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Acushnet Co. v. Mohasco Corp.
ELR Citation: 30 ELR 20071
Nos. No. 97-2138, 191 F.3d 69/49 ERC 1136/(1st Cir., 09/15/1999) aff'd
The court affirms, but on different grounds, a district court decision dismissing corporations' contribution claim under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) against several potentially responsible parties (PRPs) for response costs incurred at the Sullivan's Ledge site in New Bedford, Massachusetts. The district court, which granted summary judgment to one of the PRPs before trial and entered judgment as a mater of law for the remaining PRPs at the close of the corporations' case-in-chief, ruled principally that the PRPs deposited so little waste at the site that it could not be reasonably said that they caused the corporations to incur response costs.
The court first holds that the district court was mistaken in holding that some minimal quantity of hazardous waste must be involved before a defendant may be held to have "caused" the expenditure of response costs. The court has strong reservations about interpreting CERCLA's causation element to require that a defendant be responsible for a minimum quantity of hazardous waste before liability may be imposed. Nevertheless, the court next holds that a defendant may avoid joint and several liability for response costs in a contribution action under CERCLA §313(f) if it demonstrates that its share of hazardous waste deposited at the site constitutes no more than background amounts of such substances in the environment and cannot concentrate with other wastes to produce higher amounts. This rule is not based on CERCLA's causation requirement, but is logically derived from CERCLA §313(f)'s express authorization that the court take equity into account when fixing each defendant's fair share of response costs.
The court next holds that the district court properly granted summary judgment to the first PRP. The PRP offered evidence tending to show that its equitable share would amount to zero, and the corporations failed to rebut this evidence. The court then holds that the district court properly entered judgment for the remaining PRPs on the basis that the evidence was inadequate to permit a rational fact finder to make a quantifiable allocation of response costs against the PRPs under CERCLA §313(f). Last, the court finds no abuse of discretion in the district court's failure to make more detailed findings or to hold a separate allocation hearing. Nothing in the record suggests that the corporations complained about the unified nature of the §313(f) proceedings, and had they truly felt hampered by the structure of the trial, they should have interposed a timely objection.
[Prior decisions in this litigation are published at 27 ELR 20311 and 20652, and 28 ELR 20367.]
Counsel for Plaintiffs
Stephen J. Brake
Nutter, McClennen & Fish
One International Pl., Boston MA 02110
(617) 439-2000
Counsel for Defendants
George W. House
Brooks, Pierce, McLendon, Humphrey & Leonard
2000 Renaissance Plaza
230 N. Elm St., Greensboro NC 27401
(336) 373-8850
Before Cyr and O'Toole,* JJ.


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Restoration Gardens
Website: restorationgardenstn.wordpress.com
At Restoration Gardens we are new, small-scale growers who practice (deep)-organic growing methods and uphold ecological farming practices that better the land and those who live off of it. We believe we are stewards of the earth, and it is our duty and privileged to bring you safe, healthy food in this interconnected chain where grower and consumer are helping each other while nurturing the environment.
We are all non-GMO
We grow on balanced, remineralized soil that not only has the needed nutrition for plants but we go further and add extra elements that humans need additionally.

subset: commoncrawl


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|Administrative and Secretarial, Financial Services
|Job Type
|£27000 — £30000 per annum
|Depending on experience
|28 April 2014
This is a great opportunity for a driven and enthusiastic professional with experience of working for a busy Family Office and fluent Russian.
As a Russian Speaking Project Assistant you will be supporting Head of Family Office as well as Estate Managers and Project Managers in all administrative tasks, such as liaising with various third parties, looking for interior designers, booking meetings, organising travel, assisting with renovation of a large mansion outside London, preparing various reports in regards to the progress of the projects. In addition, you will also be performing bookkeeping duties, including the assistance with the annual and quarterly budgets of this busy UHNW Family Office and working in Excel when required, dealing with expenses and invoices. As Russian Speaking Project Assistant, will be asked to perform a large number of ad-hoc duties depending on the demand and will be supporting the Directors with challenging tasks on a daily basis.
The ideal Russian Speaking Project Assistant you will be/have:
• At least 3 years of experience in a busy environment of a family office in London;
• Fluent in Russian and English;
• Can-do attitude and ability to think on your feet;
• Willingness to get involved into accounting and preferably AAT/degree in accounting and finance;
• Enthusiasm and energetic approach towards different projects;
• Quick learner, responsible, willing, flexible.
In return, you will become a part of a friendly family-feel team and will have an opportunity to progress and get involved.
If interested, please apply ASAP!
Subscribe to e-mail notifications about new vacancies!


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This month SD Hydro will be offering a 20% store wide discount* to all of our online fans. We want to actively reward those who support us & is there a better way than putting money back in your pocket. Come in and take advantage of our biggest sale ever.
ONLINE SHOPPERS: Enter Discount Code SD-SUNLIGHT at checkout.
*Items Excluded Due To Minimum Advertised Sale Price:
- CO2 tanks (discount does apply to refills)
- Solexx
- Trim Pro Trimmers
- Excel Air Systems
- Inda Gro Induction Lighting
- Hydro Innovations
- Canna Nutrients
- Canna 50L Coco Bags
- Hortilux Bulbs (see our free hood discount for a great way to save on Hortilux bulbs)
- Any systems that must be special ordered


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Important Announcement from JOBOT See Detail
Dear JOBOT Customers and Users,
After 5 years of operations, we have decided to close JOBOT website by the end of December, 2019.
It has been an honor for us to provide job opportunities for job seekers and to help find human resources for employers.
When we opened the website in 2014, our focus was to provide a place to find jobs for the Japanese local community. We had witnessed many Japanese business owners struggle to find partners/workers partly because of cultural differences and ended up closing their businesses due to the lack of suitable workers. On the other hand, job seekers new to the US had limited resources when they wanted to find jobs, so we wanted to create a platform to help bridge that gap.
We received numerous voices from both the employers and employees, expressing to us that they found a great match through JOBOT.
Despite great feedbacks from the community, our low cost job posting model was not sustainable.
We decided to let it go because the maintenance cost of it exceeds its sales.
However, we believe the experience of operating JOBOT will never be wasted.
We will securely delete all of the privacy information obtained through the website, including your resume and Job application history. If you have any concerns regarding private information, please contact us via email@example.com
We greatly appreciate your support through all these years. Thank you again for using JOBOT.
STS Innovations - Operation and management
Graphnetwork - System development


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This lovely glazed blue-grey ceramic mug and saucer is the perfect addition to the unbeatable cosy night in! Enjoy a hot cup of tea and a favoured biscuit in style...or even some homemade soup.
Mug: Width 12cm x Height 7cm
Saucer: Width 15cm x Height 2cm
Care: Dishwasher safe
A stylish simple design stoneware mug, bright coral glaze on the inside.
Unglazed on the outside with a rough light grey texture finnish.
Size:Width 9cm x Height 8cm Material: stoneware, glazed on the inside only
care: Oven, microwave, freezer & dishwasher safe
A gorgeous beige & brown stoneware mug by Madam Stoltz. The Glaze has a lovely smooth texture and the handle is a great size and sits comfortably in the hand, perfect for your morning coffee.
Material: Beige/brown, stoneware
Stylish and unique painted gold mug handmade in Morocco. The contemporary design and decoration of these mugs make them beautiful gifts for a loved one or even yourself!
Handcrafted on East Sussex by Perrymans.
Beautiful yet functional chopping board for your kitchen preparation or as a serving board.
Each board is completely unique and made from mixed woods such as Walnut, Oak, Ash, sepale and beech.
Size: 33 x 22cm
Material : mixed wood, hand finished with food safe oil.
Care: Hand wash with soap and water. Do not soak. Rub into the wood with food safe oil yearly.
Salted Caramel, a modern classic and the ultimate indulgence. Using flakes of Sea Salt gathered in pure waters around the Isle of Skye to give the sweetness something to stand against and flourish.


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Salt Therapy/ Halotherapy
I wanted to bring awareness to a new, natural way to help respiratory ailments.
Salt Therapy/ Halotherapy helps clients with respiratory and skin ailments like asthma, allergies, COPD, smokers cough, sinusitis, cystic fibrosis, bronchitis, psoriasis, eczema, and much more. The salt's natural and soothing properties are also beneficial for anyone searching for immune system boosting, relaxing, cleansing, and de-stressing environment.
Salt Therapy/ Halotherapy is 100% natural, safe and drug free. It provides effective relief from respiratory ailments and skin conditions without any side effect. Salt acts like an expectorant, accelerating mucus clearance and improving lung function while killing harmful bacteria and soothing the respiratory system.
A tremendous amount of scientific research has been conducted which proves how salt therapy can help relieve symptoms of respiratory illnesses and skin condition. In fact, a recent study published in the New England Journal of Medicine found that long-term treatment in a salt room had a positive impact on lung function and reduced pulmonary exacerbations.
Salt Therapy/ Halotherapy brings you the microclimate found in salt caves and mines in a controlled "cave like" environment. The salt rooms are covered from floor to ceiling with multiple layers of sea salt. During each session Pharmaceutical Salts are crushed in the halogenerator and dispersed into the Salt Rooms. Salt releases high concentrations of negative ions, which increase the flow of oxygen to the brain; resulting in higher alertness, decreased drowsiness, gives more energy and creates an environment virtually free of bacteria.
During a 45 min session adults and children can relax, enjoy music, watch TV, play or read in the salt covered rooms while breathing in microscopic salt particles.There are numerous Salt Rooms, Halotherapy Rooms available within the United States. (Orlando , Florida; Planto, Texas; Phoenix, Arizona; Los Angeles & Campbell, California)
I heard many wonderful recoveries from people who used Salt Therapy, it might be a good option for others to try.


