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Nowadays high quality sleep seems more important and harder to come by than ever. With busy lives, stressful jobs and so much happening in our cyber-lives it can be hard to relax and wind down. More and more is expected of people by their bosses. The always-on technology of today means that employees are often expected to respond to calls and emails at all hours. This can lead to stress, anxiety and depression. Why risk the next good night's rest on a random act of noise in the street outside your house?
By going to bed with your ear plugs in you can be sure you won't be woken by dogs barking or next door's boiler firing. Molded ear plugs are ideal because they are superbly comfortable and excellent at blocking noise from your ears.
ZenPlugs are the only ear plugs especially designed not to protrude from your ears. This means they remain comfortable even whilst rolling over in your sleep. The plugs have a built-in bacteria destroying compound called Steritouch. This means they are even able to stop you getting ear infections from contamination of the ear plugs. This is a problem which can rear it's ugly head when you are a regular ear plug user.
Lack of sleep can lead to chronic insomnia, anxiety, depression and poor performance at work. Recently, sleep loss has been implicated in coronary artery disease. Studies have shown that those who are sleep deprived for a long time are at higher risk of having a heart attack. This is, of course, what happens in extreme situations but it goes to show how bad sleep deprivation can be for you.
Other simple tips are to make sure you have a good pillow. It is worth replacing this regularly and trying a few different types until you find one which suits you. An uncomfortable pillow or mattress could ruin your sleep.


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The first Svalbard Science Conference organized by the Norwegian Research Council took place 6-8 November in Oslo. The interest in this workshop was enormous with over 300 participants discussing atmospheric, geological, terrestrial and marine research in and around Svalbard. Arctic ABC's Malin Daase presented results from the polar night research that has been conducted in Kongsfjorden and elsewhere on Svalbard since 2012 within the (now finished) projects CIRCA and Marine Night project, and is at the moment also a focus within Arctic ABC.
Photo: The future for Svalbard research looks bright: Malin Daase and Christiaane Hübner from SIOS discussing infrastruture in Svalbard

subset: commoncrawl


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Frequently Asked Questions
How long do I have to file a personal injury claim? What if the driver who hit me is uninsured? Why do I need to hire a personal injury lawyer?
We answer these questions and many more in our collection of frequently asked questions. Unlike many websites that provide brief yes-or-no answers to important legal questions like these, we provide detailed answers to help you get a better idea of your rights, your options, and what you can hope for in the future.
If your questions are not answered here, feel free to connect with us through our website, or call us at 843-248-7486, to speak directly with us about your legal concerns.
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What can I do if my family member was killed by a person or a product?
In South Carolina, if a person's death was caused by a negligent act, an intentional act, or a defective product, the personal representative of the deceased can pursue both a "wrongful death action" and a "survival action."
To determine if you have a wrongful death claim, you will need an experienced Personal Injury Lawyer.
SC Wrongful Death Lawyer Dirk Derrick has been in practice since 1991 and has the knowledge and experience to get you the full value of the case.
Call today for your free consultation. 843-248-7486.
Who has the right to bring a "wrongful death claim" and a "survival claim"?
The personal representative of the estate has the right to file a wrongful death claim or a survival claim.
If a personal representative has been appointed, the claim process can start. If not, The Derrick Law Firm can help the right person file the necessary documents in Probate Court to get appointed.
Since 1991, SC Personal Injury Lawyer Dirk Derrick has focused on personal injury law including wrongful death claims, car accidents, workers' compensation, and other insurance based claims.
Voted Best Lawyer in Myrtle Beach and Best Lawyer in Conway, SC, Attorney Derrick has the experience and knowledge to get you the full value of your case.
What is a wrongful death claim?
A wrongful death claim is brought for the benefit of certain family members who have been harmed emotionally and/or financially by the passing of a loved one. When someone is killed by the recklessness and negligence of another's actions, a wrongful death claim is typically actionable.
Section 15-51-20 provides that a wrongful death claim is for:
1. The benefit of the wife, or husband, and child or children, of the person whose death shall have been so caused; and if there is not a wife/husband, child/children, then the
2. Benefit of the parent or parents; and if there is not a parent, then the
3. Benefit of the heirs.
Damages payable by the wrongful death claim are measured by the loss to the beneficiaries, including:
1. Financial loss
2. Mental shock and suffering
3. Wounded feelings
4. Grief and sorrow
5. Loss of society and companionship
Typically, in the event of a wrongful death, you will need an experienced Personal Injury Attorney to help facilitate and settle the claim.
If you have suffered the loss of a loved one by another's negligence, contact Myrtle Beach Injury Lawyers at The Derrick Law Firm for a FREE consultation about your potential wrongful death case. 843-248-7486.
Personal Injury Lawyer Dirk Derrick was voted BEST ATTORNEY by the readers of the Horry Independent (2014-2017) and Myrtle Beach Herald (2016-2017) and will use his 29 years of experience to get you the full value of your case.
While The Derrick Law Firm serves the state of South Carolina, there are office locations for your convenience in Myrtle Beach, Charleston, Conway, North Myrtle Beach, Mt. Pleasant, and North Charleston, SC.
What is a "Survival Action?"
If someone dies an untimely death related to another's actions, a survival action may brought for the benefit of the Estate, and includes any damages that the decedent could have sought, had he or she not died.
Therefore, you need to prove negligence, recklessness, or intentional conduct.
The following damages can be obtained in a survival action:
1. Medical bills incurred in the accident;
2. Pain and suffering incurred before death; and
3. Possibly punitive damages if the at-fault party was reckless or acted intentionally.
If you lost a loved one due to another's actions, you may have a wrongful death and survival action claim. Contact Myrtle Beach Personal Injury Lawyer Dirk Derrick for a free consultation. 843-248-7486.


