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Praise for Justin Evans and Hobble Creek Review:
HOBBLE CREEK ALMANAC is a love poem to and for a place, a journey through time and memory celebrating the concept of home, history, and historicity. These are thoughtful, beautifully imaged poems sung by a voice that rings mountain water sparkling clear. Each poem is a riverstone, smooth and polished, easy to hold in the palm, warm in the pocket, a lodestone for the dark corners of imagination and memory, linked by the gossamer strands of life reflection.
--- David Lee, author of So Quietly the Earth, Stone Wind Water, and My Town.
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"'First you have to imagine,' begins Justin Evan's wily, beguiling collection of poems, and he is up to the task. This is a work of prodigious imagination. Its themes of movement, both inner and outer, searching for spiritual enlightenment, and building for the future or an equivalent semi-permanence, are worked out organically in a heightened language and playfulness that may remind one of Stephen Dunn or Dennis Johnson. 'Building your allotted portion of Utopia/isn't easy,' he reminds us, only to add later, 'I doubt anything of mine/will last that long.' Hobble Creek Almanac is the work of a poet coming into his own, stretching his gifts, offering commitment and perceptiveness, and simultaneously extending to the reader a welcome and a warning. Follow me, it says, have faith."
---Corey Mesler, author of Before the Great Troubling, and Our Locust Years


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What to watch on IFC: The season finale of "Portlandia" and a new episode of "Out There," tonight starting at 10/9c
Posted by Melissa Locker on
Good bye so soon, Portlandia? It's true, tonight at 10/9c we bid farewell to the third season of everybody's favorite hit sketch comedy show "Portlandia." But they are going out with a bang with Saturday Night Live's Bill Hader joins Fred Armisen and Carrie Brownstein in the big finale. The SNL vet appears in Portlandia as an Australian outdoorsman wearing the mullet to end all mullets. He finds Peter and Nance and leads them on a walkabout while the city is in the midst of a blackout. You'll definitely want to see it. (You can watch a sneak peek of it here.)
Following the season finale, catch another episode of IFC's new original animated series "Out There" at 10:30pm ET/PT.
Watch as (Ryan Quincy) and Chris (Justin Roiland) from "Out There" put a bird on it, a bit too literally, and be sure to tune in tonight for the season finale of "Portlandia" at 10/9c followed by a brand new "Out There":
Want the latest news from Portlandia? Like them on Facebook and follow them on Twitter@IFCportlandia and use the hashtag #portlandia.
Want the latest news from Out There? Like them on Facebook and follow them on Twitter @IFCouthere.
Portlandia airs tonight at 10/9c followed by "Out There" at 10:30/9:30c

subset: commoncrawl


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Food choices when dieting
I've started the process of losing the fat I inevitably gained from eating a slight calorie surplus for the past 10 months during my muscle and strength-building phase. I now need to make sure that the food I'm choosing to eat is as satiating as possible. Losing fat depends on a number of factors, the most important I believe to be time, willpower and calorie intake. Unless you are very overweight, you don't want to lose weight too fast because you will also be losing the good things like muscle and potentially interfering with hormones, which lead to feeling like crap. In your head, you want to be lean now, but your body is going to fight that and if you go too quickly, you'll end up falling off the waggon too soon and never making much progress. Changing your body is about time and patience. It's a marathon, not a sprint.
I'm aiming for a loss of 1 lb per week and to do this, I'm going to taper my calories down each week to ensure that I maintain this rate of loss for as long as possible - until I reach a level of leanness that I'm happy with. I suspect it's going to get more difficult as I approach my goal, so I may need to take some breaks along the way.
It may sound obvious, but during a calorie deficit, I'm going to be hungry. If I get too hungry, I'm going to need more willpower to stop myself from reaching for the snacks (almost certainly resembling that guy in the image up there!).
The best food choices I can make are going to be foods that are filling, low in calories and high in protein. These foods will help prevent me from being hungry and, combined with resistance exercise, convince my body that it should be burning fat, not muscle (protein).
An excellent list of these types of food can be found over at ChickenTuna's website. Her motto of "eat boring food and have an exciting body" is pretty good, except that the food choices aren't quite as depressing as being boring! One of the best things I ever did to change my diet was to eliminate as much sugar as possible. Sugar creates a vicious cycle of highs and lows. By reducing your intake of sugar, you remove a lot of cravings and really start to enjoy the flavours and tastes of so-called "boring" foods like vegetables.
Because I love numbers, I created something I called a "Nutrient Quotient" (I'm sure this is not original and I bet there are loads of other similar things out there - I haven't looked for them though as this was purely for my benefit). I can input the foods I eat into a spreadsheet and by dividing the number of calories per 100g in that food by its total protein and fibre content, I get a number that reflects how useful it will be to eat during a calorie deficit - the lower the NQ, the better (it contains more fibre and protein for its calorie content). Let's take a look a few examples:
- Broccoli - this has become one of my favourite vegetables since taking more interest in my diet: 100g contains the following: 30 calories, 3.3g protein, 3.6g fibre, thus its NQ (nutrient quotient) is 30 / (3.3 + 3.6) = 4 (I'm rounding to the nearest whole number as the accuracy isn't that important).
- Pizza - along with sushi, pizza is one of my favourite foods. I'm using a typical margarita-style shop-bought frozen pizza for the following values: 780 calories (per-pizza), 36g protein, 11g fibre. Thus its NQ is 17.
- Coconut Milk - I don't mean the tins of coconut milk here, but a dairy-alternative available in the UK from a company called Kara. This is my favourite alternative to normal milk because it isn't sweet, like rice milk (although I do like rice milk!) but isn't chalky like some soya milk can be. Anyway, because this is a liquid, it contains very little fibre so comes out with a very high NQ of 90. This demonstrates the principle of chewing your calories, not drinking them.
- Egg whites - I've found buying liquid egg whites a great way of helping me get my protein intake without the hassle of cracking lots of eggs and throwing the yolks away, which also seems a shame. (Whole eggs are great and I eat lots of them when I want to gain weight). These come out with a NQ of 4.
Thus, using NQ, I can help make informed choices about which foods are going to help me maintain the good stuff (muscle) and get rid of the bad (fat), hopefully without getting too hungry in the process (by keeping fibre intake high).
The most important point to remember in all of this is that changing your body takes time and effort. Different methods work for different people, but they all have their foundation in controlling calorie intake. As a scientist, I like to take a measured, informed route. There is no magic secret or supplement until we can buy willpower in pill form.
I will continue to weigh myself weekly, changing my calorie intake to ensure I lose 1 lb per week and go to the gym twice per week to perform heavy, compound exercises like squats, benchpresses, weighted chinups and deadlifts.


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Fleets are Facing Higher Repair Costs — and Greater Hidden Risk
Wayne Smolda, CEO, The CEI Group
Automotive fleets are experiencing just the beginning of an accelerating trend toward higher repair costs, greater risk of unsafe repairs, and more liability from victims of fleet accidents. That's the latest view from Wayne Smolda, founder and chief executive officer of The CEI Group, Inc. Mr. Smolda makes the comments in the November December 2013 issue of Fleet Financials magazine, in a guest editorial titled, "Fleet Executives Must Be Futurists."
Mr. Smolda cites several factors for what he said is "the beginning of a technology-driven increase in the cost of automotive accident repairs." Among them are the increasing use of plastic, carbon fiber and exotic steel alloys by auto manufacturers in the pursuit of greater fuel efficiency; the extra time and expense it takes repair shops to complete repairs for vehicles with those materials, and a continuing proliferation of expensive safety technology that relies on sensors that must be replaced and precisely repositioned.
Meanwhile, he said that fleets need to be aware that not all repair shops in the financially pressed collision repair industry will be able to make the required investment in advanced tools and training to keep up with the changing content in the vehicles of the future.
"One potential outcome is that some shop owners will save money by repairing vehicles the same way they've done for years," Mr. Smolda says. "The danger is inferior repairs, more crashes and significantly reduced vehicle resale values."
The proliferation of traffic cameras and on-board electronic data recorders means fleets may have incomplete knowledge of who their most dangerous drivers are, and so are more vulnerable to negligent entrustment liability when those drivers cause accidents. Typically, traffic camera violations don't cite driver names, while fleets may not be using all the data that telematics systems are capturing to identify high-risk drivers, he explained. "In court, this opens fleet operators to the charge that 'you should have known what you could have known,' " he warns.
To minimize those risks, Mr. Smolda says fleets need to rely on suppliers who can help them evaluate repair shop capabilities, closely monitor repairs, and bridge the information gap to identify their high-risk drivers.