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Adobe currently dominates the web space with Flash for animation and interaction in a browser. While that domination now looks a little less certain in the future due to the introduction of HTML 5, that doesn't mean Adobe isn't willing to react and adjust.
Proof of that has already been seen when Apple decided Flash would not be allowed on the iPhone and iOS devices in general. So Adobe introduced a Flash to iPhone app conversion tool. Now with HTML 5 starting to gain traction in web browsers, Adobe has once again embraced the new technology and released an experimental Flash to HTML 5 conversion tool.
The codename of the new tool is Wallaby. It allows any Flash project created in Adobe Flash to be converted to HTML files while retaining most of the features. We say most as some of the Flash Professional features don't work yet, and Flash game developers are out of luck as it doesn't support ActionScript conversion. However, this is just a first release and future updates are likely to add such functionality eventually.
After the conversion has been done with Wallaby a developer is left with a set of HTML files which can be edited by hand or in an editor of your choice. Of course Adobe recommend Dreamweaver for such a task.
Read more at John Nack on Adobe and Adobe Labs
Matthew's Opinion
It may look as though Adobe is shooting itself in the foot with adding such support to Flash, but I think it's a clever move. Adobe's main concern is continuing to sell its tools to the web designer, and HTML 5 is a standard that will eventually become widespread in terms of support across all browsers.
By allowing for conversion from Flash to HTML it allows the existing pool of Flash developers to continue working with the toolset they know, while at the same time supporting more devices–some of which may not even run Flash.
At the same time Adobe is evolving Flash with Molehill. This will bring GPU-accelerated 3D to the web browser for Flash developers, and again, continues to keep Adobe's suite of applications relevant for the web and game developers out there.


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ELLWOOD CITY � Popular culture tells us to dream big, but wishing upon a star and staying true to your dreams is no cliche for Jonathon Monfredi and his grandmother Nancie Burgess. In June of last year, Monfredi and Burgess fulfilled a 19-year-old dream when they rode a camel at the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo. It was a childhood dream sprung from the stories told by grandmother to grandson. The experience was one of family bonding and a memory to last a lifetime.
It began in 1995 when Ellwood City School District had a grandparent-of-the-year essay contest for grades K-6. Monfredi was 5 years old and attending kindergarten at Holy Redeemer School in Ellwood City. Each child had to explain in the essay why his or her grandparent was the best in the world. Monfredi loved his grandma and wanted everyone to know how great she was, so he wrote in his winning essay that his grandma was great because she loved Chuck E. Cheese and had promised him a camel ride.
It was on Christmas Eve of that same year that little Monfredi had asked his grandmother for the camel ride. The idea came from a storybook she had read to him that included camels. Monfredi�s mother, Marian Miller, of Scott Township said she raised her children to believe that nothing is impossible and that dreams can become reality.
�As adults, we need to view their (children�s) world through their eyes,� Miller said. �Perception is reality � look through the eyes of a 5-year-old. We may not have had a camel, but in his storybooks they were real.�
Miller also taught her children that a person is only as good as his or her word.
�Our family is really big on promises being fulfilled. A man is nothing without his word,� she said.
Burgess� response to her grandson on that Christmas Eve when he asked to ride a camel and said, �Let�s go grandma,� was that it was too cold outside, so they�d have to wait. Raised to believe in the value of a promise, Monfredi never forgot.
Monfredi, who completed a degree in safety science engineering at Indiana University of Pennsylvania in 2008, had moved to Avon, Ohio, in 2013 to work as a safety specialist at Kokosing, a construction company, when he discovered that camel rides were offered at the Cleveland Zoo. His first thought was, �to call my grandma and let her know.� He visited the zoo and took pictures of the camel for his mother and grandmother.
When the big day came for the camel ride, Monfredi, now 6-foot-2, didn�t think his 5-foot grandmother would be able to mount the tall camel. According to Burgess, it was a little bit scary. There was one step to mount the seat atop the camel. Burgess� husband, George, mounted the camel first and pulled her up. According to Burgess, it was �fantastic,� and that, �We had a great time � absolutely.�
Miller recalled that it was a very blustery day and that her mother was �quite the champ.� She said the adventure was great for family bonding.
�It really was a promise fulfilled. It created a lifetime of genuine sweetness,� she said.
Monfredi said, �I loved it. I was glad we got to do something we planned on doing for almost 20 years,� and that it was �a pretty good experience. It was kind of neat to actually fulfill that.� Asked if he would do it again, he replied, �I would, just because of how excited my grandma was about it.�
Burgess, who lives in Allegheny County, had never taken a camel ride until the one with her grandson, but it wasn�t her first adventure. While attending a fundraiser for breast cancer with the real estate company her husband worked for, Burgess took a hot-air balloon ride. She loved the experience and dreamed of doing it again. According to Burgess, that wish will come true next summer, and she will take Monfredi with her for their second great adventure together.
Monfredi said his grandmother has a way of dreaming and making those dreams come true and that he is looking forward to the hot air balloon ride, but this time they won�t wait so long to fulfill the dream.
Asked what he would like the world to know about his beloved grandma, Monfredi said, �I�d like to say that she is someone who always fulfills promises and keeps dreaming big. That�s something to admire.�


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I moved to Boston when I started my first year of college. Until then I'd lived in Palo Alto my entire life. It was literally a move to the opposite side of the country and there were a lot of adjustments to make. Of all the things I'd read about Boston such as the heavy Massachusetts accent, the use of "pop" when ordering a soda (never actually experienced this), and of course the weather, the one I wasn't prepared for was the shorter days in the winter. I recall stepping out of class at 5pm in early December, having been in a windowless room, and being surprised to see it was already practically nighttime.
Since then I've lived in other places with shorter daylight than in central California as well as Boston. Berlin, Germany however is by far the greatest stretch of this phenomenon of the late autumn and winter months. With less than 8 hours from the sunrise at 8am and the sunset before 4pm, it can get pretty dreary. Fortunately I've learned a number of coping mechanisms for this. Lack of daylight has some well known consequences like not getting enough vitamin D through sunlight exposure on the skin. But it also changes our circadian rhythms, the biological clock that controls our production of adenosine and melatonin, which tells the body when it's time to wake up and time to go to sleep. Of course, with the invention electricity, and more recently of cell phones, tablets, laptops, and LED lights, humans have done their fair share of man handling the delicate system that regulates when to feel sleepy or alert.
Suffice to say I make an effort to stay on the good side of these natural influences. By trying to get as much light as possible from the sun and artificial sources in the morning and mid-day. As well as avoiding screens and bright lights in the evening when it's time to wind down and get ready for some shut eye.
This video is a bit a peak at my days in Berlin, in early November when the shorter daylight is noticeable, and also how the daily routine looks.


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Work with honour
Telephone: (07) 5568 6677
Our school tuckshop is staffed by a paid convenor who provides a valuable service for our pupils and staff.
All food must be ordered before 9.00am. Separate bags are required for little lunch and big lunch, clearly marked with Name, Class, little lunch or big lunch. A student from Year 1-6 will collect their orders at morning tea and lunch. Prep orders are delivered to the classroom.
The School Tuckshop is in operation each day of the week. A price list will be emailed to parents.
© The State of Queensland (Department of Education) 2019


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How to make your credit card work for
Credit cards are a convenient way to pay for the things
you want, but this convenience can come at a cost.
Avoid costly fees and interest by following our tips.
It can be very easy to rack up more debt on your card than you
can afford to repay, so it's important to stay in control.
The best way to do this is to keep track of your spending. Check your credit card
statement regularly.
When you get your credit card statement, check the date the
payment is due, and make sure you pay on time. This will help you
avoid extra interest charges or hefty late payment fees.
To make it easier to pay on time, consider setting up a direct
debit to pay a fixed amount off the balance owing each payday. Just
make sure these payments cover at least the minimum monthly payment
due on the card.
Effie Zahos explains the best way to use your
credit card video
In this video Effie Zahos discusses the best way to use your
credit card.
If you only make the minimum repayments on your card each month,
you'll pay a lot of interest and it could take years to pay off
your credit card debt.
Use our credit card calculator to work out the fastest way to
pay off your credit card.
Credit card calculator
If you're struggling to pay more than the minimum monthly
repayment, consider switching to a card with a lower interest rate,
and pay off more when you can. If you switch, make sure to close
the old card so you don't wind up with more debt. Find out
more about credit card balance
Video about credit card calculator
Work out how much time and money you'll save by making higher
repayments on your credit card using our credit card
Your credit limit should be an amount you know you can repay,
and one that won't tempt you to spend more than you can afford.
If you can't afford to pay off your balance each month, don't
increase your credit limit. A higher credit limit makes it too easy
to get into more debt.
If you want to avoid the temptation to overspend on your card,
ask your credit provider to reduce your credit limit. You can do
this by phone or by visiting a branch. From 1 January 2019, you
will also be able to reduce your credit limit online. In most
cases, your account will be updated within 1-2 business days.
Credit card issuers are not allowed to send you invitations to
increase your credit limit in any way (including by phone or
online) - even if you previously opted to receive these offers.
This applies to both new and existing credit cards.
You can ask your card issuer for an increase to your credit
limit at any time.
If you need to increase the limit to make a special purchase,
aim to pay the debt down quickly, then lower your limit back to a
more manageable amount.
If an unexpected emergency happens, or if you're just running
low on cash before payday, using credit or taking a cash advance is
not going to work for you in the long run. It might get you through
the immediate crisis but, over time, you'll end up even more
Our page on building an emergency fund
has tips to help you build up a savings buffer that will see you
through life's rainy days so you don't have to rely on your credit
We also have lots of guidance to help you if you're having
problems paying debts or dealing with these types of bills:
To get free and confidential debt help, see a financial
counsellor who can help you sort out your debt issues and
reduce your reliance on credit cards.
It can be tempting to get a store card if you shop regularly at
a particular retailer. Purchases paid for with these cards
might earn rewards points or
give you access to discounts or other exclusive offers. But think
twice before you sign up for store cards, as there are often fees
attached (like annual and service fees), and the interest rate
might be higher than other cards.
Check the terms and conditions carefully to make sure any
potential savings you might earn won't be eaten away by fees and
The best way to check your monthly statement is to keep all of
your credit card receipts each month, then tick them off against
the charges on your statement. This will help you check that you
have been charged the right amount for the things you bought, and
that you have not been charged for anything you did not buy.
Even if you don't keep your receipts, here are some things you
should look for when checking your credit card statement:
If there are any transactions you didn't make, contact your
credit card provider immediately, as they may be able to reverse
the transaction. See unauthorised and
mistaken transactions for more details.
There's more to closing a credit card account than just cutting
up the card. Visit our how to cancel a credit card
webpage to find out how to close your credit card account the right
Take charge of your credit card and make sure
you only pay for expenses you have authorised.
Last updated: 02 Aug 2019
calculators &
more life events...


