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Lonnie Allen, B.A., J.D.
Lonnie Allen was born in Edmonton and is a proud Albertan. Lonnie holds a Juris Doctor from the University of Manitoba Faculty of Law and a Bachelor of Arts from Grant MacEwan University in Criminology. Prior to joining Philips Manucci, Lonnie articled with Fix and Smith, where he represented clients on a variety of matters, including assisting on serious indictable charges including violent offences and drug matters. Lonnie has also represented clients on a variety of family law matters using his skills as a litigator to achieve positive results. He has appeared in both the Provincial Court of Alberta and the Alberta Court of Queen's Bench.
While completing his Juris Doctor, Lonnie gained significant criminal law experience as he was selected to the Intensive Criminal Law program and was an active volunteer with University of Manitoba Law Center Legal Aid.
Most of Lonnie's work is focused on representing people charged with Indictable offences who are facing significant penitentiary sentences as a result of their charges. Lonnie's strive for success; knowledge of the law and advocacy skills provides his clients with a cutting-edge advantage in the courtroom. Lonnie also utilizes these skills to assist clients in family law matters involving divorce, property division, child custody and access matters.
Lonnie is an active member of the Law Society of Alberta and the Criminal Trial Lawyers' Association. When Lonnie is not busy representing his clients, he is traveling, snowboarding or riding his motorcycle.


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Poor individuals also made beds of straw and leaves during the middle ages duration. The rich upper class had beds which included real bedding and bed mattress. This duration also saw the first bed drapes which would hang down reduced from the top of the bed canopy.
After striving throughout the day, everyone will definitely require a safe location to rest his/her exhausted body. No one would ever such as to be disrupted when resting but sadly some bed we lay may be a bother. Some are smaller sized in size with weaker joints such that when one turns at the middle of the evening; some squeaky sound is produced hence distracting your sleep. Envision sleeping in such a bed with someone who will turn every once in a while? Save yourself from unnecessary disruptions by purchasing bunk beds. It is strong, well repaired and sturdy to produce any noise when one turns. Some bed are likewise small such that they cant support the entire mattress or ones body hence too uncomfortable but for a platform bed, it has a broad surface area to accommodate any quantity of weight or lot of individuals.
As earlier suggested, there are some pillows labeled as orthopaedic, however are really simply ordinary pillows. To safeguard yourself from being fooled by such counterfeits, you would do well to pick a pillow made by a credible and well-established producer. And aside from ensuring the credibility of the product, this will likewise guarantee you that you are getting excellent quality for a reasonable cost.
Coverlets are of two types: woven or quilted. The quilted coverlets are essentially two layered textiles which are sewn together to create a heat result besides embellishing the bed. The woven ones are covers with a woven design in colored wool yarn on a background of cotton or natural linen.
You'll be able to utilize the web too in looking for the most efficient bedroom and bed sets that are for sale and which you can choose on from. You may even play a game on the internet and you can provide and style a bedroom using bedroom and bed sets which you prefer from those. You'll be able to utilize an interior decorator to utilize to select sets for you when you have a challenging time choosing upon the distinct selections of bedroom sets.
Select classy comforters and blankets in colors that assist set a cheerful state of mind. Select pillows that are soft but that can support the head and neck. Develop a layering of multiple fluffy pillows for a plush look and feel. The right bed frames and bedspreads can assist produce a welcoming and comfy ambiance in your bedroom. Enjoy decorating!
Bedroom sets can be selected according to the theme of your bedroom. For a timeless classic look, pick wooden bedroom sets. A wooden bed with intricately carved headboards and frames looks typical and stylish. You can also pick a complete bedroom set upholstered in leather in a rich cappuccino or pigment black finish with brass trimmings for added sophistication and style. Leather upholstered headboards provide an extravagant look while mix of glass and wood for furniture permits for a range in textures that provides itself well for a contemporary decor style.
The fitted queen sheets have the capability to cling tightly on the bed mattress and it will not easily be removed no issue how you move in your sleep. Some individuals alter their sheets every two days while there are those who prefer to use a brand-new material every day.
Simply to be safe you can fit a plastic sheet over the bed mattress, but you'll simply have to try this for yourself. For some the plastic will make it tough to rest since it can bang whenever you roll over. If it keeps you from sleeping then you're defeating the function of getting a foam mattress pad. One final idea, why not get a pad for each bed in your home. It simply might assist your children rest much better too, and I think most moms and dads would concur it's a lot easier to rest when the children are sleeping soundly.

subset: commoncrawl


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Saturday, July 28th, a group of AKUITY's finest athletes rose to the Woo Challenge, a series of physical obstacles in downtown Worcester, MA. The team stuck together throughout the 23 obstacle, 5K race.
Craig Anderson, Vice President of Operations at AKUITY, noted that this year's team was twice the size it was in 2017. "We have a tremendous support team here at the office during the week, but it was awesome to get out and see them work together as a group in an entirely different type of environment," he said.
The race was, "a lot of fun! We stuck together as a team – started and finished the race together," according to AKUITY Support Supervisor Tim Caban. "This was my second Woo Challenge, and the Woo organizers did an amazing job. Huge thanks to all, and to the Woo Police who blocked traffic and motivated us to keep going."
Citing a range of physical abilities, AKUITY Technician Nick Marszalkowski pointed out that "other groups would split up as they went through the course. Working as a team, you get to give back and help out those who are less experienced." Because they stuck together, Nick said, the event was, "more fun than a bowl of monkeys."
According to Craig, the theme for the day was that "the team sticks together. I didn't realize how important this was until late in the course, when we heard multiple comments from the race staff, traffic cops, and others about how we were one of the only teams they had seen who were actually still together as a group."
As if the obstacles weren't enough of a challenge, Craig also put together a video to share with the AKUITY staff on Monday morning.
Copyright © 2020 All Rights Reserved. AKUITY Technologies


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These offers expired, but for more action, check their Featured Sales…
Archives for September 19, 2017
Wednesday: Calumet, Lightdow, Usual Camera/Photo accessories
There are over 50 items listed in the Camera & Photo lightning deals (old format) or Full Page format (faster to navigate on Desktop) of the Amazon Gold Box. Due to time constraints I cannot create a detailed listing of them all. The usual assortment of accessories are running throughout the day.
NOTE: to simplify editing these daily round-ups, I am removing the text of expired lightning deals. It's much faster than "expiring" the whole posts and such.
Imported Tamron 24-70 f2.8 Di VC USD for $690 [C/N]
The first generation new condition Tamron SP 24-70mm F/2.8 Di VC USD goes for $1100 at authorized dealers which can include some free accessories such as Adorama.
But if you are a more adventurous shopper, then to the eBay Deals we go, where eBay seller "QuickNDone" (99.9%) is offering the lens in new condition for $690 with free shipping in the Nikon system. Per the listing, the sale ends 9/20/17.
UPDATE: they also offer this in the Canon EF system for the same price.
Further down the product listing, under "Warranty" it says that you get either a 1-Year Tamron International warranty or a 6-Year Tamron Canada warranty, depending on location. They also offer a 30-day return policy.
This is a higher risk than buying in new condition from authorized Tamron USA dealers, that's one of the reasons for the lower price. I believe "QuickNDone" is a Canadian seller.
Pre-order Lensbaby Sweet 80 Optic for $200
Lensbabies are multiplying like bunnies these days. The new Lensbaby Sweet 80 Optic is available for pre-ordering for $200. This if you already have a compatible Lensbaby "Lens Body".
If not, fear not, they also have bundles of the Sweet 80 with the Composer Pro II, together available for pre-order for $379 at B&H Photo in your choice of Nikon, Pentax K, Sony A, or Canon in SLR systems, and in your choice of Fuji X, M43rds, Sony E or Samsung NX in mirrorless systems.
Kodak EKTRA Android Smartphone for $299
On the nostalgia front, the new condition factory-unlocked GSM Kodak EKTRA Android Smartphone is on sale for $299 with free shipping by Amazon itself and B&H Photo. This is a Mediatek device with 3GB RAM, 32GB on-board, 5″ 1080p screen, NFC, USB-C, etc.
Sigma 100-400mm Contemporary + FREE USB Lens Dock and 67mm WR UV filter for $799 [C/N/Si]
It's Shiguma time! Tamron may have announced an upcoming 100-400mm lens, but you can't take pictures with a future lens. You can take pictures with an existing lens, which brings us to the new condition Sigma 100-400mm f/5-6.3 DG OS HSM Contemporary Lens bundled for FREE with the Sigma USB Lens Dock and a 67mm Sigma WR UV lens filter, all together going for $799 with free expedited shipping at B&H Photo in your choice of Canon, Nikon or Sigma SLR systems.
Pre-order new Profoto A1 AirTTL Studio Lights and Accessories
Profoto is expanding into on-camera flashes, with their new Profoto A1 AirTTL Studio Lights available in Canon or Nikon for $995 each. To get along with them, they are also launching nine accessories (gel kits, extra batteries, chargers, bounce cards, etc. You can see them all and place pre-orders at B&H Photo and Adorama.
Kohls in CHI and LA will be accepting Amazon (!) returns
The ever-changing retail landscape makes for strange bedfellows. Kohls and Amazon will begin a new experiment starting October 2017, 80+ Kohls stores in the Chicago and Los Angeles areas will be …accepting Amazon returns according to Reuters. What and how will probably revealed in those markets when the experiment begins.
10% off Dell Outlet with coupon
Coupon code SITEWIDE gets you 10% off sitewide at the Dell Home Outlet store until 9/25/17 at 11:59pm ET (or earlier for any items that may sell out). Check the terms and conditions and restrictions of the promotion over there.
PS: this is the Outlet store for Dell Home, not to be confused with "Dell Refurbished" (formerly Dell Financial Services).
Slik Lite CF-522 Carbon Fiber Tripod with Removable LED Flashlight for $170
Doorbusterama returns with a new limited time offer running until 9/20/17 (or earlier if sold out). You can get the new condition Slik Lite CF-522 Carbon Fiber Tripod with Removable LED Flashlight for $170 with free shipping from Adorama.
For more Adorama action, check their:
+ Camera Bag sale (230 options)
+ New Releases and New Pre-orders page
(ENDED) KEH Canon coupon: 8% off Cameras, 12% off Lenses, 15% off Accessories [1000+ options]
This 1-day coupon expired…