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JOHANNESBURG, (CAJ News) – THE defeat Orlando Pirates suffered in the Confederation of African Football (CAF) Confederations Cup final and the humiliating loss South Africa's junior side suffered at the ongoing U23 Africa Cup of Nations highlights the sorry state of affairs in the Beautiful Game in the country.
On Sunday, Pirates' impressive run in continental competitions came to a halt at the hands of Tunisian side Etoile du Sahel, who secured a 1-0 win over the visitors to clinch the tie 2-1 on aggregate.
A day earlier, the South African Under 23 side got their campaign off to a bad start after hosts Senegal defeated them 3-1.
The junior side's qualification for the Olympics is now in doubt.
Smarting from their humiliation, bottom-of-the-log South Africa will on Tuesday face fellow Southern African side Zambia, who to, lost 2-1 to Tunisia in their opening match.
Both teams need an outright victory if they are to revive their hopes of making it to the next stage.
The South Africa / Zambia Under-23 match kicks off at Leopold Sedar Senghor at 17h00 while another exciting encounter pitting Tunisia and Senegal will follow at 20h00.
On Wednesday Algeria play Mali at Mbour, Caroline Faye Stadium at 17h00 while Nigeria and Egypt battle in another fierce contest at 20h00.
Over the weekend, Nigeria beat Mali 3-2.
Meanwhile, back home Pirates, popularly known as the Buccaneers, are finding the going tough in the domestic premiership.
They lie 11th from the 16-team table with 11 points from nine matches.
Coach Eric Tinkler has incurred the wrath of followers for his selections.
Among players that have been starved of game-time are Tshepo Gumede and Tendayi Ndoro.
– CAJ News


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150927 ~ Puppy meeting with the D- and E-litter
Today we had a small puppy meeting in the forrest with the D-litter and E-litter. From the D-litter Storm, Tesla and Nala was joining us, and from the E-litter Chaco, Quattro and Allie came. Storm's big brother Kani from our A-litter also came, as well as Tesla's big sister Punky, and Airedale Terrier Uno. The dogs had such fun together and appreciated each others company. More photos can be seen here.


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Once again, actress/celebrity Lindsay Lohan is in trouble for violating the terms of her probation. This time, she has been sentenced to thirty days in jail for her failure to successfully comply with her probation rules. Though she has received a one month sentence, she will likely serve only a fraction of that time--if any--due to prison overcrowding.
Her continued probation violation reminds us that, if sentenced to probation, it is important to strictly adhere to the terms of the probation to avoid further legal difficulties and criminal charges. If you are convicted of a crime in Oklahoma, your lawyer can help explain the terms of your probation to make sure you understand what is expected of you and what can happen if you violate probation.
Are You Concerned You Might Be in Violation of Your Parole? Contact Us Today!
Standard and Supervised Probation Rules
Probation is an important part of criminal sentencing in Oklahoma. While probation may occur in addition to a jail or prison sentence, it can also be a strong negotiating tool for a defense attorney who may be able to achieve probation instead of prison for his or her clients. Regardless of the reason for probation, violation of probation or parole will generally result in the revocation of the probation and the remainder of the sentence will take place behind bars.
Deferred sentencing and suspended sentencing are common sources of probation in Oklahoma. In a deferred sentence, a conviction is postponed pending the successful completion of probation. If the defendant abides by all the terms of the probation and commits no new crimes during the deferral, the case is dismissed and no criminal conviction appears as a result. In a suspended sentence, all or part of the jail sentence for a conviction is "suspended," meaning the convicted person spends the time on probation rather than in jail. In both a deferred sentence and a suspended sentence, if you break the rules, the deal is off. You will spend the remainder of your sentence in jail.
Common conditions of Oklahoma parole or probation include:
- Reporting to a parole officer (for parole or supervised probation)
- Obeying all laws
- Inability to leave the state of without prior written permission
- Not allowed to use or possess drugs or alcohol
- Not allowed to associate or communicate with others convicted of crimes, serving probation or parole, or with criminal records (excluding immediate family)
- Pay monthly parole fees
- Subject to random search and/or urinalysis testing
Those convicted of sex crimes in Oklahoma face extra restrictions as part of the Oklahoma Sex Offender Registration Act, and any person on probation may be subject to special conditions including community service, alcohol or drug treatment or counseling, curfew, electronic monitoring, Victim Impact Panel, and more.
If you need help understanding your probationary terms, contact your criminal defense attorney. Following the conditions of your probation is too important to leave to guesswork. If you are charged with parole violation, contact your legal representation at once.


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It's Thanksgiving weekend up here in these parts. I'm currently lounging around in a fluffy robe, after having got up the butt-crack of dawn to see off Dom. No, he's not heading out of town, he was off to catch a bus that would take him to the starting line of his first marathon. Sometimes I wonder how well matched we really are? Dude is going to run for nearly four hours today and I can barely walk across the parking lot.
But, I can walk across a parking lot, without crutches, without a wheelchair. I can go stand at the finish line and cheer in my sweet love. For this I am thankful. I have to keep reminding myself that things could be worse. Even at my bleakest, this-crap-sucks times, it could be worse. I am thankful I have access to great, free health care; that surgeries and medicine exist that make my life better; that technology has advanced so much that I have a community of others at my fingertips who know exactly what I'm talking about, without ever having to get off my comfy couch; and especially for my family and friends (crackpots though they may be - running for HOURS - crazytown).
And, turkey. Oh, the turkey that will be consumed today. And, pie. Let us not forget pie.
Sunday, October 7, 2012
Monday, October 1, 2012
Six Months
Six months ago yesterday my body changed yet again. I lost some old, worn out pieces, and gained some new porcelain and metal ones. As my body continues to become less and less human, these pieces of man-made material enable me to live a happier life. Enable me to feel more human, more capable.
Six months ago my life changed, I can honestly say that.
Now, if only the rest of my body would get the memo.
Six months ago my life changed, I can honestly say that.
Now, if only the rest of my body would get the memo.
Posted by Pony at 11:08 AM 10 comments: Links to this post
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This was just the 88th of these truly stunning guitars from Gibson's famous acoustic facility in Bozeman, Montana. Now out of production, prices are rising rapidly. Grab this before they're $10k!
Made by the same Gibson acoustic folk in Bozeman, Montana, as our Montana Gold model, this is the Standard version of Gibson's famous SJ-200 'super jumbo', featuring slightly less bling :)
Oahu vintage Hawaiian slide guitar, square neck model, 1945 - possibly a Model 50K Deluxe. Good condition Oahu branded Hawaiian instruments become more desirable with every passing year.
Without Robert Johnson and his Gibson L-1, there'd have been no Blues. Without the Blues, there'd have been no Rock'n'Roll. Without the Blues and Rock'n'Roll, what a sad world we'd be living in...
Don't spend thousands on a vintage Dobro or National when you just need that lonesome twang for a couple of numbers in your set. Grab this cool pro setup reso and save the big bucks for studio time
Top-of-the-range Seagull acoustic-electric, featuring the famous LR Baggs iBeam active pickup & pre-amp system. RRP $3100! Price just slashed by our consignment customer!!!!
Top-of-the-range Epi acoustic! These Masterbilt models have a reputation for being great bluegrass guitars. Bargain priced to sell quickly...
PRICE LOWERED BY OUR CONSIGNMENT CUSTOMER. Comes with one-off, custom designed bluegrass -shirt! (See pic # 4 inside)


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We run is all the shoes we test and we do not receive payments from the shoe companies.
If we are provided with a test shoe from the brands, we always say so within the review.
All reviews are completely independent.
We at Shoeguide think that New Balance are getting a little left behind in the cool technical stakes of the running industry with basic but well-made shoes that are good but not spectacular.
Nothing about New Balance really jumps out and says wow right now except the amazing ability to still buy shoes in numerous widths, which is a massive bonus for people with a less than average foot shape.
The shoes are good and feel great, but with every model, it would be fairly easy to name an alternative shoe from another brand than someone likes more. A solid range with no stand out shoes really does make it hard to showcase the NB range as a top end running brand right now.
There are no real technologies to talk about that stand out as innovative or particularly noteworthy. NB shoes made from good quality CMEVA (Fresh Foam or Vazee), which are extremely comfortable not a patch on adidas Boost, Nike React, or Saucony Everun if you compare them like for like.
If you are a fan of the fit and feel of NB because of the great last shapes, then the shoes are good and worth trying, but if you are not in need of a unique shape you could be better looking elsewhere right now for alternative brands offering better technologies, better underfoot comfort and better responsiveness.