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When you were 16, a bad mood could cause you entire day to spiral out of control.
Crush made fun of you in gym class? Didn't make the debate team? Chances are, you weren't so fun to be around for the rest of the day.
These days, things are different. Sure, feeling crummy always sucks. But you do your best to set that stuff aside while you're at work so you can still bring your A game. You might've had a fight with your partner or been put on hold with the cable company for an hour, but that report still isn't going to finish itself.
Thing is, science is learning that your emotions can't always be pushed aside so easily. Try as you might to compartmentalize, the thing separating your mood from your work is less like a brick wall and more like a sieve. Inevitably, stuff tends to spill through.
Here's how your mood might be affecting your productivity on the job, and what you can do about it.
The mood-productivity connection.
The relationship between your mood and your cognitive function is complicated, and experts still have a lot to learn about how the two are connected.
They do know that feeling anxious or depressed is tied to lower cognitive performance. It also makes it tougher to think creatively or solve problems.
How much, exactly? No one can say for sure. But experts do know that certain personality traits are linked to lower emotional stability—or greater fluctuations in mood. Namely neuroticism, which is characterized by higher levels of anxiety, fear, and worry.
How to keep the good vibes flowing.
A bad mood can zap your brainpower and make it harder to get work done. But when you're in a good mood, you're more likely to feel energized and alert. In short, feeling content is the right state of mind for being super productive.
So what can you do to stay positive more of the time? Technology might be able to help. Last year, scientists at the University of London's Hungry Mind Lab launched moo-Q, an app designed to assess mood and brainpower with surveys and short quizzes taken throughout the day. Your performance on the surveys and quizzes gauges things like positive affect, working memory, and processing speed—and shows you how your mood is tied to your cognitive performance.
The app puts all the info in chart form, so you can see when your mood and productivity is high, and when it takes a dip. Over time, that can help you learn more about how your mood fluctuates—so you can tailor your workload accordingly. For instance, doing your most demanding tasks at a time when you're usually pretty upbeat, and saving the easy stuff for times when you tend to be low.
Of course, you don't just have to accept bad moods and muddle through them. Though it's perfectly normal for your moods to fluctuate (nobody's happy all the time!), there are some proven tactics that can deliver the boost you need.
1. Eat a mood-boosting snack.
Have a source of healthy carbohydrates, like air-popped popcorn or a banana. Your brain will use the carbs to produce more of the feel-good hormone serotonin.
2. Dance yourself happy.Shut the door to your office (or head to the bathroom—whatever works), put on your favorite song, and go wild. Recent Australian research suggests that interacting with music by dancing offers a greater emotional outlet than simply listening to it.
3. Take a power nap.
When all else fails, let sleep be your cure. Even a short snooze has been shown to enhance your productivity, alertness, and mood. So close the door, shut the shades, and close your eyes.
4. Find a distraction.
When all else fails, remember that dwelling on your problems only makes them feel more monstrous. So throw yourself into something even more interesting than the drama you're dealing with.
Dwelling on your problems only makes them feel more monstrous.
Honing in on something hyperspecific could help. Bad moods give you tunnel vision, which some experts say could actually make it easier to think carefully and focus on detail-oriented work. That boring, numbers-heavy report you've been putting off for weeks? Now might be the time to dive in.


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- This event has passed.
The Christmas Spirit – Burien Actors Theatre
December 1 @ 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm
General admission $25; Seniors (65+) and Active Military $20; Students $10; Group rate (10 or more) $15/each
|Recurring Event (See all)
An event every week that begins at 2:00 pm on Friday and Saturday, repeating until December 22, 2019
An event every week that begins at 2:00 pm on Sunday, repeating until December 22, 2019
When Death arrives to spirit Julia Dowling to the afterlife, Julia instead wheedles him into joining her for a Christmas party with her family. Julia, who had no such party planned, scrambles to persuade her estranged family to come together on Christmas Day. Old resentments surface, new connections are made, and everyone, even Death, feels the magic of the Christmas spirit. A touching and hilarious look at the things that really make life worth living.


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Kristen Fletcher
"Yamaha has served me well for years, from the incredibly believable piano and Rhodes sounds to the versatility of the synths. But I mainly love the performance and layering function & its ease of use to create my own unique sounds built with Yamaha's strong selection of voices."
Kristen has been playing piano since the tender age of six. After receiving classical training for 12 years, Kristen then went on to explore her passion for jazz, soul & pop music and has never looked back. It was during this period that she began writing her own material & singing became a natural result of her desire to communicate with her audience. Now, Kristen performs as both a keyboardist & singer, having shared the stage with some of Australia's finest including Dami Im, Samantha Jade, Bertie Blackman, Urthboy and recently International pop star Hilary Duff.
Fronting her own trio, Kristen brings together all her influences to create a new & refreshing sound. The trio has been working around Sydney performing Kristen's unique versions of current pop tunes & soulful classics. Her performances are something to be experienced – an exciting, largely improvised concoction of great songs! The past two years have been exciting for Kristen & her trio, with the recording & release of their debut originals album and a tour to the Philippines under their belt. Her influences stem from a wide musical palette, including the likes of Stevie Wonder, Chick Corea, Robert Glasper and electro-pop duo, Bird & the Bee.


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Are you looking for sun protection film to decorate your car? Dr. Sticker can help you with that. Sun protection film is a perfect manner to protect yourself from the sun. The sun protection film of Dr. Sticker are made of high quality materials and are therefore of superior quality. In the wide range of sun protection films of Dr. Sticker can you find different kinds of sun protection films. Some examples of sun protection films out of the wide range of Dr. Sticker are:
If you did not find your desired sun protection film, that is no disaster! You can always use the convenient and user-friendly design tool of Dr. Sticker.


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This lesson will focus on reading Histograms. Histograms in editing software provide valuable information for making tonal and color adjustments whereas in digital cameras, they provide you with the information needed to make exposure adjustments for better results. The ability to read histograms will serve you well both in the field and in post-processing your images.
A Histogram shows the distribution of tones in an image. In a standard 8-bit image each color channel shows 256 shades of gray. 0 (Black) starts in the lower left hand corner. As you move from left to right the graph shows pixel values from shadows to mid-tone and finishing in the lower right hand corner with 255 or pure white (highlights). The vertical part of the graph shows the amount of each pixel shade in the image. As a photographer you are mostly concerned with where your darkest pixels begin on the left and where your lightest pixels end on the right. Don't be obsessed about the shape and vertical components of your histogram but be concerned about starting and ending points.
The image above is a fairly typical full range image. The shadows begin at the left hand lower corner and the highlights end at the lower right hand corner. The full range of available tones are represented here with no clipping or lost pixels in the shadows (left side) or highlights (right side). There is an even distribution of tones across the image.
The image above is another full range image but note how different the histogram appears. This is because most of the pixel values in this image are between the mid tones and the highlights. Notice however that the shadows begin in the lower left hand corner and the highlights end at the right hand corner. This is what you really need to focus on when reading histograms rather than the actual shape of the histogram.
The image above is a low key image. Most of the pixels are on the shadow end (left side). There are some highlight pixels in the lights of the ship but there are not enough of them to show up as a spike on the histogram. This is a situation where you would not want a full range image. This image was intentionally exposed as a low key image bringing most of the pixels to the shadow side to create the effect of ships passing at night. Perfect exposure is not always about a perfect full range image. Rather, it's about the photographer's intent or vision for his or her image.
The image above is a high key image. Most of the pixels are on the highlight side of the histogram. There should be no attempt to color correct or change camera exposure to force this to be a full range image.
The image above has clipped highlights. The tell-tale sign of clipped highlights is the gray tone of the histogram stacking up against the right hand corner of the histogram. When color correcting, this situation represents lost detail that you will never be able to get back. The DSLR camera will typically show a warning when highlights are being clipped, and the camera histogram will clearly show the clipping. The appropriate exposure compensation can correct for this, restoring correct exposure and detail to the highlights. This is why correct camera exposure in the field is so critical. Clipped highlights are THE most important concern to the photographer when it comes to exposure.
The image above has clipped shadows. Note how the gray tones of the histogram are stacking up against the left hand corner of the histogram. The human perception is more tolerant of loss of shadow detail, so clipped shadows are of secondary concern when compared to highlights. Always try to expose for the highlights, as loss of detail in the highlights is noticed much more by the human eye.
The image above shows shadow AND highlight clipping. Note how the gray tones of the histogram stack up against both sides of the histogram. The image has a range of tones that is beyond the capability of the digital sensor to capture in one exposure. In this situation you should always expose for the highlights as the cloud detail is more important than shadow details. Other options with this type of image would be to bracket your exposure (basically exposing one shot for the highlights and the second shot for the shadows) and merge the two shots into one in an image editing program.
Let's go over the "Top 5" summary points to take away from this lesson:
1) Histograms provide the power to obtain better in-camera exposure
2) Histograms provide critical info for making tonal & color adjustments
3) Don't worry about the shape of the graph, the left & right sides are key
4) Perfect exposure is not always about a perfect full range image
5) Always expose for the highlights
Stay tuned for a full wrap-up of the Bald Eagle trip I led in February, including participant images!


