text:
Rahul did a Modi
Rahul did a Modi
According to Shalaja Bajpai(Indian Express-3rd Dec) 'Rahul did a Modi' in her analysis of the sound bytes in the different TV channels. While Modi has toned down-Rahul has become aggressive she adds. Well within a year as PM, Modi has evolved as a Statesman. This is because Modi had the abilities and the capabilities to evolve. He also had the training for a hard life. But on the other hand Rahul Gandhi is a pampered one. Thanks to the Indian people and their tolerance. But when RG becomes aggressive he is simply exposing frequently his utter lack of political maturity. So he thinks he can dare the PM and faults him from running away. Why should RG think that Modi is running away? He came the hard way up and is not afraid to speak out and stands up for what he believes in .Modi has no place to run neither Italy, Britain nor Bangkok where he can hide out for 57 days. Unlike RG he has no sycophants and 'chammchas' to be his spokesmen/women. He does not need the boardroom boys to write down what he has to say. He is unlike Sonia and RG not a draft reader.
It must be accepted that intolerance was and is 'manufactured' by the Congress and the other Opposition parties for political gains. In the process the Congress is becoming anti-national. Look at the effect. The whole focus is attack on Modi -in a country of 1.6 billion it is not shocking that there are a few cases of intolerance both in speech and in action. But why blame Modi for everything. That he did not immediately condemn the Dadri lynching-that he did not drop V.K.Singh as a Union minister for his 'dog' analogy that he did not speak out. According to Mrs Sonia –the silence of Modi indicates he endorses these incidences. This is far from the truth. The Prime Minister cannot be condemning every incident. Did Mrs Sonia and Manmohan Singh speak up when it came to the communal riots in Bihar in Mumbai? Did they condemn when Swami Laxmimananda was brutally butchered in Odisa? Must it be a dalit and /or a Muslim as victim for condemning? Is not every human life sacred? How did they react when the 59 kar sevaks were roasted in the train compartment for no fault of theirs except that they were kar sevaks who were reciting the holy name of Sri Ram …Could the PM and Sonia Gandhi not condemn this -perhaps that would have arrested the backlash. Was there even a word of condolence by the then Home Minister? If one carefully and objectively looks at the two incidents the first of lynching in Dadri one must admit that it was tragic and should not have happened. But to expect Modi to condemn it was not necessary and that does not mean that his silence indicates that he endorses these incidences. Does that mean Modi is encouraging intolerance? Then what about the Emergency? The Indian people have shown such deep tolerance that they have moved on. Had it been the BJP which clamped down the Emergency the Congress would have been harping on that to indicate that it is the most intolerant party.
But then what when tempers are aroused and what went before the lynching and afterwards also matters. As to Singh's 'dog' analogy it is sheer nonsense to say that he compared the dalit children to dogs. An analogy does not make the object the subject. It only is used to focus on the sheer absurdity but does not make the dalits dogs.This is reading wrong the use of the analogy. Like one would say that beggars are not choosers does not make the choice maker a beggar. Or to say that one is like the dog in the manger does mean that one who cannot use something and does not allow others to use it too- becomes a dog. It is the politicians who have made a mount of a mole hill because it suits them and it is the media which abets these insignificant periphery issues as the main focus to hit headlines or for a scoop…The worst part is that the Congress is foremost in the Opposition blaming Modi for not apologizing is sheer small and petty mindedness. It also exposes its own 'genetic intolerance' But look at the consequence. Rahul Gandhi has no better issue. He first blamed Modi for his expensive suit when he went to the US-then his boardroom boys coined the slogan of 'suit boot ka sarkar' he thought no end of himself and went about repeating it with a vengeance. The truth that neither Mrs Sonia Gandhi nor Man Mohan Singh had dropped ministers when they were involved in scams makes the Congress guilty of double standards.
Similarly RG goes about standing with protestors-be they students of the FTII ,the fishermen, the farmers et al. And prods them on to continue their protests, assuring them that he stands with them. Picking at Modi he pours oil in the burning fire and tells them that Modi has time only to visit all the foreign countries but does not come and stand with you. 'When Narendra Modi is flying to England Rahul Gandhi standing here amongst you in your fields. Congress is standing with you and will die and will keep standing with you.' These are the words that RG uttered. What do these indicate? His utter lack of understanding . He knows very well that Modi has to be visiting other countries- must represent the nation inclusive of the farmers and Rahul Gandhi.This task RG cannot perform but it is the Constitutional duty of Modi to do so.. So why does he incite and prod on the farmers feeding their discontentment? Modi had not disappeared to Bangkok for 57 days on a pleasure trip. What does it matter if the Congress stands with the farmers or not. What had it done for the past 50 years and more? Why this sudden shift in the posture. Why had it not stood with farmers during the UPA's tenure? Why had the Congress kept the farmers in perpetual poverty? One should have an iota of honesty and show a bit of leadership. Instead RG is just frustrated and wants by hook or crook to become the PM and towards this he and his sycophants will go to any length .Modi unlike RG is not seeking personal pleasure by his travels. RG says 'But see me-I am here with you. Is he so ignorant that Modi has to do his job and establish better relations with the other countries and cannot be running to the farmers and condemning issues like one instance of lynching? Did his mother Sonia Gandhi and the lame duck Prime Minister of a Manmohan Singh meet the farmers who committed suicides and other sections of protestors? Farmers' suicides are not a recent phenomenon. So why this special demand for Modi to do so? There is the minister for Home Affairs to attend to these. His mother Sonia Gandhi appears only when she wants to garner votes and then she makes promises that the crumbs will be thrown to their out stretched hands. Thus the Congress regimes have kept the people permanently with out stretched hands for the crumbs to be thrown.
There was absolutely no governance during the tenure of Manmohan Singh.And yet he found no time to visit the affected poor. Rahul Gandhi can afford to visit Kaladevi and share rotis-he can strut around the country for nothing better to do and incite the people against Modi. Has he any positive thing to say-He damns every initiative Modi has taken and moreover he has seen that everything is blocked in the Rajya Sabha. Rahul Gandhi is thus not anti Modi but anti people. He does not care whether people are affected and development is blocked. For him it is child's play. Having been pampered throughout his life he is now indulging himself as a spoilt child. He does not act as a 45 year old man and one of the leaders of the Opposition.
One has only to look around the world and see if there is any country with no discrimination. This is not to say that we can okay discrimination. We need to fight against it .Towards that we need an united effort. The Opposition has to play its role in this – the united effort of both the government and the Opposition. This is the meaning of a democracy. Every time Modi is damned the Opposition must know that they are damning the people who elected him. Every time Rahul Gandhi hits at Modi he is hitting at the people who voted for him. Every time the Opposition blocks the Bills in the Upper House it is blocking development of the nation and is hurting the people of this country and making the country weak. That the BJP also had blocked Parliament from functioning is not a valid excuse for this oldest party which talks and lectures on democracy, to do the same.
The Congress has no right to talk of the Constitution and pick at the RSS and Modi. Where was Sonia Gandhi then and even after she became the extra constitutional power centre she exhibited her intolerance of democracy and all that it stands for. When Rahul Gandhi tore the ordinance passed by the UPA government when Manmohan Singh was abroad he showed his scant respect for democratic institutions and functions. When Sonia Gandhi set up her NAC and became the chairperson of it she and the Congress exhibited the truth that they had no respect for the Constitution.Rahul Gandhi must grow up and learn to talk with courtesy when he refers to the PM of this country .Even his barbs at Modi's 56 inches chest were mean and cheap. Nobody talks of a PM thus. Physical references in attacking one's opponent only reveal a poor sense of probity and culture. His father Rajiv Gandhi also had that streak-when he make a reference to Arun Shorie's handicapped son and again remarked that Jaipal Reddy's mind is as crooked as his body in Parliament. This when Jaipal Reddy was with the Telugu Desam. So like father Rahul Gandhi has also that streak of insensitivity and makes ungentlemanly remarks.
The whole time bashing Modi and the BJP for being intolerant to make the world think that there is so much of intolerance in India this is unpatriotic and anti-national. The ramification of such 'manufactured' and untruth propaganda against India has far reaching and detrimental, disastrous impact on India's security and peace.It jeopardizes the harmony of Indian peace loving citizens. This is surely anti-national because it creates an environmental conducive to terrorism and even justifies such. Look at what the IS stated:The Islamic State's new manifesto vows to expand war to India ,…"(Indian Express 3rd Dec)And what is the reason 'It states that President Narendra Modi(sic) is a right winged Hindu nationalist who worships weapons and is preparing his people for a war against the Muslims".
Will the Congress take the blame of abetting war and terrorism by its spread of untruths? Let it not talk about democracy and its ideals. We have now a PM who for the first time in democratic India is working hard for the development of the nation. This the Congress wants to destroy- is that not anti-national? We have a Mani Shankar Iyer (who on his own cannot even win an election) the spokesperson of the Congress advising Pakistan to remove Modi if there must be any forward movement in India-Pak talks. Is this not anti-national? Has the Congress reined him, asked him to shut his big mouth? Small people with only one focus and that is power. Mani Shankar Iyer has no qualms in sparring verbal third degree attacks. Not just RG but also his chammchas speak derogatorily of Modi-thereby insulting the nation. How can one refer to the PM of this country as a 'chap'? Is that what Mani Shankar Iyer was taught in the Don School. Who is this 'chap' that he is referring to? Before the General elections he stated that Modi will never unfurl the National flag in the Red Fort. If he wants he can serve tea to the AICC. Such arrogance. This Mani Shankar Iyer when he stood as an independent in Mayiladuthurai-Tamilnadu on the symbol of a 'bell' lost his deposit. He has absolutely no grass root support and cannot feel the pulse of the ordinary people. He wants by all means to be relevant and stay in N.Delhi. For this his only salvation is to talk against Modi and support the Congress. And earn a membership in the Rajya Sabha.But his words reveal a desperate man with a foul mouth. India allowed Mani Shankar Iyer to get away with this only shows the deep tolerance of the people. The very fact that Iyer makes such nasty comments is a clear indication of the tolerance that prevails in this country. Would the Congress have taken it lying if the same was said of Mrs Sonia Gandhi and her son? The least Mani Shanker Iyer could do to redeem himself is to apologize to the people of India. Modi is too great to stoop to take him to task. The Congress and its 'chamchas' will support Pakistan if it wages a war to remove Modi.This is one of the reasons why this 'manufactured intolerance' is being bandied. Ordinary people like me find no intolerance. India is one of the most tolerant countries in the world.
What had the Congress achieved in its long innings at the helm of affairs? What was its policy towards Pakistan-its outlook on POK? Having done the damage it had simply let it pass with mere talks and nothing more. Nothing concrete has it done to solve the border issue-the Kashmir issue and the Pakistan cross border terrorism. So now to demand from Modi to articulate his policy towards Pakistan is just arrogance. If Modi shakes hands with Nawaz Sherif then the question which the Congress asks is 'Why this change of heart? What this handshake signifies? Can anyone believe that a party which boasts to be the oldest political party is so petty and mean? To give another example of the tolerance of the vast majority of the people I like to cite another example: We had Ashwani Kumar –the Congress MP who during the Constitution day asserted that the PM must show leadership. How ridiculous that this MP who is a close 'chammcha' of Manmohan Singh did not advise the UPA PM to show a wee bit of leadership. On the other hand Manmohan Singh was mightily content by becoming a puppet-a lame duck PM .And now we have his 'chammchas advising Modi to show leadership. To be frank one must admit that for the first time we have a PM who shows leadership. That is what frustrates the Congress. It is envious and frustrated that this 'chap' who had the temerity of becoming the PM of this country, had attracted the imagination of the world, and is hailed as a world leader? True his image at home is taking a beating because of the 'manufactured' intolerance and the whole set of sycophants, 'chammchas' and coterie of the Congress which it nurtured during its long innings at the helm of power did the rest. The awards wapsi, the Amir Khan and Shruk Khan's interview and utterings etc all a well planned strategy to hit at Modi. But it boomerangs because the simple fact that these people can protest, can say what they said is an indication of tolerance and freedom of speech in India
If one has to be honest one must admit that the Congress and the Muslims have been the most intolerant. A cursory view of the Far East, the conflict and bloody wars between the Shias and the Sunnis-the persecution of minorities in Islamic countries ,the call given for jihadi,the attack against ordinary citizens in the name of Allah-the vow to conquer the world for Allah-these and more clearly illustrate the intolerance of the Muslims. Right from the time of Nehru down to Manmohan Singh one can enumerate the incidents and events which revealed the intolerance the Congress abetted. India especially the Hindus have been too tolerant one should say. Look at the kind of hate propaganda unleashed by Asaduddin Owaisi and his outfit the AIMIM. Look at the number of temples destroyed and temple lands that have been encroached to build mosques and churches. Look at the kind of propaganda made by the Evangelical churches? The proselytisation they indulge in, the restrictions put on Hindu processions and curbing the feasts and rituals .See how the temple lands and temples have been put under government control while the wakf boards and churches are autonomous. Look at the funding of the madrasas with government money with no government supervision and control. Similarly also the Minority Rights conferred on the minorities- the right to administer and manage their institutions while the Hindus cannot do the same. It is the same Constitution by which the Congress lectures to others on equality and secularism. Is this not discrimination on the basis of religion? If this is pointed out then the hackles of the minorities are raised and the Congress and other Opposition parties for the sake of votes prefer to be muted and bring in the 'intolerance' issue. Is this not an ominous sign of intolerance of the Congress? How can the pot call the kettle black? So right from the beginning the Congress party was communal and continued injecting its communalism into the polity of India.
Look at the way the Bihar elections were fought. Rahul Gandhi claims to be a strategist for bringing the convict Lalu Prasad Yadav and Nitish Kumar on the same platform. What a combination. And what a strategist! So hence forth one need not fight corruption. It is an accepted norm in politics. The more corrupt one is the better politician one makes. Look at the polarization of the caste in Bihar the Yadavas-the Kurmis and other caste were wooed on the basis of caste. Nobody –least of all, the Congress condemned such a vote garnering strategy. And in Gujarat the Congress candidates used the masks of Hardik to canvass for votes. They appealed to the Patidars and even supported the protest of Hardik and his outfit. Is this not communalism? The Congress with its long innings at the helm of affairs has made this country communal. Today we even have school children in Tamilnadu tying different color threads on their hands to indicate their respective castes. How can the Congress then blame Modi and the RSS for polarizing the people on the basis of religion and caste?
Why has Rahul Gandhi become suddenly aggressive? Is it because he wants to ward away the allegations that are now coming fast against him? Rahul Gandhi's past businesses-is quietly swept under the carpet. That he proclaimed himself as a British citizen with a UK address in documents related to a company called Backops Ltd. Which The Indian Express (Nov 19th) had published, the shops other properties and land which Rahul Gandhi owned. Yet he dares to stand with the poor farmers and tells them that he is for them and will die for them. This RG is good at putting up a show of his heart bleeding for the poor while he has amassed enough of wealth. 'Lock me if you want' is his arrogant defiance. Poor people of India-se how tolerant they are. And how biased the media is Had it been Modi or one of the BJP leaders the media would have gone on for days deafening the listeners with their sound bytes on this. There is again the alleged role played by Mrs Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi in the National Herald business. No wonder he and his mother want the people to remain ever with a begging bowl and then enact the tamasha that their hearts are bleeding for the poor of this country. Hence they are determined to block all the reforms Modi's government wants to bring in the Rajya Sabha What a betrayal..
Dr Hilda Raja, Vadodara,Gujarat


