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International Student Services (ISS) recruits volunteers throughout the year to assist with our events. Students, faculty, staff and community members are encouraged to take advantage of these wonderful opportunities to interact with and assist both new and current international students at Texas A&M University!
ISS hosts three major events each Fall and Spring semester: International Student Check-In, International Welcome Party, and International Student Conference.
Below are descriptions of each event and information about how you can volunteer.
Event specific volunteer sign-ups will become available as we get closer to the Fall events.
International Student Check-In
This event is mandatory for all new international students. It is a time when they come get their documents scanned into the ISS system, set up their Howdy account, talk to an ISS advisor, and learn about what they need to do next as they prepare for the semester.
Volunteers for this event will assist ISS staff with many duties required in greeting and processing the files. Generally, volunteers will assist at the welcome station, helping students to fill out information online, and directing students through various lines.
Learn more about the
International Student Check-In
and how new international students may register for an appointment.
International Student Conference (ISC)
This event is an opportunity for all new and current international students to attend concurrent sessions about a variety of topics, including: health care, fiscal responsibility, culture shock, Aggie traditions, job searching, and career connections. Volunteers will be needed to help set up, assist presenters, serve food, clean up, and much more.
Learn more about the
International Student Conference
and how international students and their families may register to attend.
Register to volunteer for the ISC
International Aggie Party
This event is a chance for all new international students to come together to hang out and meet ISS staff as well as other international students. Volunteers will be helping set up, serve food, hand out t-shirts, clean up, and a variety of other responsibilities throughout the night. Volunteers are more than welcome to participate in activities, enjoy the food, and interact with the students.
Learn more about the
International Aggie Party
and how new international students and their families may register to attend.
Register to volunteer for the International Aggie Party here!
Volunteer Registration
Please email our Program Coodinator, Steven White, at
to inquire about volunteer opportunties with ISS.
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Saudi Academic: It's Time To End Gender Segregation In Mosques! (Memri).
In a June 25, 2016 interview with the liberal Arab website Elaph, Dr. Najat Al-Sa'eed, a Saudi communications lecturer at Zayed University in Dubai, said that Islam is the only monotheistic religion that has not adapted to the modern age, and that this was not the fault of Islam but rather of Muslims, who are conservative.
Hence, she said, the process of modernization must begin with the religion itself, by reforming the rituals of worship. For example, she suggested changing the internal layout of mosques so as to allow men and women to pray together, introducing codes of proper conduct and appearance in mosques, and installing seats and dim lighting that will create an atmosphere of spirituality and calm, like in a church.
Asked about the phenomenon of women imams, which exists in some Western countries, she answered that the Arab world should start with forming institutions of women jurisprudents, publishing books on religion written by women and airing religious television programs presented by women.
The following are excerpts from the interview:
Question: "Is there any religious prohibition on changing the rationale behind the internal layout of mosques?"
Answer: "From the religious perspective, there is no ban on changing the internal layout of the mosque as we know it in the Islamic world today, and besides, the layout differs from mosque to mosque.
If the outer compounds of the Mecca [Grand] Mosque [could be] changed and expanded, why not change the internal design of mosques? The outer compounds of the [Grand] Mosque in Mecca are surrounded by ultra-modern skyscrapers. If you look at them from above, you realize that they resemble [the skyscrapers] of Manhattan in New York.
According to a hadith narrated by Abu Al-Darda, the Prophet said: "Whatever Allah permitted in His book [the Koran] is allowed, and whatever is forbidden [in that book] is forbidden – and whatever He was silent about is pardoned, so accept the pardon of Allah.'"
Question: "Is the absence of a [shared] internal space the only factor that prevents men and women from [worshiping] side by side in mosques?"
Answer: "That may be one of the reasons, but I think that habit, and the adherence to customs and tradition, are [the real factors] that prevent men and women from doing this.
Islam does not forbid them to mix, as evident from the fact that the Hajj and Umrah rituals are mixed and so is prayer at the Mecca compound. So why should they be segregated in other mosques?Any [reform] initiative of this sort is difficult in the beginning from the perspective of tradition, but from the religious perspective it is not forbidden.
The main goal we should pursue is to enlighten society by studying Islam from a cultural perspective that fosters equality and mutual respect between men and women instead of segregating them as though they come from two different planets. Let's make mosques similar to churches!" Read the full story here.

