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Baltimore's crime rate has historically been high, but it has recently seen a spike with more than 300 homicides occurring in both 2015 and 2017. As of press time, 303 homicides have occurred in this year alone.
At Hopkins, we are often removed from events in the Baltimore community and the gun violence that takes the lives of those in close proximity to us. When someone in Baltimore dies, students are insulated by the Hopkins Bubble.
Considering that Hopkins is a leader in public health, students need to be aware of gun violence as a public health issue in Baltimore. Instead of reactive responses to gun violence after it takes place, we need to do more to address its root causes: poverty, racism and a lack of equal access to housing, education and mental health services.
Addressing these issues requires a multi-layered approach. The first and most fundamental step is supporting the local grassroots organizations already committed to tackling gun violence. One such organization is Baltimore Ceasefire 365.
The Ceasefire movement started in May 2017 and called on the Baltimore community to celebrate life in a 'nobody kill anybody' campaign during the weekend of August 4. Since the summer, Baltimore Ceasefire has held events to publicize more ceasefire weekends and combat gun violence in Baltimore.
To promote the most recent ceasefire weekend on Nov. 3, local businesses put up flyers to help advertise the group's efforts. We encourage local businesses to continue supporting these grassroots organizations that aim to make our community safer. We also call for the University to support these initiatives.
We recognize that Hopkins has begun to work with the community through the Homewood Community Partners Initiative (HCPI), which focuses on economic revitalization in central Baltimore. However, getting Hopkins involved with these organizations is not simply about lending funds. It's about connecting people and groups.
Baltimore is a city composed of neighborhoods, and these neighborhoods have their own distinct identities. Consequently, each one often deals with issues in its own way, struggling to communicate about how to combat systemic problems in our city. The University can use its resources to connect neighborhoods and encourage Baltimoreans to share tactics and form coalitions that tackle the issues underlying gun violence together.
However, these efforts will only be succesful if the University does not co-opt the movement. Its assistance should not become a tool for Hopkins to promote its own image. Baltimore Ceasefire's success fundamentally lies in its grassroots nature.
Through the HCPI, we appreciate that the University has been honest about its own self-interest in developing surrounding communities. This type of transparency is important in maintaining an honest relationship with Baltimore.
While the school's interests and community interests may not always align, a safer Baltimore will be better for everyone.


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Monday, October 24, 2011
Running the Dunes 'Til Our Legs Can't Keep Up
I watched my three year old run up the dunes this afternoon. We walked down to Lake Harbor Park, mid-day. My boy leaped from wooden retaining walls, ran up and down embankments, climbed on benches. A group of people, some elderly, some in wheel chairs, some with oxygen tanks, sat around a picnic table near a pavilion where brown leaves fell onto the wet green turf. Up and down wooden steps my tiny little boy ran and ran. He ran past the group of people. Ran down a leaf strewn trail under a falling canopy. Ran up and down a small dune toward the parking lot area and hid behind trees. Ran past young men walking into the woods with their friends to that place, the place where sweet, resinous smells mix with the autumn leaves, the place where young people go, where they've always gone. My boy ran up that hill to the place where the young people have always gone, past a group of young people sitting in a group, smiling or looking away, with their hands behind their backs...
"Excuse us...just passing through" is what I always tell them when one of my boys chooses this dune to climb, and this branch of woods to explore.
We ran past them. Through the hemlocks and the small, scraggly oaks clinging to a sandy shifting edge. And then down. And then across the dry dune grass, and then I sat and watched as my three year old boy ran up a large dune face. A trail where people have climbed for decades. A trail where people sled down.
Up, up, up he ran and I stayed at the bottom and watched the tiny little boy grow tinier, and tinier, and tinier as he climbed and turned and waved and climbed and climbed some more until he was a teeny tiny, tiny boy far up the dune.
And when I expected him to run down that steep, sandy dune, with gravity carrying him faster and faster until his little legs couldn't keep up and he did a face plant...he chose to stay up the hill instead and disappear into the woods at the top.
I yelled to him and he peeked around the corner of a dried wooden stump and then he disappeared again, and so I ran up the hill...
I ran and ran, up, up, up, the hundred foot dune after that tiny boy.
I used to run up the very same dune as a teenager. As a very young man I ran up this exact same dune. I walked over three miles to this park from my home then. And I'd get to the bottom of this dune and I'd run up it as fast as I could, and when I reached the top, I would vomit from exhaustion, and lay unable to move. Running up a sand dune isn't like running up a hill. The feet sink into the sand, and you slide back, and you lift your legs high and plant your next step and slide and on and on, gaining just inches with each step.
I ran up the hill after my tiny boy today, much older and heavier and sedentary than I was in high school, tasting iron from lungs with each breath, with aching then quivering calves, up, up, up and collapsing at the top where my boy was watching me from a gray, dried branch.
"Oh...." I panted to him... "hi...there you are........... you need to come down....when I call you..........." my lungs ached "......your squirt gun is.......over there by the grass....." I pointed over a little down the hill to his purple squirt gun, my legs were like rubber. He leaped down the dune from his perch on the branch and grabbed his squirt gun and ran back up to me. The leaping into the soft sand from such a height was apparently fun enough that he did it five or six more times while I felt the heat radiate from my own chest.
When I was finally able to breathe normally again, we ran down the hill, faster and faster until gravity overtook us, and our legs were moving faster than we could keep up with and we fell into the soft sand at the bottom. Then we walked home.
1 comment:
- Martin Langeland said...
Wonderful sense memory evocation.
Those dunes were two and three times as tall as they appeared because of the sliding back.
In July and August it was bare legged through the aptly named saw grass with the dry sand hotter than the air to reach the delight of the cool wet sand and splash into the cooler lake.
Thank you.
- October 25, 2011 at 1:55 PM
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subset: commoncrawl


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Probation Officer Jobs
Are you interested in Probation Officer jobs near you? At Seven Criminal Justice we provide exclusive roles and expert support within the National Probation Service (NPS) across the UK. To maintain our first-class client experience, all Probation Officers must have a Social Work degree (Pre 2001) or a Probation Studies degree (Post 2001), as well as relevant experience within Probation at some point in the last 12 months.
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Average agency pay rates: Up to £26 p/h for both local and travelling Probation Officers.
Seven Criminal Justice pay rates: Up to £28 p/h for both local and travelling Probation Officers.
Interested? Scroll down to browse Probation Officer jobs:


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UCI Researchers Receive AAAS Fellowship
Ten University of California, Irvine professors and researchers were formally named American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) fellows in the AAAS News and Notes section of Science last Friday, Nov. 24. They join ranks with 150 past AAAS fellows from UCI.
Founded in 1848, AAAS is a non-profit organization and the world's largest scientific society. It also publishes "Science," one of the world's top academic journals, along with "Science Advances," "Science Immunology," "Science Robotics," "Science Signaling" and "Science Translational Medicine."
UCI honorees are as follows:
Christopher Barty, professor of physics and astronomy, conducts research in plasma physics and was recognized for his research in the applications of ultrahigh-intensity lasers.
Associate chemistry professor Suzanne Blum was noted for her studies in molecular chemistry and development of microscopy tools.
Adriana Briscoe, professor of ecology and evolutionary biology, does research in molecular evolution and looks at the behaviors of light-sensitive pigments in color vision.
Chemistry professor Kieron Burke is acknowledged for developing computational modeling methods to better examine the structure of atoms and molecules.
Chancellor's professor of computer science David Eppstein was awarded for the design and analysis of algorithms in computational geometry, graph theory and graph drawing.
Efi Foufoula-Georgiou is a distinguished professor of civil and environmental engineering and conducts research in surface hydrology and hydroclimatology.
School of Physical Sciences dean and chemistry professor Kenneth Janda works toward increased understanding of molecular forces.
Craig Stark, professor of neurobiology and behavior, studies how neural systems support long-term memory, with emphasis on the hippocampus. He is also recognized for explaining this work to the general public.
Lizhi Sun, professor of civil and environmental engineering, is noted for his work in studying the behaviors of heterogeneous composite materials.
Kathleen Treseder is the Francisco J. Ayala Chair in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology. She researches fungi and examines how they influence ecosystem function to predict how the world will be affected by climate change.
This year's 396 honorees will each receive a certificate and a blue and gold rosette pin. Fellows will be honored at the organization's annual meeting in Austin, Texas on Feb. 17, 2018.
Chancellor Gillman Joins Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities Board
University of California, Irvine Chancellor Howard Gillman was recently elected to the governing board of the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU), making him the first UC chancellor to serve on the board.
HACU was established in 1986 and is the only education organization that represents Hispanic-serving institutions. At these institutions, at least one quarter of the undergraduate population is Latino and at least half of all students receive financial aid. The Department of Education named UCI a Hispanic-serving institution earlier this year. The university is one of two Association of American Universities members to have this distinction.
UCI Professor Selected as American Bar Fellow
University of California, Irvine Chancellor's Professor of Law Carrie Menkel-Meadow will receive the 2018 American Bar Foundation Fellows Outstanding Scholar Award for her work in alternative dispute resolution.
The award has been given annually since 1957 and recognizes outstanding work in law and government.
Menkel-Meadow is noted as a founder of the modern field of alternative dispute resolution, which refers to the settling of disputes outside the courtroom, including negotiation and mediation. A 2007 Fulbright scholar, Menkel-Meadow is also an international expert in legal ethics and feminist legal theory. Among other awards, she is the first-ever recipient of the American Bar Association's Award for Outstanding Scholarly Work in 2011.
Professor Menkel-Meadow has authored many books on dispute resolution. Before arriving at UCI, she taught at UCLA, the University of Toronto, Harvard Law School, Stanford Law School and the University of Pennsylvania.
The 2018 fellows will be honored at the 62nd Annual Fellows Awards Reception and Banquet in Vancouver, British Columbia on Feb. 3, 2018.
Protests Over Net Neutrality Scheduled at Irvine Verizon Locations
Many Internet sites like Reddit, Twitter and Netflix are banding together against cable companies and the Federal Communications Commission in support of net neutrality. The campaign, titled "Battle for the Net" is planning protests nationwide including two at Verizon stores in Irvine.
Net neutrality is a policy by which Internet providers like Comcast, Verizon, AT&T and Time Warner Cable cannot control what users see and do on the Internet. Under the Obama administration, the FCC adopted net neutrality in 2015, but the FCC's new appointees, made by the Trump administration, are looking to dismantle it.
According to the campaign website, "Cable companies are famous for high prices and poor service. Several rank as the most hated companies in America. Now, they're lobbying the FCC and Congress to end net neutrality. Why? It's simple: if they win the power to slow sites down, they can bully any site into paying millions to escape the 'slow lane.' This would amount to a tax on every sector of the American economy. Every site would cost more, since they'd all have to pay big cable. Worse, it would extinguish the startups and independent voices who can't afford to pay. If we lose net neutrality, the Internet will never be the same."
The campaign is calling on the public to urge their congressional representatives to support net neutrality and stop an FCC vote from killing it.
The Irvine protests will take place on Dec. 2 and Dec. 7 in front of Verizon stores on Michelson Drive, Irvine and Harbor Boulevard, Costa Mesa respectively.