text:
Unit 1 Benefits
- Answers to your Benefit Questions
- Unit 1 Reinstatment Form
- How to register at Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Michigan
- Guide to Where and When to seek Treatment
- Davis Eye Care
- Delta Dental
- AUDIONET AMERICA - New Hearing Aid Provider
- TheraMatrix Outpatient Physical Therapy
- Wage Works/HRA Accounts
- Bereavement Policy
- Dependent Coverage
- Beneficiaries
- Same-Sex Domestic Coverage
- Optional Group Life
- Health Care Benefits if Laid Off
- Diabetic Supplies
- Beacon Health Options
- Legal Services
- All Pages
The deductions for the optional life insurance are now a weekly deduction from your pay check. If you did not receive pay for a week then the deduction will be made up in the next pay check i.e. if the same deduction amount is shown twice on your pay stub this means, there was an adjustment made. If you enroll in the Optional Life insurance you may be subject to "Evidence of Insurability" meaning you will have to fill out a "Statement of Health". You can access this form through your dashboard account by logging on the Benefit Connect website. Make sure you fill out the form completely.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Hi My name is Tanvi, I am a freelance journalist and a writer. Love to express and connect to people. My writings are essentially a part of me. Mainly done writing, involving different styles, from educational to spirituality and travel to various facets of lifestyle.Always been inclined to art. Explored and experimented with all sorts of art. Be it painting on a canvas, creating a wonderland with edibles that tickles your palate, chiseling an attractive world of ideas that can be conceptualized into something working or simply sculpting a world with words with a tang of personal touch. Coming to think of it, anything starting right from crafting, cooking, ideating. Love them all.Besides that, I have a great interest in tarot and spirituality and I feel both of them go hand in hand. Iam an impulsive Tarot Reader, Rider Waite and plain playing cards being among my favourites. Like to think it's a Devine tool guidance. Omnipotent has means and ways to reach us and is above everything and everyone. Right from the beginning I always found myself penning down my most heartfelt experiences which would always lend such great sense of fulfillment, almost cathartic! Before I realized it grew as a passion and all my strongly felt emotions, experiences, spun into poems, prose and articles. Never hesitated to pen down any promptings that I felt coming from within.This is who I am, this is what I do, I write. Just a few words about who Iam. Iam a mum of a two year old. And oh! No it's not easy being a mum! Is it? But it's surely worth all the hard work. And that's how my freelance career kicked off. Ever since I had my little man, I found it rather tough to juggle between work and looking after the non-stop demands of a little wailing baby. I had turned almost a zombie when I reluctantly decided to freelance. Coz I loved my job at Morrisons. my career didn't quite start as a writer, though always writing, never disconnecting from the writer inside me, I continued looming up a world of words that found its expression in varied forms. Like any other 20 year old I was enamored by the thought of being independent and the quickest way to do it was a BPO! Well who doesn't like making money? To be fair, it wasn't all that bad actually. I realized I loved to connect to people, loved to have a nice laugh with them, strike a rapport, try to help them with all my capacity. Soon, I had a calling from within surely that's not what I wanted to do, I wanted to write, to express, to reach to people. Which is when Times Group happened; I was a part of online division. Always having a bent towards doing something creative. Times threw me an opportunity to do just that. The job required to me ideate, conceptualize, write for different events. What I enjoyed most was the radio bit, I have sung jingles, broadcasted the forecast subjects Tarot and Astrology. It was all so creative and fun at the same time. Getting married, straight after which I had to leave the job as we moved to the UK, where I started working as a freelance journalist, writer, content developer, alongside working at Morrisons at customer service. Been a part of Aceville Publications, Edge Allen, Morrisons in house magazine. All of us have dreams and aspirations in life. And so do I To be successful, to make a difference. That's what I would like to do, that's what I aspire to be.
This user account status is Approved
Add form ID in Options


text:
deliciously delightful custom cakery made just for you
$22 for 1 dozen, one flavor
$35 for each 24, one flavor
$22 for 2 dozen, one flavor
$35 for each 48, one flavor
Additional flavors per order are an additional $10
9X13 starts at $35
11X15 starts at $50
12×18 starts at $65
6 inch starts at $25
8 inch starts at $40
10 inch starts at $55
12 inch starts at $70
The process begins with the Inquiry Form. The Inquiry Form asks questions pertinent to the design and creation of your cake that will need to be discussed before the main consultation. Consultations are typically available via email, text or Facebook message to determine how Something Chic will be able to turn your design, serving size, flavors, etc, into the unique custom cake for the special day. For Weddings, you can taste flavors at local wedding vendor shows or open house events that would be announced ahead of time via my Blog or Facebook. Personal Wedding Cake Tastings are also available starting at $50 for two cake flavors and two frosting flavors. Fillings other than buttercream offerings are an additional $10 per filling. After your tasting, if you book your Wedding cake with me you will receive a $25 credit toward your order.
Every order has its own unique style and personality. I've done my best to give general pricing above, but to get an accurate quote, the best way is to reach out to me directly.
SomethingChic ©


text:
This recipe from How to Be a Domestic Goddess: Baking and the Art of Comfort Cookingis one of my favorites.
It's very dense and the extra egg yolks give it a bold, cornflower-yellow color. It's also hard to screw up. Just make sure you don't over-beat the eggs (I stir mine in with a spoon) and use the water bath. I made my own crust using leftover sugar cookies, but a graham cracker crust would have been better.
Here's theLondon Cheesecake Recipe


text:
Living Life to the Fullest is giving away two P500 Gift Certificate of your choice (any store that sells gift certificates, name it and they will deliver it to you). These Gift Certificates are applicable for people in Metro Manila only, if you live in the provinces or abroad they will give you $10 through your paypal account instead.
Visit Living Life to the Fullest for more details about their contest.
Contest ends December 15, 2009.


