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I. TERMINAL LEARNING OBJECTIVE. In a mountainous environment, execute preventive measures for mountain injuries, in accordance with the references.
9 ENABLING LEARNING OBJECTIVE. Without the aid of references and given the acronym "BE SAFE MARINE", list in writing the principles of mountain safety, in accordance with the references.
METHOD/MEDIA. The material in this lesson will be presented by lecture and demonstration. You will practice what you learn during upcoming field training exercises. Those of you who have IRF's please fill them out at the conclusion of this period of instruction.
5 EVALUATION. You will be tested later in the course by written and performance evaluations on this period of instruction.
TRANSITION: Having discussed our purposes, let's now look at the planning and preparation of a military operation.
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LP (12"/10" Album)
Label: SOUNDFLAT
Release date: 25/10/2005
Barcode: 2090502572561
Catalog no.: SFR0000007
Item ID: 257256
COMES WITH GREAT 3-D COVER ARTWORK! At long last the third LP from those Bremen lads is available. The COOL JERKS have been going through all their dictionaries and have come up with songs in several different languages - not just English and German but also French, Japanese, Dutch and Italien. Naturally there are also a couple of pure instrumentals. The topics are as diverse as wed expect from the COOL JERKS - ranging from monsters, love, girls right through to buying stamps.
The music pulses out of the speakers and is reminiscent of their first LP - THIS IS IT - now sold out on vinyl and only available on CD - Its no accident that SCOTT ROGERS from the US COOL JERKS was flown in from Memphis to lend that dirty guitar sound of his to ,Smokin The Pope". But the COOL JERKS wouldnt be the COOL JERKS if they didnt have something up their sleeves for every friens of good music - be it 60s beat, authentic Beatlesque sounds, twist, garage or punk rock. There's even a 60s ballad on the bonus 7" - the German version of the Small Faces classic "All Or Nothing".
"Bunker Revolution" on the special bonus DJ 7" is a song in the style of the Hamburg school with a kick-ass attitude, proving just how versatile the COOL JERKS really are. The LPs is not just a treat for the ears, but the eyes as well - the cover is in a 3D effec and shows the return of the lost 4th Cool Jerk, Erich Sellheim the organist, in his "brorrowed" spaceship.
The liner notes, written by Gerd-August Lekkebusch, Chairman of the Association Dedicated to Saving Beat Music - 1965, Bremen branch show that with their sound the COOL JERKS of Bremen pave the way for the cultural revival of rebellion, wildness and coolness: "This is gut-level, stage-rocking music".
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Lord Nexus' overlord lightsaber is a completely custom and unique design, created by Lord Nexus to match his saber fighting style. It is actually a double bladed saber, though Nexus rarely uses the second blade. One side of the hilt has an ornate sculpted Krayt skull, which is the head of the main blade. Within this skull lies the main mechanics of the blade, at the base, which connects to the rod is a substantially large emitter, which creates a much larger beam of energy, in order to maintain this beam, more focusing crystals are required, they are inserted in select parts of the krayt skull. The end result is a 1.7 meter long, 6.5 inch wide, extremely powerful blade. The second blade is a normal saber blade, though it has a dual phase emitter. In order to power this light saber, the power cell is much larger than normal. To protect the mechanics of the saber Nexus crafted the hilt out of beskar and Electrum.
Mechanical statisticsEdit
Hilt style: Double bladed saber hilt, crafted from beskar, with an Electrum finish. The main head of the hilt is a Phrik sculpted Krayt dragon skull, which can adjust inorder to make the saber form easier to use.
Emitter: One custom large overcharged emitter, one dual phase emitter
Crystals: Nextor crystals, Damind crystal, Durindfire crystal, Hurrikaine crystal, Sigil crystal, Personal crystal, Krayt pearl --for large blade, for normal blade- Red synthetic
Power cell: Large HCI power cell
Lens: Duelling lens
Strengths and weakness Edit
This blade is large and unorthodox, it is wielded in a way unknown to most, a combination of the saber forms. Its size and reach give an edge to Nexus.
Its weakness is that its over-powering also causes the blade to be extremely volatile, thus the wielder must be aware of the blades mechanics at all time, one problem could cost your life.


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You probably brush your teeth twice a day, but are you brushing properly? Here, we'll provide a guide to brushing your teeth the correct way.
Before we dive into the correct technique of brushing your teeth, let's talk about your toothbrush. It's vital that you have the right toothbrush to clean your teeth the right way. Soft bristled toothbrushes are generally recommended, especially if you tend to use a lot of force when you brush your teeth and need to remove plaque buildup on your teeth. You should also look for a toothbrush whose head will fit well in your mouth, allowing you to get those hard-to-reach places. You should also be replacing your toothbrush every three to four months or sooner if you see signs of fraying or if you have a cold so you're not recycling those germs in your mouth. Finally, be sure you're using the right kind of toothpaste, meaning a toothpaste that contains fluoride and has the ADA seal of approval. If you have more specific needs such as whitening or tooth sensitivity, ask your dentist what kind of toothpaste you should be using.
Now that you have the right tools, let's discuss the correct way to brush your teeth. First, place the toothbrush at a 45 degree angle to the gums. Next, move the brush back and forth in gentle, short strokes. Then, use this technique to brush the inside, outside, and chewing surfaces of every single tooth. The inside surface of the front teeth can be a little tricky so to brush it thoroughly you'll need to tilt the brush vertically and make a few up and down strokes. Finally, brush your tongue to get rid of any bacteria hiding there and to ensure that your breath stays fresh.
The American Dental Association recommends that you brush your teeth for two minutes every time you brush. This may seem like a long time, but in the grand scheme of things it's a very short amount of time that can help prevent serious dental issues in the future. And while you are brushing for those two minutes, be sure to brush all around your teeth and mouth, not missing any spots and getting the hard to reach places at the back of your mouth.
If you have any other questions about brushing your teeth the correct way, give us a call to schedule an appointment!


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2018 AFC East Betting Preview
When the same NFL team wins its division nine seasons in a row as part of a run that includes 14 division titles over a course of 15 years, it is pretty safe to assume that it will be favored to win again heading into a new regular season.
Under the guidance of Bill Belichick as head coach with future Hall of Fame quarterback Tom Brady running the offense, the New England Patriots have been the most dominant franchise in the NFL since the turn of the century. This duo remains in place this season with the Patriots listed as prohibitive -600 favorites to win the AFC East again in 2018. VietBet has also listed New England as a +300 favorite to win the AFC and as a +700 favorite to win Super Bowl LIII.
It makes no sense to bet against the Patriots winning the division at those odds and there is little value in the risk/reward in a bet that they will win the AFC East in 2018. The main value on the board when it comes to betting this division as a whole is on VietBet's posted betting lines for each team's projected win total in the regular season.
Where Can I Bet The 2018 AFC East NFL Games Online?
New England's win total this season has been set at 11 with betting odds favoring the OVER at -155. Given that this team has won at least 12 games in each of its last eight seasons, I would go with the risk/reward on the OVER in that bet.
The Miami Dolphins have the second-best odds to win the AFC East at +800 and their projected win total is set at 6.5. The betting odds do favor the OVER at -130 and that would be the way to go in my book. Miami took a step backwards last season to 6-10, following a 10-win season and trip to the playoffs in 2016. There is enough talent on this team to climb back to eight or nine wins this season.
The third-favorite to win this division is the Buffalo Bills at +1200 with a projected win total of 6.5. The Bills overachieved last season with a 9-7 record and its first trip to the playoffs since 1999. Off-field issues surrounding running back LeSean McCoy cloud the situation as do questions at the quarterback position to enhance a play on the UNDER 6.5 wins at -220.
The New York Jets embark on a major rebuilding process at +1400 odds to win the division. After going 5-11 in each of the last two seasons, I would go with the UNDER at -140 for their 2018 win projection of six games.
Previous News Article: 2018 AFC North Betting Preview


