text:
- About
- Events
- Donate
- Membership
- News
- Resources
- The Team
- Store
Shotgun's Best Face Accuracy Test During USA Shooting's Spring Selection Match
FT. BENNING, Ga. (May 9, 2013)
The school year is coming to an end and the summer shooting season beckons and that can only mean one thing--USA Shooting's Spring Selection Match for Shotgun is upon us. This year's host is the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit (USAMU) in Ft. Benning, Ga., and competition gets underway for 69 shotgun athletes Friday in Men's and Women's Skeet.
With many young competitors among the National, Junior, Junior Olympic and aspiring hopefuls participating in the Spring Selection Match, nerves are already high given the demands of school work, finals, year-end projects and graduation. Add in an intense match in which World Cup and World Championships selection is a part of the prize and the ingredients are ripe for plenty of intrigue.
The course of fire in skeet will include 250 targets over three days with competition taking place with the old ISSF rules that includes six finalists and qualifying scores carrying over to the finals. The 2013 Spring Selection Match is a qualifier for selection to the 2013 World Clay Target Championship Team as well as the upcoming ISSF World Cups in Cyprus and Granada, Spain.
Thanks to the record-breaking performances of Kim Rhode (El Monte, Calif.) and Vincent Hancock (Eatonton, Ga.) these past eight years, the USA Shooting Team is recognized as the world's best in international skeet. With a stranglehold on skeet mastery for the time being, Rhode and Hancock search within to create challenges that feed their competitive drive.
For Rhode, that challenge will come in the form of motherhood as she and husband, Mike, are expecting the birth of their first child at any moment now. Her absence at Nationals and this Spring Selection match opens up even greater opportunity for the plethora of talent that resides among U.S. female skeet shooters. Jaiden Grinnell (Port Angeles, Wash.) broke Rhode's National Championship record on her way to winning the 2012 National title by nine targets and then finished third at Fall Selection. Haley Dunn (Muenster, Texas) returned to competition in a big way last fall in Kerrville, Texas, by winning Fall Selection. Recently, Grinnell and Dunn finished fifth and seventh, respectively, in the year's first International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) World Cup in Acapulco, Mexico.
Caitlin Connor (Winnfield, La.) has been a steady force in women's skeet having accumulated five National Championship or Selection Match medals since 2009 to go along with two World Cup medals. Connor dialed in her game with a win at the ACUI International Shoot-out and with a World Cup trip to United Arab Emirates.
"I'm really excited for this match and I'm ready to go head-to-head with some really tough girls," said Connor. "We've all trained hard for this, so I know it's going to be a great competition."
Amber English (Colorado Springs, Colo.) showed up in a big way at the 2012 Nationals with a bronze medal and after taking the time necessary the past couple years to get her degree in health science and become a paramedic, she's feeling good about her upcoming match.
"I expect to have a great match," said English. "I took a lot of time off last year to finish school but I've been training hard lately and I'm excited for the finals on Sunday."
Coming off a successful collegiate season competing for Texas A&M, 2012 Junior Olympic Champion Brandy Drozd (Bryan, Texas) will look to find a spot on the podium after back-to-back fourth-place finishes at the 2012 Nationals and Fall Selection. Morgan Craft (Muncy Valley, Pa.) scored a medal during the Tucson World Cup and won the Spring Selection event on the same range but then struggled with sixth-place finishes at Nationals and Fall Selection.
While the Women's Skeet title is up-for grabs with about 10 legit contenders, there will be no doubt who the perennial favorite is among the men. Until proven otherwise, the top spot is Hancock's to lose. Since winning gold again in London, Hancock has done everything to prove that there will be no relapse in his game this quad and has shown that by winning Fall Selection two months after London and then by winning the gold medal at the Acapulco World Cup.
But, Hancock is well aware that there's a hungry pack of contenders eager to unseat the Georgia native. Look no farther than those Olympic Trials finalists that created the most dramatic of selections with a sudden death shoot-out among three contenders for a final Olympic Team spot. Securing that dramatic spot was Hancock's good friend Frank Thompson (Alliance, Neb.) who also finished second to Hancock at Nationals and Fall Selection. Thompson just missed joining Hancock in the Olympic final with an eighth-place finish in his Olympic debut.
"I am very anxious for this match," Thompson said. "I have been training very hard and am excited for the results. I am always excited to come here and see my friends that used to live in Colorado and other friends I've made at the unit. It is always a good time for me to come here."
Thompson also joked that he has more than one goal in mind: "I have two goals; take one shot at a time, and finish ahead of the infamous villains, Caitlin Connor and Jaiden Grinnel!"