text:
Impeller-powered Flocculation Basin
This content was COPIED from BrainMass.com - View the original, and get the already-completed solution here!
8.7 Step-wise solution to a numerical problem related to a flocculation-based water treatment plant having a flow of 25 MGD. The plant is to employ alum coagulation, and pertinent data for the flocculation basin are as follows: detention time = 20 min, G = 35 sec^-1 (at 50 degrees Fahrenheit), GT = 10,000 to 100,000, width = 1.25 times depth, length = twice width, no baffling, number of impellers = 2, number of blades per impeller = 6 pitched at 45 degrees, impeller diameter = 30 % of basin width, K_L = 70.0, and K_T = 1.65.
(a) Basin dimensions if 1-in. increments are used.
(b) Impeller diameter
(c) Speed of impellers in rpm.
8.9 A lime-soda softening plant treats a flow of 150 MGD, and the water has 86 mg/l CO2. The commercial grade of quicklime has a purity of 85% and the soda ash has a purity of 95%. Determine:
(a) The pounds of quicklime and soda ash required per million gallons.
(b) The tons of quicklime and soda ash required per month if a month is considered to be 30 days.
Solution Preview
I tried to solve it for you this time (attached), but once again these are hard core engineering problems. Chemists have nothing to do with reactor design! Please place your questions in appropriate category i.e. engineering.
[Once again these are hard core engineering problems. Chemists have nothing to do with reactor design! Please place your questions in ...
Solution Summary
The solution involves step by step calculations about an impeller-powered flocculation basin.


text:
Hi All
Great info here, many thanks to everyone sharing.
My main interest here is to find the best solution for aeration of a fishery using as little energy as possible (solar powered)
New to this site? Feel free to introduce yourself here.
Post Reply
2 posts • Page 1 of 1
Post Reply
2 posts • Page 1 of 1


text:
A well-planned kitchen island provides practical benefits while enhancing the room's beauty. Both the form and function of the island are important considerations in its design. Interior designers are in nearly unanimous agreement that adding an island to your kitchen design provides the best return on investment in practical terms and in the value of your home.
What elements do you want in your kitchen island design?
- A food prep area
- An extra sink and faucet
- A cooktop or built-in oven
- Electrical outlets
- Wheels to relocate the island
- Cabinetry and/or shelving
- A recessed, removable cutting board
- A second-tier breakfast counter with stools
- A built in tabletop and seating
- Space for a beverage cooler or dishwasher
These are just a few of the many functional options you have. Of course, the space available and the kitchen layout will influence the design you choose.
Our kitchen island guides are designed to assist you in the planning process, so that the island you select will enhance your enjoyment of the kitchen, a room that is the hub of activity and interaction in many households.
You'll find a wealth of useful information in our kitchen island guides:
The Kitchen Island Buying Guide explores the range of purposes that islands serve, what types of islands are available, design considerations and FAQ.
The Kitchen Island Guide for Removal and Installation includes DIY tips on these important topics along with useful information to assist you in discussing your requirements with a kitchen remodeling contractor.
The Kitchen Island Price Guide provides pricing for islands in several categories:
- Basic: No plumbing
- Intermediate: Some enhancements for increased utility
- Advanced: Full-featured islands
Our Kitchen Remodeling Cost page gives price ranges for islands, countertops, flooring, cabinets and other kitchen elements. The information assists you in budgeting and allocating funds for the various components of your kitchen design.
Kitchen Islands Pinterest Board
Looking for some ideas to inspire you on your Kitchen Island? Look no further than our favorite Pinterest pins below:
View All our Kitchen Remodeling Guides
We've created sets of guides for all the major components of your kitchen remodeling project including countertops, backsplashes, flooring, cabinets, sinks and faucets.
The comprehensive and useful information includes kitchen remodeling prices for every component, your material options with pros & cons for each and much, much more. These guides allow you to research your options while comparing them head to head in all the important aspects.


text:
What is iLearn?
iLearn is Northwell Health's online learning management system (LMS) for administering, documenting, and tracking employee education, training, and professional development.
What research related learning opportunities can I enroll in through iLearn?
Search for research learning opportunities in iLearn to look for class dates, enroll, and access learning materials. See helpful resources below for instructions on how to enroll. Learn more about additional research classes, professional development and learning opportunities that are managed outside of iLearn here.
In-person classroom offerings include:
- Culture of CARE – research focus
- Ethics and Responsible Conduct of Research Annual Workshop
- Navigating Clinical Research
- Public Research Education Program (PREP)
- REDCap classes – Introduction to REDCap, REDCap Overview, and REDCap Intermediate
Online learning opportunities include:
- Animal Allergy Awareness and Prevention
- Expanded Access for Treatment Use
- Investigational Drug Management Overview
- Research Informed Consent and Documentation Process
- Research Involving Children – Assent
- Research Onboarding
- The Lab: Avoiding Research Misconduct
- The Research Clinic
- Waste Anesthetic Gas Awareness
- 350 Community Drive Safety Annual Refresher Courses (Feinstein Institute Annual Refresher Fire Safety Training, Feinstein Institute Annual Refresher Bloodborne and Biological Pathogen Safety Training, and Feinstein Institute Annual Refresher Chemical Safety Training)
Handouts to our online learning can be downloaded and saved from your iLearn account or from the RPT Intranet webpage.
WebEx offerings:
Who do I contact for help?
Research Questions
Contact the Office of Research Policy and Training (RPT) at firstname.lastname@example.com if you need help with any enrolling into any of the research related learning listed above, assistance creating iLearn guest accounts for visiting scientists and visiting scholars, or accessing iLearn remotely or through a mobile device.
General Questions
Contact your iLearn site team if you need help with non-research classes, such as annual mandatories. Check with your HR Business Partner to find out who your iLearn Administrator is for your location/department.
Technical Difficulties
Contact the Northwell Health Information Services Help Desk at (516, 718, 631) 470-7272 if you have technical difficulties such as iLearn crashing or freezing when taking an online course.
Helpful Resources
You can also find these following helpful resources on the iLearn How-to Guides Intranet webpage.
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Standard User Quick Reference Card – access quick reference cards for Long Island Home, Northern Westchester, Phelps Memorial, and Staten Isalnd University Hospital on the iLearn webpage.
- Standard User Manual
- Manager User Manual
- Instructor User Manual


text:
My lovely pincushion for the Scrappy Pincushion Swap. I sent a few other bits in the parcel as well including some felt balls, felt cupcake and some scraps from my stash. Hope you like it partner!
I was led to this lovely giveaway earlier this morning and just had to enter. The fabric in the giveaway is TDF.
|photo courtesy of Me? A Mom?
My Scrappy Mug Rug is well under way, as is my bee block for Lynne oh and the crochet I started at the weekend! I'll post again soon with pictures to show you, promise.


text:
AHBA ( American Herding Breed Association) trial today. Aria entered on three different courses. First was HTAD-1 (herding trial arena dog). She was tight on her gather and was a little pushy on most of the course. She got an 83.5 out of 90, awarded 3rd place and earned her HTAD-1 title. Next was HRD-1 (herding ranch dog). This course involves getting sheep out of pens, sorting, repenning, putting sheep through tight chutes and trailering. She did everything flawlessly. Thought she would get first place. She scored 86.5 out of 90. Only good enough for 5th place as four other dogs tied with scores of 88. Only 1.5 points out but a good solid performance earning her the title of HRD-1. Finally we did the HTD-1 (herding trial dog) course. This course is out in a big field so no fences and dog needs to control sheep and not lose them. Aria has been having trouble going to the left on her out run to gather so I set her up to go right as she is wide and gathers better in that direction. As soon as I gave her the command to go gather she flipped and went to the left like it was her normal thing to do. I was surprised but did not stop her as that would cost me points. She had a little bobble at the second set of panels but finished the course. She scored an 86.5 out of 90 and got first place. The judge talked to me afterwards and during the award ceremony said " I hope you all watched this run. Not just because Rich is an instructor here but to see what a good dog with a good handler can do." So three new titles for Aria HTD-1, HRD-1 and HTAD-1.
In Arizona we did an
AKC trial. Aria qualified on all her runs. Completed a title on started A course sheep and moved up and earned
her first intermediate leg on A course. Also got two started A course legs on geese. Last Friday she ran an
AHBA level two ranch course and qualified. Saturday and Sunday it was back to AKC. She qualified twice on started A course ducks for two legs and once more in intermediate A course sheep. In a couple of weeks she will run in ASCA for the first time on ducks and sheep and hope to finish at least two titles and if we are lucky four. May have to send multiple emails to send all photos. Where are you posting the photos? Will keep you up to date as Aria moves on. More AKC and AHBA trials coming here and Arizona in the next couple of months.
Newest update:
Trailing has been tough. Aria has been perfect at practice and a handful at trials. Several time I have just called our run and left the arena. She starts going after the stock and doesn't follow or listen to any commands. She has however managed to have finished the intermediate A course title on sheep in AKC. Also in AKC she has finished one leg in excellent A sheep, started B course one leg on sheep and two legs on started A cattle (three legs required to title). In AHBA she has titled on Herding Ranch Dog II on sheep and earned one leg on Herding Trial Dog I (two legs required to title).
Now on to this weekend. Went to Arizona for an ASCA (Aussie) trial.The first run was on started cattle and Aria just took off after the cows and split them up. Got them back together but again she refused to follow commands. We just went through the course and did not qualify. The judge later commented that we should have tried to complete each obstacle more. I knew this but when my dog just blows me off they do not get to play and I take them off the field. Next was open (level II) on sheep. After a brief talk with Aria prior to the run she settled and did a nice run with a second place finish. The judge commented that he loved the way that when I turned my back to close the pen gate that Aria was making very small subtle movements to keep the sheep in the pen on her own. Next was started geese. Again she listened and earned a first place. Next day started cows again. She was calm and did great and earned first place. Next was moving up in class to Open geese and she finished third. Again on to open sheep and another second place. Sunday was second place on cattle, first place on geese, and moving to Advanced sheep she was perfect having the high score in trial but was a tie and fell to second on tie breaker. In all had one third, four second, three first, high score cattle other breed (non aussie) twice, high score other breed geese once, high score other breed sheep once, high in trial other breed once, high combined other breed twice. Result in the end was four titles. Was a good weekend.