subset: commoncrawl


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My high school had a lot of good things: competitive sports teams, lots of extracurriculars, and good teachers (including the only math class I ever took that didn't make me want to stab myself with a pencil so I could leave). What it didn't have was boys.
And contrary to what most people believe, I, and all my friends from my all-girls school, have managed to have boyfriends, husbands, guy friends, and male bosses and interact with them just fine. The knock on all-girls schools is that it doesn't prepare girls for dealing with men in the real world. But unless it's a very cloistered boarding school, the fact is most girls are around boys the remaining waking hours of the day. And there are male teachers at most all-girls' schools; that aforementioned math class I took was taught by one.
About the only truly negative outcome was that I am still deeply fashion-challenged. I can live with that.
All-girls schools allow young women, at a time in their lives when they are very vulnerable to the opinions of others, to discover what they are good at and develop that potential. If you're a math whiz or a sensitive poet, you're a lot more likely to let that side of you show as a teenage girl when you don't need to worry about intimidating the most popular boy in school with your understanding of algebra, or getting laughed at by the class clown when you share your latest heartfelt oeuvre.
Girls gain confidence in their ability to succeed and learn how to be their own goofy selves at an all girl's school, too. A girl at my high school just did a viral video for breast cancer awareness and got the whole school, including all the teachers, to participate; I can't imagine a girl at a coed school having the confidence to pull that off.
The stats bear me out: According to a survey done for the National Council of Girls' Schools, alumnae of girls' schools were much more likely to major in science or math: 13 percent did, versus 2 percent of females from coed schools. And once they graduate, they are more likely to be managers: 78 percent of girls' school alumnae are pursuing management positions, compared to 62 percent nationwide.
It wasn't paradise; there were mean girls, cliques, and all the other stuff that happens in high school. But overall, there was a lot less of that than my friends from coed schools report, and I made some of the best friends of my life there, women who I still talk to regularly. When my daughter reaches high school age, I'll be sending her there if we can afford it. She's already strong-minded and totally unintimidated by boys (or anyone else), and I want to help make sure that stays true.
Would you send your child to a single-sex school?
Image via db photographs/Flickr


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Since 2007, Knitted Wit has explored the myriad ways in which color and fiber play together. Ten years later, Knitted Wit is pleased to offer over 150 colors on 11 yarn bases — you can check out the rainbow of yarn available in the color gallery.
Knitted Wit is a woman-owned business based in Portland, Oregon, led by Lorajean Kelley.
Whether you're looking for yarn for a squishy pair of socks or a treasured heirloom blanket, you can be sure that there's a Knitted Wit yarn that's perfect for your project.
To keep up-to-date on all things Knitted Wit, please subscribe to our newsletter.
Looking for HerStory Yarn at a LYS?
Look no further!
The following stores will be stocking a new HerStory club colour on Victory Sock each month (and if that isn't enough, we're also hosting a casual knitalong on both Facebook and Instagram — look for the hashtag #herstory2018kal):
- A Good Yarn
- Acorn Street
- A Stitching Witch
- Amazing Thread
- Apple Knits & Purls
- Bella Filati
- Black Locust Farm
- Close Knit
- Cloverhill Yarn Shop
- Cozy
- Dye Hard Yarns
- Elgin Knit Works
- Ewe-nique Knits
- Fiber Gallery
- Fiber Rhythm
- For Yarn's Sake
- Knit One Purl Two
- Knit Wits
- Knot Another Hat Shop
- Lovely Yarns
- Magpie Knits
- Mass Ave Knit Shop
- McWalker Yarns
- Monarch Knitting
- Needle & Skein
- Northwest Yarn
- Oregon Knitting Co
- ReBelle
- Seattle Yarn
- Serial Knitters
- Sheep's Clothing
- String Theory Yarn Company
- Tapestry Rose
- The Cat and Crow
- The Knitters Nest
- The Knitting Bee
- The Sock Peddlers
- The Tinsmith's Wife
- Threads & Ewe
- Twisted Loop
- Unwind Yarn Shop (Michigan)
- Yarn Del Sol
- Yarn Diva
- Yarn Folk
- Yarn Harbor
- Yarn Shop Santa Cruz
- Yarntiques
Want to celebrate with Knitted Wit all year long?
Sassy Holidays exclusive-to-LYS colorways are just the thing!
These super special skeins of Victory Fingering will be available at the following local yarn stores:
- A Stitching Witch
- Cozy
- Elgin Knit Works
- Ewe-nique Knits
- For Yarn's Sake
- Hook & Needle
- Knot Another Hat Shop
- Loop
- Needles Rochelle
- Seattle Yarn
- Serial Knitters
- Tangled Purls
- The Black Sheep Yarn & Fiber Arts
- The Knitters Nest
- The Tinsmith's Wife
- Threads & Ewe
- Yarn Shop Santa Cruz
- Yarnz4Ewe