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The Artwork Of Really like Military historians have normally speculated that Napoleon Bonaparte may possibly have used Sunshine Tzu's timeless treatise The Artwork of War in his victorious campaigns, losing only when he unsuccessful to follow its guidelines. Certainly, his normally stunning mobility would suggest that probably he did. Just one issue is specified The Artwork of War, created more than two and a 50 percent generations in the past, had been translated into French in 1782 by the Jesuit, Father Amiot and was out there to the Emperor. But if he did go through and make use of it, he correctly retained it to himself. Mao Tse-tung even so produced no mystery that Sunshine Tzu formed the supply of his copious functions on military services strategy, ways and guerilla warfare and his writings follow the grasp nearly word for word. And, clearly, the fingerprints of Sunshine Tzu are indelible when 1 examines the military services defeat of France and, in what may possibly be his shining hour, the defeat of the United States of The usa in Vietnam. The Artwork of War is likely the best treatise on the perform of warfare ever created. But what about its application in other fields, other endeavours?
In new yrs we have seen a spate of guides implementing Sunshine Tzu's guidelines of war to business strategy which features most notably Mark McNeilly's Sunshine Tzu and the Artwork of Small business, David H. Li's Artwork of Leadership by SunTzu and The Artwork of War for Executives by Donald G. Krause. And by all accounts they operate very effectively. But this should really be no shock. By any evaluate, The Artwork of War can be applied and direct to victory in a lot of conflicts, intercontinental relations, politics, business and in our personal struggle for survival in the socio-financial battles we everyday face. But what about adore? What about the sexual battleground?
My father was a British specialist soldier. He caught the tail finish of the 2nd Entire world War serving in the Burma marketing campaign at Imphal and Kohema. He returned to South East Asia in 1948 for the Malayan Unexpected emergency, Britain's victorious twelve yr battle to defeat communist insurgency in what is now Malaysia. And it was there that my father came into get hold of with Sunshine Tzu's The Artwork of War, an face that altered the program of his everyday living. The remaining yrs of my father's military services job were used in what he referred to as the "backwater" of NATO, a military services organism he realized to despise as an expensive tax free social club for well related civilian and military services elites. His encounters there led him to firmly think that in a confrontation with the armies of the Warsaw Pact, NATO would have been swept aside like a flimsy cobweb.
Through his job, my father produced no mystery of his belief that Sunshine Tzu should really be on the curriculums of all military services colleges and even educational facilities and universities and that military services promotion should really be contingent on a substantial passing quality in information of Sunshine Tzu. Unfortunately, As Sunshine Tzu was obligatory in the political and military services organisms in the Soviet Union and of program China, it was considered element of the philosophy of the Warsaw Pact, and my father's open advocacy of him value him dearly in phrases of promotion in my perspective. When he retired with the rank of Colonel, he moved back again to England and took up his adore of fly fishing. But military services heritage was his authentic enthusiasm. And he liked re-browsing historic battles and implementing Sunshine Tzu's guidelines of engagement to the excellent battles of the earlier.
Visiting father was, for me, normally a enjoyment in alone. But it was primarily increased by the a lot of pleasant and attractive ladies who shared his everyday living. My mom died when I was young, a schoolboy, and my father by no means remarried. Nonetheless he had an limitless coterie of attractive girlfriends. I was normally puzzled due to the fact my father, whilst a charming and smart male, was no film star. Nor was he, strictly speaking, a ladies male. But he was a very profitable lover. And his best conquest was Tam.
Tam was Eurasian, born in Saigon to a Vietnamese schoolteacher mom and a Danish diplomat father. A lawyer, Tam specialised in intercontinental regulation and labored in Form, the headquarters of NATO's Allied Command Functions in the Belgian town of Mons. She was employed in the civilian portion of NATO and it was there that my father, performing in military services intelligence, met her. A woman of excellent beauty, very well educated and of unbiased means, she was also a linguist in fluent command of Danish, Vietnamese, French, German and English. When I initially met her in Brussels she was performing on Flemish (Dutch). At 35, she was nearer to my age than my father's and for a whilst I was jealous. I questioned how he was able to woo such a attractive, young woman, a speculation that was only answered after his demise.
Immediately after he passed away, as his only offspring, I took on the duty of winding up his estate. I had identified due to the fact childhood that he retained everyday journals, but only after his demise did I occur to know how copious a diarist he had been. Fascinated, I steeped myself in the volumes of neat handwritten information that stuffed his library cabinets. And it turned crystal clear that, for my father The Artwork of War was additional than just a military services text. For him it was about an over-all everyday living strategy for beating obstacles, a device to attain certain plans. For that reason he applied it to most facets of his everyday living. And this involved issues of the coronary heart. In his diaries my father wrote frankly on the procedures utilised to acquire the ladies who captivated him. He was not normally profitable as at times the ladies were basically not interested, and not even Sunshine Tzu could overcome that. But in the scenarios the place he had a glimmer of a possibility, but the place the circumstances were challenging or unfavorable, the application of the Sunshine Tzu's Rules gained the working day. This was primarily legitimate in the circumstance of Tam.
As they moved in very unique circles and labored in unique regions, he saw her rarely and then generally in dry, stuffy meetings in the firm of others. She had a lavish property in Brussels in the exceptional suburb of Uccle, whilst father rented a very simple Mons flat. But anytime he encountered her alone as he at times did, such as in the workplace cafeteria, she offered a all set smile and he produced a issue of signing up for her. Sensing he had a possibility, he moved swiftly. Earlier mentioned all else, he needed to know almost everything about her. And so he utilised spies.
He employed an expensive, substantial good quality and very discreet private detective company and established them to endeavor. And they were additional than complete. Apart from their regular surveillance they penetrated Tam's citadel by changing her cleaning girl for a single check out and that was more than enough. They handed my father almost everything he needed. He now realized her tastes in new music, literature and art as well as her favorite foods and athletics: she was an attained and eager sailor and sea kayaker. An attained pianist herself, she loved classical new music and was a primarily fond of Elgar as well as staying a jazz buff and a Stan Getz supporter. He realized the place she shopped for clothing and even the model identify of her underwear. Divorced, she had been married once to a Danish business male and had a teenage son in college in Denmark. With photocopies of her diary in his palms, father had her social intinery for various months forward. He also now realized anything about the gentlemen in her everyday living: his adversaries and how formidable they were. She had a lot of gentlemen mates and, it appeared, four significant suitors: an American Major–General in NATO, a senior French Diplomat with the French Embassy in Brussels, a profitable Belgian artist, a painter of amazing good quality, some of whose functions hung in her apartment. The fourth was a loaded Swiss socialite. My father's subsequent action was to know additional about them, especially about their foibles, weak points and susceptible regions. He was well knowledgeable of his very own significantly with reference to the ground the place the contest would unfold. Sunshine Tzu claimed: "If you know the enemy and know by yourself, you will need not anxiety the result of a hundred battles." My father would quote the Polish writer Witold Gombrowicz who claimed: "Do you want to know who you are? Don't check with. Act. Action will delineate and determine you." As Sunshine Tzu claimed: "All warfare is primarily based on deception." And so it was with father's winning of Tam. He began laying ideas.
He steeped himself and turned erudite in her interests. He produced a flavor for jazz and the Large Bands of the 'forties he realized to appreciate Miles Davis and appreciate Stan Getz. He attended a sea kayaking symposium in England and took courses in the activity. And getting information of Tam's social itinerary, he was able to shock her and surface when he was not expected such as at new music concert events. Often he would carry an additional girl, but just as normally he would surface alone It was at 1 such "shock" face, a Mozart occasion, that he hit her for a date and she accepted for meal and an evening of jazz in a Brussels club the adhering to week. His foot was in the doorway. He was in her community. He had joined her club.
My father was fully goal and very pitiless in the dealing with of his adversaries. The French Diplomat was a handsome, charming, smooth tongued roguish character. My father found him, very likable. He was also a roué with a mystery vice: a penchant for occasional sex with minimal class underage hookers in a rough Brussels immigrant quarter whorehouse. A law enforcement raid found him with two of them 1 well under age. Faced with arrest he attempted bribery: it unsuccessful forcing him to use diplomatic immunity. This labored, but resulted in publicity, humiliation and his rapidly remember to Paris. And, of program, the information did not go Tam by and he was out of her everyday living.
Soon after the demise of the Frenchman, Tam celebrated her 30 sixth birthday. Father gifted her a boxed established of CD's, Stan Getz: The Bosa Nova Several years – and a awesome bound duplicate of Sunshine Tzu. She threw a occasion in the yard driving her property. In accordance to my father it was an amazing occasion which involved an exceptional jazz trio, a excellent buffet prepared by Tam and excellent wines. And, according to dad's diary entry, it was there he began his marketing campaign to dismantle and discredit the American Normal in Tam's eyes. Father engaged him on the American's interest horse – Vietnam. Affected by consume the Normal turned disagreeable and offensive to father. Tam diplomatically suggested he apologize which he did, and he then left the occasion early. My father realized that in spite of his substantial tax free wage, the Normal had a gambling issue and considerable money owed, in consequence of which he had engaged in significant black marketplace dealings with a Belgian team primarily based in Liege. A Fiscal Law enforcement raid on a warehouse revealed the General's link. To conserve face, not to point out his pension, and simply because of his profile, he was authorized to resign his NATO post forward of his time and quietly moved back again to The usa.
It turned out the Belgian painter was no danger at all, father found he was by no means additional than a excellent pal of Tam's. My father met him, liked him and acquired a compact painting from him. But the Swiss playboy was an additional issue. Tam and he were old lovers and father could see why. In his early forties, Hans had almost everything: a welcoming outgoing temperament and an infectious smile, excellent seems to be, a excellent athletic physique – and cash to melt away. He'd by no means labored or had employment of any variety. He played great tennis and normally coached Tam with her match. But his significant enthusiasm was motor racing and he drove well and with panache, winning a lot of races. He'd preferred to be a environment class specialist, but lacked the needed self-control and dedication. And it was at a race conference at Spa Franco-Champs that my father met him. Tam took my father to watch Hans race a Porsche in a athletics car occasion. Unfortunately he crashed out of the race at the intricate and infamous Eau Rouge corner whilst in rivalry for the direct and finished up in medical center with damaged bones and concussion.
My father had no want to share his girls and Tam was no exception. He liked Hans and wished him no sick but he needed to transfer him from all proximity to Tam's mattress. He was performing on that when fate took a hand. Hans instantly declared from Zurich that he was heading to be married for the initially time. The girl was a attractive young French vogue model of 21 yrs. He despatched out invites to all his mates including Tam and my father. Tam declined. Alternatively, she despatched him a card signed by her and father.
Tam remained with my father for a lot of yrs. I previous saw her after his demise when she came more than to England for his wake. No more time young, but nonetheless impressively beautiful, she had retired to live in Denmark. She invited me to check out, but I by no means took the supply up. She stays to this working day 1 of the most beautiful girls I have ever identified.
Did The Artwork of War operate for me in romantic endeavor? Yes it did. Adhering to my father's direct, and staying previously well knowledgeable of its efficiency in beating conflict and achieving victory, applying The Artwork of War as a device in producing romantic relationships came normal to me. Utilizing the 13 Rules of Engagement to acquire on the sexual battlefront was remarkably quick. I have also occur to think it has been utilised this way by a lot of other people today. And not just by gentlemen. I think that the excellent diva, Pamela Harriman, likely the 20th century's most distinguished courtesan utilised Sunshine Tzu in her a lot of conquests. I go through an report on her and the writer talked about seeing The Artwork of War on her e book shelf. And looking through of her exploits indicates she applied deception in her strategic and tactical travel to get the gentlemen she preferred. But if she did use him, like most people today who make use of SunTzu, she retained it a mystery and took it to her grave. There is no issue that the Artwork of War delivers us with highly effective equipment that can be applied to deal with conflict and complications in business or personal objectives. In sexual relationships, for gentlemen and girls the two, it excels no significantly less.
Should really the reader be curious and search for additional information, go to: www.theartoflove-theartofwar.com
Michael J. Villiers Manchester, England.


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Chloe Grace Moretz Squeezes Together Some Sexy Little CleavageSeptember 6th, 2016
Here's Chloe Grace Moretz looking like she's purposely trying to make a weird/dorky face at this past weekend's French premiere of The Infiltrator, but forget about her face because she's wearing some freaky dress that's showing off her sexy little cleavage… nice! Ok, ok, so that's hardly any cleavage at all, but it's still some sexy braless bosom action, and she's at least trying to squeeze together some cleavage (literally) so it's all good (and damn sexy) to me, so… enjoy!
Photo Credit: FameFlynet
Related Galleries:
Scarlett Johansson Popping Out Of Her Bikini Top!
Jessica Biel's Bootylicious Booty In A Tiny Bikini!
Say Hello To Mila Kunis' Huge New Mom Cleavage!


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- This event has passed.
Recertify the KEA!
October 31, 2018 @ 12:00 pm - November 20, 2018 @ 12:00 pm
VOTE YES to Recertify the KEA Oct. 31 – Nov. 20, 2018
ALL teacher unit educators (teachers, social workers, speech pathologists, guidance counselors, nurses, librarians, OT/PT), should vote in this election. You don't have to be an KEA member to vote!
VOTE YES to show our UNION POWER and RECERTIFY the KENOSHA EDUCATION ASSOCIATION
If you don't vote, it counts as a NO!
A YES vote means the KEA will continue to represent you in collective bargaining with KUSD. To win this election, 51% of ALL employees in each unit represented by the KEA must vote YES.
Vote by phone or online! Starting Wed., Oct. 31 at noon. Voting ends Tues., Nov. 20 at noon. Voting information to come in October.