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The Virginia Initiative for Growth and Opportunity in each region (GO Virginia) was initiated by Virginia's senior business leaders to foster private-sector growth and job creation through state incentives for regional collaboration by business, education, and government. Recognizing the harsh effect of deep federal budget cuts on a Virginia economy that is overly dependent on public-sector jobs, they launched the GO Virginia campaign to work for regional cooperation on private-sector growth, job creation, and career readiness.
GO Virginia's mission is based on three main points:
- Virginia urgently needs strong private-sector growth.
- Growth in Virginia's diverse regions requires collaboration
- State government must be a catalyst and partner.
More information can be found on the GO Virginia website.
Region Five
In 2016, the Virginia Growth and Opportunity Board certified nine distinct regions across the Commonwealth.
These regions consist of multiple local jurisdictions that are geographically similar and also share similar economic development and workforce needs. The Regional Councils were organically developed – drawing from business leaders, economic development professionals, educators, and local government officials in each region.
To date Region 5 has applied for and received eight GO Virginia Per Capita grants equaling $ 3,360,328. These GO Virginia funds have been leveraged with an additional $ 6,637,928 in local match, bringing the total investment to $ 9,998,256.
View the How-to-apply webinar, then download the application. Good luck! You can view summaries of the current projects here.
Region Five encompasses the counties of Accomack, Franklin, Isle of Wright, James City, Northampton, Southampton and York; and the cities of Chesapeake, Newport News, Norfolk, Hampton, Poquoson, Portsmouth, Suffolk, Virginia Beach and Williamsburg. The Region Five Council is led by Thomas Frantz as Chair and Anne Conner as Vice Chair. Reinvent Hampton Roads is a 501(c)(3) and serves as Region 5's support organization. Reinvent is led by president and CEO, Jim Spore and Executive Vice President Donna Morris and is supported by Administrative and Office Assistant, Gia Freeman.
Reinvent Hampton Roads contracted with Old Dominion University, George Mason University and the Natelson Dale Group to prepare the Growth & Diversification Plan.
As required by the Virginia Growth and Opportunity Act, each regional council must review and amend their Economic Growth and Diversification Plan not less than biennially.
In September of 2019, the biennial update of the GO Virginia Region 5 Economic Growth and Diversification Plan was approved by the Region 5 Regional Council and the GO Virginia State Board. The report was prepared by the Dragas Center for Economic Analysis and Policy at Old Dominion University.
Some of the initiatives identified in the plan to improve the economic performance of the Hampton Roads region include the following as they relate to GO VA's mission of creating higher paying jobs and diversifying the Commonwealth's economy in private sector growth:
- Port and Maritime Economic Development Strategy
- Workforce Gap Analysis
- Entrepreneur In Residence Program
- Regional Economic Development Site Inventory
- Acceleration Pathway Project
- Industry Cluster Scale-Up Initiative
Region Five's Growth & Diversification Plan is endorsed by the Region 5 Council. The following three broad policy goals were developed from the original plan in 2016 and continues to be a benchmark for the region:
- Create a coordinated regional capacity for innovation in the Region's key cluster areas.
- Increase the pace of small and medium-sized jobs creation through both expansion of existing firms and, in particular, the attraction of out-of-state firms in key cluster areas.
- Close all skills, credentialing and degree gaps in the regional clusters' workforce by 2022 through both in-region production and talent importation.
The Plan identified the following key clusters:
- Port Operations, Logistics and Warehousing
- Advanced Manufacturing
- Cybersecurity, Data Analytics and Model Simulation
- Shipbuilding and Ship Repair
- Water Technologies
- Unmanned Systems and Aerospace
GO VA Region 5 Council Members:
- Thomas R. Frantz, Chair
- Anne C. H. Conner, Vice Chair
- Kenneth Alexander
- Shawn Avery
- Patrick Coady
- Timothy J. Bentley
- Bruce Bradley
- John R. Broderick
- Maria Conston
- William B. Downey
- Jack L. Ezzell, Jr.
- Michael Gentry
- Maria Herbert
- Jeffrey Holland
- Robert S. McKenna
- Jerry Miller
- J.D. Myers, II
- John Olson
- McKinley Price
- John F. Reinhart
- Katherine Rowe
- Robert M. "Bobby" Dyer
- Jefferey Smith
- Bryan Stephens
- Bruce Thompson
- Thomas G. Tingle
- Gary Warren
Virginia Cyber Alliance- $1,285,426
The Virginia Cyber Alliance will serve as an anchor for innovation in the cyber-security, data analytics, autonomous vehicles and virtual technologies markets in Hampton Roads.
Virginia Digital Shipbuilding Workforce Program - $647,540
This project will create a regional and statewide program to train approximately 8,500 future workers – skilled craftsmen, engineers, designers, and IT professionals - to work in the new digital manufacturing environment and will support Hampton Roads' existing advanced manufacturing and shipbuilding clusters.
This project will establish the administrative structure for a new fund to provide seed-stage investments to Virginia's most compelling innovation-based, high-growth companies. The creation of a new seed fund to complement the work of 757 Angels will help to build a critical mass of quality start-up companies necessary to establish an innovation economy in the Hampton Roads region.
757 Angel Network - $240,000
This project is focused on centralizing resources of angel and seed stage capital and work focused on the creation of other entrepreneurial resources.
Hampton Roads Unmanned Systems Park - $150,000
This project facilitates the initial steps needed to establish the Hampton Roads Regional Unmanned Systems (HRUSF) in York County. The new facility will provide an open area and infrastructure for use by public institutions, private companies and individuals, to develop, test, and demonstrate unmanned systems.
Hampton Roads Coalition for Talent Development - $99,705
This project will enable Hampton Roads to meet the Talent and Workforce challenges of the times: diversifying the economy to become less reliant on federal spending, staying competitive in an increasingly globalized economy, taking full advantage of advances in digital technologies that are fundamentally changing all forms of production, maximizing the opportunities that come with an increasingly diverse society and the changing preferences of emerging generations, and attracting and retaining the talent needed for the full range of jobs required for all of these efforts.
Accomack-Northampton Sewer and Sites Study- $65,000
Gather + Innovate + Grow (G.I.G.) - $85,116
The project is organized and led by Shore entrepreneurs who are developing a viable commercial model for entrepreneur ecosystem support in rural regions that have limited financial resources.


