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Posts Tagged SharePoint 2007
Creating Business Data Catalog(BDC) using Application Definition File(ADF) – SharePoint 2007
Posted by Rajanihanth in BDC, SharePoint 2007 on September 12, 2012
Accessing the data from the database Or some other external data source and display on a SharePoint site is not a big deal these days. As developers we can create a web part and deploy it on the SharePoint but without writing any code, how we can display? BDC is the way to do so…!
Business Data Catalog
I am going to use very basic steps to create the BDC on my SharePoint 2007. If you want to create from the scratch without using any tools such as Application Definition Designer then you can follow this post.
These are the simple 4 steps I am going to use:
- Create a table and insert some values in SQL Server database
- Create an ADF using Application Definition Designer
- Import the ADF file into the Shared Service Provider(SSP)
- Configure the BDC on SharePoint
You can see this post to create a sample database and we will retrieve this data using BDC. I have named Database1 and Table1
You can see this post to create an ADF sample and the file name is ADF_Table1
Go to Central Administration (CA) and click your shared service provider (SSP) (Mine is SharedServices2)
Click Import application definition in the Business Data Catalog section
Click Browse, and select the ADF which we have created in the previous step
Keep other values in their default, and then click Import.
You will be getting this success message!
Click OK to finish the process!
If you want to manage the security just click the manage permissions and do so, that's all we are done with the step 3! 🙂
The last step is to use the Business Data List Web Part to show our data, go to any site and add a Business Data List Web Part to the page.
Open the tool pane
In the Business Data List task pane, click the browse button
The following Business Data Type Picker popup window will appear, you could see our Application Data File, Select the ADF_Table1_Instance
Click OK and publish the page, you can see the data on the web part!
That's all guys! Happy BDC ing, we will see next BCS on SharePoint 2010! Ensoy..!!
InfoPath cannot grant access to these files and settings because the form template is not fully trusted. For a form to run with full trust, it must be installed or digitally signed with a certificate – InfoPath 2007 forms Security Levels
Posted by Rajanihanth in .Net, Active Directory, DirectoryServices, InfoPath 2007, InfoPath 2010 on July 18, 2012
After giving the Full Trust to the Form template (See here), we will be able to preview the InfoPath form and get information from other domains, or access files and settings on a user's computer. But when we publish InfoPath form on SharePoint and try to access the from then you will be getting this error. 😦
Text format of the error:
Form template: file:///C:\Documents%20and%20Settings\RajanihanthV\Desktop\XmlProc\InfoPath\ADInfo.xsn</pre> The form template is trying to access files and settings on your computer. InfoPath cannot grant access to these files and settings because the form template is not fully trusted. For a form to run with full trust, it must be installed or digitally signed with a certificate.
If we need to access the form from SharePoint, we need to be digitally signed the form even it is fully trusted. This is pretty simple, but we have to do this process after publishing the form on SharePoint only. Here are the steps.
Step 1: Navigate to the Document (form) Library, where your form published
Step 2: Click Settings on the Document Library Settings
Step 3: Advanced Settings
Step 4: Edit Template
Step 5: Click the Form Options on the Tools menu
Step 6: Click Sign this Form Template and create or select certificate, then OK
That's all. You can try and see. 🙂
This will work only for you (author), If you want give access to all users you have to get the digital signature from 3rd party vendors and signed the form.
Thanks. R./
How to get the list of folders and subfolders from a SharePoint document library
Posted by Rajanihanth in SharePoint 2007, SharePoint 2010, Tech Tips-SharePoint on July 13, 2012
There are many ways to get files & folder details from SharePoint (programmatically) but my manager asked me to provide the list of folders and sub folders from a SharePoint document library urgently. So I wanted get an idea to provide the information quickly, after spending few minutes on the web and found this post (I know about the DIR command but didn't think about the SharePoint UNC). Yes, we can get the details using DOS command with UNC path. 🙂
First of all, we want to know about UNC and the DIR command.
UNC: Universal Naming Convention, a format for specifying the location of resources on a local-area network (LAN). Read more about this here.
Syntax: \\<servername>\<sharename>\<directory>
DIR: Display a list of files and subfolders. Read more about this here.
Syntax: DIR [pathname(s)] [display_format] [file_attributes] [sorted] [time] [options]
To get SharePoint UNC path, just remove http: from the SharePoint url and replace the forward slash with backslash. So my document library path is:
then it's UNC will be like this:
Okay.. we will see the steps here, I have created a document library (StepBiStep) for testing purpose.
Step 1: Open the cmd prompt
Step 2: type the following statement in the command-line and press Enter key.
DIR /B /A:D / S [UNC Path] > [File Name]
– /B -Bare format (no heading, file sizes or summary)
– /A:D -Folder file attributes
– /S -Include all subfolders
– [UNC Path] -The path, which you want to get all the folders and subfolders
– [File Name] -A text file name to store the folder details
So our command is looks like this, I have used a text file (FolderLists.txt, which is located in C: drive) to store the details.
DIR /b /A:D /S \\ServerName\doccenter\Administration\StepBiStep > c:\FolderLists.txt
Step 3: It will take few minutes to generate the list. You can open in a Notepad and see..!.
That's all guys, enjoy! I do welcome your comments. Please leave them here! 🙂
1. http://ss64.com/nt/dir.html
2. http://www.sharepointgeoff.com/how-to-quickly-list-documents-and-sub-folders-from-a-document-library-in-sharepoint-to-a-file/
Content Editor Web Part (CEWP) & JavaScript duplicating entries in SharePoint 2010
Posted by Rajanihanth in SharePoint 2007, SharePoint 2010, Webpart on June 19, 2012
Recently we have migrated our SharePoint 2007 application to SharePoint 2010 and we also had manually configured few web parts in the new environment. Most of the web parts were working perfectly like sharepoint 2007 but one content editor web part which shows the weather forecast had some wired repeating behavior! 😦
Here is the weather forecast web part in the 2007 which has JavaScript to update the weather from their web site.
The JavaScript code in the Source editor:
I have created the CEWP in 2010 and paste the source code in to the editor.
and Publish the page, It is working fine no? but not really..!
Whenever I edit the page, the web part is duplicating the weather widget like this!
After spending few minutes I have found the solution in this post, actually SharePoint 2010 does not support the JavaScript directly into the source editor. So we cannot copy and paste the JavaScript to the CEWP editor instead, we have to create the scripts as a txt file (paste into a Notepad and save), upload into the SharePoint and then pointing that file as the source of CEWP.
Step 1: Open a Notepad and paste the source code
Step 2: Upload the txt file into SharePoint
Step 3: Get the url path of the txt file and paste it on the content link property of the content editor pane on the right side and click ok.
That's all. No duplication probs any more. Happy Migrating..!
Thanks. R./
1. http://sharepointadam.com/2010/08/31/insert-javascript-into-a-content-editor-web-part-cewp/
There are no Business Data Types loaded in the Catalog – Business Data Type Picker
Posted by Rajanihanth in BDC, SharePoint 2007, Webpart on June 7, 2012
I was working on BDC (Business Data Catalog), to display the user profile data from SQL Server in SharePoint 2007. I was using "Application Definition Designer" (A Microsoft tool that comes with the SharePoint Server SDK, you can see the installation and configuration here) to generate the ADF (Application Definition File). I tried to access the Business Data Types on the SharePoint page and then I have got the following wired error message. 🙂
BDC is not a really new stuff, so I tried to find the solution on the web but I didn't get any direct solution immediately. Most of them are suggested to check the permission but I have adequate permission for BDC. Finally I have got the solution form this thread. Actually this is a bug in the Application Definition Designer and I don't really know why it's still there!
There might be two reasons to getting this error.
1. Not having enough permission to access the BDC
2. The "Finder" method is not generating properly in the "MethodInstanceType" property.
In my case I had adequate permisioion for the BDC, so the "Finder" method was my problem.
You can see the "MethodInstanceType" property has "IdEnumerator" method instead of the "Finder". So just click the drop down list and select the Finder method.
Then just export the ADF again, the Business Data Type Picker is showing the entries now huh? 🙂
1. http://social.msdn.microsoft.com/forums/en-US/sharepointbdc/thread/c069a168-5dd9-4f5e-90bf-872e0ce00d28
2. http://lightningtools.com/blog/archive/2010/08/19/there-are-no-business-data-types-loaded-in-the-catalog.aspx
Developing a simple web part (.wsp) using WSPBuilder
Posted by Rajanihanth in SharePoint 2007, Webpart, WSP Builder on May 28, 2012
Before we started the development, we have to install the WSPBuilder (SharePoint WSP tool), an extensions for Visual Studio. Just download the latest version here and install it. It is pretty easy steps.
Step 1: Create a new project on visual studio and then select the project type WSPBuilder under C# programming language (I am using Visual Studio 2008).
Step 2: This is will create the following structure in the solution explorer.
Step 3: Right click on the project (WSPBuilderStepBiStep) and then add a new Item.
Step 4: This will give the following dialog box and then select WSPbuilder and Web Part Feature template. Enter the name and click Add button (I have given WebPartStepBiStep here)
Step 5: We will get the following dialog box and asking for the scope for this Web Part. I just modified the description and select the scope and then click OK.
Step 6: The solution explorer will look like this. Under the 12 hive folder you can see the Template and Features sub folders.
Step 7: Double click on the WebPartStepBiStep.cs file and add your custom code on the right place. I just modifed the property like this:
public string MyProperty { get { if (_myProperty == null) { _myProperty = "Hello Step Bi Step!"; } return _myProperty; } set { _myProperty = value; } }
If you wanna to add a label rather than using this LiteralControl just replace the following code
this.Controls.Add(new LiteralControl(this.MyProperty));
with this
System.Web.UI.WebControls.Label label=new System.Web.UI.WebControls.Label(); label.Text = "Hello StepBiStep!"; this.Controls.Add(label);
Step 8: After replacing the code, the CreateChildControls() method will look like this:
protected override void CreateChildControls() { if (!_error) { try { base.CreateChildControls(); // Your code here... System.Web.UI.WebControls.Label label=new System.Web.UI.WebControls.Label(); label.Text = "Hello StepBiStep!"; this.Controls.Add(label); } catch (Exception ex) { HandleException(ex); } } }
Step 9: To build the project, just right click on the project name (WSPBuilderStepBiStep –> Build) and click Build.
Step 10: To build the WSP, Right click on the project name(WSPBuilderStepBiStep) –> WSPBuilder –> Build WSP
Step 11: This will create the .dll and .wsp files.
Step 12: To deploy the web part (.wsp file), right click on the project name(WSPBuilderStepBiStep) –> WSPBuilder –> Deploy
Step 13: You will get the following output, saying the .wsp file deployed successfully (done!).
Step 14: Go to the Web Part gallery and populate the deployed Web Part on the New web part page.
Step 15: To use this Web Part in to your page, just follow these steps from my previous post. That's all! Happy WSPBuilding..! 🙂
Please note: You have to run the Visual Studio as Administrator, otherwise you will get this error when you deploy the web part.
1. http://rasor.wordpress.com/2008/10/12/wss-dev-quickstart/