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Style Inspiration: Fendi Sport
Details: Fendi Sweater | Fendi Pants | Manolo Blahnik Ankle Boots (Look For Less) | Balenciaga Sneakers | Fendi Bag | Fendi Sunglasses (Look For Less Under $40) | David Yurman Bracelet | Hermes Bracelet | Melody Ehsani Earrings
Two of the major fashion trends of the moment are stirrup pants and white ankle boots. Stirrup pants give me major nostalgic vibes because as the saying goes, "there's nothing new under the sun". As a child I couldn't stand to wear stirrup pants! I never understood the point of putting your foot through a strap in the bottom of your pants. But as an adult, it's kind of cool to see the trend reworked. Plus stirrup pants are a comfortable alternative to wearing leggings or jeans. And the same can be said for white ankle boots, which were a major fashion hit in the 80s.
Create a sporty chic day look with a logo print sweater and contrast-stripe black stirrup pants. Double up on the season's trends in a pair of white leather ankle boots or keep it comfy and casual with a low-top sneaker. Complete the look with a black leather shoulder bag, shield sunglasses, and silver jewelry.
What's your take on the stirrup and white boots trends? Would you rock it?
xo, Danielle Nicole


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Deorro vs Adrian Delgado: All I Need Is Your Love
LA native Deorro brings us the emotive and heartfelt track "All I Need Is Your Love" w/ Adrian Delgado, out now on Dim Mak Records. Warm yet distorted vocals over an uplifting electro backdrop, makes this the perfect sunshine tune and follows up Deorro's recent Beatport Top10 assault with "Flashlight", "Five Hours", and "Bootie In Your Face."
Deorro on Facebook | SoundCloud | Twitter


text: Yesterday I had the pleasure of taking pictures of little Mason, his mom Marrissa, and cousin Kelsey! We had a fun mini-shoot at Mason Farms…although I don't think Mason enjoyed the fact that some weird lady had a camera in his face the whole time! He told me "NO" if I got too close! Haha. So CUTE! Nonetheless I got some fantastic shots! Check out the collage below!


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Join PAAC for some exciting events during Block 1!
Saturday, Sept. 1 at 9 p.m.
Meet at the Amphitheatre Next to King Chapel
Night Games
Friday, Sept. 7 at 7 p.m.
Zamora's Market
Musician: Jon Fisher
Saturday, Sept. 8 from 8-11 p.m.
Smith Dining Hall
DJ Roulette Dance Party!
Saturday, Sept. 15 from 3-5 p.m.
Bubble Soccer
Questions? PAAC


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Discounts are limited to one per customer and may not be combined with any other offer. Discount amount applies to merchandise total only and cannot be applied toward Smart Apps, clearance items, setup or shipping charges, previous orders or invoice payments. HRdirect reserves the right to make substitutions of equal or greater value for gifts.
Satisfy Illinois' industry-specific posting requirement
Illinois state law requires day labor agencies that place workers on a daily or temporary basis in manufacturing, construction and other non-clerical occupations to register with the Illinois Department of Labor (IDOL) and display this poster. It must be posted in English and any other language generally understood in the location of the agency.
Product Specifications:


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You are using an outdated browser. Upgrade your browser today for a better experience of this site and many others.
Tel: 02830252964 | Email: email@example.com
Personal tax rates and allowances are generally set for income tax years running to 5 April. Corporate rates and allowances are set for financial years running to 31 March.
We answer some key questions.
03 Sep
The Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW) has urged the government to simplify the complexities of accessing apprenticeship funding.
In order to try and ensure that businesses are ready to trade post-Brexit, HMRC is automatically enrolling them in the customs system.


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For those folks that choose the cooler refreshing beverages of amber color, the Pints for Pointer Beverage Glass is for you. While you could technically use a mug, you won't need to refill so often with this glass! The screened logo guarantees to make any beverage look good. (Beer in photo not included)
This 16oz Pints For Pointers Glass sells for $10 plus shipping!
Items ship within 3 – 6 days of your order.
Thank you for supporting our efforts with your purchase!


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Hover over main image to zoom
Pikachu, I choose you!
Who wouldn't want an electric rodent watching over their coins and cards? Pikachu is awesome!
A coin purse is a great alternative to a traditional wallet set up. These little guys measure in at 14cm x 12cm and shut with a strong zip closure. Inside, they are fully lined with a Poke Ball print cotton and on the exterior you will find not only the most incredible applique detail but a Pokemon X Loungefly plaque on the reverse. They also have a key ring attachment which means you will be able to snap it onto your keys and lessen your chances of loosing it.
Team this baby up with one of our wicked Pokemon Handbags and you will be away!
Cobalt Heights has a huge range of Loungefly stock on hand and ready to ship! Its ever changing too with new styles arriving each month. We never charge for shipping here either no matter how big your order! Thank you for supporting a small, NZ owned company.


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Ford has an initiative to reduce the use of water during their manufacturing process through the use of recycling water and relooking at technologies that they make use of that consume a lot of water in order to run.
In Ford's efforts to reduce their water consumption, the CDP – an international company which focuses on driving sustainable economies has honoured them as the only motor manufacturer in the United States to use the initiative to reduce their water consumption. This is a high achievement for Ford as there are over 400 companies that wish to be considered in the CDP's A Grade list and only 8 companies are selected. Two South African companies, Harmony Gold Mining and Kumba Iron Ore were on the A Grade list.
Andrew Hobbs the Global Director, Environmental Quality Officer of Ford states that, "access to clean, affordable drinking water is a basic human right. We have worked diligently to set goals to reduce our water use while introducing innovative manufacturing technologies to help us achieve these goals".
Since 2000, Ford has set targets to reduce their water impact as part of its Global Water Management Initiative and in 2013 Ford managed to reduce the water use per vehicle produced by 30 per cent compared to that of 2009. This is a great achievement and Ford's initiative continues to be successful in the reduction of water-usage.


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Hello fellow 31 Day-ers and anyone else observing this crazy ride!
Like many of you, I've gone back and forth about my topic for the month. The possibilities are endless! Meeting God in the Mundane is my tagline, and my writing tends to focus around that theme. I'm ever intrigued by the fact that Jesus persistently longs to be involved in our mundane, ordinary, walking around life (Romans 12:1-2) and what it really looks like to follow Him in the practical everyday.
My family and I recently took a step in faith to pursue full-time missionary status and are in the process of raising funds. It's become increasingly clear, as we reflect on the past, that the Lord has been preparing us for this, but even still, there are often days where we wonder, how the heck did we get here?? I mean, really...
How does an upper middle class country girl who never really wanted kids wind up twenty years later in the inner city as a missionary and mother of five? If you find yourself intrigued, you'll want to stick around and watch the story unfold.
Because the short of it is, God has drastically changed my heart through this imperfect city and its people. The longer I've lived here, the less I know for sure. Black and white issues like poverty, addiction, homelessness, prostitution, and teen pregnancy fade to grey when you're no longer merely staring at a label but an actual human face with real emotions, pain, potential, and value.
This month I'll explore some of the key moments God opened my eyes and heart toward missions, interactions with people that shattered what I thought I knew about myself and others, and snippets of the upside-down truth I've learned along the way.
And my hope is that as you journey along with me, God will open your eyes, widen your arms, and expand your infinite potential to love your neighbor. Even more, that He would instill in you a fire and conviction to act on your heart change. Because our world would be a better place if more of us had hearts like Gods.
Join me?
To receive these posts directly in your inbox every week, subscribe below!


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I started this post a couple of weeks ago, then left it in draft status. With Trump suddenly begging for money, pieces fall into place now.
A while back, he was talking like a gangster to the Republican National Committee:
They better get going. Because I'll tell you what, you're gonna have a rough July at that convention. You better get going, and you better straighten out the system because the people want their vote, the people want to vote and they want to be represented properly.
Just minutes after reading that news article, I opened a piece of mail from the RNC that said "Check enclosed" on the outside. That was just the beginning of the lies in the mailing.
Here's part of the check. I cropped the picture to leave out my personal information, but as you can see, it's made out TO the Republican National Committee.
Actually, it isn't a check at all. The fine print says, "THIS CHECK IS A FACSIMILE. NOT REDEEMABLE OR NEGOTIABLE AND HAS NO CASH VALUE." So "Check enclosed" was a complete lie.
The letter that came with it started with a bigger lie: "The Republican National Committee needs you to immediately renew your membership for 2016 if Republicans are to win back the White House and defeat Hillary Clinton." I don't have a membership in the RNC and never have. The letter continues with repeated references to my non-existent membership.
They've done even worse things to other people, like sending bogus notices of delinquency to people who don't give them money. I'm no lawyer, but that sounds like the kind of fraud people should go to jail for.
It's a scam, but it reflects their desperation. No one's giving them money. They're hoping to trick people into renewing non-existent memberships or paying fake bills. Trump and the RNC deserve each other.


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We Build the Wall founder Brian Kolfage is pulling out all the stops in reporting on the flood of illegal aliens pouring through the southern border, including providing shocking video and photos of armed alleged cartel members. Kolfage on Sunday tweeted a link to a story by KTSM showing…Read More
Tag: drug cartels
We Build the Wall Finishes First Half-Mile Section in New Mexico
The first half-mile section of the border wall in Sunland Park, New Mexico was completed Sunday, even as armed drug cartel foots soldiers probed the wall over the weekend. "Foreman Mike" of We Build the Wall was featured in an update late Sunday morning on YouTube and the organization's…Read More
Rep. DesJarlais Focuses in on Support for Law Enforcement and Addiction Treatment
Rep. Scott DesJarlais (R-TN-04) released a statement this week geared to focusing attention on his work in support of both law enforcement and addiction treatment. "During a week in which the House of Representatives focused solely on solutions to the country's opioid crisis, Congressman Scott DesJarlais, M.D., voted to improve…Read More


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Slide 59
Title: Are Employers Ready?
Contents: 60% of CEOs indicate their companies do not account for workforce aging in their long-term business plans.
(Source: AARP, Business Executives" Attitudes Toward the Aging Workforce: Aware But Not Prepared? BusinessWeek Research Services, October 2006).
[Speaker Notes:
- Do you know if you are ready.
- Data is from BusinessWeek survey of 1,005 executives in summer 2006 about their awareness of aging workforce issues.
- While most employers recognize the problem of an aging workforce, few have acted (only 16%). More than 80% of employers have not taken specific action to prepare for Boomer retirements.]