Jon Michael McGrath (Tulsa, Okla.) and Mark Weeks (Clinton Township, Mich.) came up just short in their Olympic quest. McGrath just missed a bronze medal at the Acapulco World Cup earlier this year after the 39-year-old shooter Said Bin Futtais of the United Arab Emirates out-shot the20-year-old McGrath 15 to 14 hits in the bronze-medal match. McGrath had a great shooting performance in pursuit of his second career World Cup medal. The other Olympic Trials finals contender was Dustin Perry (Lovelady, Texas), who competes collegiately for national powerhouse Lindenwood University.
2013 USA Shooting Spring Selection Schedule
May 10-12 -- Men's & Women's Skeet
May 14-15 -- Men's Double Trap (Preview coming May 13)
May 17-20 -- Men's & Women's Trap (Preview coming May 16)


text:
I was waling today and I found a horrible view. You can see it at the photographs. This is the small railway station in my village and the place where the train usually stops. Usually this place is covered with high grass, but as you can see somebody burnt the grass. And thousands of bottles appeared. Nobody wants to collect them! Of course this is the ground which belongs to the the railway so the railway is responsible. But who really cares about the environment? As you can see – nobody!
Archives for posts with tag: protection

subset: commoncrawl


text:
CRPS is a chronic neuropathic pain disorder that can result from direct or indirect injury to the nerve. Typically, it involves one limb; however, can spread to involve multiple limbs. The pain is usually described as a severe, lancinating, electric-like, associated with hypersensitivity to touch, changes in skin color, sweating (or lack of) and/or swelling of involved extremity. Typically, starts after direct or indirect trauma to the involved nerve.
The diagnosis of CRPS is based predominantly on the clinical presentation, symptoms and clinical examination. Testing is done predominately to rule out any other diagnoses that can mimic CRPS including a nerve conduction test and electromyography, x-ray, an MRI, and bone scan.
The treatment of CRPS can be very difficult due to the severity and the complexity of the symptoms. Multiple medications can be used including anticonvulsants (Lyrica, Neurontin, Trileptal), antidepressants (Cymbalta, Nortriptyline, Amitriptyline, Effexor), tramadol and the opiates. Interventional procedures can also help in treating pain associated with CRPS including nerve blocks, epidurals, sympathetic blocks, a spinal cord stimulator, and/or intrathecal pump.


text:
Morning Headlines 5/3/16
CHIME Letter to FDA on Interoperable Medical Devices
The College of Healthcare Information Management Executives submits comments to the FDA calling for assurances that medical devices will be interoperable with EHR software.
Not-for-profits dominate top-10 list of hospitals with biggest surpluses
Seven of the 10 hospitals with the largest surplus from patient care services in 2013 were not-for-profits, according to Health Affairs.
Hospital discharge: It's one of the most dangerous periods for patients
The Wall Street Journal profiles problems that can arise during transitions of care, with a focus on the hospital to home transition.


text:
I'm writing this as I'm watching Game 4 of the World Series and I can't help thinking, "what's next?" Even if this series goes seven games, on November 1 the 2013 baseball season will over. It's almost too sad to fathom. So, as I asked a few days ago, what's a baseball fan supposed to do?
We do have options for fall and winter baseball. Although the Arizona Fall League will end next month (the AFL championship game will take place on November 16), there are other leagues. Here's the rundown of those that seem to be affiliated with Major League Baseball:
- The Venezuela Winter League began play on October 10 and their season ends on December 29. The Mexican Pacific League started a day later and ends a day later (October 11 through December 30).
- The Dominican Winter League began October 19, and runs through December 22.
- The Australian Baseball League begins play this Thursday, October 26; their regular season ends on January 26.
- The Puerto Rico League games run from November 1 to December 30.
As with the Arizona Fall League, the MLB website is a little confusing. In addition, there is also European baseball – and when do they play baseball in Japan? Obviously, I have many questions. So, over the next few days I'll try to get and understanding of – and share that understanding – of these leagues and figure out what we can do to entertain ourselves over the next five months.
~ baseballrebecca


text:
What you must know before your next adventure
Obalno-karška, the sun, and caves
The beautiful region of Obalno-karška is at the southeast side of Slovenia, along the coast of the Adriatic Sea. Obalno-karška is associated with sun, caves and horses.
The landscape of Obalno-karška varies a lot. On the coast are vineyards, olive trees, and salt work fields, while in the karst are caves and sinkholes.
Situated along the Slovenian coast are many towns of interest such as Piran, Portorož, Izola, Koper, and Strunjan.