text:
Address Unknown was an open, international exhibition where Photo Postcards, by photographers or artists from stars to students, were shown together in equality no matter where they come from in the world, or who took them. Revealing both the shared and the different experiences of our world's cultures and environments.
The Photo Postcards were on sale for a Flat Rate of £10 (plus P&P if required) in support of the charity PhotoVoice
Each postcard in the exhibition is anonymous until it is sold. Then the identity of the photographer is revealed
Buyers could own an exclusive image by a celebrity, a professional photographer or a new, up and coming student, or an amateur.
The exhibition is now over, and I can reveal that I entered the following two images.
Postcards are still for sale, with proceeds going to the PhotoVoice charity, details of which can be seen via the link below.
Here is the link to the postcards still to sell: http://4486802.tifmember.com/?Action=_VC&id=123121802&ppwd=unsold


text:
December 15th, 2018
1628 KITCHENER STREET, Vancouver East, BC
I just finished uploading this House for sale, 1628 KITCHENER STREET, Vancouver East, BC
Superb location just steps to the Drive. This solid home offers two – 2 bedroom legal suits up and down. Perfect buy live and develop later. This boutique land assembly offers a fantastic opportunity. The land is zoned RM-4 with the City of Vancouver. The combined frontage with 1622 Kitchener is a site o ...


text:
And hopefully it will be as awesome as these. I first fell in love with French-style bistro chairs and tables when my mom opened her outdoor design store in Portland's Pearl District. Every day after middle school I would ride the bus to the store, gawk over the pieces and usually head over to legendary diner Byways Cafe for a BLT to-go (on sourdough, obvi). Flying to California to hunt the LA Flea Market for new pieces for the store was another highlight, and it was then I developed my affinity for this patio furniture. Luckily, Sweden's Alvhem Makleri Design & Interiors loves them too.
Who wouldn't want to hang out there? Delicious breakfast carbs..check. French press…check. Europe…check. Perfectly styled patio…check. I could really just go for renting an apartment in Sweden for a week and calling that a pretty good time.


text:
MHA Today is provided as a service to members of the Missouri Hospital Association. Additional information is available online at MHAnet. Connect with us on LinkedIn.
In This Issue
American College Of Surgeons Releases New Statement On Principles
MO HealthNet Allows Separate Payment For Long-Term Contraceptive Devices
CMS Releases RHC Billing Requirements
MLN Connects Provider eNews Available
CMS Announces OQR Webinar
Chicago Real Estate Investment Group Sues Illinois Hospitals Over Tax-Exemptions
Regulatory News
the latest actions of agencies monitoring health care
Staff Contacts: Sarah Willson or Jim Mikes
A recent report of surgeons leaving an operation before it is fully completed has led to further discussion around why those circumstances might occur. The American College of Surgeons has released a revised statement on principles addressing the issue. The revision addresses such circumstances in which a primary surgeon may leave an operation and steps that should be taken in the event it occurs. The American Hospital Association and the Association of American Medical Colleges encourage hospitals to review the statement and ensure their policies and procedures adequately address the changes.
Back To Top
Staff Contacts: Daniel Landon or Steve Renne
The MO HealthNet Division has published a bulletin announcing the availability of a separate Medicaid hospital payment for the insertion of a long-acting reversible contraception device during an inpatient stay for childbirth. The bulletin outlines billing procedures.
Back To Top
Staff Contact: Andrew Wheeler
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has yet again issued guidance as it relates to the new rural health clinic billing requirements. In today's MLN Connects newsletter, CMS has acknowledged a problem in how coinsurance amounts are calculating for claims with multiple revenue lines for medical services. A system fix was implemented on May 9 to correct the issue. CMS further acknowledges that some RHCs are unable to implement the billing requirements effective April 1. As a result, CMS is asking clinics that have problems to contact each respective Medicare Administrative Contractor.
Back To Top
Staff Contact: Andrew Wheeler
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services issues updates to MLN Connects Provider eNews. eNews includes information about national provider calls, meetings, events, announcements and other MLN educational product updates. The latest issue provides updates and summaries of the following.
Quality and Population Health
Staff Contact: Sherry Buschjost
The next outreach and education webinar for hospitals participating in the Hospital Outpatient Quality Reporting Program is scheduled for Wednesday, May 18. The webinar, titled "Tracking Quality Improvement by Using Hospital OQR Data," is offered at 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. Registration is required.
Back To Top
Staff Contacts: Jennifer Graham or Jane Drummond
An Illinois real estate investment group has filed a class action lawsuit against a group of Illinois hospitals located in Cook County, alleging that the plaintiffs have suffered higher property tax rates as a result of the tax revenue shortfall created by hospitals' exemptions and are seeking repayment from the hospitals. The complaint stemmed from a January ruling of the Illinois Fourth District Appellate Court, finding that an Illinois state law granting a property tax exemption to non-profit hospitals is unconstitutional. The Cook County treasurer and clerk's office also have been named as defendants in the lawsuit.
Back To Top
May is Stroke Month. African Americans have nearly two times the risk for a first-ever stroke as Caucasians.
Source: American Stroke Association


text:
"Into chill masculine bros"
"Friendly, masc guy looking for the same"
"masc preferred"
"Into masculine guys"
"No fems or older"
"masc only"
The following quotes were taken from screenshots on the Grindr app. Upon exploration of Grindr it is evident that homonormativity is in play. The expression of homonormativity can be seen through:
- The frequent self-labeling of users as being masc (masculine).
- The expression that fems (feminine gay men) are unwanted or not preferred.
Before analysis of homonormativity by the users of the app can be presented, it is important to present the goal and mission of Grindr. An explanation of the app is found on Grindr's official website, and states, "Grindr, which first launched in 2009, has exploded into the largest and most popular all-male location-based social network out there. With more than 4 million guys in 192 countries around the world — and approximately 10,000 more new users downloading the app every day — you'll always find a new date, buddy, or friend on Grindr." In addition, the website indicates that its mission is "0 Feet Away", a slogan that essentially means that the app is interested in allowing gay males to meet other gay males that are nearby, quickly.
The app is easy to use. A user simply taps on a user's image, which opens their profile. If a profile is completely filled out, you will see whether or not the user is online, a display name, a tagline, an 'about me' section, how far away the user is (miles, or even feet), age, height, weight, relationship status, what they're looking for (the options are Chat, Dates, Friends, Networking, and Relationship), and a link to a user's website (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc.). Users can select the profiles that they view, and the options are, Nearby (users close to your location), Favorites (users that you have starred), Recent (users that you have chatted with), and Everyone. The default view is 'nearby'.
The aforementioned 'about me' section allows only 120 characters. This is because Grindr does not want to invade users with personal questions. With a 120-character limit users have to provide what they believe is either the most important information about themselves, or the clearest description of themselves as succinctly as possible.
After I looked into the mission and purpose of Grindr, I downloaded the app. Once I had access I was able to interact with up to 200 users nearby. Many of the visible users stayed the same, however, new users were frequently added to the bunch. The following screenshots were taken on my iPad and express the homonormativity that I will examine in this post. I have blurred out images and information indicating the users' locations. Click the images to enlarge them. (Also, yes, one of the users sent me a message, but no, I did not respond.)
I want to preface the analysis by first stating that this is only a small pool of screenshots and is not meant to label all users of Grindr. Additionally, this group of users was live and may have grown up in my area, and it is important to understand that the strength and presence of homonormativity can depend upon the values and ideologies of an area (this in and of itself is a topic to be explored later.)
The homonormativity present within the images is related to the two points covered in the beginning of the post (the self-labeling and the explanation of specific preferences). Beginning with the self-labeling, it is clear that the users believe it is important to identify that they are masculine. In any dating app or website, the point is to catch the attention of other users and give them an attractive, but accurate description of yourself. In an app with such a limiting number of characters, users still find the label of masculinity to be incredibly important. Some include it in their tagline, which has a larger font, while others choose to put it in their 'about me' section.
The usage of the label of masculine/masc is an indicator that users believe it is attractive and/or important to include. This ideology extends beyond Grindr and is important to recognize, because this belief and beliefs like it are harmful to gay men who happen to be feminine. They are viewed as lesser, because their gender expression is not strictly masculine. While going through the app, I found not a single user that identified themselves as feminine. This brings to question whether the label of masculine is used simply to add more description of what the user is like in person, or because masculine is considered superior.
The labels are not the only part of the homonormativity presented by users of Grindr. The stated preference that users are not interested in fem gay males is the other part. People often have the belief that attraction supersedes everything else and excuses prejudice because 'I can't control who I'm attracted to'. However, attraction does not excuse offensive statements like that. Unless someone has met every single person on the planet of a specific group (feminine gay males, Black guys, Asian guys, etc.) they are incapable of making the judgment that they are not attracted to every person of that group. Additionally, to state that the traits of an entire group of people are unattractive is troublesome and should encourage a person to do some introspection to see why exactly they feel that way about an entire group. If a person finds feminine gay men unattractive it is often just a form of misplaced misogyny, or a form of self-hate. Feminine gay men are the easiest by society to label as gay, so men who are gay and uncomfortable with it, often release the hate they hold inside on the most visual gay men because they are representative of homosexuality.
After some thoughts on the homonormativity presented by Grindr it is important to remember that this is also present in real life. Thoughts expressed online or through apps are not trapped there. People take these beliefs with them through their daily life. In the real world there are gay men that believe masculine is better. In the real world there are gay men who have zero interest in, or hate feminine gay men. These beliefs push feminine gay men to the bottom of the rungs of the LGBT community, and lead young, feminine gay boys to believe that there is something wrong with them. There are young boys who attempt to 'butch it up', and act more like a man (the traditional way society defines a man). We need to open our eyes and use this image to show people that homonormativity is very real, and that it is not getting better for everyone in the gay community. If we are not united from inside of the community we will never be strong enough to win the battle for equality across this country.