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Why Join?
Membership does have its privileges.
Our Business After-Hours monthly card-mixers allows new and distinguished members the opportunity to meet and showcase their business. The mixers are hosted monthly by different chamber members at their business location. FREE!
Showcase your grand opening by allowing us to help with this very special event.
This informational tool lists your business by industry category and gives all our members the opportunity to do more "member to member" business
The Chamber receives many inquiries during the year from visitors and others desiring information on our community and its businesses. Chamber members are referred in business or professional inquiries.
Purchase mailing labels to target your direct mail advertising to other Chamber members.
Send us information and we will gladly post it on website and place flyers, etc. in conference room.
What people are saying.
"The Arlington Hispanic Chamber of Commerce is unique to other chambers and networking groups because of the many benefits for its members. The Chamber has high quality educational opportunities for small business owners and the networking events are great opportunities to meet potential customers, collaborators and colleagues. In this tough economic climate, the chamber has given my business a tremendous opportunity to keep my business growing."- M. Montalvo
"The AHCC has been instrumental in the growth of my business through mentorship, networking, and leadership. I have been able to grow as an entrepreneur and strengthen the structure of my business with their support. Furthermore, AHCC leadership in the community particularly around youth and education is a true inspiration and it allows business owners to be part of building a strong community for your future."- J. Reyes, business owner
Get Started Today!
The Arlington Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (AHCC) is the largest business-related organization representing the Hispanic community in Arlington and has been an essential voice for over 20 years.


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"World Rugby" History
Best Trend to Tweet about is: Chester Zoo
Trend Timeline for United Kingdom Today Summary Tweet Scheduler
"World Rugby" Started first at 05:00 PM 31-12-1969 and the rank of it at that time was #. The highest rank it achieved was # while the lowest rank it trended at was #. Its average rank was #NAN. Currently its trending at #. You can see history of "World Rugby" below. For more detials click here.


text: Past couple of days that I have been browsing around I notice that my post count has not changed at all, despite making a couple of posts. I know that there are other section of the forum that are "unlocked" after so many posts, and I am by no way spamming to unlock these hidden areas but I am not sure what is going on with my account. after checking my profile I notice I have 79 posts, yet I only show a post count of 49... Thoughts? Code: http://www.blackhatworld.com/blackhat-seo/search.php?searchid=7225091