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January 24th, 2008
January 24, 2008:
More money than I will ever see in MY lifetime …
So the Skanks spent nearly a quarter of a BILLION dollars for a team that could not even get out of the 1st round of playoffs? The numbers came out yesterday–Not only did the Skanks waste a TON of money, they blew the doors off the record for most spent by a team in a season, by spending $218.3 million dollars to fund the less than successful 2007 campaign….And the previous record holder was also the Skanks, with $207.5 and 206.6 in 06 and 05, respectively–AND have held the top spot in spending for the last 9 years–with absolutely nothing to show for it…HA HA
Coming in 2nd was the Sox with $155.4 million, which is nothing to sneeze at either–but at least they won it all–that has to be worth something….
Rounding out the Top 5: The Dodgers ($125.6 million) the Mets ($120.9 million), and the Cubs ($115.9 million)…
Overall, the 30 baseball teams spent $2.71 BILLION dollars….Holy Buckets!
Arbitration hearings for Kevin Youkilis (Feb 18) and Kyle Snyder (Feb 7) have been set–Will Theo keep his sparkling track record of getting a deal done before the player heads to his hearing? The Sox are $300,000 apart with Kyle and $ 1.175 million apart with Youk…
What the hell is "striking inartfulness"???–That is what Barry Bonds and his legal team are calling the perjury changes against him–they also called them "scattershot"–but I know what that means….His defense seems to be that the questions that were asked during his 2003 Grand Jury were "…posed to him by two different prosecutors were frequently imprecise, redundant, overlapping and frequently compound." Whatever….
3 weeks today Pitchers and Catchers report!


text: Apparently, it was just as bad as we feared. Not long ago, it was reported that production on the Michael Bay-produced "Ninja Turtles" movie was pushed to 2014. Because 2014 is the 30th anniversary of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles? No! That was a convenient excuse. Besides, "Ninja Turtles" is basically a cheap imitator of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles since half of their character description -- along with the central freaking premise -- were done away with. No, it was because the script was said to have "issues." Meaning: the script was terrible. Several people claim to have gotten their hands on this script, and there are terrible, awful, no good, very bad things in it. Starting with 18-year-old high school lovebirds Casey Jones and April O'Neil. Seriously. That almost happened. Read the rest


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Author Archives: gricker
Content Management with AWS Lambda
Crazy? Probably, but it won't be the first time that has been suggested. First,let me offer some background. Recently I have had the opportunity to experience what content management systems do and how they utilized. Products like Documentum and Alfresco … Continue reading
An experiment with Lucene and Shakespeare
There is a lot of talk about Solr these days. The engine that drives Solr is Lucene which I have used Lucene in Neo4j, but never directly. Maybe its time to see how it works. Lucene Lucene is full-text search … Continue reading
Deep Learning- self driving car (hobby)
Really it is a Tesla.. Four electric motors, batteries, sensors, and two cameras. Okay…kinda like a Tesla. I have been fasinated with neural networks going back to the early 90's when I was doing work on forms recognition and hand … Continue reading
Data Centric programming – End of the Cloud
Interesting. The idea of data centric computing is something I have been thinking about. The rise of machine learning plays a big part of this… The End of Cloud Computing
Unity – pong game.. why not
The original pong game was not much compared to what would come later. For many it was amazing that something like was available for use in the home. I have seen others make pong games in Unity and thought it … Continue reading
Multimedia Mobile application using Low Power Bluetooth(BLE)
… in a museum. You walk by an painting suddenly your phone becomes the voice of the artist and begins to speak to you about the piece…. Bringing art to the guest. In 2008 I developed an application that used RFID … Continue reading
Podcast Interview with Greg Ricker
My podcast with Rik Van Bruggen http://blog.bruggen.com/2016/09/podcast-interview-with-greg-ricker.html


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About River Place
River Place is an upscale neighborhood on the western edge of Austin with phenomenal views for miles! Some of Austin's top executives live in River Place and play golf at River Place Country Club, however, all ages and walks of life live in River Place. The Country Club has an 18 hole golf course designed by Tom Kite. The club house boasts 48,000 square feet and has a 25 meter swimming pool along with tennis courts.
River Place is a master-planned waterfront and country club community on Lake Austin featuring golf, swimming, dining, fitness and more. Shopping, parks, dining and schools are all within the neighborhood.
Where is River Place
From Austin take RR2222 west to just before RR620. Take a left onto River Place Blvd and start to experience the views! River Place is next to Panther Hollow Habitat Preserve.
Amenities in River Place
There are three scenic overlooks along River Place and Big View. The overlooks have seating and shade for enjoying panoramic views of the area. There are two parks in River Place. One is The Woodlands Park which is at the bottom of the hill on Big View Dr along Panther Hollow shoreline of Lake Austin. The other park is Sun Tree Park at the intersection of River Place and Big View. The parks have a pavilion, charcoal grills, shaded swings and jungle gyms, benches, a soccer field, gazebo, and exercise area. Nature trails wind through a wooded preserve area within the area and provide a very peaceful environment with sitting areas for resting and enjoying the view. Shopping and Dining are close by.
River Place Video


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Video Testimonial Case Study
CLIENT NAME: Casa Amazonas, Inc.
OBJECTIVES: To gain exposure that will drive traffic to the website and increase credibility of the brand value of the company.
SYNOPSIS: Casa Amazonas provided Digi-VUE Advertising a list of their clients that are willing to participate in pre recorded video testimonials and permitted us to act on their behalf. We contacted their clients, presented them concept of the video testimonial. We then scheduled on-location video shoots, produced, directed, and edited the video testimonials for Casa Amazonas.
SOLUTION: Video Testimonials are video recordings of previous clients' review of your company, discussing their personal experience with your product and/or services. This is a powerful tool in advertising your brand as it appeals to audiences and entertaining than of a static imagery. In the internet which is the leading market place, video testimonials mimic the emotions brought by personal interaction to your viewers which humanize your brand online. This will initiate confidence of potential clients to your company. Digi-VUE Advertising provided Casa Amazonas several client video testimonials they release periodically that are distributed online, in social media platforms, as well as played in their showrooms.
RESULTS: Casa Amazonas, Inc client video testimonials reach around 8,000 views and around 9,000 views for informative videos. These increase their followings and improve the credibility and brand value of their company.
Customer Testimonial | Kitchen Remodel Rosamond California
Check out this great kitchen remodel we did in Rosamond, California. Thanks Maurice for choosing Casa Amazonas!https://casaamazona.com/
Posted by Casa Amazonas on Saturday, August 26, 2017


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We recently held a party at The A New Addition HQ for Nick Jr UK and UK Mums TV in aid of the Premiere of the New and grown up Dora the Explorer and friends. Here are the photo's from our party.
There was a red carpet waiting for our guests along with a blow up palm tree with a hula necklace for them to take.
We first learnt about the characters in the new show.
Then we did some colouring.
We decorated cakes with butter cream and sweeties, then we added pretty edible flowers.
These 2 were the winners – and also the 2 that didn't immediately get eaten or mushed too hard putting buttercream on lol.
It was time for the exciting part, we grabbed our popcorn and sat down to watch the first show of the new older Dora
Everyone amazingly sat quiet and really enjoyed the show, I definitely think Dora will continue to be a success amongst the little ones.
Once the show was over and all the popcorn was eaten there was just enough time for a few more games before the end of our party, we smashed a pinata and played Pass the parcel. It was great fun.
Thank you if you joined in with our Twitter party. If you didn't and you would like to read up on it you can look on twitter at the hashtag #Doraandfriends.
* We were sent everything to hold this party but all fun and photography is my own.