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Clean A Fireplace's Interior Walls And Hearth Before Repairing Seams That Contain Cracked Mortar
Cracked mortar that is in between some of the bricks that your fireplace is constructed of can be hazardous if a fire escapes through a gap where mortar is damaged. You should clean the bricks and remove loose mortar with the following repair instructions. After the bricks are dry and damaged mortar has been eliminated, apply a coat of fireplace mortar to areas in need, and smooth out the product so that it lays flush with the bricks that surround it. Here is what you will need:
- hand broom and standard broom
- dustpan
- dish detergent
- small tub of water
- scouring sponge
- wire brush
- towel
- tube of fireplace mortar
- caulking gun
- soft sponge
Sweep The Interior Walls And Hearth And Clean Surfaces
Use a hand broom to loosen debris from the fireplace's interior walls. Begin sweeping at the top of each wall, moving the hand broom from side to side. Continue moving downward with the tool until you have reached the hearth. Use a standard broom to sweep the hearth. Use a scouring sponge to apply a soapy cleanser (dish detergent mixed with water) to bricks that are covered with soot.
Move a wire brush against surfaces that contain cracked mortar so that loose pieces of mortar break off. Rinse the scouring sponge with water and use the sponge to wipe clean bricks. Towel dry interior walls and the hearth, being sure to throw away small pieces of mortar that came loose while you were cleaning the walls and hearth.
Apply Fireplace Mortar And Level The Product
Fireplace mortar is a product that is specifically designed to be used in areas where temperatures are extreme. You can purchase this product from a business that sells home improvement products and tools or from a fireplace retailer, like Quality Fireplace and Chimney. Fireplace mortar can be applied with a caulking gun so that you are able to apply the product with precision and add an even line of mortar along each seam that contains damaged mortar.
After inserting a tube of fireplace mortar in a gun, point the tip of the gun at one end of a seam that contains damaged mortar. Pull the gun's trigger back toward yourself until mortar seeps out of the end of the tool. Carefully move the tool across the surface of each seam. After replacing cracked mortar, use the tip of a soft sponge to level the fresh fireplace mortar that was applied. After pressing the tip of a sponge against the wet mortar, move the sponge across seams in straight lines. Wait for mortar to harden before lighting a fire in the fireplace.


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Here at Gateway Bank F.S.B, we aim to ensure that you are prepared for your financial ventures. We offer different services varying from personal checking and savings accounts to commercial loans. We are here to help! Feel free to visit our headquarters located in Oakland Chinatown.
Gateway Bank is a community bank committed to exceeding client expectations by providing an unparalleled level of personalized service. We offer our clients a full range of checking and savings plans, which will provide you with the features and benefits to meet all of your banking needs.
Copyright © 2020 Gateway Bank FSB - All Rights Reserved.
Questions? Call 1(510)268-8108


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|Images copyright MARVEL COMICS
A cascading cornucopia of cool comics, cartoons & classic collectables - plus other completely captivating & occasionally controversial content! With nostalgic notions, sentimental sighings, wistful wonderings, rueful reflections, remorseful ruminations, melancholy musings, poignant ponderings & yearnings for yesteryear! (To say nothing of a few profound perplexities & puzzling paradoxes thrown in for good measure.) Plus a bevy of beautiful, bedazzling, and buxom 'Babes'!
Saturday, 20 June 2015
6 comments:
Isn't it strange that just when they get John Buscema, who let's face it was superb, they drop colour! How annoying was that.
- 20 June 2015 at 07:36
- Kid said...
I don't think there was ever the option of having both, Phil. It was probably only because they knew they were getting rid of the colour that Marvel put their top artist on the CB strip - by way of compensation.
- 20 June 2015 at 09:57
I was very disappointed at the dropping of the colour pages but I kept reading CB till the final issue (and then followed the strip when it merged with Super Spider-Man). It's bizarre how memory works - I don't remember the cover of CB No.24 at all but I've never forgotten that the title of the story was "Fall Of The Fourth Reich" (but I did forget that it had a question mark). I also didn't remember that cardboard plane - why bother giving away such cheap tat ? And what does it mean "even more pages " - there were just 36 like before. I'd also forgotten that there were now four stories crammed in with fewer pages for each. But the covers of No.25 and 26 look nice - good grief, how long did that tedious Red Skull story drag on for. I'm afraid he's always been one of my least favourite Marvel villains, along with Magneto.
- 20 June 2015 at 13:34
- Kid said...
CB #s 1-23 had only 32 pages, CJ, so upping them to 36 with issue 24 is what it means by 'even more pages'. Never been mad on the Red Skull myself, but liked Magneto under Lee & Kirby (and Thomas & Roth). The reason for the gift was just to attract attention, because there's always someone who'll buy something in order to get a free gift - regardless how underwhelming it might be.
- 20 June 2015 at 13:43
Only 32 pages ?? I didn't remember that at all. I suppose No.24 was being treated as a kind of relaunch hence the free gift - it's hard to believe anybody would buy a comic just to get a crappy cardboard plane but you never know. Have you still got your plane,Kid ? Are these copies of CB your original ones ?
- 20 June 2015 at 22:38
- Kid said...
I gave away my original copies (except for #1) sometime in the late '70s, CJ, but I acquired a replacement set in the early '80s, which are the ones you see here, so I've had them for over 30 years. A year or two ago, I re-acquired #10 from the person I gave my originals to, because there was a particular memory associated with it. I doubt I've still got the 'plane, but you never know - it could be lying about somewhere. I've still got the plastic 'planes given away with The Complete FF and Rampage weekly 'though.
- 21 June 2015 at 00:52


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Most couples that split up, make the decision to do so together. But there are times when one spouse drops a bomb and asks the other for a divorce completely blindsiding the person. When things get to that level with Ontario couples there are usually signs that something needs to change or the marriage will end. Experts say, however, that people are never really all that surprised that their spouse has asked for a divorce.
The real reason a spouse can appear to be caught off guard by a partner's honest request for a divorce is not because it's all that surprising to them but because actually hearing it can be somewhat shocking.It takes time for some people to process. Life-changing news takes longer for some people to wrap their heads around. Some of these partners simply became indifferent to the status of their own marriages.
Couples that stop communicating can stop treating each other as equal partners. In many cases, they dehumanize each other and think of each other as doing certain things within the marriage like paying the bills, cleaning the house, taking the kids to soccer and so on and that becomes their reason for existing to each other. There may not even be any discord in the marriage, but something much more defining -- apathy.
The signs were there, but neither partner did anything to address them. Some marriages when they reach this level end up in divorce. An Ontario lawyer can clarify the next steps to take when a marriage is beyond the point of being saved. He or she can help a client to go through the process as painlessly as possible.


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Describing an ancient stand of trees in the novel Jayber Crow (one of the books on our yoga teacher training recommended reading list), Wendell Berry writes:
"Everything there seemed to belong where it was. That was why I went there. And I went to feel the change that that place always made in me. Always, as soon as I came in under the big trees, I began to go slowly and quietly. This was not because I was hunting (I hunted in other places), but because in a place where everything belongs where it is, you do not want to disturb anything. I went slowly and quietly. I watched where I put my feet. I went for solace and comfort, for a certain quietness of mind that came to me in no other place. Even the nettles and the mosquitoes comforted me, for they belonged where they were."
In so many words, Wendell Berry reminds me of my private reasons for teaching a nature-informed, ecologically-oriented yoga teacher training. The natural world reminds us of our human dignity, of the belongingness of all things. Without that recognition, something will always be lacking in a yoga practice. Wholeness will elude us. A yoga practice asks us to pause, and in that pause, especially if that pause is filled with the realization of belongingness, we may be lucky enough to glimpse the underlying order and unity of the world. And the quietness of mind may come along. Wendell Berry reminded me with these words both why I practice, and also why I live at the end of the road in the land-time-forgot called Pavones.
But this doesn't necessarily mean we all have to live in caves or on farms – where do you go slowly and quietly, for solace and comfort? Cherish those places. They are sacred beyond measure.


