a bit easier.
Make smart choices and have fun!
[To read more about my dating journey and some of the struggles I faced along the way, check out this 3-part series I did for Single Christianity Magazine!]
Something I thought would be fun to do is share a slideshow of me enjoying these various stages of life! Here are some of my favorite moments from when my husband and I dated...enjoy :)


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University of Richmond
University of Richmond
Experimental Project for Solarworld
Richmond, VA
Completion August 2016
VA Beach Battery Backup
Battery Backup 3kW Outback
Virginia Beach, VA
Completion: February 2013
Whitestone Backup
Potomac River battery backup 2kW
Whitestone, VA
Completion: January 2013
Veterans Administration Hospital
9kW LEED
Richmond, VA
Completion Date: October 2012
Manchester Motor Works
Historic Multi-family conversion
10kW Enphase Microinverters
Completion Date: September 2012
Powhatan PV
8.64kW ground mount
Powhatan, VA
Completion: March 2012
Fredericksburg PV Phase 1
5.2kW ground mount
Fredericksburg, VA
Completion: September 2011
Prince William County Courthouse
McCoart Courthouse 25kW
Prince William, VA
Completion: August 2011
Duncan Street Thermal
Solar water heating
Ashland, VA
Completion: March 2011
Lake Tecumseh Boat Portage
Off-Grid PV for boat portage winch
Virginia Beach, VA
Completion: January 2011
Bliley Garage
20.5kW PV/ 15 Solar Thermal Systems
LEED and Historic Rehabilitation
Richmond, VA
Completion: August 2010
Link: Bliley Garage
Wolf Creek Water Reclamation Facility
2.7kW Enphase
Abingdon, VA
Completion: May 2010
Parham Road Standing Seam
S-5! Standing seam metal clips/ Enphase
Richmond, VA
Completion: January 2010
Fan Distric Flat Roof
2.2kW ballasted
Richmond, VA
Completion: August 2009
Ashland Duncan St
Ashland, VA
Completion: May 2009
Scott's Edge Apartments
Scott's Edge Apartments
Historic Rehabilitation
Richmond, VA
Completion: December 2014
Monitoring Link: Click Here
VA Beach Sweet Gum
ABB Microinverters (5.67kW)
Virginia Beach, VA
Completion date: December 2014
Monitoring Link: Click Here
Powhatan Mega Backup
Residential PV add-on with battery backup
17kW PV
SMA, Deka Unigy II, Schott
Completion: Phase 3: December 2013
Gloucester Backup
Battery back up 3.2kW
Gloucester, VA
Completion: October 2013
Massey Building
Historic Multi-Family 18kW
Richmond, VA
Completion Date: October 2013
Yorktown Naval Weapons Station
U.S. Navy
82kW roof mount PV
Williamsburg, VA
Completion: May 2013
Purcell PV
Residential 8kW
Enphase Microinverters
Glen Allen, VA
Completion: February 2013
Mt. Hermon
Mt. Hermon
SMA/ Schott
Powhatan, VA
Completion: April 2011
Locke Taylor DVM
10kW / Phase 2
Glen Allen, VA
Completion: January 2011
Rockville Horse Farm Backup
1.32kW Battery backup
Rockville, VA
Completion: December 2010
Powhatan Extreme
Part 1: 17kW
Powhatan, VA
Completion: May 2010
Twin Oaks Community Phase 1
Louisa, VA
Completion: April 2010
Northside Family Life Center
20.16kW Thin Film / Poly Hybrid Design Only
Richmond, VA
Completion: September 2009
Spoonbill Powhatan
Sharp / SMA
Powhatan, VA
Completion: August 2009
Locke Taylor Veterinarian Office Phase 1
5.5kW w/ 20kW Standby Generator
Shockoe's FIRST Project!
Completion: December 2008


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This chart shows the user demographics for both Yahoo sites and Tumblr. There has been a lot of speculation surrounding Yahoo's recent acquisition of Tumblr, and this chart shows that it grants access to a younger demographic. 40% of Tumblr users are aged 15-24 vs 24% of Yahoo's user base.
Related stories: blogging demographics digital companies digital data Digital Intelligence digital marketing digital trends marketing social media and social networking Tumblr Yahoo


