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Terms and Conditions
Payment Policy
We accept as forms of payment all major credit cards and PayPal. We also accept checks but we reserve the right to hold the merchandise purchased until the funds have cleared..
Shipping Policy-Smokers & RoastersAll our cookers except the BBQ 26 and BBQ26S are shipped by common carrier. Most other items in our online store and accessories purchased after the sale of a cooker are shipped UPS. If you have any questions about shipping, please call 877-BBQ-3939.
When placing your order it's helpful if you provide besides the normal information:
Is the shipped to address a business or a residence
A phone number where you can be easily reached
By what date do you need the item
Many items can be shipped immediately if in stock but still allow 5 days. Depending on the time of year, cooker deliveries could take 2 to 3 weeks.
We can only shipp within the United States and Canada.
Items delivered in North Carolina will be charged 6.75% sales tax.
Return PolicySmokers and Roasters
Returns must be made within 30 days of the date of purchase. The product being returned must be in original brand new condition free of any signs of wear, use, scrapes or damage. Return freight charges must be prepaid by the customer. Payment on returns will be the purchase price less any shipping. Call 877-BBQ-3939.
Accessories, Seasonings and Sauces
Returns must be made within 14 days of the date of purchase on unopened packaging. Payment on returns will be the purchase price less any shipping. Food products must be unopened and in the manufactures original packaging. We are unable to accept returns on opened food products.
Call 877-BBQ-3939.
Privacy Policy
Through the course of doing business we collect personal information that is given to us voluntarily such names, addresses, e-mail addresses, phone numbers etc. We will not share or sell this information to anyone except if required by law or governmental agencies. We may send you updates, new releases, newsletter, recipes or sales information from time to time. You have the right to opt out at anytime.


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It had been almost two years since the day I turned ugly. Not that people would say so, at least not the people I knew, the ones I loved. But I'd heard the whispered veiled ridicule from strangers as they'd pass me in the street. Witness to the stares, then the instant look away as I caught their eye with mine. But it's okay. I look in the mirror every day and see a hideous monster staring back.
Sympathy wasn't a character trait I was born to acknowledge easily, however it wasn't me I felt sorry for. It was for my devoted, ever faithful husband. Despite everything, he still looks at me with the same loving eyes as the first day he told me he loved me.
But how could he? Not now.
Almost two years ago, a freak accident robbed me of my legs, confining me to this damn chair. It robbed me of my beauty, leaving scars forever to be seen by all. For almost two years it robbed me of the intimacy I once adored with my husband, took away the sexiness I felt about myself whilst depriving me of any sensation below the waist. How could he love a 'thing' that looked as I did, thst could no longer satisfy him sexually?
And so that's why I brought another into our relationship. To offer my husband the pleasure I could no longer give. He's a good man. One that would never have sought by his own volition, that which I was offering him. And in a sick morbid twisted way, I wanted to watch. To see him experience pleasure once more.
Her name was Chloe, young and generously proportioned. Her hair was brunette in colour, shoulder length with a fringe at the front. We both thought she was in her early twenties, but never cared to ask, only that she was above consenting age.
I was already in the bedroom, seated in the corner when they both entered. My husband asked me if this was really what I wanted, to which I nodded and forced a smile. Inside my head, I knew I was doing this for all the right reasons, but yet in my heart it began ripping away at the very essence of my womanhood.
He sat on the edge of the bed, watching intently as she provocatively removed her bra, revealing her beautifully young firm breasts to him. Encouragingly, she reached for his hand and placed it upon one of them. He seemed to look at me once more for validation, but by then her hand was on top of his forcing him to squeeze and caress them. I could see her erect nipples protruding between their fingers and knew it would only be a matter of time before she had him sucking on them.
Deftly she slipped out of the skirt she'd been wearing, revealing a skimpy pair of patterned breifs that matched her bra. My immediate thought turned to trying to remember the last time I'd had matching underwear, however that soon changed as I watched her remove my husband's beautiful erect penis from the confines of his trousers. It was solid thick, precum glistening over its bulbous swollen head. She wasted no time in taking it all between her glossed lips, stroking it with both hands when not in her mouth.
I could tell he was close. His hands gripped the sheets, and he threw his head backwards, moaning loudly. She didn't flinch or pull away, instead taking his ejaculation, and swallowing it without missing a drop. There was pleasure in her eyes as she continued to work him hard once more.
Lifting herself onto the bed, she straddled him so as to feel the tip of his cock pushing gently against the glistening wet lips of her vagina. Slowly she began dragging her nails across his chest as she lowered herself onto him, her nails biting into his flesh as the final few inches slid in.
I could feel a tear trickle down the tracks of my scars, but even I wasn't sure if this was because of the pleasure my husband was receiving, or because another woman was getting pleasure from riding his cock. I brushed it away quickly so that he wouldn't see, although his eyes were fixed on those of Chloe's as she lifted herself up and down upon his shaft.
Then something happened I wasn't expecting, something I'd never experienced in all the years I'd we'd been together. Something that sent the faintest tinges of jealousy rippling through me. Placing both hands beneath her, he lifted her slightly forcing her to plant both feet upon the bed for stability. Then, like a possessed man, he began rapidly slamming his cock into her, forcing her to lean back onto his legs as he pounded her.
Her moans of pleasure were loud and unabated. I watched as orgasm after orgasm swept through her, washing all over his cock as it mercilessly fucked her. Was it just years of pent up frustration? Or was Chloe really the kind of woman he'd always dreamed of fucking?
I couldn't watch as his orgasms pumped inside her, her caught breath silencing the room. However I did watch as she rolled from him exhausted, her pale white skin glistening with sweat. I wasn't really sure how I imagined it to play out, but what I'd just witnessed wasn't how I thought it.
Chloe excused herself to the bathroom so as to freshen and dress, which was just as well, because my husband's semen was still seeping from her as she stood. My husband adjusted his trousers and sat quietly upon the edge of the bed once more. He looked over at me, a look confused look of thankfulness and guilt etched upon his face.
I'd told him that it was okay, that I was okay and that he should see Chloe out. And yet I wasn't sure if I was okay. I'd insisted on this whole affair, gave my husband the sexual outlet he was being deprived, and yet……and yet as I catch myself in the mirror, the realisation that I was no longer a sexually capable woman hit home. And with it, a solitary tear traced the lines of my scars once more.
Copyright: authorchrisbrown

subset: commoncrawl


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What's the difference between an application port and a switchport?
How do you avoid bandwidth constraints and dropped BAS packets?
If you are planning on having a career in building automation, these are just a few of the challenges you will face. IT networking is becoming a required skill for BAS professionals. But, outside of our IT course, no one is teaching what BAS professionals need to know. And that is why in this week's episode of the Building Automation Monthly Podcast we will be discussing:
- How BAS devices use the network to communicate
- The different parts and pieces of a BAS network
- The three things you must understand to avoid network issues
- Why you must start learning IT now to futureproof your career
Listen to the episode below.
[smart_track_player url="http://traffic.libsyn.com/buildingautomationmonthly/Episode_119.mp3" title="BAM 119: IT Networking for BAS Pros - Part 1" social="true" social_twitter="true" social_facebook="true" social_gplus="true" social_linkedin="true" social_email="true" hashtag="smartbuildings"]
Click here to download or listen to this episode now.
Ports and Wires
- The one model that makes sense of IT networking (4:20)
- What is the physical layer of networking? (5:55)
- How you can mess up BAS networking and how to avoid it (7:20)
- The different networking devices in a BAS network (8:30)
- How unmanaged switches are different then managed switches (9:25)
- Why physical and logical topologies matter (11:15)
- The two types of ports that you need to know (12:20)
- When to use access links vs trunk links (13:25)
- Why you must embrace the discomfort of speaking like an IT person (15:35)
- The one thing you need to learn about how wired communication happens (17:40)
- The effect of speed on BAS network bandwidth (23:35)
- Why we need to focus in on our networks wiring (26:25)
- The three things we need to remember about wired networks (27:30)
Resources mentioned in this episode
- Information Technology for BAS Professionals Online Course
- BAM TV YouTube Show
- The OSI Model
- BAM 116: How BACnet integrations really work part 1
- BAM 117: How BACnet integrations really work part 2
- BAM 118: How BACnet integrations really work part 3


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Related Links
This aquafornia news has been archived and may contain content that is out of date.
Aquafornia news Stockton Record
The Delta is no longer really a delta — or at least, it doesn't function like one, scientists conclude in a new report. … The report by the San Francisco Estuary Institute, funded by the state Department of Fish and Wildlife, is intended to help guide future habitat restoration efforts in the Delta.


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There is a time to speak measured statements opposing government decisions in favour of displaying sensible views of the Labour Party.
This is not one of those occasions. It would not have been shrewd for Theresa May to have sought a parliamentary vote. There is more than sufficient evidence of the crass behaviour by the Russians, either directly in respect of the Skripals or indirectly just by supporting the monster Assad.
And, taking note of the extraordinarily, even surprisingly, naive comments both about Yulia Skripal's alleged abduction and about Syria's chemical weapons.