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PROCompact Telescopic Mini Pump(Return to Product Page)Add your own review
I keep a pump on my winter bike as a last resort. If the co2 inflators fail or if I help another cycleist on the road. It's cheap. It works. The telescopeing handle you pump less. I use co2 inflators but sometimes they fail. Great for the money.
I can't beleive no one has rated this yet. Small enough to fit into a jersey pocket. Telescoping barrel starts off slow but puts more air into the tube the more you pump. Will get you up to a rideable psi. The water bottle cage mount lets you adjust the distance between the pump and the downtube. Magnetic handle, holds handle against barrel, won't bang around and drive you nuts. It's made by Shimano, it that makes a diff.
I don't rely on a mini for air. I pac 16g co2 and use a mini to seat the tube and for back-up. In a fix, this pump will get you along on your ride.
For the price this pump is a steal.
The pump works well. The only bummer is that it's difficult or impossible to install if you have a small frame. Would be nice if they included another option to mount the pump in addition to going off the water bottle bolts.
Liked the size,rather than on my down tube I attached it to my under-seat tool bag-it inflates a tire pretty fast!


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LEF Trivia Bee - November 4, 2019
BEE part of Trivia Bee this year
Register your team by Oct. 1, 2019 and save!
Questions? Contact Rebecca.
Master of Ceremonies - Jeff Leonard
Congratulations to 2018 Trivia Bee Winners !
2018 Masters of Trivia - Bee the Ball, Danny - a group of parents from Bowman
Click on the picture gallery for 2018 Trivia Bee pictures. Photo courtesy Lin Tong.
Lexington Education Foundation's 23rd Annual Trivia Bee was Sweet! Families, educators, volunteers and students nearly packed the LHS auditorium Monday night, Nov. 5, to cheer on their favorite teams. 43 teams of 3, including educators from each Lexington school, local organizations and businesses, competed in this entertaining battle of wits. Teams were divided into six "swarms" and the swarm winners, plus one randomly chosen team (this year the team drawn was "Let It Bee" from the Chinese American Association of Lexington) advanced to the final round. Community member and retired Lexington Public Schools' Coordinator of Performing Arts, Jeff Leonard, was Master of Ceremonies asking and in some cases playing his instrument to pose questions such as, "Harare is the capitol of which African country?" - Answer: Zimbabwe. Alyssa Lauzon, Head of Youth Services at Cary Library, was the timekeeper and the guest judge was Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Julie Hackett.
Audience members waved Bee fans, played bee trivia with LEF's own STAR Man, Lance Conrad, and voted "Estabees" as the favorite team name. In the final round the team "Bee the Ball, Danny" won the 2018 Masters of Trivia title! Self-sponsored team members Joel Moore, Steve Reilly, and Dost Ongur were thrilled to win this year having competed in several past LEF Trivia Bee events. One team member noted "We've been working to win this for years!" The winners wished to have the trophy displayed at Bowman School. The trophy spent last school year at Clarke Middle School after the team "Colony Collapse Disorder," consisting of three Clarke teachers, won the Masters of Trivia title in 2017.
LEF is grateful to the Trivia Bee co-chairs Rebecca Smerling and Julie Lippert plus all of the sweet volunteers including board members, LEF student ambassadors, and community members who worked together to bring this event to the community. Special thanks to LHS custodians, John Diperna, Bruce Ryder at the LPS print shop, photographer Lin Tong, and LexMedia.
This event is made possible by the generous contribution of donors who sponsored teams and provided donations: Abbott's Frozen Custard, The Wellington Neighborhood Eatery, il Casale Lexington, Boston Harbor Now, MIT Lincoln Laboratories, Capstone Mortgage, Janovitz + Tse Real Estate Group, Lahey Hospital and Medical Center, Lester Savage Century 21, Evans Griffiths & Hart, One2One BodyScapes, Pinot's Palette, Lexington Dental Associates, Coppe+Sears Pediatric Dentistry and Orthodontics, Beth Sager Realty, Finnegan Development, Russian School of Mathematics, Bowman Elementary School PTA, Bridge PTA, Chinese American Association of Lexington, Estabrook PTO, Fiske PTO, Harrington PTA, Clarke PTO, Lexington High School PTO, Lexington Interfaith Clergy Association, LexFUN!, Hastings PTA, Diamond PTA, Conrad Family, Tom Griffiths, Jacotin Family, Leader Family, Moore Öngür and Reilly Families, Murnaghan Family, Orf Family, Pearlman Colburn and Rago Families, Raymond Apgar and Osber Families, Walsh Minihane and Gazourian Families, Tracey Wright, Brian Bernstein, Mike & Crystal Kjelsberg, Bob & Jennifer Ryan, Caitlin Ahern, Chris Lyons, Maureen Kavanaugh, Alessandro Alessandrini, Kathryn Colburn, Eileen Jay, Kathleen Lenihan, Deepika Sawhney.
What is the Trivia Bee?
The Trivia Bee is a unique LEF tradition – a fun evening that brings the Lexington community together for a friendly battle of wits while raising funds to enhance educational excellence in the Lexington Public Schools.
Three member teams of teachers, students, town employees, and citizens come decked out and ready to compete in this trivia contest, while hundreds of Lexingtonians cheer them on. Bring a friend, bring your family, and bring your trivial best!
Teams compete in rounds (or swarms), with the winners of the swarms battling it out in the final round. All answers are supplied by the team, so no one person is ever put on the spot. Trivia questions are in the following categories: history, sports, popular culture, science, arts/literature and current events.
Join us at the Bee, whether as a team member, team sponsor, audience member, or volunteer.
Congratulations to the 2017 Masters of Trivia!
2017 Masters of Trivia - Colony Collapse Disorder from Clarke Middle School
Click on the picture gallery for 2018 Trivia Bee pictures. Photo courtesy Andras Cser.
LEF's 22nd TRIVIA BEE competition, a friendly battle of wits which has become a popular town tradition, was held at the Lexington High School on Thursday, Nov 9th and is being called the best TRIVIA BEE to date. 42 teams participated in the competition in front of a packed auditorium. The energy level this year was unprecedented. The introduction of the yellow paddle cards which the audience raised and waved in support of their teams was a hit. So was the interactive audience questions in between swarms.
Like every year, the Lexington schools were well represented by students as well as faculty and were joined by teams from the School Committee, LexFun and others. Local businesses generously sponsored several teams and were recognized for their support.
Event Chair Caroline Yang and Co-Chair Yumio Saneyoshi opened the event to a cheering house, followed by LEF Presidents Karen Orf and Kimberly McCormick who shared excitement about projects LEF has funded. Jeff Leonard was the master of ceremonies and once again wowed the audience with his live music performance for each musical question.
The competition was fierce, as demonstrated by the need for several tie-breaker questions in multiple swarms. The final tie-breaker round went to Colony Collapse Disorder from Clarke Middle School. The final question was: Who was crowned the Holy Roman Emperor by Pope Leo the 3 rd in year 800?
A new trophy was introduced this year which the winning team displays for a year. The People's Choice for the most creative team name went to the team "Bridge Bad Boys".
2016 Trivia Bee Winners - the "Drone Rangers"
What a great night at the 21st Annual LEF Trivia Bee! Every school in Lexington had at least two teacher teams competing, with a loyal cheering section in the audience. There were also many teams of community groups, parents, students and general trivia buffs.
It was a tough competition, but The Drone Rangers took the Masters of Trivia title and won first prize.
Thank you to all of the teams, the generous sponsors, the volunteers, and the very enthusiastic audience, who made it extra fun!
A special thanks to Red Heat Tavern for providing the very tasty wraps and to Lexx for donating the first prize of a $250 gift certificate!


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One of the hand painted denim jackets was recently featured in the 'Pangea' issue of Fucking Young Magazine. It's great to get a bit of light on these as it's something new for Alleykats and i'm really looking forward to creating a load more this year. The jacket featured in the magazine can be bought here along with one other that's online at the moment... More to come soon.
Styled by - Mark McMahon