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Approaching substance abuse treatment with a holistic attitude towards the services we provide, treating the whole person not just the addiction, is an integral piece of our treatment process and culture at DCCCA. This approach allows us to reduce barriers to recovery our clients face when they step beyond our doors. Parenting and family services, medical and wellness services, support to access employment and housing, and domestic violence intervention are just some of our unique offerings.
Now we have the opportunity to enhance expressive therapy opportunities by adding the services of John Sebelius, an Artist-in-Residence at the Cofrin Logan Center for Addictions Research and Treatment at the University of Kansas. Sebelius provides a program called Artistic Expressions: Healing Arts for Mental Health Initiatives for approximately 25 women each week at First Step at Lake View in Lawrence.
"Art is a helpful tool for healing," Sebelius offers. "Someone who has experienced trauma may struggle to verbalize how they are feeling. I can give them a lump of clay, a paint brush, or a chunk of charcoal, and they can physically explore their thoughts and feelings through creative non-verbal expression. It's very freeing; art can be a really gratifying and enlightening experience for the creator. It's kind of an awakening."
The residents at First Step at Lake View look forward to the classes each week. One resident tells us, "At first I didn't like it because I am not good at the 'art thing' but by the end of the first class I felt inspired by the work we did. The class helps build self-esteem. John has great character. John teaches the class in a way that is inspirational. I feel good after each class."
Sebelius hopes that the community partnerships he's forming will allow this to be the first set of classes in an ongoing collaboration. "Hopefully this will be the start of more collaborative projects that use creative expression as a way to heal trauma. The goal is to give people tools to continue their creative journey far beyond the classes."
We couldn't agree more.


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Write a winning resume
…and nail that that job!
Have you almost finished your course? Are you already teaching casually? If you are,
you probably want to brush up your CV so that it gives you the best chance of getting a position at the school of your choice.
IEU can help – come along to this course on Thursday, 15 June, from 4:30pm to 6.30pm at Fairfield RSL at 14 Anzac Ave Fairfield.


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Buy at Sydney CBD
Sydney City in Australia offers a shopping experience that is reliably glamorous. The huge supermarkets and shopping malls in Sydney are just a few blocks away. Sydney shopping malls are roughly open at 9 o'clock in the morning until 5 pm in the afternoon on weekdays. One of the most famous shopping malls in Sydney CBD:
The Queen Victoria Building shopping mall opened in 1898 as the Victoria Queen celebrated the Arany Jubileum as a shopping mall. It was a couple of years ago that this building was neglected and ignored, and they were once worn out. But in the 1980s, this old building was restored to a great extent, restoring its wonder. QVB is a striking illustration of urban Victorian architecture in these days. There are 190 brand labels, specialties and restaurants inside the building. This huge shopping mall is located along George Street just between Town Hall and Market Street.
Strand Arcade is a more trendy and modern version of Queen Victoria Building. It was opened in 1892, but it was nearly dropped by a 1976 fire. Businesspeople in the mall have disowned the restoration and are now a perfect shopping mall to find the best designer labels in Australia with some jewelery, boutiques and beauty salons. The Beach is located in the heart of Pitt Street.
Skygarden is a shopping mall that offers a stunning and elegant atmosphere that opens every day of the week. The shopping mall has an excellent collection of international and Australian fashion labels. This shopping mall is located between Pitt Street Mall and Castlereagh Street in the heart of Sydney's central business district.
Piccadilly is a shopping mall where one of Sydney's most popular fashion traders can be found. Over 40 retail shops and boutiques selling various items from footwear to household items are located in the mall so it is an ideal shopping venue to find the best gift for every occasion. This shopping mall is located in Pitt Street, opposite the Hilton.
The Grace Brothers store consists of seven levels or floors. The mezzanine floor looks like an exhibition area instead of a mall. This shopping center is the largest cosmetic product line in Australia, and introduces state-of-the-art equipment and computer equipment. This shopping mall, which is a milestone in itself, is located at the corner of Market and George Street.
David Jones is the title of Sydney's oldest store. It is also one of the world's stores that still use its original name. This shopping center is the first shopping mall in town in Sydney to have a hydraulic elevator and previously sells furniture and furniture. Since it still works on its original trading name, it works with a prime motto or commitment that entitles the best and most honest merchandise. This shopping mall is located on Market Street and Castlereagh Street.
Source by sbobet th


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Forests area: 325 million ha
Forest owners: > 750,000
Companies (CoC): 20,000
PEFC UK will be a partner at one of the most exciting timber events to be held this summer – Solid Wood Solutions. This one-day conference and exhibition will feature pioneering projects through informative case studies, presented by those who have conceived and developed buildings that are gaining global attention. Solid Wood Solutions will also provide a great opportunity to gain insight and network with those who are shaping the future of the engineered timber industry - especially engineered wood products such as cross laminated timber (CLT) – nearly 60% of CLT in the UK is PEFC-certified – and Glulam.
The move is part of PEFC's on-going 'Designing the Future with Sustainable Timber' global campaign that aims to raise awareness of and demand for PEFC-certified timber within the global construction sector and demonstrate responsible forest management plus why Chain of Custody certification is so important to timber destined for construction use.
Architects, designers and those specifying building materials for construction projects are increasingly turning to timber to deliver energy efficient and sustainable buildings. As a result, more and more public and private sector procurement policies are seeking evidence of certified timber and specifying PEFC-certified materials enables contractors to provide such assurances. Many landmark schemes in the UK have used PEFC-certified solid wood including the developments at the University of East Anglia's Blackdale Campus, the new Abbey Wood Crossrail station and the award-winning Dalston Lane project located in the London Borough of Hackney – which at nearly 34m tall is one the world's largest load bearing cross laminated timber (CLT) structures.
Speakers at Solid Wood Solutions include Arup, Buro Happold, Ramboll, PLP Architecture, KLH UK, Wiehag, Waugh Thistleton, TRADA and many more. The event will take place on 5 July at The Oculus, University of Warwick. For more information or to download the full conference programme visit here
As the world's largest forest certification system, PEFC-certified timber is available from 39 countries. PEFC is one of the most commonly recognised global labels for sustainable forest management. Its distinctive 'two trees' logo appears on forest products around the world providing assurances of legal and sustainable sourcing.