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Front and back piece:
Worked in the round on circular needle. Cast on 152-156-160 sts on needle size 3.5 with light blue and work 5 cm Rib, but after 1 round change to mint.
Change to needle size 6 mm and continue in pattern, at the same time inc 8-12-16 sts evenly on first round = 160-168-176 sts. Remember the knitting tension!
When piece measures 29-30-32 cm divide the piece in two and complete front and back pieces separately.
Front piece: 80-84-88 sts. When piece measures 53-54-56 cm cast off the middle 20-20-20 sts for neck and dec to shape the neckline on every other row: 3 sts 1 time, 2 sts 1 time, 1 st 2 times. Cast off remaining sts on shoulder when piece measures 59-60-62 cm.
Back piece: = 80-84-88 sts. When piece measures 57-58-60 cm cast off the middle 32-32-32 sts for neck and dec 1 st on neckline on next row. Cast off as described for front piece.
Worked in the round on double pointed needles.
Cast on 36-36-40 sts on double pointed needle size 3.5 mm with light blue and work 5 cm Rib, but after 1 round change to mint.
Change to needle size 6 mm and continue in pattern (place a pattern repeat mid upper sleeve), at the same time inc 5-7-3 sts evenly on first round = 41-43-43 sts. At the same inc 2 sts mid under arm a total of 22-21-22 times on every * other and 3rd * round alternately for size S + L and on every 3rd round for size M = 85-85-87 sts. When piece measures 47-47-46 cm cast off 6 sts mid under arm and complete piece back and forth on needle. Dec to shape the sleeve cap on every other row: 10 sts 2 times and cast off. Piece measures approx 50-50-49 cm.
Assembly: Sew shoulder seams. Pick up 96 sts on double pointed needles size 3.5 mm with purple round the neck and work 2 cm stocking st, at the same time dec 6 sts evenly along neckline on back piece on first round = 90 sts. P 1 round, work 2 cm stocking st and cast off. Fold edge double towards WS and fasten. Set in sleeves.


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What is the New Zealand Health Survey?
The New Zealand Health Survey collects information about the health of New Zealanders and the health services they use. Every year, about 14,000 New Zealand households take part in the survey.
Have there been previous health surveys?
The New Zealand Health Survey has run every year since 2011/12. Before this, there were health surveys in 2006/07, 2002/03, 1996/97 and 1992/93.
Who is carrying out the survey?
The Ministry of Health contracts a company called CBG Health Research Limited to carry out the interviews for the New Zealand Health Survey. They are a New Zealand company experienced in carrying out surveys.
Who is asked to participate?
Addresses from across New Zealand are randomly chosen. From each selected household, one adult and one child will be invited to take part in the survey. A parent or legal guardian is invited to complete the survey on behalf of children less than 15 years old.
Why is the survey needed?
Information about your health and your experience of health services is important to help improve health care for all New Zealanders. This information is needed from healthy people as well as from those with health problems. The Ministry of Health relies on your help to find out about important health issues.
What information is collected?
The New Zealand Health Survey collects information about:
- common health conditions and diseases
- health services used
- factors that affect health across all of New Zealand.
These are some examples of questions in the New Zealand Health Survey:
- Was there a time you had a medical problem but did not visit a doctor because of cost?
- How good is your doctor or nurse at explaining your health conditions or treatments in a way you can understand?
- Has a doctor told you that your child has asthma?
The interviewer will also ask to measure your height and weight. If you would rather not be measured you can simply tell the interviewer at the time.
What is the information used for?
The Ministry of Health uses information from the New Zealand Health Survey to:
- monitor the health of New Zealanders
- monitor the use of health services
- develop health policies, programmes and services to help more New Zealanders
- identify whether additional health research is needed.
Approved health researchers from outside of the Ministry of Health can apply to use information from the New Zealand Health Survey. This information will not contain any details that could identify you.
How long does the survey take?
The interview for adults takes about one hour and the interview for children takes about 30 minutes. Interviews can be done at a date and time that suits you and your family.
Has the survey got ethical approval?
The New Zealand Health Survey operates under strict ethical standards and has been approved by the Multi-region Ethics Committee. The main principles adhered to by the New Zealand Health Survey are respect, informed consent, privacy and confidentiality, minimisation of harm and cultural and social responsibility.
Where can I find the survey results?
The results of the New Zealand Health Survey will be published on the Ministry of Health website as they become available.
Can I take part in the survey if my household hasn't been invited?
No – only people chosen at random can take part in the survey, in order to make sure that the information collected represents all New Zealanders. If people are able to volunteer to complete the survey, this could affect the survey results.
Where can I get more information?
For more information on the New Zealand Health Survey phone CBG Health Research Limited on 0800 478 783 or visit the New Zealand Health Survey section.
If you have any questions or concerns you can contact an independent health and disability advocate for free advice. Telephone: 0800 555 050, Email: email@example.com
Do I have to have my height and weight measured?
No, if you would rather not be weighed and/or measured, you can simply tell the interviewer at the time.
Doesn't the Ministry of Health already know some of this information – like whether people have a regular GP?
The survey collects information that we don't have from other sources, or that we don't have good enough information on from other sources.
How am I going to benefit from the information collected?
The Ministry of Health will use the information from the survey to gain a picture of the health of New Zealanders, how they use health services such as GPs and hospitals, and to develop health programmes and services.
The information collected can then be used to inform decisions made by the government, Ministry of Health, district health boards or other agencies that have an impact on the health of the nation.
Can I get a copy of the questions I will be asked, in advance?
The survey questionnaires will be placed on the Ministry's website after the first set of results has been published, which is likely to be in late 2012.


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IngredientsServes 10-12
- 1 ½ lb. Chicken wings
- 1 lb. Andouille sausage, cut crosswise
- ¼ inch
- 1 lb. Smoked sausage, cut crosswise ¼ inch
- 1 lb. Beef hot links, cut crosswise
- ¼ inch 2 lbs. Shrimps deveined
- 2 lbs. Kings crab legs
- 8 to 10 Stone crab legs
- ¾ lbs. Okras
- 2 Leeks cut into large julienne
- 2 Red bell pepper, cut into large julienne
- 1 Large onion, minced
- 1 cup Celery, minced
- 2 Butter sticks
- 1 cup Flour
- 6 Scallions, minced
- 2 tbsps. Gumbo File Hot sauce
- Salt & pepper
Ingredients for stock
- ¼ cup Olive oil
- 2 lbs. Shrimp shells
- 1 Onion minced
- 4 Celery ribs, minced
- 3 Carrots minced
- 1 Small garlic bulb, cut in half
- 3 Bay leaves
- 2 cups White wine
- 6 cups Water or Chicken stock
- 1 Bouquet garni
- Black pepper corn
Preparation of the stock:
Using a large stockpot heat up the olive oil and sauté the shrimp shells until pink.
Add the onion, celery, carrot and garlic, sweat for 5 to 6 minutes while stirring. Add the white wine, bay leafs, black pepper corn, bouquet garni and water. Bring to a boil and let simmer very gently for 20 minutes. Strain and transfer to stockpot.
Preparation of Gumbo:
Start by making the roux. In skillet melt the butter. Gradually stir in the flour. Over medium high heat stir until the mixture turns brown. Set aside.
Start heating up the stock in the stockpot and add the roux. Stir gently using a mix and bring the stock to a simmer, the stock will thickened up.
Using a large frying pan, heat the olive oil, season the chicken wings and brown them for 5 to 6 minutes. Using the same pan sauté the sausages for 5 to 7 minutes. Add to the stock.
Using the same frying pan sauté the leeks and then the bell peppers for 2 to 3 minutes but do not brown. Add to the stock. Sauté the onion and celery and add to the pot. Simmer gently for 25 to 30 minutes while stirring occasionally so that nothings sticks and hardens at the bottom. Add the crab, shrimps, okra and keep simmering for another 10 minutes. Add the green onions and the Gumbo is ready to be serve over rice with a side of corn bread
For Mama's Gumbo, add thin sliced corn on cob after adding the crab.
You put your foot in this! That is what they would say in the south.


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From 4 different vineyards (Alexander Valley, Bennett Valley, Chalk Hill and Knights Valley) with volcanic soils, varying altitudes and vines that are the same age (approximately 25 for Alexander Valley, 11 for Bennett Valley, 15 for Chalk Hill and 20 for Knights Valley), "Muse" from Verite is a red produced in the Sonoma County appellation of California. The wine is matured in new French oak barrels, for 15 months (on average). "Muse" 2013 is a blend of 89% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc and 3% Malbec.
"Muse" 2013 from Verite presents a beautiful deep red colour. The nose develops rich and spicy aromas, with notes of undergrowth. Flavours of truffle, liquorice and cherry are present in the mouth. The finish is long and persistent with elegant tannins. A wine known for its complex energy. To be enjoyed throughout 2034-2044.


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"The queen, I say, is the mother bee; it is undoubtedly complimenting her to call her a queen and invest her with regal authority, yet she is a superb creature and looks every inch a queen"
Break free of the hive with the queen bee bracelet. Beautiful cast in sterling silver, with cubic zirconia detailing for added sparkle.
Pretty and petite this bracelet is ideal for those who like delicate jewellery.
Complete with lobster clasp and size adjuster for ease of wear.
925 sterling silver
Style Notes:
Pair with the queen bee necklace.
Bee: 1cm x 1cm
Bracelet length: 17 - 19cm with adjuster
This item is presented in a Latelita London signature gift box.
Care Instructions:
To maintain your jewellery, wipe gently with a damp cloth that is soft and clean. Do not soak in water. Avoid contact with soaps, detergents, perfume or hair spray.
Please note that this product comes directly from a trusted external seller and so we are unable to guarantee that it will be delivered in completely plastic free packaging as our original items are but if you have any concerns, please contact us.