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BETTER LATE THAN NEVER: Sure, Father's Day was more than a week ago. But that doesn't mean we should completely overlook the old man. And what better way to show Dad some love, than with a little beer and a little food. Head to the Wood-n-Tap in Hartford tonight for a Father's Day Beer Dinner. The meal includes six courses of papa-pleasing-particulars, and each course comes complete with Limited Specialty Crafts of Dogfish Head and Sierra Nevada brews. The night is capped off with a complimentary stogie out on the Tap's patio. Tickets for this man-meal are $75. Dinner will be served between 6:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m.
THROWN FOR A LOOP: Visceral tunes are in the offing tonight in New Haven. Loop 2.4.3 will take the stage at Cafe Nine. Loop 2.4.3 is a composer/performer/band that's drawn comparisons to the likes of Brian Eno and Moondog. Their new album, Zodiac Dust, even features instruments of their own invention. Joining Loop 2.4.3 will be Johnny Rodgers. Tickets are $10. The show starts at 8 p.m.
SMOKEY 'EM IF YOU GOT 'EM: The legendary stage show Smokey Joe's Cafe makes a stop in Connecticut tonight. The show features the songs of Leiber and Stoller (like the show-stopping tunes Yakkety Yak, Charlie Brown, Hound Dog, Love Potion #9, Jailhouse Rock and many more). Want to see the show? Head to the Connecticut Repertory Theatre at the University of Connecticut. Tickets are $6-$37. Tonight's performance starts at 7:30 p.m.


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Via Geekologie:
Gotta love the Geekologie headline, which is exactly what I thought when I watched this video: Pfft, I can do that.
Via Geekologie:
Gotta love the Geekologie headline, which is exactly what I thought when I watched this video: Pfft, I can do that.
I recently came across The Google Analytics Blog via the Twitter feed of my favorite Googler and found it pretty useful for understanding some of the program's more ambiguous features. I've worked in analytics quite a bit in my days, and it can be a powerful tool if you know how to use it to it's potential. Moreover, if you're obsessed with online network dynamics like me, it's a form of entertainment. I used to explore the ScienceBlogs analytics data for hours in the evenings after work marveling at quirky things, like how the traffic from one person's personal blog that hasn't been updated in months could contribute more incoming traffic to the site than a highly funded campaign. I do like me some irony.
Particularly interesting on the Analytics blog was this post titled 10 Myths About Google Analytics. While some of the "myths" are clearly an excuse to trumpet their selling points, there are some tidbits of useful advice in there.
One good and crucial thing about this blog is that it links to the Google Analytics support forum, in which reside employees who know the intricacies of that system and get paid to respond to your queries.
Regarding MYTH 2: Google Analytics is basic and doesn't have any "advanced" features or metrics, if this is a real complaint, whoever said that clearly did not actually log in, let alone attempt to drilldown to specific areas of content and explore different metrics (Hey, did you know you can click things on the Internet??).
As there have been several occasions where Google Analytics has displayed numbers that differed from other analytics sites by orders of magnitude, I will take contention with MYTH 4: Google Analytics is not really accurate. This isn't because Analytics is dysfunctional in some way that the developers are neglecting to note; they openly admit that using JavaScript tags to college data results in problems such as "JavaScript errors, redirects, untagged pages and slow client-side load times." However, they don't mention anything about human error contributing to the inaccuracy, which I would venture is the primary cause of discrepancies. Someone accidentally deletes some code when copying HTML or, if you're working with a major network, forgetting to add code back in while restructuring or just labeling it something different can cause numbers to change. If it's because of human error, I recognize that that doesn't make Google Analytics inaccurate, but I do see it as a problem if the user interface and methods of implementation are such that it is easy for these errors to occur. I'm no fan of "dumbing-it-down," but it seems as though Google could be thinking more about how to package this product so it can be used more effectively by users of varying technological capabilities.
Another good thing I have to report about this post is the reminder via MYTH 8: Google Analytics does not support A/B or multivariate testing and isn't well-integrated with other tools, that you can use Google Website Optimizer to test different features that you're thinking about implementing on your site. A lot of web development decisions are made according to flimsy reasons, like that something "looks good" and are based on the personal preference of a few people. But I like to approach development like a science by starting out with a hypothesis (about a design aspect or wording on a heading) then running tests with both scenarios to let the numbers show which is better received by the masses. Of course, if they were MY personal preferences, they would almost certainly always agree with the science. But not everyone has the instincts of the Queen of the Internets when it comes to navigating sites, so quantifiable data is always nice.
Though top ten lists are all the rage, it sounds like most of the "myths" about Google Analytics come from people who are intimidated by the system and don't do the proper research to find what they're looking for before they call tech support to complain. But this isn't a bad thing — it just means there's more jobs for nerds like me!
This wins the Best Vid of My Life award — HANDS DOWN (for this week, it just keeps getting better).
Hat tip: S000000z
At the Internet Garage today I was showing my old manager a very interesting science-related online journal. He's in a punk band, science isn't really his thing, but he has always enjoyed musing about my intellectual prowess, so he started guessing what was next in line for me in my career path. ScienceBlogs to MathBlogs (?) perhaps.
B: Do you do math good?
Me: I do it well.
B: Really? Cross your arms.
Me: <<tentatively crosses arms and makes tough face>>
B: Yeah, see, you're a left-side brain. Your left arm is in front. That means you're good at math. See look at me. <<Crosses arms with right arm in front>> I suck at it.
Scientists, (Yeah you, Dan MacArthur) forget genetics. The arm-crossing test is clearly the way to predict the career paths of children.
My good friend and author of Aggrandized Aggregating sent me a link to this real estate website today. My first thought: "Listen, Andrew. I'm not really in the position to be buying a $2.3 million house right now. Maybe next quarter if it's still on the market." But upon inspection of the house's photographs, I placed the property as being the set of one of the greatest movies of all time. Can you guess it?
Anyone? Anyone???
That is the question I have found myself pondering lately in light of this conversation I had with some of my posse at the Internet Garage yesterday:
Me: What have you been doing with yourself lately?
J: I quit my job at that shitty cafe. I was working way too hard for too little back and just decided, no more. Since then, I've been coasting.
Me: What? Coasting? But… how do you pay for things?
J: You don't worry about it. That's what coasting is all about. You should try it.
Me: Uhh… I think you're going to have to give me some lessons or something because I only know how to do two things — work or freak out.
M: Usually the later.
J: Yo, you've just gotta coast, man. Cali style.
Upon further research, I discovered a few definitions for "coasting":
Well, if I was going to attempt to "coast" my scenario would be more like the second, because how can people possibly relax when they might not be able to pay rent or will ruin their credit rating or not be able to afford food!? At least in the second scenario, the person driving is probably allowed to freak out while the coasting is occurring, although this may not mesh with Cali standards…
Then I came across this video today while I was searching for Keyboard Cat (Play him off, Keyboard Cat!!!) and started to think that maybe J was onto something with this whole coasting idea.
I mean, just LOOK at that correlation. It is damn near ONE, and according to this video, "scientists have PROVEN that the average human being gives 60% too much of a fuck about most daily activities." Sounds about accurate to me. We all know statistics never lie. Now, my NGAF checklist would be a great deal different from this joker's, and would include things like spending 4 hours at the hardware store where my favorite African Gray parrot lives (I only spent 30 minutes there today and pretended like I was looking at phone cords — CLEARLY giving a fuck), going on FAILblog instead of polishing my resume, and eating Ben & Jerry's ice cream for every meal of the day. I mean, if I wanted to not give a fuck, I am certainly in the right place for it. See that transformation that happens at 1:06? That pretty much resembles every guy in Williamsburg. If I wanted to not give a fuck I would fit right in!
But as appealing as that sounds, I can't not give a fuck. Not when there is science to marvel at and an Internet empire to be built. And hey, there's always the weekends.
Today I spent a full 10 minutes deciding what toothbrush to get from Duane Read. In this time I probably handled 20 different brushes. The medium-bristled ones were all behind the soft ones, and if there's anything i dislike, it's a soft toothbrush. Had to move all those out of the way. I couldn't remember what color my roommate's toothbrush was, but I wanted to avoid that color. I felt a wild urge to branch out from my usual bristle pattern, but needed to be economical. Seven minutes in, I thought I had found the perfect one, but the back-side perforation had been separated. Eventually, I became self-conscious of how long this process was taking, and of the pile of soft-bristled toothbrushes shoved perpendicularly to the rest in an empty slot. So I made a snap decision, settled and checked out.
Just now, I realized that the toothbrush I chose after all that deliberation is exactly the same as the toothbrush I have been using for the past few months. Except it is a different color — the color of my roommate's toothbrush.