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Due to the current situation, your delivery may be delayed by 2-3 days.
HIPS: With your feet together, measure around the fullest part of your hips to ensure you'll have enough room to move comfortably.
TALL: All tall sizes are 5 cm longer than regular sizes and are marked with a T behind the size
SHORT: All short sizes are 5 cm shorter than regular sizes and are marked with a S behind the size
Ultra-tight, second-skin fit that keeps you locked in.
A slimmer, athletic cut that allows total mobility but eliminates the bulk of extra fabric.
Fuller cut for complete comfort, total range of motion & greater breathability.
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Unfortunately as much as I would love to give these a great review I can't. I've had these physically for less than a month and there is already splits in parts of the fabric. The leggings themselves are incredibly comfortable but they don't last long
Pros: Comfortable
Light and breathable
Cons: cheap material / Bad stitching in one section
Very small life span
I can't recommend buying them monthly
As usual, Under Armour provides a quality products for my workouts.
Fit little smaller than they should but they are a good product. I bought them for Christmas for my wife.
Played ice hockey in them. Very comfortable. Happy with purchase thus far.
These compression leggings are billed as XL - Tall. The "Tall" aspect really helps with overall fit and comfort. At 6'6" I need the "TALL" fit. Only one minor change could be made. If the waist band was 1/4 inch wider they would fit even better. Typical great UA quality --- Highly Recommended ..... (Also: under Sports listed.....nothing for cycling!!!! WHAT is up with that???? I use these leggings for Pilates and for cycling on cooler days .... they fit easily under short cycling bibs.... )
I wear for walking, and leisure. Very comfortable to wear as single layer. I wear with longer t-shirts or hoodies.
I purchased these to replace silk bottoms I usually wear in the winter. The waist is a little small, but tolerable. I will wait a couple of months to see how the hold up.
These stand up to my expectations from under armour! Quality, comfort, and fit are all great! Keep me plenty warm in the cold!
I have been wearing Under Armour for a very long time and I am as satisfied with the product today as I was 20 + years ago. [This review was collected as part of a promotion.]
Good compression and support for the boys, and does a good job wicking away sweat,


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Library of Heaven is Path
738 Golden Armored Cloak
Library of Heaven is Path Author:Heng Sao Tian Ya Vote(64) Comment
Chapter 738: Golden Armored Cloak
Translator: StarveCleric Editor: StarveCleric
But regardless, since the school head was looking for him, he mustn't keep him waiting. After instructing Luo Yan and the others once more to not allow Zhang Xuan to get away at any cost, he followed the master teacher to the school head's office.
The Blacksmith School was extremely large, taking up more than several ten thousand mu of land. It was divided into the Smithery, Staff Office, Learning Hall, and various examination facilities.
(10,000 mu = 6,666,666m^2)
Yuan Hong was in charge of the examination facilities, which was at the opposite end of the Staff Office.
Even so, with his incredible speed as a Saint realm expert, it didn't take him long to arrive before the school head's office.
Stepping into the office, he saw the school head and the other three vice school heads seated within, seemingly discussing something vital.
Head of the Blacksmith School, Zhao Bingxu, one of the Ten Great Master Teachers!
Of the entire Master Teacher Academy, his standing was second to only the head of the Apothecary School.
Seated upright at the end of the room, he carried a dignified and authoritative aura.
At this moment, the school head's eyebrows were knitted together, and the other three vice school heads had austere expressions on their faces as well.
"School head, you were looking for me?" Yuan Hong asked doubtfully as he headed towards an empty seat amidst the group.
"You arrived at a timely moment. There's something which I need your input on!" the school head nodded as he flicked his palm.
A formation in the room was activated, creating a barrier between those in the room and the rest of the world.
With the activation of this barrier, it would be impossible for anyone outside to listen to the conversation within the room.
Of course, this also meant that news outside wouldn't be able to reach this room either as long as the formation was active.
Seeing the school head going to the extent of even activating a formation to ensure perfect confidentiality, Yuan Hong was bewildered.
"Since everyone has arrived, I'll start then." School Head Zhao Bingxu nodded with a grim expression. "Just a moment ago, Elder Mo and Pavilion Master Mo have gathered the Ten Great Master Teachers together and announced something vital!"
Yuan Hong's face twisted in astonishment.
It must be a grave matter for Pavilion Master Mo and Elder Mo to have to gather the Ten Great Master Teachers together to confer about it.
"Could it be... news about the old principal?" One of the vice school heads couldn't help but ask.
The most crucial issue the Master Teacher Academy was facing at the moment was the old principal going missing, resulting in the lack of a leader to unite the academy together.
It would be great if there was news on him!
"That's not it." Zhao Bingxu shook his head gravely. "The Otherworldly Demonic Tribe has been appeared in the vicinity of Hongyuan City!"
"Otherworldly Demonic Tribe?" Yuan Hong's body instantaneously tensed up.
As a 6-star pinnacle master teacher, he understood the significance of an appearance of the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe.
But for the school head to activate a formation of confidentiality, the matter probably wasn't as simple as a mere appearance of the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe.
"That's right. Senior Byzantium Helios has come under their assault on Leiyuan Peak, and we are still unable to verify whether he's dead or alive at the moment." Zhao Bingxu said slowly.
The four men gathered here were the vice heads of the Blacksmith School, important pillars supporting humanity. They were trustworthy men whom he could entrust such crucial intelligence to.
"Senior Byzantium Helios has gone missing?" Yuan Hong and the others widened their eyes in astonishment.
They could hardly believe what they were hearing.
If that was truly the case, the situation must be truly dire!
Byzantium Helios Beast was the old principal's tamed beast, and his cultivation had long reached Saint 1-dan pinnacle. On top of that, as a saint beast, he commanded strength far beyond any of them here. If even he had fallen prey to the Otherworldly Demons... how powerful must their enemies be?
"Un. Senior Byzantium Helios went missing even before he could even send a message to us... Furthermore, based on the marks of battle left on Leiyuan Peak, there must be at least ten Saints among the Otherworldly Demons, and one of them was at least Saint 2-dan at minimum!" Zhao Bingxu said grimly.
The reason why he rushed here to inform the other vice school heads on this matter right after the conference was to have the Blacksmith School act immediately. If they were to delay on this matter, they might just miss the ideal window to save Byzantium Helios Beast.
"At least ten Saint realm Otherworldly Demons?"
"One of them is at least Saint 2-dan?"
Everyone trembled upon learning that news.
If that was really the case, this matter would be far beyond their ability.
"Should we... report this matter to the headquarter?" Yuan Hong asked.
With the appearance of so many Otherworldly Demons simultaneously, the Master Teacher Academy might just find itself overpowered. Given such, it might be preferable to have the headquarter send down stronger master teachers to deal with this issue.
"Mu shi from the headquarter has already arrived at the academy, and we have reported this matter to him as well. His view was to have us deal with this matter as far as we can, and if anyone succeeds in saving Senior Byzantium Helios, he would become the next principal of the academy!" Zhao Bingxu replied.
"The next principal?" Everyone's eyes immediately lit up.
If Zhao Bingxu could become the academy's new principal, the standing of the Blacksmith School in the academy would surely soar as well. It would only be a matter of time before it overtakes the Apothecary School as the first school in the academy.
"Un. The reason why I have all of you gathered here is to have you investigate the whereabouts of Senior Byzantium Helios. Our Blacksmith School must find him before the others..." Zhao Bingxu nodded, revealing his intentions.
"That's no problem at all!"
"School head, rest assured. We'll do our best!"
Hong Yuan and the others nodded.
This wasn't just a matter regarding Zhao Bingxu's promotion. The appearance of the Otherworldly Demons would be a threat to the entire Master Teacher Academy and even humanity as a whole. Even without the incentive of the principal's seat, they were still obligated to do so.
"Good, that's all for now. Return and make whatever necessary arrangements!" Zhao Bingxu nodded.
"School head, there's a matter I need to report!" Seeing the school head dismissing them, one of the vice school heads immediately stood up and said.
"I also have a matter to report..." Yuan Hong also hurriedly said.
"Vice School Head Xiong, you'll go first!" Seeing that the two vice school heads had matters to report, Zhao Bingxu nodded.
Vice School Head Xiong Bing was in charge of the Learning Hall, and he had the closest relationship with the students as well.
"Alright!" Xiong Bing nodded. "It's like that. A while back, a student reported finding traces left behind by Elder Wu Yangzi, and she requested to initiate a mission on it... Such matters often occur, so I didn't think too much of it either. So, I offered them a few Academic Credits as the reward and sent them on their way."
Wu Yangzi was the most talented blacksmith in the past ten thousand years of history of Hongyuan Empire, and many students viewed him as their idol. As a result, there were many students who would approach him with news they had gathered on Wu Yangzi and apply for a mission each year, but most of them would turn out to just be mere rumors.
"Could it be... they succeeded?" Hearing Xiong Bing abruptly raising this matter, a thought flashed across Yuan Hong's head, and his breathing began to hasten in agitation.
If this was true, it would cause a huge uproar in the Blacksmith School!
Even though it had been long since Wu Yangzi had passed away, he still commanded great prestige amongst the blacksmiths in Hongyuan City.
"It's still a little too early for me to verify whether it's true or not, but the one who reported the completion of the mission is... the Sixth Princess!" Xiong Bing said.
"Sixth Princess? You mean Princess Yu Fei-er?" Zhao Bingxu asked.
Yu Fei-er was a member of royalty, so even as one of the Ten Great Master Teachers, he had also heard about her.
"That's right. Not only so, there is Grade 2's Luo Qiqi and Xing Yuan from the Xing Clan!" Xiong Bing continued.
"I have heard of Luo Qiqi, she's a famous blacksmith genius in Grade 2. If we could groom her well, she would surely achieve great things in the future. As for Xing Yuan, is he that old fellow's offspring?" Zhao Bingxu asked.
"He is!" Xiong Bing nodded.
"Why would they suddenly go searching for Elder Wu Yangzi's whereabouts?" Yuan Hong asked in bewilderment.
Each year, there were many students who would attempt to search for Wu Yangzi's whereabouts to uncover the truth behind his disappearance, but often, the news they gathered turned out to just be rumors amongst the populace. As the top students of their grade, surely they should know better than to pursue groundless rumors?
"I am not too sure on that, but just today, they came to me and reported the completion of their mission. On top of that, they brought Elder Wu Yangzi's remains back... Due to the immense significance of this issue, I dare not pass judgement by myself. Thus, I hope that the rest of you can help me verify the authenticity of this issue as well!" Xiong Bing said gravely.
"Sure, we'll be more than willing to. Where are those students?" Zhao Bingxu said.
Everyone was taken aback to hear that the group had brought back Wu Yangzi's remains. Missions relating to searching for Wu Yangzi's whereabouts had always ended in a failure, but this group claimed to have found his body...
If that was true, this would truly be a huge matter!
While Zhao Bingxu was a 6-star pinnacle blacksmith as well, his skill was still terribly lacking as compared to Wu Yangzi. If the group had brought back any secret manuals left behind by Wu Yangzi along with them, the Blacksmith School could be revolutionized!
"They are currently waiting outside the room. I'll call them in now!" Xiong Bing hurriedly said.
"Alright!" Zhao Bingxu nodded.
Xiong Bing stepped out of the room, and a moment later, he returned with three students following behind him.
They were Xing Yuan, Luo Qiqi, and Yu Fei-er.
While Xing Yuan and Ye Qian had left Huanyu Empire earlier than Luo Qiqi and Yu Fei-er, the speed of the aerial spirit beast they took was far beneath that of the Great Violetwing Beast. As a result, Yu Fei-er and Luo Qiqi ended up arriving earlier than them.
As a result, it took them so long to gather together to report on the matter.
"Xing Yuan (Luo Qiqi, Yu Fei-er) pays respect to School Head Zhao and the other vice school heads!" The group clasped their fists and greeted.
"Spare with the ceremony!" Zhao Bingxu stroked his beard as his gaze fell on the group of three. "I heard that you found Elder Wu Yangzi's remains. Is that true?"
"That's true. This is the reason why we're here!" Xing Yuan nodded affirmatively. "I beseech School Head Zhao to verify the authenticity of the remains!"
With those words, he flicked his wrist, and a corpse appeared before the crowd.
It was the body which they had found in the underground chamber.
Upon seeing the corpse, Zhao Bingxu, Yuan Hong, and the others traded gazes, and their eyes narrowed.
As one of the top blacksmiths in Hongyuan City back in his time, there were many paintings on him, and they were passed down through the generations. The few of them had seen those paintings as well, and while the corpse before them was slightly withered, they were astonished to see that the distinctive features were identical to the painting depictions!
In other words... there was a good chance that the corpse before them belonged to Elder Wu Yangzi!
Could they have really accomplished what countless before them had failed to do?
"Elder Wu Yangzi has once smithed a [Golden Armored Cloak] which, unlike ordinary armor, could be concealed beneath one's skin. If this corpse has the Golden Armored Cloak beneath his skin, there will be no doubt that he's indeed Elder Wu Yangzi!" Zhao Bingxu stood up and observed the corpse carefully.
"Golden Armored Cloak?" Yuan Hong and the others were taken aback.
They had never heard of this before.
"That's right. Zhao Bingxu nodded as he gathered a surge of sword qi on his fingertip and lightly sliced the corpse's skin.
Si la!
A small incision was made on the corpse's skin, revealing a gleaming golden armor within.
"This is indeed the Golden Armored Cloak! There's no doubt about it, this is the remains of Elder Wu Yangzi!" Upon seeing the yellow shine beneath the corpse's skin, Zhao Bingxu clenched his fists tightly in agitation, and his breathing hastened.
A corpse could be faked, but it was impossible for the Golden Armored Cloak to be faked. This was because its forging method had already long disappeared from the face of the earth!
There was only one possibility given that the corpse before him was wearing it—he must be Wu Yangzi!