text:
Welligent Partnered with SkyBank Financial for Electronic Payment Processing
May 19, 2015, Norfolk, VA – Welligent Incorporated (Welligent) has partnered with SkyBank Financial (SkyBank), a leader in integrated electronic payment processing services for the healthcare industry. With a growing need for healthcare management software to enhance productivity and efficiency for its users, Welligent now offers an integrated payment processing solution that eliminates reconciliation issues caused by duplicate data entry, while also lowering the fees associated with processing credit and debit card transactions.
"During our evaluation and due diligence in selecting a partner for this offering, it became abundantly clear that SkyBank would provide our organization with the greatest value, while operating with high standards of ethics and integrity", said Andy McCraw, President of Welligent, Inc. "Our conversations, among other things, resulted in us learning about the many hidden fees involved in credit card processing and how these hidden fees are a direct drain on the bottom line."
As a result, Welligent has pre-negotiated a discounted pricing program for their users. SkyBank will be providing all of the software and hardware free of charge.
"We are confident that the integrated processing solution will enhance productivity for Welligent's clients", says Thomas Aronica, CEO of Miami-based SkyBank Financial. "By eliminating the need to enter the same data multiple times in different systems, we effectively reduce the likelihood of user error while saving time and money associated with billing and collections".
Through this partnership, Welligent's award-winning practice management software now has the capability of accepting credit and debit card payments directly through the user interface without the need for a separate third-party vendor or solution.
About SkyBank Financial
Headquartered in Miami, FL, SkyBank is a leading provider of payment solutions, including credit and debit card processing, mobile commerce (mCommerce), check verification and guarantee services, and a variety of other payment processing solutions. With hundreds of millions of dollars processed annually through our partner payment network, we have consistently proven that our clients benefit from using our secure technology. For more information, please visit www.SkyBankFinancial.com or call 800-617-9980.
About Welligent
Welligent, based in Norfolk, VA, offers a leading cloud-based electronic health record (EHR) system that is both mobile and secure. Welligent provides documentation, scheduling, and medication and caseload management access from your desktop, tablet or smartphone. Users are able to manage all programs, services and payors from one, integrated system. Welligent's interoperable software is fully configurable and includes features and options such as clinical records, treatment plan libraries, forms management, ePrescribing, electronic billing, and dashboard reporting. For more information about Welligent, visit www.welligent.com or call 888-317-5960.
More Articles
- Welligent Provides The Leading CSB Software
- Current Issues and Opportunities for Individuals Living with IDD
- The Who, What, and How of VACSBs
- Welligent Announces Matt Chamberlain as New Chief Operating Officer
- Arlington County Community Services Board Selects Welligent as EHR Provider
- I/DD Care Could Be Disrupted by Medicaid Managed Care
- Treatment Needs of Individuals with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities
- July is UV Safety Month!
General Email Signup
Enter your email below to stay updated!We will not share your information with anyone.


text:
Pollution in the ocean, and then fish eat it and then we eat the fish.
What kind of pollution?
Plastics, because they're so small it's hard to collect them, and that worries me. Wildlife in general. You read about whales or something washing up on shore and they choked on plastic, choked on fishing nets.
(Friend: And the turtle thing.)
Yeah, the turtle thing! It's very unnecessary. As a nation, or in the world–we're so advanced that we're so ignorant. We've forgotten the basic rules of life.
Do you give people a hard time when they throw trash around?
Yeah, and my daughter does too. She's always holding people accountable. She's five! and she's like, Mommy, how come that person just littered? Her dad isn't like that so she's always holding her dad accountable when she's with him.
Because we live in the same world, everything finds its way to us.
Neither Z nor R, her mom, nor JR, her dad, have ever seen a sea turtle in real life–its real life or theirs. The next day, JR used his break at work to look up Mystic Aquarium–they released a healed sea turtle in 2014 and didn't have any turtle guests at present–and Mass Audubon's turtle rescue.
Assist a sea turtle and you give aid and comfort to a jellyfish eater, a long-range traveler, a potential elder, an animal that can live without a human story. This caught Z's imagination. "They shouldn't need us, but they do need us, mommy," she said. She drew pictures for her friends. She got them into the spirit of it.
That winter, R's and JR's bosses gladly gave them the week off from work when they explained their plans. They bundled Z into so many layers that the outermost coat was a grownup's parka with the sleeves rolled up, and braided her hair to fit under a tight wool hat. Because they were first-time turtle rescuers, they took the day shift, walking until they were too cold to think. While they walked, they filled their backpacks with washed-up garbage, and R and JR tried not to fight.
All week they didn't see a single turtle. "Are you disappointed, baby?" R asked Z on their last day.
Z squinted into the bitter wind. "No," she said finally. "Well, kinda. But no, because that means they're not in trouble, they didn't need us this time. That's good, right?"
Or it means there aren't any more, R thought but didn't say. How can we be sure? Intimacy takes time, it takes so much time. We would need to watch for years, through seasons. We would need to go out on boats, and maybe that would stress the turtles out, or cut them up, or scare their food. How can we know enough to know how anything is supposed to live? What can we learn about the possible power of our hands in the water?
As the ocean got closer and closer, Z and her classmates learned more and more about it. They spent day after day alongside it and, when they could, in it, using their phones to monitor changes, weeping and praying together the week of the big bird kill, dragging a landfill's worth of trash inland to dry out its stink in the sun before figuring out what to do with it. They drew national attention.
The rise of the water all along the east coast was so sharp that year, the storm damage so severe, that even Florida set zero-emissions goals and then, the following year, moved them up, and then, two years later, met them ahead of schedule. Hundreds of sea-turtle hatching sites there had already been washed away.
We know a little about what happens far away from us, and think we know a lot. Intimacy takes time, but if we don't have time, we may be able to make do with concentration. We may learn to know what we are seeing; we may learn to know without seeing.
Doctor's note: This climate anxiety is from a conversation at the Sankofa World Market. I'll be there again today, 3-6:30 pm. Please come and talk with me.


text:
Rising Pune Supergiant v Delhi Daredevils Live Cricket Scores Today Match Prediction
Rising Pune Supergiant v Delhi Daredevils Live Cricket Scores Today Match Prediction 9th Match IPL T20 2017 Astrology by Numerology Who Will Win Indian Premier League IPL T20 2017? IPL T20 2017 Season 10 9th match 100% Free and True Match Prediction Astrology according to Numerology and research of cricket experts. Cricbuzz Live Cricket ScoreBall by Ball. Who will win RPS v DD? HotStar Live Streaming. Crictv live. Indian Premier League T20 2017 Time Table/Fixtures. Geo Super Live update. IPL T20 2017 Cricket Schedule
The 9th match of Indian Premier League will be played at Pune between Rising Pune Supergiant v Delhi Daredevils. The match will be the played on 11 April 2017.
The match will start at 20:00 local | 14:30 GMT | 19:30 PKT. The two teams are ready for what would be a very good and exciting match.
Indian Premier League is in full swing. We are witnessing some very close match between 8 teams of India.
Cricocean has predicted 8 matches of IPL T20 2017 so far. We have 6 of our prediction that is 100% accurate. So we are the no 1 match prediction website in the world. We have a team of experienced astrologer and we also pay full attention to the research.
Rising Pune Supergiant v Delhi Daredevils Live Cricket Scores Today Match Prediction
The Rising Pune Supergiant has played two games in the tournament and has won 1 game. Steve Smith is in very good form. He has also played some very good knocks in the test matches against India before IPL T20 2017.
The Delhi Daredevils has played one game. They have lost the only match they have played so far in the tournament. DD looked to be a weak team in IPL T20 2017. Although Ashwin is a very good bowler and de Kock is also a very good hard hitting batsman still they are far behind other teams in the tournament.
So let's see Rising Pune Supergiant v Delhi Daredevils Live Cricket Scores Today Match Prediction IPL T20 9th Match Who will win RPS v DD?
Today Match Prediction Astrology Rising Pune Supergiant v Delhi Daredevils Who will win
Who will win the IPL T20 2017 9th Match Prediction
Who will win the Toss: Rising Pune Supergiant
Who will win the Match: Rising Pune Supergiant
Rising Pune Supergiant Squad:
SPD Smith*, MA Agarwal, Ankit Sharma, B Aparajith, AK Bains, R Bhatia, DL Chahar, RD Chahar, DT Christian, MS Dhoni, AB Dinda, F du Plessis, LH Ferguson, Imran Tahir, Jaskaran Singh, UT Khawaja, IC Pandey, AM Rahane,Saurabh Kumar, BA Stokes, M Tandon, SN Thakur, MK Tiwary, JD Unadkat, Washington Sundar, A Zampa
Delhi Daredevils Squad:
Z Khan*, AR Bawne, KK Ahmed, CJ Anderson, M Ashwin, SW Billings, CR Brathwaite, PJ Cummins, Q de Kock, BW Hilfenhaus, SS Iyer, AD Mathews, CV Milind, A Mishra, Mohammed Shami, CH Morris, S Nadeem, KK Nair, RR Pant,Pratyush Singh, K Rabada, NA Saini, SV Samson, Shashank Singh, AP Tare, J Yadav
Rising Pune Supergiant v Delhi Daredevils 9th IPL T20 2017 Match info
Date – Tuesday, April 11, 2017
Time – 20:00 local | 14:30 GMT | 19:30 PKT
Venue – Pune, India
Also read: Kings XI Punjab v Royal Challengers Bangalore Cricket Updates Today Match Prediction
Also read: IPL T20 2017 Match prediction


text:
Hoffenheim midfielder Roberto Firmino has rejected speculation linking him with a move to Arsenal or Manchester United by committing his future to the Bundesliga club until at least 2017.
The Brazil international, who scored the winner against Chile in the recent international friendly in London, has netted six goals in 27 league appearances this season, a belatedly run of form since his 2010 move from Figueirense.
Such performances have seen him linked with a move to Premier League duo Arsenal and United, with the latter having reportedly agreed a £18.3m deal to sign the 23-year-old during the upcoming summer transfer window.
But the player has rebuffed any interest in his services from Arsenal and United and says he will remain with his current club for at least the next two seasons.
Staying put
"I have a contract with Hoffenheim until 2017 and I am happy, I have developed as a player at this club and just think about playing in it," he told local media according to Todomercadoweb.
Both Arsenal and United will likely begin planning for the transfer window in the coming weeks after all but securing a place in the next season's Champions League. The Gunners have a nine-point cushion over fifth place Liverpool, while United's advantage is seven points with seven games remaining.
The clubs conducted some of the highest profile business of last summer with Arsenal adding Alexis Sanchez to their squad before signing Danny Welbeck on deadline day, while United smashed the British transfer record to sign Angel di Maria before clinching the loan addition of Radamel Falcao.
Their plans for the summer will have been firmed up by a recent run of form which has seen them win 12 of their last 14 matches between them and promises to be the prelude to a deluge of spending from the pair, who will hope to bridge the gap to current leaders Chelsea.