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PapersLead focuses solely on academic services – writing, editing, and proofreading. This includes all of the standard writing assignments students receive from high school through graduate work, as well as admissions and personal statement essays. A "Services" link on the home page speak to these services, but no detailed information is provided when those items are clicked. Further, footer pages with titles of specific products all bring up the same general information about the company, not the products themselves. Our conclusion, then, is that there is very little content related to specific products, thus pretty a pretty "thin" site overall.
If one reads the testimonials on the site, it would seem that PapersLead.com is a stellar writing company. Other factors tell a different story. Here are those factors:
With regards to its writers, Papers Lead claims, in its initial information, that all have Ph.D.'s. It features photos and brief bios on some of its writing staff, many of whom state they have Mater's degrees. The photos, however, are stock. The other huge red flag for us is that customer cannot speak directly with their writers during the production process. We wonder what they have to hide?
It is clear that PapersLead is not a fraud or scam in the sense that it does produce products for its customers. However, it exaggerated claims about its writers and its lack of transparency create suspicion about its honesty.
The lack of a BBB membership adds to our concerns.
It is rather obvious that the company is using an answering service. We contacted the department by phone and by live chat. They were unable to answer detailed questions about products, continually urging us to just complete an order form, because our writer would understand what we needed. We were also told that a full Ph.D. dissertation could be ready to go within 7 days.
Prices are high for the industry, but 50% discounts are currently advertised which bring the prices down to lower-than-average. Our $212.00 paper was thus $106.00. There is a page on discount offers with methods to get coupon codes for a number of activities, including a number of pages ordered, submitting a video testimonial (we saw none on the site), liking the company on Facebook, and a discount promo code for referring a friend. Discounts range from 5 – 15%.
Any benefits are fee-based and include a plagiarism report, editing a completed piece, a grammar check, and a summary or abstract.
We always summarize pros & cons of the services we review. In this case, unfortunately, we can only find cons – lack of transparency, exaggerations, and poor product quality. Our rating of Papers Lead is "Poor" and we do not recommend it use.
Fill in and submit the request form. You will be informed about the review progress to your email.
We are considering your review request!
It will be published on our website after moderation.
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subset: commoncrawl


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Most LSS meetings are at Secular Hall, 75 Humberstone Gate, Leicester LE1 1WB All Welcome (exceptions are shown in the detailed listings). Contact details are on our Home Page. Hire a room. Follow @LssCalendar
|We received the Press Release below some time ago.
It now appears that Arts Fresco will be on 15 September 2019.
Details via https://en-gb.facebook.com/events/405593903396575/
Press Release - Arts Fresco Festival Back in 2019
The organising committee for the Arts Fresco street theatre festival in Market Harborough has unanimously agreed to give the festival a year off in 2018.
After another tremendously successful event in 2017 with record visitor numbers, high profile UK and international performers, and highly positive feedback from acts and the audience, we now need to focus on generating more sustainable, longer-term funding models to secure the festivalâs future, and also to give the volunteer organising committee a well-deserved break.
The festival will return on Sunday, 22 September 2019 [SEE UPDATE ABOVE].
More: https://www.artsfresco.com/press-release
|Market Harborough
|Sunday, 15 September 2019
|(i) External event of interest*
|Created by:
|Public Access ( by LSS editor )
|Monday, 26 August 2019 17:12 GMT
In the interest of freethought and free speech we also list other selected events of interest - no endorsement or responsibility is implied. Always check details with the organisers.| Key (hover over icon to see description)
Home About Us Events before April 2008 Join Secular Hall Our History More about Secularism


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Today is Super Tuesday, the day on which residents of Utah and 23 other states will go to the polls. Before you cast your vote today, please complete the following exercise:
1. Please rank the candidates in order of your preference. Who is your 1st pick? Who is your 2nd pick? Who is 3rd? etc..
2. Does your 1st pick stand a chance of winning the primary election? The general election?
3. If you answered "no" to question #2, would your vote be better used on someone else?
If your vote for an unelectable 1st choice means fewer votes for your 2nd choice, and a victory for your 3rd choice, please reconsider how you use your vote.
EXCEPTION: If you're casting your vote to make a political statement, not with the intent of actually electing the best candidate of the viable options, please disregard the above exercise.
Mitt Romney is my 1st choice for President of the United States, both of the running candidates and of the candidates that can actually win.


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Let's face it, we all like a good purge every now and then. Whether it's a detox for your body, changes in your personal life, or 'getting rid' of physical clutter, the benefits are immense. That said the process of actually getting up and doing it can be daunting for many. However one of the many good things to come out of a potential house move is that it gives you the opportunity to do exactly that. Not only will clearing out your clutter it make you feel good (fresh start and all that) it's going to save you money too.
How so?
When you book a removalist to help you relocate, they usually charge either by the truck size or by the cubic meterage. By getting rid of a multitude of 'stuff' that hasn't seen the light of day since it was moved from your last house, or that you just plain never use, could be the difference between a couple of cubic metres or indeed a smaller truck.
Now the sight of dollar signs before your eyes has motivated you to have a good old sort out what can you do to get rid of it. Here are a few ideas.
A garage sale
There's no getting away from the fact that we're a nation of bargain hunters and as a result there's nothing more popular than a good old garage sale. It's a great way to get rid of that dress you bought on a whim but never wore, or that guitar you thought you'd learn to play but never got the time. Remember, one man's trash is another man's treasure and if you make a little bit of cash out of it in the process, then it's a got to be a win/win situation right?
One way to make money out of your unwanted goods might be to re-purpose it. Up-cycling is a huge buzzword right now and even the most trendiest of apartments is likely to be adorned with something that's been re-purposed. If you're a dab hand with a sewing machine then why not alter some of your old clothes? New paint and different hardware can transform a tired old piece of furniture, and with a bit of imagination an an old pot or dish can be made into something really useful. Online auction sites are a great way to sell your re-purposed or up-cycled goods and you never know, they might be more popular than you think.
Give it away
Okay so you didn't manage to sell every item you had in your garage sale or upc-ycled. Before you head for the nearest skip, you might want to think about giving it away. Ask around friends and family, work colleagues or visit your local charity shop.
These are just a few options but for everything you need to keep, let On The Move Removals do the heavy lifting and packing for you. Contact us on 044 993 2603 for a competitive quote that won't have you running for the hills.