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125993, Moscow, Leningradsky Prospekt, 49
Financial University, for use in print, you can load Here.
For questions regarding the conducting shooting on the territory of the Financial University, please send your request in writing by e-mail firstname.lastname@example.com.
Terms of use.
We have developed the Destination Development training module of the Leadership and Strategies in Tourism master program within EurDiQ EU's ERASMUS+ Project.
The FinU Department of Management, Faculty of International Tourism, Sport Business and Hospitality Industry and the University of Nicosia developed the Destination Development pilot program in 2016/17-2017/18 academic year. It is part of the master program. A 'trial run' was given to the program.
The key program goal is to give the master program students a better understanding of the modern destination development and sustainable management concepts. The theory is combined with the practical case studies and student individual project work within the program curriculum. This will help the students develop critical thinking skills and project work skills.
The open laboratory will become a center where the digital learning materials on destination development will be developed. The equipment available will enable shooting and editing instructional films dedicated to tourism destinations. In the laboratory, the students will have a chance to launch competitive start-ups and study within the programs offered by a network of universities. They will have an opportunity to listen to online lectures delivered by instructors of partner universities within different modules.
The Destination Development module materials were developed by the Financial University and the University of Nicosia (Cyprus). Other modules were developed by other universities within the university network. The learning materials are available at the EurDiq educational platform located at: http://eurdiq.donstu.ru
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Picked fresh from the farm to offer your special recipient a bouquet blossoming with sunlit cheer, the Come Rain or Come Shine Mixed Flower Bouquet is set to send your warmest greetings to friends and family near and far. Hand gathered in select floral farms and bursting with the spirit lifting color combination of yellow and white, this simply beautiful flower arrangement has been picked fresh for you to help you celebrate a birthday, offer your congratulations, or express your thank you or get well wishes.
This bouquet includes the following: yellow Asiatic Lilies, yellow Super Select Alstroemeria , green Button Pom , white Daisy Pom , yellow Solidago,and an assortment of lush greens.
Available with a wide variety of vases to suit your every gifting need.
GOOD bouquet is approximately 13"H x 11"W.
*May Arrive in Bud Stage.
- Approximately 13"H x 11"W
- May arrive in bud stage
- A clear glass vase is included
- Free personalized gift message
- Daisy
- Lily
- Mixed
Fresh & Safe Delivery
The health and safety of our customers, florists and growers is top priority. During this time, we will not require a signature for delivery. All orders will no longer be hand delivered, but be left at the front door with no contact and (as always) ready to delight.
Our Guarantee
Our experts ensure your bouquets are fresh and will last at least 7 days.
Freshness First
Our bouquets are made of fresh cut flowers. To ensure your bouquet is fresh and high quality, occasionally our expert florists may make substitutions of color or flower variety.


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Project Description
Deja Lynn Alvarez is the first trans person to run for the office of City Council At-Large in Philadelphia. A strong woman with a challenging past, she was eager to make a difference in the city she calls home. Passionate about issues such as addiction, homelessness, and the local economy, Deja engaged 96andX to develop a campaign messaging platform and a content strategy for social media channels.
Our strategy team developed a messaging platform centered around key issues – homelessness, addiction, and the local economy. We conducted research to define key messaging that would resonate strongly with audiences both within and outside the LGBTQ+ community. Working with Deja's campaign media team, 96andX developed a launch release that communicated both her story and her platform.
Deja's strong platform and historic decision to run for public office received a deluge of press and social media attention both locally and nationally. Our platform messaging was validated and social content performed exceedingly well. Additionally, Deja was endorsed as a viable candidate for public office by the LGBTQ Victory Fund, Trans United, and many other organizations and well-known public figures.
Targeted video ads
96andX developed a series of video ads that communicated Deja's story in order to evoke an emotional response among those likely to vote in the upcoming election.


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Reports and Resources
Here you'll be able to access our reports, resources and tools that have been developed to assist HR professionals in building an engagement strategy for their business.
Closing the Gender Pay Gap
The link between pay and happiness.
We Need to Talk
The negative and positive outcomes of how we talk about mental health
Get all the latest news and information from us by signing up to our newsletter.


text: Crop, Livestock Prices Drive Down Ag Equipment Sales September 17, 2015 The overall trend continued for U.S. retail tractor sales in August – small tractor purchases were up while production ag machinery buyers avoided dealer lots. At the same time, said AEM Market Intelligence Director Benjamin Duyck, Q2 2015 exports of U.S.-made agricultural equipment declined 15.1 percent, and the USDA projected a 36 percent drop in 2015 farm income. Watch the complete video report below: About the Report AEM offers monthly Ag Tractor and Combine Reports which are available approximately the 10th day of each month and consist of aggregated estimates by companies and the previous month's sales for tractors and combines. Visit www.aem.org/agreports to view the full reports, as well as reports from Russia and Canada.


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One or more photo(s) has been virtually staged. LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION!!! A SLICE OF PARADISE just 5 miles south of the BOOMING Lake Nona Medical City. DON'T MISS the opportunity to own this SUPER CLEAN, well maintained & lovingly cared for home on 1/2 ACRE lot with MATURE TREES & landscaping! As you drive through this BEAUTIFUL established neighborhood, enjoy the unique character of each home! Arriving at 2940 Harvest Lane, notice the GORGEOUS LOT & cheerful, welcoming exterior & long driveway. Upon entering this home, you immediately enjoy the view of the wooded, private backyard. Step out to the COVERED back patio and enjoy the quiet, spacious and tranquil backyard that FEW homes in Central Florida can claim! You WON'T find a home like this in Lake Nona "address" for THIS price!! Notice this home's close proximity to Fell's Cove & East Lake Tohopekaliga and to the north- Lake Hart
#justlisted #orlando #bestrealtor #forsale #kissimmee #stcloud #lakenona #florida #homeforsale #realestatepros #toplistingagent
Tile, Laminate
Dishwasher, Disposal, Dryer, Electric Water Heater, Ice Maker, Microwave, Range, Range Hood, Refrigerator, Washer
3505 Lake Lynda Dr Building 300 Suite 200 Orlando, FL 32817
Orlando, Florida - 32826
Florida Real Estate License CQ1049405
Phone : 407-381-7861
email: : firstname.lastname@example.com
Copyright 2016. All Rights Reserved


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I was trying to be creative with this picture - take a picture of the landscape through the side mirror of my vehicle. What do you think? Any suggestions?
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Dogs exercising on beach
Friday, March 19, 2010
BVI Craft Festival, Trellis Bay, British Virgin Islands
There was a Craft Festival in the BVI earlier on in the month and I took these pictures of these lovely ladies.
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Star picka
I went hiking today and when I returned to my vehicle I found these little thorns stuck onto my shoe. In Trinidad we call them 'picka'. They look like little stars with thorns. As I was walking through the bushes, they stuck onto my shoes.
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Bug Fes
I was taking pictures of the cotton plants today and I saw these bugs having a feast on one of the cotton pods. Apparently it is their favorite snack??!!
Sunday, March 14, 2010
For my birthday on 25th February, I took the ferry to St. Thomas USVI. As I was waiting to board the ferry this young man drove by on this dingy and was chatting with a friend of his who was also waiting for the ferry. As the ferry was getting ready to park closer to the jetty for us to board, this young had to move and he was having some problems starting the dingy. It was at that moment I quickly pulled out my camera and took a few pictures.
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Sunday, March 7, 2010
Cotton plant
This is a rare sight. I found this plant growing wild near the airport. It reminds me of the slavery days, the slaves had to manually pick the cotton off the pods.
Friday, March 5, 2010
Dangerous thorns
This is wild bush and contain some dangereous thorns. I always look out for them when I to hiking because they can give some nasty cuts. Also when I am driving in an area that is not well 'groomed', I look out for these bushes because they can leave scratches on my vehicle.
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Check out the SCIRA page for information about grants and awards.
Tuesday, October 15, 2019, 4:00 PM
Joining ACIRA is easy, and only $15 ($15 if you're a student)! Your membership gives you access to our great meetings, and includes membership in SCIRA.
May 10 2017
Mar 20 2017
Feb 17 2017
Distinguished Literacy Teachers


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To join our teams and help spread the word about #Euromaidan in Ukraine fill out this FORM.
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Tag Archives: kiev
Vasyl Cherepanyn heavily beaten by paramilitary thugs
Vasyl Cherepanyn, lecturer at the National University "Kyiv-Mohyla Academy" and head of Visual Culture Research Center, was attacked on Kontraktova square in Kiev, next to the university were he works. A group of unknown men dressed in camouflage paramilitary uniforms … Continue reading
Posted in News. Ukraine. Tagged activist, culture, kiev, violence
Aus aktuellem Anlass: Krieg mit anderen Augen sehen. Sasha Kurmaz' Fotografien aus Kiew
Kunst – Stadt – Normalität, No 4 18. Juni 2014, Margarita Augustin Die neuen Fotos von Sasha Kurmaz tragen einen Teil dieses Problems gewiss in sich. Der Künstler war während der Maidan-Aufstände in Kiew unterwegs, er hat dort das beeindruckende … Continue reading
Posted in News. Ukraine., Protest Art Tagged art, kiev, maidan, people, photo, protest, ukraine
Kiewer Gespräche Newsletter, 06. Juni 2014
Sehr geehrte Damen und Herren, liebe Leserinnen und Leser! Heute erhalten Sie eine Sonderausgabe unseres Newsletters, in der wir Sie über die innen- und außenpolitischen Ereignisse der vergangenen Wochen in der Ukraine informieren werden. Weiter HIER lesen
Posted in News. Ukraine. Tagged east Ukraine, election, kiev, maidan, president, ukraine
Protest against the war, Kiev, 6. June
On Friday, June 6, in Kyiv, the "Labor Solidarity" union, supported by the Red Cross, held a protest against the war and in support of the civil population of Donbass and Luhansk. About a hundred of protesters marched from Arsenalna … Continue reading
Posted in News. Ukraine. Tagged east Ukraine, kiev, protest, war
Reisebericht Odessa, 31.05.2014
Oleksandra Bienert, "PRAVO. Berlin Group for Human Rights in Ukraine"/"Euromaidan Wache Berlin", Redaktion: Elmar Schulte. Ende Mai (26-28.05.) war Oleksandra Bienert/Euromaidan Wache Berlin kurz nach den Präsidentschaftswahlen in Odessa und in Kiew und hat mit mehren Aktivisten und Journalisten vor … Continue reading
Posted in Articles, News. Ukraine. Tagged Antimaidan, election, kiev, maidan, Odessa, ukraine
An Eyewitness Account in the Battle For Maidan
At the Night of February 19th (by Serhiy Suprun) I want to tell you about the night of February 19th, and what happened during the operation of "clearing the Maidan" by the Berkut police.
Fixers and interpreters for journalists coming to Ukraine
Dear representatives of German media, If you need a fixer and/or interpreter to facilitate your work and make it more effective, when coming to Kyiv or other cities of Ukraine, please contact the following persons in Ukraine:
Posted in News. Ukraine. Tagged english, journalists, kiev, maidan, ukraine
Voices of the Revolution: survivors Kuznetsov & son
"We didn't even recognize ourselves in that photo" (Eyewitness interview). The photo published by Agence France-Presse news agency showing the atrocities of Berkut riot police, hit the headlines in Europe and the United States. On February 20, 2014, a newspaper … Continue reading
Students occupied Ministry of Education in Kyiv (Eng, Ru)
On February 21, the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine was liberated from bureaucracy. It has been occupied by students, teachers and their friends for nearly a week now. All major decisions are made by the assembly at general … Continue reading
Activists staged "public control" of the State Migration Service
On 25. February refugees and asylum seekers lawyers and social activists entered the premises of the State Migration Service to verify information on this institution's collaboration with the intelligence services of other countries, which contraries to Ukrainian and international law. Video … Continue reading
Posted in News. Ukraine. Tagged activist, human rights, kiev, protest, ukraine