text:
Here's the query letter for my "Quips and Tips" nonfiction book series, which I sent to a couple dozen literary agents five days ago.
So far, I've received six positive responses and many rejections. I'll post some of the agents' responses soon — some of them are really interesting!
Fellow scribes, how's your writing coming along? Are you stuck or full of pluck?
"Always dream and shoot higher than you know you can do. Do not bother just to be better than your contemporaries or predecessors. Try to be better than yourself." ~ William Faulkner.
I've been feeling stuck and a little bored lately. I want to be a traditionally published author – that's what "dreaming and shooting higher than I've done before" means to me! And, that's part of what I was talking about in What Does It Mean to be a REAL Writer? — upping your game, pushing the envelope.
After I wrote that post, I sent out this query letter to literary agents…
Oh – and if you need more than a sample letter to literary agents, read The Writers Digest Guide To Query Letters by Wendy Burt-Thomas. Not only is she a smart and successful writer, she's a hoot to interview!
Query Letter Example – Nonfiction "Quips and Tips" Book Idea
Dear Best Literary Agent in the World,
I don't know where to start!
Should I tell you about my six "Quips and Tips" websites and five ebooks? Should I highlight my first self-published ebook – 75 WAYS TO LET GO OF SOMEONE YOU LOVE – and stun you with stats on its success?
Maybe I'll just jump into why I wrote LETTING GO – because therein lies the reason "Quips and Tips" will become a bestselling book series.
"I don't want you in my life anymore," is one of the worst things you'll ever hear from someone you love (even if your relationship sucks). Those words are worse than "it's not me, it's you", worse than "this hurts me more than it hurts you."
And it's even more painful when you're dumped by a family member: a sister, mother, brother. After all, your family is blood, right? And blood is forever, yes?
Not so much.
A few years ago, my sister told me she never wanted to speak to me again. Why? I don't know! I never flirted (or worse) with her husband, never lost her kids in the mall at Christmas, never stole her favorite alpaca scarf. What I did was move to Africa for three years. Since our childhood included a schizophrenic mother, no father, weekly trips to the food bank, and several stints in foster homes…let's just chalk it up to "abandonment issues."
Letting her go was the hardest thing I've ever done.
So – back to "Quips and Tips" – I wrote a blog post called Letting Go of Someone You Love. After I received thousands of page views and hundreds of comments, I decided to interview experts on how to cope with loss, to help my readers.
That's what the ebook 75 WAYS TO LET GO OF SOMEONE YOU LOVE is all about: 75 tips for healing and dealing with the past. This ebook ($15 US) has sold more than 350 copies in 8 months. I haven't promoted it at all – those sales are strictly from my organic "Quips and Tips" traffic.
What I Propose to You
A series of "Quips and Tips" books to walk hand-in-hand with my "Quips and Tips" websites. I'm not selling the ebooks as they're written; I'm selling better, snappier, edgier versions of them.
I will edit and revise 75 WAYS TO LET GO OF SOMEONE YOU LOVE for a publishing house. It will be the first in a series of "Quips and Tips" traditionally published books, separate from my ebooks.
My other ebook titles are: 75 TIPS FOR MAKING MONEY BLOGGING; 73 WAYS TO FIRE UP (OR JUST FIRE) THE MUSE; 75 WAYS TO COPE WITH PET LOSS; 80 WAYS TO SAY I LOVE YOU.
My specialty is gathering information from experts – the "Quips and Tips" books aren't just my advice (though I have degrees in Psych and Education). For instance, in LETTING GO, I offer advice from psychologists, relationship counselors, life coaches, etc – as well as real people who have loved and lost. Every ebook contains advice from a variety of experts and people who have "been there, done that."
My job is to weave people's stories with expert tips (with a sprinkle of my own wisdom and experience) to inspire, motivate, and educate readers.
My Bio – The "Adventurous Writer"
I'm Laurie Pawlik-Kienlen – The Adventurous Writer – a full-time freelance writer and blogger in Vancouver, BC, Canada. My work has appeared in magazines such as Reader's Digest, Woman's Day, Writer's Digest, Health, Moreand . My degrees are in Psychology and Education, from the University of Alberta.
I created and maintains the "Quips and Tips" network of blogs: Quips and Tips for Achieving Your Goals; Quips and Tips for Successful Writers; Quips and Tips for Money and Love; Quips and Tips for Couples Coping With Infertility; and Quips and Tips for Giving Gifts.
Can I send you a book proposal? Or, how about my LETTING GO ebook, to give you a sense of what the finished book will look and feel like?
Thank you for your time!
Laurie Pawlik-Kienlen
Fellow scribes, if you're writing a query letter, you might find 6 Query Letter Tips – How to Find a Literary Agent helpful.
What do you think about this sample query letter, approaching literary agents, and getting published…or if that's too heavy just tell me what you had for breakfast! 🙂


text:
Russia Today is a news channel oriented to global viewers. It broadcasts in English, 24 hours a day. Exclusive events, direct transmissions from scenes of action and continuous video feeds from correspondents in the Russian regions.RT shows round-the-clock news bulletins, documentaries, talk shows, and debates, as well as sports news and cultural programs on Russia. The service is aimed at the overseas market, similar to other international news channels, and broadcast through satellite and cable operators throughout the world. In addition to the flagship English-language broadcast, it also runs Arabic and Spanish language channels, and RT America, which is oriented to viewers in the United States. It broadcasts from its headquarters in Moscow and its studio in Washington, DC, and also has bureaux in Miami, Los Angeles, London, Paris, Delhi and Tel Aviv.RT is the second most-watched foreign news channel in the United States, after BBC News.By March 2010, its videos had garnered more than 83 million views on YouTube and has also set a TV News Channel record after exceeding a view count on YouTube of half a billion.It has 2,000 employees worldwide.
Please wait 15 to 30 seconds in order for the stream to load!
If Stream Offline Please Check Back in Few Minutes


text: /syndicate offers an invite-only solution that helps publishers sell sponsorships. Our goal is to make selling, serving, and maintaining a sponsorship easy, tasteful, and enjoyed. Quality is our top priority for both advertisers and publishers to ensure sponsors are well received and their messages are a good fit for a publishers hard-earned audience.


text:
RELG 203: Christian Ethics
Document Type
Student Paper
Publication Date
Christianity | Ethics and Political Philosophy | Ethics in Religion | Military, War, and Peace
Description, Abstract, or Artist's Statement
This paper is about addressing conflict using ethical methods. Strategies that are highlighted include nonviolent protests and behaviors before, during, and after engaging in a war with the end goal being justice and peace.
2nd Place Winner, 2015
Augustana Digital Commons Citation
Schaefer, Hannah. "The Search for Justice in a War-Filled World: Implementing the Just-War Theory" (2015). Augustana Center for the Study of Ethics Essay Contest.
Included in
Christianity Commons, Ethics and Political Philosophy Commons, Ethics in Religion Commons, Military, War, and Peace Commons


text:
Paul Holmes 14 May 2005 // 11:00PM GMT
As the number two maker of high-end networking equipment for telecom carriers, Juniper Networks is Cisco's biggest competitor, but has traditionally been regarded as a minor irritation rather than a serious threat. With revenues of $1 billion and $22 billion respectively, Juniper is truly the David to Cisco's Goliath. In order to achieve its aggressive growth plans, Juniper had to emerge from Cisco's shadow and be seen as a strategic partner by the telecom industry, rather than merely an alternate to Cisco. When the campaign began,Juniper was mentioned in a mere 9 percent of Cisco's media coverage.
With a marketing budget orders of magnitude less than its rival's, Juniper had to emerge from Cisco's shadow and be perceived as a strategic partner by the telecom industry, instead of a mere alternate to Cisco.partnerships and bring the company into the digital living room—The ultimate goal was the creation of a new market category.
The team chose to focus on Juniper's vision of the 'Infranet', the next-generation network that would succeed today's inadequate Internet, enable telecom providers to profit from new services, and give their customers the infrastructure they need to conduct business securely and reliably. Our strategy was as follows: set the agenda and draw Cisco into Juniper's debate, give the company a human face by using Juniper executives to deliver the message, give our audiences clear, practical guidance on how to transform their businesses and add credibility to our message by securing broad industry support.
The PR team began with an analysis of its audiences, the telecom industry and the competitive landscape, Bite determined four main audiences for Juniper: Senior telecom executives, technology purchasers within telecom companies, telecom purchasers within enterprises (Junipers' customers' customer,) and Wall Street's investors and analysts.
It was clear that all of the audiences were hungry for signs of when and how the telecom industry would emerge from its prolonged slump. Cisco CEO John Chambers remained tight-lipped on the topic. The team devised a campaign to position Juniper as the company with a clear vision for telecom industry growth. By implication, Cisco would be characterized as the behemoth interested only in maintaining the status quo.
The PR team crafted messages and content specific to each of the audiences and assigned a Juniper executive to each audience, as follows: "The Infranet: Tomorrow's Smart, Fast, Safe Network"
To address technology purchasers within telecom companies, the PR team cast Pradeep Sindhu, Juniper's chief technology officer, as the architect of the Infranet and charged him with explaining the vision and garnering telecom industry support.
The team kicked off the campaign with the launch of a blueprint document–the Infranet Initiative–and followed up with the announcement of an industry steering committee,–the Infranet Council–and infranet.org Web site. "The New Breed Of CIO: The Chief Intelligence Officer"
Juniper's CIO, Kim Perdikou, was tapped to evangelize the Infranet to enterprises via the IT trade media, award nominations and speaking opportunities. Perdikou was positioned as an expert on the strategic role that IT and telecoms could and should play within an enterprise. "The Telecom Industry's Surgical Recovery"
PR capitalized on Juniper CEO Scott Kriens' steady stewardship to position him as an expert on when and how a telecom recovery might take place. Kriens painted a picture of how the telecom industry would benefit from the Infranet, and issued stern warnings to those who chose to stick their heads in the sand. PR held regular briefings for Kriens with top-tier business media, and pitched industry trend stories designed to draw Cisco into the debate. A broadcast media campaign placed Kriens as an industry expert on cable news channels on the day of Cisco quarterly earnings announcements; and extensive use of memorable soundbites added to Kriens' quotability.
Success was measured by the following: significant increase in Juniper's media share of voice compared to Cisco, increase in coverage positioning Juniper and its executives as visionary and increase in Juniper focused coverage, measured by its prominence within articles.
Juniper takes a nip out of Cisco. Its share gain has been Cisco's loss, and its 'Infranet Initiative' has won big backers." BusinessWeek headline, Dec. 12, 2004. One of three BusinessWeek articles in 2004 examining the threat posed to Cisco by Juniper. This contrasts dramatically with BusinessWeek's Nov. 2003 profile of Cisco in which Juniper was not even mentioned.
Other key headlines included "In Cisco's Rearview Mirror? Juniper," Washington Post and "Growing Juniper Could Hurt Mighty Cisco," TheStreet.com.
Juniper's percentage share of Cisco coverage increased from 9 percent in Q3 2003 to 36 percent in Q3 2004 Scott Kriens appears quarterly on CNBC's Kudlow & Cramer to comment on Cisco earnings
Headline mentions of Juniper in business media increased from 24 percent of the company's total coverage in Q3 2003 to 31 percent in Q3 2004, demonstrating an increase of coverage focused on the company, as opposed to mere mentions.
The results demonstrate Juniper's increasing encroachment on Cisco in the media. The company now numbers industry players such as British Telecom, Ericsson, IBM, Oracle and Siemens among members of the Infranet Council. Over the past 12 months, Juniper has also enjoyed quarter-on-quarter revenue growth and has continued to steal market share from Cisco (source: Synergy Research).