text: Hassouni 116 Posted April 1, 2010 [color=#5D5D5D][font=tahoma, arial, verdana, sans-serif][size=2] [img]http://hphotos-snc3.fbcdn.net/hs137.snc3/18479_568747024611_37003198_33645710_898754_n.jpg[/img] Atmosphere: 5 out of 5. Al-Falamanki is like a huge, classy old-school Arab cafe, with a huge courtyard (packed in the summer, unused in the winter when the above photo was taken). The grounds are gorgeous, it appears to be built out of an old house, and the courtyard is full of tall trees and greenery. "Arab Golden Days" music plays in the background--the place was started and is owned by the son of the eponymous al-Falamanki, who was, among other things, an oud player for Umm Kalthoum. Hookah: 5 out of 5. consistently he best I've had in Beirut. They use what look like KMs with Egyptian bowls (very rare for Lebanon), and give you huge egyptian style hoses. The bowls are very wide and shallow, providing a lot of surface area for the coals. I'm not sure what brand they pack, but their proprietary special mixes are not dissimilar to some of the spicier Tangiers flavors. Flavor is fantastic, pull is fantastic, and like everywhere in the Middle East, you're served natural wood coals. Service: Variable. This is Beirut, and service here is never great. In the summer, the waiters are pretty awful, it took 15 minutes to get a beer after our order was taken. In the winter it's considerably better. There's almost always a wait. The nargile attendants are usually better than the waiters, and come by fairly quickly for coals and other things (such as blowing out your bowl, which I never see in the US). Food: 5 out of 5. Excellent full Lebanese menu, and one of the few nice sit-down places where you can get manaeesh made on a saj (as opposed to the oven). For those that don't know what I'm on about it, order a manooshi with kashkawan and zaatar, and take the saj option. Full bar by Lebanese restaurant standards, in the summer, it's really nice to have a "Mexican beer" which is Lebanese beer with a shot of lemon juice and a salted rim...like a beer margarita. Price: 4 out of 5. Food and drink are reasonable by American standards, and standard for upscale Lebanese standards. This place is upscale though, no question. The food I recommended above is probably around $4, a beer is about $5, and a nargile I think is $8 or $9 for normal fruit mu'assal. Ajami and unflavored stuff is more, and the mixes are more too, about $10. Overall recommendation: Awesome. Best hookah in Beirut, and excellent food. Full of character, at its best in the summer when you can sit in the courtyard.[/size][/font][/color] [font="tahoma, arial, verdana, sans-serif"][size="3"][color="#5D5D5D"][size=2] [/size][/color][/size][/font] [font="tahoma, arial, verdana, sans-serif"][size="3"][color="#5D5D5D"][size=2]www.alfalamanki.com[/size][/color][/size][/font] [font="tahoma, arial, verdana, sans-serif"][size="3"][color="#5D5D5D"][size=2] [/size][/color][/size][/font] [font="tahoma, arial, verdana, sans-serif"][size="3"][color="#5D5D5D"][size=2]One more pic:[/size][/color][/size][/font] [font="tahoma, arial, verdana, sans-serif"][size="3"][color="#5D5D5D"][size=2] [img]http://photos-h.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash1/hs257.ash1/18479_568747059541_37003198_33645714_593424_n.jpg[/img][/size][/color][/size][/font] 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites


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Thank you for supporting C4 Atlanta. Your donation helps us deliver quality professional development opportunities to more artists throughout the region. A BIG thanks to our supporters!
C4 Atlanta Inc is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit arts business incubator. Your contribution is tax deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law.
Looking to contribute towards C4 Atlanta's new space? Click here to help fund our new space at 132 Mitchell.


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It can take a huge amount of courage to commit to going travelling, either alone or with a companion. There is usually a catalyst to boost somebody to swallow whatever has been holding them back from booking their ticket to just go, be it a relationship break up, loss of job or another big change to shake things up a bit.
It's very normal to plan to go travelling in advance to give ourselves chance to "plan" and save up some pennies. People I know have booked their flights at least 6-9 months prior to departure. So why is it that every, single time, we always meet what seems to be our perfect partner within this waiting period?! It has happened to everybody I know who has gone off backpacking.
My friend Jess met a boy who she was totally smitten with. They were the perfect couple, always laughing and so in love with each other. From day one he had warned her that he was planning to emigrate to Australia in a year and even though she said it was fine, deep down she had always hoped he would change his mind and stay at home to be with her. He didn't. In fact, when it came to him booking his flight ticket, he made it clear he wanted to go alone. Neither of them wanted to end the relationship so they tried long distance for a while. After two months of him leaving, the relationship began to die and they ended it.
A man I know called Christopher who is Australian spent months planning a detailed itinerary to travel around Europe for a year, visiting every town and city he could fit in. He had saved up for over a year for this trip! He had some relatives living in London and as it was his first port of call, he decided to email them before and stay with them for a couple of nights. They threw a huge party and one of his relatives invited a female friend who he clicked with so much so that he decided to stay in London and not travel to any of the places in Europe he was planning to visit. This was 7 years ago and they are now married with children.
Then there was my friend Becky. She had been single for about a year when she decided to take the plunge and go travelling by herself in South America. She planned it all months beforehand and was so excited. About a month before she was due to depart… She fell in love. He was her perfect man and they decided to stay together in spite of her travels. They didn't know each other very well and it was very testing to their relationship being so far apart when their love was so young. Months later, she returned home, they moved in together and to this day they are still in love.
So… Maybe all I need to do to find my perfect man is book a plane ticket?!