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THE Nigerian equities market closed trade red on Tuesday as all indices shed weight to mark three days of loss after the announcement of the exit of Britain from the European Union (EU).
The major market indicator, All Share Index (ASI) depreciated by 0.89 per cent to close at 29,575.24 basis point as against 29,840.23 recorded at the close of trade on Monday, while market capitalisation closed at N10.2 trillion after it lost N91 billion.
Cautious trading dipped market turnover as volume declined by 31.97 per cent against 15.59 per cent decline recorded in the previous session.
Market breathe also closed on the negative side when compared with Monday outlook as 15 gainers emerged against 24 losers at the end of trading activities on Tuesday.
Specifically, blue chip stocks loss drove the indices down as Total Plc led the decliners on the chart, measured by value, as it lost N10 from its share price to close at N190 per share.
Nestlé Nigeria Plc also shed N5.01 kobo from its share value to close at N849.99 kobo per share, while Nigerian Breweries Plc's stocks depreciated to N140 per share having lost N4 from each unit.
Guiness Plc closed red at N106.4 per share after losing N3.50 kobo, while Guaranty Trust Bank Plc lost 68 kobo to end trade at N22.32 kobo per share.
NEM Insurance Plc led the list of active stocks that recorded impressive volume spike at the end of trading session as it staked 1.2 million shares in 18 deals.
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Parks visited include:
per personGet quote
|Safari tour package:
|A custom, tailor-made, private safari
|$8650 - $9240
|Includes internal flights:
|Length of safari:
|14 days
|Best months:
|Not specified
|Countries visited:
|Parks visited:
|Activity level:
|Moderate - Game walks, Cultural visits
|Safari type:
On arrival at Maun Airport you will be met and assisted by your Professional Safari Guide. Thereafter you will be driven through the rural Maun countryside to your accommodation facility, which is a small-tented lodge situated on a game farm 14 kilometers out of town. On arrival at the lodge, your guide will talk you through the rest of your trip. You can then take time to relax and acclimatize in the scenic surroundings of the lodge. Perhaps choose one of three nature trails at Montsentsela and start to experience the sights and sounds of the African bush.
Overnight at a Lodge/ Tented Camp with en-suite facilities on a full board basis.
Location: Maun
After an early breakfast, you depart by vehicle for Nxai Pan, a journey of about 200 km, which takes about 4 hours. Driving to Nxai Pan, you will start to get a feeling for the vastness of Botswana's wild places.
Whilst we prepare our lunch, our camp staff who have traveled with us in a separate vehicle, erect your own private tented camp, which will be your 'home' for the next two days. In the afternoon, you will go on the first game viewing drive to explore Nxai Pan National Park, which consists of a fascinating series of fossil pans, interspersed with shady islands of acacia trees. Nxai Pan is the only place on your safari where you will get the chance to see springbok and oryx antelope.
After the drive you will return to the camp and enjoy a hearty dinner around an African campfire.
Overnight camping accommodation in tented camp
Overnight: Camping at a private camp site on a full board basis
Location: Nxai Pan
Awaken to an early morning African sunrise and after a light breakfast proceed with your exploration of Nxai Pan. You will visit some of the artificial water points, used by the wildlife to quench their thirst. Keep an eye out for some of Nxai's more unusual game species such as bat eared fox, cheetah and hartebeest, which are sometimes seen.
Return to your tented camp for lunch and an afternoon siesta, before heading out again for your late afternoon drive. At sunset keep a special eye out for the brown hyena, which inhabits this area but is seldom seen due to its shy and nocturnal nature.
Retire to camp for dinner and appreciate the spectacular Milky Way and night sky.
Overnight: Camping at a private camp site on a full board basis
Location: Nxai Pan
This morning we set off early back to Maun in order to catch our 40 minute charter flight to Mapula Lodge, situated in the northern parts of the world renowned Okavango Delta. Enjoy the spectacular Okavango landscapes from the air, a beautiful contrast to the dry Kalahari you have just experienced in Nxai Pan.
Arrive at the superbly comfortable Lodge, which overlooks the stunning floodplains, which you can explore by foot (with armed guide), by mokoro (dug out canoe) and safari vehicle. Being a private concession area within the Okavango, Mapula also affords you the possibility of doing night game drives. Your guide and Mapula camp management will advise you as to which activities to do, depending on the time of day.
Overnight at Mapula Lodge in a twin bedded chalet with en suite facilities on a full board basis.
Overnight: Mapula Lodge
Location: Okavango Delta
Starting early, you will continue your safari activities where you left off the day before. On your armed game walk you will get closer to nature than you ever thought possible. Your mokoro trip through the crystal clear, reed and water lily lined waterways of the Okavango makes for a supremely peaceful experience, perhaps giving you the chance of sighting and floating up the unusual Sitatunga, an aquatic antelope species uniquely adapted to its watery environment. On your game drive, you will get close to Botswana's wide variety of big game, including possible sightings of buffalo and elephant and other animal species that most typify this area. On your night drive, witness nocturnal species going about their nightly routines, a special thrill for any safari enthusiast.
Overnight: Mapula Lodge
Location: Okavango Delta
This morning we leave the Mapula floodplains and head by charter aircraft on a 30-minute flight to Moremi Game Reserve, an intricate part of the Okavango Delta and world famous for its incredible game viewing and scenery. After landing in Moremi we will meet up again with our safari team who have already erected our private tent camp in the reserve. Following an afternoon siesta, we will head out on a game drive along the Khwai River and its accompanying floodplains. With game viewing being good in Moremi, we should see hippo, elephant, lion and numerous antelope species. Keep a close eye on the dense undergrowth and the towering jackal berry trees for a possible sighting of the beautiful but elusive leopard.
Overnight: Camping at a private camp site on a full board basis in spacious 3m x 3m tents with camp beds and shared facilities
Location: Moremi Game Reserve
Starting early, we continue to experience the best of Moremi. We will stop along some of the larger pans associated with the Khwai River and spot crocodiles sunning themselves on the sun baked fringes of the pans. Enjoy the sights of grazing red lechwe, an antelope species always found in close proximity to Moremi's waterways. See giraffe and zebra, always on the alert to the danger of lions and other predators of the Moremi.
After another satisfying day of game viewing, retire back to your tented camp and share your day's experiences around a warm and glowing campfire. Fall asleep to the sound of lions roaring in the distance as they commence their nocturnal hunt. Overnight: Camping at a private camp site on a full board basis
Location: Moremi Game Reserve
This morning we leave the scenic landscapes of Moremi and commence our 5-hour trip to Savuti, also regarded as a prime game-viewing destination. As we depart Moremi we cross the bridge over the River Khwai, its construction out of raw mopane poles making it an experience not easily forgotten. As we arrive in Savuti, the vastness of the Savuti´marsh´, a sweeping expanse of savanna looked over by seven ancient rocky outcrops and the dry channel, which was once its lifeline, appears in its awesome splendor.
In the late afternoon, we go on another game drive, exploring the marsh and the wide variety of animals, which have made it their grazing and hunting grounds. In the evening we retire back to our private camp and take dinner with the whooping laughs of hyena in the background.
Overnight: Camping at a private camp site on a full board basis
Location: Savute
Again we depart early and start to explore some of the numerous waterholes dotted around the Savuti marsh. You will soon get to see why this area is famous for its numerous bull elephants, which monopolize these waterholes. Your guide will also take you around the seven rocky outcrops around the marsh and show you the Bushman paintings, which point to the ancient livelihoods of those who once used to live in the area. Back on the marsh, chances are good to see the Savuti lions, supreme predators of the area. Spectacular zebra migrations, which periodically take place on the marsh, are a sight to behold.
After a busy day's game viewing, we return to our tented camp for dinner and to reflect on the awesome splendor that is Savuti.
Overnight: Camping at a private camp site on a full board basis
Location: Savuti
Our safari continues this morning towards the northern boundary of the Chobe National Park, the destination being our campsite close to the Chobe River. The drive from Savuti to Chobe takes about 3 hours and again offers interestingly contrasting scenery to that which you have seen before. In Chobe you will get to appreciate first hand what has made this area so unique – the highest concentrations of buffalo and elephant herds anywhere in Africa, spectacular sunsets and prolific birdlife. You will explore Chobe riverfront by vehicle and the river itself by boat.
Overnight: Camping at a private camp site on a full board basis
Location: Chobe National Park
Our exploration of Chobe continues. We take a motorized boat trip on the Chobe River, which will unveil the enormous variety of bird and animal species present in the area. Your guide will glide the boat past pods of hippo and crocodiles sunning themselves on the shores of the Chobe River. From the boat you will have the chance of seeing some of Chobe's huge elephant populations coming down to the river to drink and cool down. Your drive along the riverfront will give you excellent opportunities to see the wildlife up close and to track the spoor of Chobe's lion prides in the soft Chobe sands.
In the evening savor your last day in Botswana around a glowing campfire to the sounds of hippo grunting in the river.
Overnight: Camping at a private camp site on a full board basis
Location: Chobe National Park
This morning we say goodbye to Botswana and its unparalleled wildlife and conservation policies. We commence our short 2-hour drive to Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe, arriving in time for lunch.
Apart from an organized tour of the Falls themselves, the rest of your time here is yours and you can select from a wide variety of activities on offer to visitors in and around Victoria Falls.
Accommodation is in a charming private guesthouse with twin rooms and en suite bathrooms. Accommodation on a bed and breakfast basis only.
Overnight: Ilala Lodge
Location: Victoria Falls
The day is yours and to be taken at leisure. Visit the falls again, the numerous fascinating craft markets in the middle of town or enjoy a sunset cruise on the mighty Zambezi river. If you are an outdoor adventure enthusiast, arrange to go white water rafting on the Zambezi – the experience of a lifetime. Dinner at the Boma Restaurant on the outskirts of town is an unforgettable experience.
Overnight: Marolina's Guest House
Location: Victoria Falls
Today your African safari adventure ends with a transfer to Victoria Falls Airport in time to connect with your return flight.
Parks visited include:
per personGet quote
From the open plains of Masai Mara, the shimmery pink waters of Lake Nakuru, this safari takes in two of the mos...
Parks visited include:
per personGet quote


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Aliexpress 11.11 shopping festival is coming, are you ready? Aliexpress 11.11 shopping festival, a worldwide shopping carnival, has already grown into a shopping festival that can compare with Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Almost all the products will have great discounts on this day, some even up to 70% off! This year, except the discounts,
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Eight New Trends to Occupying the Market of Valentine's Day
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How to Prepare for 2018 Chinese New Year Holiday
Many dropshipping sellers sell products based on Chinese suppliers like Aliexpress, Banggood, Chinabrands…..And now the Chinese Spring Festival is coming soon, all the suppliers will close the stores and stop to ship products. This will affect many dropshipping sellers that depend on Chinese suppliers. Now let's see how to handle your business and get through
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If you wish to sell with no inventory, warehouse and (limited) money then Drop Shipping is the way to go. When you are doing this kind of business, please pay most attention on the delivery service and find the most reliable supplier from China. Once you have chosen and are working with a supplier, you
If you have not used Facebook to promote your business. then you have to lose a very cost-effective promotional channels slightly. As we all know. Facebook is so popular nowadays. but using social media in business promotion. many people still do not see its value. Rely on social media. you can do an unprecedented promotion


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April 16, 2015
- 3-Wire Boundary Fence
- 3-Wire Cattle Boundary Fence
In 1989 and again in 1991, I tried to get the Legislature to amend the Montana "Legal Boundary Fence" law to allow a 3-wire electric fence to be used as a "legal boundary fence". To say the least I failed. It was jus...
April 13, 2015
The last couple of weeks as I travel to various dealers I have been involved with chicken fencing. This is chicken season and a lot of effort is being put into raising chickens and turkeys for meat as well as eggs. It is also getting close to predator season.
April 7, 2015
Here is a helpful tip when it comes to installing either the Pigtail or the Sentinel Tread-in post in hard ground to avoid damaging the pegs.
Use a cordless drill and find a 1/4" or slightly bigger 14" long masonry bit to drill a hole in the ground about 6" deep for the...
March 24, 2015
Wildlife fencing is always a topic in the west. This photo is of a wild Yellowstone bison that has hung around a friends cabin just a little northwest of West Yellowstone, MT for a second year now. The fence is a three strand braid fence with a one joule energizer on f...
March 20, 2015
The office of Fish, Wildlife and Parks confirms that the bears have been out of hibernation for about a month due to our unusually warm winter. They are hungry and looking to rebuild the weight they lost during their short nap. If you live in a bear area, it's best to...
Whether you're branding, vaccinating or getting ready to drive the herd to the hills, you'll find plenty of uses for Portable Electric Fence Cable. It's ideal for constructing temporary livestock enclosures. What makes this better than polywire?
- Longer li...
August 9, 2012
Larry Feight
Tru-Test has announced that it will offer any ranch that has been affected by wildfires in the States of Montana, Wyoming and Idaho, a 20% discount through an Authorized Speedrite or Stafix dealer. This discount applies to all T-T electric fence products sold by the de...
August 2, 2012