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The past year has been one of opportunities and challenges, as we've continued to serve the children of this community. This year, we've continued to offer a number of health services, workshops on sexual and reproductive health, education, and counseling to help these girls better deal with the stigma and discrimination associated with HIV/AIDS.
We track the number of girls and women who receive services through house visits
Estimated girls & women affected
Participant lists from events, data from clinic visits, and data from house visits
Estimated community members affected
One year ago, you chose to improve the lives of 42 girls in the Dominican Republic who are affected by or living with HIV/AIDS. The past year has been one of opportunities and challenges, as we've continued to serve the children of this community. This year, we've continued to offer a number of health services, workshops on sexual and reproductive health, education, and counseling to help these girls better deal with the stigma and discrimination associated with HIV/AIDS. Through a partnership with a specialized health treatment center for HIV/AIDS patients, we have ensured that these girls and other children receive medical care for their condition as well as the information and support they need to thrive. Additionally, this year we have been able to increase the project staff's capacity through training sessions aimed at developing strategies to cope with the stigma and discrimination associated with HIV/AIDS. Through The Global Fund for Children's additional services, we've also helped bring additional opportunities to project staff, including their attendance at the World AIDS Conference in Washington, DC.
Get personal
"With the help of the program activities I have been able to keep a healthy life style and I have also learned how to make jewelry. I have also learned to take better care of myself and how to use the retroviral medicine they give me. I am very thankful to GFC for their support to be able to improve our health and quality of life" - Program Participant
Risks and challenges
Fighting the stigma and discrimination associated with HIV/AIDS in the Dominican Republic continues to be the greatest challenge for this project. Case managers have been of great assistance in this regard, as they work directly with schools and the community to combat these issues. When problems in the schools arise, case managers work with teachers and counselors directly to resolve them through dialogue.
What we've learned
One of the greatest components of our program in the Dominican Republic is the educational services we provide. This program, which pairs program participants with personal tutors who are also living with HIV, has been instrumental in helping children cope with and develop strategies to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS. Tutors serve not only as educational aids, but as mentors who share their firsthand knowledge of the care and treatments needed to live a long and healthy life.
Next steps
Our next steps in the Dominican Republic will be an extension of services to even more children affected by HIV/AIDS and an emphasis on fundraising strategy. We hope to provide a grant to enable staff from this project to attend a Knowledge Exchange hosted by The Global Fund for Children. Through this opportunity, project staff will attend training seminars and engage in dialogue with others to understand how they can better support the children in this community.
Line Items
Projected budget
Amount spent so far
Support groups
Training workshops
Home visits
Nutritional supplements
Nutritional supplements
Further reading
Learn more about our work with adolescent girls here: http://www.globalfundforchildren.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/GFC_Adolescent-Girls_FY14.pdf Learn more about our work in Latin America here: http://www.globalfundforchildren.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/FY14_Regional-Brief_LAC_For-Web.pdf
Brighter futures ahead
May 22, 2014
It's been 90 days since you took a stand and donated to The Global Fund for Children's project to provide female youth living with (or directly impacted by) HIV/AIDS in the Dominican Republic. To date, your donation has helped 10 female youths by providing them with free medical care, a personal tutor, and psychological workshops. Because of you, we have been able to accomplish so much in three months time. Every dollar you donated helped reduce the stigmatization and discrimination that girls living with or affected by HIV/AIDS face within their communities and among their peers.
Risks and challenges
Stigma and discrimination are our two biggest challenges. However, by facilitating health education, medical treatment, and relationship building, we are reducing the stigma surrounding girls affected by HIV/AIDS, ensuring a better and brighter future for the 10 young females you helped.
Get personal
We're giving girls the chance to express themselves. Often discriminated against due to HIV/AIDS, our candlelight ceremonies give girls the opportunity to cope with the disease in a therapeutic space. This is just one of the many steps we are taking to help make their lives easier.
Next steps
The next step is to make sure we reach our target of empowering 42 girls living with HIV/AIDS in the Dominican Republic. This means making sure they receive the educational opportunities they deserve. In order to do that, we're growing our tutoring program and helping increase the number of HIV/AIDS affected girls with personalized, tailored curriculum.
More information
Together, we are making certain that young women escape the stigma of living with HIV/AIDS and are given the amenities they need to build new, productive futures. But, as you know, this isn't where it ends. Continue to help us make a difference in girls' lives around the world by joining our amazing team on Catapult, led by Victoria Dunning, our awesome Executive Vice President.
Further reading
Learn more about our work with adolescent girls here.
Approximately 3,780 children and youth under age 14 are living with HIV/AIDS in the Dominican Republic. Help us make their lives easier.
Why we care: Female youth living with or directly impacted by HIV/AIDS are often subject to more stigmatization and discrimination than their peers.
How we're solving this: We directly assist these female youths by providing free medical care, a personal tutor, and psychological workshops.
According to the 2010 UNAIDS report, an estimated 3,780 children and youth between the ages of 0 to 14 are HIV-positive. Only 37 percent of them have received any type of treatment.
As one of the only direct HIV/AIDS-specialized service providers in the northern part of the country, Global Fund for Children assists individuals and families affected by HIV/AIDs by providing a better quality of life through educational, psychosocial, and medical services.
Our program provides health education and psychological workshops to 42 female youths and their families to help them better understand not only how to live with their condition, but also ways of preventing further spread of the virus. These workshops are paired with free medical care from specialized staff that provides individualized treatment to each girl. These treatments include home visits to assess the health and socioeconomic status of each female youth and to follow up and track these prescribed medical treatments.
We also recognize the integral role education plays in each girl's future, so we pair each girl with a personal tutor who is also affected by HIV/AIDS. This allows the tutor to share firsthand the knowledge they have gained on how to care for themselves and how to manage the treatments needed to live the long and healthy life each girl deserves.
By facilitating health education, medical treatment, and relationship building, we are reducing the stigma surrounding girls affected by HIV/AIDS, ensuring a better and brighter future for the young females of the Dominican Republic.


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Last week Samsung went to the International Trade Commission seeking a ban on the import of Apple Products, citing pending patent litigation all over the world between both companies. Over the weekend though, Samsung dropped a countersuit against Apple in California.
Although some may think this is a legal victory for Cupertino, CA based Apple, that's not necessarily the case. Apple and Samsung have pending litigation each other in 8 courts, 6 countries and 3 continents. This back and forth legal battle has been going in since Apple filed a lawsuit against Samsung in California back in April. Apple alleges that Samsung has copied Apples signature mobile products, the iPad and iPhone in over 20 of Samsung's Android devices.
In response to Samsung's ITC request Apple quickly responded by filing an injunction against three of Samsung's smartphones and their tablets.