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24 Seconds With Michael Hecht of Greater New Orleans, Inc.
By: Jim Eichenhofe | NBA.com | 8/19/2016
In conjunction with the NBA's announcement that its 2017 All-Star festivities are coming to the Crescent City, we caught up with Michael Hecht, the president and CEO of Greater New Orleans, Inc. According to its website, the group's mission is to create jobs and wealth in the local 10-parish region "by pursuing an aggressive agenda of business development – marketing the region – and product development."
Hecht, who described the awarding of NBA All-Star as a significant economic victory for New Orleans, detailed the numerous benefits that come from hosting the prestigious, globally-watched event for a third time since 2008.
Pelicans.com: What are some of the components that make New Orleans an ideal All-Star host?
Hecht: There are three elements that make us so good, and in some ways, unparalleled as a host of an All-Star game. The first is that New Orleans is a globally-loved destination – we were just voted the No. 7 city in the world by the readers of Travel & Leisure magazine. The second is we have a long history and deep competency in hosting major events, whether it is Mardi Gras, Jazz Fest or All-Star games. Third, increasingly, whether it is for sporting events or living and working (day to day), people are choosing more compact, walkable urban environments. New Orleans really excels in that regard, in that we have downtown stadiums close to world heritage sites like the French Quarter, that allow a visitor to get around on foot, and not only experience the event, but the entire city in a compact and easily accessible way.
Pelicans.com: This is a very unique situation, given that bids for NBA All-Star are often granted two or more years in advance. What makes New Orleans a leading choice to host on such short notice, with All-Star coming in six months?
Hecht: New Orleans is unusual in that it not only has the physical infrastructure ready to go, but it has the human experience ready to go as well. So we're not only able to physically host a major event at a moment's notice, but we have the managerial competence to run it. That combination of people plus place makes us special.
Pelicans.com: What are some of the biggest benefits to a city of hosting a game?
Hecht: There are at least four clear benefits to the city. The first is the pure economic benefit, where we expect over $100 million in impact. The second is that it is a sampling opportunity, meaning that the tens of thousands of people who come here for the game will be able to experience not just the All-Star Game, but also the new New Orleans in a personal way – and that's a great way to drive affinity for New Orleans. The third is branding – the millions of people around the world who watch the game will be able to see the new New Orleans, a place that is thriving, progressive, dynamic, diverse. That's marketing that money simply could not buy; it's invaluable. Lastly, from a narrower economic standpoint, events like All-Star games and Super Bowls are outstanding business development opportunities, because they let us bring in clients to games and get great networking opportunities. Invariably, business development comes from hosting these events. For one of our newest video-game companies, High Voltage Software, a main part of the sell to them (to come to New Orleans) was the NBA All-Star Game in 2014, because both the owner and his daughter are big basketball players.
Pelicans.com: From your perspective, what has been the general impact for the city of New Orleans to boast two professional sports teams, with the Saints here now for 50 years and the Pelicans entering their 15th season?
Hecht: New Orleans is one of only 30-plus cities in the U.S. that have two (major-league) sports teams. We are relatively small in terms of population to have two. So having them not only allows us to experience the benefit of hosting the NBA All-Star Game, but really gives us an overall presence that is relatively larger than our size. Having the teams allows us to punch above our weight as a community. They are an essential part of how we project to the rest of the world.
You can read the full article here.


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1972 Olympic Swimming Champ Mark Spitz - Will Phelps shatter his records?
August 13, 2008
Hosted by Dr. Valerie Anne Kirkgaard
[Download MP3] [itunes] [Bookmark Episode]
Episode Description
Join 1984 Olympic Torch bearer, Dr. Val Kirkgaard & 1984 Olympic organizer Gail Elen as they play classic 2004 Spitz from the Waking Up In America archives - as they discuss Olympic values and how you can incorporate them into your lives. We'll discuss also discuss contagious emotion. Gail is working to get Mark live for the show. Keep your fingers crossed. Mark Andrew Spitz (born February 10, 1950, in Modesto, California) is a two-time American Olympic swimmer. He holds the record for most gold medals won in a single Olympic Games (seven), which he set at the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich, Germany. He remains (as of 2008) the only Olympic athlete to both win a gold medal in every (individual) event he entered in a given year, and to set a new world record in each such event.
Waking Up in America
Wednesday at 2 PM Pacific Time on VoiceAmerica Variety Channel
Go beyond rhetoric and tune into America's premiere experts; scientists, athletes, celebrities and world leaders in public and spiritual realms as they discuss the issues of today. A veteran interviewer, Dr. Kirkgaard brings you knowledgeable, entertaining and unpredictable guests like Deepak Chopra, Jean Houston, John Denver and US Ambassador for Nuclear Disarmament Thomas Graham. No matter what happens, Dr. Kirkgaard keeps her cool and shows you a side of her guests that you've never seen.
Dr. Valerie Anne Kirkgaard
Dr. Valerie Anne Kirkgaard, PhD, is a retired Marriage Family Counselor and the creator of the Kirkgaard Method of Directed Breath, a unique method of clearing emotional blocks. Each week on "Waking Up in America", Dr. Valerie brings you new and different techniques to handle life's ups and downs with grace and ease.