One of the most important and enchanting towns in Obalno-karška is Piran, the peninsula of Slovenia. The architecture is closely related to the sea with narrowed streets and sun-kissed houses – a very lovely sight. The Tartini Square is picturesque, the City Wall of Piran offers a breathtaking view and the St-George Cathedral is the biggest church in Piran. The sea is fantastic and the water is clear, but the beach has no sand, only rocks.
For those who love spa and wellness centers, Portorož is the place to go. The public beach in Portorož is well-maintained and is the biggest on the Slovenian coastline.
From the old town of Izola, the Gulf of Trieste, Italy, can be easily seen. The town offers an unforgettable romantic ambiance paired with Mediterranean architectures.
The port of Koper is one of the most influential Italian entry points on the Slovenian coast. The locals speak fluent Italian and Slovene. The bell tower in the Church of the Assumption in Koper holds one of the oldest bells in Slovenia.
The sea coast of Slovenia is famous for its salt pans – beautiful area of natural sun-kissed salt. The most known salt in Slovenia is Piranske Soline, whose delicate salt flower will add extra flavor to any dishes. The salt is only produced in two part of the Slovenian coast: Sečovlje and Strunjan. The Sečovlje Salina Nature Park is the most important marsh wetland on the coast, as well as home to a large variety of bird species. Lepa Vida Thalasso Spa offers many beneficial spa treatments right from the sea. There is also salt pans in Strunjan, but it is more famous for the Strunjan Cliff with its impressive 80 meters high layers of soft flysch wall, the highest on the Adriatic coast. The green Bay of Strunjan is notable for its geological interest and biodiversity.
Near the town of Sežana is the cultural monument of Lipica Stud Farm, a farm that breeds only one brand of horse: the Lipicanec, a majestic and noble light gray riding horse. The horses roam free in the vast pasture, and they can be easily seen and photographed.
In the karst part of the Obalno-karška, the landscape is completely different. The Škocjan Caves, a UNESCO World heritage site, is one of the most important and impressive underground phenomena as it is home to the largest discovered underground canyon worldwide. The Risnik sinkhole is a nice example of the unique landscape of the region.
Obalno-karška is an awesome region for enjoying a day at the sea or visiting impressive underground caves. The coast area is famous for its Piran salt while the karst is known for its meat product: kraški pršut(dried meat), kraški zašink (cured neck meat) and kraška panceta (cured pork belly).
Attractions in Obalno-kraška
"White pride" of Slovenia
Remains of the past shining in the colours of the ...
Tradition and preserved nature – The art of salt...
Sea, sand and sun in heart of Portorož
Hidden treasure in the shadow
The highest quality hotel in Slovenia
Visit the true Karst
Starting point for exploring Piran hidden treasure...
Beautiful small church on the hill of Piran
Slovenian water life in a pocket
We all end up as equals…
Serene sanctuary in the heart of Koper, Slovenia!
Venetian Gothic palace representing Slovenia's tru...


text:
OBJECTIVE To investigate the relationship between adherence with statin therapy and the risk of developing diabetes.
METHODS The cohort comprised 115,709 residents of the Italian Lombardy region who were newly treated with statins during 2003 and 2004. Patients were followed from the index prescription until 2010. During this period, patients who began therapy with an antidiabetic agent or were hospitalized for a main diagnosis of type 2 diabetes were identified (outcome). Adherence was measured by the proportion of days covered (PDC) with statins (exposure). A proportional hazards model was fitted to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% CIs for the exposure-outcome association, after adjusting for several covariates. A set of sensitivity analyses was performed to account for sources of systematic uncertainty.
RESULTS During follow-up, 11,154 cohort members experienced the outcome. Compared with patients with very-low adherence (PDC <25%), those with low (26–50%), intermediate (51–75%), and high (≥75%) adherence to statin therapy had HRs (95% CIs) of 1.12 (1.06–1.18), 1.22 (1.14–1.27), and 1.32 (1.26–1.39), respectively.
CONCLUSIONS In a real-world setting, the risk of new-onset diabetes rises as adherence with statin therapy increases. Benefits of statins in reducing cardiovascular events clearly overwhelm the diabetes risk.
- Received September 19, 2013.
- Accepted April 16, 2014.
- © 2014 by the American Diabetes Association. Readers may use this article as long as the work is properly cited, the use is educational and not for profit, and the work is not altered.


text:
Happy Friday peeps! And being Friday means it's a brand new challenge over at Just Add Ink. This week Trish has given us some lovely inspiration to work with and other than the earthy rustic colour palette, l was inspired to recreate the lovely parquetry effect using the SU "Triple Banner" punch.
To create the flower l used some dryer sheets and the "Floral Frames" framelits from SU and popped it up on this super cute faceted gift box...You can see the panel on the left is slightly ajar, that's where it opens so you can pop the goodies in..:0)
You'll have to excuse my dull pics, as Melbournes weather has been so gloomy of late, that getting a decent pic of anything is just doing my head in...Grrr!