text:
You can get 20% bonus, when you convert your points from select loyalty programs to Etihad Guest program. This promotion is valid for transfers initiated between Oct 01, 2016 and Oct 31, 2016.
Most of the programs are participating in this promotion with the exception of a few loyalty programs.
Should you transfer?
- Etihad Guest miles expire after 3 years from the day of posting to the account, there is no way of extending the expiration.
- Etihad offered similar promotions in the past, so you could expect similar promotions in the future.
- If you do not have a specific use, it may not be advisable to convert
Here are the complete terms & conditions:
- The offer is valid for all Points to Miles conversions made between 1 October and 31 October 2016 both days inclusive.
- All participating points conversion partners: Accor Hotels, ADCB, Radisson Blu, Citibank, Emirates Islamic Bank, Heathrow Rewards, Hilton Honors, AMEX US & KSA*, Hyatt, IHG, Joyalukkas, Marriott Rewards, NBAD, Shangri-La, Starwood StarPoints and Boubyan Bank.
- Non participation points conversion partners: American Express Membership Rewards (All regions except AMEX US & KSA*), Etisalat Rewards, and Flybuys Rewards are excluded from this promotion.
- Once the Miles transfer request in initiated it cannot be reversed.
- This offer is subject to the Terms & Conditions of the Etihad Guest Programme.
- A valid Etihad Guest membership number is required to successfully perform the conversion.
- The Etihad Guest member will be responsible for quoting the correct Etihad Guest membership number to the participating conversion partners for the conversion activity.
- Terms and conditions governing the existing Conversion partners will apply.
- The promotion is applicable for any member who converts their points from a qualifying Partner loyalty programme to Etihad Guest Miles. The eligibility of the bonus miles for a specific member will be done based on the validity of the promotion and the date of conversion provided by the partner for that respective member.
- Base Etihad Guest Miles converted by the member will be awarded as per the applicable conversion ratios of each respective partner.
- Bonus Etihad Guest Miles earned during this promotion will reflect in the member's Etihad Guest membership account within 15 days of the end date of the promotion.
- If an Etihad Guest member holds credit cards and/or Hotel loyalty programme cards of different banks and hotels and converts the rewards points to Etihad Guest Miles under this promotion, then the number of Bonus Guest Miles he/she will earn will reflect separately in the members account for each partner.
- The above promotion construct is valid only for the all Points Conversion Partners which fall under the Points Conversion programme and governed by the conversion ratios and minimum thresholds applicable for these respective partners.
- Bonus Etihad Guest Miles will not be calculated on retroactive basis under any circumstances i.e. credit card/ hotel reward points converted to Etihad Guest Miles and posted into the membership account during the promotion period but for which the conversion request was placed outside the promotion period will not qualify for the bonus miles promotion.
- Etihad Guest reserves the right to withdraw or cancel the promotion or modify or alter the terms and conditions of such promotion at any time.
- Participation under this promotion is purely voluntary for the members.
- The decision of Etihad Guest will be final and binding under this promotion and no disputes will be entertained in this regard.
- This offer cannot be clubbed with any other conversion offer.
You can get 20% bonus when you transfer points from select loyalty programs to Etihad Guest program.
This bonus is offered by Etihad, so there will not be any confirmation from the loyalty program you are initiating from. Bonus miles will deposit in 15 days.
Disclaimer: Links mentioned in this post do not earn us any commission.
Editorial Note: Opinions, analysis and any calculations shown are authors alone. Information in this post is not reviewed, approved and endorsed by any airlines, frequent flyer programs or financial institution


text:
Brian E. London
Vice President
(212) 363-9300
Mr. London is a nationally recognized Licensed Customs House Broker and Certified Customs Specialist. After an IT career including work with national telecom, global media companies and 20+ years within the US Customs Industry Mr. London is Vice President at Charter Brokerage NY.
Mr. London serves on the NCBFAA (1), AAEI (2) and TSN (3) Drawback committees. He developed the first NAFTA drawback process and has worked with Fortune 10-500 companies regarding Importer Self Assessments (ISA) and Duty Drawback Services, helping them recover millions in duty refunds while maintaining compliance to US Customs law and regulations.
Mr. London has been a speaker/panelist at various trade organization conferences. Notably ICPA, AAEI, CSCMP, The Virginia World Trade Organization, St. Louis Trade Compliance and NEXCO.


text:
Sara Smucker Barnwell, Ph.D. is a licensed clinical psychologist focused on the intersection of technology and behavioral health and dedicated to the promotion of editorial ethical technology. She delivers telehealth services to clients using a diversity of technologies, including videoconferencing, mobile applications, telephone, and others. Dr. Smucker Barnwell delivers telehealth consultation to large-scale providers (e.g. hospital systems, corporations), as well as individual practitioners. She is a Clinical Professor at the University of Washington Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, and the former Director of Telehealth Training and Education for VA Puget Sound Health Care System.
Dr. Smucker Barnwell received her doctorate in clinical psychology from the University of Southern California. She also holds degrees from Harvard University and Wellesley College. Her research and clinical interests center on the development and dissemination of empirically-based treatments in telehealth, technology assisted evidence-based PTSD care and substance abuse. She has served on the Joint APA/ASPPB/APAIT Telepsychology Taskforce, as well as other national committees regarding telehealth and technology in health care.


text:
If you're new to woodworking, or just thinking of starting, then welcome to a world of deep creative satisfaction, personal discovery and the meditative bliss that comes with the sound of a finely tuned hand plane schicking across a piece of finely figured wood. That, and utter frustration, sawdust, splinters, obsession and alienation from polite society.
It's been just a few months since I set out on the same path. I just wanted to build some bookshelves. And today… well, read on, young traveler, and consider yourself warned …
12-and-a-half Warnings for Anyone Getting Started in Woodworking
-- http://chicagowoodworker.wordpress.com/