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Nokia - World's First Favourite Brand! Place Your Order Via Phone!
We sell standard Nokia phones, Nokia Lumia, and other advance feature models online. You can place order online or via phone. We serve all types of clients, under EMI or those looking for exchange offers, Mobile Paradise can offer solutions for all this and more.


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Kuwait gives 5-year jail sentence to activist for insulting emir
Kuwait gives 5-year jail sentence to activist for insulting emir
HomeMiddle EastPersian Gulf Sun Feb 1, 2015 5:4PM
Kuwait's lower court has handed down a 5-year prison term to a stateless activist for allegedly insulting the emir of the Persian Gulf monarchy, his lawyer says.
According to Khaled al-Kafeefa on Sunday, the activist Abdullah al-Enezi was sentenced to five years in prison for insulting the Kuwaiti ruler, a charge amounting to state security offense.
Enzi was arrested in February 2014 for attending a gathering of stateless people, known as bidoons, who called on the Kuwaiti officials to grant them citizenship. He was released three months later on a USD-1,700 bail.
Enzi later left Kuwait for a Western country in a bid to seek political asylum, his lawyer said.
Back in April 2014, Human Rights Watch urged Kuwait to launch a probe into allegations that Enzi and two other bidoons were tortured while in police detention.
Enzi's verdict came three days after six other stateless men were also sentenced to one year in jail for staging anti-government protests and clashing with the Kuwaiti security forces.
Almost 110,000 bidoons currently live in Kuwait. The government says it can grant citizenship only to 34,000 of them.
After the end of British protectorate in Kuwait in 1961, the officials of the independent state granted citizenship only to whom they called "founding fathers" and deprived a group of people of citizenship, thus called "bidoon jinsiya" or "without nationality."


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for Windows
Download for Windows v 184.108.40.206
You also may download previous versions
Requires: Windows 7 or later
To decrypt StealthMail Emails you will need a StealthMail Add-in for Outlook or any other StealthMail Client Application for Windows, macOS, Android or iOS.
Download it, install, add your Email account and register StealthMail account in it. Click on a Stealth-link in received secure email. StealthMail will open and decrypt your secure Email.
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Luiz Felipe Scolari has denied reports of a rift between himself and Guangzhou Evergrande's Paulinho as Spanish media continue to question the midfielder's future with the Chinese Super League club.
The 28-year-old has been the subject of several unsuccessful bids by Barcelona following a strong run of form for both his club and Brazil.
Spanish newspaper Mundo Deportivo reported that Scolari had removed Paulinho from training earlier in the week due to a lack of focus in light of Barcelona's attempts to buy him, but the World Cup-winning coach said the reports were incorrect.
"Paulinho has been training throughout the whole week and you saw how he played in today's game too," said Scolari after Guangzhou's 2-1 win over Shandong Luneng in the Chinese Super League on Saturday.
"I saw the report, it said I kicked Paulinho out of the training session. Actually, I sent Paulinho, Yu Hanchao and Li Xuepeng out to rest, but they only saw Paulinho.
"If they don't think Paulinho is a professional player and that he would treat the game with such a negative attitude, they are beyond naive."
Paulinho joined Guangzhou from Tottenham Hotspur in June 2015, helping the club to the Asian Champions League and two Chinese Super League titles.
His form for Guangzhou saw him recalled to the Brazil national team and he scored a hat-trick in a 4-1 win over Uruguay in March.
Guangzhou chairman Xu Jiayin has already said he was not for sale this season.
(For more sports news and updates, follow Ahram Online Sports on Twitter at @AO_Sports and on Facebook at AhramOnlineSports.)
© 2010 Ahram Online.