You can find the faceted box tutorial by Anna Krol here, it's a great tutorial that is simple and easy to follow.....
"Thanks for stopping by"
All supplies used are Stampin Up unless noted!
(non SU dryer sheets)


text: Greenhouse gas emissions from animal manure represent about 2% of global emissions levels. Breakdown of manure applied to soils and pasture results in significant emissions of the powerful greenhouse gas N2O, while manure management in low oxygen environments often found in open lagoons results in significant methane emissions globally. Technology opportunities to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from manure include the development of advanced dietary and soil additives to reduce N2O production, precision agriculture technologies for improved manure application as fertilizer, the development of advanced anaerobic digester technologies to reduce methane emissions, and others – in addition to technology solutions that reduce demand for livestock-based food products.


text:
- Browse bikes
- Top bikes
- Tools
- News & reviews
- Forums
- Free classifieds
NCR Leggera 2011
2011 NCR Leggera specifications, pictures, reviews and rating
2011 NCR Leggera. Picture credits - NCR. Submit more pictures.
|NCR's profilation of this bike
|Starting from the Ducati Hypermotard concept bike, NCR introduces it´s first street! By using it´s racing and technology knowledge, NCR has worked every aspect and component of the design to make a difference on the track and street.
|General information
|NCR Leggera
|Super motard
|Price as new:
|US$ 76000. MSRP depend on country, taxes, accessories, etc.
|Do you know this bike?
Click here to rate it. We miss 2 votes to show the rating.
|Engine and transmission
|1078.0 ccm (65.78 cubic inches)
|Engine type:
|V2, four-stroke
|Engine details:
|Ducati DS 1100 engine. Optional 125 HP bore.
|90.0 HP (65.7 kW)) @ 7750 RPM
|Valves per cylinder:
|Fuel system:
|Injection. EFI Magneti Marelli, 45mm throttle bodies.
|Fuel control:
|Desmodromic valve control
|Cooling system:
|Oil & air
|Transmission type,
final drive:
|Exhaust system:
|Full exhaust 2 into 1 into 2 configuration with catalitic converter and lambda system. Exhaust is in titanium and the mufflers are in carbon. Design by NCR and built by Zard, the silencers are 45% lighter than stock.
|Chassis, suspension, brakes and wheels
|Frame type:
|Trellis frame made entirely of Grade 9 Titanium. Weight: 4,8 Kg (10.6 lbs)
|Front suspension:
|Ohlins titanium nitride coated 46mm full adjustable with NCR Corse valving, adjustable offset NCR triple clamps made in avionic aluminum. NCR Corse billet fork bottoms
|Rear suspension:
|NCR- Ohlins monoshock, fully adjustable including low and high speed circuits and configured by NCR CORSE
|Front tyre:
|Rear tyre:
|Front brakes:
|Double disc. WAVE rotors, radial monoblock Brembo Racing calipers with 4 pistons and 2 pads.
|300 mm (11.8 inches)
|Rear brakes:
|Single disc. WAVE rotor, Brembo 2 piston caliper
|200 mm (7.9 inches)
|Carbon fiber, front 3,50´x17´ , rear 6´x17´
|Biposto leather seat by Schedoni per NCR.
|Physical measures and capacities
|Dry weight:
|157.0 kg (346.1 pounds)
|Power/weight ratio:
|0.5732 HP/kg
|Other specifications
|Color options:
|NCR Grey/silver. Other colors optional.
|Rear ward and adjustable NCR rear set in Al 7075 and titanium, passenger peg support in tiatnium, custom gas cap by NCR in Al7075, billet NCR CORSE fork bottoms and fully adjustable triple clamps in avionic aluminum. Adjustable ride height adjuster and rear single sided flange in aluminum.
|Further information
|Insurance costs
|Compare US insurance quotes from the nation's top providers.
|Finance options
|Compare US motorcycle loan quotes from the nation's top providers.
|Parts finder
|Chaparral provides online schematics & OEM parts for the US. Revzilla offers up to 50% off motorcycle accessories. Ships to most countries. Also check out our overview of motorcycle webshops at Bikez.info.
|Ask questions
|Join the 11 NCR Leggera discussion group or the general NCR discussion group.
|Related bikes
|List related bikes for comparison of specs.
Buying a bike starts at BikezGet a list of related motorbikes before you buy this NCR. Inspect technical data. Look at photos. Read the riders' comments at the bike's discussion group. And check out the bike's reliability, repair costs, etc. Show any 2011 NCR Leggera for sale on our Bikez.biz Motorcycle Classifieds. You can also sign up for e-mail notification when such bikes are advertised in the future. And advertise your old MC for sale. Our efficient ads are free. You are also welcome to read and submit motorcycle reviews.