text:
For your reading pleasure, Buzzfeed brings you "17 Badass Historical LGBT Women Who Absolutely Gave No Fucks." I love Gladys Bentley! Who is your favorite on this list?
Archive for the 'artists' Category
Subject to "Enthusiasms": A Visit with HIlary Sloin
Posted in artists, gay and lesbian, lesbians, writers on October 6, 2012| Leave a Comment »
My guest today is Hilary Sloin, author of the new novel Art on Fire, which is due out from Bywater Books at any minute. I personally can't wait to read it.
Art on Fire is the apparent biography of subversive painter Francesca deSilva, the founding foremother of "pseudorealism," who lived hard and died young. But in the tradition of Vladimir Nabokov's acclaimed novel Pale Fire, it's a fiction from start to finish. It opens with Francesca's early life. We learn about her childhood love, the chess genius Lisa Sinsong, as well as her rivalry with her brilliant sister Isabella, who publishes an acclaimed volume of poetry at the age of twelve. She compensates for the failings of her less than attentive parents by turning to her grandmother, who is loyal and adoring until she learns Francesca is a lesbian, when she rejects her. Francesca flees to a ramshackle cabin in Wellfleet, Massachusetts, working weekends at the flea market. She breaks into the gloomy basement of a house, where she begins her life as a painter. Much to her confusion and even dismay, fame comes quickly. Art on Fire is a darkly comic, pitch-perfect, and fearless satire on the very art of biography itself.
If you'd like to be entered into a drawing for a free copy of Art on Fire, leave a comment here about what excites you about this book and why you, too, can't wait to read it. A winner will be drawn at random.
And now, some thoughts from Hilary about her writing process:
To be quite honest, I am something of a dilettante. If I had lived in Victorian England, people might have rolled their eyes when speaking of me and said I was subject to "enthusiasms." Or I might have been a witch burned at the stake for being a little excitable. Sometimes I give up writing altogether and take up something else with fervor—for a while it was painting, for years it was music; these days, I am obsessed with finding and restoring antiques. There have been many phases in my life, but always I return to writing of some sort. Ultimately I can't fight the fact that I need it like I need food and air. My friends all think I am very disciplined because I work all day from very early in the morning at whichever enthusiasm I am currently ruled by. Truth is, I am keeping the meaninglessness away. And nothing keeps meaninglessness away like writing, which, when I am doing it, I can do around the clock. Even when I don't hold pen to paper, I stare off into space and think about my characters, imagine them walking across the room, lying down to bed. While I walk my dog I hear them talking. I see them sitting opposite one another with nothing to say or with everything to say but too frightened or angry to say it.
The one thing that holds true with everything I write—and finish—is that I fall in love with what I am working on, whether it be the story, the place, or the characters. Ideally, all of the above holds me sway. With Art on Fire, which was my first attempt at a novel after many years of writing plays and stories, I fell in love first with Isabella, the protagonist's mentally ill and acutely intelligent sister. Isabella is so much smarter and wittier than I have ever proved to be and, of course, this fascinates me. How can I create a character who surpasses me by leaps and bounds? Soon I fell in love with Francesca, too, but that was for entirely different reasons: I had created my dream lover: a cowboy in girl's clothing, the one who cannot be possessed, who oozes with the need to express herself but cannot. And again, I was fascinated because to this day I am still not sure whether Francesca's paintings were any good or whether, as some of the critics in the book postulated, she was simply in the right place at the right time, an icon of pop culture. I fell in love with Evelyn Horowitz, Francesca and Isabella's terribly human grandmother, because she is basically my grandmother and every time I read the chapters where she appears I cry, missing my own Gram all over again. And then there is Lisa Sinsong, who bears all the tragedy and much of the poetry of the story, who is victim to family legacy in a way that seemed to me to be inevitable in this particular book. How could I not love and want to save her? I was able to write Art on Fire because it held my attention. It made me laugh and cry as I was writing it. Sometimes I just sat back, took a drag of my cigarette, and felt very good about creativity and that it was the one constant in my life. Like all things that come from the heart, it is a flawed product, but it breathes and pulsates and that is the kind of writing I seek out. Anything else fails to hold my attention. I hope this book will hold yours.
Rubbed the Right Way
Posted in artists, gay and lesbian, Pennsylvania on April 4, 2010| 1 Comment »
Thanks to Steven Reigns of The Gay Rub, I had enough materials to go out into the field yesterday and do a rubbing of artist Andy Warhol's tombstone. If you missed my post about Steven's project, click here. Directly behind me in the photo is the grave of Andy's parents.
And here's what the decorations and mementos on Andy's grave look like right now. In addition to the soup cans and Coke bottles, someone left an envelope of their writing at the side of the stone, and there's a plastic egg for Easter, too. For more about Andy, see my earlier post.
An Innovative Experiment
Posted in artists, dancers, writers on December 8, 2009| Leave a Comment »
Asheville, N.C.
Black Mountain College Museum and Arts Center
56 Broadway
Fifteen miles east of Asheville was the location of Black Mountain College, an experimental school in existence from 1933 to 1956. According to gay historian Martin Duberman, who chronicled its history in his exhaustive group biography, Black Mountain College: An Exploration in Community, the college was "the forerunner and exemplar of much that is currently considered innovative in arts, education and life style." At Black Mountain, there were no required courses, no exams, and no formal grades. Students were responsible for planning their own course of study, participating in classes that often had fewer than 10 students each.
Black Mountain was also the nurturing ground of numerous queer writers and artists, including Paul Goodman, Merce Cunningham, and John Cage. Other queer lecturers during its history included Thornton Wilder, Ted Shawn, and Robert Duncan. Artists Robert Rauschenberg was a student at Black Mountain. The college's literary journal, Black Mountain Review, published the work of Allen Ginsberg and Jack Kerouac, among many others. Though gay men taught and studied there, however, homosexuality was not openly tolerated. When Paul Goodman, a lecturer in "psychotherapy (his own), literature, history, community planning and sex," according to Duberman, applied for a full-time teaching position, the faculty voted against him, fearing that he would prove to be a sexual predator.
The original site of the school consisted of church buildings constructed by the Blue Ridge Assembly as a summer conference center for its members. For most of the year, the buildings were vacant, and Black Mountain founder John Andrew Rice saw it as the perfect location for his school. The main building, called Lee Hall (the photo below is of the porch), included both common rooms and individual living and study spaces for students.
The rental agreement with the church stipulated that the buildings and grounds had to be cleared of all college equipment and furniture by the beginning of the summer. Because of this, Lee Hall had a "Shaker plainness" to it, and many students had to construct their own desks and furniture. After a few years, the college purchased a more stable site at Lake Eden, a former summer resort with cottages and lodges on a human-made lake.
The college suffered chronic financial problems, and lack of students and money forced it to close in 1956. The property was sold off piece by piece, and part was leased as a boys' summer camp. This museum and arts center in nearby Asheville documents the history and mission of the innovative school.
From the Dark Tower
Posted in artists, New York, poets, writers on November 22, 2009| 1 Comment »
New York, N.Y. (Harlem)
"The Dark Tower"
108-110 West 136th Street
This was the site of A'Lelia Walker's (1885-1931) home and famous salon, "The Dark Tower," which she hosted for writers, musicians, and other artists during the 1920s. It was named after a sonnet by queer poet Countee Cullen, which has been said to capture the spirit of the Harlem Renaissance (see below).
A'Lelia Walker's fortune came from her mother, Madame C.J. Walker, an enterprising woman who created a million-dollar empire from beauty salons and hair-straightening products for black women, and who died in 1919. With her inheritance, A'Lelia purchased these two Stanford White-designed town houses on West 136th Street in "Sugar Hill," combined them into one residence with a new façade, and furnished them lavishly. Here the woman dubbed "the Mahogany Millionairess" hosted cultural soirees for the Harlem and Greenwich Village "glitterati," white and black, serving caviar and bootleg champagne and providing entertainment by queer performers Alberta Hunter and Jimmy Daniels. Langston Hughes later wrote that A'Lelia's parties "were as crowded as the New York subway at the rush hour." She herself was a striking figure, whom Hughes called "a gorgeous dark Amazon."
Sadly, Walker's historic home was demolished by the city in 1941. Appropriately, the Countee Cullen branch of the New York Public Library now stands on the site.
We shall not always plant while others reap
The golden increment of bursting fruit,
Not always countenance, abject and mute,
That lesser men should hold their brothers cheap;
Not everlastingly while others sleep
Shall we beguile their limbs with mellow flute,
Not always bend to some more subtle brute;
We were not made to eternally weep.
The night whose sable breast relieves the stark,
White stars is no less lovely being dark,
And there are buds that cannot bloom at all
In light, but crumple, piteous, and fall;
So in the dark we hide the heart that bleeds,
And wait, and tend our agonizing seeds.
– "From the Dark Tower," by Countee Cullen
Back to the Land
Posted in artists, dancers, Oregon, photographers, poets, separatism, writers on September 29, 2009| Leave a Comment »
Sunny Valley, Ore.
2000 King Mountain Trail
Southern Oregon has a rich history of lesbian and gay back-to-the-land projects. One lesbian separatist community, Rootworks, was established in the 1970s by Ruth and Jean Mountaingrove, when both women were in their 50s. "The philosophy was that we would live without men, separate from the patriarchal world," Ruth told me in the late '90s. "That is still pretty much the idea." (The photo above was taken by Ruth at the commune in the 1970s.)
At Rootworks, there were originally only two houses – the Moonhouse and the Kitchen cabin. In the years that followed the founding, Ruth and Jean added the Sunhouse, a barn (called "Natalie Barney"), and the All Purpose crafts cabin. In the barn is a study and a feminist library. From 1974 to 1984, Ruth and Jean also published the magazine WomanSpirit from an office in the barn, and The Blatant Image, a feminist magazine about photography, was published there from 1981 to 1983; back issues of both are stored in the barn.
Ruth has credited WomanSpirit with bringing a lot of women to the southern Oregon region, by encouraging their creativity and spirituality. Though the magazine folded, Jean said, "the main elements of WomanSpirit are still being lived in the community – feminism, spirituality, all forms of creativity, sisterhood, nature, art, music, dance, literature, healing and personal development."
Gardens that are nestled around some of the Rootworks buildings are filled with vegetables, beans, and berries. Solar energy provides heat and hot water and also powers the community's lights. Ruth noted that it's "not easy in the winter, and that's when women usually leave."
In 2008, Linda Long, Manuscripts Librarian for the Special Collections and University Archives at the University of Oregon in Eugene, told Lambda Book Report:
Rootworks is a historical site that is a perfect exemplar of the feminist-lesbian dream. From the 1970s to today, the women's back-to-the-land community in Oregon was, and is, a dynamic expression of the separatist dream. As part of that dream, women experimented with new ways to live and work together – and with all sorts of activities and rituals, from house-building projects and collective gardening to the sacred circle. Many of the women were aspiring artists of one kind or another – writers, painters, photographers—and they hoped to be able to combine life on the land with their creative work. All of this lesbian/feminist life and work is represented in Rootworks…The permanence of Rootworks and its status as a women-owned land trust in perpetuity makes it a perfect example of a historic site. I think a living museum would be an effective and dynamic way to preserve the lesbian land dream and the history of the lesbian community in Southern Oregon."
"Midwife" to the Harlem Renaissance
Posted in academics/professors, artists, District of Columbia, poets, writers on August 31, 2009| Leave a Comment »
Washington, D.C.
Alain Locke home
1326 R Street NW
African-American scholar and intellectual Alain LeRoy Locke (1886-1954) defined his role in the Harlem Renaissance as that of "philosophical midwife to a generation of young Negro poets, writers, and artists." His anthology, The New Negro, was the defining text of that artistic movement.
The Harvard- and Oxford-educated Locke was a professor of philosophy at Howard University for many years, and lived at this address near Logan Circle from 1912 until his death (it is marked with a historic plaque). At Howard, Locke encouraged the study of black culture and history along with the European classics, and founded The Stylus, the university's literary journal, in which Zora Neale Hurston published her first story. His attention tended to focus on the brightest and most attractive male students, and he routinely warned female students that they could expect no better than C's in his classes.
Locke shuttled back and forth between Washington and Harlem, where he mentored several queer young poets of the Harlem Renaissance. His protégé Countee Cullen introduced him to Langston Hughes. "You will like him," Cullen told Locke of the elusive and sexually ambivalent Hughes; "I love him." A romantic triangle formed and may have been the root of the mysterious rift between Cullen and Hughes from 1924 on.