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My name is Guo Yixiu and I am a multidisciplinary artist and educator. Born and based currently in Singapore, this website contains all of my works created from 2012 to the present, as well as some of the projects that I have pursued or am pursuing now to understand art education. I am very interested in ideas of "Play" both in my practice and in education.
In my fine art practice, my materials are focused objects found within the everyday. I find myself constantly surrounded by objects, and am often using my practice to make sense of the Singapore society. Growing up in a concrete jungle like Singapore, I am interested in the ways my psyche is molded by my environment. As an example, I find myself feeling affectionate towards the plenitude of objects that surround me, having lived through my childhood spending time in shopping malls. I also often feel trapped in two different minds; having trained as a painter as well as a photographer. Hence, "play" includes me abolishing our presumed stereotypes, and attempting to treat photography with a painterly perspective.
Having spent 5 years as an educator has cemented my passion towards understanding how children learn. As I now embark on various projects that I seek to use to expand my experience, I hope that one day I will be able to understand "Play" better, and help children and adults find that sphere of curiousity and experimental edge towards their own learning.
What separates the ordinary from the everyday and transforms it into the spectacular, is the power of "play".
+65 97511901
2014 "View From the Top", International Photography Awards
2014, "Fine Art: Abstract Category", 2nd place Winner
2013 Finalist for International Photographer of the Year Award, International Photography Awards 2013
2013 "White Dreams", International Photography Awards 2013, "Fine Art", 1st Category Winner
2013 "White Dreams", International Photography Awards 2013, "Fine Art: Collage Pro" Category, 1st Prize Winner
2013 "Castles in the Air", International Photography Awards, "Fine Art: Still Life Pro" Category, Honorable Mention
2012 "Broken Spaces Series", International Photography Awards, "Fine Art: Collage Pro" Category, 3rd Prize winner
2012 "Chope", International Photography Awards, "Collage" Category, Honorable mention
2012 Kwek Leng Joo Prize of Excellence in Still Photography, First Award Winner
2012 "Singapore: "Culture is Dead"", 2nd Emerging Curators Show
2012 Winning Entry, Sculpture Square, Singapore
2009 – 2010 Research Experience on Campus (URECA) Exhibition and Competition
2009-2010, Platinum Award Winner, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore
2008 "Comfort Zone"; 27th United Overseas Bank (UOB) Painting of the Year Competition, Representational Category, Award Winner
2008 "Peripheral Existence"; Singapore Youth Festival, Arts and Craft Exhibition, Gold with Honors Award
2006 "Breathing Space"; United Overseas Bank (UOB) Painting of the Year Competition, Highly Commended Painting, Youth Category
2014 "Artificial Love", Solo Exhibition with OCBC Bank and Galerie Sogan and Art, Singapore
2012 "The Departed" Galerie Sogan and Art, Singapore
2017 "Joined by the Crown" , George Town Festival, Curated by Sharon Cheah, Penang, Malaysia
2016 OH! Open House: Potong Pasir Edition, 2016, Singapore, Participating Artist
2015 OH! Open House: Joo Chiat Edition, 2016, Singapore, Participating Artist
2015 "After Photography", Jeonju Photography Festival, Curated by Dr. Oh. Soon Hwa, Jeonju, South Korea
2014 " The Best of Times", Verve Arts Festival 2014 Participating Artist, The Art House, Singapore.
2013 "If the World Changed", Singapore Biennale 2013 Participating Artist.
2013 "No Approval", Curated by Louis Ho and Jason Wee, Grey Projects, Singapore
2013 "Conversations with the Everyday"; Kwek Leng Joo Prize of Excellence in Still Photography Award Show, with Nanyang Technological University and Centre of Contemporary Art, Gillman Barracks, Singapore.
2013 A:Edge ; Curated by Suzie Lingham, School of the Arts, Singapore
2012 Campaign City: Life in Posters, 2012, curated by Alan Oei of Evil Empire, Singapore, Singapore 2012
2012 International Photography Awards Best Of Show Exhibition, curated by Ms. Shelley De Soto, Culver City, California
2012 "Fantastic City Fantastic People", curated by Dr. Oh Soon Hwa, Pingyao International Photography Festival
2012, Pingyao, China 2012 Asian Student and Young Artists Festival; Overseas Artist Section, curated by Dain Oh from Gallery LVS, Seoul, South Korea (Exhibitor)
2012 Affordable Art Fair; with Galerie Sogan and Art, Singapore (Exhibitor)
2012 Pameran Poskad, 2012, Singapore (Exhibitor)
2012 " The Super Singapore Sale" curated by Vera Wijaya; ION Art Gallery, Singapore
2012 " You and I: Identity and Society" Duo Exhibition with Sarah Choo Jing, Marsio Fine Art Gallery, Indonesia
2012 "A Reflective Dialogue" Nanyang Technological University; Art, Design and Media School Graduation Show. 2902 Gallery, Singapore
2011 Affordable Art Fair Singapore; Galerie Sogan and Art, Singapore (Exhibitor)
2011 Harper's Bazaar Art Fair; Galerie Sogan and Art. Jakarta, Indonesia (Exhibitor)
2011 "Mother"; Galerie Sogan and Art, Singapore
2011 "Incandescent: Shedding Light on the Culture and Caves of Yunan"; 2902 Gallery, Singapore.
2010 "Variegated Realities"; Curated by Dr. Oh Soon Hwa, Alliance Francaise de Singapour, Singapore
2018 "Wau Wow" Printmaking workshop held at Great Wisma, Geylang Serai for PassionArts Festival, Singapore.
2016 "Memories of Home" Photography Composite Mural Project cum Workshop, Our Gallery at Taman Jurong, Taman Jurong, Singapore
2014 "郭奕秀;在格子中找到本土美学"-周雁冰, 聯合早報 21/10/2014 , Singapore . (" Guo Yixiu; Finding Aesthetics within Structures" )
2014 "Attached to our Urban Jungle" By Rachel Loi, Business Times, 17/10/2014, Singapore
2014 " Can 'affordable art' be a good investment? " By Helmi Yusof , The Business times, Singapore , 23/05/2014
2013 "Art Season" By Huang Lijie, The Straits Times, Singapore, 15/10/2013 2013 "People Powered" By Deepika Shetty, The Straits Times, Singapore, 15/10/2013
2013 " New Talents for Bienalle" By Deepika Shetty, The Straits Times, Singapore, 10/05/2013
2013 "Patrons and Pals" By Huang Lijie, The Straits Times, Singapore, 22/01/2013
2012 "母親和女兒的鞋子"- 郭奕秀个展, 吴启基, 聯合早報 28/08/2012 , Singapore . (" The Shoes of Mother and Daughter" , a solo exhibition by Guo Yixiu , written by Mr. Goh Qi Ji, Lian He Morning Papers, Singapore)
2012 "Bringing Artists and Curators Together" By Gladys Teoh, Pocket Arts Guide, April Issue, Singapore
2011 "Photographic Composition"; Written Paper by Guo Yixiu for the Undergraduate Research Experience on Campus (URECA) Programme, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore
2010 "Staging Narratives: The work of five emerging fine art photographers" by Yvonne Lim, Confabulation magazine
2012 - 2018 Educating Officer at Ministry of Education, Singapore