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Out of the 44 countries I have visited up to date, Iceland easily makes it in my Top 3 list (tie between Iceland and South Africa, check out Cape Town and the Garden Route if you haven't already done so). Matter of fact, I loved it so much that I visited it twice! Which, believe me is quite the expensive mission since I live all the way in the UAE. In this blog, I will cover our 8 day itinerary around Iceland's Ring-Road. If you are planning your own trip to Iceland, it is worthwhile checking out Iceland 101- Introduction to Iceland before reading this post. If you want the itinerary sent to your e-mail, feel free to Contact me.
Day 1: Reykjavik & The Golden Circle
After saying our goodbyes to Victoria; Mustafa, Maddie and I took a direct flight from The Faroe Islands to Reykjavik using Air Iceland Connect. It is worth mentioning that this is the only direct flight between the two countries and flights are not available daily. Therefore, make sure you check the flight schedule if you're planning a similar trip. Another alternative is to take the ferry across to Iceland; the ferry doesn't make the trip daily either though so it's all a matter of planning the right days.
To get you guys on the same page, two more friends were joining us in Iceland from the UAE. Mohamed Motassem was meant to land at 11 AM but was delayed a couple of hours and Ahmad Khayat arrived in Reykjavik at around 3 PM. The plan was to wait for Motassem at the domestic airport and then head over to Camp Easy using the free cab ride that they so generously offer. Of course, I missed the part where they clearly instructed us to only use HREYFILL taxi so we ended up paying for that ride; make sure you don't make the same mistake. Since Camp Easy are pretty awesome though, they gave us the taxi vouchers to use at the end of our trip anyway (Icelanders in general seem to be very friendly and not materialistic). All in all, we were very impressed with Camp Easy. The camper itself was in great condition and had loads of awesome features, the guys who work there are really cool too and threw in a number of freebees. Now that we had our car and home for the next 8 days, we made our way to Reykjavik City Center to burn some time until Khayat arrives.
It's no secret that Reykjavik ain't exactly the most interesting city in Europe; however, it still holds its own and can keep you entertained for a day or two. So anyway while in the city make sure you check out the following:
- Aurora Reykjavik is a museum that shows you some great insights on the Northern Lights and even explains how you can up your chances of seeing them. You can even experience the lights in their very own theatre… who am I kidding haha it is nothing like the real thing!
- Saga and Maritime museums are pretty interesting if you're into the history of Iceland, the early settlements and Vikings
- Horse and whale steak at 'The Steakhouse'. It is a high-end pretty pricey restaurant but the food is definitely worth it. Make sure you make a reservation if planning to visit on a weekend as it does get crowded
- Chocolate cake at Stofan
- Local dishes at Cafe Loki
- Hallgrímskirkja is probably Reykjavik's most famous landmark as it is seen from almost anywhere in the city. The church is 74.5 meters high making it among the highest structures in Iceland
- The Statue of Leifur Eiriksson posing mightily with the church in the background. Viking history isn't very clear and you'll often hear different stories from different people. I have gathered some history during my trip in case you are into Viking history and will share the link as soon as the post is up
- Walk around the bustling streets of Reykjavik's City Center District
Once Khayat was finally with us, we made our way to GoCampers to pick up our second, two person camper van. I must admit, seeing this camper after spending the day in the 4-person one was pretty damn disappointing. I should have expected it not to be on par with the first one since it did cost a fraction of the price, but I guess a part of me was allowed to dream. While one camper boasted a heater, sink, fridge, dining table and many other features; the second camper could barely fit in a bed and a couple of drawers to hold our necessities. The pick-up process wasn't as smooth nor structured as it was with Camp Easy; they didn't give us as much information or pointers either which I imagine would've sucked if we hadn't already been well informed by the Camp Easy staff. There were a couple more things that went wrong too but I'll get into that later.
I like to think of myself as quite the expert when it comes to sleep. I have a talent of being to fall asleep anywhere and everywhere… but most importantly, at any time. It doesn't mean that I don't appreciate the comfort of a cozy bed though. I have spent nights in 5 star hotels such as the Emirates Palace and the Marriott but also spent others in prisons turned into hostels. I spent nights sleeping on the ground under the starry night and others curled up in the back of my 4×4. The crazy thing is, I never felt cozier than I did in the back of that 2-person camper van.
With both camper-vans in our possession, it was time to set out on our road-trip; beginning with the all so famous, Golden Circle.
Day 1: The Golden Circle
This is Iceland's most common route along with the Northern Lights Tour and the Blue Lagoon due to their convenient locations near Reykjavik. The Golden Circle, named as such since the route literally forms a loop from Reykjavik, has three primary stops:
- Þingvellir National Park: Park your car at the parking lot and make your way down by foot. While you're here, take a couple of pictures of Oxarafoss Waterfall since it's technically the first one you see in Iceland, though definitely not the most magnificent (it's actually a really small one). Continue your walk down to the Silfra canyon, which is where the North American and European tectonic plates drift apart at a rate of 2cm per year. In fact, many activities are offered at the Silfra Canyon; you can kayak, snorkel and even scuba dive! Make sure you book these activities well in advance via Extreme Iceland because they sell out pretty damn fast
- Although this is not one of the primary destinations, feel free to stop by Laugarvatn Village for some traditional, homemade rye bread
- This next primary stop is one most people are often quite excited about… The Geysers at Haukadalur. The main attraction of this area is the Strokkur Geyser which erupts every 5-8 minutes, shooting boiling water 30 meters high before it evaporates into thin air. So set up your tripods, make sure you capture in slow-mo but most importantly, be patient. After you take that perfect video for your instagram, put your phones and cameras away and actually enjoy this miraculous phenomenon a couple of times
Although the plan was to complete the entire Golden Circle before nightfall, the weather quickly took a turn for the worse; dark, heavy clouds filled the skies forcing us to call quits. Anyone who visited Iceland a couple of years ago probably camped anywhere, anytime; unfortunately Iceland's new laws now forbid that. You are only permitted to camp in dedicated camp sites. Luckily, there are about as many sites as there are sheep in Iceland, it's just a matter of difference in quality. You'll find loads of really good ones along the Golden Route though, so if the weather decides to go all apocalypse on you, it shouldn't be a problem.
Day 2: Dog Sledding & Discovering the West
The weather did not get any better and I was not happy about it… let's just say Maddie had to put up with a lot of sulking. Nevertheless, we were tight on time and there was so much to be seen so we couldn't wait the rain and fog out; thank God we didn't try too because nothing changed until nightfall. We started off by visiting the well known Gullfoss waterfall to complete the Golden Circle.
With still some time to waste, we decided to go check out the Kerid Crater Lake which is one of the optional, less famous stops along the Circle. By this point though, the fog was so thick that visibility so low that we had to walk around blindly looking for the crater. After around half an hour of trial and error, we finally found what we were looking for. I'm sure the crater would've looked a lot more magnificent if the sun was out; but I have to admit, there was a unique, mystical sensation of walking around this barren land in thick fog trying to find what was once a raging volcano.
It was finally… DOG SLEDDING TIME!!! This activity has been on my bucket list ever since I watched Balto back in the 3rd grade. I was kinda upset to discover that we'd be using a kart instead of a sled due to dry conditions; however, it was still pretty darn exciting. Now, if you are worried about animal cruelty and unsure about trying this because you think the dogs might be unhappy, think again. However, I understand your concerns and will address your thoughts in a separate post soon (link will be added here once it's done).
Look at those crazy adorable creatures… and the two dogs with them 😛 Seriously though, if you're ever in Iceland, Greenland, Norway or Canada then dog sledding needs to be on your list of things to do. If you know of any other country that offers this thrilling activity, please do comment below to share with the rest of us! There is something else that needs to be said though. To be honest, I was kinda hesitant about whether I should share this story at first; but finally I decided that leaving out any details would be robbing you and future me from one of the most important events of this trip. During our dog sledding experience, we witnessed an accident that could've easily been fatal; fortunately though, no one was badly hurt. I will post a link to the full story very soon but in the meantime, keep in mind that although dog sledding is extremely safe it is slightly unpredictable. Even with the full brakes applied, one dog can easily jerk the kart forward begging it to budge and release; when all 12 dogs decide they wanna go, it will go… no matter whose on it, or whose standing right in front of it.
We weren't having the best luck with weather so far and it wasn't about to get any better as you can see in the pictures. Rain was pouring all morning and we were pretty much soaking wet by the time we had finished sledding. To our dismay, we also realized that the GoCampers didn't give us the bbq I booked and that the Wifi in the camper stopped working. Their service wasn't great during the pick-up, especially after Camp Easy set the bar pretty high, and the fact that we now had to drive all the way back to Reykjavik was not making it any better. Credit where it's due though, when we got back to the office and informed them of our ordeal, they were extremely apologetic and offered to refund all the extras I had paid for as compensation, that was around 200 euros! You have been forgiven dear GoCampers, you really turned things around.
With that all sorted, it was time to head north and explore the western region of the island, starting with a small yet fascinating church known as Buðir. I'd be lying if I said this was one of Iceland's 'must sees' but something about the eerie allure of this church really made it worth the visit. The rain had stopped just as we arrived and a thick, heavy fog hid everything but the mossy ground covered in volcanic rocks. Like a scene out of a movie, a gust of wind blew the fog away suddenly revealing the church sitting on top of a tiny hill with a cemetery by its side. No joke, there was absolutely no body there but us and I was half expecting an arm to reach out of one of the graves and grab my leg.
On queue, the rain resumed its downpour as we rushed back to our campers and drove towards our next destination, Hellnar. Hellnar is an ancient fishing village on the westernmost part of the Snæfellsnes peninsula. However, we weren't going to check out the village; instead, we were driving up the coast to admire one of Iceland's many unique rock formations and dragon gates. Unfortunately, the pictures didn't turn out due to the gloomy skies and rain but I'm sure you'd be able to get some epic shots on a clearer day.
By this point, I was simply frustrated with the weather and really believed that the entire trip would be ruined if the sun didn't decide to make an appearance. There was no point trying to see anything else and so we decided to cut our losses and camp as close to Kirkjufell Mountain as possible. We hoped that the weather would clear up overnight and that we'd get to witness the magnificent sunrise behind the mountain, little did we know…
Worth mentioning that there are no nice camp grounds in this area, the one we found was less than mediocre with no shower facilities. The ground was wet and mushy and we had to watch our steps as to not drown on the way to the toilets! Needless to say that this was not one of our best nights. When it's all said and done though, there is nothing quite like camping in Iceland; I promise you'll leave the entire world behind and sleep like you've never slept before.
Day 3: Hello Sunshine My Old Friend
Catching the sun rise on the other side of Mount Kirkjufell didn't happen either simply because… the sun decided not to make an appearance that morning either. Cold and lost in the fog, we decided to skip the rest of the west coast and make our way north towards Hraunfossar and the Kolugljúfur canyon.
Just as I was about to lose all hope of getting any good weather in Iceland, the first rays of sunshine cut through the cloudy sky giving the land around us a whole new perspective. In a matter of minutes, the skies were clear and the jackets came off… well except for Khayat of course, man's not hot! We were all so happy with this sudden change in climate that we stopped on the side of the road to rejoice. Must say, I felt like the English when they get some sun in between two clouds, never seen so many people put their lives on pause to enjoy something so brief. Luckily though, this wasn't some brief moment.
Although you won't see the name mentioned in many of the commercial tours of Iceland, the Hraunfossar waterfalls are extraordinary and among my favorites in this magnificent country. Hraunfossar literally translates to Lava Falls and their uniqueness stems from their bizarre appearance and the unusual natural phenomena behind their existence. All the waterfalls we have previously seen start with a river or stream and end with a precipice or steep incline. In Hraunfossar, you'll spot the latter but not the former; i.e. there is no river or stream of water to begin with. From the pictures below, you'd think that the water magically appears from the lava. In reality though, it is actually a clear cold spring that surges through the ground and runs in rapids down into the Hvita River.
Guilty as charged, I completely missed this place and did not include it in the itinerary; which is why I'm glad you're reading this and hadn't decided to just hit the red X after downloading the spreadsheet and to those who did… hah suckas!!! On the way from Hraunfossar to Kolugljúfur we came across three craters known as Grabrokargigar and I knew straight away that it was time to put the spreadsheet aside for a minute (How To Prepare Your Itinerary, remember its not a holy book). Anyway, here is a little about Grabrokargigar: The craters are protected as natural monuments since 1962 mainly to preserve the beautifully formed scoria cones that formed in relatively modern times. Like I said, there are three craters, Stora (big) Grabrok, Litla (small) and Grabrokarfell. Sadly, Litla has mostly disappeared due to mining operations before it was protected. This volcanic system is believed to be 3600 years old and the lava from these craters covers a large proportion of the Nordurardalur valley. The more you visit volcanoes in Iceland, the more you'll come to see why the whole island is covered in a mystical layer of black hardened lava.
Kolugljúfur canyon isn't one of the more famous waterfalls in Iceland either which actually makes this spot really worth visiting. The canyon itself is not very long but it is deep with several falls which makes for an impressive sight. Another great advantage here is the lack of tourists which makes it a really good opportunity to take some uninterrupted photos. One of things I really enjoyed about this location is that it allows you to get right over the canyon, with the raging falls to your back and the calm rift ahead of you; the contrast in turbulence separated by nothing but the strip of land you're standing on.
On our way to Hvitserkur, we were jawstruck by the reflection of an endless bed of clouds and green fields against the calm waters of Lake Vesturhopsvatn. Before we knew it, we were out the camper-vans and running through the meadow like the ending of a Bollywood movie (shame non of us could sing though). Standing there in the silence of the lake, I felt the same tranquility that I had once felt at Wilderness Beach in South Africa, Taking You Through South Africa's Garden Route: Part I, and at that very moment, I was reminded why I love traveling so damn much.
Relaxed and rejuvenated, we got back in the cars and made our way to Hvitserkur, a 15 meter high basalt stack standing magnificently along the eastern shore of the Vatnsnes peninsula. As you can see in the picture, the rock has two holes at the base which kinda makes it look like a dragon taking a cheeky drink after feasting on sheep… and some farmers (damn it Khaleesi I told you to control your dragons!).
With the day coming to an end, we decided to ditch the last two stops since we're not too interested in towns anyway and hit up a thermal spring instead. Finding thermal springs in Iceland is kinda like finding a teddy bear in a 8 year old girl's bedroom… it ain't hard. To make things easier too, the camper-vans often come with a little guide that shows you the locations of all the camp sites, gas stations and thermal springs. So wherever you decide to stop, just check to see what's around you. I cannot remember the name of the thermal spring we visited which sucks because it was awesome! Maddie the buzzkill was afraid of how cold she'd get after swimming, so she decided to stay behind and start up the bbq while the boys and I chilled in this earth-made jacuzzi. What's awesome too is that the river right by the pool is freezing cold, so if you get too hot, you can take a quick dip in there to refresh… Khayat never needed to do that though, you know why? Because man's not hot!
Day 4: Speed Boats & Whales
We couldn't possibly conclude our exploration of the west and north coasts of Iceland without some whale watching. Like all the other activities, whale watching can be booked via Extreme Iceland and I highly recommend that you go for the Rib Boat Experience. Honestly speaking, the whale watching part was cool and all but what really made this trip worthwhile was the actual boat ride. The seats are equipped with dampeners to prevent any back and neck injuries which really allows the captain to… fly! I can't tell you the exact top speed of the boat but I know for a fact that we were getting air time longer than 1-2 seconds which is a lot crazier than it may sound, trust me. So basically, if you wanna check out some cool humpback whales and get a sick adrenaline rush while you're at it, make sure you book the rib boat tour. However, if you get seasick, I strongly advise taking some anti-nausea pills before getting on the boat. Oh and how can I forget… they'll give you overalls so that you look badass during the trip.
I also highly recommend that you spend the night in Dalvik itself if you'll be taking part in any whale watching tours from there. It just means that you get to sleep in a little later and the camp sites there are actually very decent. We stayed at a ground right by the whale watching office (around a 3 minute drive) and it was probably the nicest one that we stayed at.
Now it was time to visit one of my favorite waterfalls in Iceland, the Godafoss. In addition it's size and magnificence, what really makes this place a favorite for me is merely the history behind the falls and how they received their name, Godafoss, which translates to waterfall of the gods. Now that I've built enough suspense, here is what history tells us about this place:
In the year 1000, Þorgeir Ljósvetningagoði, chieftain of Ljósvatn district and Lawspeaker of the Althing, was entrusted with the momentous task of deciding whether Icelanders should adopt the Christian faith or stick to their own Nordic gods. When his decision was formally adopted, he went home and threw his statues of the pagan gods into the waterfall. Godafoss is said to derive its name from this event. The fall is 12 meters high and Skjalfandafljot is the country's fourth longest river spanning 180 kms. The lava by the waterfall flowed through the valley Bardardalur in ancient times. Unbelievable as it may be, the lava is almost as long as the river itself and originates in the highlands by the edge of the biggest glacier in Iceland, Vatnajokull (I'll be getting into more details about Iceland's glaciers and volcanoes in part II of this post).
This next stop is one for the Game of Thrones fans, myself included. So to all the fans, let me give you a couple of hints and see if you can figure it out all alone.
- You know nothin John Snow
- Where John Snow breaks his oath to the Night's Watch
- John Snow and a one red head wildling get a little wild
Yes, you can actually visit and enter that same cave if you happen to be in the northern side of Iceland. The name of the cave is Grjotagja and its located in the Myvatn lake area. The cave was a popular bathing place once upon a time; however, geological activity in the period 1975-1984 (or maybe Kaleesi's dragons way before that) caused the temperature of the water to rise significantly deeming the pool un-bathable. It's a damn shame too because believe me, when you peak into that cave and it's crystal blue waters, you'll want nothing more than a cozy swim.
Ok as much as I enjoyed watching at least 10 people slip on the rocks, and a little less than half of them dropping their phones into the water only to spend an hour trying to fish them out… all whilst ruining my idea of a perfect photo; I have to warn you. The rocks are slippery, so maybe keep your phones in your pockets until you find your base at a nice and flat rock.
On the way from Grjotagia cave to Dettifoss, you're gonna come across a surreal lagoon of turquoise water like you've never seen before. The water is over 70 degrees Celsius so don't even think of going for a swim, no matter how tempting it gets. However, make sure you stop there anyway to enjoy the jaw-dropping scenery.
While you're there, make sure to have some fun with your photos too!
Your final stop of the day, and in fact the conclusion of Northern Iceland is Dettifoss. There are two falls in the area, each around a 20 minute walk from the parking lot so make sure you get there well before sunset to really take in everything. We made the mistake of getting there late and by the time we got to the second falls, it was already too dark.
Dettifoss is a waterfall in Vatnajökull National Park and boasts a land decorated with beautiful rock formations. It is reputed to be the most powerful waterfall in all of Europe… for good reason too you'll see when you get there. The water comes from the nearby Vatnajökull glacier whose sediment-rich runoff colors the fall a greyish white. Imagine the waters of the wide Jokulsa a Fjollum river falling over 44 meters, causing an intense crashing spray. Bad news is, that intense spray is also the reason you won't be able to take any good pictures unless you have proper water protection for your camera. Combined with the late hour and lack of light, I am extremely sorry for the crappy photography.
Highlight of this spot however, were the two drugged out hippies we spotted at the falls. In all honesty, I'm A ok with people doing there own thing and enjoying what they enjoy in life; however, it does get a bit scary when they start dancing on the edge of a 44 meter drop. At first, we thought they were meditating, and then the girl started shaking aggressively and I thought something was wrong with her, but turns out it was only her way of dancing. It was only then that she kept stepping closer and closer to the edge, without even looking down to see where she was placing her feet. Meanwhile, the dude was just standing there, solid as a rock, staring up into the sky, arms stretched wide open and barely breathing. I can't say what they were on, but I really hope they made it safely to their camp grounds.
Despite the darkness, we made our way to the second falls real quick simply because, FOMO. Luckily they weren't as magnificent as the first ones so we didn't feel too bad and hurried back to the cars. It was hectic to think we still had a 2 hour 50 minute drive ahead of us to make it to Seydisfjordur.
You know these moments when you're extremely exhausted, but you're just pushing your last energy reserves to make it to your destination? That was pretty much us 1.5 hours into the drive to Seydisfjordur, knowing we were only half way there wasn't helping too much either. And just when you start to think things can't get worse… you get a slap right across your face. To wake myself up a bit, I asked Maddie to download the photos off my camera and at that exact moment, I realized I had forgotten it at the Dettifoss Parking lot toilet. The problem with losing cameras is not merely the value of the thing, but the memories it holds within it. That being said, I did what anyone would've done (not really), I told the guys to continue onwards until they find a nice campground and then I turned the car around back to Dettifoss. 3 hours later, Maddie, my camera and I met the rest of the guys at a camp ground and within 5 minutes, I was in the deepest slumber of my life.
This concludes the blog on Iceland's western and northern coasts; however, the best is yet to come. Almost all the advertised spots you see about Iceland are located in the southern section if the island and I will be covering all of that in the second part of this blog. I really hope you enjoyed reading this; more importantly though, I hope I provided you with enough information about this beautiful country to help you plan out your own adventure. Please do like, comment, subscribe and share this blog so that others can benefit off it too! 🙂
Yousuf Elabbasy