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On This Page
Meet The Coaches
If you choose to actively manage your career by working directly with a career coach, check out our selection of coaches. You will find summary information on each - including background and areas of expertise, links, and contact information.
*These are fee-based services, with rates given by each provider. Special discounts may be available for Fairfield alumni; please be sure to mention you are a Fairfield graduate when you call.
Alumni who want to be considered to be listed on the Career Coach page may contact email@example.com.
Kevin McMahon '99, MBA, CEC, CPRW
Executive Coach and Career Adviser
President of McMahon Resource Group, LLC
Hartford, CT
Contact through: Website / E-mail / LinkedIn / Phone: (203) 536-2914
Background / Areas of Speciality
Kevin McMahon is the Founder and President of McMahon Resource Group, a full-service career and executive coaching firm. With extensive experience in helping sales, marketing, and non-profit professionals become leaders, Kevin has built a model to help his clients grow personally and professionally.
Helping individuals better realize their passions and overcome limitations in achieving personal, professional and business success, Kevin works with his clients to expand their true talent. As a career strategist with the ability to cultivate lasting relationships, he works collaboratively with individuals and corporations to develop future leadership and help teams thrive.
Receiving his undergraduate degree from Fairfield University and an MBA from the University of Connecticut, Kevin has worked in various corporate sectors and non-profit organizations. He is also a Certified Executive Coach and Professional Resume Writer, and a member of the Professional Association of Resume Writers and Career Coaches.
Vivian M. Ciampi '92, MBA, PCC Principal and Professional Certified Coach, Professional Coaching, LLC
Coaching offered in New York City and Connecticut
Coaching sessions held in person or virtually
Contact through: Website / E-mail
Background / Areas of Specialty:
Vivian M. Ciampi is a Principal at Professional Coaching, LLC, a business navigation firm in Connecticut. She has been providing leadership/ strategic coaching and workshops to professionals in large corporations, small businesses and universities for over a decade. Her work centers around helping professionals leverage their strengths and ultimately have a more strategic and influential impact in the workplace and overall bottom line. The central theme of her coaching is around Strategic Leadership and Effective Communication, but she touches on a wide variety of leadership challenges in her coaching practice.
Vivian is also a coach and facilitator in the Executive Education department at the Harvard Business School and a professor in the Business Department at Quinnipiac University. Prior to starting her own business, she spent sixteen years as a Vice President at Travelers Property Casualty where she built a successful coaching program and coached many to leadership positions. She is a Professional Certified Coach with the International Coach Federation; holds a Masters in Business Administration in Finance and Marketing from the University of Connecticut, and a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from Fairfield University.
Sandra Long
LinkedIn, Social Media and Networking Expert
Post Road Consulting LLC
Contact through: Website, LinkedIn, Twitter, Email or phone 203-221-2649
Background/Areas of Specialty:
Sandra Long is an independent LinkedIn, networking, and social media professional. She is president and chief consultant for Post Road Consulting LLC. Sandra has extensive B2B sales and business development experience which gives her a wide array of proficiency across several industries.
Sandra helps her clients with LinkedIn profiles, personal branding, networking, social media, LinkedIn advanced networking, LinkedIn company pages and social selling. She provides group workshops; as well as online and in person private classes or consulting. She works with individuals, consultants, attorneys, CEO's, sales teams and job seekers.
Sandra is a graduate from the University of Rochester. She is also a regular contributing blogger for blogging4jobs.com which was named a top 100 career website by Forbes in late 2013. Sandra is a member of the southern CT chapter of Association for Talent Development. Contact Sandra for more information about upgrading your professional online image and leveraging the most effective online and in person networking
Cachet Prescott, MA '04, CPCC, PHR
The Mid-Career Coach | Women's Career & Business Coaching
Contact through: Website, Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter
Background/Areas of Specialty:
With purpose-aligned careers at the helm of her work, Cachet Prescott provides faith-inspired career and business coaching for mid-career professional women. She exercises expert prowess in empowering her counterparts to write the next chapter of their career success stories.
Specializing in career transitions in the middle of the occupational journey, Cachet enables her clients to make thoughtful, strategically planned changes including career reinvention, leaving or re-entering the workforce, job relocation and exploring the world of entrepreneurship. She also assists women with formulating effective career search campaigns and supercharging their professional brands through brand strategy, image consulting, interview prep, LinkedIn profile assistance and resume writing.
In addition to coaching, Cachet addresses career, entrepreneurship, leadership and women-related topics as a speaker, writer and workshop presenter. Her credentials: certified Professional in Human Resources (PHR); Certified Professional Career Coach (CPCC); a BA in Sociology from the University of Virginia; an MA in Applied Psychology from Fairfield University; and an MA in Sociology from the University of Georgia.
Ready to discover, define and design your inspired career? Start here to schedule your free 30 minute consultation.
Christine Paul Tetreault SPHR, MA '85, M.Ed.
LEAD Advisory Group, Boston, MA
Contact through: LEAD Advisory Group, LINKEDIN
Background/ Areas of Specialty:
Christine Paul Tetreault co-founder and partner of the LEAD Advisory Group,focuses on developing women leaders through a combination of individualized coaching, small group programming and networking. Services are designed to empower women toward transforming their professional and personal challenges into career-building opportunities. Christine is a frequent presenter to alumni groups, professional associations and conferences presenting on a wide range of career topics such as networking, job search strategy, women's leadership, performance management and work-life issues.
Christine is a Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) and has experience in corporate and higher-education management, human resources, executive coaching, and career management program development. In addition to the LEAD Advisory Group, Christine serves as a Learning Consultant within Global Leadership and Learning, at John Hancock Financial Services. In this role, Christine, facilitates the growth and development of employees and the organization through delivery of North American leadership and professional development learning solutions that cross cultural borders and focus on improvements to performance, productivity and business results. She has also held positions at Harvard Business School, Bridgewater State University, Northeastern University, Simmons College, and Prudential Financial, Inc.
For more information about LEAD Advisory Group, or to request a coaching conversation please complete our brief inquiry form or contact us at firstname.lastname@example.com.
Linda Van Valkenburgh, M.S., CCMC, CJSS
Owner and Certified Executive Career Coach, My Executive Career Coach, LLC, Stamford, Connecticut
Coaching sessions held in person or virtually
Contact through: Website / E-mail
Background / Areas of Specialty
Linda Van Valkenburgh is the owner and certified executive career coach of My Executive Career Coach, LLC - Stamford, Conn. She has great business experience in a broad range of corporate environments, including marketing, advertising, engineering, entrepreneurial partnerships, industrial manufacturing, and full-time career development work experience.
Linda partners with clients to plan, manage, and organize individualized career campaigns. She helps clients define career goals and identify career options utilizing proven and comprehensive career planning techniques and systems; provides opportunities to improve decision making skills; teaches job search and research strategies; and provides support for clients experiencing the stress of job loss or career transition.
Linda assists clients to discover their skills and strengths; develop their value proposition and strategic plan; target opportunities that advance their careers to the next level; and supports them through a skillful negotiation process.
Recognized by the International Coaching Federation (ICF), Linda's credentials include: Certified Career Management Coach (CCMC), Certified Job Search Strategist (CJSS), and Certified Social Media Career Strategist (CSMCS). She has also been trained in multiple social media platforms and holds a Twitter Certified Career Strategist credential. Linda's educational background includes a bachelor's degree in education and psychology from Marymount College, and a master's degree from Fordham University, with additional advanced degree credits from Purdue University.
Claire Candler '93, SPHR
Talent Boost
New Jersey
Contact through: Website / E-mail / Phone (973) 727-2156
Background / Areas of Specialty
Claire Chandler '93 is the president of Talent Boost, based in New Jersey. She has more than 20 years of experience in corporate and consulting roles, ranging from career coaching and personal branding, to communications and marketing, to training facilitation and leadership development. She has extensive experience in various areas of organizational effectiveness, including talent and succession management, leadership training and professional development, communication strategy, employment branding, executive coaching, team building, employee onboarding and engagement, and human capital planning.
Claire works with companies and individuals on tapping into their unique talents to achieve organizational and personal success. She has spoken at numerous conferences and webinars on topics including image and branding, succession management, onboarding and strategic visioning, and has facilitated interactive workshops for small and large audiences.
Claire is a certified Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR). She holds a bachelor's degree in English from Fairfield University and a master's degree in professional and technical communication from the New Jersey Institute of Technology.
Kathy Caprino, M.A.'05
Ellia Communications, Inc.
Wilton, Conn.
Contact through: Website, Twitter, FB, LinkedIn
Background / Areas of Specialty
Kathy Caprino, M.A.'05 is a internationally-recognized women's career success coach and leadership trainer, writer and speaker dedicated to the advancement of women in business. Author of Breakdown, Breakthrough, Kathy is Founder and President of Ellia Communications, Inc., a leading career and success coaching and training firm helping professional women build successful, rewarding careers of significance. A former corporate marketing VP, trained marriage and family therapist, and seasoned coach, Kathy is a Forbes, Huffington Post and LinkedIn contributor and top media source on career issues and trends. She has appeared in over 100 leading newspapers and magazines and on national radio and television. Kathy's most popular career programs and services include:
- Career Breakthrough Coaching Program - 10-session coaching program designed to help you "dig deep, discover your right work, and illuminate the world with it."
- The Amazing Career Project - A powerful career transformation 16-week online course designed to help women ages 30-55 build exciting, rewarding and successful careers of impact.
For more information, visit kathycaprino.com and Kathy's Forbes blog "Career Bliss."
Julie Jansen
Julie Jansen LLC.
Contact through: Website / E-mail/ Twitter / Phone: (203) 997-2412
Background / Areas of Specialty
Author, motivational speaker, career and executive coach, trainer, consultant and meeting facilitator who works with individuals in every industry, functional area and stage of their career to develop the competencies, skills and techniques needed to successfully change careers, find a new job, or start a business.
Julie works with clients on self-assessment, strategy, communication skills, image, networking, social media, interviewing, time management and action planning. She also writes job and board resumes, cover letters, LinkedIn profiles and bios.
Her bestselling book, I Don't Know What I Want, But I Know It's Not This: A Step by Step Guide to Finding Gratifying Work (Penguin Books) was published in the U.S., U.K., Germany, Austria and Romania. Julie also wrote You Want Me to Work With Who? Eleven Keys to a Stress-Free, Satisfying and Successful Work Life - No Matter Who You Work With, and is the author of an ebook series on Networking, Enhancing Your Image, Delegation, Managing Your Career, Time Management and Getting Organized.
Annette Richmond, MA '99, CARW, CCELW
Career Marketing Professional: Certified Resume Writer & Certified LinkedIn Profile Writer career intelligence Resume Writing & Career Services
Contact through: Website, Facebook, Google+, LinkedIn, and Twitter
Background/Areas of specialty:
As a principal of career intelligence Resume Writing & Career Services, Annette empowers people to make faster, smoother, less-stressful job transitions. She brings the talent of a multi-certified writer, the perspective of a former recruiter, and the experience of someone who's spent over a decade in the career field to every client she works with.
Annette creates attention-getting, achievement-based resumes and robust LinkedIn profiles. She works with committed clients who are ready and know the value of investing in their careers. Annette has been featured in notable media outlets including Monster, Vault, Business Insider, Forbes, and The Wall Street Journal. Her work is featured in Resumes For Dummies (August 2015).
Annette has earned the Certified Advanced Resume Writer and Certified Career Enlightenment LinkedIn Profile Writer designations. She holds a Bachelor of Arts from Sacred Heart University and a Master of Arts in Applied Psychology from Fairfield University. Annette is a proud member of The National Resume Writers' Association, Career Directors International, and Professional Association of Resume Writers & Career Coaches.
Tom Dondero '92
Mindful Career Solutions
Contact through: Website / E-mail
Background / Areas of Specialty
Tom Dondero is an executive level media professional turned highly sought after consultant, providing sales and marketing strategy, matching companies with active and passive job seekers, and helping individuals maximize their professional and personal happiness. High profile organizations employ his expertise in revamping strategies and cultures to increase productivity. In addition, as a Certified Master Coach, Tom combines his 20+ years in media with Behavioral Science to create a multidimensional road map for career development and identifying/placing talent.
Services include: professional resume building, interviewing and networking coaching, career guidance, and guaranteed interviews in the media industry.
Before starting his consulting businesses, Tom ran the High School Sports Sales and Marketing division (HSS) at USA TODAY Sports Media Group (SMG). He was responsible for driving revenue on a national level across all HSS properties as well as aligning assets with the larger SMG platform. His experience and unique approach in this space led to an expanded advertiser base not seen before in this sector.
Prior to joining USA TODAY, Tom spent nearly 15 years at ESPN as an integrated marketing sales executive handling their top accounts while juggling territory responsibilities. His successes in the unprecedented growth of these accounts led to multiple individual and team awards & recognitions. In his final three years, Tom led the newly created division, ESPNHS, crafting strategy for both the sales and marketing teams while increasing revenue by over 30% each year.
Tom began his career at USA and Sci-Fi Networks. He graduated from Fairfield University in 1992 with a B.A. in Economics.
Noelle Gross
Contact through: Website / E-mail
Career strategy expert, speaker, thought-leader and founder of www.ngcareerstrategy.com, Noelle's mission is to help people do what they love and find lifelong career fulfillment. She does this by applying a common-sense, executive recruiter-born approach that takes the pain out of the job search and produces quick results.
- The Ultimate Linkedin - A series of Linkedin video workshops with easy-to-implement advice and practical guidance that will have you optimized on this critical career platform. Great for those new to Linkedin or those feeling like they are present but lacking in producing Linked results.
- Job Search Jumpstarter - A coaching program designed to help you launch your job search with hiring insights, best-practices and in aggressive headhunter fashion!
- The Works! - A comprehensive writing package that will have your resume, cover letter and Linkedin profile branded to your career goals to produce the perfect job application.
For guidance on the best program for you, contact Noelle at firstname.lastname@example.com or visit www.ngcareerstrategy.com/blog/ for free career advice!
To Follow Noelle on Social Media: Twitter, Google+, Linkedin


text: Product Description U+ Glue with Butyl:This is the same great U+ Super Ultra Glue but with a Butyl additive to help the glue last longer on the client.This is a professional grade glue used for clients who require the strongest bonding power. The U+ Glue has a thin consistency, and dry time is very fast. For trained professionals only. Formaldehyde Free. Available in 3 Sizes 3g., 5g. and 10g. This glue is NOT for self applications, it must be used by a licensed professional only. Glue Tips and Facts


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Cross-pollination: My old-school metal mixtape on Popdose!
My last Popdose mixtape (five-star jazz) seemed to go over pretty well on Popdose, so I thought I'd mix it up this time and delve into my first true love -- heavy metal. This mixtape focuses on the metal that was burned into my brain during its formative years. So it should come as no surprise that I included Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, and Metallica among others. So bust out that denim jacket and head over to Popdose now to check out my metal mix. Because it's what Dio would want you to do. But just before you do, as a super-special bonus here's one of the tracks that very nearly made the cut. It's the first track from Anthrax's blistering 1990 album Persistence of Time -- "Time."