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Ten letterbooks containing business correspondence to Oswald from his agents, factors, nephews and Edinburgh attorney, all written after his "retirement" to Scotland. The letters include extensive information on Oswald's trading ventures, particularly his trade with the American colonies and his West African slave trade (based at Bunce Island), and his Scottish land investments.
Manuscript fair copy, of dated entries recounting the departure from Liverpool, the shipwreck on the Barbary Coast, the crew's enslavement in northern Africa, and their return to Dartmouth. Many entries concern the work done, foods, illnesses and injuries, and racial and religious differences encountered. The manuscript dates from about 1790.
The Beinecke Library holds numerous books and pamphlets related to slavery and abolition, some of which were owned and annotated by prominent abolitionists. These include two books on the Somerset case (1772), concerning the legality of slavery in England, with extensive marginal annotations by Granville Sharp.
Manuscript of a detailed description of the geography, population, economy, government, and social organization of Jamaica by John Dalling, who was appointed Lieutenant Governor of the colony in 1767. Topics include agriculture, the sugar trade and the mechanics of a typical sugar plantation, slavery and slave customs, and relations between the races.
This Collection, originally called at Yale the Mason-Franklin Collection, is the most extensive collection of materials by, about, and around Franklin and his times to be found in a single collection anywhere in the world. The main body of the Collection is housed in three adjoining rooms on the second floor of Sterling Memorial Library, where it is available for research and study. The published papers and their digital compliment contain numerous references to slavery and abolition.


text:
- Company:
- Orange County Transportation Authority
- Status:
- Awarded
- Awarded:
- Project of the Year, Transportation Project of the Year
- Additional Files
- Additional Information
I would like to clarify that this nomination is a "Program" versus a "Project".
Delivery of a program this magnitude with various entities for eight years is a major undertaking and to complete this program is a huge achievement.
It is a challenge to delivery one railroad crossing let alone seven railroad crossings.
OCTA OC Bridges Program
- Project Location:
OC Bridges program involves seven bridges- grade separations along the Orangethorpe Corridor in Orange County.
- Project Description:
OC Bridges program, a $663.9 million dollar program designed and built a series of bridges-both underpasses and overpasses to separate vehicles from trains along the Orangethorpe Corridor.
These seven bridges Placentia Ave, Kraemer Blvd., Orangethorpe Ave., Tustin Ave./Rose Drive, Lakeview Ave., State College Blvd., and Raymond Ave., all eliminate the need for vehicles to stop and waste time at railroad crossings as lengthy freight trains pass.
- Project Justification:
I am submitting a program versus a project because I believe it is worthy of an award.
A program and project delivery of this magnitude takes tremendous amount of collaboration, cooperation and support from varies entities such as the three cities, Orange County, OCTA staff, CEO and Board Chairs, supporters of Measure M, BNSF, seven design consultants, construction management team and contractors.
This was a major effort which started in 2009 and has taken eight years to complete with a cost of $663.9 million dollars.
The various project locations, the various types of bridges with some bridges on a skew, type of construction method such as top down construction at State College underpass versus bottom up construction at Raymond Avenue underpass, complex utility relocations, right of way and property issues and litigations, construction of pump stations for the underpass, major coordination effort with various entities such as local agencies, contractor, and property owners, and delivery of the project while maintaining traffic and providing access to all property owners.
- Special Circumstances:
The OC Bridges program required special relationships and cooperation from the City of Anaheim, City of Fullerton, and City of Placentia along with affected property owners, Orange County, BNSF, local water district and OCTA Board and staff. Due to the number of entities involved major communication and coordination effort was needed and delivered.
This program used multiple funding source from State, Federal, Measure M2 and other Local funds to delivery these seven projects.
One of the major obstacle to overcome was to obtain collaboration and cooperation from all parties involved, right of way negotiations and handling and minimizing litigation was also a challenge to overcome, coordination of complex utility relocations for all the seven projects were a challenge also managing five construction projects at the same time is very challenging and finally negotiations of change orders and payments with the contractor was challenging when there were setbacks and unexpected incidents at the construction site.
For example, at Lakeview Ave. overpass there was a fire at one of the bridge abutment on a Saturday due to welder error and the work had to be redone which took place on a Sunday the following week so that further delays to construction schedule can be avoided.
- Project Attachments:
I wanted to mention all the parties involved in delivery of OC Bridges Program this included Federal Highway Administration, CalTrans, OCTA, Measure M, State of California Transportation Commission, BNSF Railway, City of Fullerton, City of Anaheim, City of Placentia, OCTA project management, and staff, Orange County, seven varies design consultants, construction managers and contractors.
Due to the fact that so many entities and agencies involved and their support and cooperation is very critical to the success and delivery of OC Bridges Program.
- Award Citation::
OCTA OC Bridges Program a major undertaking that started in 2009 and after eight years and $663.9 million dollars later is getting completed. This is a tremendous achievement that required consistent support and dedication from OCTA Board, staff, federal and state governments, Orange County, cities of Anaheim, Placentia, Fullerton, BNSF, consultants and contractors.
- Suggested Award Summary:
Orange County Transportation Authority, delivers a safety program that took eight years and $663.9 million dollars to improve a corridor in Orange County. This is the OC Bridges Program that improved a BNSF railway corridor along Orangethorpe in Orange County. Due to this program Orange County's economy grows by providing safer vehicle and railroad crossings along the Orangethorpe Corridor in the cities of Anaheim, Fullerton and Placentia.
2017 Project Awards
Copyright © 2020 ASCE Orange County, California Branch. All Rights Reserved.
Designed and developed by Jub Jub Interactive.


text:
Baseball: Staples' Ben Casparius verbally commits to the University of North Carolina
Recommended Video:
NORWALK — Ever since he was a child, Staples' Ben Casparius wanted to go to the University of North Carolina and on Monday his dream came true, as he verbally committed to play baseball for the Tar Heels.
"It's been a dream of mine as a kid to go there," Casparius said. "I love the colors, the team.
"Chapel Hill is one the nicest schools that I have seen and one of the best in the country," the rising junior added.
On June 25, Casparius made his another visit to the Chapel Hill campus and it was then and there where they offered him his dream opportunity, but Casparius didn't accept until Monday.
"I know I wanted to go there, but I owed it to myself to give it more time, look at other schools," Casparius said. "But I always wanted to go there."
"It hit me a week later (they offered) I was expecting it going in," he added. "It was hard to process they actually were offering."
Some of the other schools that were looking at Casparius were the College of Charleston, Oklahoma State, University of Maryland, West Virginia University, University of Connecticut, Florida, Vanderbilt University, the reigning NCAA champions, the University of Virginia and others, but ultimately he knew he was meant to be a Tar Heel.
"They were the school for me," he said, crediting the relationship that he has had with the coaches as a big reason.
Casparius is coming off his sophomore season which saw him bat .360 with 32 hits, eight home runs and knock in 32 RBIs while going 7-0 on the mound and playing shortstop leading the Wreckers to both the FCIAC and Class LL championship games.
"They know he can pitch, play shortstop, play outfield," Staples head coach Jack McFarland said of Casparius. "They're getting a five-tool kid."
His versatility is one of the reasons he believes that North Carolina wanted him.
"I think in recruiting they saw that I was versatile and that can help me get on the field early.
Casparius decision to commit early will benefit him now that the decision won't be weighing on him for the next two years.
"I feel really good about it, I can just play now," he said. "I still have to show my ability."
The Hour's All-Area Baseball MVP joins his teammate, best friend and rising senior Nate Panzer as a Division I commit for the Wreckers with Panzer committing to the University of Maryland before his junior season.
"Great for Ben, great to get it out of the way so he doesn't have to think about it for the next two years," McFarland said.
Having Panzer, Casparius said helped him through the process.
"I was able to get advice from him and dad along the way," he said. "My best friend is also going to a great university."
The Tar Heels are coming off a season where they went 34-24, but missed out on playing in the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2001.
The program is lead by head coach Mike Fox, who just finished his 17th season, and under Fox the Tar Heels have had great success finishing as College World Series runner-up twice (2006 and 2007), reaching the College World Series six times (2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011 and 2013), winning two Conference Tournament Championships (2007 and 2013) and one regular season Conference Championship in 2013.
"The historic marks are incredible," Casparius said. "I think it's going to be a great experience and hopefully be able to go play in Omaha at the College World Series."
When Casparius dons the Tar Heel blue and white in the fall of 2017, he will join Adam Greenberg (Guilford High) and Matt Harvey (Fitch High) who both recently played for North Carolina.
"At this point I am going to focus on my grades and work hard to get mentioned in their group in the future," he said.