Pictures, trademarks and logos of third parties are the exclusive property of the respective owners. Technical specifications are subject to change without notice. Bikez.com has been developed by low-cost software development company ObjectLabs.
Aprilia BMW Ducati Harley-Davidson Honda Kawasaki KTM Moto Guzzi Suzuki Triumph Ural Yamaha
Copyright © 1999-2020 by Bikez.com a.s. This web uses cookies.
About Bikez. Advertise products. Contact Bikez.com. Privacy policy. Motorcycle catalogue and Motorcycle classifieds
Copyright © 1999-2020 by Bikez.com a.s. This web uses cookies.
About Bikez. Advertise products. Contact Bikez.com. Privacy policy. Motorcycle catalogue and Motorcycle classifieds


text:
As I revise my self-study book, "The Yellow Book Interpreted," I will be sharing chapters with you.
- Assess whether an audit team has met competency standards
The competencestandard has raised more than a few eyebrows over the years. The competence standard is where the GAO introduces a very stringent continuing education requirement.
Let's begin by understanding the GAO's overarching objective – to make sure that audit teams are competent – and then dig into the continuing education requirement.
What Does the Team Have to Know?
The following list of basic competencies for an audit team can help your team select relevant training:
4.07 The knowledge, skills, and abilities needed when conducting an engagement in accordance with GAGAS include the understanding necessary to proficiently apply
2.standards, statutory requirements, regulations, criteria, and guidance applicable to auditing or the objectives for the engagement(s) being conducted; and
3.techniques, tools, and guidance related to professional expertise applicable to the work being performed.
Competence Is Collective
Thankfully, each team member does not have to carry the burden of competence individually; competence is a team effort.
4.02 The audit organization's management must assign auditors to conduct the engagement who before beginning work on the engagement collectively possess the competence needed to address the engagement objectives and perform their work in accordance with GAGAS.
Notice the term, "collectively possess." I call this the Larry, Darrell, and Darrell standard. In the 1980s TV sitcom, Newhart, three bumpkin brothers (Larry, Darrell, and his other brother Darrell) would emerge out of the Vermont woods. Larry was the only brother who could speak, but collectively, as a team, they were functional. Just like Larry, Darrell, andDarrell, one smart guy can carry the whole audit team.
The Definition of Competence
What is competence? It is earned through education and experience.
4.05 Competence is the knowledge, skills, and abilities, obtained from education and experience, necessary to conduct the GAGAS engagement. Competence enables auditors to make sound professional judgments. Competence includes possessing the technical knowledge and skills necessary for the assigned role and the type of work being done. This includes possessing specific knowledge about GAGAS.
4.06 Competence is derived from a combination of education and experience. Education is a structured and systematic process aimed at developing knowledge, skills, and other abilities; it is a process that is typically but not exclusively conducted in academic or learning environments. Experience refers to workplace activities that are relevant to developing professional proficiency. Competence is not necessarily measured by years of auditing experience because such a quantitative measurement may not accurately reflect the kinds of experiences gained by auditors in any given time period. Maintaining competence through a commitment to learning and development throughout auditors' professional lives is an important element for auditors.
I am sure you have encountered auditors with only a few years of experience who have earned half-a-dozen certifications and degrees who don't have a clue what they are doing. And you have also met auditors who have been auditing for 25 years who have never cracked open an auditing standard. Competence is a BLEND of both education and experience.
Who is responsible?
First off, the Yellow Book places responsibility for assuring that the staff is competent onthe audit organization and says that they are responsible for the hiring and development of Larry and the Darrells.
4.03 The audit organization's managementmust assign auditors who before beginning work on the engagement possess the competence needed for their assigned roles.
4.04 The audit organizationshould have a process for recruitment, hiring, continuous development, assignment, and evaluation of personnel so that the workforce has the essential knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to conduct the engagement.
Education Keeps You Up-To-Date
One way you can make sure the audit team is competent is by keeping them up-to-date through continuing education. I don't know what the rule is in other states, but hair stylists in Texas go to school once and that is that; no more training necessary. My hair was long, permed, and fluffy like Stevie Nick's hair for a good seven years longer than was prudent because I was loyal to a hair stylist who earned her licensein the 1970s!
The GAO realizes that auditors need to grow and change in order to remain relevant. So, they require government auditors to earn 80 hours of CPE every two years. No permed hair for us!
The GAO has reformatted the way they present the core CPE requirements by putting the requirements in a table, but the requirements themselves have not changed in over a decade.