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How to Get a California Medical Marijuana Identification Card in 2018
Tricia Cleppe | December 20, 2017 | Leave a Comment
As California moves from a medical-only marijuana state to an adult-use market in 2018, many patients like yourself wonder what this means for you.
Do I still need to get a Medical Marijuana Identification Card (MMIC) and how? Are there any benefits to getting a MMIC after adult-use dispensaries are operational?
Here we'll breakdown everything you need to know about getting your medical marijuana card in 2018.


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Are You "Newly Angeleno'd" or just visiting? Either way: Welcome to The City of Angels!
Did you recently move here from Switzerland?
Are you in Los Angeles for vacation or here on business?
Either way, Welcome to Los Angeles, our "Home away from Home", and have fun discovering our exciting City!
The Angeleno-Swiss community and LA's Mayor hope you enjoy your stay, be it for business, pleasure or a little of both!
Whether you're at the Beach in Venice or Santa Monica, on the Westside, in (West)Hollywood, in the Valley or Downtown – there's SO MUCH to experience in this Great City. Be sure to get your personal copy of the Los Angeles Visitors Guide by LA, Inc. – one of the BEST resources to discover LA.
If you have any questions about Los Angeles, be it as a visitor or recent "import" from Switzerland – please don't hesitate posting them here, on our twitter feed or on our facebook page: a member of the Swiss Community will gladly help, or direct you to where you can find an answer.
The Angeleno-Swiss Community hosts various events of interest all over town on a regular basis:
The Swiss Mixer, a monthly get-together of independent Swiss Businesspeople living in LA, meets every second Thursday of the Month, usually at Locanda del Lago in Santa Monica.
The Swiss-American Chamber of Commerce hosts monthly dinner events at the Beverly Hills Hotel where prominent people from Government, Business, Art & Entertainment get together to listen to featured speakers and presentations related to Swiss-American relations.
The Creative Swiss Community of Los Angeles has a facebook home moderated by the Consul General, and its aim is to bring together the vast community of Creative Swiss living in LA in periodic showcase receptions.
For a (not comprehensive) listing of Swiss activities in LA, check out our Angeleno-Swiss Community Calendar!
What's new in LA:
The Swiss Center Los Angeles is a unique Swiss Made Marketing Platform, created to represent, assist and showcase Swiss Interests conducting business in Southern California.
While operating on a volunteer-driven "virtual" basis during the formative stages, the proponents are hoping to create a permanent presence in the near future in the form of a Concierge-Lounge-Like Business Center, with meeting space and temporary offices the prestigious Pacific Design Center in West Hollywood, available to its local members and visiting guests from Switzerland.
The RED BUILDING, a soon-to-be-opened addition to the Pacific Design Center campus, will create a highly visible symbol in the Heart of LA, and a consistent use of this facility to present Swiss Events of any kind will contribute in making this a de-facto "Epicenter of Swissness in Southern California".
Visit us here, on facebook or follow @HelveticLA, subscribe to Helvetic.LA's RSS feed or to The Angeleno-Swiss' Daily Newsbrief, check out the Community Calendar and stop by one of our many events.
You will see – after a while Los Angeles will feel like "Little Switzerland"!
Enjoy LA & have FUN!
3 Responses
After a long wait, I've finally got an immigration visa on my passport!!! Well, I won the Greee Card lottery…so, I will come to L.A. as soon as possible.
I am an Actor… In Switzerland it's also easy to have (open) a theatre company and produce plays: I hope it would be easy in Los Angeles as well.
Any advise?
Thank you so much. Best regards,