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Dear Parents and Guardians,
We survived another hot week of school! Our school community persevered through the temperatures and enjoyed the cooler weather on Friday. Our school building was still hot on Friday, but we are hoping over the weekend things will cool down.
Besides having our students obtain the skills associated with the Common Core, our teachers and staff are working with our students on gaining knowledge and practice on "soft skills". With our every changing world and really not knowing what jobs will be available when our elementary students graduate from high school and college, these "soft skills" will be essential in their future.
At school, we work with our students on taking risks, being kind and accepting the fact that we all make mistakes. Students need to be able to recognize that rigorous academic learning is not going to be easy or be quick. We also need to help them understand that learning takes practice and mistakes will happen. One of my classroom teachers had the saying, "When you make a mistake, you need to try again and not give up." It is our hope that students will learn from their mistakes and know that learning is a process. I had a college professor who believed that "true learning" only results from a mistake. He never used the word "growth mindset" but he instilled that concept within us some 27 years ago.
Growth mindset and the character virtues of honesty, integrity, ownership, responsibility, and forgiveness are the foundations of a person's character and future success. It is my hope that our students learn these important lessons right along with their academic achievement.
Have a great weekend.


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'Flowers, where is the garden'
For a number of years, I have been interested in doing a project about Hadspen Garden near Castle Cary in Somerset. This garden no longer exists – it is 'unvisitable', 'erased'. The garden remains in memory, photograph, trace, writing and publication, and perhaps most significantly, through the plants and cultivars that gardeners from Somerset (and from much further afield) acquired from Hadspen to plant in their own gardens.
My starting point for this commission is in the way that Hadspen Garden – this most influential garden at the heart of Somerset – has travelled out, into and through other gardens, seeding and growing outside of the original walled estate to exist in a different form, throughout Somerset and beyond.
Hadspen was a place where gardening met colour and form. It was a brilliant garden, a sanctuary and a tonic, a world to itself, a place of plant designing, growing and breeding, run by Canadian gardeners Nori and Sandra Pope. I visited the garden many times between 2000 and 2005, and bought many plants from there, some of which I still have growing in my garden in Somerset, as well as 'split' plants passed on to friends over the years, and transplanted to other gardens across England. Hadspen has produced many of its own cultivars including Astrantia 'Hadspen Blood', Dicentra spectabilis 'Goldheart', Hosta 'Hadspen Blue' as well as Anemone hupehensis 'Hadspen Abundance'.
The garden closed in 2005. I've pulled together some contexts and mapped an incomplete history of the garden here. The recent past of Hadspen is a horticultural 'hot potato' – fascinating, contentious, opinionated. I am interested in how these perspectives can influence the work I make, particularly in relation to the cultural and political contexts of gardens such as Hadspen.
From April to July 2013, I am researching, collecting, sifting ideas, thinking, cultivating, writing to and meeting people who were connected to the garden.
I'm interested in the plants, in the craft of the cultivation at Hadspen, in time, and how time affects both the gardener and the garden, in relation to experience and presence, and to self-seeding and planting cycles.
I don't know what form the final work will take, but it might manifest as a 'multiple' work such as a book or paper work, an online digital piece, and perhaps a 'planted' or physical work of some kind – the form and material will emerge directly from the research.
I have been taken by something Mary Keen wrote in the Telegraph in 2012 in relation to 'a garden never lasting' …
"There is an exemplary no-dig patch and until very recently Penny Hobhouse had a plot where she sowed opium poppies collected in Kabul. Now they seed all over the garden in shades of coral and raspberry pink and blackest purple. I suspect they may continue at Hadspen for hundreds of years, like Reseda luteola, the plant Romans used for its yellow dye, which surfaced after the excavation of a Roman site near Cirencester. It is, in the end, the seeds of former crazes that remain in gardens long after the designs their owners planned are blurred with wilderness."
In their book, 'Planting with Colour' The Popes write about the comfrey, a favourite of Eric Smith's, that had self-seeded and proliferated at Hadspen well after his time at the garden.
First shoots of Dicentra spectabilis 'Goldheart'.
April 2nd 2013


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0911 GMT April 01, 2020
The median forecast from 10 economists polled was a 3.3 percent rise in exports from a year earlier, down from 4.1 percent growth in November and below a 6.2 percent gain for the first 11 months of this year, Reuters reported.
Imports are seen rising 4.2 percent in December from a year earlier, sharply down from November's 11.5 percent increase.
If December exports match the poll forecast, there will be growth of 5.9 percent for the year, way below 2017's gain of 15.8 percent.
The finance ministry sees export growth slowing to 3.1 percent next year.
Analysts said recent declines in prices of key South Korean export items, such as memory chips and oil products, could lead to annual declines export value early in the new year.
"Falling semiconductor prices and global oil prices could lead to contraction in South Korean exports in the first quarter," said Lee Seung-hoon, an economist at Meritz Securities.
South Korea is the world's leading exporter of chips, and a major source of ships, cars and petroleum products. It is the first major exporter to report monthly trade data, which provides an early reading of global trade conditions.
For the first 20 days of December, South Korea's overseas sales of memory chips fell by 9.8 percent in value from a year earlier, according to customs agency data released earlier.
"Easing in the Sino-US trade conflict and a rebound in global oil prices are essential for sustained growth in South Korean exports," said Lee Sang-jae, an economist at Eugene Investment & Securities.
In November, South Korea's exports to China, its biggest trade partner, declined for the first time since October 2016 and chip exports increased the least since November 2016.
Also in the latest poll, respondents see December's annual headline inflation rate slowing to 1.7 percent from November's 2.0 percent, which matched the central bank's target.
Industrial output in November was seen shrinking 0.2 percent from a month earlier versus a one percent gain in October, the poll showed.
November industrial output data will be released on Friday, December inflation on December 31 and December trade figures on January 1.


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New York City Police officers (NYPD) investigate the scene where, reported New York Mafia Gambino family crime boss, Francesco "Franky Boy" Cali, was killed outside his home in the Staten Island borough of New York City on March 14, 2019.
Police say 53-year-old Francesco Cali was found with multiple gunshot wounds to his body at his home in the Todt Hill section of Staten Island just after 9 p.m. Wednesday.
"There were, like, six shots, and then there were three more", a witness told a reporter.
Cali was then shot several times in the street and run over, before the pickup truck sped off.
Following Castellano's murder, Gotti headed the Gambino family until his incarceration for conspiracy and murder in 1992.
He was pronounced dead at a hospital soon after.
Chief of Detectives Dermot Shea said there has been a slight urise in alleged mob-related violence in NY within the a year ago.
'Absolutely his intention': Christchurch gunman planned further attacks, had other firearms
Ankara on Friday said it was investigating Tarrant's multiple visits to Turkey, and who he might have met while he was there. At least 49 people are confirmed dead and more than 40 wounded after attacks at two mosques in Christchurch on Friday.
The Gambino family was once considered the biggest organised crime group in the U.S., the New York Times reports, but began to decline after Gotti and other senior figures were jailed. They remain powerful players in the black market, however, in loan sharking, gambling, prostitution and the drug trade, according to law enforcement.
The reputed boss of New York's Gambino crime family who was shot to death in front of his home tried to hide under his own SUV during the shooting, according to new reports.
The motive for the attack was under investigation, police said. That hit was ordered by John Gotti in front of Sparks Steak House.
Cali's only criminal conviction came from an extortion charge in 2008 for trying to shake down a trucker; he spent 16 months in prison. Gotti took over the crime organization; he died of cancer, in prison, in 2002.
The New York Times notes that Cali's murder came the same day Joseph Cammarano, thought to be the acting boss of the Bonanno crime family, was acquitted at trial.
In October, reputed Bonanno associate Sylvester Zottola was fatally shot while waiting for a cup of coffee at a McDonald's drive-thru in the Bronx.
The Gambino family is one of five mafia families that have operated in New York City for decades.