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|Tough love but necessary
As we watched the summer 2018 phenomena of white people attack black people around swimming pools, we are reminded of the 1950s and prior decades regarding African-Americans visiting public swimming pools. Atually any swimming pool outside of an all black recreation center or neighborhood pool.
Yesterday we published a piece with the following embeds. Let's revisit.
First. the pool cop.
If the report of a job loss left you feeling empathy for the racist pool monitor, you may also be a socially regressive Paleozoic American conservative.
If you fit the characterization above, you surely do not want to watch this video (from a previous post).
Yet we digress, today's visit with the pool police is as follows.
The backstory from The Raw Story. Linked, here.
The backstory from The Raw Story. Linked, here.
If you are not an utter racist or deep, deep bigot, you should wonder, as do we, what these people do between the middle of September and early May: the offseason for public pools and unheated outdoor pools. While the pools are closed, do they spend the winter stocking-up on their racism like a squirrel gathering sustenance (preparing) for the first snowfall? Do they sit and watch Fox News with percolating anger for releasing on the first black person who seems to rub the outside the realm of acceptable?
Here is how one elderly racist released her racist libido (or what remains of it). The kid in the video is selling candy. How many times have you run across girl scouts outside of department stores selling their cookies? Or kids selling candy as part of a school fundraiser. Take it to another level what about the candy or cookies sold by the kid who brings the items home from school with clear goals and a mission statement? And, guess what, you jumped on the phone or speak with your coworkers about buying some of the wares.
The high-end Boomer who can not deal with this kid selling candy in public. As the world has it here was a hero who witnessed long enough to decide, he wasn't having it; he bought all the kids candy.
God Almighty these people have nothing better to do than harass young Black entrepreneurial kids?— Qasim Rashid, Esq. (@MuslimIQ) July 11, 2018
•Black child is selling candy
•Random old woman comes demanding to see a business license🤦🏽♂POC & White Allies: Record Everything pic.twitter.com/SkBhIqelip
If you think for one second these are not examples of racism during tines of Trump, you are factually an enabler.


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"Biological diversity is the key to the maintenance of the world as we know it."
~ E.O. Wilson, Biodiversity
Here are a few design ideas for smaller scale plantings using native plants. If your growing conditions differ from those described here, please talk with your Grow Native! nursery representative or landscape designer about alternative native plants that will work for you.
Improve Wildlife Habitat with Wildlife Corridors


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First drive: Volvo XC60
* XC60 is the perfect size * Best appreciated from inside * Higher CO2 than main rivals...
Volvo hit the bullseye with its first proper' 4x4 the XC90 and its aim is just as true with its second, the XC60.
As with its big brother, the key to the XC60's success is that it meets the needs of potential buyers just about perfectly. It's the right size, for a start; smaller and easier to park than big 4x4s like the XC90 or BMW X5, but usefully larger and more practical - than rivals like the Land Rover Freelander.
Then there's the classy image, which should in turn guarantee rock-solid residual values. That brings us neatly to the pricing, which is also spot-on. At 24,750, the entry-level model which is far from poorly equipped costs less than a top-spec Honda CR-V or Toyota RAV4, but it's in a different league for desirability.
Okay, the XC60's styling doesn't quite have the sporty charisma of a coup', as Volvo suggests, but it's sleek and classy.
In the cabin
The XC60 is best appreciated from inside, however, because its cabin is a fantastic blend of practicality, comfort and style. Avoid the optional lemon green leather trim option and the range of materials is sophisticated, yet understated. We're especially keen on the Nordic Light oak' inserts, which are standard on top-spec cars and a 250 option on the rest.
A simple dash, comfy seats and great visibility make you feel instantly at home and there's bags of space for four tall adults and their luggage. The rear seats fold in an instant, to leave a large, flat load area.
The ride
Although it's not the most fun 4x4 to drive, the XC60 has the surefooted, unflappable feel that buyers crave. There's plenty of grip and the ride is comfortable over all but the worst surfaces. Refinement is excellent, too, although the five-cylinder diesel engines are a little boomy when worked hard.
In fact, the engines are the only chink in the XC60's armour; whether you choose the 161bhp 2.4D or the 183bhp D5 diesels, both use more fuel and emit more CO2 than most rivals. Volvo acknowledges that the turbocharged six-cylinder petrol T6 will barely register on the sales charts. If Volvo could find a way of fitting the four-cylinder 2.0-litre diesel that powers our favourite V70, the XC60 would be just about faultless. Over to them
Volvo XC60On sale Now
You'll like Comfort; quality; safety kit; refinement
You won't Not the best for economy or emissions
Verdict A cracking family car that really hits the spot Insurance Group tbc
Airbags 6
Doors 5
Seats 5
Colours 13
Likely discount Dealers won't budge during the initial rush, but decent savings should soon follow


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The FCT Police Command said it had arrested 36 armed robbery suspects for various crimes in the territory.
The FCT Commissioner of Police, Mr Muhammad Mustafa, told newsmen that the arrest followed a proactive crime fighting strategy adopted by the command.
Mustafa said items recovered from the suspects include; 11 fire arms, 15 rounds of ammunition and three expended ammunition, two trucks and four cars.
Others are; three plasma, two lap tops, seven cell phones, two master keys, five gas cylinders, two wraps of Indian hemps, among others.
He said that all the suspects would be arraigned in court after investigation.
"The FCT police command under my watch in the last couple of weeks has recorded tremendous reduction in crime.
"This is the outcome of the proactive crime fighting strategy introduced to make the FCT safe and secure for all,"he said.
The commissioner said that the command had fortified security at all entry and exit points of the territory.
He also said that the command had drawn up an operation order to handle security during the Ember Months.
In a related development, the command said it had stopped a procession by the members of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN), also known as Shiite group, in the territory on Thursday.
Mustafa said that the group had threatened to take over the streets of the FCT in the name of registering their grievances.
He warned that no individuals or group had the rights to protest in the territory without the permission of the command.
"We will not condone any act of lawlessness in the territory in form of protest,"he warned.
He advised any group which wants to protest to always seek the permission of the police.
NAN reports that the protesters were demanding immediate release of their leader, Sheik Ibraheem El-Zakzaky, who has been detention since December 2015.
NAN recalls that many were feared dead after a clash between the Army and members of IMN in Zaria, Kaduna State, in December 2015.


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Renewable Energy and Jobs: Annual Review 2016
The renewable energy sector employed 8.1 million people, directly or indirectly, in 2015. In addition, large hydropower accounted for another 1.3 million direct jobs in 2015 . Renewable energy markets and employment continued to be shaped by favourable policy frameworks in several countries, regional shifts in deployment and increased labour productivity. Enabling policy frameworks remained, indeed, a key driver of employment. In India, for example, national and state level auctions put ambitious solar targets into action and created jobs. Wind energy auctions in Brazil, coupled with financing rules to encourage local content, created job opportunities throughout the value chain. In the United States, federal investment tax credits, working in tandem with state level net metering and renewable portfolio standards, helped sustain the growth of jobs in the solar industry.