text:
Current Newswire:
InfoWorld: Vendor NameSys Aims at Holy Grail of File System SearchesDec 30, 1999, 07:40 (1 Talkback[s])
(Other stories by Douglas F. Gray)
[ Thanks to Eric Lee Green for this link. ]
"It's not every day that a group of people come together to work towards a goal that they never plan on reaching, but Hans Reiser formed his company on that very concept."
"Reiser's firm, the Naming System Venture, more commonly known by the abbreviation Namesys aims at creating a quicker and easier way to search file databases on Linux-based systems. Even though he dubs this ultimate achievement "the Holy Grail," both MP3.com and SuSE are already investing in Reiser's company...."
"Reiser bases his system of file structure organization, called ReiserFS, on a complicated system involving the way data for files is organized. When home PC users look at a list of files in their directory, they usually don't even think of the process behind the searching for that list, but when companies search through a huge amount of information, time and efficiency become much more important issues, he said."
Related Stories:


text:
Price: £40.00
Quantity: 1 available
Book Condition: Very Good
318 pp. Decorated dark blue cloth with light blue lettering. Spine faded but lettering mostly legible. Boards slightly marked. Tattered remains of original dust wrapper loosely laid in. Binding firm. With stories especially written for this volume by J. M. Barrie, W. Somerset Maugham, D. H. Lawrence, Arthur Machen and other well-known names. VG
Title: The Black Cap. New Stories of Murder & Mystery
Categories: Literature, Crime,
Edition: Second Edition
Publisher: London, Hutchinson & Co., Ltd. N.d. [1927]: 1927
Binding: Cloth
Book Condition: Very Good
Size: 8vo.
Item: 1.00 Item
Book number: 51905
Keywords: Barrie, Maugham, Lawrence, Wallace, Machen, Leslie,


text: Following Supreme Court Decision New Jersey Considers Sports Gambling Law By Gregg E. Clifton on May 24, 2018 Posted in: Amateur Sports, Collegiate Sports, NCAA, Uncategorized New Jersey is considering a bill that would establish the framework of operation and regulation for wagering at casinos and racetracks on the results of certain professional, collegiate sports, or athletic events. The Garden State has long been at the forefront of advocating for state autonomy and discretion regarding sports wagering. State legislators introduced Assembly Bill No. … Continue Reading


text:
Page Manager: Webmaster
Last update: 9/11/2012 3:13 PM
Maria Gustavson
Bo Rothstein
|Published in
|Trust and Organizations. Confidence Across Borders
|Palgrave Macmillan
|Place of publication
|New York
|Publication year
|Published at
Quality of Government Institute (QoG)
Department of Political Science
|Subject categories
|Business Administration, Political Science, Public Administration Studies
The democratic model of society may be said to be based on a contract between the people and the authorities. The people grant to the authorities—for simplicity's sake, we will use the term "the state" here, but it could just as well be regional or local authorities—the administration of a number of public goods. In modern societies, this not only applies to defense and the legal system, but also to other duties, such as health care, social insurance, education, and infrastructure. In order for this to be achieved, significant financial resources (taxes) are also transferred from the people to the state. Even if there is a continual political and ideological discussion in terms of the exact proportion of these tasks to be managed within the public sphere, and as regards how much the citizens should be expected to pay for this, in the majority of societies there exists a relative consensus that such tasks are of major importance to the citizens and that the resources to be reserved must be significant. Consequently, the social contract needs to be based on a huge dose of trust. Citizens must be able to be confident that the public goods the state is committed to provide will be executed, and executed in a legitimate manner. On the day when a citizen needs, for example, health care, pension, or elderly care, then these services are to be available and are to be delivered in an acceptable and effective manner. Representative democracy implies that citizens are able to exercise control to ensure that this is the case by voting in general elections. Politicians wishing to be reelected then, according to this model, have a strong interest in appearing to be reliable in terms of having fulfilled the terms of the social contract.


text:
A man was declared dead on the tarmac at Pearson airport Thursday evening, after he fell off a utility vehicle.
Peel paramedics were called in around 5:30 p.m. on reports that a man had fallen from a tractor. The man died at the scene.
Peel police believe the man may have been killed by a medical issue that struck him before the fall, rather than the fall itself.
A police spokesperson said a pathologist would have to confirm the cause of death.
It was not clear whether the man was an airport worker.


text:
Wenli Liu Ph.D. in Child Development, 2003
Associate Professor, School of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Beijing Normal University
Wenli and her team develop comprehensive sexuality education textbooks for primary school students, and more than 10 migrant children schools use the textbooks as teaching materials in sexuality education classes. More than 5000 migrant children and their families are benefit from the project work.
"The training and education I received from UNL make me more confident and stronger to have dreams to realize my career aspirations."
Wenli hopes to one day incorporate comprehensive sexuality education into the education curriculum in China nationally.


text:
No products
Prices are tax excluded
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Sally Dean
Business Manager, Communications & Facilities
Parkside School, Bradford
Hi Tobie
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Ellie Street
Business Manager
NHS Bracknell and Ascot Clinical Commissioning Group
NHS Slough Clinical Commissioning Group
NHS Windsor, Ascot and Maidenhead Clinical Commissioning Group
Hi Tobie
As a business client I needed a quick professional service and Gamer-Tech delivered! Each device was flawlessly repaired with a breakdown of faults and parts required and delivered back ahead of schedule. Very Happy Customer, Thank-you.
Fraser O'Neill
Radison Blu Edwardian


text:
Since the Omnia was launched, there has been much interest on this device. Please don't be alarmed that it heats up a bit during intense usage or even during the charging phase. It's normal for all PDA devices.
For the Omnia, it has given many new Phone-to-PDA converts a grand time. Although there may be complaints that the screen color resolution could be better, that's for us to wait for the next model.
For now, my take is that getting an Omnia 8GB is the best buy because


text:
[log in to unmask]" type="cite">bf:workTitle is not an instance of class bf:Work; it is an instance of owl:ObjectProperty (and/or of rdf:Property ).
I am not quite sure what you mean by class-ness flowing from property to subject .
You can infer class from the range or domain of properties. In the general case, you cannot infer that a property entails a more specific sub-property given just simple domain and range constraints.
[log in to unmask]" type="cite">So a SPARQL query of "get me all the triples for class=bf:Work" will retrieve:X a bf:Work
under an rdfs entailment regime or greater, a query for :Work in the value position will return :X and :Y .but never bf:workTitle, regardless of what graph it is found in. You *will* however be able to query for all bf:Title(s).
If the graph union includes the ontology, and the sparql query includes "?S ?P :Work" , you will get bf:workTitle rdfs:domain :Work .
[log in to unmask]" type="cite">Actually, I don't really need answers. I would enjoy some mutual discussion, however.
That doesn't seem to be what you were asking for though.
If you can clarify your question I may be able to give a more useful answer.
-- Karen Coyle [log in to unmask] http://kcoyle.net m: +1-510-435-8234 skype: kcoylenet/+1-510-984-3600


text:
Joget DX Available for Download
Check out Joget DX, the next generation successor to Joget Workflow for faster, simpler digital transformation.
The Enterprise Edition installer comes bundled with MariaDB server. If you prefer a different database to work with, proceed with the setup process to change it in the Settings later.
Powered by a free Atlassian Confluence Open Source Project License granted to Joget Workflow. Evaluate Confluence today.


text: Arthur Curry. King of Atlantis. The Aquaman. Played in the upcoming Justice League film by Game of Thrones alum, Jason Momoa, the protector of the seas will see himself joining the ragtag group of superheroes as something of a stand-offish, hard drinking, Conan the Barbarian-esque figure. This of course works well for Momoa, not just because of his roots in Honolulu, Hawaii, but also because Momoa once played Conan in a revamp of the franchise a few years back. Ironically enough, Momoa himself was even a marine biology major in college for a brief period of time, foreshadowing his eventual role as "the Aquaman" in DC's big tentpole film. But if you're unfamiliar with the character's origins, powers, or what in the world it is he actually does, we're here help get you ready for Justice League. Below, we've run down Aquaman's past, present and future to give you a better understanding of the life of Arthur Curry.