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2019 Budget Responses to Public Questions
During the 2019 supplemental budget process questions in the following topic areas were raised by commissioners or members of the public. Please see questions and responses below.
The 2018 Property Tax and Budget hearing ("Truth in Taxation") was held on Nov. 26, 2018. Ramsey County streamed the meeting via Facebook Live. Watch the video.
Body-Worn Cameras
What is the Sheriff's Office's plan to implement body-worn cameras by 2020?
A: The Sheriff's Office is planning for implementation by January 1, 2020. They are testing the products of several vendors and carefully studying their options for data storage and management, which are expensive and based on frequently-changing technology.
Will the stored data be public or private?
The data will be private, per Chapter 13 of Minnesota Statutes.
Note: Sheriff Serier provided a full update on the plan to implement body-worn cameras at a board discussion on Tuesday, September 18, 2018.
Communications Accessibility
Ramseycounty.us was designed for accessibility and is 508 compliant. When the site design was created prior to relaunching it in December 2015, Ramsey County retained specialty vendors to perform a complete review of the site for accessibility and usability. This is a benefit of taking a 'digital-first' approach to communications - native content on ramseycounty.us is intrinsically accessible. This is not so for all PDF documents hosted on ramseycounty.us (particularly older documents), but staff have been actively moving away from only providing information in PDF format. One strategy is extracting critical content from PDFs and representing it as native content on web pages (examples include Ramsey County's Strategic Plan and Popular Annual Financial Report). When information is posted in PDFs, our strategy is to also also provide the critical information as native content on web pages or through our Open Data Portal. Information in the Open Data Portal (such as our budget and Performance Measures) are accessible through vendor Socrata'a platform that is 508 and W3C compliant.
Communications staff have also been trained in creating accessible PDFs and are applying that training first to major publications that will be posted on ramseycounty.us going forward.
Additionally, captioning capability for streamed and archived video of meetings conducted in the Chambers of Saint Paul City Hall - Ramsey County Courthouse is being explored and evaluated in conjunction with the City of Saint Paul.
Community and Economic Development
What do you mean by community development projects?
Community development projects are those that are not categorized as housing or services. Community Development projects in the recent past have included leasehold improvements for New Trax, sidewalk construction on Larpenteur, parking lot improvements at White Bear Food Shelf and infrastructure at Gladstone.
Total number of acres redeveloped in the county? What about TCAAP? Is the 2040 number cumulative?
This measure is an annual count, rather than a cumulative count. It measures the amount of brownfield acres redeveloped annually through CED programs. The hundreds of acres at Rice Creek Commons that will be redeveloped over the next 10-15 years will dominate redevelopment efforts, but by 2040, it will have been completed. In the future we can measure brownfield acreage cumulatively to gain a better understanding of the size and scope of brownfields within the county.
How does the 4R program fit into the CED performance measures?
CED is actively working with Property Tax, Records and Election Services (PTRES) on a coordinated implementation workplan. Implementation of the strategic expansion of the 4R program, discussed with the County Board in a November 2015 board workshop, is mostly implemented but certain aspects are being reevaluated and performance measures for roles assigned to EGCI were not available for the 2019 Supplemental Budget. However, CED does the track the number of suburban tax-forfeited properties that receive CBDG funding. This figure fluctuates based off of the number of available suburban tax-forfeitures and the need for developer subsidy.
How will local communities and city governments be involved in the Economic Development planning process?
All the municipalities in Ramsey County will be invited to be part of Ramsey County's economic development strategic planning process. There has been past engagement at the staff level and we will incorporate that engagement in the process as well as provide more opportunities for strategic engagement in the plan. We will also ensure that community groups and residents are part of the process as well. Once we have our Economic Development Director hired, we will start on this process.
Update: An Economic Development Director was hired in November 2018.
Community Engagement
When we are developing policy and plans, at what point are we engaging with our residents—before, during, or after?
A: We engage as early as possible. We are developing a Community Engagement Guide that will help us make those determinations—when we should reach out, depending on whether we're informing people, asking them for guidance, etc. Additionally, we are developing a new Request for Board Action (RBA) format that will include an analysis on Equity Review and Community Impact, which will help us decide when and with whom to engage.
When will the new RBA format, with the Equity Review and Community Impact section, be implemented?
A: We are working with the County Clerk to implement the new RBAs no later than January 2019.
Why are we projected to include an Equity Review and Community Impact analysis in only 75 percent of all RBAs in 2040?
At this time, some RBAs appear not to have any discernable impact to analyze.
How does Policy & Planning determine with which partners and on what projects it will work, balancing demands and ensuring we have the right data?
The Strategic Team works together to make these determinations, think strategically, and avoid mixed messaging.
What is being done to counter the effect of the citizenship question on census participation rates?
Ramsey County has partnered with the City of Saint Paul to launch a joint Complete Count Committee, which held its first meeting on October 23, 2018. This committee consists of community members and representatives of local governments and will work to raise awareness about the importance of participating in the Census and the security of Census data. We will engage in extensive community outreach and engagement to encourage all our residents to participate.
Additionally, Minnesota—along with 17 other states, 10 cities, four counties, and the U.S. Conference of Mayors—is party to a lawsuit led by the State of New York against the US Department of Commerce to remove the citizenship question from the 2020 census questionnaire. The case is scheduled to be heard in Manhattan federal court on November 5, 2018.
Are School Resource Officers in all school districts?
A: We do have School Resource Officers (SROs) in all school districts. There are currently seven full-time SROs assigned through the school year. We are in the process of adding an eighth SRO to work at Lionsgate on an occasional basis.
How will get to 100 percent Library card adoption? Is there a plan in place?
Ramsey County Library is focused on three key strategies to increase Library card registration. They include:
- ConnectEd partnerships with school districts, whereby class rosters in designated grades are registered with library accounts (with a parental opt-out option and a one-time fine forgiveness to clear blocked records). Ramsey County Library has registered 8,000 student cards through this program. With additional effort and resources, we intend to register all students in schools in our service area with a public library card. This is an important tactic to address educational disparities by driving equitable access to educational materials and homework help.
- Ramsey County Library has a long history of registering new Kindergarten students with a library card. Each year, children's librarians conduct extensive classroom outreach and host a high profile card distribution event. Last year, Ramsey County registered nearly 1,600 new library cards to Kindergarten students.
- Ramsey County Library promotes new library card registration at all PopUp Library events, an effort that we launched in summer, 2016.
Ramsey County Library is always looking for new ways to remove barriers to registration. We are investigating ways to simplify online registration to enable immediate account creation and access to e-materials.
What are the outreach and engagement strategies for Section 3 registration?
The Section 3 program requires that recipients of certain HUD financial assistance, to the greatest extent possible, provide training, employment, contracting and other economic opportunities to low- and very low-income persons, especially recipients of government assistance for housing, and to businesses that provide economic opportunities to low- and very low-income persons. Section 3 applies to construction contracts of more than $100,000. Ramsey County CED does not directly contract for construction activities and rarely issues awards for construction to grantees that exceed that amount.
However, CED recognizes that this does present an opportunity to for local low- and moderate-income tradespersons and vendors and states in agreements that contractors are encouraged to consider Section 3 eligible hires/purchases. With the new consolidated approach initiated by Ramsey County, Section 3 workers and businesses can receive certification that is applicable across the region for 3 years. Certified workers and businesses receive notice of CDBG/HOME and other contracts; contractors can find workers and training opportunities are posted as well.
Section 3 information is available on the county website as well as http://tcsection3.org Participating jurisdictions reach out to a variety of constituent groups as well. Organizations that work with immigrants and new Americans and with disadvantaged youth, such as YouthBuild, have been notified of the registry and Construction Connect, operated by Ramsey County Workforce Solutions provides additional outreach as well as training. Although CED does not directly contract, we are entering discussions with procurement that will enhance data collection.
This figure includes all registrants and CED is responsible for tracking registrants from suburban Ramsey County. There are two primary ways that potential Section 3 tradespeople and businesses can register: online at tcsection3.org or they can download the forms and forward them to CED and we will add the information to the online regional registry.
How will we be using the Citizen Advisory Councils moving forward as part of our community engagement work?
The CAC and its committees continue to be a part of the Health and Wellness Administrative Division's, and Social Services and Financial Assistance Departments' community engagement work. At present, we are putting an emphasis on connecting the committees' work to the county's goals--both to support the county and to assure the relevance of the CAC's efforts.
For this first time in several years, an annual meeting was held. All committee members were invited to the September 24 event. The CAC Board Member liaison, and county staff leadership participated. A key goal is to identify ways the CAC can help the county achieve its strategic priorities and legislative goals. In addition to assisting the county, it is hoped that a closer connection to current county priorities will increase interest and participation by the community in the CAC.
Additionally, we have other statutory Advisory Committees in Community Corrections and Public Health. We continue to work to assure that the representation on all these community advisory committees reflect the diversity of the people of Ramsey County.
How can we better coordinate participation by county staff and elected officials at community engagement events, so we know who will be attending?
A: To help improve coordination, Communications will re-promote our community outreach kit to our departments via Ramsey News and RamseyNet. We will also provide a refresher at the Senior Management Team meetings to ensure that department heads are encouraging their staffs to check in with the kit organizers to check the schedule before attending events independently. A dedicated staff member in Communications is currently coordinating the scheduling of the kit.
Customer Experience Survey
Will we be doing online/electronic Customer Experience Surveys in the future?
A: Yes. While the Customer Experience Team is still developing plans for future surveys, we expect to provide an online response option.
Do you aim for a target number of participants in the Customer Experience Surveys?
A: There is no target number, but we will conduct the surveys a couple of times every year.
Data Privacy
How are we working to protect the private data of individuals? Could you please provide an update on data privacy protection efforts?
A: We propose a closed executive session after the first of the year on security updates by our CIO and Communications Director who serve on the county's Data Board. As part of this session, staff will provide an update and Q&A on data privacy protection efforts.
Deep-End Services for Juveniles
What is District Court doing to enhance deep-end services for juveniles, especially alternatives to out-of-home placement? How do the judges perceive this work?
A: These services are an important part of judges' work. Out-of-home placements have dropped significantly; the district court is working to ensure programmatic alternatives are available. The county is closely monitoring its expenses for the parents' attorneys in CHIPS cases, and may need to request more money for this in the future.
With efforts like the 0-3 Initiative and Pritzker Initiative, how can we work with families early on to prevent problems later?
A: It is important for upstream work to be guided by data, so we can direct the right resources to the right families and children. The Ramsey County Attorney's Office is currently in conversation with the community about sharing that data and what it is needed for.
Do we include voter registration information with our property tax notices?
A: Property tax notices typically go out after elections. We are looking at the possibility of including voter registration information in other major mailings, though. The Modernization Program will help us identify these kinds of opportunities to increase efficient communications.
Emergency Communications
How does Text-to-911 work?
A: Information is available here.
What explains the 30-second increase in response times noted on page 135, A2 of the Emergency Communications Center's (EEC's) performance measures?
A: This is due to multiple factors. Saint Paul has seen an increase in calls and when a squad is unable to respond immediately, the response time increases. Also, 2017 was a difficult year for ECC staffing levels and we had many employees in training. Staffing levels have since improved and we are much closer to full staffing.
Does ECC analyze the causes/reasons for 911 calls to help develop preventative safety measures, such as wellness checks in cooperation with Public Health?
A: While ECC does not do such analysis, the EEC's CAD system is the first point in a chain of data. When responders respond, they collect additional data that can be used to analyze the causes of calls.
Emergency Management Resources
Given that EMHS is almost entirely funded by grants, what is the status of federal funding for EMHS?
A: Nationwide, federal funding numbers are dropping. EMHS may need to come to the board for resources at some point in the future if the department wants to maintain resources.
What are the greatest disaster threats to Minnesota?
A: The most plausible worst-case scenarios in Minnesota include a major train accident involving oil or other hazardous materials leak; tornadoes; power failure due to ice storm; and a complex coordinated terrorist attack.
The two percent reduction in energy feels like status quo, when is the big push going to happen? Solar?
Ramsey County's Strategic Energy Plan sets the goal of achieving an energy use reduction of 25 percent below 2008 levels by December 31, 2020; 30 percent below 2008 levels by December 31, 2025; and 80 percent below 2008 levels by 2050. With the achievements made to date in reducing consumption and a minimum oft two percent reduction in future years these goals will be achieved. If more can be done sooner, with the resources available, the goals will be achieved earlier. The stated 2 precent per year target assumes limited capital resources and distributing investments over a longer period. County staff is intending to develop a policy related to renewable energy and solar. These initiatives do not reduce consumption. We need to ensure that funds needed to continue work on reducing consumption are not compromised as we explore the potential for or invest in renewable energy.
Given that court facilities are still a county responsibility, will the District Court need additional resources for court security?
The Chief Judge has said he was not aware of any effort to make such a request.
Health and Wellness
How many county evaluation projects would it be possible for the Community Evaluation Board to review?
A group of evaluation staff and supervisors from Community Corrections, HWAD, and Public Health met for the first time September 12 to address these types of questions. In the initial planning meeting, we discussed two broad topics – structure of the board and types of projects to bring to the board. We do not know at this time how many projects it would be possible to review as we are still looking at the structure, including things like membership and meeting structure/frequency. We are exploring two different structures, one that builds on the work of the Race Equity Action Teams being implemented by Public Health for the entire service team and one that involves a potential community partner already doing this type of work.
The number of projects also depends on the number and type of requests we receive from program areas. Evaluation units take on a variety of types of evaluations. Many are not "traditional" evaluation involving a program with a start and end date, which lends itself to community review and input. Often evaluation staff are helping managers and directors make business decisions, such as staffing levels for a call center, using data. These "business analytics" type projects may not be the best fit for a board like this. Evaluators also develop and implement performance measures, which would likely benefit from community input but do not follow the same development timelines as traditional evaluation. We will report back to the Board on completed evaluations throughout the year.
How do we choose and determine projects they review vs. those they don't review?