4.16 Auditors who plan, direct, perform engagement procedures for, or report on an engagement conducted in accordance with GAGAS should develop and maintain their professional competence by completing at least 80 hours of CPE in every 2-year period as follows.
CPE Guidance Document Is Now Integrated into the Standards
The GAO issued a guidance document regarding CPE in April of 2005. The official title is "Guidance on GAGAS Requirements for Continuing Professional Education." In the 2018 version of the Yellow Book, the GAO added the contents of this supplemental document to the text of the competence chapter.
The following are the topics addressed in the rest of the competence chapter that may be relevant to you.
- Subject matter categories of CPE
- Subject matter directly related to the 24-hourrequirement
- Subject matter related to the 56-hourrequirement
- Exemptions and exceptions
- Specialists
- Programs and activities that qualify for CPE
- Measurement of CPE
- Monitoring CPE
Let's hit the highlights of these requirements together:
Who's Subject to the Requirements?
Under "Who is subject to CPE requirements?" the guidance document describes what the GAO means by planning, directing, performing, and reporting.
4.11 Definitions of key terms follow:
a. Planning: Determining engagement objectives, scope, and methodology; establishing criteria to evaluate matters subject to audit; or coordinating the work of the other audit organizations. This definition excludes auditors whose role is limited to gathering information used in planning the engagement.
b. Directing: Supervising the efforts of others who are involved in accomplishing the objectives of the engagement or reviewing engagement work to determine whether those objectives have been accomplished.
c. Performing engagement procedures: Performing tests and procedures necessary to accomplish the engagement objectives in accordance with GAGAS.
d. Reporting: Determining the report content and substance or reviewing reports to determine whether the engagement objectives have been accomplished and the evidence supports the report's technical content and substance prior to issuance. This includes signing the report.
Why do these definitions of planning, directing, performing, and reporting matter? Because if your work centers around "performing engagement procedures," you may be exempt from some or all of the CPE requirements. But if you are involved in any of the other three functions, you are required to earn all 80 hours.
4.25 Auditors may be exempted from the 56-hour CPE requirement by the audit organization, but not the 24-hour requirement, if they
1.charge less than 20 percent of their time annually to engagements conducted in accordance with GAGAS and
2.are only involved in performing engagement procedures, but not involved in planning, directing, or reporting on the engagement.
The 20 percent may be based on historical or estimated charges in a year, provided that the audit organization has a basis for this determination and monitors actual time. For auditors who change status such that they are charging more than 20 percent of their time annually to engagements under GAGAS, the audit organization may prorate the required CPE hours similar to when auditors are assigned to GAGAS engagements after the beginning of a 2-year CPE measurement period, as discussed in paragraph 4.42.
4.26 Nonsupervisory auditors who charge less than 40 hours of their time annually to engagements conducted in accordance with GAGAS may be exempted by the organization from all CPE requirements in paragraph 4.16.
The way I interpret this – and mind you, this is my interpretation – is that even if you touch a governmental audit orare involved with the audit team at all, beyond doing simple test procedures, you must comply with the whole 24- and 56-hour CPE requirement. This means that, if you are a tax partner in an accounting firm and your audit partner goes on holiday for two weeks during the middle of a government audit leaving you to make decisions and supervise the staff on that audit, then you must get all 80 hours! This is the GAO's way to keep folks who aren't serious about government audits away from government audits.
If you are a staff person performing only fieldwork, then you must get the 24 hours, and you may be exempt from the remaining 56 depending on how much of your year you spend on government audits. If you spend less than 20% of your time on a GAGAS audit and you aren't involved in conducting, directing, or reporting, then you still need 24 hours of CPE, but you don'thave to get the additional 56 hours.
Notice that if you spend less than 40 hours a year "performing engagement procedures," you are exempt from all requirements. This exemption is new as of the 2018 revision.