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"Introducing Escape, a whole home collection from Universal Furniture and the editors of Coastal Living Magazine". Shop the collection at Woodstock Furniture & Mattress Outlet and find the perfect pieces for "Carefree Living".
Woodstock Furniture & Mattress Outlet


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The Last Jedi is out and making a bunch of money (and if you didn't like it, you really are a Grinch) but Disney is looking ahead to its next movie. Disney filed a trademark infringement lawsuit to stop a mobile app based on the game Sabacc that is likely to be featured in the upcoming Star Wars' Han Solo movie, Solo: A Star Wars Story.
It is well-known through Star Wars lore that Han Solo won the Millennium Falcon in a game of sabacc from Lando Calrissian. Sabacc was the hold-em poker of the universe a long time ago in a galaxy far far away. Sabacc was a card game in which the goal was to win the sabacc pot by collecting a hand of cards that totaled positive or negative 23, which generally would constitute a winning hand called Pure Sabacc. (Thanks, Wookipedia.) Han Solo won the Millennium Falcon in a Corellian Spike version of the game which uses a six-sided dice. There have been allegations of some cheating in that game but Han would never. Next thing you are going to tell me is that he shot first, ridiculous.
Lucasfilm does not own a registered mark for SABACC but after some Trademark Office maneuvers, it appears as if they want one. On May 1st, Lucasfilm submitted a Petition for Cancellation to cancel a mark owned by UK company for video games and a whole bunch of other products. In the petition, Lucasfilm claims to have first used the term in 1980 in the novelization of *The Empire Strikes Back. *In 1989, Lucasfilm licensed SABACC in connection with a roleplaying card fame and in numerous other places over the years including a Star Wars version of *Monopoly. Lucasfilm requests that the current mark be cancelled due to a likelihood of confusion between the mark and Star Wars' *mark. The UK company has several references to Star Wars on its website promoting the game and is not hiding the (unauthorized) ties between its product and the Star Wars franchise.
However, this maneuver has been countered by Ren Ventures Limited (no relation to Kylo). Ren has filed an answer to the cancellation proceedings denying all the claims set for in the petition and insists that there is no likelihood of confusion. Ren even claims that Lucasfilm implicitly consent to the filing by not taking action sooner. Lucasfilm had every opportunity to oppose this trademark when it was published for opposition in May 2016 but didn't do so.
Disney wasn't ready for this to be the winning move. Right before Christmas, Lucasfilm filed a trademark infringement action to stop the release of the game and to cancel the trademark. There are more moves in this dispute than in a game of sabaac.
It appears that the game will play a big role in the Han Solo spin-off movie set to be released in 2018. That movie stars Donald Glover and Alden Ehrenreich as younger versions of Lando and Han, respectively. Word has let out that the movie will cover how Han won the Millennium Falcon and it appears the card game sabacc will be a big plot point for the movie.
With the movie, it is enviable, that the merchandising giant that is Disney will being selling its own version of sabacc to cash in on its importance int he film. I wouldn't be surprised to see both card games and electronic *Hearthstone-*like games. I fully expect Lucasfilm to be victorious in this action and then move forward on its own trademark registration for SABACC. Lucasfilm is hoping for a good hand in this trademark fight and a lucky roll of the dice.


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Lyvennet Photography Club
We are forming a new club affiliated with The Lyvennet Activity Group
Sunday 8th December 7pm at
The Butchers Arms
Do you take photographs on camera, phone or tablet?
Are you a beginner who would like to learn how to take better pictures ?
Are you an expert who could share knowledge?
Or do you just love taking pictures?
All are welcome to come along.
We aim to share our pictures,
learn how best to present them, both printed and as slide shows
and go on outings to special places.
If interested please meet us at The Butcher's Arms, Crosby
Or contact Charles 715270 or firstname.lastname@example.com
Or firstname.lastname@example.com 715285
Lyvennet Photographic Club


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TJC Global Serving Since 1985
Asian Language Engineering Interpreting
Engineering Interpreters for Civil Engineering, Nuclear Engineering and Biomedical Engineering
Our Asian language engineering interpreters offer professional language services for a wide range of engineering fields including nuclear, biomedical, civil, aerospace and industrial engineering, as well as construction, architecture and building work. Asian Language Global's expansive network of experienced interpreters means that we can offer services in these fields, across the globe, and covering a wide range of languages. Thus, we can provide engineering interpreting support for meetings, discussions, negotiations and also visits to foriegn factories and production centres.
Whether you are looking to engage foreign enterprises, conduct research to keep up to date in these industries or looking after your foreign interests, our engineering interpreting services can help you. Our engineering interpreting service can be provided by linguists who specialize in Chinese (Mandarin, Cantonese, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese), Korean, Burmese, Cambodian, Hindi, Indonesian, Kashimiri, Lao, Malay, Malayalam, Mongolian, Nepali, Pashto, Punjabi, Singhalese, Tagalog, Thai and Vietnamese. Furthermore, we can provide techical language support for both for one-off occasions and long-term assignments, and our global network of professional interpreters means we can offer those services globally.
For a FREE QUOTE please use the quote system on the right
To discuss your requirements further please contact us
Comprehensive Services
Upon request, we can arrange for our interpreters to meet your business partners at the airport or accompany them at dinners and receptions as well as the actual Engineering meetings. As a follow-up assistance, we are also happy to help you with any email translation services you might require. What sets our service apart is that in addition to being gifted linguists, our engineering interpreters are also informed of the local business etiquette, the interpretation of professional conduct and the corporate rules. Their familiarity with the subtle cultural nuances ensures smooth and meaningful communication between the negotiating parties, which in turn is essential to our clients' success.
Our clients:
- Williams Grand Prix Engineering, England UK
- NGK Spark Plugs Co., Ltd
- Saint-Gobain Matériaux de Construction France
- Yazaki Saltano Ovar Portugal
- Ricardo UK England UK
- UYS Ltd
- Marubeni Taisei Consortium


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Having become a ravenous consumer of Blockchain/Crypto articles I am swiftly concluding that those debating the legitimacy of cryptocurrencies are mostly missing the point. Typically they follow this pattern: what is a cryptocurrency, what gives it value, can it replace fiat currencies etc.
Just today, I was reading an article in The Guardian (Does blockchain offer hype or hope?) that did a great job about explaining the concepts, flirted with the fact they exist in domains outside of finance, then started talking about bubbles, troubles and hard landings.
To get to the bottom of how this will change everything, we need to re-frame the idea that a cryptocurrency is always equivalent to a fiat currency (i.e. a USD) with the fungibility (one of my favourite words) that goes with it. It is precisely the fact they are smart and can have deliberately limited fungibility that makes them so compelling.
What is fungibility? In economics, fungibility is the property of a good or a commodity whose individual units are essentially interchangeable, e.g. since one ounce of pure gold is equivalent to any other ounce of pure gold; gold is fungible.
Whether they are called 'app coins', 'utility tokens' or a variety of other names, cryptocurrencies that are explicitly linked to a particular domain or purpose hold tremendous value. And I don't mean speculative value merely to be traded, i.e. a coin that is only used to store or exchange value but has no other intrinsic use. I mean value derived from a network that has a purpose in mind where a token is used to access that functionality, information or something else useful – identify validation for example.
For me, the extension of this is the bringing to life of decentralised networks where ownership is not concentrated in a single party and the value created in the network is owned by those participating in it. And the applications for this are wide and varied.
I immediately see such applications in construction, facilities management and energy efficiency where traditional technology approaches are not sufficient to revolutionise but blockchain technology with network-enabled, domain-specific smart tokens, really can. It brings a whole new flavour to ownership, accountability and trust.