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We could have an academic debate on the definition of PCT. We could haggle over the time frame in which to consider its future. Or, we can avoid all of this by not looking at PCT as a new technology, but rather as an approach to fill a known consumer demand.
If we start by asking the question "what does the consumer want?", we will realistically understand where the wireless world will go in any future period we need to be concerned about.
We can also address how we might get from here to there.
Let's look at the demand-side rather than the supply-side of PCT.
I. The Consumer is always right!
Of course, the consumer will always tell you that he/she is looking for all the bells and whistles at no cost. However, all that is really expected is solid value as represented by the following:
• reliable service
• universal coverage
• reasonable features, easy to use
• acceptable battery life
• a small, light, hand-held unit
• a robust design
• friendly, helpful service when needed
• fair pricing
• convenience of obtaining service
This is a tall order, but is not unrealistic any more than it is undeliverable.
These criteria apply whether you are looking at FLMPTS, a satellite-delivery service such as IRIDIUM, FLMPTS or any future service that might be envisaged. Let's look at each of these criteria in turn.
II. Reliable Service
In North America, at least, the consumer expects dial tone within a fraction of a second, low noise equivalent to a land-line phone, privacy, and above all, no dropped calls.
In current mature cellular systems, busy hour network availability is well over 99%. The number of times one can expect to start a conversation and complete it without having the call dropped is better than 96%. Good, although possibly, not good enough in the latter area. Customers are somewhat tolerant of the unavailability of a channel a very peak periods, but are not very tolerant of an interrupted conversation.
With the increased capacity available through digital cellular, busy hour availability should rarely be a problem. Digital does an excellent job of suppressing noise and providing clear communications. It also provides a significant improvement in privacy, even without encryption, which itself becomes much more effective with digital.
Indirectly, it also helps the dropped call situation, as there is considerably more capacity in each cell site, lessening the chance that your call will be directed to a cell site further away, necessitating additional handoff.
At this point, we could conclude that modern digital cellular systems are performing within acceptable limits to the customer, and this will improve as systems are refined. If this is the case, one has to question whether systems, such as the proposed CT2+ Class 2 Service operating over short distances through 100's or 1,000's of sites without backup power or other amenities, will ever reach cellular reliability.
It also raises the question about the reliability of satellite-delivered services, which are subject to shadowing from buildings or natural objects. It is now almost universally accepted that satellite services will always work in conjunction with terrestrial services wherever these are available, i.e. they will be dual-mode to provide the most reliable service possible, using the most suitable and cost effective technology.
III. Universal Coverage
This leads to the next point and that's universal coverage. It has become an expectation of the wireless user that service will be available in most locations he or she might find themselves in. In Canada, the cellular service covers about 87% of the population. Obviously, the dual-mode units operating with a satellite will extend this to essentially universal operation. The proliferation of proposed LEO or other satellite-based projects will, I'm sure, make this a reality by the turn of the century.
Universal coverage, however, also implies coverage in moving vehicles and it is hard to see how a technology built around cell sites with a range of only a couple of hundred meters could ever satisfactorily provide this. Multimode units to operate with these mini cells for static coverage, as well as with satellite or with cellular, will probably be the only sensible answer.
Clearly, the customer would like to be totally independent of the technology and have a hand-held unit automatically seek out the appropriate service as well as the most cost effective service. This implies a convergence of technologies, which seems to me inevitable.
It would appear that for the moment I have found little use for small area wireless systems. This is not entirely the case. There will almost certainly be micro or pico cellular systems to enhance the service in local areas, e.g. floors of an office, underground parking garages or the interior of a restaurant. However, no one can believe that the client of the future will carry multiple units in order to access such services. The multifunction, multifrequency hand-held unit becomes a priority for the consumer.
While on the topic of universal coverage, it has been often pointed out that it is very difficult to sell units for reasons of safety or convenience if the coverage is spotty. If one has trouble on the road or is in danger of being mugged, one will not walk around to find the nearest site where service is available. This is no better than the old corded phone concept.
The winner from a conceptual standpoint would appear to be cellular augmented by a microcellular approach and ultimately satellite.
IV. Reasonable Features
Regardless of the technology, the customer will expect essentially the same features that are available on a wired phone. This is already the case with contemporary cellular systems, but only recently are some very basic features being added, e.g. message waiting.
Another feature that is just coming on the market is the personal phone number, which belongs to the person rather than the unit. Just as the customer will not tolerate multiple units, he or she will not long tolerate a proliferation of phone numbers. Nor is there any reason to perpetuate this outmoded approach. Calls to single personal number can easily be relayed to a variety of units in any sequence the customer desires, or can be forwarded to the universally available voicemail services.
An interesting new development is the availability of multi-language international services that provide effectively instantaneous translation. As the breadth of international coverage improves, this type of service will see a growing market.
As phones grow smaller, voice activated dialing will become almost universal. This is already available on a system-wide basis over cellular and will be a feature of all systems in the near future.
V. A Long Battery Life
One of the major concerns expressed by customers is the limited talk time and stand by time on contemporary phones. A surprising number of technical neophytes now talk learnedly about "the memory effect" when they can no longer bring their batteries up to full charge.
This was one of the advantages proposed for the small cell site systems. However, it should not matter about the network technology as long as the hand held unit is sufficiently agile to power down when near a cell site as cellular does already. Also, the stand-by time is improving as units develop the ability to go to sleep for much of what would have been battery consuming listening time.
Breakthroughs in battery technology would certainly be most welcome. This requirement will likely be increasingly important when people are in more remote areas served by satellites, which could require the units to operate at somewhat higher power levels for long periods.
VI. A Small Light Unit
Everyone has been amazed at the small size and weight of even the initial dual-mode analog/digital cellular phones. One would assume that an all digital phone would be even smaller and lighter. In fact, even today we are approaching the position when size and weight are not a major handicap. Units fit easily into a pocket or purse.
However, assuming one can continue to reduce the size of the batteries and use voice activation instead of a keypad, still smaller units should be quite feasible. I have long been an advocate of the so called 'pen-phone', which is not yet a technical reality. But with current microchip technology, it may be here sooner than we realize.
However, there is another trend that needs to be watched. The Personal Digital Assistant has reversed the trend to smaller units. The possible desirability of extensive visual displays for messages, or even baseball diamonds, and the apparent wish of some people to have handwritten input, has lead to larger bulkier units. Ultimately, the answer will be a return to a single, small, hand-held unit, which accepts voice input instead of handwriting and audio messages in place of video displays. The communicator of Star Trek is, I suspect, what the consumer really will want.
VII. A Robust Unit
It is easy to forget that a wireless phone by its nature must work under whatever conditions the user may encounter. If the phone is in a coat pocket and that coat is banged against a wall when someone hangs it up, the phone is similarly going to receive a battering. Just as the phone on a desk is expected to survive a fall on the floor, or the dog chewing the cord, a wireless unit will have to stand-up to a youngster sliding into homeplate with the phone in his or her pocket. The proposed universality of service via satellite will mean that the phones will be used in even more extreme environmental conditions. This, once again, suggests the gradual disappearance of the keyboard to be replaced by voice activation and more advanced voice recognition techniques.
VIII. Service When Needed
The units will likely be sufficiently inexpensive that hardware service will not be a problem. In fact, they may well be throw-away units. In any case, the unit will be personalized by a smart card so that any unit can serve as an access port for an individual simply by personalizing it with a smart card. Backup is therefore easy.
However, the more expensive part of providing service is the personalized customer service representative. This is a built in overhead to most cellular systems, which will no longer be tolerable, except for a price, as prices of service continue to drop. Voice-response units are already widely used in cellular. Voice-recognition will make this even better, as the customer can ask directly for a service rather than having to go through the often joked about menu of "push 1 for this, or 2 for that".
IX. Fair Pricing
People's idea of what is fair of course varies. However, the norm in North America is usually set by what people are used to paying for hardwired service. The concept of a dollar-a-day for local usage seems to be an obtainable objective (in current dollars), and not too out of line with customer expectations, e.g. part way between a residential line cost and a business line. The customer will likely be willing to pay somewhat more for the added functionality of mobility.
The concept of charging per minute will likely disappear given the almost limitless capacity that will be available for digital cellular in its later versions. This may be optimistic because the current local usage of a residential phone is around a thousand minutes a month compared to perhaps a couple of hundred minutes average for cellular. However, twelve – fifteen times analogue capacity that is projected for digital, should allow flat rate pricing.
Naturally, the concept of long distance will gradually disappear. Once, satellite or fibre networks are in place world-wide, there is really no reason to assume that it costs more to call Tokyo than it does across the street. Telephony will become distance independent.
X. Getting Started
We are already seeing the birth of a wireless phone as a consumer commodity. One of the early predictions for CT2+ service was that it would be sold in blister packs in Walmart. The phone would be self-activating, the billing would be done by credit card only, the package would contain its own video and/or audio instruction tapes, and there would be no initial set-up fee. What has happened, of course, is that cellular has rapidly moved into fill this proposed advantage for CT2+. The AMIGO system is an example of this new type of marketing. While there is still a high cost per minute, the monthly charge for a handheld unit is already less than the predicted $1 per day.
XI. The Future is Now
All of this may seem like a claim that cellular will do everything everyone will ever need, possibly augmented by a bit of satellite coverage for areas cellular will be unlikely ever to occupy. In fact, this may well be the case. There is already a largely universal analogue network across North America. That is now being overlaid by a digital network of more capacity than one can reasonably predict will be required (but I will likely live to regret that statement!). It makes it hard to see where a spot coverage system fits, and how such a system could be made cost effective.
This does not mean, however, that cellular is without competition. The trend of most countries is to allow more competition in communications, at least after the initial service has had some time to mature. I would predict that the competition to cellular will come from advanced SMR-like services, rather than services of the CT2+ nature. Whether even ESMR can be cost effective against a mature digital cellular system, remains to be seen however.
XII. Summary
If we keep addressing what the customer wants, rather than concentrating on the latest fad in technology, I predict that the penetrations of wireless technology will indeed reach or exceed the predictions made by a few optimists, such as myself, a decade ago, i.e. penetrations of 25-30% of the population by the turn of the decade, will easily be attainable.


text: It's our mission here at Tri-County Ford to serve La Grange and Crestwood area drivers the ability to find a great car, at a great price. Not only do we try to deliver a wonderful car buying process, but we also try to expand our services to every customer that comes through our door. We believe everyone should have the opportunity to finance a ride, that's why we are here for you at Tri-County Ford.