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read more
PM's one-on-one time with Trump canned
Malcolm Turnbull's one-on-one meeting with Donald Trump has now become a three-way discussion with Japanese leader Shinzo Abe.
The prime minister was due to meet the US president on the sidelines of the East Asia summit in Manila but it was cancelled at the last minute on Monday morning.
The North Korean nuclear weapons threat is likely to dominate the trilateral discussions.Powerful winds raise California fire risk
The revised meeting means the question of resettling refugees and asylum seekers on Manus Island in Papua New Guinea and Nauru to the US is unlikely get an airing.
Hundreds of refugees and asylum seekers remain barricaded in the mothballed detention centre on Manus Island while others remain in limbo on Nauru.
The Trump administration reluctantly had agreed to honour a deal between the Obama administration and Canberra to resettle up to 1250 people.Trump allies say emails unlawfully gained
So far 54 have gone to the US.
Mr Turnbull was facing pressure to ask Mr Trump to speed up the resettlement process.
New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinta Ardern, who has offered to take 150 refugees, is seeking another meeting with Mr Turnbull to express her "grave concerns" about the situation on Manus Island.Exiled king's remains reburied in Italy
NZ is reluctant to take its offer directly to the PNG government.
read more


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Air Force Sergeant Leads Rescue Effort in Djibouti
A U.S. Air Force staff sergeant assigned to Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa Contingency Contracting Office helped save a truck driver's life the afternoon of May 1 while en route to his assigned location on Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti, and was recently awarded a Joint Service Achievement Medal.
"After completing a mission in nearby Kontali, I was driving back (to camp) with my team after our site visit," said Staff Sergeant Cameron Anderson. "As I drove up the hill and around a turn, I stopped because traffic wasn't moving."
Unable to see why, Anderson got out of his car to investigate, he said.
"I saw a tanker truck rolled over onto its passenger side," the sergeant said. "There were 20 or 30 people watching from the top of the hill and someone said to me, 'go see, go see.'
"At first I thought the semi that was there with a cable connected to it was trying to flip it, but it was actually trying to recover the collapsed cab to release the (trapped) driver," he added. "As I got closer I looked in and saw the driver through the sunroof. He was bleeding and screaming."
Realizing the driver needed medical care, Anderson went to his aid, despite knowing the diesel fuel streaming from the top of the truck made the situation potentially deadly for both of them.
"My first concern was whether or not the driver was injured badly enough to bleed out," he said, "but his bleeding wasn't arterial -- nothing bright red. I saw some lacerations on his ear and that his calf was trapped under the steering column."
As Anderson applied his self-aid buddy care know-how to give a basic assessment of the driver's injuries, he noted the leaking fuel was steadily flowing down the hill and past the cab of the truck.
"It's possible he (the injured driver) might have seen (the fuel)," he said, "but it was audible, like the 'glug' sound of a tipped-over water bottle.
"Using a crow bar, a Djiboutian and I pried the steering column to get his leg out," Anderson added. "It didn't seem to be working, but eventually he slipped free."
Thanks to Anderson's military training, composure and quick thinking, the rescue was a success.
"As I was pulling him out of the sunroof, he went limp on me, I guess in relief."
Finally free, the crowd put the driver on a stretcher and took him to an awaiting ambulance.
U.S. Navy Capt. Michael Curran, CJTF-HOA CCO chief of contracts, met Anderson as he walked back down the hill after the rescue.
"As I heard the account of what happened," Curran said, "I realized he had simply reacted, followed his training, and was focused on helping the driver."
For his actions, Anderson was awarded a Joint Service Achievement Medal that was presented to him during a ceremony on Camp Lemonnier June 5.
"This was a selfless act," Curran said. "It earned him, and by extension the U.S., the respect of the local population near Dikhil. I am very proud to have him on my team."


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A new website for Clinks
We designed a brand new website for our longstanding client, Clinks, as part of a major campaign in their 20th birthday year.
Annual report for Sähëlï Hub
This is the second year we've designed an annual report for Sähëlï Hub, a charity that changes women's lives through a wide range of health and wellbeing activities.
Brand identity and leaflet series for Wildside Activity Centre
Wildside is a very special, community-based charity providing educational, wellbeing and community activities in Wolverhampton. We were commissioned to update their branding and design a range of marketing materials and templates.
Annual review for Clinks
I think this is the fourteenth annual review I've designed for Clinks! This year's marked their 20th anniversary and we designed print and web editions. We also provided original photography.
Talent Match Coventry & Warwickshire impact report
Talent Match Coventry & Warwickshire needed a high impact report to demonstrate their, well, impact! Working with Merida Associate, who evaluated the project, and a group of young people who helped direct the Talent Match programme, we produced a report themed as 'A recipe for success'. We also provided original photography.
Event posters for Moseley & Kings Heath Labour Party
A couple of little pro bono projects for my local Labour Party branch. 'Social Sounds' was modelled on Labour's 2017 general election manifesto cover.
Clinks 'State of the sector 2018' report
This is the latest of an annual series of research reports from Clinks, which tracks the wellbeing of voluntary organisations working in the criminal justice system. This also featured some of our original photography for Clinks.
USE IT! brochure for iSE
I think iSE is our longest standing client. This new project, providing start up and growth support for social enterprises in North West Birmingham, needed an attention grabbing brochure to set out iSE's offer. We fulfilled iSE's concept of a 16 panel brochure which folds out into a double-sided A2 poster. We also provided original photography.
Brand identity for Homeless Link's Social Investment fund
Having created Homeless Link's most recent brand identity four years ago, they invited Cuthbert Design to develop a sub-brand for Homeless Link Social Investment. It is closely linked to the core branding, but has its own distinct design elements.
Clinks annual review 2016-2017
Clinks State of the sector 2017 report
Clinks impact report
Accelerate brand identity and marketing document series for Coventry & Warwickshire CDA
Brand identity and stationery for Expert by Experience
Brand identity for Future Health & Social Care
Brand identity for Homeless Links' Supported Housing Alliance
Brand identity and website for Ideal for All
Annual report for Irene Taylor Trust
Annual review and photography for Sähëlï Hub
Alcohol advice leaflet for SIAS
Brand identity for Spitfire Services
Brochure for Homeless Link's Housing First in England project
Impact report for Homeless Link


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Graduates honored at Spring 2017 Commencement
North Central Texas College hosted two commencement ceremonies on May 12 at the Gainesville campus to honor the Spring 2017 graduates.
In an afternoon ceremony, graduates of Health Sciences and Cosmetology programs were honored. Later that evening, a ceremony was held for graduates of Career and Technical Education programs, and graduates of Arts and Sciences programs.
More than 610 students applied for graduation at NCTC this spring and 284 participated in the graduation ceremonies.
Eleven students graduated Summa Cum Laude with a cumulative grade point average of 4.00. They included Gabrielle Capri Andrews, Radhika Vidyut Bhakta, Gabriella Marie Brasher, Abigail Lynn Carpus, Scott Alan Gibson, Cassandra Damaris Henlon, Mona Isola, Jenny Liu, Ruiyi Liu, Selia Juanita Williams, and Jason C. Wohlgemuth.
Ten other students graduated Magna Cum Laude with a GPA of 3.90-3.99. They included Erica Renee Ashford, Amber Gayle Chesser, James Russell Cummings, Julia Sue Glenn, Morgan Good, Mary Helen Herrington, Jamie Michelle Mainard, Katelyn Anne Orr, Robert William Roth, and Davis Zackaria.
Graduates from the NCTC Honors Program included Melisa Cuevas, Cassandra Damaris Henlon, Lydia Huimin Low, Blanca Daisy Dunn, Raegan Alanna Larussa, Hannah Olayode, Vicki Jo Gibson, Ruiyi Liu, Hannah Kathryn Zimmerer, and Anna Lorene Grimes.
This semester, eight students graduated from the NCTC Collegiate Academy, an innovative program that was implemented Fall 2013 with Gainesville High School, Lake Dallas High School, and Steele Accelerated High School – Northwest ISD as pilot school partners. These eight students graduated from NCTC with their Associate Degrees, while still in high school. Graduates of the Collegiate Academy included: Radhika Vidyut Bhakta, Gabriella Marie Brasher, Thalia Lisveth Hernandez, and Jenny Liu of Gainesville High School, Abigail Lynn Carpus, Thomas Ricky Gibbons, and Jiyah Johannes Starks of iSchool High STEM Academy in Lewisville, and Nathalie Macaulay Gounaud of Texas Home School in Denton.
NCTC Provost Dr. Andrew Fisher presented the certification of graduates for the Class of Spring 2017, and NCTC President Dr. Brent Wallace conferred the degrees. Dr. Wallace also delivered the keynote message to the graduates.
The NCTC Choir, led by Shane Studdard, sang the National Anthem, and the NCTC Wind Symphony, led by Vince Kenney, provided music before the ceremonies.
(L to R) Radhika Bhakta, Gabriella Brasher, Nathalie Gounaud, Abigail Gibbons, Thalia Hernandez, and Jenny Liu graduated Friday from North Central Texas College with their Associate Degrees through the NCTC Collegiate Academy.
Mother and Daughter, Priscilla Ibarra (left) and Valeria Ibarra (right) both graduated from North Central Texas College Friday with Associate of Arts Degrees in Criminal Justice.
Valedictorian of the Spring 2017 Radiological Technology Class Laura Marrs Dieter, of Lindsay, TX, embraced her instructor, Melanie Billmeier, upon receiving her diploma.