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WY5W Osram Diadem Chrome
Type: WY5W
Voltage: 12V
Nominal wattage: 5W
Test voltage: 13.5V
Max wattage: 5W
Luminous flux: 30lm
Base: W2.1x9.5d
Osram Diadem is the ideal choice for drivers who value the visual harmony of the spotlight with color compensation of the lamps and interior of the headlamp. This additional lighting is coated using state-of-the-art interference technology, meaning that, when at rest, its surface has an opalizing structure. This means that it can scarcely be distinguished from the silver headlamp background, does not generate any interfering color effects and, when switched off, is almost invisible. In particular in the case of indicator and tail lamps with a clear cover, this is an amazing design effect. Their long service life also guarantees additional attention: DIADEM indicator lamps will last for double the length of the standard painted lamps.


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Shelly from Coral & Co. shares a tutorial for making these easy quilted pot holders. She uses fun prints for the front and the back and then finishes off the edges with a pretty bias tape. I'm loving the bright prints she used in the ones she made!
Click the link below to go to her tutorial:
DIY Pot Holders – An Easy Pot Holder Pattern and Tutorial, by Coral & Co.
[photo from Coral & Co.]


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Iowa mayor's support of Syrian refugees stirs community
The mayor of the small eastern Iowa city of Swisher announced recently he would defy state orders to halt the acceptance of Syrian refugees. The public statement gained plenty of attention, and some local residents say they're still unsure what to think about the sudden spotlight on their community.
Mayor Christopher Taylor says a proclamation he released Wednesday was a symbolic move to show that orders by Gov. Terry Branstad are not a reflection of all Iowans.
At least one City Council member says she disagreed with Taylor's move. Another local says residents were surprised by the news about the city near Cedar Rapids.
Taylor says the response to the proclamation has been mostly positive, though he expects some of Swisher's roughly 900 residents disagreed with it.


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- 520 views
Baltimore County Executive Kevin Kamenetz on Saturday, July 1st graced the Independence Day Celebrations/Family Fun Day, an event held each year by the Kenyan community in Baltimore, Maryland
Kamenetz, a big advocate for immigrants' right, pledged to use his authority to make sure immigrant communities in the County are not victimized by unfair federal or local immigration policies. Kamenetz, who described himself as a third-generation immigrant, urged the Kenyan-American community to reach out to his office with any immigration issues affecting them locally. He also urged them to be proactive in rallying against social injustices and to join hands with immigrant rights groups that fight against unfair immigration policies.
Kamenetz has been a fierce critic of the harsh immigration policies being implemented by the new Trump administration. He has particularly opposed the 287(g) program that
In April, he signed an executive order that bars Baltimore County police from detaining people solely on suspicion of their immigration status and/or inability to speak English. He had also vowed to veto a bill that had been brought before the County Council in June, which would have required county correctional officers to carry out certain immigration enforcement on individuals arrested and detained in the county jail. The bill was eventually tabled/suspended after failing to get enough votes needed to pass it.
This year's event was held at Gunpowder Falls State Park.
RELATED: Kenyan Community invited to the "Call for Unity" Rally in Towson, Maryland on Wednesday, July 12th


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Getting to go to various cons, I get to meet a lot of people. Before I started to do cons and even get into this business I got to meet Javier Cruz Winnik. At the time he was selling his first book called "A Reason to Smile." We had spoken brief conversation and I ended up with a cool Storm Trooper piece he had done. Fast forward later and he has a lot of success with two books and a third on the way. If anyone can say one thing about Javier, he is genuinely a nice person. He cares about his fans and truly loves the world he has created. He always there to give me advice and is defiantly a student of his craft.
First Javier, I want to thank you for taking the time out and doing this interview.
I'm glad to be here, thanks for having me!
For our readers, please give them a brief introduction.
I started my career as a fan art artist and used that experience to learn how to create my own stories. I have since gone on to self-publish 3 books in the "A Reason to Smile!" series and have sold over 2,500 copies.
So what inspired you to become an artist?
I always loved to draw the cartoons. I would watch them on VHS. One year a camp councelor told us that he loved his job. He said that we should all find careers we loved so that they would feel less like work and more like fun. I realized then that I wanted to be an artist and worked towards making that happen from then on.
You have successfully completed two kickstarters so far for your books titled "A Reason to Smile" . Can you tell us how you came up with the idea for the story?
I've always wanted to be a comic artist and realized too late that I was too inexperienced to do it. I decided to start doing my own books and that that experience would either help me get hired or help me keep making my own stories. I worked in a school as well and realized there were many
issues, many topics, and stories that were never touched, so I decided to address them myself in my stories. Now I get to tell stories about Puerto Rican's in Pop Culture in a positive light, allowing us to be role models instead of being the butt of jokes or the bad guy/scapegoats.
What is your creative process? How do you get around creative blocks?
I generally watch movies or listen to music as I create and focus on entertainment that helps keep me energized. From there I just put pencil to paper, or start typing away and use the experiences I've had in the public, or with my favorite fandom, and use those experiences to direct what I spend my time creating. When I get blocks, I just keep going until I finally find my rhythm or my direction and then I go with that flow.
For an artist who is struggling, what tips would you give them to perfect their craft?
Drawing from life can address so many issues we have as artists. I've learned that the best animators, the best abstractors are masters at drawing from life so they are able to then make changes to that reality that make sense. As I was coming up, I constantly was being told to work on my anatomy, so I'll save you some time. Work on your anatomy. You also have cell phones that allow you to find a reference and take pictures of yourself and others in order to get the right angle or the right pose. There are so many resources available to us now, so it is about finding your method to draw correctly, and how you draw correctly will determine your style and your skill.
You have done a lot of mash up and fan art pieces, what characters have been your favorites to draw?
I use to draw Spiderman once a year in order to practice dynamic posing and drawing great backgrounds that are abound in NYC. Now I have no favorite to draw other than my own characters, if I have to choose a specific character. Otherwise, i just love drawing fun characters doing fun things.
A Reason to Smile is coming out with a third book. Congratulations on that by the way. Can you tell our readers about the third book?
Thank you very much for the love! The 3rd book will be a bit of a departure of how I've done the series. I made it like a traditional children's book, but as always I have to add my own twist. I painted the backgrounds and did traditional comic/cartoon style characters, inking and digitally coloring the foreground. This book takes place 5 years before our present time and sees Luiza making friends for the first time in a park. Being active and outside of the house allows for this to happen and helps to show that being open to being active can bring fun and friendship into your life.
What is the future for the Reason to Smile franchise?
As I mentioned, I am changing how I am publishing the series. I will be doing 3 styles of books. Children's books in the form of board books, chapter books which depict Luiza's life during day school, and traditional floppy comics and trade paper backs for stories Luiza has outside of day school. I am currently in the process of writing the first chapter book of my career, and am 2 chapters in. After that is done, I will then start writing the comics I have outlined for the series. I have 12 issues outlined so I have my work cut out for me… In the meanwhile, I have 4 strips written for a web comic, so I can never say that I am bored, as I will have something available for me to do for the next 2 to 4 years.
What are some of your dream projects that you would love to work on?
I've always wanted to work on X-Men or Spider-Man as I have loved those properties since I was a child. What would be absolutely amazing for me is if I could draw a cover for a Legion of Superheroes comic or even a graphic novel about their exploits as that was one of the very first comics I've ever read.
Network is the key in any industry, what advice do you have about this aspect of the business?
Sadly I don't, as I am terrible at networking. The one thing I can say is be open to being at events and trying to ask people what they do and so forth. Networking is all about creating and starting conversations and making connections with people. Companies want to hire people they like and can feel comfortable working with, so doing what you can to have good conversations with others is key.
If you were paid right now by the respective studio of any character. Be it DC, Marvel etc. To recreate a character of your choice from scratch. What character would you pick?
I really loved Bone after reading the series during my time as an Assistant Teacher, so I would love to tell a new story based on those guys. Creating the mashups that I have has also allowed me the opportunity to be extremely creative so bringing characters together who never are seen together would be pretty fun as well. I would love to do a Thing/Spiderman story or an Avatar Aang series where he is older and we get to see what he is like as an adult.
Aside from A Reason to Smile, are there any other future projects that your looking to tackle?
I have so many stories that I want to tell for the "A Reason to Smile!" Series that that is where I am focused. I really want to see this series be picked up by a major publisher, and eventually see the show turned into an animated series on Netflix or Cartoon Network. "A Reason to Smile!" is a lifestyle story so it is a series that can sustain stories for as long as we have problems within the world.
Javier, it's always a pleasure speaking to you when ever we get together brotha. Can you let our readers know where we can find you on the world wide web.
Its always nice to see you bro, as I am glad to see you have continued to pursue your dream and desire to be an artist! For me, you can find me on most social media site's. I am on IG and Tumblr under @thelearningcurv, on Twitter as @thalearningcurv, and on facebook as thecurv. You can also find my books at www.etsy.com/shop/thelearningcurv !