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Strip test to diagnose Sickle Cell Anemia
February 5th, 2018
Sickle cell anemia (SCA)is caused by a mutation of the beta globin gene. It affects about 300,000 newborns each year, and includes symptoms such as severe anemia, pain and decreased immune function.
Individuals who are homozygous for the sickle cell gene mutation produce only HbS (genotype SS) are affected by the disease whereas heterozygotes, producing both HbA and HbS (genotype AS), have sickle cell trait but show no symptoms of the disease as they produce both the wild-type (HbA) and the mutant (HbS) form of the gene.
Most countries affected by the disease such as the sub-Saharan Africa, lack robust neonatal screening programs needed to identify patients in need of treatment.
In this paper, Bond et al. developed and evaluated a point-of-care strip test that allows differentiating sickle cell anemia (SCA) from sickle cell trait (SCT) in only 15 minutes with a simple visual inspection.
The test is able to identify individuals with SCA in only 15 minutes using undiluted whole blood.
This point-of-care strip is based on a competitive lateral flow assay where target specific antibodies have been conjugated to Expedeon Latex blue beads.
A Lateral flow immunoassay was performed to establish whether HbA was present in the blood sample.
Sample blood was mixed in a tube with two populations of Innova blue latex beads: one conjugated to mouse anti-HbA antibodies and the other to mouse anti-HbS antibodies. This mixture was applied to a lateral flow strip on which HbS and HbA have been dried upon.
When placed in running buffer, the beads flow along the strip and bind to the capture proteins if no antigen is present. If the corresponding antigen is present, the beads are prevented from binding to the capture protein.
To provide evidence that this point-of-care system could be used for diagnostic purposes, the authors established a threshold for identifying positive lines (to avoid false positives), the amount of blood volume required for a single test and the effects of varying the ratio of HbA to HbS at optimal volume. According to their results, if HbS is present in the sample at a concentration below 20%, the sample is incorrectly classified as normal.
Finally, programmatic analysis quantification achieves 98% accuracy, 98% sensitivity and 100% specificity for identifying SCA.
The authors developed a point-of-care system that allows identification of SCA patients in only 15 minutes with a cost per-strip of approximately $2.60. Despite the test cannot correctly identify clinical specimens of SCT containing 24-45% HbS, the kit offers several promising advantages compared to competitive kits already available on the market.
Future directions
Further research needs to be done to more fully examine the effects of varying haemoglobin concentration and the percent of non-detectable hemoglobins. This test will not able to diagnose the condition in the presence of large quantities of transfused normal blood.
Expedeon Blue Latex Conjugation Kit
The test relies on our blue Latex beads labelling kit that compared to other kits available on the market offers several advantages, including:
- Quick and easy to use – save time, no specialist knowledge required
- Covalent bond – highly stable conjugates
- No extensive pH optimization required – save precious antibody / protein
- Resistant to aggregation -generation of high quality data
In addition to blue, Innova's Latex beads are also available in black and red, making these kits ideal for multiplexing.
For further information, why not click here? And if you have any questions, please contact us.


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A single parrot cannot forage for fruit and watch for predators at the same time; it depends on its chittering flock for protection. Therefore, to teach a bird that can talk — parrots, parakeets or mynas, for example — to talk, find one that for lack of better options thinks of you as its flock. "Don't get an old, disappointed bird," says Sri Ganapathy Sachchidananda Swamiji, a 72-year-old guru who, when not traveling the world playing synthesizer concerts for his followers, can be found at his bird sanctuary in Mysore, India, home to more than a thousand birds, including some 40 trained talkers. "Buy a baby bird." Specifically, opt for one bred in captivity (or rescued) rather than one snatched from the wild.
Swamiji advises spending as much time as possible the first several months talking to your bird in gentle tones, reassuring it as you would a young child. "Don't hurry them to talk," he says. "They need to feel security in the heart first." Once the bird has confidence in you as a companion and reliable food source, start repeating simple phrases. "First you say, 'You are very good,' 'How are you my dear?' 'I love you,' " Swamiji says. Many trainers reward learning with nuts or seeds; Swamiji and his staff provide three daily meals instead, though they occasionally treat the birds to a sip of milky chai tea.
As a bird starts showing aptitude, ratchet up the difficulty and repetition by recording your voice and playing it back to the bird. When Swamiji is absent, his parrots hear looped recordings of him chanting ancient Sanskrit for up to three hours a day. A person will be bored by this, he says, but "a bird will never bore."