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LotusWorks has built relationships with world leading Pharma/Biotechnology companies and we own and manage scopes of work at these client facilities. Our relationships with the Pharma/Biotechnology leaders began in Ireland nearly three decades ago, we extended relationships into world leadered organizations in the U.S. and Israel in the past decade. Working within the Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology industries, LotusWorkers enjoy the satisfaction of knowing that they are supporting Pharma client teams to produce safe, compliant products that make a radical difference in the lives of thousands, even millions, of people worldwide.
Client: Pharmaceutical client DC, USA
Success Criteria: Facility operates to user requirement
Duration: Feb 2016 to date
Services Provided: Independent Design /Commissioning expertise
This research based Bio-Pharmaceutical client is delivering life changing medicines worldwide. The client completed a merger in recent years and the facility requires upgrading and renovation to guarantee it is future proofed. The site has expanded significantly leading to an increased demand for GMPx storage space and weighing and dispensing activity. The projects being undertaken will require LotusWorks support for approximately eighteen months. LotusWorks is working with client engineering teams on the design for four separate projects being completed at the facility.
The client requires a fully vetted design within schedule and budget. LotusWorks expertise will help to plan and co-ordinate the projects and we understand the importance of solid open lines of communication between the design team, owner and general contractor to deliver projects successfully. Ambiguity, indecisiveness or contention between these parties leads to something being missed and budget and/or schedule will inevitably be impacted. Our teams support the client project with specific flexible expertise to ensure the project will be completed to specification, within budget and on time.
A strong cooperation and partnership approach between all involved in the project delivery ensures the success criteria is set realistically and met continuously. LotusWorks is invested in supporting the client and seamless integration supports the client's goals.
James Casey, LotusWorks' operations director, at the company's offices in Medford, MA. An Instrument and Controls Technician, educated in Ireland, he moved to the US with LotusWorks in 2000. James is responsible for overseeing the complete operation of the LotusWorks organization in US, Israel & Singapore. He has extensive knowledge on the competitive landscape, customers, markets, new industry developments and standards within the Semiconductor and Bio-Pharmaceutical sectors. James has been influential in building strong long lasting relationships with customers maintaining growth within the markets he manages.
Phone: +1 (617) 230 4654
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com


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Valerie B. Nixon, executive vice president, has 30 years of service with Alfred State. She was promoted to executive vice president in 2012 and led the college as interim president during the presidential search in 2013. Prior to that, Nixon served as vice president for administration and enrollment and vice president for enrollment management, having been named vice president in 2005. She has also been director of student financial services and director of financial aid. Before joining the college, she held positions at Alfred University, Rochester Institute of Technology, and The College at Brockport.
The recipient of the Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Professional Service in 1994, Nixon has received numerous professional awards, including the New York State Financial Aid Administrator's Association (NYSFAAA) Founder's Award, and the NYSFAAA region 2 Service Award, which she received twice. She is the recipient of the State University of New York Financial Aid Professionals (SUNYFAP) Daniel Sistarenik Advocacy Award, and the Bill Troy Service Award, the highest honor that organization bestows.
She holds a bachelor's degree in business administration from SUNY Fredonia and a Master of Professional Studies degree in community services administration from Alfred University. Nixon is a member of the Phi Kappa Phi honor society, and serves on a number of professional boards and committees, including the executive boards of the State University Business Officers Association (SUBOA), Upstate New York College Collaboration (UNYCC) and the Alfred Technology Resources, Inc. She is past president of CCSG, Inc., a charitable organization that provides support for local needy families.


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It was a special little girls birthday this weekend and we had great fun in the wind and occasional rainy spells celebrating her and how blessed we are to have her in our lives!
Kids parties are the
worst best aren't they!
Thank goodness for gazebos' and aunty's that help get everything set up!
Mmmm… sugar and mini butterfly cake decorating… thank goodness I get to send most of them home!
Facepainting, tattoo's, masks, party bags and bbq'ed sausages… it was all going on! With lots of crisps going in apparently too!!
She loved her party! They all did, our next door neighbour even copied the idea for a party 3 days later, sign of success… maybe or maybe it was the 3 knackered children that passed out before their heads hit the pillows!
Happy 4th birthday my big girl baby!


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Achieve Better Coordination, Communication, and Collaboration
The design and building process in the construction industry has historically resembled a linear workflow, with each participant passing their portion of the project down the line with minimal coordination. This lack of communication often leads to problems and conflicts much later in the design and building process, which is also when it is much costlier to fix.
BIM for Construction addresses these challenges with coordination, communication, and collaboration with all project participants. U.S. CAD is an Autodesk Construction-specialized partner, offering project consulting, delivery, and technologies to help construction teams.
Discover the variety of services we offer to help your team implement BIM for Construction.
Why BIM for Construction?
With BIM for Construction, you gain:
- Better project efficiency
- Coupled systems that work together rather than in isolation
- Reduction in costly changes later down the road
Consulting and Project Delivery
U.S. CAD can help you mitigate risk, create project efficiencies, and improve project quality through all phases of the construction project. When you partner with us, you gain qualified BIM experts who can help your team deliver on-time and on-budget at a competitive rate.
VDC Assistance
- BIM production: AutoCAD, Revit, Civil 3D
- BIM coordination: Navisworks, BIM 360 Glue, InfraWorks
Data Capture
- Laser scanning
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Field Execution
- Document/model management
- Punch lists
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Schedule A Free Discovery Call
Production and Team Augmentation
Our highly trained staff can help you meet the most demanding project standards and timelines. Want to sub out document creation to focus on landing new work? We can help you. Have a subcontractor who's not yet on BIM, but need a model for clash detection? We can create it. Need as-built BIM models of your building or campus for facilities management, but just don't have the time? Let our experts do it. The client just moved the project deadline and you need help fast? We're here for you.
Services for General Contractors
- BIM implementation
- BIM training
- BIM technical support
- Model creation (for any trade)
- Project setup
- BIM project execution plans
- Custom tools development for AutoCAD and Revit
- Construction sequencing
- Pursuit modeling and bid support
- Short movies, trailers, presentations
- Virtual tours: walk-through, fly-through
- Virtual reality content for Oculus Rift, Samsung VR, and others
- Model maintenance and federation
- Clash detection
- Coordination Services
- As-built model updating
- Laser scanning and surveying
- Point cloud to Revit conversion
- 2D to 3D BIM conversion
- 4D scheduling
- 5D quantities and estimating
- Existing facility documentation
- BIM for facilities management
Services for Subcontractors
- BIM implementation
- BIM training
- BIM technical support
- Model creation for any trade
- Content creation, such as Revit families
- Project setup
- Custom tools development for AutoCAD and Revit
- Clash detection and coordination services
- Installation drawings
- Shop models and drawings
- Spool drawings
- Sleeve drawings
- Total station digital layout
- As-built model updating
- Laser scanning and surveying
- Point cloud to Revit conversion
- 2D to 3D BIM conversion
Construction News and Resources
Ready to get started?
WATCH: Improving Collaboration Along the Entire Project Lifecycle


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Smith's 8" Diamond Tri-Hone Sharpening System offers the ultimate in sharpening capability. The system comes with two interrupted surface diamond stones and a Medium Arkansas stone. The Coarse and Fine grit diamond stones feature a unique, overlapping hole design that speeds sharpening by collecting and holding the metal filings which build up during the sharpening process, thus allowing the stone's surface to remain clean and clear. The Medium (Soft) Arkansas Stone is the best general purpose sharpener of all the natural Arkansas Stones. This stone removes moderate amounts of metal as it polishes the cutting edge.
Smith's Knife Sharpener: Smith's Diamond Tri Hone, SM-50008