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Arbitration Potholes: One Party Won't Provide Discovery
In the recent series of articles we have been looking at what I call commercial arbitration "potholes." These are issues that come up during arbitration infrequently, but can be tricky and distract us from the merits when they do. If we see them coming, we can usually find a way to work around them and keep things on track.
Today's pothole gets us into discovery problems.
Discovery in arbitration can be critical to a fair presentation of the parties' positions. AAA Commercial Rules, for example, recognize this and require the arbitrator to "manage any necessary exchange of information among the parties with a view to achieving an efficient and economical resolution of the dispute, while at the same time promoting equality of treatment and safeguarding each party's opportunity to fairly present its claims and defenses." Rule 22(a). This requires a balancing of need for the information against the expense of getting it.
Arbitrators have considerable flexibility in balancing the parties' interests. Given the more relaxed rules of evidence in arbitration, the information needed may be a little more informal and less comprehensive than in formal litigation. Depending on the practicalities of the dispute, it may well be that some forms of evidence are reliable enough to meet a party's need for information even though it may not meet all the technical rules of evidence applied in court. But still, there are bound to be disputes. Striking the right balance between need and expense is a critical part of the arbitrator's role if arbitration is to meet the promise of fast and fair determinations.
Discovery failure
Occasionally, though, a more basic dispute may arise: a party may simply fail or refuse to provide discovery.
Let's consider an example. Assume that a claimant has a trade secrets claim. It is claiming either lost profits for sales it says it lost due to the Respondent's stealing and use of its trade secrets or at least a reasonable royalty on sales. It wants all information about all the sales by the respondent of the product claimed to be made based on the claimed trade secrets. The parties have an arbitration provision in their supply contract that reads just as the standard AAA clause does, that is:
Any controversy or claim arising out of or relating to this contract, or the breach thereof, shall be settled by arbitration administered by the American Arbitration Association under its Commercial Arbitration Rules, and judgment on the award rendered by the arbitrator(s) may be entered in any court having jurisdiction thereof.
Respondent believes it has been falsely accused. In fact, it is sure that the Claimant is just fishing around to learn more about its business and wants to keep it from designing competitive products, keeping it captive to Claimant and its higher prices. The parties present their discovery dispute to the Arbitrator. Claimant demands "any and all documents, in any form existing, relating to , referring to, or concerning in any way all sales of the Widget 2000 or similar products."
That is a little too broad for the Arbitrator. But she orders the Respondent to provide documents sufficient to show the sales of the Widget 2000, when sales were made, to whom, and the amount of each sale. All the information is subject to an "attorneys and experts eyes only" protective order. If specific questions arise as to a particular sale, Claimant can seek to follow up, asking for more information. The Arbitrator rules that the documents must be produced within three weeks.
Three weeks pass, but Respondent provides no documents. Claimant reports the lack of response to the Arbitrator. The Arbitrator schedules a phone conference and asks where the documents are. Counsel for Respondent says his client has not provided them to him, but he'll check again with his client. The Arbitrator orders them to be provided within a week.
One week later, Claimant again reports that Respondent has provided no documents. The Arbitrator again has a quick phone conference. At this conference, the Arbitrator again asks what the problem is. Respondent's counsel then reiterates his client's earlier opposition to providing the documents and notes that his client feels the request is invasive because the claims are "bogus" in all respects. He respectfully declines to produce these "sensitive documents," sought only to disrupt his client's legitimate business, protective order or not. His will never provide them.
A litigation model
What are the Arbitrator's options? A few possibilities come to mind, based on experience in federal court and Fed. R. Civ. P. 37:
(1) enter a default against the Respondent for the whole claim;
(2) give the Respondent one last chance to respond and then enter default for the whole claim; or
(3) hold the Respondent in contempt and levy a fine of $1000 a day until it produces the documents.
An arbitration rule
But this isn't federal court. Arbitrators don't enter defaults under AAA Commercial Rules. "An award shall not be made solely on the default of a party. The arbitrator shall require the party who is present to submit such evidence as the arbitrator may require for the making of an award." Commercial Rule 31. So default is not in the cards. And arbitrators don't have contempt powers. Only courts do.
So what are the Arbitrator's options here? AAA Commercial Rule 23 governs this unfortunate situation. In cases of "willful non-compliance" with any order issued by the arbitrator, he or she may draw adverse inferences, exclude evidence and other submissions, and/or make special allocations of costs or an interim award of costs arising from non-compliance. The arbitrator may also issue any other enforcement orders which the arbitrator is empowered to issue under applicable law.
With that in mind, now what?
Simply drawing an adverse inference on liability is not very satisfying. It may be difficult to conclude from the party's reticence regarding financial discovery that it is actually stole any trade secrets. And that still doesn't provide the Claimant with the information it claims it needs to determine damages.
Still, if the refusal is egregious enough, the Arbitrator may be able to draw an adverse inference on liability on the theory that failure to cooperate in information exchange justifies an inference it is covering up its culpable behavior.
In some cases, it may be that the Claimant has some way of making a good approximation of the Respondent's sales based on information it can obtain from literature review, services estimating market share, or the like. Perhaps the Arbitrator could rule that if the Respondent refuses to provide the information, it will be forbidden from providing any information to contradict whatever evidence the Claimant puts forward on sales. This may cause the Respondent to rethink its position on providing information.
Whatever she does, the Arbitrator should make it clear to the non-cooperating party how things could end up and a chance to respond. Rule 58 says:
(a) The arbitrator may, upon a party's request, order appropriate sanctions where a party fails to comply with its obligations under these rules or with an order of the arbitrator. In the event that the arbitrator enters a sanction that limits any party's participation in the arbitration or results in an adverse determination of an issue or issues, the arbitrator shall explain that order in writing and shall require the submission of evidence and legal argument prior to making of an award. The arbitrator may not enter a default award as a sanction.
(b) The arbitrator must provide a party that is subject to a sanction request with the opportunity to respond prior to making any determination regarding the sanctions application.
Any enforcement order allowed by applicable law
What about the Arbitrator "issuing "any other enforcement orders which the arbitrator is empowered to issue under applicable law," as allowed under Rule 23? The orders the arbitrator may issue will be governed by the law applicable to the dispute, which will vary by state. There are, however, indications that arbitrators have a fair amount of discretion in issuing enforcement orders, particularly when a party has behaved dishonestly. But the legal analysis involved can get complicated.
A striking example is provided by Seagate Technology, LLC v. Western Digital Corp., 854 N.W.2d 750 (Minn. 2014). Seagate initiated an arbitration against a former employee, Sining Mao and his new employer, alleging that Mao had misappropriated and used eight of Seagate's trade secrets. Before the arbitration hearing, Seagate sought sanctions against Respondents based on evidence it claimed Mr. Mao had fabricated to try to show three of the trade secrets had been made public in a PowerPoint presentation Mao had made at a conference. Seagate alleged that the slides showing the trade secret had been added after the conference presentation. The arbitrator held the sanctions request in abeyance until after the hearing.
After the hearing, the arbitrator found for Respondents on all but the three secrets that were the subject of the sanctions motions. He found, as to the three claimed secrets that "the fabrications were obvious" and that Western Digital was "complicit" in submitting the evidence to the arbitrator. He then precluded any evidence to show that three claimed secrets were not trade secret or were not used by Western Digital. He found in favor of claimant and awarded over $500 million.
Respondents successfully sought to have the award vacated in state court. The court determined that the arbitration agreement did not allow imposition of sanctions, that the arbitrator exceeded his authority by not allowing Respondents to rebut the presumption that their fabricated evidence rendered their defense without foundation, and that the arbitrator had refused to hear evidence material to the controversy, as required by Minnesota's Arbitration Act.
The Minnesota Court of Appeals reversed. It found that Respondents had waived their challenge by not first raising the matter to the arbitrator. But the Court went on to the merits of the sanctions, finding a broadly worded arbitration agreement inherently allowed the arbitrator to issue sanctions.
The Minnesota Supreme Court took review. It found no waiver because the Act did not require first objecting to the arbitrator to preserve a right to vacate on the grounds Respondents alleged.
After noting that courts in other jurisdictions were divided on the power of arbitrators to impose sanctions, the Court first looked to the arbitration clause itself. It said the arbitrator could grant "relief" in any dispute arising from the parties' contract. That "relief" could include sanctions, the Court reasoned.
The Court next examined whether sanctions would have "have been available to the parties had the matter been heard in court" as allowed by the arbitration rules that applied. In this case, that was Rule 39(D) of the AAA Employment Rules. It found that a court could have awarded sanctions, so the arbitrator could.
Finally, it found no "refusal to hear evidence" in violation of Minnesota's Arbitration Act. In fact, the Court noted, the arbitrator did hear the evidence. He just disregarded it as part of the sanction. The Act's prohibition was on how the hearing was to be conducted, not whether the arbitrator chose to factor the evidence he heard into a final award, the Court reasoned. There was no violation. The over $500 million award was confirmed.
Application to our case
The Seagate case shows us a few things. First, we have to look to the arbitration agreement itself to see how far the arbitrator's power goes. In Seagate, the clause was broad and allowed the arbitrator to fashion any "relief" a court could. In our example case, the clause does not mention a broad power to grant "relief," but does mention AAA rules will apply.
This leads to the next inquiry. We need to look to the arbitration rules that apply. In our case, it is AAA commercial rules, which specifically allow the arbitrator to grant any relief a court could. Based on Seagate, sanctions would be available.
Finally, one must look at the involved arbitration statute. In all aspects important to our example case, Minnesota's statute mirrors the Federal Arbitration Act. The idea that the arbitrator would actually refuse to hear any evidence from the Respondent to refute the Claimant's evidence on damages could be problematic. Recall, that in Seagate the arbitrator still heard the evidence, but disregarded it. Imposing a sanction that doesn't allow presentation of any damages evidence by Respondent at all would be different.
But relying on the arbitrator actually hearing the evidence before ignoring it may have just been a convenient way for the Seagate court to dispose of one ground of attack on the award based on the specific facts of the case before it. It seems unusual for the parties to specifically agree to rules that allow preclusion of evidence based on failure to cooperate, but then assume the arbitration statute will deem excluding evidence to be "refusing to hear evidence pertinent and material to the controversy," as is required to be a ground for vacating an award. After the sanction is invoked, the evidence is neither pertinent nor material.
Some conclusions
Any sort of sanctions in arbitration are tricky, but also may be necessary to make the arbitration fair. The goal should be to try to encourage compliance with the process by making non-compliance the least attractive way to proceed.
Still, if an arbitrator must impose sanctions to make the process fair, he or she should do so. In our example case, following the specific AAA rules providing how sanctions are to be imposed, including notice and an opportunity to be heard, are critical. And the arbitrator must still require a claimant to prove its claim and must come to an independent conclusion on the merits. Defaults are not allowed.
Relying on the ability to issue any enforcement order allowed by law might provide some further room to tailor a fair way to deal with a non-cooperating party. But, as can be seen from the analysis that three courts undertook in the Seagate case, an arbitrator will need to become quite conversant with the applicable law before going that route.