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Reading Goals and Changes for 2016
Hello my lovely readers!
As I mentioned in my 2015 reading stats wrap-up, I decided to break out my reading goals into a separate post this year because I also have some changes to announce.
As long-time readers know, I had two big life events in 2015. I married my best friend and my father passed away. You may not know that in 2016 I'm turning 30. These three personal events have combined to make me really evaluate my life, my time, and my goals.
I feel a real sense of both how fleeting time is and how important it is to me to build a good life and family with my husband. I want to live with intention and forethought, while holding on to the new ability I've found with my husband to embrace the unexpected and do things that are not planned. That's a pretty wordy way of saying I want to live mindfully.
My sense of time passing has made me realize that I don't have forever to write the books I want to write in my lifetime. And that means I need to stop claiming all of my reading time is contributing to my writing. While it's true that a writer must read, a writer must also consistently write. A writer cannot simply read. I have writer friends who have said before they had to dial back some of their reading to make time for writing, and I now understand why that is so.
This same sense of time passing has made me realize that I no longer wish to spend my time reading books I don't enjoy. My whole life I have almost always finished not just every single book I've started but most books I've acquired as well (with a few exceptions that I got rid of when my now husband moved in with me). Since my father passed away, I realized life is too short for that. I went through my books and got rid of any that didn't make me feel the spark of a happy reader when looking at them or their description. I've also started a few books that I simply stopped reading and got rid of. I've also finally been honest with myself about certain types of books I enjoy that I was once a bit ashamed of.
What does all of this mean for Opinions of a Wolf? Well, many things, actually.
1) Expect there to be far fewer 2 and/or 1 star ratings.
With the exception of books I accept for review (ARCs), if I start a book and am not enjoying my time reading it at any point, I am going to put it down (for good). I am still not comfortable reviewing books that I haven't read in their entirety. So I will simply not be reviewing these books. Don't take the sudden lack of lower star ratings to mean that I am no longer being honest. I am just choosing to spend my time in a different manner. It is still possible for there to be low ratings, though, if a book disappoints me at the end (goes off the rails, as it were) or if I'm reading it because it's akin to watching a train wreck, haha. I will still finish any ARCs I accept, however. To this end…..
2) Books submitted to me for the annual review were accepted in a different manner this year.
This year instead of setting a number I would accept, I only accepted however many books actually appealed to me. I also required submissions with excerpts, so I could read the first few pages and see how I felt about the writing. I am hoping the combination of these two means that my review of indie ARCs will serve both for me to find more obscure books I will enjoy and to offer good indie authors beneficial reviews. Again, though, if a book winds up disappointing me, I will finish it (since it is an ARC), and I will give an honest review.
3) The genres I read are going to change. Some.
I've always had a secret thing for humorous (usually British) chick lit. In fact, the last two books I read this year fit in this category perfectly. I am not just done hiding this genre, I am also done hating on it. I feel a lot of the hate comes from a culture-wide judgment of femme things (because of judging women). I would rather build it up as the respected (albeit silly/not serious literature) genre it should be, rather than participate in ignoring it. Similarly, before I started the book blog, I read quite a bit of self-help. I still read it sometimes but I didn't want to read it too much, worried about what people might think of me. I'm not going to seek it out, but if one appeals to me, I am going to pick it up and not worry about what people might think. One thing that won't change is the love of scifi/fantasy, that will stay. However, my husband noticed my growing collection of older scifi/fantasy paperbacks by women authors and commented on how cool that was. I hope to feature these books more in some way yet to be determined on this blog. I'm even going to be dedicating a whole bookshelf in our studio apartment to it. I also will be doing more reading of nonfiction I need to read to research my writing, rather than reading things that I think will help make me look smart or that I think I *should* read. Basically this whole section is saying: I'm done caring about what people think of me. I'm gonna be real. Fuck it.
4) I'm going to be spending more time writing.
Whether this will impact how much I read is yet to be seen, since I tend to read faster when I actually enjoy what I'm reading. I am working on incorporating writing into being a daily habit and, if I have enough material, I may start publishing some shorts or flash on here. Alternatively, there may just be a few more publication announcement posts. Or, I might just do a recap of writing accomplishments in some fashion.
5) I've adjusted the Mental Illness Advocacy Reading Challenge to be more flexible.
You may now sign up for ongoing or annual versions of the challenge. I realized for me personally reading books featuring characters with a mental illness in a positive light has become just something I seek out in my reading. It's not a number I strive for annually. I figured, why not add that as a more casual option for folks. You can see more details on the dedicated page.
So that's what to expect in 2016.
Expect things to be a bit more real around here and hopefully to see more of a mix of reading and writing. I'm excited to see what 2016 will bring.
August Updates and July Reflections
Hello my lovely readers!
I hope you enjoyed the variety of genres on the blog this month. I know I enjoyed reading them!
The book of the month for August will be:
Cold Comfort Farm by Stella Gibbons
First reviewed in August 2010
"Between the character building, the steampunky feel, and the humorous slapstick scenes, there's something for everyone to enjoy."
How was my reading, reviewing, and writing this month?
July books read: 7 (3 scifi, 1 urban fantasy, 1 historic nonfiction, 1 foodie nonfiction, 1 historic fiction, 1 contemporary romance)
July reviews: 5
Other July posts: 1 writing announcement, 1 giveaway, 1 blog announcement
Most popular post in July written in July: Giveaway: Everlasting: Da Eb'Bulastin by Rasheedah Prioleau (INTERNATIONAL)
My favorite post of July: Book Review: Fated by S.G. Browne
Most popular post in July written at any time: Book Review: The Time Machine by H. G. Wells (Bottom of TBR Pile Challenge)
July writing: I got started on the fourth part of the multi-part series I'm writing, so that's good! I've started carrying a notebook with me to work so I can write on my lunch break away from my office. I think that is helping.
Coming up in August: I have two 2015 ARCs I've read to review, as well as a giveaway for one of them. You can also tell from my genres I've read recently that I have a variety of nonfiction, as well as some romance coming up. We'll see how much of it I have time to review this month!
Happy August and happy reading!
Blog Updates
Hello my lovely readers!
I just wanted to take a moment to let those of you who subscribe via RSS feed or email that my blog now officially has its own url. It is now opinionsofawolf.com not opinionsofawolf.wordpress.com. Don't worry, all links to the old .wordpress.com address are set to automatically forward to opinionsofawolf.com. I'm excited to be taking this leap forward.
I have also decided to focus my free time more in on my writing. Long-time readers know I am also a writer (see my Publications page here). In light of this, I have decided to close up my Etsy shop. I enjoy cross-stitching and designing patterns, but I would like to revert it back to being a hobby. However, I have made all the patterns I designed available on my Cross-Stitch page, and I will add more as I design them. At my leisure.
I have also designed and synced an author's twitter to this blog. There is a link in the sidebar, or you may follow it here. This is a public twitter that anyone may follow. I primarily focus on tweeting about writing, books, and links to things that interest me, as well as retweeting anything I find humorous.
I also hope to start doing a monthly reading and writing reflection post. We will all see how that goes!
Happy reading!
Friday Fun! (April: Busyness and Hiking)
Hello my lovely readers!
April was such a busy month, I can actually hardly believe it's over already! It's always a busy month for me at work, as I help organize and run an annual event on-campus. In addition this month, we also welcomed a new program to our campus, so the library was very busy putting in the groundwork for supporting students studying that new subject area. I also submitted my first-ever poster abstract. So busy! On top of this, the weekend of my work event was the same weekend as the first motorcycle race weekend of the season for my partner. He was incredibly busy prepping for the races. Instead of just the normal getting everything running again after the long winter, he also was prepping a new (to him) race bike to be track ready. Since I couldn't go with him for the first race weekend, I wanted to send along something nice, so I made him a pie and cookies for carb-loading at the track. I honestly found the baking to be stress-relieving and really enjoyed it. I'm happy to report both the work event and the first race weekend went well!
In spite of the busyness, we were able to squeeze in quite a few hangouts with friends and dates for ourselves. One of our dates was to hike a local trail on Easter Sunday. It was gorgeous weather in a month of a lot of iffy weather. I always find it so refreshing to get outside and in the woods, and even more so with my boyfriend. We saw lots of jack-in-the-pulpits and also got a great view of Boston.
My stitching slowed down a bit this month, although I did release the first design in a new line–rhubarb in foraging New England. The rest of the patterns for the line are designed but they still need to be trial-stitched! I hope to release at least one of them this month.
I read and reviewed four books this month, sticking to my overall goal of one book a week. I'll be happy if I manage to stick to that during my upcoming even busier month of May! In my own writing, I'm still working away whenever I have the time on my new book idea, writing background short stories. The typewriter my bf got me for Christmas is coming in really handy, freeing me of distractions.
Happy reading!
Friday Fun! (May: Cooking, Fitness, Writing, Spring Cleaning, and Reading Of Course!)
Hello my lovely readers!
As previously promised, Friday Fun has now become a monthly check-in on the last Friday on the month to touch base with you guys and help you get to know (or stay in the know on) the blogger behind the reviews (and the novels/novellas/short stories of course).
May was a busy month for me. I attended a conference for medical librarians, which invaded this blog a bit, as I summarized what I learned for both myself and for other librarians. Thanks to that conference, I worked 12 days in a row, so I took off a few days the week after to give myself a nice long weekend. On that long weekend, I did some spring cleaning and got started on sorting through and getting rid of stuff. I usually do this in the spring, but I'm doing it with more vigor this year as my boyfriend and I are planning on moving in together when my lease is up. I'm of course incredibly happy to be moving in with my partner but also nervous! To that end, if any of you want to check out my ebay store, there's mostly lp's/records, clothes, and of course, books! This is also why I've been reading so many books for my Bottom of the TBR Pile Challenge. Most of my print books are for that challenge, and I'm trying to clear off my shelves.
My vacation also consisted of a lot of cooking. Cooking is one of my favorite hobbies, and I hadn't had much of a chance to make more complex recipes since I was so busy and exhausted. I made: 4 hour lasagna (I call it that since it takes me…4 hours to make), twice-baked rutabagas, and pumpkin monkey bread muffins. You can see all of the recipes over on my Pinterest Pinned It And Did It board.
This month also brought back the real motorcycle riding season. My boyfriend got me an awesome vegan jacket (for safety) and a helmet (obviously, for safety), and we've been going on some nice evening rides together. I'm looking forward to some longer ones out into western Mass later in the season. I also got to dig my bicycle out of winter retirement and go on my first ride of the season. I'm pleased to say my legs stayed in much better shape over this winter season than previous ones, although my seat bones weren't so happy with the first ride. Ow.
In related work-out news, my gym's 60 day challenge completed last week. I had signed up for the body composition challenge, which was about body fat percent rather than body weight. Over the course of the two months my body fat percent went down by 1.2%, and I gained 2 pounds of muscle! I was totally shocked by those results, as I mostly just kept on doing my regular fitness routine, where I focus in on being healthy and acquiring more personal bests in weights/cardio/etc… I mostly wanted to see what impact my routine really has on my body, and it clearly is helping me build muscle. I'm very excited about that.
I'm also pleased to report that writing is progressing on the sequel to Ecstatic Evil! I'm really in a paranormal frame of mind right now, and I'm having fun with it. I hope to give the Tova fans the sequel as soon as possible.
In reading news, this month I read 7 books, which is the most I've read so far this year in a month. I'm not even going to try to guess as to what made it go up, but I'm glad that it did! I read a wide variety including scifi, urban fantasy, historical fiction, thriller/mystery, and horror, and I read across all reading platforms (ebook, print, and audio). I have yet to write up reviews for 4 of these books, so rest assured, more reviews are coming! For June I intend to continue my focus on predominantly choosing books that appeal to me most in that moment, although I would like to knock out at least one from my Bottom of the TBR Pile Challenge that is unappealing. Additionally, I got an arc for the next book in Madeline Ashby's artificial intelligence series that is releasing next month, as well as the final book in Jackie Morse Kessler's series that is also releasing in June, and I'd like to read/review both of those around their release dates.
How were your Mays? What was your favorite read of the month?
Friday Fun! (New Book Blogger/Bookstore Opportunity and Blog Tour Updates)
Hello my lovely readers!
This was honestly a very long week for me. Work has been very busy, and I had a couple of stressful personal situations come up. No worries though. All is well now. 🙂
*knock on wood*
I'm glad I planned ahead and took a vacation day this week. I went for a very long walk along the Charles just taking in nature and the sounds of summer around me. Then I went home and baked muffins. By wisely taking downtime moments like this throughout the week, my stress levels weren't quite so bad.
In any case, today I just want to let my fellow book bloggers know of a new opportunity. Little Red Reviewer and her friend Darkcargo have taken it upon themselves to start an awesome project entitled Bookstore Bookblogger Connection. This is entirely a labor of love in which they are attempting to match up book blogger reviews (currently of just scifi and fantasy) to bookstores to be add to their displays. It's good publicity for the book bloggers, and a neat new way for bookstores to find books to recommend. See Little Red Reviewer's announcement post here, and the official Bookstore Bookblogger Connection website here.
Finally the weekly update for the Waiting For Daybreak blog tour! This week was slightly busier.
Ellie Hall graciously hosted a guest post in which I explain how the tagline for the tour, "What is normal?" relates to the book.
Eva's Sanctuary interviewed me. Among other things, you can hear many more details about my busy medical librarian job.
Eva's Sanctuary also offered a review, stating, "This is a unique zombie tale, but well worth the read. I think you will be quite surprised."
Last but not least, today Lily Element posted a review, suggesting it to readers, "if you want something different and enjoy zombie books."
That's it for this week. Happy weekends all!
Publication Announcement: Waiting For Daybreak
Hello my lovely readers!
I am pleased to be able to say my first full-length novel, Waiting For Daybreak, is now available on Amazon! After the first 90 days, it will also be available at Barnes and Noble and Smashwords.
What is normal?
Frieda has never felt normal. She feels every emotion too strongly and lashes out at herself in punishment. But one day when she stays home from work too depressed to get out of bed, a virus breaks out turning her neighbors into flesh-eating, brain-hungry zombies. As her survival instinct kicks in keeping her safe from the zombies, Frieda can't help but wonder if she now counts as healthy and normal, or is she still abnormal compared to every other human being who is craving brains?
I do hope you will give it a shot.
If you have a book blog and would like to participate in the upcoming blog tour, just let me know!


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Whether planning a wedding, a milestone birthday or anniversary, or a corporate retreat, our guests and their enjoyment is a great source of pride and reward for us. Our estate provides numerous venues for private events; some guests enjoy celebrating at our old, historic barn, while others choose to gather under one of our expansive, regal oak trees. Still others like to celebrate in our elegant barrel or cellar rooms by candlelight. –Dan Gainey
Weddings at Gainey Vineyard
We invite you to experience the magic of the Gainey Vineyard for yourself and absorb the refreshing shade of the live oaks, 360-degree views, and the tranquil beauty of our natural setting. Surrounded by 100-acres of rolling hills, majestic trees, and premium grapevines, Gainey Vineyard features a range of settings for your wedding. From the sweeping mountain views of our Vineyard View Lawn, to the intimate garden surrounding The Terrace to our historic Barn our estate offers endless options. Our Spanish-style winery offers distinctive indoor options with The Barrel Room, Tasting Room, and Bottle Aging Room.
Style Me Pretty - Niki + Michael
Wedding Sparrow - Alyssa + Austin
Modern Luxury Weddings - Danielle + Chris
Santa Barbara Wedding - Peach Garden
Style Me Pretty - Erin + Chris
Signe Productions - Heather + David
Download detailed information:
Gainey Wedding Brochure
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- Brian Leahy Photo The TerracePhoto
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- Wedding Lounge Ideas Santa BarbaraPhoto
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Weddings at Gainey Barn
The Barn at Gainey is perfect for couples who want rustic-chic elegance set against the pastoral loveliness of rolling hills, a creek, and live oaks. Built in the 1890's, The Barn is located on the Gainey Ranch about a half-mile drive from the winery. This site offers a distinctive setting that allows you to use multiple spaces with everything from a sweeping meadow, to the shade of live oaks, to the rural charm inside the barn. The Barn is an enchanting site unlike any other property in the Santa Ynez Valley.
Santa Barbara Weddings - Katherine + Tyler
Green Shoes Weddings - Indigo Wild Love
Download detailed information:
Gainey Barn Brochure
Corporate Events
Whether you are looking for a stunning backdrop to your meeting, annual Christmas party, a fun team-building wine activity, or an offsite party for your corporate group, Gainey Vineyard offers an array of options. Check out our activities for corporate groups ranging from a Blind Tasting, to a Vineyard Hike, to a jeep tour and tasting at our historic barn.
Download detailed information:
Corporate Event Packages
Private Parties
If you're celebrating a birthday, anniversary, or family reunion and want a memorable location for your party, then check out wide range of event spaces available for rent. We offer everything from intimate indoor spaces to expansive outdoor locations that work perfectly for private parties.
Download detailed information:
Private Parties at Gainey


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I've been seeing links to the new Weezer video for Pork and Beans all over the intertubes, but I've never clicked on it.
Today I clicked on it. It is full of total intertubic awesomeness! They must have had so much fun contacting all these internet phenomenons to make this video.
Watch it and see how many you can pick out.