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Enfeh Hotel Accommodation
Search 10 hotels in Enfeh
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Where to stay in Enfeh
Enfeh overviewEnfeh is an inviting destination that has something for everyone. Enfeh might not have many attractions within the city, but you won't need to venture far to find places to visit like Tripoli Stadium.
Where to stay in EnfehWhether traveling on business or vacation, Enfeh can comfortably accommodate all visitors. You can shop as many as 78 deals for Enfeh accommodations on Hotels.com, some with discounts of up to 50%. We have room prices starting at 45 USD per night and below are the number of hotels by star rating in Enfeh as well as in the surrounding area:
- • 4 5-star hotels from 99 USD per night
- • 28 4-star hotels from 60 USD per night
- • 16 3-star hotels from 50 USD per night


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Monday, February 13, 2012
Staying in the Peace
After finding that out yesterday I was amazed at how I was able to maintain peace. Am I upset? Yes. Disappointed? Definately. But what is done is done and rather than dwell on it, I am chosing to give the situation to God and move forward. This weeks verse reminds me that peace is not something that I can get on my own. It is a gift that I recieve when I chose to surrender. This world is full of things that are not peaceful and I can chose to live in the world or to live in the one who has overcome!
So despite the news from yesterday, despite having my 3 year old spew all over herself, the store and me today while grocery shopping (she wasn't sick when we left the house I promise!) and despite everything else the world continues to throw at me, I am taking heart and staying in the peace!
Until next time,
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You really need a wonderful dress for your party but you can't decide upon the model of your prom dress. You feel tired of shopping and you even feel that you won't be able to discover ever the perfect dress for you, the dress which can match your style perfectly. All you have to do is breath deeply and relax. Then forget about shops for at least five minutes and think about what you like and what highlights your personality. Of course, your dress must be unique, just like you. Firstly you have to find out what types of dresses you like and then you can take into account some suggestions. For example for an evening party you can choose relatively classical dresses, made of brocade, folded satin or silk, which are extremely precious for a special evening, which fit perfectly a small sized hand bag. A very trendy element is wide leather belt, with intricate patterns and which can be always found in a shop addict's wardrobe. You can also choose a lot of grey shades and extremely feminine issues like satin dresses or natural silk ones or you can count on the incontestable leather dress if you are daring and you want to be in the centre of attention. If you prefer the romantic style, you can choose fluid lines, and heavy materials for a strong personality, and all these on a black background. It can offer you a quite indolent look, sometimes rebellious, other times more severe and even slightly studied in front of the mirror, but above all a feminine one. In order to add to your appearance a bohemian air, you can match to your fluid dress made of a vaporous material a scarf imprinted with graphic patterns. Another two materials which can be used successfully for this romantic style are lace and embroidery. You can choose a bright colored dress, embroidered manually, or a dress with lace applications. Any of these options will make you feel delicate, elegant and self confident because of these comfortable materials.
Prom Dresses
However, you can put on the most irresistible dress. The rule which must be followed is to use some fashion tricks in order not to be perceived like a non – stylish girl. And because a hand bag is compulsory on such occasions you can choose a small size model, with braids, embroidery or different accessories which are applied. You can wear retro, hand made models; therefore it will be very easy to choose one, irrespective of the situation. As you already know, you don't have to wear shoes which match your hand bag. There is a multitude of shoe models, but the recent trend is the thick heeled shoes one. You can also wear retro shoes, with a slightly theatric aspect. As far as jewels are concerned the must have of this season is vintage necklaces, massive earrings, pendants worn on very long chains and ethno beads. It's up to your imagination. But first of all you have to take into account your body needs, you have to choose the perfect dress for you, and secondly, you should take into account tendencies and designers' opinions.


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Like the bright berry from the naked thorn.
Hartley Coleridge penned these words; in them, the eldest son of Samuel Taylor Coleridge (and who, frankly, I'd never even heard of until around ten minutes ago; I suspect he had his labour swapped for opium numerous times as a child by the old man) spins a simple, comforting rumination on the passing of time. In this spirit, it serves to remind contemporary society to take time and savour the transistory aspect of this annual milestone. Perhaps you spent the first minutes of 2009 surrounded by loved ones and reflecting upon the previous year, be it on triumphs or missed opportunities. It could be that you made silent, solemn pledges for the coming months. Or, if you're like me, you watched daredevil spawn drive his motorcycle over a gigantic motherfucking jump.
That's right, I was at a friend's place yesterday evening when the ball dropped, and FOX's thermo-nuclearly cheesy New Year's Special had the house transfixed. Diversions included performances by has-been (Scott Weiland) and never-will-be (David Cook) musical hacks, plus a bizarre piece on an apparently pantsless Cirque du Soleil revue currently running, but the production was built around the late Evel Knievel's son, Robbie, jumping over a spanking new faux-volcano at The Mirage in Vegas. All I could think about during shots of the burping, flaming edifice was how much fuel was being wasted on such a useless diversion, but the people seemed happy. Who am I to complain, at the end of the day? I guess.
Anyway, the funniest, albeit most macabre, part of the lead-up, which included interviews with Robbie's main stunt co-ordinator and sundry crew members, was a lovingly CGI-ed sequence done by the network that graphically illustrated each potentially deadly unhappy-ending should anything go awry. As such, along with cartoonishly grave narration, we were treated to visual simulations of flaming Robbie, Robbie flying from the bike and landing in a crumpled heap on the ramp, and Robbie dropping directly into the heart of the volcano after failing to attain the required speed. Believe me, I scoured the internet for the better part of a half-hour trying to find this footage, but came up empty; it was just so wrong, yet hugely entertaining. By the way, this was tape-delayed, so we knew nothing gory happened, lest you think our group was a pack of rubbernecking ghouls.
After this warm-up, the jump itself seemed a bit anti-climactic, to be honest.
What's amusing is that, as I scoured YouTube for a clip, there were already heated debates in the comment sections about whether the jump was a 'hoax,' or if it lived up to his father's formidable legacy. My two cents: it's difficult to bring dignity into the argument when the subject is wearing a doo-rag.
Hope you all had a great New Year!