text:
Bob Pryor serves as chief executive officer of NTT DATA Services, a trusted global innovator delivering technology-enabled services and innovative solutions to clients around the world. He previously served as chief operating officer as well as chief integration officer, overseeing the 22-month integration of Dell Services into NTT DATA.
Bob joined NTT DATA from Fujitsu, where he was CEO of Fujitsu Americas, Inc., leading the hardware, software and services businesses in North America, the Caribbean, Mexico and Latin/South America. He started his career at EDS through the Systems Engineering Development Programme and progressed to a variety of senior leadership roles across sales, industry verticals and geographic businesses. He's also held senior leadership positions at Ernst & Young, Capgemini, HP and Genpact.
Bob holds a Master of Business Administration from the University of North Texas, a Bachelor's in finance and accounting from the University of Texas at Austin and completed the Kellogg Executive Development Programme at Northwestern University. He has a certificate of management accounting and was named one of the 'Top 25 Consultants' by Consulting Magazine earlier in his career.
Dave Bonner is executive vice president for infrastructure, cloud and security at NTT DATA Services. With an extensive background in IT consulting, outsourcing and software development, he has more than 30 years of experience working with clients around the world. Dave leads a team of over 12,000 employees in service-delivery and operations centres in more than 20 global locations. Previously, Dave led the IT integration for NTT DATA's acquisition of Dell Services.
Wayne is president of NTT DATA Services' Financial Services, Insurance and Consulting businesses. With more than 25 years in the financial services industry, his leadership of high-impact consulting, technology and operations teams has allowed him to personally serve an array of clients across North America and Europe. Wayne helps clients optimize their current business and leverages NTT DATA Services' capabilities to rotate them toward new waves of growth, creating new operating models through digital platform delivery, technology services transformation and As-a-Service solutions.
Mona Charif is senior vice president and chief marketing officer for NTT DATA Services. She has more than 20 years of experience with Fortune 100 companies, including Dell, Hewlett-Packard, Lucent Technologies and EDS. Mona has broad experience in complex marketing and communications strategy and flawless programme execution. With an extensive background in branding and rebranding companies, she led the marketing integration of the former Dell Services with NTT DATA. Mona also leads the North Texas chapter of Women Inspire NTT DATA (WIN), an employee resource group.
Eric Clark is chief digital officer, focusing on go-to-market and offering management. As a key contributor and spokesperson for NTT DATA Services, Eric is often called upon to deliver his insights to clients, media and analysts on topics such as the development and execution of strategy and operations for digital transformation, cloud, mobility, internet of things and security. Eric has more than 25 years of experience in the IT industry. Prior to joining NTT DATA Services, Eric held numerous global, senior leadership positions with ServiceNow, Dell, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Arthur Andersen Business Consulting, Ernst & Young and Bank of America. Eric is a board member for the DFW World Affairs Council and has served on the advisory board for the SMU Digital Accelerator. He holds a Master of Business Administration from the McCombs School of Business at the University of Texas at Austin, and a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from the University of Texas at Austin.
Tim Conway is president of Public Sector at NTT DATA Services, driving our business to deliver technology-enabled solutions to federal, state and local governments in the United States, Canada and Australia. Tim is a seasoned leader, providing management and technology consulting to the public sector for nearly three decades. He has held management and executive positions at Keane, Inc., Xerox (formerly ACS, Inc.), IBM, Lockheed Martin and the Public Service Electric and Gas Company.
David Croxville is chief financial officer at NTT DATA Services, overseeing all global finance, including property and procurement. His 20+ year career spans leadership roles that include unit controller, managing director of financial planning and analysis and CFO of a $10 billion organisation. David joined NTT DATA from Pegasus Logistics Group, where he served as chief financial officer and chief operating officer.
John Dick is executive vice president and general counsel at NTT DATA Services. He is responsible for general corporate counsel, compliance, contracts, mergers and acquisitions, plus employment and litigation matters. With 20 years of experience, John was previously at Keane, Inc., as well as Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP. John also represented companies and funds in connection with private placements, venture funds and private equity funds.
Amir Durrani is executive vice president of global delivery and responsible for ensuring that our balanced onshore and India-based offshore delivery models remain competitive differentiators through our expert talent, service delivery, innovation and unparalleled quality. Amir has more than 20 years of experience in the IT services industry, including serving as executive vice president of Asia Pacific at Keane, Inc.
Mary is the president of the Healthcare Provider business for NTT DATA Services. She brings more than 30 years of senior leadership experience in healthcare to her role, with a strong history of leading and nurturing high-performance teams and growing and transforming businesses. Mary's early career was with Blue Cross Blue Shield serving in underwriting/actuarial and merger/integration initiatives, as well as leading strategic planning. Through a 20+ year consulting career, she has held various progressive senior leadership roles in the Health and Public Service sectors. Just prior to joining NTT, Mary led Commercial Markets for a healthcare BPaaS provider, HM Heath Solutions. Mary holds an MBA from the Weatherhead School of Management at Case Western Reserve University.
John Graham is chief revenue officer with responsibility for corporate sales strategies across diverse channels, overall sales processes and results, and mentoring world-class teams for sales, account management and sales support. John has leadership expertise in building high-performing teams that can implement operational improvements to drive revenue growth and increased profitability. Before joining NTT DATA Services, John was chief executive officer at Omnitracs, and prior to that, he was president of security, government and infrastructure for Intergraph Corp., Hexagon AB. John's prior experience also includes senior executive roles at Capgemini, Ernst & Young, Siebel Systems and EDS. John is also a former naval officer, serving in multiple theatres.
Tanvir Khan is president of Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) and has spent more than 23 years in IT and outsourcing. He is a hands-on BPO practitioner who drives process transformation combining technology, process optimisation, analytics and automation. Tanvir's approach to BPO is based on a foundation of vertical industry-specific platforms layered with workflow and automation to continuously optimise transaction processing.
Stephanie Liebman is senior vice president and chief risk and compliance officer for NTT DATA Services. She is responsible for expanding the global risk function through proactive risk management, compliance and audit programs. Stephanie joined NTT DATA Services from HP Inc., where she served as vice president and chief audit executive reporting to the HP Audit Committee of the Board of Directors. Previously, she was vice president of finance for HP's Enterprise Services Financial Operations and worked at EDS earlier in her career. Stephanie is a Certified Public Accountant and Certified Fraud Examiner.
Barry Shurkey is chief information officer for NTT DATA Services. He is responsible for optimising and advancing the company's IT roadmap to support the company and its clients. Previously, he was a senior vice president, overseeing the company's Transition Services Agreement with Dell, and before that led the company's overall service delivery to the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT). With more than 30 years of experience in the IT services industry, he has held leadership roles with Travelport, Vertex Business Systems, EDS and HP.
Sylvia Steinheiser is executive vice president of Corporate Development. She is responsible for developing new business opportunities with an emphasis on acquisitions and strategic partnerships that align with our core strategy, global competitiveness and market trends. Sylvia is also responsible for managing and optimising our International Business. Sylvia holds an MBA from Georgetown University, a Juris Doctor degree from Cleveland Marshall College of Law and a BA in economics from the University of Michigan.
Mike Thomas is president of Commercial Industries for NTT DATA Services. In this role, he leads teams that provide industry solutions to the Communications/Media, Retail/CPG, Travel, Logistics and Services industries, delivering services in over 50 countries. He has more than 30 years of experience in programming, operations, general management and sales in the technology services sector. Previously, he held roles as chief sales officer for NTT Data North America and president of Healthcare and Life Sciences Services North America. Prior to joining NTT DATA, Mike was an EVP at a private equity firm, and held several division president and GM positions at EDS and Capgemini across numerous industries. Mike received a BA in accounting from Texas A&M University and his EMBA from Thunderbird School of Global Management. He is also a graduate of the EDS Systems Engineering Development Program.
David Vice is chief revenue officer with responsibility for corporate sales strategies across diverse channels, overall sales processes and results, and mentoring world-class teams for sales, account management and sales support. He brings more than 20 years of experience building and leading sales organizations and implementing marketing strategies. Most recently, he served as chief sales officer at Omnitracs, LLC. He has also held senior leadership positions with NTT DATA, Inc., Hewlett-Packard Enterprise Services and EDS. David sits on Texas Christian University's e-business Advisory Council. He also served as executive vice president and board member of Wendover Financial Services Corp., a subsidiary of EDS, and as a member of the Texas Tech Rawls School of Business Advisory Council. David received a bachelor's degree in business administration and marketing from Texas Tech University and completed graduation work at the London School of Business.
Mike Wallesen is president of the Manufacturing and Life Sciences business unit for NTT DATA Services. He leads solution development, sales, onshore/offshore delivery excellence and customer success across manufacturing, automotive, life sciences, energy and natural resources industries. Mike is a seasoned business leader with more than 30 years of experience in IT, software and services. Prior to NTT DATA Services, Mike served as senior vice president and chief services officer for Ellucian, and he held leadership positions at Siemens PLM Software, Capgemini and EDS.
Dean Williams is executive vice president of global human resources at NTT DATA Services, leading strategic human resource activities, including workforce development, organization effectiveness, compensation, recruiting, benefits and Diversity & Inclusion. With more than 30 years of experience – half of which has been as chief HR officer – Dean has delivered HR programs, practices and infrastructure in high-growth organizations in the IT and financial services industries.
Steve Williams is the Enterprise CISO for NTT DATA Services. Steve is responsible for creating and maintaining an Information Security Program across NTT DATA Services, securing the services provided to our clients, and helping to harmonize the security strategy across NTT's 900+ companies. He has more than 30 years of IT experience and before joining NTT DATA Services led global security teams at Dell, AMD and Pearson.
Shashi Yadiki is president of the Health Plan business for NTT DATA Services, where he has built a growing business focused on Business Process-as-a-Service, Digital Transformation, Intelligent Automation and adoption of value-based care models for healthcare. Shashi and his team bring an entrepreneurial mindset to help clients implement new business models in healthcare. Their outcome-based approach reduces costs and improves member and provider satisfaction through adoption of advanced digital capabilities. Shashi has an MBA from the Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore.


text:
Thursday, June 14, 2012
Rain rain go away! Come back when my washing is dry!
Not raining - pouring.
Days and days.
This morning we got a reprieve.
The sun came out.
The neighbourhood rejoiced.
I have such a back log of wet things on the line.
Damp things taking forever to dry in the tumble dryer, and taking an eternity hanging inside.
And damp smelly things waiting to be washed.
We are running out of clothes.
So today I washed, and respun, and dried (air and tumble)
And took pictures to celebrate the sun.
Then the clouds came over again.
And as I type, I can hear more rain.
3 comments:
thx for visiting! i love the pictures on your blog ... started following ... regards from vienna!ReplyDelete
I just found your blog and I think it is amazing.I will come again for sure If you want we could follow each other? If you want just follow me and send me your link on firstname.lastname@example.com and I will follow you immediatelyReplyDelete
Thank you both so much. Will pop over and check out your blog Lucia, this weekend.ReplyDelete
Thank you for stopping by and taking the time to comment. I do appreciate each and every one and will do my best to reply. I do apologise for the comment moderation I've been forced to put into place thanks to Mr Dark's spamming. It was not so much the spamming that bothered me - it was his appalling grammar.