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What Time Is It?
December 1, 2002
Mark 13:33-37
Yogi Berra, the former manager for the New York Yankees, is well known because of his unorthodox remarks and peculiar responses. It is from Yogi Berra that we get the phrase "It ain't over 'til it's over!" and "This is like déjà vu all over again." It is said that on a particular day while he was walking the streets of New York, Yogi Berra was stopped by a stranger who said, "Excuse me sir, do you know what time it is?" Yogi responded, "You mean now?"
Before we become too critical of Yogi Berra's redundant remark, it might be appropriate for us to remember that time is not as simple as it seems. In fact, there are different ways to understand what time actually is. The Greek language is more sensitive to this issue than is English. In English we have one word for time; but in Greek, which is the language used in the Christian scriptures, there are two words. Each reflects a different concept of what time is. The two words are chronos and kairos.
Chronos is the word from which we get chronology, which is a listing of events and intervals. Chronos is what we might call clock time. Clock time measures things. For example, we could take any interval, say from 8:00 until 8:30 this morning. In that thirty minutes you could decide to dry a load of laundry. In that same interval, three thousand people could die throughout the world, and four thousand people could be born, your thumbnail could grow a fraction of an inch, and a bomb might explode in Jerusalem. All of this in the time in which you dry your laundry. Chronos marks that interval and it does not care about any of the things that happen within it. Chronos is clock time. Tick Tock. Ho Hum.
But there is another kind of time: kairos. Kairos is not clock time. It is the right time, the time when good things happen. Kairos is the time that we are waiting for, the time when all things come together. Kairos is God's time, the time in which we see God working. We find it difficult to remember chronos time. If I were to ask you what you were doing April 7, 1992, you probably could not remember. But kairos is a time that we remember always–the time we met our spouse, found the courage to forgive an enemy, realized what we wanted to do with our lives, held a child or a grandchild in our arms for the first time, or made a sacrifice which changed ourselves and others. We remember these times because they are kairos. This is the time on which we hang our lives. Kairos does not measure life. It is life. It is not the time we live through. It is time we live for.
Now if we examine our lives, I think that we would all admit that there is a lot more chronos than there is kairos. A lot more clock time than there is the right time. But the good news of today's gospel is that, whatever proportion we have between these two times does not have to remain as it is. We can choose to have more kairos, more right time in our life. This is why the gospel today keeps telling us, "Be alert! Be awake! Don't fall asleep!" The gospel believes that there is a right time coming. In the next day, in the next hour, perhaps now, a right moment could arrive. We could meet a person that changes our life. We could hear an idea that shifts our thinking. We could find the courage to do something we never thought we could do.
God is coming, and we do not know when. The last thing we would want to do is miss that moment. This is what Advent is about, why we take these four weeks every year to remind ourselves Christ is coming and we want to be alert when he arrives. Spiritual writers believe that the most important thing about being a disciple of Jesus is not saying prayers or doing good works. It is being attentive, being alert to life. At any moment Christ can come. The next moment could be kairos.
So the next time that you find yourself waiting for time to pass, see if you can shift and start beginning to wait for Christ to come. The next time that you are waiting at a traffic light, or in line, or for retirement, or for me to stop talking, do not treat that time as time you have to live through. Ask yourself; "Is this the time I've been waiting for? Could God be in this time, inviting me to thanksgiving, insight, action, laughter, or hope?" You see, time is not all the same. There are moments yet to come that can change our lives, gifts that we will remember forever, invitations that can take our breath way. So be alert! Stay awake! Watch! For Christ is coming! That is the message of Advent — that is knowing the difference between clock time and God's time.
Signs for the Season
November 26, 2005
Mark 13:31-37
Efficiency and organization are certainly gifts, but they are not the most important ones. There are other qualities that are more fundamental, more necessary for life.
A young naval officer was working his way up the chain of command. One day he was particularly pleased when the captain announced that the next morning the young officer would be in charge of launching the boat from port. This was a considerable responsibility, and the young officer wanted to do well. So the next morning he gave a number of rapid commands and the decks were a buzzing with activity. Soon the boat was making its way out of port. The officer was pleased with himself and was quite sure that he had set a record for the most rapid departure from port. He was therefore not surprised when a seaman came up to him with a note of congratulations from the captain. He was, however, perplexed that the captain's note was a radio message. It read: "Congratulations on your rapid departure from port. But in your speed you forgot one important rule: Make sure the captain is on board before you get underway."
Getting underway is something that I think a lot of us are beginning to feel. Because with Thanksgiving behind us, the holiday season is taking off. As beautiful as this season is, there is no doubt that it places increasing demands upon us. The preparation for family gatherings, for special meals, for shopping and gifts absorbs our time and our energy. Yet it is possible in the midst of all these activities to miss what is truly important. This is why today's gospel tells us to stay awake, to stay awake to life, to stay awake to what really matters. There is no guarantee that simply because we are in a flurry of activity, we will be able to be awake to what is of true value. The ultimate success of the upcoming weeks will be in our ability to recognize the spiritual and personal dimension of all that we do.
After all, what is the value of spending hours of preparation to call family and friends together, if the activity of that preparation prevents us from appreciating the people who gather? What advantage is it to find the perfect gift for every person, if the activity of finding that gift makes us irritable or impatient with the people we love? What is the ultimate importance of checking off everything from our holiday list, if such activity blinds us to the moments of grace that God will place in our life?
Those moments of grace are at the heart of the holiday season. Those moments are what we cannot miss. It is for those moments that we must stay awake. Christ is with us, and Christ does plan to bless us in the upcoming weeks, with tenderness, reconciliation, and joy. But the success of the holidays will depend on our ability to recognize those moments and to take them in.
So how can we do this? How can we remind ourselves of this deeper spiritual reality that is at the heart of the season? The Cherokee Indians have a beautiful creation story which says that on the day after creation was complete God asked all the plants of creation to stay awake for seven days in celebration of the earth. With each passing day more and more of the plants grew tired and fell asleep. On the seventh day only two plants were still awake: the pine tree and the holly bush. So God blessed them and said to them, "Because you stayed awake, you will remain green forever. In the heart of the winter you will remain sentinels of life." So to this day the Cherokee Indians say that when winter comes, all the other plants lose their leaves and fall asleep. But the pine and the holly bush stay awake.
Now clearly the pine and the holly are traditional signs of Christmas. But I think we would do well to see them as signs of Advent, signs of preparation. So in the upcoming weeks as you notice a pine tree or a holly bush standing green against the barren trees and the snow, think of it as staying awake. Let it remind you to stay awake to the things that really matter. After all, the upcoming weeks are not about our tasks but about our relationships, about the people in our lives. After all, the upcoming weeks are not about what we will do, but what Christ will do for us. For Christ will indeed bless us with moments of grace. Those moments are what we must not miss. It is for those moments that we must stay awake.
Now it should come as no surprise to us that the success of this season, as of every season, is the presence of Christ with us. Therefore, as this season begins, be sure that Christ is on board before you get underway.
Trusting the Potter
November 30, 2008
Isaiah 63:16-17, 64:2-7; Mark: 13:33 – 37
Things got away from me this fall, and the first snows fell before I had the opportunity to put up my bird feeder. But an opportunity asserted itself during this recent thaw, and now my feeder is up. It is filled with Gale's songbird mix, and the birds are delighted. I love watching them, all that chirping and pushing one another trying to get the seed. So much activity but what a routine! Every morning as soon as the sun goes up they are out and about doing their thing. But as soon as it begins to get dark, they all return to their nests. I know it is silly to think this way but I wonder: do birds have any sense of time? Their days must all seem the same, one day after the other. Birds don't know that today is Sunday or the end of November. And they certainly don't know today is the first Sunday of Advent. Birds don't use calendars, but humans do and that is significant. As arbitrary as our patterns of days and weeks and years may be, marking time is important. Every time we begin a new year, whether it is the calendar year beginning January 1st or the liturgical year beginning today, we are offered an opportunity to see a new beginning, to turn the page, to try again. So today we begin a new liturgical year. Today we turn the page, and we do so in faith because this upcoming year is not so much about what we are going to do but about what God is going to do for us.
Today's first reading from Isaiah presents us with a beautiful image. Isaiah says that God is our father and we are the clay. God is the potter and we are all the work of God's hands. The image of course is that of a potter molding clay on a potters' wheel, shaping and re-shaping the clay to achieve what he potter desires. He first lays the base, then builds up the walls, then turns the lip. Isaiah's image tells us that just as that potter molds the clay, God is molding us. God is forming us by the work of God's hands. Now notice Isaiah does not say that God is the potter and we are the pot. The pot is the finished project. We are not the pot; we are the clay. We are the work in progress, the work that is shaped and reshaped by God's love. None of us are finished.
When you take this image of the potter and place it with the beginning of a new year, the meaning is obvious. We are now beginning a year in which God will change us, in which God will reshape us. Now some of us here have been on the potters' wheel for a long time. But none of us are finished. A new year means a new opportunity in which God will continue to form us. And who knows what changes God will make this year.
If we are young, perhaps we are still trying to figure out what to do with our lives or still looking for someone to share our lives with. This is a new year this could be the year in which God brings that search to an end. Some of us might be dealing with fear, with fear about our health, about our family, about our future. But we are not finished. God is at work. God can include in our lives confidence and courage so that we might be able to put our fears aside. Perhaps some of us are dealing with anger or resentment, and we want to let that anger or resentment go. But we have tried and tried, and we can see no way forward. Today we turn the page. We look forward believing that God is active and God can introduce into our lives some new shapes and curves that we have not expected. These changes might bring us to healing and give us the freedom to forgive.
A new year is a new beginning and God is still at work shaping and reshaping us. We not only believe that God can change us we believe that God is changing us. Because God is father, the changes that God is making are based on love. So we do not need to fear the year ahead. Options that are closed can be opened. Things that are lost can be found. What seems impossible can suddenly appear within our grasp. We believe that God is molding us, bringing us closer to the people God wants us to be.
Today's Gospel gives us good advice. It tells us to stay alert, stay awake. God is active. God's love will emerge. Be alert. Turn the page. A new year of God's grace has begun.
Waiting for Christ's Return
November 30, 2014
1 Corinthians1:3-9; Mark 13: 33-37
We all know that at Christmas we celebrate Christ's coming into this world. But if you stop and think for a minute, you will remember that in the Christian story, Christ does not come once but twice. During our Eucharistic prayer we sing, "We proclaim your death O Lord, and profess your resurrection, until you come again." Why does Jesus need to come again? Why isn't one coming enough?
To answer this question we have to remember what Jesus' mission is. His mission is to save the world. And the minute we remember this, it becomes clear that there is more saving that needs to be done. The world in which we live is still characterized by many evils that are opposed to God's will. The news that comes to us every day is often news of violence and greed, of prejudice and hatred, of poverty and death. It is clear that the world in which we live is not the world as God wants it to be. So this is why Jesus must come again. He must finish the work that he began on the cross. He must destroy every evil which is opposed to God's will.
Now the first followers of Jesus understood the importance of his second coming. They looked forward to it with eager anticipation. You can sense that eagerness in today's readings. Paul tells the Corinthians that they are to stand firm as they wait for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ. This is not the revelation at Bethlehem but the revelation on the last day. Mark tells his readers to watch because we do not know the hour at which the owner of the house will be returning. Both Paul and Mark believed that Jesus would return soon, in their lifetime. They were anxious for Jesus' return, because only at his second coming would the salvation of the world be complete.
But there is a twist in the Christian story. Although we believe that Jesus must return, we have been waiting for two thousand years and he has not yet arrived. What are we to make of this delay? Well, some would say that the plan has changed, that Jesus is not going to return, that God no longer intends to destroy the evil of this world. But there is another more positive interpretation which I think we should adopt. Jesus has delayed his coming to provide time for us to be part of his mission. Jesus is waiting to return so that we can join with him in destroying the evil of this world.
When we understand this as God's intention, it can change the way that we live. As followers of Jesus we must see our moral choices as more than isolated acts of goodness. We should see the things that we do as contributions to God's plan of saving the world. So when we forgive an enemy, we are doing more than simply following the command of Christ. Through that forgiveness we are hastening Christ's return in glory. When we feed the hungry or welcome the stranger, we are doing more than what is right. We are offering those acts to Christ in order to bring about the kingdom of God. When we oppose hatred, violence, and injustice, we are doing more than being responsible people. We are collaborating with Christ to bring about God's victory in this world.
So on this first Sunday of Advent, the Church asks us not to reflect on Jesus' first coming but his second. This season asks us to believe again that God intends to destroy all that is evil in this world and that a day will come when Christ arrives to conquer everything that is opposed to God's will. We must not only watch for that day, we must work to hasten it. We must believe that every act of charity or justice we do is our collaboration with God's plan. God has not forgotten us. Jesus is delaying his coming to give us time to join with him in the salvation of the world.