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Possible risk of infections from dental clinic in Burien
Patients who received dental services from the George M. Davis Dental Clinic in Burien, WA should consider being tested for hepatitis B, hepatitis C, and HIV infection. The George M. Davis Dental Clinic has been closed following an inspection that found multiple infection control problems.
Public Health — Seattle & King County (Public Health) advises patients who received dental services from the George M. Davis Dental Clinic in Burien, WA to consider being tested for hepatitis B, hepatitis C, and HIV infection. The George M. Davis Dental Clinic, in operation since 1982, has been closed following an infection control inspection by the Washington State Department of Health - Dental Quality Assurance Commission (DQAC) on August 2, 2018. The inspection was performed in response to a complaint, and it identified multiple infection control problems, including the cleaning, disinfection, sterilization, and storage of reprocessed instruments. These findings prompted the Dental Quality Assurance Commission to suspend the dental license of George Max Davis.
Public Health does not know of any infections associated with this clinic, but inadequately cleaned and sterilized instruments can potentially spread infections to patients during dental procedures. Overall, they believe that the risk of infection is likely to be low for most patients. As a precaution, Public Health advises anyone who was a patient at the George M. Davis Dental Clinic to talk to their health care provider about testing for hepatitis B, hepatitis C, and HIV. Any patients who might have had procedures such as extractions or procedures requiring shots in the mouth may be at relatively higher risk and should be sure to consult with their health care provider.
Even though the risk of infection from this situation is likely to be low, we don't know the exact risk for each patient at this clinic," said Dr. Jeff Duchin, Health Officer for Public Health – Seattle & King County. "Because infections can spread when good infection control practices are not followed, if you've been a patient at the George M. Davis Clinic talk with your healthcare provider to help determine if you should get tested."
Any patients from this clinic who have been experiencing symptoms of hepatitis or HIV should make sure to get tested. Symptoms of hepatitis include abdominal pain, vomiting, jaundice (skin and eyes turn yellow), and fatigue (feeling unusually tired) that persists for weeks or months. Some people with hepatitis have mild or no symptoms. Symptoms of HIV can include fever, swollen lymph nodes, and flu-like illness. Symptoms may not appear until well after the exposure.
Neither Public Health nor the Dental Quality Assurance Commission have been able to obtain a patient list from the now closed George M. Davis Dental Clinic for the purposes of contacting patients directly. Therefore, Public Health is reaching out through media outlets to alert former clinic patients who may be at risk.
Any former patient of the George M. Davis Dental Clinic who does not have access to a healthcare provider for testing can contact Public Health for help at 206-296-4949.
About Public Health's role in infection control
Proper infection control practices prevent the spread of infections in settings where healthcare is provided. Investigation of possible exposures to infectious diseases is part of the core work of Public Health – Seattle & King County. In this incident, Public Health's role is to determine severity and extent of possible infection risks, notify the public about significant risks and recommended actions, and take steps to eliminate ongoing risks to the public. Washington State Department of Health's Dental Quality Assurance Commission and Health Systems Quality Assurance programs respond to consumer complaints, conduct investigations, and regulate the competency and quality of health care providers.


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5" tall bean filled teddy bear with assorted coloured neck bow
Plush bear with reflective hoodie, sown eyes, nose mouth and toes, and a nylon cord sewn to the top of its head for hanging purposes.
5" tall teddy bear with white cotton t shirt. Can be transfer printed with full colour at extra charge.
4" tall teddy bear keyring with white t shirt. Can be printed in full colour at extra charge.
5" tall teddy bear with neck bow printed one colour at both ends, same design.
5" tall teddy bear with assorted colour neck bows available.
5 inch tall two tone teddy bear with assorted coloured neck bow.
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New Zealand tattoo artist Roger Ingerton has been tattooing since nine years old, when he accidentally jabbed a pencil in his hand. His skills have since been refined, specifically diving into traditional Celtic, Samoan and Maori Tā moko art. YellowMan's new Animal Kingdom tattoo shirt (retail $180) exemplifies Ingerton's signature art style, which infuses his broad treatment of ethnic styles in a contemporary execution.
Ingerton's Animal Kingdom shirt presents a kaleidoscope of fantastical creatures of land and sea, executed in a mesmerizing Escher-like puzzle. Perhaps the signature of the piece is the back, featuring a Maori Tā moko face, or mask, design, also infused with animals of various kind. Amidst all the traditional Polynesian and Samoan motifs Ingerton inserts American Traditional elements, such as hearts, sparrows, and angels.
YellowMan's Animal Kingdom shirt comes just in time for the 2010 holiday season. It makes a perfect, festive, original gift. Made with YellowMan's silky-soft, high-quality MadKool fabric, it offers exceptional comfort and can be worn as a formal or casual garment. Its moisture-wicking fabric properties also makes it a perfect base layer or athletic garment. It's vivid, sharp colors are fade resistant, and although the art will make you want to treat it with kid gloves, you can wear it hard. What more could you ask for in a garment!
Check out YellowMan's Animal Kingdom tattoo shirt here.
Moko photo above, courtesy of Inked Plus Blog.


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Just 88 Years Left
Slate's list of "New Classics" will only confirm your fear that almost nothing worth remembering has happened in the last twelve years.
2 Responses
Any duodecade with The Wire in it is a good duodecade for the arts.
And the list made me want to fetch Dylan's autobiography out from storage and actually go read it.
I was impressed with the BEP entry. They don't get much respect, but they will endure.


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Hi! New poster, new to aerogarden growing. This was my first attempt at the gourmet herbs seed kit that came with the garden. I've changed the water at least once a month and use distilled water.
77 days in now and my plants don't seem to have grown much in the past month. Their roots are also not the color I would expect them to be so I'm worried they have root rot. If that's the case do I have to throw them all out and start over? If it is root rot, what do I do and how do I avoid this in the future? I have a couple house plants but they're not in close vacinity to the aerogarden except when I put them in the sink to soak (the sink is about 5 feet from the aerogarden). I've attached pictures so please let me know any thoughts!
Also do you think there's anyway that transplanting a couple of them to soil would save them? I was planning to transplant the basil and mint soon anyway because the weather is warming up.
Thank you in advance.


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Dear Editor:
In a democracy, Presidents of the United States, (POTUS), are leaders. Leaders work with a team of people who bring to the table a variety of skill sets, including knowledge of critical information, scientific and educational backgrounds that aid in analysis of economic problems so that when decisions are made they are the best decision combining the knowledge of many people to provide certitude of optimum solutions.
Democracy was first introduced in the 6th century BC, in India, re-emerging in the 17th century. By definition, democracy is a political system, or a system of decision-making within an institution, organization, or a country in which all members have an equal share of power. The United States and its constitution made sure that it was clear, our democracy is of the people, for the people, and by the people. The people of this country are given the right to vote, the right to share their ideas and opinions, to represent others without prejudice, and to introduce laws that keep the people healthy and safe.
In a dictatorship only dictator authority is acceptable without regard to knowledge or experience in a given field of governance. In short it is a country, a government, or form of government in which absolute power is exercised by a dictator without democratic checks and balances of power.
Understanding these two diametrically opposite methods of governance, how did the Venezuela democratic government change to a dictatorship? What are the signs for a power-shared democratic government becoming a dictatorship?
Venezuela signs began with corruption, inadequate response to economic crisis, their dictator began scrambling to cling to all government dollars and power, choosing autocratic solutions, placing political opponents in prison, choosing his own legislature and parliament to insure his own dictator powers. Laws restricting the ability of journalists to criticize the government were passed. Elections were neither free nor fair. All symptoms lead to centralizing power in the dictator.
Democracy separates powers to prevent abuse of power, safeguarding freedom for all. Venezuela exhibits abuse of power and loss of people's freedoms. What's your preference - rights and accountable-freedoms or a dictatorship?
Jarryl Larson
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The University of Education, Winneba, Department of Psychology and Education, Guidance and Counseling Practicum II Group one, has advised women to undergo regular clinical breast examination, to know their breast cancer status.
Mr Gabriel Nyamalor, a member of the group, said breast cancer could be cured if detected early, and gave the assurance that regular examinations by women would prevent the spread of the disease to other parts of the body.
He made the remarks at a seminar held by the group, at Gomoa Potsin, in the Central Region, as part of its project work that was on the theme: "Creating Awareness of Breast Cancer".
Participants were educated on signs of breast cancer, stages of the diseases, guidelines for the prevention of breast cancer, breast reconstruction, and how to carry out self examination to detect breast cancer.
Mr Nyamalor said that breast cancer would increase to 13.1 million by 2030 worldwide, adding that cancers are the leading cause of death worldwide more than HIV/AIDS and malaria.
He said according to World Health Organization, "breast cancer account for 22.9 per cent of all cancers (excluding non-melanoma skin cancers) in women.
"In 2008, breast cancer caused 458,503 deaths worldwide, representing 13.7 per cent of cancer death in women".
Mrs Patrice Blewu, Principal Nursing officer and Mrs Charlotte Lamptey, Nursing Officer, both at the National Center for Radiotherapy, Korle-bu Teaching Hospital, resource persons for the event, said that 1,880 new cancer cases were recorded at hospital. GNA