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Here's an informative and useful article from The Mobile Generation is Learning, concerning the maintenance of institution-owned sets of PDAs – storing them securely, keeping them charged, and keeping them properly upgraded.
This learning support team customised a large, lockable, metal cupboard by drilling holes for cables and air vents in it and running extension cables to the various shelves.
If you want to attempt something like this, then to reduce problems with the current through the system, design the powerboards to run in parallel, rather than in series (don't "daisy chain" your powerboards).
Go to the article for more info, as well as information on keeping the PDA software and hardware up-to-date.
technorati tags:m-learning, mlearning, mobile-learning, mobile learning, mobilelearning, education, pda, pdas, pocketpc, pocket pc


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Gordon Robinson | That dirty three-letter word
Let's have a conversation about sex.
We seem obsessed with the subject (not necessarily a bad thing). But our obsession is a dark one wherein religion makes sex taboo. It's dirty. Disgusting! Shameful! We must pretend it doesn't exist or speak of it only in hushed tones. If you MUST mention it (shudder), say "S-E-X", not sex.
Well, be as repressed about the subject as you like, but don't blame God. Regarding humans, God is alleged to have "blessed them, and God said unto them, be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth ... ." (Genesis 1:28). There's only one way to do that. But is that sex's sole purpose?
If God wanted us to have sex only to procreate, why didn't God say so? Why didn't God make us like horses or dogs where the female goes into 'heat' once or twice per year or like fish that lay eggs for subsequent fertilisation? Why does women's ability to have sex not end after their child-bearing years? Why'd God make sex pleasurable and endow our bodies with erogenous zones and the ability to give each other pleasure?
Elementary, my dear Watson. God wants us to have choices. Why? Because, as St Matthew might say, choice begets experience. Experience begets wisdom. Wisdom teaches us who we really are. Accordingly, the most fundamental of God's 'gifts' was free will. This allows us to free Willy. We can decide to have sex for procreation. Or pleasure. Or not at all.
Sex isn't love. Sex can be an expression or celebration of love. Sex can also be just pleasure, and, contrary to fear-mongering religious dogma, it's okay to engage in sex just for pleasure. Don't allow 'God-fearing', so-called Christians to convince you to fear God. God never asked for fear. God only asks us to love our neighbour as ourselves.
Some may recall my explaining, on August 26, that:
"It's all an illusion. That beautifully sculpted body you think you see sitting right next to your fat, unhealthy-looking, ugly self is actually exactly the same as you. Strip away the facade and you're both just bundles of energy, once little pieces of 'God', sent here to experience relativity ... ."
The bundles of energy (us) constantly transmit 'signals' (it's what energy does) in all directions. Sometimes these 'signals' intersect with 'signals' from another bundle (person), combining to produce an irresistibly magnetic oneness. It draws the two bundles together in ways they can't explain. The closer they get to each other, the more intense the pull until they finally discard society's 'rules' regarding 'going slow'; 'holding back'; 'playing hard to get'.
If they're lucky and evolved enough to ignore these man-made fears and trust the magnetism, they come together passionately to convert their already metaphysical attraction into a physical union so explosive it can't be contained. Their astral ('metaphysical') bodies are already one and then (not as often as it should) their physical bodies occasionally confirm the union.
So sex is the merger of two energies into one (which is what they were before God sent them here), and the forces driving this blending vary. It can be physical attraction alone. It can be joinder of body and mind. But the best, purest sexual experience is one that expresses the oneness of all three parts of every human being, namely mind, body, AND soul. This is the highest celebration of true love. No church, pastor, or ring required.
So stop making rules for sex. That's contrary to nature and to everything God is supposed to represent. Sexuality can't be regulated. Never deny yourself pleasure because some pastor believes he knows what's good for you and makes you feel guilty if you fail to accomplish the impossible. Self-denial as a be-all/end-all is self-destruction. How can you give others pleasure if you deny yourself pleasure? How do you give what you neither have nor know?
So procreation is a joyful result of sex, NOT its sole purpose. Resist religious dogma whose purpose is hypnotic suppression of thought. Follow your own mind. Don't follow others' ideas because they say you must. The only acceptable rules regarding human behaviour (including expressions of human sexuality) are: Do no harm to another. Take no action with or to another without that other's consent or permission. So, we're talking about consenting adult humans only.
No sex that falls within those two simple parameters is shameful, disgusting, or evil. For pity's sake, God created sex. How can it be unholy?
What about loveless sex, you ask? Puh-leeeeeze! Those among you who never experienced loveless sex burst the first condom. It isn't the best way, but in this world, stuff happens. Words like 'right' or 'wrong' are inappropriate to describe consenting human sexual behaviour, but I will say loveless sex, which can be occasionally useful (fills a particular need), won't ever be as fulfilling as sex as a celebration of love. Let's leave it there.What about kinky sex? What about it? Does your partner agree? If yes, why ask me? If that's what turns both (or all) of you on, go right ahead. Who has a problem with it, don't participate.
Now we come to the biggie, the mere mention of which sends shock waves through many Jamaicans. What about homosexual sex? Oooooooo, surely he can't be supporting THAT? Yes, I can! Between consenting adults, I support it 100 per cent. God doesn't judge any experience because God sent us here to experience ALL.
People are judgemental because God also wants us to experience being judgemental and being judged. So some of us believe our way is the only way and scorn others who do things differently. Some are so uptight, they make laws criminalising expressions of differing sexualities. It was once illegal for people of different races to marry. Or use the same bathroom. Or water fountain! The Bible (used to justify almost every example of man's inhumanity to man, including slavery) was quoted as justification.
Some of us are attracted to the same gender; some to both genders. Some are born looking like one gender but identify with the other; some uncertain with which of society's gender categorisations they identify. So? When the energies (vibes) from one of God's many pieces living with a faÁade we've labelled 'man' or 'woman' touches the energy coming from another bundle of God's energy, an identical 'attraction' can and often does result, regardless which 'gender' society assigns to the faÁade we 'see'.
Dessert loving in your eyes all the way.
If I listened to your lies, would you say:
I'm a man without conviction.
I'm a man who doesn't know
how to sell a contradiction.
You come and go; you come and go
These two are inexorably drawn together exactly as are two of God's pieces looking like different genders. The result is identical. Don't like it? That's YOUR problem. But it's been here since the dawn of time. It'll outlive and outlove your brainwashed bigotry. It'll be here at time's end.
So you're permitted to waste your energy judging other pieces of God just like you and passing oppressive laws criminalising love based on your own sexual repression.
Didn't hear your wicked words every day
and you used to be so sweet,
I heard you say
that my love was an addiction;
When we cling, our love is strong;
When you go, you're gone forever.
You string along; you string along.
Alternatively, you can accept that the world is what it is and will always be.
Karma Karma Karma Karma Karma Chameleon
you come and go;
you come and go.
Loving would be easy if your colours were like my dream
Red, gold and green;
Red, gold and green.
Karma Chameleon, like other songs recorded by Culture Club written by Phil Pickett, Roy Hay, Mikey Craig, Jon Moss, and George 'Boy George' O'Dowd, was inspired by the intra-band romance between George and drummer Jon Moss, who secretly dated each other during the band's 1980s heyday. It captures perfectly the struggles of same-sex relationships during a time of intolerance and helped pave the way for greater acceptance.
I offer a money-back guarantee to those called 'the LBGTQ community'. God doesn't judge you. God will never judge you. Only some dim-witted, ignorant, narrow-minded humans do. Their perspective is as important to God's plan as yours. You're as important to God as everybody else, and everybody else is as important to God as you. So let not thy heart be troubled. Be not afraid. God is with you, too.
For the rest of us, what'll we use our free will to choose? Acceptance and tolerance? Or bigotry and hatred? As with everything else, the choice is ours.
Peace and love.
- Gordon Robinson is an attorney-at-law. Email feedback to columns