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Hello Everyone!
Thank You for joining me today for some great My Craft Spot Inspiration!
Today I have a FUN gift idea for a Friend, Co-Worker, Neighbor, Teachers, Family, etc. And PERFECT for this week's My Craft Spot Monday Challenge #120 Christmas Neighbor Gifts.
I've actually had this idea in mind for a VERY long time, but didn't feel inspired to create it until I saw the "Souper Holiday" Sentiment from the My Craft Spot "Christmas Friends & Neighbors" Stamp Set.
Some time ago - maybe a year or two now - I was waiting to checkout at Marshalls and saw a bag of pre-packaged soup and thought it would make a great gift to spruce up. But of course, when I went back for the small bag of pre-packaged soup a few weeks ago, they no longer had it in stock. I searched everywhere for something similar, but didn't find quite what I was looking for and created my own version. I created a "Souper Holiday" Gift Jar by filling a large clear Mason Jar with some Egg Noodles, Freeze-Dried Vegetables & Seasonings, a Chicken Stock bullion, and some Oyster Crackers in a small test tube.
I embellished the "Souper Holiday" Gift Jar with a doily made from the My Craft Spot 4" Doily Metal Die. It was then layered with a large circle cut using papers from the Imaginisce's Color of Christmas Collection - also used throughout the project. All the pieces were run thru my Xyron 5" Creative Station and adhered to the mason jar. I also added tied some Maraschino Twine - available HERE at My Craft Spot - and two small jingle bells on the side.
The soup bowl is from the Miss Kate Cuttables "Warm My Heart" Cutting File. The steam was ran thru my Xyron 1.5" Create A Sticker Machine upside down to add some glitter and adhered with some Xyron Homemade Foam Tape. I decided to replace the "Snowflake" from the cutting file with a Holly Berry die to coordinate with jar's lid.
The "Souper Holiday" Sentiment was stamped on the Double Fishtail Banner Strip from the My Craft Spot "Ribbon Banners - Straight" Metal Dies. I used the small tape runner from the Teresa Collins Adhesive Kit by Xyron to attach my sentiment strip to the jar's front.
I embellished the "Souper Holiday" Gift Jar's Lid with a large circle, plastic snowflake ornament, paper rosette made with the Tim Holtz Sizzix Paper Rosette Die and an SVG image from Miss Kate Cuttables. Instead of die-cutting the "Open Dec 25th Tag" File, I printed it out and layered it on a scalloped circle. I also replaced the Holly Berry Leaves on the image with some made from a metal die.
I finished off the "Souper Holiday" Gift Jar with some glitter tulle and a "Scarlet Red" Crinkle Ribbon from My Craft Spot layered with Ivory Jute String - available at My Craft Spot. Using my Xyron 3/8" High Tack Adhesive Dots, I added a green button to the center of the bow.
I hope you have enjoyed and have been inspired to create your own "Souper Holiday Gift Jar" using My Craft Spot Products. Don't forget to link them up to this week's My Craft Spot Monday Challenge #120 Christmas Neighbor Gifts. You have until Monday, December 16th 11:59pm MST for your chance to win this week's prize.


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Bungie Error Theme
Here's a new and interesting Bungie theme for you. It's adapted from Bungie's error page when you can't find a certain user as shown in this themes header. It's pretty cool but it's not the best that I've done. Enjoy!
iPhone Wallpaper
iPad Wallpaper
Happy Holidays bumper pack!
It's November and Christmas, the Holidays, are almost here! I know a lot of people try not to think about how quickly it comes by every year, however for those of you that are just excited as I am will be pleased with what I've created for you this season. If I don't post anything before 2014 have a great December and New Years!
Bungie.old Twitter Themes
Some of the older bungie.net users will know how great and legendary bungie.old felt and looked. For those that remember here are 3 Forum themes that have been adjusted to fit on Twitter. All I can say is 'good times'!
The Beta, it's Super Awesome
I'm sure all you Halo and Bungie fans remember the last time there was a beta! Gear up for it early this year and shower as many devices as you can with this Destiny beta pack!
Twitter Header
iPhone Wallpaper
iMac Wallpaper
Simple Twitter Headers
Here are a few basic Twitter Headers for you to use. I haven't made any new ones in a while so tah-dah! I've tried to make them as smooth and as simple as possible whilst also giving the viewer a slight Destiny/Bungie feel.