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This is an article part of the Shopify series, my previews ones are SHOPIFY PART ONE: WHAT ARE SHOPIFY AND DROPSHIPPING? and SHOPIFY PART TWO: CREATE A NICHE OR GENERAL STORE?
What products will you sell on your online store? This is one of the most important decisions when creating your store. If you have already decided what type of store you are going to have, niche store or General Store, then it is time to start selecting the products for sale.
There are several places where you can outsource products. The one that the vast majority of entrepreneurs use, for the ease of adding them to the store (with the Oberlo Plugin) and for the price, is Aliexpress.
This is a Chinese platform where thousands of products are offered at very low prices, and thanks to a United States post agreement with the Chinese postal system, shipments are relatively quick to the US (two weeks in general) with Epacket and the shipping cost is really low.
And what products should I choose?
The products that are most likely to sell well are those that:
- They can not be easily obtained at the corner store.
- They solve a problem.
- They have a high fan base that would buy that product.
If the product you chose meets at least one of the three above characteristics, it will be possible to sell it well in an online store.
I will give a typical example: If you want to sell a dog collar, why would someone buy it if you can get one easily in local stores? Now, if instead of a dog collar you sell a dog collar that shines in the dark, then the situation changes. In addition, this product has at least two approaches from where you can sell it, one is that they look beautiful, and the other is that they can save your pet's life by being more visible at night and that the drivers will see your pet easily and so they can avoid a trampling.
Being able to solve a problem is probably the most important feature that should have the products you choose for your online store.
At what price should You sell your products?
As a rule of thumb, the product you choose for sale must be sold at triple the original price.
Yes, you read well, triple.
As an entrepreneur, you have several expenses with your store, such as paid advertising for marketing, the cost of the store, the costs of operations and the cost of the product itself.
If you wonder why a person would pay triple for a product that he or she herself can get on the same platform, here is the answer:
- You will be responsible for any guarantee with your client, they pay for security, and the vast majority prefer to buy in an online store based on any country other than China, even if the price is higher.
- The vast majority ignores this platform (at least in North America) and even if they know it, they distrust it for being from China
- The vast majority of people do not conduct an investigation of the prices of the products if it is in the range of 1 to 50 USD. If they see something they like, they buy it and that's it.
The perceived value of the product must be similar to the sale price. You achieve this with a good product presentation page, where you show your product´s benefits and having quality images of the product.
As I mentioned in my previous article, do not add many products to your store. Select up to 10 products and start promoting them. This will be the subject of my next article.
Preferable, select products whose value is between 10 and 30 USD, since in this way the price of your products will be between 30 and 90 USD. Products that sell between 30 and 50 USD are usually easier to sell, customers do not think much about it, but if you sell products above 100 USD, customers will probably over think the purchase.
There are some products that I personally prefer to stay away because of the number of problems that they can have. These products are:
- Electronic products. Electronics are very fragile and they can be damaged on transport, if you can avoid them, better, if not, check well the feedback of the seller.
- Fragile Products: If you sell products with glass or any other fragile material, it is likely to be damaged at arrival (remember, they are coming all the way from China), and as I said before, you are responsible to your client for any damage or loss of the product that they purchased, so you will have to deal with the supplier and you must reimburse your client immediately.
- Products with sizes: The clothing and footwear products can be very problematic, first because the oriental sizes are different to the sizes of North America, they are way smaller, so the client must be very careful in selecting the size (almost never is) and even if your client made the right selection, there are chances that the cloth or shoe product does not fit well on him or her or just that your client did not like the product once he o her tried it on.
- Products with TradeMarking: won't you love to sell Sweaters or shirts with the Avengers printed on them? From China? You will have serious problems if you try to sell products like these, and a fine will probably come your way, don´t try your luck with this kind of products.
- Oversized Products: The bigger the product is, the most expensive the shipping will be.
I love the pet niche, so I am going to make an example in this niche.
If you type Dog Collars on the search bar on Aliexpress, you will get several products that you can sell. First, click on the orders button to sort the results by the number of orders that that product has.
From this list, the first product is a glowing collard. You will want that your product has several orders, that means that it is selling well. Next check the feedback votes. Everything from 4.7 stars and above is good. ( I have high standards, You won´t like to sell junk products, your clients won´t like them)
Also, you want to make sure that Epacket shipping option is available. If not, don´t worry, every good product can have several providers, just look for another seller that has good feedback and Epacket shipping option.
Next, click on the feedback tab and select the one-star reviews to check what kind of problems that product has.
First, you want to see if the seller replies to the customers. If not, it means that they have poor customer service.
Second, look for product quality problems. It may be normal that a small number of products to have quality problems, but if you see a lot of complaints, stay away from this product.
If everything checks, then go ahead and add your product to your online store. If not, check another product/supplier.
Now you are ready to start your Shopify Store, Click the link below to subscribe to Shopify with a 14 days FREE TRIAL
In my next article, I will explain how you can start marketing your products using Instagram Influencers. This article will help you to understand how to promote products or services very easy and very fast.
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I can not tell you enough how excited I am to be jetting off to Cannes this weekend. Poor DJ has had some virus, they weren't sure what it was, but he had a very high temperature and has now come out in a horrible rash all over his body. So that coupled with sleepless nights, we are pretty much running on zero. So with DJ on the mend, I am now turning my attention to what I am going to pack. Cannes is impossibly glamourous and of course is the home of the Cannes film festival. So far this is what I have in mind to pack.
Little sun dresses, some black flats, pair of jeans and a my favourite stripy t shirt and stripy jumper, and a sun hat.
DJ will also me in stripes, this is France after all! ;-)
I will of course be trying to channel one of my style icons Bridgett Bardot, seen below hanging out in Cannes.
Ok I am off to pack..


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Politicians of every stripe have held, and occasionally espoused, beliefs which many would consider irrational and unreasonable. These have included paranoid delusions, belief in conspiracy theories, adherence to new-age quackery and an interest in the paranormal and supernatural. This article considers why populism, by its very nature, may be a political tradition which is particularly prone to smuggling fringe and irrational beliefs into public discourse, thereby lending them legitimacy.
Populism draws upon the dichotomy between two opposing political identities: the "virtuous people" and the "corrupt elite" or "establishment". Populist leaders and movements present themselves as channelling the desires and needs of the former, whilst breaking down or reclaiming the power or wealth monopolised by the latter. As a general observation, it is those politicians who demonstrate populist tendencies who most frequently espouse the beliefs which many of us would disregard as fringe, delusional or irrational.
Some examples are helpful to illustrate this point.
An obvious case is that of Donald Trump, included here as broadly populist due to his self-presentation as an "outsider", his practice of creating a quasi-direct connection with his followers (through regular mass rallies and social media), and the anti-establishment tone of his electoral campaign, which featured such mantras as "drain the swamp". Trump has publicly voiced a number of bizarre claims. To pick just a few, he endorsed the Obama "Birther" conspiracy theory, suggested that Ted Cruz' father helped kill JFK, and has repeatedly referred to a hostile deep-state conspiring against him.
In Venezuela, the undeniably populist Hugo Chávez (President between 1999-2013) also exhibited behaviour which we might consider irrational. For example, he is reported to have left an empty seat in his cabinet meetings on the off-chance that he and his ministers might be visited by the ghost of Simón Bolívar, hero of South American independence. Chávez' successor, Nicolás Maduro, has a similar attraction to the irrational, claiming that Chávez' spirit visited him in the form of a bird while he prayed, blessing him and encouraging him to lead the country forward. Though these may seem like harmless quirks, they were woven into a wider tapestry of fantasy and paranoia. Both leaders have denounced the machinations of unsubstantiated "fascist" and "diabolical" forces who allegedly plot Venezuela's downfall.
Why then do populism and the irrational enjoy such a close relationship?
Positioning him or herself as the outsider, the populist thrives on voicing opinions and concerns which other more mainstream politicians avoid or overlook. This may include proposing decisive shifts in policy, or expressing latent social grievances, but can extend to articulating extreme and irrational opinions. Conveying such beliefs may work in favour of the populist, reaffirming their position as the outsider. Alternatively, they may simply be disregarded as the inchoate spluttering of one who is unversed in the norms of political communication. Although publicly expressing unfounded and irrational beliefs may alienate some among the electorate, if the populist's charisma and connection with "the people" is sufficiently strong, this is unlikely to cost them dearly.
Indeed, charisma and an ability to connect are useful tools in the repertoire of any politician. With this in mind, the populist tends to adopt a "man of the people" persona. Or, rather, the populist seeks to present his or herself as a "man for the people"; a conduit for the people and their demands. In establishing this connection, it is only to be expected that the populist should publicly pander to certain popular sentiments, including those considered taboo or fringe by the mainstream political class.
The convictions which a populist expresses may seem innocuous, such as some professed spiritual belief. However, they can be dangerous and destabilising, as in cases where populists give voice to fringe belief systems which blame or target particular subsets of society, or endorse violent action or human rights abuses. Moreover, besides simply pandering to public sentiments, it is often politically expedient for populists to stoke strong feelings among their followers. To that end, a foray into the irrational may prove to be useful in rallying public support and promoting a particular agenda.
It is worth recalling here that while populists purport to represent "the people", the identity of this "people" is reliant on the exclusion of, and opposition to, the "elite": although both "people" and "elite" are highly malleable concepts. Lending credence to unreasonable and fringe beliefs may therefore be useful for populists, as these beliefs can be adapted to fit within the confrontational dichotomy which pits "pure people" against the "corrupt elite", thereby advancing the general populist narrative.
The smuggling of unreasonable beliefs – from the paranoid and delusional to the mystical and paranormal – into the realm of serious politics is not confined solely to those politicians branded "populist". However, populist politicians may be more disposed to entertaining such beliefs, and stand more to gain from doing so, than non-populist politicians. Giving voice to beliefs that many consider irrational can reinforce the populist's outsider status, their connection with the people, and make the narratives they spin ever more compelling.
In an era of division, disinformation, and disillusionment with establishment politics, it is important to be attuned to the populist recourse to unreason.
Populism and the recourse to unreason
Politicians of every stripe have held, and occasionally espoused, beliefs which many would consider irrational and unreasonable. These have included paranoid delusions, belief in conspiracy theories, adherence to new-age quackery and an interest in the paranormal and supernatural. This article considers why populism, by its very nature, may be a political tradition which is particularly prone to smuggling fringe and irrational beliefs into public discourse, thereby lending them legitimacy.