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Love love love
Wore the Ana dress for my hen do last year and I loved this dress so much and I got so many compliments. Couldn't have picked a more perfect dress for the occasion. Can't wait to buy my next dress from Nadine Merabi.
This 'ANA' mini dress is the perfect party choice. 3-D floral sequin embellishments dial up the drama, while an accompanying nude crepe slip provides coverage. Wear it to your next event with lace-up sandals.
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-Model is 175cm/5'9" and is wearing a size S
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Additional shipping information is provided during the checkout process, or you can read more here.
You can request an exchange or a refund for goods you have ordered on nadinemerabi.com up to 14 days after receiving your order using our Returns Manager.
We will refund the original amount for products recevied in their original manufactured packaging, with the original swing tag intact.
MERABI accepts the following forms of payment for online purchases: Visa, American Express, Mastercard, PayPal, Apple Pay, Google Pay & Shopify Payments. We accept Payl8r as a payment method for UK customers only.
Wore the Ana dress for my hen do last year and I loved this dress so much and I got so many compliments. Couldn't have picked a more perfect dress for the occasion. Can't wait to buy my next dress from Nadine Merabi.
I wore the Ana recently for a dinner party- it's honestly one of my favourite dresses ever! So flattering and I received so many compliments <3
The Ana is amazing, the fit beautifully runs over your body shape and is so comfortable to wear.
You dont have to worry about pulling your dress down all night as it stays exactly where you want it.
I get so many compliments when wearing my Ana and wouldnt recommend anyone else for my dresses! Thanks Nadine and team xxx


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Design Traveller – the online gameWednesday, July 28th, 2010
The Virtual Museum of Canada has released on online game called Design Traveller. It's a little on the blocky side, perhaps, but Canadian design nerds might like it. And USA design nerds might be surprised to see which iconic designs are actually Canadian in origin. Make sure your shockwave is updated first or it will just abort when you look at each room in 3D… which is why I haven't finished the game and don't have to admit how bad my score is.


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An Outstanding Achievement In Reading
Watch a short video that shows the reward given to one child to celebrate his successes in reading.
To celebrate the success that one of our children has had this term in their reading development, they were given a gift from a well-known author. Watch a video of this moment below.


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The Future of Manufacturing: Innovative Approaches to Change Management
Change occurs in all industries. It might be swift, such as the reactions of many employers to the rollout of the ACA. It might be slow, such as the reaction of most industries to the advent of 3D printing. In all cases, though, change occurs and it demands recognition eventually. Failure to handle change appropriately
Effective Leadership Development Programs
Overview A variety of recent studies have shown that U.S. corporate executives have grave concerns about their companies' ability to meet today's leadership needs. After years of grappling with how to boost employee engagement and retention, improve management, and build a meaningful culture, they have come to the realization that leadership development programs are essential
Training Examples for Media Companies
The media and entertainment industry faces unique challenges today as consumer consumption habits and preferences shift. More and more, consumers are demanding a just-in-time consumption model, as opposed to the conventional broadcast model followed by media and entertainment companies in the past. Add to that the fact that consumers are no longer willing to pay
The 5 HR Challenges Today's Accounting Firms Must Overcome
Like all other companies, accounting firms face a wide range of challenges, particularly when it comes to the people that actually make up the business. Hiring, training, managing, and growing your in-house talent is a vital consideration, and it's becoming more and more complicated as time goes by. Today, accounting firms face a wide range


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October 27, 2017
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I recently did a post on a trip to Linvilla Orchards with my cousin and our sons. This post subsquently got me hired by Linvilla Orchards to take photos of the Farm Market and Garden Center for their new website. I thought I would share some of the images from that job.
Linvilla has gone through a lot of change in recent years and everything keeps getting better and better. In addition to the two main buildings, you can fish, participate in pick your own events for things like strawberries, pumpkins and Christmas trees, go on hayrides for all occasions, play on the wonderful wooden playground, feed farm animals…the list goes on and on. I am so happy that I have this great resource so close to my home…and so is my son. Linvilla is a family owned business and the staff is insanely nice and super helpful. My time spent there during the shoot was a pleasure and I hope to do work with them in the future.
Below you will see pics of the Farm Market and Garden Center in detail. They really do have a little bit of everything for everyone. Take notice of the massive hot sauce selection in the Farm Market. Hot sauce seems to be a favorite of many guys and you can never have too many….something that would be great as a Father's Day Gift. I was told by a staff member that there is one sauce where a tiny amount dispensed from a toothpick is all that should be used…that is insanity…although I am a wee bit curious to try it. Enjoy the pics and don't forget to stop on by and check them out in person
The interior of the Farm Market is filled with a huge selection…so many specialty items are available that you really need to take your time and not miss a wonderful product. Plus…check out that wall of hot sauces and jams….there is a massive selection.
They have an excellent selection of fruits and vegetables.
You can pick your own strawberries…a great family activity. Plus in a day and age where we have no idea where our food is coming from, you know exactly where your strawberries come from.
Their bakery is top notch and extremely tempting. Cakes, pies, and doughnuts taunt you as you walk through the back of the store.
There is also ice cream and candy for the little kids (and big kids at heart). My son was very excited for the ice cream. Notice the little bags of runts…I saw many kids scoop things up.
The staff is very friendly upon check out…they even have these great reusable bags with the Linvilla Orchards logo on them.
The Garden center has a little bit of everything for everyone.
In addition to all of the garden related items, there is a wide variety of fine gifts you can purchase in the garden center.
Have your kids explore the toy area while you shop. There are a ton of Melissa and Doug toys available…they make a great quality product.
I love the architecture of the garden center.
More gift ideas.
The back of the garden center is very pretty and the staff knows their plants.
Why buy tomatoes when you can grown your own…
They have some beautiful flowers as well.
I hope you enjoyed your tour of just a portion of Linvilla Orchards. There is even more to explore so make a visit!


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Unmounted Rubber Stamps Set CUTE COMPANIONS Summer Stories IN THE GARDEN
Click to enlarge | Restore default image
The Cute Companions Summer Stories In the Garden Stamp Set brings brand new characters as well as some of your old favourites along with a whole range of extra images to inspire and delight.
Our wonderful characters Rose and Mr Rabbit are joined by Daisy mouse in this delightful Cute Companions In the Garden Stamp set. The varied images can be combined in a host of different ways to create colourful cards for everyone, from children right through to the adult gardener.
Don't forget to mix and match images form the other stamp plates for even more ideas!
Look out for the Cute Companions "Summer Stories" CD Rom that accompanies this stamp series to offer unlimited crafting opportunities.
You can find out more about the Cute Companions Range and pick up on tips and project ideas from Jayne herself direct on Jayne's website at: www.jaynenestorenko.com
Stamp plate produced from quality fine rubber material, great detail and a good spacing between impressions to get your scissors safely around to trim each out. Loads of very useful mix & match stamps in there, great value for money yet again from this quality brand. Plate size is a little less than 6" x 6" (147mm x 147mm). 3 fantastic projects are included in the packing sleeve!
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When determining how a child custody arrangement should be made, the court may take into account the age of the children and the way that the divorce is going to impact them. The goal is then to lessen this impact as much as possible.
Though parents may think that an infant, not understanding marriage or divorce, will not be impacted at all, the reality is that psychologists say that the disruption in scheduling and the infant's overall environment can still be harmful, even though it may not know why that is happening. As such, it's recommended that consistency be the key to the arrangement. This stability can help to keep the child from feeling upset.
The same is true for toddlers and children up to two years old. They may still not fully grasp the divorce, but they still need a predictable, reliable schedule.
As children reach the age of three to five, they start to understand the divorce a bit more, though they may not fully grasp it. At this age, psychologists note that guilt can start to form. The child may feel he or she caused the split. Therefore, they recommend that both parents be sure to tell the child repeatedly that this is not the case.
Predictability is also important when children begin school, especially when a schedule for picking them up and dropping them off has to be set. If one parent breaks the schedule, the child—unable to grasp the complex reasons why—may begin to regard one parent as better than the other, which can lead to many issues.
As you can see, reliability is the key, and both parents must remember this when setting up a legal plan to share time with the child in Florida.
Source: Florida Bar, "The Florida Bar Journal," Andrea Corn and Howard Raab, accessed Feb. 17, 2016