We are also developing criteria for the types of projects this board would review. Ideally, those criteria would be developed in partnership with the board itself. A common complaint from community is that they are brought in once ideas are developed, rather than being involved with the development of the idea itself. We hope to avoid making that mistake by engaging this group in decisions about types of projects to bring to it. That said, we are looking at four potential touch points that would be flexible enough to work with the wide variety of evaluation projects undertaken in different areas and the various ways we receive requests from program areas. The touch points are: goals of a program, evaluation design and question development, initial finding or data review, and final recommendations.
What's the connection to lack of mental health services (for chemical dependency, etc.) as barriers for individuals experiencing homelessness? How are we working to address this?
Many homeless individuals we serve also have chemical health and mental health issues which attributes to them not being able to secure or maintain housing because their mental illness interferes with their ability to manage a household and care for themselves. Additional mental and chemical health services would allow these vulnerable individuals to live independently in the community or in some cases shelters can specialize in seeing people with MA or CD issues.
How are we are addressing this?
The Department has two projects that are connecting homeless single adults, with mental and chemical health issues, to appropriate housing and resources. The Redirecting Users from Shelter to Housing (RUSH) and Outside In Project.
Referencing page 279, regarding the percent of people exiting single shelters who return to shelter within six months. Is it possible to have this number be even lower than what is targeted for 2040?
We can certainly take a look at lower the target, but we wanted to be realistic given the current housing market.
We need to have a board workshop on affordable housing. How are we partnering with Ramsey County municipalities and others on this issue?
The Board held a Housing Workshop on Tuesday, October 2, 2018. We partnered with Heading Home Ramsey on the workshop. The morning session included an update on internal county efforts to address homelessness and the afternoon session was an update from Heading Home Ramsey Partners.
Do we know the percent of veterans in Ramsey County that we are serving through our Veterans Services office?
We do not know the percent of veterans in Ramsey County that Ramsey County Veterans Services (RCVS) is currently serving. VA provides an annual estimate of the number of veterans in every state/county across the nation based on aggregate data that includes census information and numbers of veterans currently receiving VA benefits. The current estimate for Ramsey County is 24,155. This estimated number does not include all dependents, surviving spouses and advocates that are currently being served by RCVS. There are currently 32,642 veteran records in the RCVS database. This database was established in 2011 and approximately 13,000 historical paper records were converted to this system at the time it was implemented. Additional records created since implementation could help inform numbers served since that time but provide only a partial picture. In 2017 RCVS assessed and/or interviewed 2396 veterans and their families. In 2017 RCVS responded to 9,657 phone contacts coming in to our main office phone.
Are affiliated organizations working on this issue or is this something we need to spearhead?
Many of our affiliated and partner organizations are working on issues related to integrated health and justice (e.g. St. Paul Police mental health unit). Much of this work benefit from overall, high-level coordination which is part of the goal of the planned Leadership Committee which will be convened by the end of 2018 and consist of affiliated organizations and community partners.
Will we be including this as part of our legislative needs? What policy changes will we want to request?
There are several statewide groups and initiatives that are working on legislative proposals which could be included in our legislative platform – e.g. changes to competency and commitment statutes; increased funding for community-based or regional treatment options.
Regarding the difficulty of attracting and retaining Correctional Health Staff (especially registered nurses), how are we making unions and other organizations aware of employment opportunities at our facilities?
We are working with local educational institutions to raise awareness of career opportunities in correctional health. Position postings are also shared with temporary, contract staff who may be interested in full-time, permanent positions.
How can we make our job opportunities more attractive? Are we also considering internship opportunities?
We are currently conducting a salary review as a part of an overall analysis of correctional health in county facilities. Began an internship program with local University of Northwestern in 2018.
Regarding Sexual Offense Services (SOS), can we get an evaluator assigned to this to determine why we aren't meeting certain benchmarks?
Public Health leadership is researching getting an HWAD appointed evaluator to this work.
Regarding lead assessments in homes we need to keep this issue front and center as it directly impacts early childhood outcomes. How do we continue to reach out to communities about this issue?
Environmental Health is moving forward with an enhanced lead and healthy homes program that will:
- Engage communities in neighborhoods with concentrated financial poverty to work together to assist residents with reducing risks related to lead and housing;
- Invest in neighborhoods with concentrated financial poverty by providing funding for window replacement in HUD-eligible owner/occupied and rental housing;
- Provide a lower-cost option for reducing the onset of asthma by providing healthy homes equipment, supplies and training to eligible families; and
- Develop workforce training and development by creating local job opportunities to carry out window replacement services.
In doing this work, Environmental Health will continue to expand partnerships with community organizations in targeted neighborhoods, local community housing and development agencies, local workforce development entities, City of Saint Paul Planning & Economic Development, school nurses, and community clinics. To that end Environmental Health is hiring a health educator trained in community engagement to work with a variety of partners to increase the number of referrals. By working more closely with community organizations in targeted neighborhoods, local community housing and development agencies, school nurses, community clinics as well as hospitals and clinics, the person in this position will be able to ensure that more children are tested for lead, that homes that need lead hazard control can be identified, and that more children with severe asthma can be enrolled in the healthy homes program.
Related to Active Living, how are we engaging our seniors? This isn't reflected in our performance measures but could be a good workshop topic for the future.
SHIP has funded several initiatives to engage and support our seniors:
- We funded a senior-focused exercise classes within the North Dale Rec Center and Hallie Q. Brown Center
- We have had ongoing support within Saint Paul Public Housing focused on seniors, including:
- Balance classes that include assessments by physical therapy students and nurses
- Inclusive walking groups
- Improving roadway crossings at several dangerous locations with AARP
- Continuing to work with Active Living Ramsey Communities Bike and Ped Plan
- Continuing to work with St. Paul Pedestrian Plan
- Implementing SRTS strategies that has an 8-80 lens
- Continuing to review Ramsey County Municipality's Comprehensive Plans to make sure active living and healthy aging are integrated
Regarding the 2040 target for percent of children involved with Child Protection who achieve permanency within 12 months. Can you provide a narrative to support this target number?
While we strive to have all children involved with Child Protection achieve permanency within 12 months, we recognize that child safety is the overall goal and for some children permanency may take longer due to complex family situations. Social Services is working to safely decrease the number of children removed from their homes and to provide services and supports earlier that may prevent out-of-home placement. The 2040 target reflects this. The children included in the measure in 2040 will likely have more complex needs and more complicated family situations than today because those who are able to have their safety needs met earlier will no longer be in this measure. The children included will be those for whom preventative and early intervention strategies were not effective. This is a realistic target based on the expectation that the children included will be different than those in it today.
How are we doing in terms of tracking the children of incarcerated parents? For the future, how can we highlight this in our performance measures? We need to know who has kids while incarcerated. We need to understand the impact of incarceration on children.
- Approximately 75 percent of women that are incarcerated are primary/sole caregivers.
- While a primary caregiver is incarcerated, the children that remain in the community typically have more medical and mental health issues, they struggle to attend and perform in school, and they struggle with the stigma associated with having a parent behind bars.
- Due to these effects that incarceration has on the child, RCCF offers the female inmates face-to-face visits with their children to help lessen the impact of the separation on both the child and mother.
- RCCF also offers the women a Parenting Program and counseling for primary caregivers. These opportunities are meant to support/educate the inmates as mothers, but also help them manage the stress and anxiety that goes along with being separated from their children.
- In addition, a county leadership team, "Serving Children of Incarcerated Parents" is also meeting to discuss strategies to address concerns in this area.
- We are also tracking the number of children in child protection whose parent are incarcerated.
What is the exact "bed surcharge" amount per bed at Lake Owasso Residence?
The daily surcharge per bed is $10/81. This adds up to $235,455.96 per year for Lake Owasso.
Is it a fee that doesn't come back into the system but instead goes into the general fund?
This fee does go back into the system through our reimbursed day rate, so the State (DHS) is paying us to pay them. It is a pass through for the State/DHS. However, we are charged the daily surcharge no matter if the bed is occupied, so if the bed is unoccupied we cannot bill for it and are not reimbursed.
Information Services
Is Ramsey County looking at any particularly interesting ideas for apps that we could use in the future?
A: While we cannot predict what kinds of apps will be coming out in the future, we would be interested in those that are located-based and linked to data sets.
What is Emergency Management and Homeland Security (EMHS) doing to enhance cybersecurity?
A: EMHS is working with Information Services on cybersecurity issues. EMHS also coordinates the Continuity of Operations Planning (COOP) for Ramsey County.
Juvenile Corrections
More data on juvenile corrections (diversion, charging, and impact on communities) in the performance measures would be good.
A: The Ramsey County Attorney's Office has the data but has lacked the capacity to pull it together and make it available. However, it will be making a presentation to the Juvenile Detention Alternatives Committee soon.
Follow-up: The Ramsey County Attorney's Office presented data from the Juvenile Division to the JDAI-DMC Committee on September 13, 2018.
Medical Examiner—Resources
How is the shortage of space for bodies affecting us?
A: The demand for mandated and requested autopsies is exhausting our resources, forcing the Medical Examiner to choose when/which autopsies could or should be performed (though they are always performed in cases of non-natural or overdose deaths).
Why do families sometimes request autopsies?
A: Families often desire more information when a loved one dies. If the Medical Examiner does not have the capacity to perform a requested autopsy, we may refer a family to a private service.
What are the costs and benefits of doing autopsies in-house?
A: There are no costs to taxpayers. In the work the Medical Examiner does for contracting referral counties, we are fully recovering our costs. If capacity becomes an issue, we can reopen and update the study completed on this issue two years ago.
Please provide more information on Medical Examiner costs going forward.
A: The county will begin discussions about the potential budget impact of a fifth pathologist well in advance of the 2020/21 budget preparation. With regard to non-jurisdictional referral cases, the analysis the county completed two years ago showed that such cases actually reduced the levy by $500,000. We will review updated data as part of the next budget cycle.
Is the Medical Examiner including careers in forensics in the county's Career Pathways work?
A: The Medical Examiner is in the initial stages of preparing for this and will deploy it next year.
Opioid Overdoes
Please discuss Not Another Overdose at greater length.
A: All sworn officers carry Narcan, which can reverse the effects of overdose, and all department personnel have been trained in the use of Narcan and first aid for overdoses. We have recently received a grant to help us purchase Narcan for all of patrol and the narcotics unit, which should enable us to have supplies for the next 18 months.
When will the Resilient Communities report on mapping social vulnerabilities be available?
A: If the EMHS project is matched with University of Minnesota students, it would take at least a year to gather and analyze the data. The report would then be released by spring 2020.
Parks and Recreation
Could you further explain early childhood development tests at the Tamarack nature preschool and how it could connect to the county's YCC/0-3 efforts?
The Tamarack Nature Center is the host site for a nature preschool that is operated in partnership with the White Bear Lake Area School District. The White Bear Lake Area School district conducts childhood development tests at the beginning and conclusion of each academic year for children attending the preschool. These tests are designed to measure a child's social and emotional development. The Youth Continuum of Care (YCC) initiative within Ramsey County is tracking all youth related programs that are a part of the county's work. The nature preschool childhood development tests are one metric that may be tracked through the YCC.
How is "defining areas of concentrated financial poverty" actually reducing poverty? How have we determined the targets in our performance measures?
A: We are working to reduce poverty with several initiatives in the areas of economic development, workforce development, opportunity zones, and the Resilient Communities Project. However, it is also important to have good data about the areas where we should focus our efforts
Probation Revocation
With Ramsey County having one of the highest probation revocation rates in the state, how might we reduce probation revocations?
A: Although Community Corrections is best positioned to answer this, the Ramsey County Attorney's Office suggests we consider implementing something similar to the State of Hawaii's HOPE model of swift, certain, and fair consequences of shorter duration for probationers.
Follow-up: The Ramsey County Attorney's Office provided a follow-up email to the Board of Commissioners, dated August 27, 2018, with an overview of the model, how it works, and a road map and tools for implementation in other jurisdictions. Additionally, Corrections leadership reports that they will meet with the County Attorney and his staff in October to discuss various options for achieving better outcomes for clients who are most at risk for probation violations and revocations. This work will require collaboration from all justice system partners, and a coordinated and shared effort is essential.
A. How are we mentoring small and diverse businesses in the procurement process, beyond simply informing them of the process?
A: Ramsey County just held its highly successful 2018 Procurement Fair, which included for the first time a morning of facilitated small-group discussions with vendors and potential vendors, eliciting their feedback on what they need to be successful in doing business with Ramsey County. The fair also included a "reverse vendor fair" in the afternoon, where many of our departments had tables and were present to talk with fair participants. We have received many thanks and compliments on the fair from participants, including some saying it was the best procurement fair they had ever attended. Some participants also said they thought Ramsey County genuinely wants to listen to and work with the business community.
How are we identifying and contracting with minority-owned small business enterprises?
A: We have made great progress in compiling data on Ramsey County's contracting with minority-owned CERT SBEs. This data helps us see where were at and where we need to improve. Our 2017 Procurement Reports present this data, as well as more general data about contracting with CERT-certified Small Business Enterprises (CERT SBEs). These reports can be found here. Additionally, the Open Data Portal now provides continually updated data on SBE CERT contracting across the county.
Is it possible for the Sheriff's Office to expand its Certified Small Business Enterprise (CERT SBE) vendor relationships more quickly than projected in its performance measures?
A: The Sheriff's Office does not have that many contacts with vendors to begin with, so the potential for growth is limited. However, it is working to expand its relationships with small businesses as much as possible.
Why was 32% chosen for the CERT SBE goal in Property Management?
A. Policy & Planning is currently researching how other agencies approach contracting goals. The county board can expect further discussion on countywide contracting goals for capital projects.
Public Works
How are we going to track the strategy: "Utilize the county's All Ability Transportation Network policy to accommodate multi-modal transportation user's needs?"
Public Works currently identifies and tracks this as a performance measure through our Opportunity Goal - Invest between 15-20% of total construction dollars towards multimodal features of the transportation system. Along with this investment, Public Works also annually identifies the miles of sidewalk/trail and bike lanes incorporated into projects. In addition, Public Works will be making changes to its identification and selection of projects to be included into the Transportation Improvement Plan (TIP) based on the guidance in the All Abilities Transportation Network Policy.
What is the gig economy?
A gig economy is an environment in which temporary positions are common and organizations contract with independent contractors for short term engagements.
How does the MFIP Graduation Rate compare to the graduation rate of other young parents?
In 2017, the statewide graduation rate was 83 percent, the Saint Paul Public Schools rate was 79.9 percent and the graduation rate for the teen MFIP program was 77 percent. Nationally, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 50 percent of teen mothers receive a high school diploma by age 22.