CPE Subjects That Qualify for the 24 Hours
The Yellow Book lists topics that qualify for the 24-hourrequirement:
Subject Matter Directly Related to the Government Environment, Government Auditing, or the Specific or Unique Environment in Which the Audited Entity Operates (24-Hour Requirement)
4.23 Subject matter directly related to the government environment, government auditing, or the specific or unique environment in which the audited entity operates may include, but is not limited to, the following:
- generally accepted government auditing standards (GAGAS) and related topics, such as internal control as addressed in GAGAS;
- the applicable American Institute of Certified Public Accountants' (AICPA) Statements on Auditing Standards;
- the applicable AICPA Statements on Standards for Attestation Engagements and Statements on Standards for Accounting and Review Services;
- the applicable auditing standards issued by the Institute of Internal Auditors, the Public Company Accounting and Oversight Board, the International Auditing and Assurance Standards Board, or other auditingstandard-setting body;
- U.S.generally accepted accounting principles, or the applicable financial reporting framework being used, such as those issued by the Federal Accounting Standards Advisory Board, the Governmental Accounting Standards Board, or the Financial Accounting Standards Board;
- Standards for Internal Control in the Federal Government;
- Internal Control—Integrated Framework, as applicable;
- requirements for recipients of federal contracts or grants, such as Single Audits under the Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards;
- requirements for federal, state, or local program audits;
- relevant or applicable audit standards or guides, including those
for information technology auditing and forensic auditing;
- information technology auditing topics applicable to the government environment;
- fraud topics applicable to a government environment;
- statutory requirements, regulations, criteria, guidance, trends, risks, or topics relevant to the specific and unique environment in which the audited entity operates;
- statutory requirements, regulations, criteria, guidance, trends, risks, or topics relevant to the subject matter of the engagement, such as scientific, medical, environmental, educational, or any other specialized subject matter;
- topics directly related to the government environment, such as the nature of government (structures, financing, and operations), economic or other conditions and pressures facing governments, common government financial management issues, appropriations, measurement or evaluation of government financial or program performance, and application of general audit methodologies or techniques to a government environment or program;
- specialized audit methodologies or analytical techniques, such as the use of complex survey instruments, actuarial estimates, statistical analysis tests, or statistical or nonstatistical sampling;
- performance auditing topics, such as obtaining evidence, professional skepticism, and other applicable audit skills;
- government ethics and independence;
- partnerships between governments, businesses, and citizens;
- legislative policies and procedures;
- topics related to fraud, waste, abuse, or improper payments affecting government entities; and
- compliance with laws and regulations.
That list covers a lot of ground and means that you don't have to sit in a Yellow Book class every two years to earn your 24 hours!
Remember because of the last clause of the requirement, "Subject Matter Directly Related to the Government Environment, Government Auditing, or the Specific or Unique Environment in Which the Audited Entity Operates," you are allowed to earn CPE hours for learning about the unique environment or subject matter that you are auditing. For example, if you are performing an audit of investments for a retirement system, you can earn your 24 hours in a three-day class on how large institutions trade investments. Or, you might be auditing a housing and urban development program. In this case, you can take a seminar that would teach you more about the program.
In other words, you don't need to feel locked intocourses that have "government" in the title to earn these 24 hours. The "unique environment" clause opens up a lot of possibilities.
CPE Subjects That Qualify for the 56 Hours
The guidance document has this to say about the 56-hourrequirement:
Subject Matter That Directly Enhances Auditors' Professional Expertise to Conduct Engagements (56-Hour Requirement)
4.24 Subject matter that directly enhances auditors' professional expertise to conduct engagements may include, but is not limited to, the following:
1.subject matter categories for the 24-hour requirement listed in paragraph 4.23;
2.general ethics and independence;
3.topics related to accounting, acquisitions management, asset management, budgeting, cash management, contracting, data analysis, program performance, or procurement;
4.communicating clearly and effectively, both orally and in writing;
5.managing time and resources;
7.software applications used in conducting engagements;
8.information technology; and
9.economics, human capital management, social and political sciences, and other academic disciplines that may be applied in engagements, as applicable.
Similar to the 24-hour requirement, the 56-hour requirement is fairly flexible.
Classes on estate planning or a personal taxation update don't qualify for either the 24 or the 56 hour requirement. Although those classes might help a CPA in public practice keep their business going, they have nothing to do with governmental auditing.
Be careful that you do not confuse the Yellow Book requirements with other professional requirements
The State of California has some very specific CPE requirements for CPAs. The Certified Fraud Examiners have specific training requirements, too. The GAO warns us that satisfying another organization's requirements might not satisfy Yellow Book requirements and viceversa.
4.34 Individual auditors who are members of professional organizations or who are licensed professionals, such as certified public accountants, are cautioned that the GAGAS CPE requirements, while similar in many respects to those of professional organizations and of licensing bodies, may not be identical. Some subjects and topics may be acceptable to state licensing bodies or professional organizations, but may not qualify as CPE under GAGAS. Conversely, some CPE that qualifies for GAGAS may not qualify for state licensing bodies or professional organizations. Careful consideration of auditors' relevant professional organizations or licensing body requirements is encouraged to meet other relevant CPE requirements.
4.35 Examples of training topics that may qualify as CPE for state licensing bodies or professional organizations but would not generally qualify as CPE for purposes of satisfying requirements under GAGAS include certain training in taxation, personal financial planning and investment, taxation strategies, estate planning, retirement planning, and practice management, unless such training directly enhances the auditors' professional proficiency to perform engagements or relate to the subject matter of an engagement. However, if certain taxation or other topics relateto an objective or the subject matter of an engagement, training in those related topics could qualify as CPE under GAGAS.