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A New Year, A New Chalet Le Crepet…
As you may know we have been busy bees these past two summers in Morzine. The tools have been out, and we have been busy bringing our exciting renovation plans to life in our beloved Chalet Le Crepet.
The living area
Our flagship chalet epitomises everything we believe in at Freedom Ski with Simple Luxuries being at the heart of every change we make and every service we offer. With this in mind, in Summer 2017 we decided to add a custom-built wine cave to ensure we can pair the best carefully selected wines with your dinners, storing and serving them at the perfect temperatures for your palate.
We introduced a new massage and treatment room for you to relax and enjoy being pampered, just a short stroll away from your room.
We also introduced a fantastic cinema room with a full width screen, luxurious cinema style seating and thousands of films for you to relax, cosy up and enjoy!
The second phase of renovations at Chalet Le Crepet have seen each bedroom receive a new luxury bathroom, with custom made furniture and larger showers. We have continued on with our partnership with Cowshed toiletries, offering complimentary products for you to enjoy throughout the chalet.
Our bedrooms now include a new Master Suite with stunning double aspect views and balconies. You can now relax in your own seating area, taking in the spectacular views over the Pleney whilst watching the weekly firework display from the comfort of your own sofa! The Master Suite also has a stunning en suite bathroom with deep bath for soaking, tea and coffee making facilities and your own drinks fridge.
We have also introduced a Junior Suite to our room menu, the junior suite has tea and coffee making facilities, a drinks fridge and mountain views.
We have exposed the beams in room 7 adding a real wow factor and really opening up the ceiling. This has created a feeling of space whilst still feeling cosy and warming.
Our remaining rooms have been increased in size and as with the Junior and Master suite, our soft furnishings and fabrics have been custom made by Abraham Moon, another of our long-standing suppliers known for stunning high quality and luxurious fabrics.
We feel it is now time to put the toolbox away for a little while so our guests, team and ourselves can really enjoy the Simple Luxuries Chalet Le Crepet has to offer. It's time to make more memories with our guests and we look forward to welcoming you in the future, just get in contact with us to discuss your perfect winter holiday!


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Thank you for making this year's festival a fun and fantastic experience—cheers to you! Enjoy these photos from all four sessions.
Save the date for the 39th annual Great American Beer Festival: September 24-26, 2020.
And tell your brew crew to save these future festival dates!!!
- 2021: October 7-9
- 2022: October 6-8
- 2023: September 21-23


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Our family-owned security video company can equip your property in Yonkers with state-of-the-art video equipment and continuing tech support should you ever need additional help. We'll provide you with the defenses you need in a timely and efficient manner. Call NJB Security Services today for more information or to schedule an appointment for an estimate.


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JOAQUÍN SABINA - "Lo niego todo"
Back to the scenes of one of the greats, JOAQUÍN SABINA with his tour "Lo niego todo" that smells like the presentation of his new album that is expected to come out in March. Remember that you can also place your tickets for sale completely free. All tickets are covered by the ForYouTicket guarantee! Don't forget to share this event with your friends.
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Important information
- The seller of the tickets is a third party, the consumer is not buying them to ForYouTicket.
- Ticket prices are set by the seller and may be higher or lower than the market prices.
- Dates and times of events are subject to change. It is your responsibility to check local listings to see if there was any change.
- All sales are final.


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GALA joins forces with Brazilian Association at the 7th Abrates Conference
From June 3 to 5, GALA attended the 7th International Abrates Conference in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The Brazilian Association of Translators and Interpreters (Abrates) is a GALA partner and organizes an annual conference that is considered one of the largest in South America. The city that will host the 2016 Summer Olympics in a couple of months welcomed more than 600 translators and interpreters from all around Brazil and other countries like Argentina, Portugal, Czech Republic, Spain, Italy and the United Kingdom. The wide variety of presentations is already known by its attendees, but this year in the two days of the conference they had to choose from seven simultaneous tracks and more than 100 presenters.
The conference actually started on June 2, with a pre-conference workshop that attendees could purchase separately. This was followed by a pre-conference happy hour organized by myself, and Abrates Board members Dayse Boechat, First Treasurer, and William Cassemiro, Second Treasurer and recently elected President. There were other courses in the morning and afternoon of June 3, while the official opening ceremony happened in the evening.
Cora Rónai, Brazilian journalist and daughter of the late Paulo Rónai, a Hungarian-born Brazilian translator, philologist and critic who was one of the founders of Abrates, was interviewed by Vice President Renato Beninatto. A very moving session, it paved the way in great style to the best Abrates conference so far. During the opening toast, kindly offered by GALA, attendees could start to network while sipping a glass of a lovely Argentinian wine and enjoying some great finger food. What a fantastic way to start a conference!
The first day of presentations kicked off with topics that ranged from Brazilian movies translated into English to machine translation (MT) technology, by guest speaker Kirti Vashee. As a US-based MT consultant/expert who has written several articles for Multilingual and the ATA on the subject, Kirti's presentation entitled "MT as a Corporate Utility and the General MT Technology Landscape" provided many interesting insights and figures on the subject. Kirti mentioned that in languages like Portuguese and Spanish, MT is getting better over time, and according to a study by Google (2012), Portuguese is the most suitable language for MT. He also mentioned the fact that human feedback can raise MT's raw output to previously unseen quality levels, and understanding its quality is key to determining the value of such opportunities.
Other equally fantastic presentations followed, touching on varied topics, such as dubbing, lexicography, Code of Ethics, editorial translation, balance between personal and professional life, interpreting, history of translation, on-line training resources, literary translation, personal and professional budgets, subtitling, sign interpreting, the work with translation agencies, marketing for translators, and much more. All this before noon on the first day! Not to mention the special room for CAT tools, where Wordfast, SDL Trados, Matecat, memoQ and Memsource presented demos throughout the conference.
After the lunch break, at GALA's presentation, "Economic Crisis at Home? The World is Yours – How to Overcome Obstacles When Selling Abroad," Fabiano Cid (Ccaps) and Lilian Alves Mautone (LocHouse), from Brazil, asked Eugenia Echave (SpeakLatam) and Gabriela Morales (Rosario), from Argentina, how they dealt with the Argentinean crisis. The main lesson learned was that we should not ignore we are in the middle of a crisis, but we should rather discuss it and find ways to prevent it from causing us more damage. As strongly pointed out, increasing inflation is an issue, and we should not wait until it reaches its peak.
Some ways of overcoming the crisis, according to GALA members, are as follows:
- Invest in technology that will make us more productive and will allow us to save money.
- Focus on healthy clients and ditch toxic, high-maintenance ones.
- Diversify your portfolio and avoid putting all your eggs in one basket.
- Look for clients in other countries.
- Renew your service offering and revisit prices.
- Find the right people to help and learn to delegate.
- If you want to grow, you need help; if you do not know how to do something, find someone who does and focus on what you are good at.
GALA concluded its presentation talking about the benefits and visibility it offers to members. As an umbrella association, GALA's affiliation serves as warrant in times of crisis.
Followed by the enlightening GALA presentation, the Abrates Mentoring Program was presented to attendees by Steering Committee members William Cassemiro, Adriana Sobota, Mônica Reis and yours truly. It was a very pleasant talk where current mentors and mentees had a voice and spoke about their enriching experience. To sum up a day full of interesting talks, there was a round-table on machine translation with Kirti Vashee, Ricardo Souza, Ronaldo Martins and Marcelo Fassina, followed by a fun dinner organized by the conference.
On Sunday, we were all back with another day full of talks on a variety of topics, such as sworn translations, translation corpus, translation studies, machine technology, LSPs, Translation Office 3000, technical translation, translation of children books, literary translation on the web, game translation, technical drawings, translation quality, and more. It was also my turn to present on how to use Facebook to create a positive image of your on-line presence.
Just before the official closing ceremony, there was a round table offered by the Brazilian Translators Union (Sintra) on literary translation and copyright with Heloísa Martins Costa, Ernesta Ganzo, Daniele Petruccioli, from Italy, Renata Pettengill, Lenita Esteves, translator of The Lord of the Rings into Portuguese, and Petê Rissatti. The closing ceremony was extremely emotional with the surprise visit of renowned actress Vera Holtz, a dear friend of Liane Lazoski, who is concluding her second term as Abrates president this June. Vera entered the stage to announce that the association had reached 1,000 members, one of Liane's promises when she started.
To wrap it up in style, the local networking event organized by GALA took place at Pub Escondido, in Copacabana, to where we all headed for burgers and craft beer. A great way to close the best Abrates conference by far. The gathering allowed us to say goodbye to our lovely colleagues from all over the country and abroad. The combination of quality presenters, experienced CAT tool representatives, knowledgeable translation agencies, great sponsors – GALA especially! –, promising networking events, amazing learning opportunities and a great deal of fun was unparalleled.
I hope to see you all next year in São Paulo!