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Show Summary Details
Quick Reference
To bend or curve downwards in the middle, from pressure or an object's own weight, e.g. festoon or swag.
Subjects: Architecture.
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Place 2 pounds of veal cutlets on a flat surface, and cover them with waxed paper. Using a kitchen mallet, pound the cutlets until they are flat. In a pie pan or other shallow dish, mix 1/4 cup of all-purpose flour with 1/2 teaspoon of seasoning salt. Coat the cutlets with the flour and salt mixture, and then set them on a wire rack to rest for 15 minutes.
Place a large skillet on a stovetop set to medium-high heat. Add 1/2 cup of butter and 2 tablespoons of olive oil to the pan, and cook them until the butter is melted. Cook the cutlets on both sides in the oil and butter. While the cutlets cook, clean and quarter 3/4 pound of fresh mushrooms.
Once the cutlets are brown on both sides, add the mushrooms, turn the heat down to low and cover the skillet. Cook the pork cutlets and mushrooms together for 10 minutes. Uncover the skillet, and pour in 1/4 cup of Marsala wine. Allow the wine to simmer, and reduce for five minutes.
Once the sauce is hot and the veal is tender and cooked through, serve the veal with the mushrooms and sauce. If desired, mix in a few tablespoons of heavy cream to the sauce, and garnish it with cherry tomatoes and parsley.


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I'm learning a lot programming in AVR C. There's are a few subtleties to watch out for, and some of them have had me banging my head against the wall for days. This post is an attempt to prevent anyone else playing with AVR outside of AVR Studio (I'm using Linux and the command line) from having the same issues.
Sections for avr-objcopy
When you compile an AVR C program, you get object code, which you have to convert into HEX format to flash onto the chip. You do this using avr-objcopy, and there are apparently several valid ways of doing it. I recommend learning about what the -j and -R flags are doing when you come across tutorials with this command in them. I was using one from a tutorial that looked like this:
avr-objcopy -j .text -O ihex some.o some.hex
That's all fine and dandy except it only works for programs that don't end up using the .data section of the object code! Now, this wouldn't be a big deal if there were any warnings about this, but there aren't – you just have to know to add a -j .data. A better solution, posted here by clawson, is to use the -R flag to remove parts you know you do not want. Here's my current strategy:
avr-objcopy -R .fuse -R .lock -R .eeprom some.o some.hex
This fixed 2 separate problems when I did it, one with struct initialization and one with my LCD displaying block characters for strings but working for single characters.


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Olympus Capital Starts Mid-Market Lending Business
Asia-focused private-equity firm Olympus Capital Holdings Asia has formed a structured lending business targeting mid-sized companies in the region, hiring two people to lead the business, including a former senior Barclaysbanker.
In a statement Thursday, Hong Kong-based Olympus Capital said the new unit, OCA Credit, would target companies unable to access loans from commercial banks, or that don't want to be diluted by private-equity investment. Loan sizes will range from $20 million to $100 million with two- to three-year maturities, and will target borrowers in Southeast Asia, India and Australia.
Daniel Mintz, founding managing director of Olympus Capital, said while liquidity was flush in the region, new Basel III regulations mean banks incur higher capital charges when making less liquid loans to mid-market companies.
Nitish Agarwal, formerly a managing director of global financing solutions for Asia at Barclays, will become managing director and chief investment officer at OCA Credit. He will continue to be based in Singapore.
Gary Stead will also join as managing director, and will be based in Australia. Mr. Stead was previously founder and managing director of Australia-focused structured credit fund Shearwater Capital LLC. Before that, he was chief executive of U.S. asset manager Fortress Investment Group's Australia operations.
Olympus Capital focuses on mid-market investments in the region in sectors such as agriculture, clean energy and financial services. Its investments include a $100 million minority stake in Indian healthcare services provider DM Healthcare Pvt. Ltd. in January 2012, and a $30 million investment in Chinese milk producer Huaxia Dairy Farm Ltd. in 2011.
-- Corrections and amplifications: Olympus Capital's new lending business is called OCA Credit. An earlier version of this post incorrectly said OCA Capital.