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Original Thinking, a New Bottom Line
Original Thinking, a New Bottom Line.
I had the pleasure to meet Andy, a father of the bride, at a one of my recent weddings. He engaged me in the retelling of what it was like being management in Corporate Canada. Andy was often queried for his penchant to chat with the janitor, or others of different rank and "floor levels" as he put it. He found great value and meaning in his connections, not only in projected timelines, goals and budgets.
This is not a fresh discussion. What is it we can do to create workplaces where our humanity is respected and honored? Where one's "title" is used to increase inclusivity by trading in the competitive GREATER/LESSER (win/lose) mindset in favor of a creative one.
There is a space within the mind of man, where all Life exists.
This space is called "original thought". It is imperative that we each become familiar with the potential of original thought. It is the leading edge in creating a world of equanimity and harmony – a world that reflects the innate common nature that lies within us all, a bottom line urge(ncy) to become the expression we were purposely born to be, living in a world of "enough."
Original thought is already changing the face of productivity and economics as we become consciously aware of the part we play in co-creating a better world for all, through cooperation with the invisible laws of this universe.
Emerson stated: "Nature obeys us as we obey nature."
Is this then not a perfect methodology for expanding the expression of prosperity, peace and potential in the world of business to become strong leaders in the condition of our country, our planet?
We are called to investigate what is involved in the revelation and practice of living from original thought, so that through our individually changed consciousness we uplift our experience of reality to sustain and cultivate an invigorated, motivated joy for living and win-win business practices.
Scientifically it is known that our perceptions create our reality, and we can in fact rewrite our genetic code. Since thought creates form, then original thinking is the way to go in order to create different results.
So what is Original Thought?
Most of us can relate to what it is not: decisions made from former experiences, statistics, knowledge based information, or even strategies that have worked before. Original thought's nature, action and outcome lies in spontaneity and is not rooted in the past. Life is Intelligence and therefore a spontaneous response to the present moment. All virtue, being genuine, is sourced in spontaneity. The Infinite Potential of Life is couched within our connection to It – through our belief and trust in this "space" within the mind of man.
It is the energetic, unformed possibility that moves through us like the wind of revelation, an ah ha moment or epiphany that we must learn to recognize, honor and trust. Its nature is grounded in wisdom and consideration for the highest good of all. It is not self-serving, nor is it definite. Its opens at the top, inclusive of greater and greater measurements of success. It is experienced with feelings of excitement, non-attachment to outcome and a deep resonant familiarity that brings an unequivocal: "YES!"
As spontaneous as original thought is in its experience….it is revealed and sustained through a process of understanding how our mind works, along with our commitment and discipline to procure a true sense of inner power that works for the good of all.
This Good is sown in the belief of, "there is enough" and reaps prosperity and abundance, reflecting Nature's natural state of Being.
Just as we have learned to trust the physical laws of this universe, so can we learn to trust spiritual laws, to live lives with more challenge and less struggle, more rewards and less compromise, a greater sense of meaning — less need of self aggrandizing and mental manipulation.
Original thinking brings to our experience a world of richness and rightness. A New Bottom Line – setting us free… for humanity's sake. Let's spend more time "in space".


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Decisions, Decisions
I have to buy a bike. Notice how I said "have to," not "want to," not even "need to."
Have to.
Erik and I went out this weekend to check out some possible bikes at some shops near where he lives. Our first stop was a cute little bike shop with not a lot of people around, so we were able to get some serious one-on-one attention, trying out bikes in the parking lot. I'm pretty sure Erik had more fun riding around on the bikes than I did – and he already bought his bike last summer! The sales rep showed me a hybrid bike that was as close to a road bike as you could get, so it would be excellent for performance. He also showed me a road bike, which terrified me and I immediately jumped off it without even riding it. They hybrid is a Specialized Vita Sport. I was completely sold on it until the sales rep told me it was backordered. Until August. Which is when my ride is. No good.
I was completely deflated. I thought this entire endeavor was hopeless and if it wasn't for the fact I've been blabbing about it for three months now and already received a handful of donations, I may have actually dropped out of the ride. We went down to the bike shop where Erik purchased his bike, but they only came in one flavor – Trek – and while they looked great and had a good price, I wasn't completely sold on them.
Miserable and a bit angry (I'm pretty sure I was scaring Erik a bit), we went home and took a nap to recover from the morning disappointments. Later that afternoon, we went down to yet another bike shop recommended by my ride coach, where I checked out a Scott S60. However, this sales rep was a bit of a jerk and wouldn't even take the bike out of the rack because he didn't think I was "serious" about finding a bike that day.
When we got home, we chatted with Erik's roommate, who is practically a professional cyclist. Our conclusions are that:
1) Although I'm incredibly nervous about riding a road bike, so I really wanted to get a hybrid or something with higher handlebars. Some people say a hybrid would be fine for my 30-60 mile trek, while others thing I'll regret it.
2) I'm a Medium and/or 17.5″. Which is only useful if you're fitting me for a bike.
3) I should buy pedals and shoes that clip together, to help with the riding, but it's $200 extra, and I really don't want to spend that much.
4) Cannondale has been recommended, but I'm not sure which model to look at.
The problem is I don't know what I'm going to do after the ride. I may want to be a cyclist and join the New Jersey riding club, or I may just want to tool around town or one of the parks with my boyfriend. I don't know how to make a smart purchase without going overboard or buying a piece of crap.
It's incredibly frustrating and while I know I will find something that works well, I'm still unsure of what's the best option for me. If you have any input at all into this whole bike purchasing business, please leave a comment. Also, if you have specific models that I should check out, that would be even better.
May 12, 2009 2:43 PM
You've already heard my opinion ad nauseum. Here are my last words of advice:
1. If you get one of the name brands you will be fine. Just find a shop that you like and that other people recommend. Test ride a few and choose the one you like the best. If they offer a service policy, it's usually worth it.
2. Get Shimano 105 if you can. It is better than Tiagra although if you have a price restriction you may need to go with Tiagra. This is called a "groupset" and is the type of gearing you will have on your bike.
3. Get a triple if you plan to ride a lot of hills or a compact gearing at least. Triples are not always available.
4. Don't worry about pedals right now. Just get the bike and helmet and buy the pedals when you are ready.
It was my experience that it was very painful to fork out the cash to buy the bike, but I never regretted it and in the long run a couple extra hundred dollars was well worth it (in order to get Shimano 105). I figure over the years I saved a lot of money because I was out riding my bike instead of spending money elsewhere!
May 12, 2009 7:05 PM
I meant to respond to your twitter post the other day about this and I got caught up in something else and forgot about it. I think you'll be fine with a hybrid, especially if you're not 100% sold on the idea of a true "road bike". I've had several brands of road bikes, but there are things that I've liked and disliked about each. I second Anne's advice to test ride as many as you can and go with the one that feels best. I also agree with not going with the lowest-end components…I did that with the first Cannondale I bought and wish I had spent a little more for the 105 level (or equivalent) parts. I haven't really research hybrid bikes so I can't really recommend any specific models, but I do have a friend that recently got a Specialized Vita and she loves it. Good luck with your search and training for the ride!
May 13, 2009 8:39 AM
Do not get pedals that clip to shoes. That is how my husband broke his hip.
Jan permalinkMay 13, 2009 1:37 PM
I recently bought a Cannondale women's bike- it's called a fitness model, not truly a hybrid.(It's upright, and the tires are inbetween hybrid and road bike). I'm tiny, and it comes in many sizes for women. I opted for the Quick 4 Feminine and I LOVE it. There is also a Quick 5 for a little less money. I went for the Quick 4 so as to get the better components. I'm also training for the Vermont ride in August- is that the ride you're doing?
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This is a joint remix of Sebastian Ingrosso & Tommy Trash's "Reload" intertwined with Porter Robinson & Madeon's "Shelter." G-O & PRYME tried their best to completely change the feel and emotions of the two tracks while still keeping the key elements in tact. Let us know what you think in the comments below and show your support for these budding producers.
Support G-O // Twitter | Soundcloud
Support PRYME // Twitter | Soundcloud
G-O & PRYME – Shelter Reloaded


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Area Students Play Surgeon with New Robotic System
Students from local area high schools got a hand's on experience with the future of surgery, thanks to Dr. Shyam Dahiya of Tri-City Regional Medical Center, who gave them an introduction to the newly acquired da Vinci surgical robot system. Dr. Dahiya invited the students into the operating room to experience how the robotic technology is transforming traditional surgery.
Students were able to control the robot on a simulator (not a real patient) and gain experience about how the new robotic technology improves surgical outcomes. The students were from St. Joseph High School in Lakewood, St. John Bosco High School in Bellflower and Cerritos High School.
"It was better than I even imagined," said Chelsea Megan Barcenas, 16, a junior at St. Joseph High School. "It's the future of medicine and surgery and I plan to study biomechanical medical engineering, so this was very exciting for me," she said.
Dr. Dahiya, who serves as Chief of Surgery at Tri-City Regional Hospital, said he wanted to share the advanced surgical technology with students as a way to get them excited about a career in medicine and surgery.
Students watch on as Dr. Dahiya demonstrates the intricacies of the da Vinci Surgical System.
"Robotic surgery is the technology of the future and it requires skills that are in line with today's youth who play video games and can interact with technology so effortlessly. It's our way of preparing today's students for tomorrow's job skills and there is no better hook than a robot. It was exciting for me as a surgeon to teach young students who have an interest in science. I hope some become surgeons in our communities in the coming years."
Tri-City Regional Medical Center is the only hospital in the community with the advanced da Vinci surgical robot, Dr. Dahiya said. Click here for more information about the da Vinci Surgical System.