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For nine years now, I have served on a Rockefeller University committee that awards a more-or-less annual prize for science writing -- not to a full-time reporter the likes of me, but to a distinguished researcher with a gift for unraveling science to a wide public audience: Jared Diamond, Oliver Sacks, Carl Sagan, and E. O. Wilson figure among the winners. The prize went first to physician and poet Lewis Thomas, shortly before his death in 1993, and has been known ever since as the Lewis Thomas Prize. Dr. Thomas's literary essays in The New England Journal of Medicine, collected in popular volumes such as The Lives of a Cell and Late Night Thoughts on Listening to Mahler's Ninth Symphony set a high standard for later honorees.
This past week, psychologist Kay Redfield Jamison of the Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore became the first woman to receive the Lewis Thomas Prize. The award citation praised her book, Touched With Fire: Manic-Depressive Illness and the Artistic Temperament, for changing minds in the medical community as well as the general public on the nature and stigma of mental illness.
A perk of serving on the selection committee is attending the winner's invited lecture on the Rockefeller campus -- a gated enclave for research and advanced education in the medical sciences, perched at the easternmost edge of mid-town Manhattan, where the current faculty includes six Nobel laureates.
Dr. Jamison opened herself to the audience at the start of her remarks by alluding to her own manic-depressive illness, or bi-polar disorder, which struck her at age seventeen. She stressed the importance of early diagnosis and treatment, since the condition worsens over time, and she credited lithium with an eight-fold reduction in the number of suicides attributable to manic depression.
Her other books include An Unquiet Mind: A Memoir of Moods and Madness, in which she describes her own alternating episodes of suicidal depression and sleep-deprived mania. In addition to her teaching at Hopkins and clinical work in its Mood Disorders Center, she is currently writing a biography of American poet Robert Lowell, one of several manic-depressive artists she discusses in Touched With Fire.
Dr. Jamison saluted Lewis Thomas by letting him have the last words of her talk: "The capacity to blunder slightly is the real marvel of DNA," he had written in The Lives of a Cell. "Without this special attribute, we would still be anaerobic bacteria and there would be no music."


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October 1, 2002, Section E, Page 4Buy Reprints
Frank Zappa's fascination with contemporary classical music is evident even in some of his early Mothers of Invention albums, and by the mid-1980's he was overseeing recordings of his own classical works as a sideline to his rock endeavors. The Meridian Arts Ensemble -- a brass quintet, augmented on this occasion by piano and percussion -- was taken with Zappa's music, and not long before his death in 1993 the group won his approval for its arrangements of several of his pieces.
The group played those arrangements as a tribute to Zappa at Merkin Concert Hall on Wednesday evening. Included as well were works that Zappa found influential, by Gesualdo, Stravinsky and Conlon Nancarrow, along with Ira Taxin's pointillistic Brass Quintet (1973), which Zappa was known to admire. And there were scores by Stephen Barber and Don Van Vliet (better known as Captain Beefheart), musicians who worked with Zappa.
It was a program with considerable appeal. Mr. Taxin's work, which opened it, quickly demonstrated the virtuosity of the ensemble's brass players: even the tuba lines, often the source of muddy intonation in brass groups, were cleanly and precisely articulated. Mr. Barber's ''Semahane -- Whirling Wall'' (1993) was enlivened by a combination of vigorous, high-energy brass playing and delicate, almost Bachian pianism, supported by percussion writing that varied from the sparkling to the explosive.
Helena Bugallo, a pianist, gave an agile reading of Nancarrow's spare-textured but rhythmically tricky ''Canon A for Ursula.'' And Stravinsky was represented by the brief ''Fanfare for New Theater'' (1964) and ''Fanfare'' (1953), works that were juxtaposed with arrangements of two 17th-century madrigals by Gesualdo, the only works in which the group's intonation began to flag.
The ensemble was at its best in two works by Mr. Van Vliet -- ''A Carrot Is as Close as a Rabbit Gets to a Diamond'' and ''Suction Prints'' -- and the three Zappa scores. Rhythmically and harmonically both composers threw more than a few curves, but what gave this music its irresistible appeal was a freewheeling combination of sensibilities that included rock, jazz, 1920's pop and modernist classicism as well as a measure of sheer zaniness.
The musicians were Jon Nelson and Brian McWhorter, trumpeters; Daniel Grabois, hornist; Benjamin Herrington, trombonist; Raymond Stewart, tuba player; John Ferrari, percussionist; and Ms. Bugallo.


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My dad took me to see Janis Joplin perform at Queens College in the winter of 1969. It was a sunday night...I was actually getting ready for bed and looking forward to watching the Smother's Brothers show because they were gonna repeat a showing of the Beatles doing Hey Jude....You have to realize this is well before youtube,Vcrs etc. SO, these chances to see glimpses of the Beatles were few and far between, and for anyone who knows me, you know how big that is/was to me.
So he tells me we are gonna go see Janis. I had never heard of her yet. He wanted to go because he said she had been compared to Bessie Smith. I was 11. It was a winter night. He was teaching at the time. We braved the weather, sure that school would be snowed out the next day. We didn't worry about how we got home, just wanted the snow out.
Well DAYAM, the show was so great. She was just so amazing. And it was a fairly small venue. I became so honored that he wanted me to go with him. Talk about a performer who gives it all away..and leaves nothing behind. She was all that. I was blown away. She did many encores and my dad said he was gonna stay for every single one. I was very cool with that. It was an amazing night.
Unfortunately when we got outside the snow was minimal. We waited for the busses home and had to go to our respective schools the next day.