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Amazing Eco Race
Great Team building event. WET will customize your Eco Challenge and will sharpen your environmental awareness while keeping your group entertained, the Whistler way! Scavenger Hunts include paddling in boats, peddling on bikes and walking/hiking challenges. Choose from a 3 hour (short) or 5 hour (long) event.
Tour Times: Custom Start Times
Tour Length: Short = 3 hours, Long = 5 hours
Difficulty: Easy to Moderate
Guided tour cost: 3 Hour $169.99 Adults, $118.99 Children (12 and under)
Guided Tour cost: 5 Hour $229.99 Adults, $160.99 Children (12 and under)
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Wiley Rein Files Amicus Brief in Supreme Court Case Regarding State and Local Governments' Obligation to Ensure that Private Persons Comply with ADA
Washington, DC—Wiley Rein LLP filed an amicus brief on August 31 with the Supreme Court of the United States in Ivy, et al. v. Mike Morath on behalf of the National Association of Counties, the Council of State Governments, the National League of Cities, the United States Conference of Mayors, the International City/County Management Association, and the International Municipal Lawyers Association.
The case stems from a 2011 lawsuit brought by five deaf residents of Texas who allege that the state violated the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) by failing to provide them with equal access to driver education classes. The classes are taught by private schools licensed and regulated closely by the state. In order to obtain a driver's license, certain citizens under the age of 25 must obtain a certificate from one of the private schools certifying completion of the driver education program. The plaintiffs in the case allege that the private schools did not accommodate their hearing disabilities.
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit held that the Texas Education Agency, which licenses the driver education schools, "does not provide the program, service, or activity of driver education," and is therefore not required to ensure that the driver education schools comply with the ADA. The Supreme Court agreed in June 2016 to hear the case.
The amicus brief, which supports neither party, urges the Supreme Court to reverse the Court of Appeals decision, but to do so in a very narrow opinion. In particular, the brief argues that the Court should hold that "state and local governments and other public entities must ensure that private persons comply with the ADA only where those private persons may fairly be said to be implementing the government's own services, programs or activities." The brief asserts that on the unusual, if not unique, facts of this case, the private schools may fairly be said to be implementing a program of the state because a certificate from one of the private schools is required to obtain a driver's license, and because issuing licenses to drive on public roads is inherently a governmental function.
The amicus brief also asserts that the result would be different if Texas regulated private driver education schools exactly as it does now, but did not require a certificate from one of the schools to obtain a driver's license. In that regard, the brief argues that "this Court should make clear that a state or local government or other public entity has no duty to ensure compliance with the ADA by private persons when it is licensing or otherwise regulating private conduct."
The brief further asserts: "No amount of regulation of private conduct, by licensing or otherwise, should be sufficient to impose on a public entity a duty to enforce compliance with the ADA by private persons. This approach is consistent with the language and intent of the ADA, and also respects important practical and federalism concerns." Amici also explain that this does not mean that private persons need not comply with the ADA, but rather that state and local governments do not become responsible for enforcing that federal statute merely because they regulate private conduct.
The brief was authored by Richard A. Simpson, a partner in Wiley Rein's Appellate, Litigation, and Insurance practices; Government Contracts associate Tara L. Ward; and Insurance associate Emily S. Hart, along with Lisa E. Soronen, Executive Director of the State and Local Legal Center.
To read the brief, please click here.
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Making his debut since being appointed the new Director of Music of the Royal Marines Association Concert Band, Lt. Col. Chris Davis opened this joint concert with the Portsmouth Grammar School Senior Brass Band at Portsmouth Cathedral on Wednesday 12th July 2017.
A tight and assured opening of three contrasting marches; Hall's New Colonial, Tchaikovsky's resplendent Marche Militaire and Goff Richards' Marchamba established the precision and accuracy which clearly embodies Chris' style of leadership. Further highlights in the band's programme included the famous Khatchaturian Masquerade Waltz and then later a personal favourite of the Director of Music an arrangement of Vaughan Williams Prelude to the film 49th Parallel.
As well as presenting a range of impressive and entertaining feature pieces themselves including a Wild West! Selection, the Strauss Zarathustra Fanfare and a brass arrangement of the William Tell Overture, the bands also collaborated in a powerful tour-de-force style finale; Barraclough's contest march Simoraine conducted by PGS Brass Band director, Graham Brown followed by the mighty and regal Elsa's Procession to the Cathedral from Wagner's opera, Lohengrin.
Yet this summary would not be complete without mention of a further fundamental aim fulfilled for the Royal Marines' Association Concert Band. Before the finale, a cheque for £10.000 was presented to the corps charity marking the band's commitment to the well-being and recuperation of injured members of the armed forces and their families.


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Warnings about the security of medical devices often get passed off as just more "FUD." But the case of serial killer Charles Cullen shows that arcane application security issues can literally be matters of life and death. Cullen, you may recall, is the career nurse and former Navy electronics technician who admitted to a 16 year-long killing spree comprising 40 murders, all of hospital patients under his care, though experts familiar with the case believe the total death toll may be several hundred patients. That would make Cullen, the subject of a recently released book, The Good Nurse, the most prolific serial killer in American history.
An article in Wired by that book's author points out, however, that Cullen's crimes continued for so long, in part, because he proved adept at manipulating flaws in medical device design to obtain the drugs he used to kill his victims. In particular, Cullen is alleged to have exploited an application design flaw in a then-new device, Pyxis Medstation, a medication distribution and management product made by the company Cardinal Health. As author Charles Graeber notes in his Wired article, Cullen's technical background made it easy for him to become an expert on Pyxis, which distributes drugs to nurses and tracks withdrawals, linking each with the account of a particular patient and nurse to create a record.
Homicide detectives studying Cullen's Pyxis records didn't see a smoking gun — a clear pattern of drug orders by him corresponding to the hospital overdoses. What they did find, however, were lots of canceled orders. "Cullen had realized that if he placed an order of the drug for his own patient, then quickly canceled it, the drug drawer popped open anyway. He could simply take what he wanted without recording it in the system.
It was that easy," Graber wrote. In short: Cullen had discovered what application security folks call a "race condition" in the Pyxis – a flaw in the underlying application logic that opened a small, but exploitable, gap of time between two inputs that left the device open to tampering. In this case, the inputs were placing the order for a drug (thereby opening the Pyxis drug door) and cancelling that order (keeping the door locked). Cullen figured out that he could pop the Pyxis drug door by issuing, then quickly cancelling an order for a drug. The drug order is only listed as a cancellation, but he gets access to the pharmaceuticals he needed to murder a patient under his care.
That's a real head-slapper, but it's a nice illustration of the high stakes when it comes to medical device security. Of course, serial killers like Cullen are one in a million. But substance abuse by nurses or doctors is a much more common problem, and the Pyxis race condition would work just as well for them.
Even without Cullen as a poster child, the security of medical device hardware and software is going to get a lot more attention in the coming months. Just this week, for example, The Department of Homeland Security warned that medical devices pose a significant risk to the security of healthcare organizations and the sanctity of patient data.
In a May 4th bulletin, DHS warned that rapid adoption of features like wireless network connectivity and remote management make medical devices greatly increase the "attack surface" for hospitals and other healthcare organizations, while existing regulations do a poor job of addressing – or even assessing the security of medical devices, DHS warned. Among the problems cited in the DHS bulletin:
- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration – which is authorized to approve medical devices for use – focuses on device safety, but not security. Issues around configuration and device security have traditionally been out of scope for The FDA.
- The rapid adoption of wireless networking and its use connecting remote medical devices to health IT networks has opened doors to attacks on medical devices, and attacks that use vulnerable medical devices as stepping stones to other network resources.
- Similarly rapid adoption of mobile devices like smartphones and tablets within healthcare settings introduces the possibility of patient data loss through insecure network connections and sync operations. Further, unmanaged mobile devices connected to health IT networks are a possible source of attack and compromise.
DHS's prescriptions for fixing the medical device security issue were what you'd expect: the presence of actual security features on products (sad you have to ask for it, but….), as well as secure deployment: layered protections, strong passwords, user least privilege, patching.
The Cullen case suggests that, even with those protections, danger lurks. DHS would do well to make strong recommendations for application audits and other assessments of underlying code security part of the requirements that medical device makers must satisfy for customers – or regulators.