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Cochin China
Cochin China kō´chĭn, kŏ´– [key], Fr. Cochinchine, historic region (c.26,500 sq mi/68,600 sq km) of Vietnam, SE Asia. The capital and chief city was Saigon (now Ho Chi Minh City ). Cochin China was bounded by Cambodia on the northwest and north, by the historic region of Annam on the northeast, by the South China Sea on the east and south, and by the Gulf of Thailand on the west. It included the rich Mekong delta, one of the world's great rice-growing regions, and, in the northeast, the southern spurs of the Annamese Cordillera, where rubber, coffee, tea, oil palm, and sugarcane plantations were established. Only the Plaine des Joncs [reed plain] and the mangrove-covered Ca Mau peninsula were not cultivated. Cochin China was originally part of the Khmer Empire . In the 17th cent. the Annamese (later called Vietnamese) gradually infiltrated through the mouths of the Mekong, increasing their commercial influence until they became masters of the region in the middle of the 18th cent. After the French occupied Saigon (1859), Annam ceded to France both E Cochin China (1862) and W Cochin China (1867). Unlike the other sections of Indochina, which were French protectorates under native rulers, Cochin China was administered by the French as a colony thus, French influence was strongest there. After World War II the status of Cochin China became a major issue in the relations between France and Vietnam. Constituted (1946) as an independent republic within the Federation of Indochina, Cochin China was later (1949) permitted by the French to join with Annam and Tonkin in Vietnam. After 1954, when Vietnam was partitioned, Cochin China became the heartland of South Vietnam it was later divided into several provinces.
The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2012, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.
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1.American Public Health Association annual meeting and exposition (Oct 31 – Nov 4)
APHA's Annual Meeting & Exposition is where public health professionals convene, learn, network and engage with peers. With the Annual Meeting, we strengthen the profession of public health, share the latest research and information, promote best practices and advocate for public health issues and policies grounded in research.
See details here: APHA 2015 meeting and exposition
2. Municipal waste incinerators and ambient air quality
This study aimed to fingerprint emissions from six municipal waste incinerators (MWIs) and then test if these fingerprint ratios could be found in ambient air samples. Stack emissions tests from MWIs comprised As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Pb, Mn, Ni, V and Hg. The six UK MWIs studied contributed little to ambient PM10 concentrations.
Read the article here: incinerators and air quality
3. Joint Healthcare Waste and Resources Research Group and ISWA International conference (sponsored by Grundon Waste Management)
In conjunction with the International Solid Waste Association (ISWA), the Group will be hosting an international conference on April 14 and 15, 2016. It will be held at St Thomas' Hospital in London. Topics to be covered will include current and emerging technologies, sustainability and preparing for emergencies.
The draft programme can be found here: Draft schedule (Sept 2015)
Sponsors include: Daniels Sharpsmart, Econix, GV Health, Frontier Medical Group and ISS Ltd. (Please contact Terry Tudor: email@example.com, if you wish to sponsor)
Booking details for early bird registration can be found here: healthcare waste 2016 conference
4. Defra summary paper on reducing barriers in the reuse and repair sectors
Last November Defra issued a discussion paper seeking information on where the definition of waste may have acted as a barrier to re-use, and suggestions for changes related to this which might support growth in the re-use and repair sectors. A summary of the main issues raised in those responses is now available.
As the paper explains, a working group has been established bringing together relevant government departments, UK regulators, WRAP, and representatives from a range of key sectors. The group is looking at ways to encourage re-use and repair activities while maintaining effective regulation of waste. The paper includes contact details for anyone interested in receiving updates on the group's activities or feeding into proposals emerging from the group and can be found here: Definition of Waste discussion paper_Summary of Responses
Lewis Baker: Resource Efficiency team – Defra
5. Smart interventions crucial to drive circular approach, says CIWM
Smart interventions at the production, consumption and disposal stages are essential to drive a more circular approach says CIWM.
Read the CIWM response here: CIWM response to circular economy


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Electrical Brain Patterns Predict Stress Response
the MPR take:
How well an individual handles stress may be due to the relationship between two interconnected parts of the brain, suggest researchers from Duke University in a study published in the journal Nature Communications. Mice were implanted with electrodes so that the activity of the prefrontal cortex and amygdala could be analyzed for responses in electrical patterns when subjected to a stressful situation. For mice that were subjected to a chronically stressful situation for approximately two weeks, the degree to which the prefrontal cortex appeared to regulate amygdala activity was linked to the success of coping with the stress. Mice that showed greater activation of their prefrontal cortex-amygdala circuit even before stress exposure were then more sensitive to the chronically stressful situations. This new research could lead to not only potential treatments for stress, but also prevention of mental illnessess linked with stress.
(Duke University) Some people handle stressful situations better than others, and it's not all in their genes: Even identical twins show differences in how they respond to adversity. Researchers have identified an electrical pattern in the brains of genetically identical mice that predicts how well individual animals will fare in stressful situations.
READ FULL ARTICLE From EurekAlert