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Cumulus Networks is proud to announce CRN®, a brand of The Channel Company, has named us to its 2019 Data Center 50 list.
This annual list identifies technology suppliers that offer the right management tools to help businesses and solution providers ensure data centers run with maximum performance and efficiency. We couldn't be more thrilled! This accomplishment really solidifies our vision — to build the modern data center networks for applications of the future.
It's been a while since we updated our blog community with our evolved vision for the modern data center, so we thought this would be a great opportunity to review a little bit about what Cumulus has been doing lately and how our products have evolved.
Our story — Building the modern data center
We pride ourselves on providing networking software to design, run and operate modern data centers that are simple, open, resilient, scalable and operationally efficient.
Our network operating system, Cumulus Linux, is a powerful, open network operating system that allows you to automate, customize and scale using web-scale principles like the world's largest data centers.
When it comes to data center networks, traditional network solutions are unable keep up with the pace of change and agility required to serve customers better, faster and cheaper. These systems are complex, proprietary and expensive. They weren't designed with private and hybrid cloud models in mind or for today's applications.
Legacy networks have become a barrier to the business. Network operations require a significant rethink if it is to adapt to future technology and process demands, such as containers, DevOps, the Internet of Things (IoT), cloud and software-defined infrastructure.
By transitioning to open networking, we believe organizations of all sizes can affordably build and efficiently operate their network like the world's largest data centers. Our customers can run their data center networks the way Google and Facebook have done for years — highly automated, flexible and efficient, without all the development time or expensive, specialized hardware. We refer to this as web-scale networking.
Since we were founded 2010, we've grown to have over 1500 customers globally including 35% of the Fortune 50. We support over 100 open hardware platforms from a number of technology partners including Mellanox Technologies, DellEMC, Facebook, Edgecore Networks, Penguin Computing, Lenovo, HPE, FS.com, Delta Networks, Quanta Cloud Technology (QCT) and Super Micro Computer, powered by the latest in Broadcom and Spectrum ASIC technology. As you can see, we've really been busy!
Why does this matter to you? It means open networking is here to stay. Our vision for the modern network is manifesting every day and we love being drivers of the open networking revolution. When companies like CRN recognize us for our innovation, it only solidifies what we've always known — that open is inevitable.
The CRN vision and ours
Prefacing their list of the top 50, CRN details where they see the data center going and how they chose vendors to be on this list. "The rise of cloud, software-defined, cost-efficient energy solutions, hyper-scale facilities and the need for more edge computing is changing how companies build and sell data center offerings." They chose companies that are driving innovation and powering new technologies. With that in mind, it's no surprise to us that Cumulus made the list (and it's not the first time…).
Previous awards for Cumulus Networks from CRN include the Software Defined Datacenter 50 list in 2017, CRN Top 10 Coolest Open Source Products of 2016 for Cumulus Linux 3.0, CRN Top 10 SND Market Leaders in the Data Center and Enterprise 2016, CRN Finalist in Enterprise Software Category for Cumulus Linux 3.0 2016, and Finalist in Networking-Enterprise Category for Cumulus Linux 3.0.
Be sure to read the announcement by CRN with the full list of winners here and our profile by them here.
Again, we're honored and excited to have made the cut and we look forward to the day where every data center is running open, disaggregated and standardized software for agility, flexibility and scale. Read more about how Cumulus is differentiating ourselves in the market.


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A Welshman who thought he was making plans with a mother to travel to Canada to rape her young children was actually talking to an undercover Canadian cop, a court heard.
Alexander James Dennis made contact with the woman after visiting paedophile chatrooms, and exchanged a series of messages with her over the course of a number of days.
Dennis, aged 37, of Williams Street, Pontarddulais , had denied a charge of arranging or facilitating the commission of a child sex offence but was found guilty following a trial at Swansea Crown Court.
Sending him to prison, a judge told Dennis he had a "deviant streak" which he would have to address.
The court heard Dennis, who used the online pseudonym Hardatitt, discussed plans with the woman to visit her in Canada in order to abuse her children while she watched.
He also asked the woman to show him a video of the children and to let him stay at her house.
The mother was in fact an undercover member of the Canadian police and her children were fictional.
Dennis was arrested in a swoop by officers from the National Crime Agency (NCA) and South Wales Police.
He later admitted in interview that he had visited several chatrooms dedicated to discussing child sex abuse.
He also admitted wiping his mobile phone in order to destroy evidence.
Dennis maintained that the plan to travel to Canada was a fantasy on which he had never intended to act - but he was convicted by a jury.
Judge Geraint Walters told the defendant: "you have a deviant streak which you are going to have to confront".
He added: "This conviction represents a significant fall from grace - it is a fall which you will never recover now what you have done has been exposed."
Dennis was sentenced to two years in prison, and made the subject of a 10-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order. He will also be on the sex offenders register for 10 years.
Speaking after the sentencing Mick Kiernan, intelligence manager at the NCA, said: "Dennis thought he was making real plans to commit the most appalling abuse imaginable.
"Our strong links with international partners, in this case the Canadian police, meant we were able to identify the risk he posed.
"NCA officers work day in, day out to keep children safe from those who wish to do them harm.
"Anyone intent on abusing children should know there's no safe corner of the internet for them to hide in."
Children's welfare charity NSPCC Cymru said police on both sides of the Atlantic were to be commended for working together to catch Dennis, adding that it hoped the defendant received the treatment he needed when in custody to ensure he doesn't pose a risk to youngsters on his release.


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It is the workplace of a hairdresser and a beautician. This is where people go to get their hair done or for other cosmetic reasons. There are many players present in the salon business. When you opt to begin a salon business there are many vacancies in the market. When set on a good location you can experience tremendous performance in your business. The beauty needs are recurrent in nature on humans. It is the female gender that is in dire need of the beauty services in the society. This is because they have a habit of trying to be at their most ideal state. You should hire professionals to cater the beauty services. You can read more now on the info that you require when purchasing the salon equipment for your business. See page for more tips in buying salon equipment.
The size of the room where you intend to operate from should be looked at. The space should be one of the most important features that can guide you on which salon equipment to buy or not. The space determines what can fit well or otherwise. It is important to always have in mind the layout of the room so as to know what space is to be left out to serve the salon equipment. The working is should considerably be big so as to allow the free movements of the workers as they operate. The equipment should match well with the available space.
You should consider checking if the equipment is in line with your set budget. Some salon equipment are expensive to buy while some are moderately fair. Having a budget is worthwhile when buying this salon equipment. The cost should blend in easily with what is included in your budget. This can help you avoid any shortcomings in other necessities of your business. The budget should offer space for some variations in the prices found in the market. View here for more tips about purchasing salon equipment.
The efficiency of the equipment is worthwhile considering. The type of equipment that you opt to buy should be user friendly. The equipment should have a good exterior look so as to attract the attention of the customers. They should have a surface that can be easily wiped or cleaned so as to ensure optimal cleanliness.
You should know your potential customers. You should seek to determine what the potential customers to your business require and like. Their taste and preferences should guide you on the equipment to buy. It is sometimes unfair to buy some items that are less likely to be used in your business. Having prior information about the market can help you buy the most ideal equipment. For further information about salon equipment, click on this link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hairdresser.


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CaixaBank: Focus on Fragile Emerging Economies
Caixa Bank Research's latest report on the international economy provided insight on the fragility of emerging markets. On June 14th, 2018, the Argentine Peso and the Brazilian Real lead the weakness in emerging market currencies falling 6.1 percent and 2.2 percent on the day. A down day that comes just a day after the Federal Reserve raises rates and reaffirms its hawkishness through the rest of the year.
Emerging market currencies have not just had a weak past 24 hours. Since the beginning of May, Caixa reports that "the Argentine peso has depreciated nearly 20% against the US dollar, the Turkish lira more than 10%, and a large number of currencies (including the Polish zloty, the Brazilian real, the Mexican peso, the Chilean peso and the Colombian peso) have depreciated by between –6% and –4%." The numbers are quite staggering and suggest the hawkish trend in U.S. interest rates is viewed as a crisis-level threat to the stability of emerging markets' financial systems. Caixa describes them as "fragile" and points to Argentina and Turkey as the prime examples.
Both Argentina and Turkey have similar "macroeconomic imbalances" which include high inflation and a current account deficit. More specifically, Argentina and Turkey reported 26.5 percent and 10.8 percent inflation in April and a 4.6 percent and a 5.6 percent current account deficit at the end of 2017, respectively. While the macroeconomic maladies are dangerous, the inability to implement efficient fiscal and monetary policy leaves it vulnerable to shocks that can lead to crises.
The point of Caixa's article is to compare the current state of the "fragile" emerging economies to the state of emerging economies in 2007 when "the emerging countries were at the end of the previous cycle of growth." The report compares nine different macroeconomic indicators comparing 2007 emerging economies to today's emerging economies:
- Current account balance (% GDP) has decreased suggesting a reduction in financial vulnerability.
- External debt (% GDP) has grown significantly suggesting a worsening in financial vulnerability.
- Short-term external debt (% GDP) increased significantly suggesting a worsening in financial vulnerability.
- Inflation is down slightly suggesting a reduction in financial vulnerability.
- Credit-to-GDP gap is has increased suggesting a worsening in financial vulnerability.
- Currency to short-term external debt ratio has decreased slightly suggesting a worsening in financial vulnerability.
- Fiscal balance (% GDP) has decreased significantly suggesting a reduction in financial vulnerability.
- Public debt (% GDP) has increased significantly suggesting a worsening in financial vulnerability.
- Reference rate (%) is slightly lower suggesting a reduction in financial vulnerability.
These are the indicators that observers want to focus on in observing the potential for a currency crisis in any given country (although Argentina and Turkey look the most susceptible). In general, the debt levels look like the most dangerous threat. Even though the benchmark interest rates are on average lower relative to 2007 levels, the external debt levels are significantly higher, and because the debt is external, it will be sensitive to the hawkishness coming from developed economies' central banks. This is one force weakening emerging market currencies.
But that isn't the only pressure on currencies. Internal turmoil via political uncertainty and/or fiscal irresponsibility is threatening the credit rating of many emerging markets sovereign debt. Interest rates on that debt are increasing in response. That phenomenon cycles back into the foreign exchange market where investors are pushing demand for local currencies lower and, therefore, devaluing the currency more. These two forces together caused the large sell-off on June 14th and could continue to exacerbate an already troubling situation.