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Hobby Lobby located at 3968 Bray Rd. in Farmington is NOW OPEN! The Farmington Regional Chamber held a ribbon cutting at Hobby Lobby on Monday, April 11, 2016 to kick off their grand opening celebration.
Hobby Lobby has more than 700 stores across the nation. Each store offers 75,000 crafting and home decor products including floral, fabric, needle art, custom framing, baskets, home accents, wearable art, arts and crafts, jewelry making, scrapbooking and paper crafting supplies. Store hours are Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. All Hobby Lobby stores are closed on Sunday.
Hobby Lobby Stores, Inc., an Oklahoma City-based private corporation, began as Greco, a miniature picture frame company in 1970. When David Green moved the business his home sto a 300 square foot retail space in 1972, Hobby Lobby was born. It is the nation's largest privately owned arts and crafts retailer.
For more information about Hobby Lobby, weekly specials, coupon offers, store locations and online shopping, visit hobbylobby.com, download the mobile app or follow on Facebook here.
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Is AdWords Positive for Your Company?
Did your business advertise in the Yellow Pages?
One of the most revealing indicators that your business might benefit from Adwords Search is whether your business bought (or would have bought) an ad in the Yellow Pages 20 years ago. That means local and regional businesses like plumbers, accountants, landscapers, etc.
Google search results have since taken the place of the Yellow Pages, essentially becoming a more dynamic and complete version of them. So, if you were or could have been a Yellow Page advertiser there is a very good chance AdWords search is good for you now.
Are your customers searching for you or your product or service?
Keyword research is essential to ensuring your prospects are indeed using search to discover your products/services and to hone in all variations in search syntax. If folks aren't searching what you're selling, there is obviously no point in buying placement in search results.
Google's Keyword Planner Tool is your best friend during AdWords search campaign creation as it give you the ability to check and compare search volumes, create budget estimates, find additional keywords and more.
Pay very close attention to search volumes, if you're seeing that all your relevant searches have very low volumes, say 0 – 10, it's a good indication that your customers are not seeking your service/product via search. On the flip side, thousands of monthly searches for your keywords is a great indicator that AdWords search is a very good fit for your business.
What Do the Numbers Say?
Google's Keyword Planner Tool provides estimates on the cost-per-click for each keyword. With this information, you can estimate how much money you'll need to spend to gain a new customer and whether that expense is affordable. For example, let's say you're an accountant and each new customer is worth about $1000 to you. In your area, the average cost-per-click is $5 and for every 100 clicks, you get about 2 new customers… a 2% conversion rate. That means, for every 100 clicks you spend $500 but you bring in $2000.
On the flip side, let's imagine a business where the cost-per-click remains $5, the conversion rate remains 2%, but a new customer is only worth $100. For every 100 clicks, you're spending $500 and only bringing in $200. The best the campaign can hope for is to break even.
Not knowing your numbers in advance is a very common mistake for small business owners and often leads to a lot of wasted money. Beware!
Do You Have The Budget?
The issue with everything above is that it's based on Google's estimates over long periods of time. You will need enough budget to test everything and optimize. Often, this means running campaigns which could initially lose money but then make money as the AdWords campaigns play out over multiple months, not days or weeks.
Any business considering Adwords needs to have some extra runway, so to speak, to test out the effectiveness of search campaigns.
AdWords Search campaigns are a remarkable tool for a lot of small-to-medium size businesses, local, regional and international. Ask yourself these fours questions and you'll be on the road to building profitable AdWords campaigns.
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Yesterday, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals stayed most of a Hawaii federal judge's recent injunction against President Trump's Proclamation to begin enhanced vetting procedures of foreign nationals seeking entry into the United States. The injunction prevented the full implementation of the Proclamation, which was issued on September 24th.
Back in March, President Trump issued a National Security Executive Order that, among other things, called for a global review by the Secretary of Homeland Security of nearly 200 countries to determine whether they provide sufficient information to us about their nationals seeking entry into our country. The Secretary was to report the findings to the President. During the review, there was supposed to be a 90-day suspension of entry into this country of nationals from six countries with terrorism-related concerns (Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen).
Earlier this year, the Executive Order was enjoined by federal judges in Hawaii and Maryland, both of whom also recently enjoined the Proclamation. The Supreme Court later dismissed, as moot, the Hawaii and Maryland cases involving the Executive Order after its terms had expired.
As a result of the global review called for by the Executive Order, the Acting Secretary of Homeland Security informed the President that eight countries (Chad, Iran, Syria, Libya, Somalia, North Korea, Venezuela, and Yemen) did not satisfy our security criteria. After reviewing the information and consulting within the Executive Branch, the President issued the Proclamation and imposed immigration restrictions on nationals from those eight countries until the countries comply with our security criteria.
In October, the Hawaii judge determined in part that the President did not provide sufficient findings to support the Proclamation and blocked the implementation of the Proclamation as it relates to nationals from Chad, Iran, Syria, Libya, Somalia, and Yemen. This ruling conflicts with the broad constitutional and statutory authority the President has to suspend or restrict the entry of aliens when he determines that it is in our country's best interest to do so based on his consideration of the evidence. The federal government filed an appeal to the Ninth Circuit and also requested that the Ninth Circuit stay the injunction pending the appeal.
Yesterday, the Ninth Circuit granted the government's requested stay, in part, and limited the Hawaii judge's injunction against the Proclamation. The Ninth Circuit's ruling followed the limitations imposed by the Supreme Court when it partially stayed the implementation of the injunctions against the Executive Order earlier this year. The Ninth Circuit wrote:
The preliminary injunction is stayed except as to "foreign nationals who have a credible claim of a bona fide relationship with a person or entity in the United States"…. The injunction remains in force as to foreign nationals who have a "close familial relationship" with a person in the United States…. As for entities, the relationship must be formal, documented, and formed in the ordinary course, rather than for the purpose of evading [the Proclamation].
The Ninth Circuit's ruling means that, as the case proceeds on appeal, the Hawaii judge's injunction will not prevent the Proclamation from being enforced against foreign nationals from the subject countries who do not have a concrete relationship, family or otherwise, with an American person or entity.
The Ninth Circuit will hear oral argument in the Hawaii case on December 6th, while the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals will hear oral argument in the appeal of the Maryland federal judge's injunction against the Proclamation on December 8th.
You can read the American Center for Law and Justice's amicus (friend-of-the-court) brief defending the Proclamation here. The brief was filed with the support of the ACLJ's Committee to Defend Our National Security from Terror, which represents more than 277,000 Americans who have backed the President's efforts to protect this nation from the entry of foreign terrorists.
The Hawaii and Maryland cases will likely end up at the Supreme Court. The ACLJ will continue to defend the Proclamation as we did the National Security Executive Order. We will continue to keep you posted about these cases as well as about the other important work of the ACLJ.
Used with the permission of the American Center for Law and Justice.
Edward White is Senior Counsel with the ACLJ and has been practicing law for more than twenty-five years. He is a graduate of the University of Notre Dame Law School, where he was a Thomas J. White Center for Law & Government Scholar and managing and student articles editor of the Notre Dame Journal of Law, Ethics & Public Policy. Since 2000, White has been specializing in civil rights litigation, representing clients across the country primarily in the areas of free speech, religious freedom, sanctity of human life, and traditional family values.


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UniJos Post UTME & DE form 2018 is out + screening guidelines
University of Jos (UniJos) screening exercise 2018 announced. To apply for the post UTME screening of UniJos 2018/2019, there are few things you need to be aware of: UniJos cutoff mark, who can apply for the screening exercise, how to register for UniJos post UTME, and other important information about the screening exam.
About UniJos Post UTME screening 2018
- Cutoff mark (UTME): 180
- Post UTME registration period: Monday, 13th to Friday, 31st August, 2018
- Direct Entry registration period: Saturday, 18th to Friday, 31st August, 2018
Eligibility for UniJos Post UTME screening 2018
All candidates who made the University of Jos their 1st choice and scored 180 marks and above in the 2018 UTME JAMB examination.
B. General Instructions:
i. Any candidate who fails to complete the online screening will automatically forfeit the chance of being considered for admission.
ii. Withholding information or provision of wrong information will lead to instant disqualification.
Offenders shall be handed over to the law enforcement agents for prosecution in addition to being disqualified.
iii. Candidates are required to upload their current passport photographs.
C. Candidates' results will be screened according to the entry requirements of the respective programmes that they have chosen.
The results of Pre-Admission screening will be available on the University of Jos Portal: https://mis.unijos.edu.ng/
D. Specific Instructions:
i. Each candidate shall pay a non-refundable fee of Two Thousand Naira (N2,000.00), only (excluding Bank charges) for the screening.
Payment shall be made through Remita collection platform at any Commercial Bank operating in Nigeria as follows:
a. Bank Branch:
Visit Bank Branch operating in Nigeria
Present your payment to the Teller (over-the-counter) and say you want to pay University of Jos Pre-Admission Screening Fee via the Remita platform.
b. Remita Collection Platform:
Access the collection platform via www.remita.net
Click "Pay Federal Government Agency"
Enter "UniJos Pre-Admission Screening" as payment details
Enter the required details including your JAMB Number and Full Name
Select any preferred electronic payment channels (ATM cards, Internet Banking, Mobile Wallet, POS, e.t.c.) to complete your payment.
The payer will be issued an electronic receipt following payment, which he/she will keep for further processing.
Candidates are strongly advised against patronizing road side Business Centres for making payment.
ii. Visit University of Jos Portal https://mis.unijos.edu.ng/ for registration procedure as follows:
a. Create an Account using your email address and phone number. A verification e-mail is automatically sent to your email.
b. Log into your e-mail and click on the confirmation link to enable you continue your registration.
c. Complete your registration by providing your Bio-data information, including 'O' Level details, payment details (RRR and Date); upload your passport photograph and other information as required.
d. Click the 'submit' button to save your details on the University Portal.
e. Print Pre-Admission Screening slip and keep it for further processing.
Misrepresentation/falsification of documents is a serious offence. Candidates are, therefore, advised to submit genuine documents only. Anyone found guilty of this offence will be disqualified automatically and in appropriate cases, handed over to the Law Enforcement Agencies.
Candidates are strongly advised to adhere strictly to the guidelines stipulated above and the published requirements for admission into the programme applied for.