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Cathedral Catholic senior Brittany Doan (shown in a game last season) scored the first goal for the Dons on Monday.
Heavy-hearted, the Cathedral Catholic Dons wore orange ribbons in their hair during a nonleague soccer match against visiting Point Loma on Monday.
The gesture was in memory of Olivia Erlbeck's father, who was laid to rest that morning after dying Feb. 4 from a heart attack. Kurt Erlbeck was 50.
"It was tough for me, but it meant a great deal to me to see all of my teammates out their showing their support for me and honoring my dad," Olivia said.
Empowered by her father's memory, the sophomore midfielder scored two goals in the second half as Cathedral Catholic eased past Point Loma 7-1.
"I played for him," Olivia said.
From tipoff, the Dons controlled possession, creating numerous opportunities to score. However, for the first 15 minutes, Cathedral couldn't convert. Then senior forward Brittany Doan headed a ball past the Pointers' keeper.
That started the barrage. Cathedral scored a pair to cap the first half with a 3-0 cushion before piling on four more.
Alyssa Fides, Paige Haley, Sunny Dunphy and Dana Dalton all chipped in goals for the No. 2-ranked Dons (17-2-3), who remain unblemished against San Diego Section opponents.
Point Loma freshman forward Riley O'Toole scored the lone goal for the Pointers (8-8-1) on a counterattack in the second half.
"It's hard to put into words because it's been very emotional for Olivia and all of us the last five days," said Cathedral coach Dawn Lee. "But tonight was a testament to all of them. They all want to play for each other and play for Olivia and her dad. It's so touching and this moment means so much more to me than any victory or anything else, having these girls go through a crisis together as a team and being there for each other."
Tag(s): News Point Loma Cathedral Catholic News


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Looking for that perfect way to present your photos to an audience of your choosing? Ilene Hoffman at TUAW, a resource for all things Apple and beyond, recommends FotoMagico for all of your photo fun!
"FotoMagico can be a breeze to use to create basic photo presentations," she says.
"It can be a challenge to keep up with what was added when because Boinx Software never just sits on its laurels, it updates FotoMagico frequently with bug fixes and user generated feature requests. Since the update from Version 3 to Version 4 in October 2012, Boinx has generated 12 updates!"
"Previously, you could create an interesting slide show with different transitions, zoom, text, and music. Now, you can add more transition types and masks to the mix and show up to six images (Layers) on one screen, with text, image, or even a video within a static image. Masking your individual layers lets you do some interesting things, such as move a route line along a map as shown in one of their demos or show only part of a video or photo and use custom backgrounds."
In her review, Ilene details (with great examples!) all of FotoMagico's best features. Although she says the more advanced features are best learned through Boinx's video tutorials and may take some time to master, she notes all of the simple features that can be used for day-to-day presentations.
"Boinx Software is very responsive when you have trouble, so if any of your edits do not work perfectly every time, check the support forum," Ilene continues. "The US $99 price tag may seem steep, but the feature set is so rich, I think the price is reasonable."
Be sure to check out the fantastic slideshow Ilene created above using FotoMagico, as a tribute to her late father. We are so touched to play whatever small role we could in helping her to display her family's memories in such a moving way. Visit Ilene's blog to learn more about how she was able to track down the many family photos used in her slideshow. To read the rest of Ilene's thorough and informative review, check out the original post here.


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Cisco backs Algebra Ventures with $10m to support sustainable model of job creation, economic development in Egypt
Investment ranges between $500,000 to $2m
Investment ranges between $500,000 to $2m
We have invested some CHF 25m that covers our framework agreement with Egyptian government, says Leitner
The Ibrahim Index of African Governance study ranks Egypt fourth in the Rural Sector, a subcategory of Sustainable Economic Opportunity: Egyptian Business Directory
Egyptian president meets heads of state and addresses the UN General Assembly
Development plans aim to settle large swathes of Sinai as agricultural zones
President Morsy has tasked the head of the Egyptian Business Development Association (EBDA) with forming a committee to research the recommendations of the business community to attract more investment
By Rahma Abdelaziz China once again lowered interest rates, indicating Beijing's desire to contribute to international efforts and ensure greater liquidity in worldwide financial markets in light of the euro zone crisis. The step is similar to the one taken after the collapse of Lehman Brothers. The current move, however, may not have the same …
Ganzouri's cabinet has approved the transformation of the Industrial Modernization Center (IMC) into a centre that focuses on the development of small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs). The goal of the new centre is to offer a variety of services to SMEs, as they account for 90% of total business in Egypt, provide 65% of …
The plan is said to have solutions for a number of problems, ones such as public debt and the poor performance of some public companies.


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To book a Spirit Guide reading or Ascension Guidance session with Jenny Schiltz, please go to jschiltz.appointy.com
If you need to contact me, please email at email@example.com
Join the facebook group and keep up to date on the energy fluctuations!https://www.facebook.com/channelingthemasters/
Copyright 2016, Jenny Schiltz
If you repost, please maintain the integrity of this information by reprinting it exactly as you find it here, and including all the links above and the link to this original post. Thank you.
**As with all information we receive regarding the ascension process, discernment is necessary. If you read or hear something and it does not resonate, simply let it go and find what makes your soul say YES! **


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Thursday, November 29, 2007
Writing and Coding, Part 3: Artistic Expression
All right, I'll admit it. I've been putting this part of the series off. This is a huge topic, and the more I've thought about it, the less I feel I can do it justice in the time I have to prepare and the space I have to expound on it here. So instead of doing an in-depth exploration, I'm going to provide a very high-level overview. Put on your running shoes. Artistic Expression Programming seems to be a creative, artistic endeavor in two ways. First, you have phenomena like perl poetry, where code is explicitly, consciously used as poetry. This is related to the school of thought that looks at programming's primary purpose being communicating algorithms to a person. Executing the code on a computer is secondary, a means of making sure you are correctly expressing the algorithm. Aesthetics: De Gustibus Non Disputandum Personally, I tend to having simple, regular syntax, even at the expense of having simple, regular semantics (although I like that to be simple also). This bias is evident in a couple of ways: First, I prefer Python to Ruby. Ruby's semantics are probably more regular (everything's an object vs everything's an object, but it may be a classic object and some things are sealed), but the few times I've attempted to learn Ruby, the syntax just seems a little irregular. Not in a bad way, necessarily, but enough that it's squelched what little motivation I've had so far to learn what is probably a fine language. But that's beside the point. What I'm trying to illustrate is that people judge programming languages partially according to criteria that is strictly non-utilitarian. Having simple syntax doesn't make any difference in how capable Python is at building, say, web apps. (As I type this, I'm mentally constructing an argument that it does, but in general, I stand by this statement.) Of course, the academic in me is wanting to step back and define terms now. What does aesthetics mean? Maybe it's time to step back, pull out some literary theory books, and see where this leads us. Is there anything more dull than someone who is both a literature- and computing-geek?
Posted by Eric Rochester at 6:06 PM
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- dfutureNP
- 6 years ago
- Wedding: June 2016
Hi Bees!
Just for fun: I would love to see your 1.25 stones (diamonds, Moissy's, whatever else you have) on a variety of finger sizes to see how it may "differ". I am interested in a 1.25 diamond (specifically RB), and my size has been a 7, and now a 6.5. My finger size flucuates, so I am curious as to what it looks like on all of your fingers.
Just for fun, share your pictures! Thanks everyone!!


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CWDGA Rules Quiz
|What happens if a player improves or worsens the conditions affecting her stroke?
Before making a stroke a player may not move, bend, or break any growing or attached natural object, immovable obstruction, integral object, boundary object, or tee-marker for the teeing area when playing a ball from that teeing area, or move a loose impediment or movable obstruction into position if any of these actions improve conditions affecting the stroke. Before making a stroke a player may avoid penalty by restoring any original object moved as nearly as possible so that the improvement is eliminated. The player may not alter the surface of the ground, remove or press down loose soil, or remove dew, frost, or water if any of these actions improve the conditions affecting the stroke. These improvements cannot be undone and the player would incur the general penalty. If the player worsens these conditions affecting the stroke, the player is not allowed to restore the conditions. If the player does so, she incurs the general penalty.
During a round, a player must not: --Give advice to anyone in the competition who is playing on the course --Ask anyone for advice, other than the player's caddie (or partner and her caddie) --Touch another player's equipment to learn information that would be advice if given by or asked of the other player (such as touching the other player's clubs or bag to see what club is being used.) This does not apply before a round or while played is stopped under Rule 5.7a or between rounds in a competition. If a breach occurs between the play of two holes the penalty is accessed at the next hole.
|Suspension of play—imminent danger
If the Committee has ordered play to be suspended due to a dangerous situation (such as lightning) the players must stop playing immediately. The player may complete any stroke where she has taken a stance with a club behind the ball or has begun the backswing for the stroke and completes the stroke without hesitation. No additional strokes can be made. This includes tapping in a two-inch putt. This is for the safety of all players. The intent is to enable the course to be cleared as quickly as possible. The penalty for a breach of this Rule, 5.7b, is disqualification.
|In match play a player's ball is accidentally deflected by the opponent, her equipment, or her caddie in the general area. How does the player proceed?
The ball is played as it lies. The player no longer has the option to cancel the stroke. The same is true for a ball that is accidentally stopped or deflected by the player or an outside influence. The only exception is when the ball is played from the putting green and it accidentally hits any person, animal, or movable obstruction (including another ball in motion) on the putting green. In this instance, the stroke does not count and the original ball or another ball must be replaced on the original spot (which if not known must be estimated.) If the ball in motion (played from the putting green) hits another ball at rest or ball-marker on the putting green, the stroke counts and the ball must be played at it lies. In stroke play the player incurs a two stroke penalty. There is no penalty in match play. (Rule 11.1)
|What is the status of a double green?
This depends how the Committee marks the green. If it has been separated in any way, such as with lines or dots, then when a player is playing one of the holes, the part of the double green for the other hole is a wrong green. The player must take mandatory complete free relief. Otherwise, the player must play the ball as it lies. The flagstick is a movable obstruction and the hole itself is ground under repair.
|On the putting green a player marks her ball to the side and lifts the ball. After replacing her ball a gust of wind moves the ball 8 inches. She plays the ball from there. Did the player incur a penalty?
A player is permitted to mark her ball anywhere (side, front, back). When a player marks the ball, she owns the spot. She was required to replace the ball. She played from a wrong place and incurs a two stroke penalty in stroke play. As she did not gain a significant advantage, she must continue play with the ball from that spot. (Had this been match play, the player loses the hole.) Had she not marked the ball and it was moved by natural forces (wind, water, or gravity) the player would have played from the new spot.
|In a stroke play competition, a player's ball is out of bounds. The player drops a ball within two clubs lengths of the edge of the fairway no nearer the hole than where the ball lies out of bounds. She then plays the ball. Another player questions her procedure.
This procedure is used only when a Local Rule is in effect. This Local Rule will not be used in CWDGA events. In the absence of a Local Rule, the player was required to take stroke and distance relief. Because she played a ball from a wrong place she incurs the general penalty under Rule 14.7b. If she gained a significant advantage, this must be corrected before she makes a stroke from the next teeing area or, in the case of the last hole of the competition, before returning her score card. (In match play the player loses the hole and is not required to correct her mistake.)
|A ball lies in a red penalty area and the player declares the ball unplayable. What are the player's options?
The ball cannot be declared unplayable in a penalty area. The player's options include playing the ball as it lies or, under penalty of one stroke, taking stroke and distance relief, taking back on the line relief which involves finding a reference point on the line keeping the hole and the point where the ball crossed the edge of the penalty area in a straight line, or (because the ball is in a red penalty area) taking lateral relief.
|A player's ball lies in a bunker filled with leaves. She carefully moves some of the leaves without causing her ball to move. As she makes her backstroke she touches some of the leaves. Has the player incurred a penalty?
No. The player is entitled to move loose impediments from the bunker. This does not result in a penalty unless the ball is moved. (If it had been, the player must replace the ball and incurs a one stroke penalty.) There is no penalty for touching the leaves in the bunker while she makes the backstroke.
|A ball played from the teeing area has ricocheted off a tree and has come to rest in the teeing area. May the player re-tee the ball?
Yes. The Rules involving the teeing area are relaxed for 2019. Any time the ball lies in the teeing area: when starting play of the hole, after a stroke at a ball which has hit a tree or other object and ricocheted back, after a stroke which failed to move the ball from the teeing area, or when a player will play again from the teeing area under a Rule, the player is entitled to tee a ball anywhere in the teeing area. The player may substitute a ball. This applies only to the teeing area of the hole the player is playing, and not to any other teeing locations on the course (whether on the same hole or a different hole).