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Efforts to increase quality of casts and effectiveness of their manufacture have accompanied foundry business since its origin. For centuries founders have tried to produce casts of higher purity, quality surface and better properties, i.e. to reduce the metal contamination. As late as in 1930s flow principles and empirical experience began to govern a systematic approach to construction and dimensioning of the metal feed systems. Effectiveness of inclusion separation was one of the crucial aspects of the feed pipeline construction. Inclusions were separated by special devices installed in particular sections of the feed pipelines – slag separation sections – on the basis of the difference between metal and inclusion density.
Massive pouring basin
Rotational slag trapper
Various slag trappers
(massive, jags)
This principle can mainly be used for ferrous alloys where the density of inclusions is much lower than the density of the metal. On the other hand, with other metal alloys, such as aluminium alloys, where the inclusion density is virtually the same as the metal density, this mechanism cannot be used and other principles of inclusion separation must be applied. There is for example the fact that inclusions stick to the mould walls. Flat channels of the feed pipeline therefore separate inclusions, especially oxide films, quite well. Effectiveness of these separation methods is limited, though.
Flat gatings on bottom of slag trapper (aluminium)
Since about mid sixties foundries have used ceramic strainers, placed mainly to the feed bowl in the transitory section to post. Their purpose was mainly to separate coarse slag particles. Since late 1970s sieves and filters for inclusion separation across the feed pipeline have been used. Originally their use was linked to aluminium casting, mainly for aircraft industry. Ferrous alloy filtration is complicated by the considerably higher temperatures of the metal and therefore higher demand for the filter behaviour at high temperatures. Mass deployment of filters came with development of alloys with ball graphite in the course of the eighties, and mainly in 1990s. Steel filtration is complicated by high requirements for resistance of the ceramic material to high temperatures, up to 1700 °C, and the related higher prices of the filters. For that reason filtration has been used in steel alloy manufacture just for special and high-demand casts. Enormous growth of filtering of (not only) steel has been registered only at the beginning of the 21st century, conditioned in particular by dramatic increase of metal prices and by mass extension of the technology of direct metal casting through the riser (feeder), using exothermic sleeves and special carbon-based filters.


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New WPF Administrator and Corporate Address
The Trustees of the World Pathology Foundation are pleased to welcome Kristine Rahm as our new Administrator. Kris has a wealth of experience managing foundations and other professional associations like ours.
Together with Kris joining us, we have changed the corporate address of the Foundation to:
World Pathology Foundation
4904 S Sweetbriar Dr.
Sioux Falls SD 57108
United States of America


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Today is the day the Seattle Foundation will stretch your gift through the Give BIG challenge!
Make a donation to WACAP through the Seattle Foundation's Online Giving Center between 12:01 a.m. and midnight (P.D.T.) TODAY, and the Seattle Foundation and partner businesses will match a share of your gift! In addition, you could be chosen at random to win a "Golden Ticket" to have WACAP receive an additional $1,000 from Give BIG's sponsors.
The Difference We Can Make
WACAP staff visited an institution in China and saw many children born with special needs such as cerebral palsy. These children – each one in need of a family – also need specialized furniture and medical equipment to accommodate their daily needs and promote their ongoing development.
With your help, we can provide the equipment that they so desperately need today.
– $50 can purchase a walker for a little boy or girl
– $100 can purchase a ladder-back chair
– $500 can purchase a training kit for caregivers to better support children with cerebral palsy
Donate today by clicking the above link. Your gift will truly change a child's life.
Thank you for giving BIG to WACAP!


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Pageau: "We're going there with our heads up"
Prior to the puck drops on Match five in the Japanese Meeting Last we listen to from Jean-Gabriel Pageau about enjoying in PPG Paints arena, matching up in opposition to Sidney Crosby plus more Tom Pyatt Jersey … On adjustments they have to make for Recreation five:We know how now we have to generally be better. Clearly now we are likely Match 5. They performed better than us for two online games. We did for 2 game titles. Which is why it is really 2-2. Now we are heading right into a Video game 5. We'll maintain our heads up.To the team's good results to the street over the playoffs:We know we could do a good occupation. We beat them within their barn. We all know it is really not a simple activity and we've got for being capable to participate in with urgency suitable absent. I believe whenever we do, we actually put the po sibility on our aspect to help make a great https://www.stylesenators.com/ottawa-senators-jersey/dylan-demelo-jersey force and perhaps get yourself a acquire.On previously taking a earn about the road in this series:We all know they have got a loud setting up. They're a a sured team of their making but naturally it is excellent for us that we had been able to get a earn there final vacation. We're heading there with our heads up. We know what now we have to perform to have the get and we will test to do it.Video clip: OTT@PIT, Gm1: Pageau finishes Ryan's slick feedOn being matched up from Sidney Crosby during this sequence:There is certainly superior players on each individual crew while in the league. Obviously he is one among them. I do think you simply have to compete as tough as you can and check out to compete at his amount. He is a player that competes every single change and also you ought to be ready and know when he is about the ice.On his fight with Crosby as the sequence goes on:He is a fantastic player. He's their captain. He is been the very best participant from the league for therefore numerous years. Ben Harpur Jersey I am positive he was not happy along with his effort and with the end result which was taking place. Like I said, he competes just about every evening. He wishes to get superior. I'm not astonished that he has stepped up his activity.


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19 On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews,1 Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, "Peace be with you." 20 When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. 21 Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you." 22 And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld."
24 Now Thomas, one of the twelve, called the Twin,2 was not with them when Jesus came. 25 So the other disciples told him, "We have seen the Lord." But he said to them, "Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will never believe."
26 Eight days later, his disciples were inside again, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you." 27 Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe." 28 Thomas answered him, "My Lord and my God!" 29 Jesus said to him, "Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed."
30 Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; 31 but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.
[1] 20:19
[2] 20:24
Redford Evangelical Lutheran Church
22159 Grand River Ave.
Detroit, Michigan 48219
A Member of the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod (LCMS)
Copyright © 2012 - present. Redford Evangelical Lutheran Church.
Created by Pastor Dan Carlson


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From the mid-90s to now: A brief history of texting
Back in 1995, Americans were sending an average of just 0.4 texts per month. In just five years, the average increased to 35 per person each month.
And what's our national text volume now? Much, much higher.
It's probably no surprise that young people are the ones sending the most text messages. An Experian study reports that Americans ages 18 to 24 send an average of 2,022 texts per month (67 texts a day) while receiving another 1,831.
Find your audience where they are
Despite the introduction of new communication platforms, texting not only remains an incredibly popular way to communicate, I'd like to make the case that it remains a highly effective method to engage consumers in promotional efforts. Brands often dismiss SMS as "old news technology," and look for newly emerging platforms they feel will position themselves as innovative leaders. They may succeed in achieving that objective with certain audiences, but they do so at the risk of causing apathy among other market segments. This can also lead to very fragmented promotional strategies.
Part of our job as promotional experts is to help brands avoid the next casualty (Bye, Vine) and find platforms with staying power (Hello, Ghostface Chillah–aka the Snapchat Ghost). However, it's important that we keep measuring the effectiveness of all communication platform options to avoid moving away from a platform that's working just to jump on the latest technology bandwagon.
Here at YA Engage, we're always happy to deliver the latest innovation, but we pay more attention to what works. For example, if the promotion is highly targeted solely to a younger demographic, a platform like Snapchat makes perfect sense. It's used at least once a month by 83.4 percent of U.S. mobile phone users aged 18 to 24. We recently ran an enter-to-win promotion for a brand whose product is aimed at a younger audience. The prize offering included tickets to a young singer-songwriter's concert and the promotion was launched using Snapchat. Both the prize and platform aligned perfectly with the audience. This approach, if used on a product with broader appeal to a range of audience segments, would have failed to engage the other segments.
Don't underestimate the power of SMS
The range of engagement enabled by SMS communication reaches well beyond the same old 'Text KEYWORD to short code 1234' model. The SMS message doesn't have to *be* the engagement, but merely the means (check out the open rate stats!) to deliver a more engaging experience by providing the link to a richer mobile experience via mobile microsite, apps, etc.
Here's an example: PureLeaf® Tea offered consumers the chance to win a trip to a culinary class in New York City by texting keyword "PURELEAF" to a short code, which then returns a unique link to the promotion registration website. Navigating the consumer experience to the website enabled the brand to deliver video content and recipes in addition to entry fields.
If you want to use a technology that's universally accepted and understood, you can't eliminate texting as an option. It's right on trend with the ever-increasing interest in gamification, so the right SMS promotion can be highly appealing to consumers.
SMS engagement also allows brands to capture a mobile number and an opt-in choice. This is a highly effective way to begin a 1:1 conversation since consumers are more likely to read a text than an email. The open rates for SMS messages average 98%, compared to an average open rate of 22% for email marketing. Ask yourself the last time you didn't open a text, and you'll get the idea.
Once you've started that conversation with an interested consumer, you can time messages and leverage triggers for ongoing engagement along the consumer journey. And you can use the information consumers share to capture product and service insights, develop profiles and support your brand's R&D insights efforts.
Let's talk
We're here to share ideas on the many ways you can use SMS to increase engagement, still delivering innovative solutions. If you'd like to learn more about how we can help you acquire new customers, retain the ones you have and build lifelong loyalty, then let's start the conversation. Contact me to learn more.
Shawn Anne Buttschau is Vice President – Client Services at YA


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39 Genius DIY Pebble Art for Beautiful Interior Decoration
There are a large selection of methods DIY for incorporating natural decorative products in your home. Well, it's actually based on an assortment of similar looking natural pebble that are mounted on a typical size mesh backing.
Black pebble tile stones offer endless applications for both the indoor together with external as a result of simple fact they arrive in countless shades, hues and sizes and they're simple to be installed compared with different alternatives.