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As cold as a winter lake, as warm as a summer breeze, as deep as an ocean, as swift as a river, as vast as a midnight sky, so is life as it asks you to take it on, to live, to grow, and to evolve. Life presents you with its ebbs and flows, its ups and downs, its lessons in how to be, how to get along, how to proceed, but it's up to you to make something of yourself, to create the life you want, to contribute to and be a full-fledged member of the world. The gift of life was freely given to you, but it's up to you to take it forward, one day and one step at a time. It's all about taking responsibility for yourself because the truth is, no one else can do it for you. It's your life after all. It's never too late to create a new you, a new reality for yourself. Is today the day? Ready to take it on? And remember, the whole universe is supporting you!
-From the Soul Sisters, Jan & Jeanne


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I used to reserve 10 AM ET on Sunday to watch a lively discussion about politics among a group of panelists with varying opinions on Meet The Press. But if you have watched it lately, you will know that the program now devotes 80% of it's content to one side or the other simply spouting their talking points. The panel discussions are now about 8 minutes, maximum.
America is more divided than ever and the only way we can bridge that divide is to share our differing opinions, not by providing a 'commercial' for one side or the other.
I will be sure to tune out Meet The Press until they go back to being true to their original mission.


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The P3 Blog
Popular Payable Posts
Are You an Operations-Minded CFO? – Becoming a Full Stack CFO
Over 40% of business projects are missing their deadlines and budget targets.
This article is the fifth and final part of the 5-part series focused on Becoming a Full Stack CFO.
According to the 2018 Pulse of the Profession, 43 percent of business projects are not completed within budget, and nearly half (48 percent) are not completed on time.
As a result, around one out of three business projects fall short of their goals.
These numbers are truly staggering.
While project management duties may not seem related to the day-to-day of a CFO, the truth is that Operations-Minded CFOs bring both the necessary perspective and skill set to drive higher project implementation success rates.
As companies report engaging executive leadership on just 38% of projects, it's clear that CFOs should be more involved. And with $1 million reported to be wasted collectively by organizations across the globe every 20 seconds, companies actually stand to gain a lot by incorporating Operations-Minded CFOs into project planning and execution.
Here are three questions an Operations-Minded CFO should consider while attacking inefficiencies across their organizations:
Am I getting the most out of my company's human capital?
Not only is human capital one of the largest sources of overhead for your organization, but it is also the key to smooth operations.
Sound business plans can quickly get derailed by employee turnover, and even the most highly-motivated executive team will struggle to accomplish anything with an apathetic staff.
For these reasons, it's critical that human capital is managed as the key component to business operations that it truly is. Establishing a culture that promotes employee longevity with the company is a good starting point. And consistently rewarding employees for meeting project deadlines and goals will encourage future success.
Are there any operating procedures that can be made more efficient?
While middle management may have confidence that they are operating at maximum capacity, sometimes it takes a higher-level perspective to recognize inefficiencies embedded within the ways teams are operating.
For this reason, it's important for Operations-Minded CFOs to work with department heads to keep track of department goals while continually evaluating the processes in place to achieve them.
Accounts payable is an example of a business process that has been stuck in the stone ages of operating, as mailing paper checks and juggling dozens of email approval email threads is accepted as the status quo. Meanwhile, accounts payable automation solutions are enabling accounting teams to get 64 hours back every month to rededicate to other value-added initiatives.
Am I anticipating change from both within and outside of the company?
Industry disruption looms over every company, and there's no way to foresee events within and outside of companies that can radically shift priorities.
However, Operations-Minded CFOs can anticipate change by maintaining a strong understanding of their company's mission critical processes and keeping up with trends across the industry that can potentially impact them.
To learn about the other roles that define a Full Stack CFO, read the Whitepaper Becoming a Full Stack CFO.
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Technical Blog Post
BiLog: Can you Wait? Maximo KPI Viewer
I can't wait....
At the Department of Motor Vehicles (Three hours to swap a license plate?)
At the Dentist (The thought of impending agony and drool)
At the Coffee Shop (For those beignets!)
Can you wait...for your Maximo Start Center to load?
If you or your users follow the three second rule having a Start Center packed full of KPIs can impact the load time of that page. Starting in Maximo 76, the new KPI Viewer application provides an alternate method for your users to view and act on your organizations Key Performance Indicators. By granting your end users access to this application, your users can
- Immediately see the status of the KPIs they have security access to.
- Access the long description of these KPIs to review how they are calculated and how they daily business tasks impact performance
- View trending information to view KPI performance improvement and degradation.
-Input and view information in individual KPI communication logs to
Using the new KPI Viewer application enables you to
- Relocate a subset or all of your KPIs from the Start Center
- Improve your Start Center Load Time
- Provide more KPI information and performance trends to your users
You can view how you can utilize the new KPI Viewer application in this YouTube Video
Additionally, these videos on the enhanced KPI Manager application and the new KPI Template application highlight exciting new features of these new and updated Maximo 76 applications.
Can't wait to upgrade to Maximo 76!