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Hydrating Makeup Removing Wipes
In stock
In stock
Product Details
Makeup-free skin in a flash. When you're on the go, traveling, or need a pre-cleanse for extra stubborn makeup, Mineral Fusion's Hydrating Makeup Removing Wipes are the perfect fix for removing makeup with zero fuss. Pre-moistened with Evening Primrose and Argan Oil to gently dissolve eye and face makeup, dirt, and impurities, no water necessary. Cleans and preps skin to maximize results before your nighttime skin routine.
- Gently removes makeup and impurities without any fuss.
- Offers a burst of hydration right before bed.
- Nourishing botanicals feel good on your skin (and conscience).
- Bursting with age-defying, hydrating goodness.
Hypoallergenic - Cruelty Free - Vegan - Gluten Free - No Harsh Ingredients - Artificial Fragrance Free - Paraben Free - Phthalate Free
Gently wipe away dirt, makeup and impurities with the pre-moistened towelette. Close cap tightly after opening to keep the wipes moist. Dispose of wipe in the trash can when done.
Our Formula
Purified Water, Olus Oil, Glycerin, Lauryl Glucoside, Polyglyceryl-2-Dipolyhydroxystearate, Glyceryl Oleate, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil, Persea Gratissima (Avocado) Oil, Argania Spinosa (Argan) Oil, Oenothera Biennis (Evening Primrose) Oil, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Chamomilla Recutita (Matricaria) Flower Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Tocopheryl Acetate (Vitamin E), Phenoxyethanol, Potassium Sorbate, Citric Acid.
Our Values


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Murray Valley Mountain Bike Trails
The first of the brand-new curated trails for Murray Valley at Lane Poole have been opened and the reviews are in. Awsome!
Three downhill mountain bike trails are available, making up the first section of over 25kms planned for the Murray Valley network, catering for beginner, intermediate and advanced riders. The "Year one" Green Trail, "Boom Boom" Blue Trail and "Bam Bam" Black Trail, offer a great experience for any mountain bike enthusiast.
The longer-term objective for the area is to create a local mountain bike trail network of National and ultimately International standard that includes both cross country and downhill style trails. It will create a recreational facility for visitors to Dwellingup and Lane Poole Reserve.
Murray Valley Trails
Please consider your skill level and experience before choosing a trail. Please ride within your limits.
Year1 is a 2.3km descending green trail suitable for beginners. The trail features open rolling grade reversals, large cambered turns and flowing features on a wide smooth surface.
Boom Boom is a 1.4km blue downhill flow trail which has large natural surfaced features such as table tops, step downs and step ups, rollers and berms.
Bam Bam is a 1.3km black downhill flow trail that should be ridden by advanced riders only. The trail is fast with difficult features such as double whale back jumps and rollers, steep step downs and rock gardens.
Enjoy some of the latest youtube videos posted by early riders.


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Family House Diaries: Lessons in Caring and Compassion
A 54-year-old mother from Lumberton, N.C. nearly loses her adult daughter in a horrific accident and as a caregiver offers help and healing to her daughter and to complete strangers.
Media contact: Tom Hughes, (919) 966-6047, firstname.lastname@example.com
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
Written by Elizabeth Swaringen for UNC Health Care
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – Take care of yourself. Find someone you can talk to. Don't be afraid to cry.
These are the lessons Virginia Hays – birth mother of three, foster mother of many more and Mama V to the friends of all her children – freely shares after nearly losing her 32-year-old daughter Vaylene Klassen in a motorcycle accident that claimed the life of Vaylene's boyfriend on June 11.
"What happened to Vaylene could happen to anyone, so don't think for a minute you are immune," said Hays, 54, of Lumberton in Robeson County. "It was bad, but it could have been worse. As they say, 'there but for the grace of God '."
Vaylene was air-lifted to UNC Hospitals in the wee hours of June 12 where her crushed, broken and torn body was treated by five teams of specialists. On June 24 she was released to Chapel Hill Rehabilitation Center for intensive physical therapy and is scheduled to return home to Lumberton on Aug. 17 to continue out-patient therapy there, well in advance of her birthday on Aug. 29.
To have home-away-from-home comforts while being near Vaylene in Chapel Hill, Virginia had access to SECU Family House, the 40-bedroom hospital hospitality house minutes from UNC Hospitals. Family House provides comfortable, convenient and affordable housing for seriously ill adult patients and their family member caregivers.
"Family House was an absolute godsend, an enormous blessing," said Virginia. "They made it possible for me to be here for her and not go crazy. Being away from her when she was in such pain – physically and emotionally – is not something I could do. Had Family House not been available to me, I would have slept in the woods to be near her."
Early on, Virginia slept in "a rather uncomfortable reclining chair" next to her daughter's bed. "I would come to Family House to shower and wash clothes," Virginia said. "When she moved to rehab, I started sleeping at Family House and cooking for her."
But more than the physical comfort of place, Virginia found comfort and support from fellow residents and Family House staff.
"We were all going through the same thing – pain of a loved one being sick or injured and feeling helpless of how to fix it," Virginia said. "We talked to one another and listened to one another. We cried together. My heart just broke for a number of mothers I met. I couldn't always remember their names, but I could remember their situations. I saw their exhaustion and frustration at days' end day after day, and I just wanted to take them away for a chance to relax and regroup. But we were all the same -- none of us wanted to be away from our sick children. "
The care and compassion Virginia received at Family House was also evident at UNC Hospitals.
"With all my children – by birth and by choice – I've been in a few hospitals, but until UNC Hospitals I have never seen the number of people who are not only as skilled as they are but as compassionate and thoughtful," Virginia said. "The nurses asked about me as a caregiver, how I was doing, how was I taking care of myself, and reminding me that I couldn't take care of Vaylene unless I took care of myself first."
"And the student nurses were phenomenal as well," Virginia said. "They were so tuned in to Vaylene's responses, they could correctly interpret her facial expressions without a word being said."
Virginia expected Vaylene, a branch bank employee, to make phenomenal progress in her recovery, and she has.
"She's always been my overachiever, the one who got a black belt in taekwondo before she got her driver's license," Virginia said. "She's always learning, never stagnant, always moving ahead."
Still, Virginia can't shake the fear about what might have been for her daughter and their relationship that had already transcended to BFF – best friends forever – before the accident.
"I'm not as strong as I thought I was," Virginia said.
"What? I don't believe that," Vaylene shot-back.
"I have not handled this as well as I would have liked to," Virginia said, insistent.
"I disagree," Vaylene persisted. "How much better could you have been?"
"What no one sees is the fear I have inside, the fear that I could have lost you," Virginia said, tears welling.
"Well, we're well past the could have," Vaylene insisted.
"Just because you are getting better doesn't mean I've gotten rid of the fear," Virginia said. "But it's a reasonable fear, a fear every mother has regardless of a child's age. And I'm not sure it ever goes away."


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First, happy belated to all of the fine mamas that habituate my comment section. Y'all have some lucky kids!
I had a long conversation at the in-laws yesterday about blogging and I walked away a little peeved. It was compared to standing on a soapbox in the park, which rankled me. See, you can play your guitar on the subway and be a musician, or sell your paintings outside of the Met and be an artist. For there to be no equivalent for writing goes to show how little people value it as a means of creative expression.
I got Lucy a sewing book that came on Saturday and I am so very excited about getting a sewing basket set up and trying out some of the projects. I used to love handsewing as a little kid. I think I still will, actually. I don't know where this whole artsy-fartsy kick is coming from but it's been a lot of fun. I made Lucy a beaded necklace on Friday, and then yesterday we transplanted half of our peppermint seedlings to give to Grandma for Mother's Day which I really enjoyed (in spite of the big pile of soil on my living room floor.)
Speaking of potting, our second worm bin should be here today or tomorrow. Then we can get to work planting the seedlings that are staying inside. I'm waiting on the outside plants until Memorial Day. My MIL gave me a pot of mini-roses that I need to find a place for as well. They are really lovely. I hope I don't do them in like I usually do with flowering plants. Although my oxalis has managed to bloom for the 3rd year (no thanks to anything I have done.) Bean thinks the roses are fabulous. I wish I could get a photo of him delicately sniffing the blooms; he looks most refined.
Our CSA is going to have meat/egg/honey deliveries this year! I am so excited! We may actually make 70% local 25% bulk over the summer! I have sorely been neglecting my poor Riot numbers. It's the tracking of the trash and the saving of the food receipts. As far as I can tell, we've completely stagnated numbers-wise and I'm not sure if I want to take up tracking again. I may do a few extra months to make up for the ones I didn't track, or I may just write a huge wrap-up of the first year at the end of this month and start fresh on June 1. As I see it, I'm not ready to be finished with the project despite my horrible tracking. Or, maybe more accurately, I think we have more work to do.
I should have done my proofreading over the weekend and now I'm stuck with rushing through this morning. I should know better…


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There's a market for slim cases. Thin bits of plastic or rubber or metal that sleekly wrap around the rear of your phone which doesn't impact the thickness of modern mobiles. They probably won't give your phone much in terms of impact protection, but scratches certainly won't get through. It's easier to get your phone into your pocket too. That's what Sleek | Innovation are doing with their new Base Grip Case.
The entirety of the Silk Innovation Base Grip case is made of rubber. It's bends and folds which is great as a skin for the rear of your Samsung S8. There's a stiff plastic surround of the lens hole to give that some added protection, just incase the phone falls on the lens area. The entire rear of the phone including the sides will be covered. There are cut out holes at the bottom for your headphone port, charging cable and even a cut out for a speaker.
The case is soft to touch, yet has this grainy texture to the rear of the case which enables you to hold your Samsung S8 securely in your hand. We didn't try and use this case for any kind of drop test, as there is no way a phone would survive a drop from a comfortable holding height. Think waist height. We didn't want to risk it. But, if your phone is jiggling around inside a bag, or even sharing a pocket with a set of car keys, it's likely to survive some potential scratch damage.
So the Silk | Innovation Base Grip case is pretty stylish. They're available in two colours, black and blue which is really tying in with their branding if you look at their other cases on the market. If you would like to know more on the Silk | Innovation base grip, you can check them out online now.