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As a person with type 1 diabetes, I have struggled over time with the eternal battle: how to keep blood glucose and insulin in balance. Like my fellow type 1s, I have grappled with mastering basal and bolus doses.
I always wonder, is this the right dose for a given meal? How much should I inject? When we give ourselves insulin to cover the food we eat, sometimes it works. Sometimes it doesn't. And sometimes it's a wild ride, and we hold on for dear life!
Along comes the newest thing in town: the Medtronic 670G pump. For those of you who have not heard the buzz, it's the first closed-loop insulin delivery system. That is, a continuous glucose monitor (CGM) that talks with a pump… and presto! Proper doses of insulin are administered! Some folks call it the first "artificial pancreas." I call it a miracle!
How does the system work? Basically, the CGM transmits regular messages to the pump, which in turn runs through a complex algorithm to determine, every five minutes, exactly how much insulin to administer. For a detailed description of the mechanics, please go to the Medtronic website.
Like all inventions, the new sensor/pump duo has its pros and cons. Let me start with the positives as I see them because they far outweigh the negatives for me.
The Pros
The first positive is amazing blood glucose control. Yes, that's the bottom line, isn't it? The closed-circuit sensor/pump combo does what injections cannot. The system keeps you in proper range some 80 to 95% of the time. Formerly, with injections, I was lucky to stay in range 70% of the time.
Worried about hypoglycemia? It's still a concern, but way less. For me, hypoglycemic events are few and far between and far less intensive. The system stops administering insulin before you become low.
With no background long-acting basal insulin, there is less "downward" pressure on glucose levels. So when I do become hypoglycemic, I don't nose-dive as I did before. I enter hypoglycemic territory gradually and safely.
Also, far less correction is needed. Whereas I used to have to counter the drop with a half bottle of apple juice, cookies, or more, now just a few small candies will do the trick.
Hypoglycemia is nicely managed. If I skyrocket, as I sometimes do occasionally on the new system, the pump offers insulin corrections in segments. No more nosediving due to too much corrective insulin by injection. Everything happens more gradually. The pump settings keep everything in line.
Nightime is a dream. If I can get my blood sugar settled down after dinner, nearly every night is very different than the old days. No more highs and lows or alarms. The insulin drip finds its way beautifully to about 120 or 125 mg/dL and stays there all night. What a difference from injections that create extreme highs and lows and panic during the night.
Okay, this may not seem important, but there are no more needles! For us type 1s, needles are no big deal. We are as used to them as we are seeing the sunshine. But imagine a world without them. Yes, no injections! I'm not complaining about that!
When you go out during the day, there is very little to take along. You do need your blood sugar testing kit, but that's about it.
When I wear the pump on my belt, I can just peek down and push the button and see what my numbers are. But I'm not surprised to see very little change! Once I am an hour or two post-prandial, the line is just amazingly steady.
Most remarkably, Medtronic claims that the system continues to adapt to you. So as it delivers insulin every day, it makes automatic adjustments in the quantity and times of delivery. Eventually, you and the machine are in nearly perfect sync!
A word of caution. Just because the pump performs so well does not mean that you can throw caution to the wind. The old guideline about fewer carbs being better than more carbs at mealtime still applies. Unreasonable food consumption can still create major spikes.
Similarly, care must be taken on the low side. For example, if you ask for a bolus before a meal, but don't eat, you need to take steps to see that too much insulin is not administered. You'll learn about how to do that when you're on the pump. And when exercising, the pump advises setting a target of 150 mg/dL rather than 120 mg/dL to stay away from troublesome lows.
The Cons
Are there downsides to this delightful scientific wonder? Yes indeed, but they are minor aggravations.
First, the whole system is very dependent upon constant fingerpicking. It is not uncommon for me to do anywhere from four to ten fingersticks a day to keep everything in line the way it should be.
Second, every third day you need to change out the infusion set, which is the needle that stays connected to your body and attaches to the pump. And every week you need to change out the sensor. Both require some paraphernalia and time.
The system requires quite a learning curve to get started. Medtronic recommends at least three full days of training before you can go to "auto mode." The entire first week is all about learning how to use the pump in what is called "manual mode."
Some critics are not happy with the gradual corrections that the system administers. For instance, if you are high, say around 270 to 280, the system might give you only one or two units of corrective insulin. This is clearly not enough to bring you down to the 120 range. Then you have to go back and do another blood sugar test and ask the system to give you more. It's a bit frustrating, but the cumbersome procedure keeps you in safer ranges without the normal hypoglycemic plunge.
Another downside is complexity. Yes, you do eventually learn how the system basically works. But the whole operation is far from simple. It can take weeks to master. In the first month, you need to work closely with your Medtronic coach to tweak the system with setting adjustments.
With a few advanced educational degrees, you might master this thing in its entirety! Seriously, you need patience to get the system under good control.
My Conclusions
To summarize, I would recommend the new closed-loop system to people with type 1 diabetes. In my opinion, it is the best thing going on right now.
Will there be improvements on it? Without a doubt! Once competitors begin to enter the marketplace, the whole system will definitely be simpler and more efficient.
The system is still in its infancy. There are many improvements that will follow. Someday we will look back on the Medtronic 670G and laugh at its complexity, just as we look back at the primitive nature of early computers and cell phones.
But I for one am willing to venture into this new world even in its early stages. People with type 1 diabetes have been waiting forever for such an invention.
In summary, no type 1 should be without this modern wonder of science.
It is finally here! Go for it!
Read more about 670G, Apple, artificial pancreas, continuous glucose monitor (CGM), devices, diabetes device review, insulin, low blood sugar (hypoglycemia), Medtronic, Medtronic MiniMed 670G.


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Facebook is an extremely popular social gathering point for teens. Meanwhile, the explosion of the "Tea Party Movement" – which involved demonstrations largely organized online – has shown the power of Facebook as an organizing tool for protests. When you combine the two, you get the recent statewide student walkout in New Jersey high schools to protest recent funding cuts.
The Newark Star-Ledger reported that students in New Jersey were planning on walking out of class today to protest educational budget cuts proposed by Gov. Chris Christie. The plan was hatched on a Facebook group called "Protest NJ Education Cuts-State Wide School Walk Out" which had almost 15,000 students who had RSVPed for the walkout by early Tuesday morning.
"It's insane," said Michelle Ryan Lauto, an 18-year-old college student who spent her high school years in Bergen County and set up the Facebook page. "I mean, I'm very excited."
Lauto has family members who will be affected by the cuts but said her aim was to show that students were genuinely concerned for the welfare of their schools.
"I think there's this general stereotype about high schoolers being very apathetic," she said. "We're the ones that are going to be affected by this. So we have to show we don't like what's being done."


text: Breadcrumb Home > Thesaurus Cite Synonyms of retool Find synonyms for: Verb1. retool, revise, reorganize, reorganise, shake upusage: revise or reorganize, especially for the purpose of updating and improving; "We must retool the town's economy"2. retool, substitute, replace, interchange, exchangeusage: provide (a workshop or factory) with new toolsWordNet 3.0 Copyright © 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.See also: retool (Dictionary) Related Content Daily Word Quiz: sanguine Analogy of the Day: Today's Analogy Spelling Bee: Today's Spelling Bee Frequently Misspelled Words Frequently Mispronounced Words Easily Confused Words Writing & Language Synonyms Index


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SB 356: Cost Of Animal Care ~ PASSED!
CLICK HERE for AJC Article on SB 356
SB 168: Adoptable Dog as our official State Dog - PASSED!
(hitchhiked on another code bill (SB 168) after stalling in Senate)
CLICK HERE for AJC article on the adoptable dog
CLICK HERE for information on SB 168
HB 736: (New) Spay Neuter Tag - PASSED!
Combined into bill with another tag. This new process will generate much more money per tag for S/N grants than other available tags.
CLICK HERE for information on HB 736
HB 727: Senate agreed to amendment on Fireworks Bill - AMENDED
Some local control restored. Improvement on 2015 laws
CLICK HERE for information on HB 727
SB 184: BAD BILL (still known as BSL bill) ~ PASSED
Passed by substitute, but with only one bad amendment: AKC registered hunting dogs receive the same license discount as altered dogs. BSL was completely removed in the substitute.
SB 184 was originally written as a Breed Specific Legislation (BSL) bill, meaning that specific breeds - like pit bulls - cannot be targeted for legislation, and it passed the Senate.
Before arriving at the House committee the language of the bill was totally changed. All BSL language was removed and the substitution gave special benefits to hunting dogs and American Kennel Club (breeder) dogs.
The public was not allowed to comment.
Note: SB 184 sets a dangerous precedent where the State can dictate local laws for pets, potentially stopping local ordinances like mandatory spay/neuter or anti chaining.
CLICK HERE to read more about SB 184 and HB 124.
The United Voice for Animal Protection Laws