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What are your personal values? Can you answer that question? If so, is the way you save, spend and invest your money lined up with your personal values?
In other words, when you look at how you manage your money, does what you see reflect who you are? If examined by an outsider, would they know what's important to you?
These are questions I believe we must answer if we want our money to work well for us.
The financial media, Wall Street, and the overall financial advice industry certainly think they have what we need to manage our money. Which begs the question – do they advocate for our or their interests? Though there are many exceptions, I think it's safe to say that, in general, the financial media and the advice industry are focused on what's right for them (advertising revenue) than on what's right for you (good financial advice).
Personal values and money
What we value in life should guide how we live. If that's not the case, we may be easily influenced by outside pundits with great sounding advice. If that advice doesn't match what we value and what's essential in our lives, following it will likely not lead to a successful outcome. Makes sense, right?
Then why is there often such a gap between what people say they value and how they live?
Let's say one of your values is to give a lot of money to worthy causes. That may be your church, your university, a local shelter, or one of many charitable causes. Your tax return shows you only give 2% of your income to these causes. Would you say that reflects the value you profess?
Or let's say that one of your most important values is providing for your kids' education. Your oldest will be entering high school next year. You don't have a 529 college savings plan started and had not allocated any income to saving for their college? Does that reflect what you say you value?
Of course, many parents believe their kids should have "skin in the game" for their education; that they should pay their fair share. They feel providing the money would create a sense of entitlement that devalues the school for the kids. In that case, not having money set aside may match your values.
Do you see what I mean?
Personal values and identity
Our values define who we are. These values should drive the decisions we make in life. They are values born from what we think about. Our values should be evident in how we spend our time; how we use our money.
There's an old saying that I think is still true today. If you want to know what's important to someone, look at their checkbook ledger or credit card statements. Of course, that's an oversimplification, but there is more than a little truth in it.
If we say we know the importance of living within our means our credit card statements should reflect that. However, if we have multiple credit cards with high balances and make minimum payments, our values certainly don't match what we say.
If we say retiring early (whatever that means to you) is essential and are five years away from that date with little to no retirement savings, our values don't match. If they did, we would have followed a plan that maps out how much we need to save each year, and how much return we need to earn to provide the income we want in retirement. That plan would also include contingency scenarios to account for adjustments along the way, like living longer than our life expectancy says. Our retirement account and savings balances should have enough money (or close) to accomplish our early retirement goal.
That's a snapshot of personal values and money matching.
Personal values reflect passions
Another way to understand personal values is to look at what we're passionate about.
What excites you to jump out of bed in the morning and start your day? Here's another way to ask the question. What are you working to accomplish? If the answer is a paycheck, there is no passion in that, and you will quickly become dissatisfied and hate getting out of bed to go to work.
This MoneyWatch article titled Why so many Americans hate their jobs cites a Gallup survey which shows that 2/3 of American workers "are disengaged at work, or worse."
Another finding of the survey is that "51 percent aren't engaged at work — meaning they feel no real connection to their jobs, and thus they tend to do the bare minimum." That means that over half of those who work for employers don't like their jobs! If you feel trapped in your work and get your self-worth from your job, that's a dangerous path to follow.
If you're not passionate about your work, think about where your passions lie. Is there another job that would be more suitable for your passion? If not, is there a way to turn your passion into a business?
Being stuck is not a fun way to live. If you are miserable in your job, it will carry over into the other parts of your life – your family, your hobbies, and other leisure activities.
If you feel stuck
Take time to reflect
First, take some time to think about it. Often, in the busyness of our daily lives, we don't slow down enough to give ourselves time to think.
The Biblical concept of the Sabbath (mostly gone from modern day society) calls for working six days and resting on the seventh (the Sabbath). In Genesis 2: 2-3, we're told that God rested after six days of creation. In Exodus 20 God gives Moses the ten commandments, one of which is to honor the Sabbath. So, first God rested. Then he tells us how important it is for us to rest.
Whether you believe in the Bible or not, the principal is a good one. Rest is vital to our mental health. When we do nothing but work and worry, it's not good for our health, either mentally or physically. If you're miserable in your job or your lifestyle, take some time to reflect.
The only way to do that is by taking the time to rest. I don't know how we can do that without taking some time away from the stress of the job. To be successful at this exercise, you'll need to get outside of your box; to change the way you usually think about things. Dare to dream again.
There was a time in all of our lives (mainly when we were younger) when we had dreams about how our lives would be. Life's difficulties have a way of extinguishing the fire from those dreams.
You can get them back!
Take inventory
Most of the time people feel stuck for financial reasons. Maybe that's where you are. Maybe you have kids you need to put through college. And you have a mortgage, car payments. Even if you make a significant income, you may not able to put as much money away as you want or need.
Make a list of all your assets (home, investments, cars, 401(k) plans, etc.) Subtract your liabilities (mortgage, car loans, credit cards, etc.) to come up with your net worth. If that's not where you think it should be or where you want it, think about how you can make changes.
Start with your budget. Do you have one? If not, get one. Working from a budget is the best way to manage and control expenses. It's also a way to find things for which you're paying too much. More importantly, you'll often see things you don't need.
A few years ago, my wife, Cathy, and I set out to cut expenses. We got serious and lopped off almost $1,700 in monthly expenses. It was embarrassing how much money we wasted. It wasn't until we got serious about managing our expenses better that we became aware of the waste.
If you have a high income, it's likely you're spending way more than you need. The higher our incomes, the less we seem to pay attention to spending. When the job runs out or the layoff comes or anything else happens that reduces or shuts down our income stream the overspending becomes obvious and brings stress.
Useful tools
Here are four tools to help you get started and stay on track.
Personal Capital
Personal Capital is one of the best personal finance apps out there. And it's free! You can use this just for budgeting or for your overall financial management. You can sign up and get started right away. Pull over your bank accounts, investment accounts, even your employer retirement plans. The process is very easy and straightforward.
Keep in mind that Personal Capital will have a representative call you to offer a free plan with the goal of allowing them to manage your investments. You don't have to do this to utilize their free tools.
Mint.com is another great program/app to manage your budget. Like Personal Capital, you can link all bank and investment accounts. Once they are in Mint.com, you categorize each transaction and add it to your budget.
Though not as robust as Personal Capital, this is a great app to show you where you are and help you find ways to cut.
YNAB – You Need a Budget
YNAB's rule #1 is to "give every dollar a job." That means they track every dollar you spend. Every dollar must be accounted for in the system. If you're having a big problem with overspending, YNAB is the app for you.
Its sole focus is on keeping you on track with your budget. You can signup for an initial 34-day trial. After that, it's $6.99 monthly.
Trim is one of the more unique apps out there. Connect your accounts and Trim will look through all your transactions to find ways to save for you. They go directly to the companies and negotiate on your behalf. Have a high Verizon or Comcast cable (not to pick on them, just an example)? Turn Trim loose to negotiate a lower rate for you.
I'm not getting into any detailed review of these apps in this post. Check them out yourself to find out which ones you feel will work for you. The point is to do something to nail down your budget and lower your expenses.
For further reading:
Fellow blogger Kevin at Out of Yout Rut offers his thoughts in this article, 5 Ways to Eliminate Financial Stress – And Why You Must.
You might also like:/h3>
25 Best Personal Finance Blogs (Why You Should Read Them)
Retirement Planning is About More Than Just Money
Incremental change
Most people can't conceive of getting out of their rut because they can't imagine they can attain their dreams. As important as the big picture is, it's even more important to break that picture down into baby steps. Taking incremental steps on the journey provides small victories along the way.
Start with your budget. Anyone can find ways to cut down on expenses. We were paying a lot for things we rarely used. We reduced expenses on some stuff by reducing the number of options we were paying for (internet, phone, TV, etc.). Achieving your big picture dream is just a succession of winning the little victories along the way. The next thing you know you're halfway there.
Look, I know this sounds trite and overly simple. If you look at any successful person you know, that's exactly how they break down their goals. They string together little victories along the way to gain confidence. That moves them, step by step, toward the big prize.
Start with committing to taking a regular Sabbath day. Ideally, that would turn into a "tuned out" vacation in which you stay entirely unplugged. If a Sabbath day is refreshing and freeing, imagine a couple of weeks, or a month.
I know this may not be possible for many. I want to encourage you to carve out something that works for you.
A real-life story
Think your problems are too big to solve? Think again.
Read the story of Billy B., who went to prison for 10-years and turned his life around while there. I interview Bill where he told his incredible story of going from prison to financial success. Bill went on the start his own business and built a successful blog at Wealth Well Done.
If a young man who spent 10-years in prison can turn his life around, surely any of us can do the same.
Guiding principals
Change starts when we understand our personal values and work to let those personal values guide our decisions. In personal finance, those decisions can be whittled down to three basic steps:
- Spend less than you earn
- Save and invest the difference
- Reduce or eliminate debt (especially high-interest debt like credit cards)
These principles are not rocket science. The concepts are simple. Simple isn't always easy.
Financial freedom means different things to different people. Your personal values should define what it means to you? Whatever that is, you'll need to decide what are you willing to do to achieve it? Most of the time we think we have to sacrifice more than we need to get what we want. That leaves us feeling like the goal is impossible to reach.
Your dreams should be big enough to motivate you to work hard to achieve them. They should not be so big that you feel overwhelmed and that there is no way to accomplish them.
Final thoughts
If your personal values don't match the way you're living, think about how you can change your circumstances. I've just touched on the basics here. In my experience, most of the time people feel stuck because of finances. It doesn't have to be that way. Take time to think (Sabbath). Free yourself during that time to dream.
Once you visualize your dream, break it down into small steps to get yourself started. Follow the process laid out here and by the ones I've referenced. Take inventory (assets minus liabilities = net worth). Examine your budget. If you don't have one, create one. Look at the tools mentioned above for help. If you're not following the three-step formula to financial freedom, move toward doing that.
Remember, you didn't get stuck overnight. You won't get unstuck overnight. Set a realistic timeframe to allow yourself the opportunity for successes along the way.
Now it's your turn. Do you feel stuck? Were you stuck and found your way out? If so, please share your story in the comments.
Fred started the blog Money with a Purpose in October 2017. The blog focused on three primary areas: Personal Finance, Overcoming Adversity, and Lifestyle. During his time at Money with a Purpose, he was quoted in Forbes, USA Today and appeared in Money Magazine, MarketWatch, The Good Men Project, Thrive Global and many other publications.
In April 2019, Fred, along with two other partners, acquired The Money Mix website. To focus his time and energy where he could be the most productive, Fred recently merged Money with a Purpose with The Money Mix. You can now find all of his great content right here on The Money Mix, along with content from some of the brightest minds in personal finance.