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A man who walked on subway tracks for a video making fun of Pokemon Go players is now facing charges — and he says that's fair.
The charge comes with a set $425 fine and a court appearance on Sept. 16.
The video, published in July, satirized Pokemon Go, a mobile game that has exploded in popularity. In the video, a man can been seen playing the game and pretending to bump into obstacles, falling into Lake Ontario and briefly walking on the subway tracks at Union station.
The man in the video, Mark Correia, is an actor and part of a production company called the Noodle Boys.
He previously set the world record for the longest time in a straight jacket, after staying in one for 17 days and escaping on the last day, to raise money for Parkinson's.
He told the Star in July he hoped the Pokemon Go video would go viral.
Now he says the TTC did the right thing in charging him.
"This is what has to happen. It's not a surprise," Correia said.
"By making the video we tried to show how stupid it is to do these things… but the TTC can't ignore it," he said.
TTC spokesperson Brad Ross said Correia's actions were "incredibly dangerous," as Correia could have accidentally charged the electrified rail on the track and been electrocuted, or been hit by a subway train.
"You can literally, and this is not an exaggeration, be killed," Ross said.
Correia agreed.
"It's very dangerous. You can face death or a big fine and charges, which we are facing right now," he said.
This is not the first time someone has been in trouble while playing Pokemon Go. Last week, a player was caught by a York Regional Police chopper driving erratically, spawning suspicions of impaired driving, until police discovered he was playing the game. The driver was not charged.
Subway lines are not the only place players have been told to stay clear of while playing the game. The Canadian Armed Forces told players to stay away from military facilities after incidents at three bases, two in Ontario and one in Nova Scotia.
Correia previously told the Star if bylaw enforcement officers caught him he would not fight the fine. Asked if he had any regrets, he said "Not yet. I'm sure I will.
"I try to live my life with no regrets. This, now, this should be enough to make you regret something, but I think it should dissuade maybe people who were thinking about making videos like this in the future," he said.
Ross said the TTC had to send a message to the public by charging Correia, especially because of how public the video was.
"It's why we take this matter so seriously. We don't want people to get hurt. You want to make a fun video, we're up for that. Work with us," Ross said.
— With files from Ben Spurr


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* 5 Night Silent IGR With Dawn Pointing
- Leader: Dawn Pointing
- Start Date: Sunday 18th August, 16:00
- End Date: Friday 23rd August, 14:00
- Residential Price: £ 420.00 per person
- Non-Residential Price: TBC
This retreat has already started, if you would still like to take part then please contact us.
An individually guided retreat offers you the time and opportunity to pay attention to God and to be more aware of God's work in your life. It also gives the space to pray and to reflect on your life, to consider the decisions you have to make, and the priorities you want to set.
You will have the chance to meet with a retreat guide or 'spiritual director' each day who will help you to focus, reflect and discern.
These retreats are held in silence.
On the first day please try to arrive at 4pm to have time to settle in before a 5.30pm supper. The retreat finishes after lunch on the last day.
If you wish to stay longer, or start your stay earlier, please contact us about availability.Back


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High Quality Horse Riding lessons at Saddington Riding School from Beginners to Advanced ~ come share our passion.
Saddington Riding School, based at Manor Farm, has been established for over 30 years.
The school was formally known as Manor Farm Riding School and Livery and is now managed by horse enthusiast, Emma Tate. She took over the reins, literally, in July 2018 and the school continues to thrive.
Saddington Riding School has taught extensively to all age groups and students of various abilities.
Saddington Riding School provides enjoyable, innovative, engaging and exciting tuition. We want students to become passionate about riding. We aim to foster a lifelong interest in this healthy exercise that improves fitness and well-being.
Our tuition is also well-conceived and thorough, ensuring that you or your child learn how to ride correctly and comprehensively: providing a firm foundation for the future.
If you are a more experienced rider... Saddington Riding School teachers will be able to identify key areas that could be improved. We will work hard to raise your ability to the next level and beyond.
Private or group lessons - complete beginner through to the more advanced/experienced rider.
Opening Hours
Loan a pony for the day
£10 per day, discounts for multiple days, contact the school for details.
Monthly lesson
jumping/ cross country/ dressage training - prices vary depending on instructor
*18+ (we also have a 13st weight limit)
Team Members
Emma Tate is the proprietor of Saddington Riding School & Livery and has many years of experience in the horse world.
Emma is responsible for teaching, organising and taking out the hacks in the surrounding countryside which offers some of the most beautiful riding scenery.
Lauren Taylor is a full-time member of staff and the Hacking escort.
Emma Tate is the proprietor of Saddington Riding School & Livery and has many years of experience in the horse world.
Lauren Taylor is a full-time member of staff and the Hacking escort.


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Content Creation
You're not a writer but you know killer content is important. Our team of expert writers create, place and push content that is actually read by potential customers.
Strategic PR & Marketing
We build a story to reach the right audience. With creative storytelling, we make sure you stand out. Our team of journalists understand media and public relations. Let us tell your story and build your brand. We help conceive, develop and execute strategic PR and marketing campaigns that build awareness, communicate your organization's true value and drive measurable results.
Social Media
More than a trend, social media is smart business. We help you incorporate CIJ and Encompassme social media channels into your business practices in symphony while building relationships within large and influential social community.
Event Production
You've got a goal to reach and a budget to get there, but you've never planned an event. Our event production team can coordinate and implement all requirements. From producing annual conferences to planning small and elegant advisory breakfasts. We also specialize in presenting you at CIJ events, from speaker panels, awards judge partisipation and awards nomination competition entry.
Digital Strategy
We make you stand out, attract attention, and build lasting relationships. We will craft a digital plan designed to build long-term success instead of short-term hype.
Graphic & Web Development
Every great brand needs great visuals. With our graphic designers, we will create and build within the CIJ social web pages your presence that will boost and revitalize you and your company.
Radio & Video Production
Audio and video production is the best way to tell your story and share your ideas. We create audio and video that can make great things happen within the CIJ Radio and TV channels.
Other Services
Content publishing coordination on CIJ and Encompassme, including existing corrections and information adds.
Copyright 2016 iBroadcast Marketing & PR


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Park Lane Nursing Home is an entity of Scott County Rest Home Inc., which is a non-profit corporation founded in 1964 for the sole benefit of managing the nursing home for the County of Scott County, Kansas.
Scott County Rest Home Inc., is managed by a 5 member Board of Directors composed of people from the community appointed by the Scott County Commissioners, that have an interest in long term care & retirement.
Park Place Independent Living Apartments, which are composed of 20 apartments, 3 Studio, 14 one bedroom and 3 - 2 bedroom *semi-independent apartments.
Important Links: KAHSA


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Bad trade, toxic chemicals and climate change: What you can do
Policy Matters
Bad trade, toxic chemicals and climate change: What you can do
From issues as big as tackling the effects of climate change to relatively smaller-scale ones like creating safer chemicals, responsible and sustainably-focused business owners have an essential role to play in voicing their opinions to policy makers.
Here are three of the latest policy issues the American Sustainable Business Council is working on, and how like-minded businesses can get involved.
1. Trade deal gone wrong
An international trade agreement now being negotiated would grant leading multinational corporations new powers to challenge government policies that promote sustainability and clean energy. Of greatest concern, the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) would allow corporations to sue governments in an international tribunal and potentially force the reversal of sound regulations here and elsewhere.
To date, negotiations have been conducted in secret, and Congress is planning to invoke "Fast Track" to push the legislation through without debate. This would be bad. Congress should not sidestep its constitutional responsibility to review treaties. Instead, Congress should reject the Fast Track option and hold a full and open public debate on this important legislation.
What's at stake?
Drafts of the TPP agreement contain many troubling provisions, which deserve a full public debate:
• Hindering alternative energy producers and extending the dominance of coal and oil by blocking regulations and limiting deployment of smart grid and other infrastructure.
• Putting at disadvantage organic farmers and others who adopt safer and more environmentally sound agricultural practices.
• Preventing state and local governments from setting "buy local" or "buy American" policies.
• Discouraging innovation by extending patent protection on pharmaceuticals while restricting governments from negotiating lower prices.
What can you do?
Write your legislators and add your name to the other businesses endorsing Rep. Mark Pocan's (D.-Wisc.) letter to end the secrecy of the TPP draft. Learn more here.
2. Standing against climate change
In May, scientists found the presence of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere had increased dramatically, to 400 parts per million (PPM), a level not seen in millions of years. This means that even if we stopped emitting all CO2 immediately, temperatures likely will still rise over the next few years. However, the worst effects of climate change likely could still be averted with immediate and significant action.
Recently, President Obama announced that his administration would begin issuing several executive orders aimed at tackling climate change. While this is a worthwhile first step, action is still needed from Congress if our response is going to be truly meaningful.
What's at stake?
Despite the prevailing narrative that action on climate change is bad for business, the opposite is true. Climate change, if left unchecked, will create hardships for individuals, communities and businesses. From damage to infrastructure to adverse health impacts, from higher fuel prices to lower property values and further strains on the energy grid, climate change poses grave environmental and economic challenges.
On the other hand, taking action to avert the worst effects of climate change, such as investing in renewable energy and energy efficiency, will create jobs and a more resilient economy, while making us more energy-independent.
What can you do?
Sign the Climate Declaration that the American Sustainable Business Council is sponsoring with Business for Innovative Climate and Energy Policy (BICEP), a project of Ceres. Businesses can show their support for action on climate change by signing on. See recent small business owners' opinions on energy and environment policy. Find other climate-related campaigns to plug into.
3. Taking toxins out of chemicals
Reforming the nation's decades-old chemicals laws -- the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) -- is gaining momentum with the recent introduction of the bipartisan Chemical Security Improvement Act (CSIA). The bill was introduced by the late Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ) and Sen. David Vitter (R-LA) along with 20 bipartisan co-sponsors. It is a start of reform (PDF) that proves that economic growth and protections for health and the environment are not at odds.
We can and must provide safe, environmentally benign alternatives to hazardous chemicals and do so at a lower cost. This is what consumers want, and what is driving change in the industry and should guide the reform of TSCA. While the bipartisan nature of the CSIA is laudable, elements in the bill need to be fixed to ensure a chemical safety system that effectively and efficiently drives innovation in cleaner and safer products.
What's at stake?
Reforming TSCA will spur innovation in cleaner and safer products, creating business profits and more jobs, enhancing safety in the workplace as it improves the health of our communities and environment. If the legislation is not improved, weak safeguards will remain and state regulators potentially will be barred from removing hazardous chemicals from commerce.
What can you do?
Add your name to the list of business endorsers of toxic chemical reform. Learn more about what should be improved (PDF) in the Chemical Safety Improvement Act of 2013. See recent polling of small business views on toxic chemicals.
Image of oil and gas refinery by Tomas1111 via Shutterstock


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'Science in India'
Prof. C.N.R. Rao,
Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for
Advanced Scientific Research,
I remember the day when India got freedom on August 15, 1947. I had just entered college at that time. The excitement of the day still reverberates in my mind. What is interesting is that even in the early days of independent India, there was promise that science would play an important role in development. India was poor then, but there were high hopes. As early as 1958, India passed the science policy resolution in the parliament where the Prime Minister declared that science will be employed for the benefit of the nation. We have built many educational and research institutions since then. Because of the reasonable infrastructure that we had created, many of us had the feeling around 1980's that we may soon become competitive in science and do outstanding research as good as anywhere. However, due to the changes in the geopolitical scenario and globalization, the world changed. Today, we have Asian neighbours who have emerged as major leaders in science. While we may be doing reasonably well, others are doing better. India finds itself in a position where it is nowhere near the top of the world in science. We still contribute about 3% to world science as we did many years ago. America contributes close to 16% of world science. China is getting pretty close to America in this regard. I am not that worried about quantity, but unfortunately, the quality of Indian science has not improved much. India contributes to less than 1% of the top 1% of world research. Much of the high quality research comes from the US. China is improving its status in this respect as well, although it was in the same position as India a few years ago. While there are individuals who have done quite well in some of the fields (just as in the pre-independence days), the overall performance from the country as a whole has to improve to a significant extent. There are not many educational and research institutions in the country comparable to the best ones elsewhere. In fact, there are signs of decay in many of them and the University sector is badly in need of rejuvenation. What does one do in such a scenario?
First of all, we should improve our institutions by greater investment. More than money, minds are required. Scientists have to work on challenging and important problems of relevance to science and the economy. We also have to work harder to be able to compete, and we have to be more generous to the young. We should remember that in today's science, one has to gallop even to remain stationary. We have to change our value system in a big way. Science and education have to get greater importance in society. In this presentation, we shall examine how we can improve the situation through the participation of scientists, planners, administrators and citizens as a whole. Besides scientific research and education, one has to be concerned about scientific temper amongst the citizens of the country. It is essential that all our citizens inculcate scientific attitude since the future of India depends on citizens who can contribute to the society because of their commitment and convictions. In order to do this, teaching has to get greater respect in our value system. School education in India comes at the bottom amongst the nations of the world, Finland being at the very top. Science education at elementary and high school levels have to be given greater importance and the entire society has to help in raising the quality of teachers as well as institutions while the government and industry help to increase the investment.
What should scientists have to do? Scientific research should deal with three aspects: frontiers of science, science related to the pressing problems of human kind and science in those areas where India can be a global leader. Then, scientists have to remember Faraday's simple definition of what doing science means. "Work, Finish and Publish". Faraday also said that it is choosing the problem that is difficult, not doing. I close by reiterating that the long-term development and progress of India depends crucially on the foundation of science and science education. I do hope that India will emerge to be amongst the top five countries in the world in science by making the right choices and investments
Prof. C.N.R. Rao is the National Research Professor as well as Honorary President and Linus Pauling Research Professor at the Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research, Bengaluru. His main research interests are in solid state and materials chemistry. He is the author of over 1600 research papers and 48 books. Prof. Rao is a member of many of the major science academies in the world including the Royal Society, London, the National Academy of Sciences, U.S.A., the Russian Academy of Sciences, French Academy of Sciences, Japan Academy as well as the American Philosophical Society. He is a Member of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences and Foreign Fellow of Academia Europaea, the Royal Society of Canada and of the Chinese Academy of Sciences


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There have been many initiatives, reports and government level strategies in recent years but few, perhaps none, have hammered at the ramparts of care for learning disabled adults with the force of BBC's Panorama expose Undercover Care: The Abuse Exposed.
Broadcast on 31 May this year, Twitter exploded almost immediately in response to some of the most unwatchable scenes on television in many years. As the blogosphere and online communities followed not far behind in an eruption of public horror, it was clear that that the care of society's most vulnerable people had hit a watershed. My own blog posts on the subject and the comments of many both on my own site and countless others made me realise I wasn't alone in being unable to sleep that night and getting up out of bed to bash seven bells out of my laptop.
But the media bandwagon rolls on and even those most horrified by those scenes are once again tweeting about the X-Factor or the bedroom antics of Premiership footballers. Those of us who work in social care might suspect that the status quo has resumed. The sadists within our ranks have resumed their water-boarding, and the senior executives of companies providing care can once again get back to a nice round of golf. So what, if anything, has changed in 133 days?
As a social care training provider my colleagues and I meet hundreds of support staff from local authorities, charities and other care providers up and down the country, and strange as it may seem in the few months since that edition of Panorama I'm left with a glass which is, if not quite half full, is certainly far from empty.
Firstly, we can look to the already well publicised structural changes that have taken place. Both Castlebeck and the Care Quality Commission (CQC) have not just been caught with their trousers down, but suffered the acute embarrassment of being caught in a very intimate moment by an elderly relative popping round for a surprise visit. "Coo-ee, the door was open and… oh dear!"
But my recent experience of running training for care staff perhaps tells us more than the closure of poor quality homes and a rapid increase in CQC inspections. A public who once knew, saw or heard little about learning disabled people and assumed that it was still the NHS and local authorities providing for them now seems to have woken up to the fact that much of our social care system is now run at a very tidy profit by executives who think more of feeding a racehorse than meeting the needs of a young woman with autism.
Thanks to the Winterbourne View scandal and the subsequent demise of Southern Cross, we now seem now more capable of demanding the sort of excellent, small-scale services where individualised care is more than just an empty mission statement written on a dusty wall plaque. We might even argue that the average man or woman in the street is now much more aware that the care and support for their vulnerable relatives is worth a good deal more than a healthy bottom line, particularly when that comes at the price of shoddy management, poor staffing and a training culture which means little more than the annual fire lecture.
But no television documentary is ever going to completely rid social care of the occasional rotten apple who, through a combination of individual inadequacy and limp supervision, will quickly go on to sour the rest of the fruit bowl. But we can hope that in the aftermath of Winterbourne View we can all blow the whistle and perhaps get those who could and should have been listening to realise that Panorama wasn't just a one-off. We're all watching now.
Connor Kinsella is an author and training consultant at JCK Training. This article also appears on his blog.
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