That was a lot of information about CPE! If you have any more questions, please review Chapter 4 in the Yellow Book, as it will likely answer your questions. If that doesn't help, the GAO is very helpful and willing to answer your questions. Write to firstname.lastname@example.com


text:
Category Archives: holiday
A Topical 2011 Season's Greeting from Lady, That's My Skull
It's a holiday e-card! I usually don't put in attribution of anything I make just for the joy of sharing but this year to heck with it because screw those guys. If anyone is going to gank this image then they will have to do a little bit of work to claim it as their own.
Hope this year finds everybody doing great.
Have a safe July 4th
From Girl's Love Stories #1 (Aug-Sept 1949).
And once again my wife, son and I are working the evening of July 4th, so if you want to go "OOOH" and "AAAH" at the pretty lights then pull the [expletive deleted] over and off the road.
Sealed With A…What?
"So, what is this?"
"I dunno. They told me to decorate the heart cakes like those candy hearts. With words like Be Mine, UR Gr8, Luv You and SWAT.""Yeah, SWAT. So what does SWAT mean?""Dunno. They just said SWAT.""Maybe that was supposed to be SWAK.""That doesn't make any sense.""It does if you are saying Sealed With A Kiss.""Oh, yeah. Well, they said SWAT.""Sure they did. Okay, what's done is done. You can discount these tomorrow after Valentine's Day, right?"
They wonder why everything I say is prefaced with a heavy sigh.
Happy New Year 2011
The Post of Christmas Past
A few links to some Holiday stuff of latter years from Lady, That's My Skull.
Thor and the Christmas Miracle!
The Waitresses – Christmas Wrapping!
They should never have called him Mutie!
Lazy, crappy Holiday comic strips!
An oldie but a goodie from MAD Magazine, If Kids Designed Their Own Xmas Toys!
Links from other places:
Retrospace Christmas Music Mix Tape!
A Riverdale Christmas by Bully!
20 Geeky Xmas Decorations (NSFW sidebar)!
Golden Age Comic Book Stories has lots of nifty Xmas images and stories!
The Monkees sing Xmas acappella!
And last but not the least from LTMS, an old Silver Age comic book favorite: Invaders from the Ice World!
Happy Thanksgiving in 2010
Since a few people asked what the deal was with the cover because the gag had little context, here is the original cartoon that inspired it as reprinted from the daily newspaper comic strip for Walt Disney's Comics and Stories #12 (September 1941).


text:
This paper presents film flow measurement technique and the results with uniform power distribution. Based on these measurements it is possible to estimate the critical film thickness. The measured film thickness was plotted versus steam quality and slightlyextrapolated up to the measured critical steam quality. The conclusions werein line with Hewitt et al. (1965), i.e. that the critical film thickness is insignificantly small. This does not contradict e.g. Ueda & Isayama (1981) since the conditions were not the same, but for the flow conditions and heat fluxes that are typical for BWR operation it was concluded that the critical film thickness is, for practical purposes, zero.
Film flow measurements at several axial positions in round pipes with variousaxial power distributions are presented for conditions corresponding to normaloperation of a BWR. It is confirmed that the film flow rate approaches zero atthe onset of dryout. Selected phenomenological models of annular two-phaseflow are shown to reasonably reproduce the measurements. It is concluded thatmodels are in better agreement with measurements if terms corresponding topossible boiling induced entrainment are excluded.
A method to perform film flow analysis in subchannels as a post-processto a standard two-field subchannel code is suggested. It is shown that thisapproach may yield accurate prediction of dryout power in rod bundles to alow computational cost and that the influence of the power distribution is wellpredicted by the model.
Measurements of film mass flow rate for annular, diabatic steam-water flow in tubes are presented. The measurements were carried out with four axial power distributions and at several axial positions at conditions typical for boiling water reactors, i.e. 7 MPa pressure and total mass flux in a range from 750 to 1750 kg/m2s. The results show that the influence of the axial power distribution on the dryout power corresponds to a consistent tendency in the film flow rate and that the film tends to zero when dryout is approached. Furthermore it is demonstrated that two selected phenomenological models of annular flow well predict the present data. A model for additional entrainment due to boiling is shown to degrade the predictions.


text:
So here is my very small harvest.
A good bunch of Rainbow Chard and Perpetual Spinach.
|From A2K blog archives
I still have a load in the garden to harvest, but should hurry as many are beginning to flower now.
At the weekend, I managed to get a little work done in the garden. I weeded the plot that had the stinky sprouts.
But there is so much to do and I am out of sync and so unfit that my body ached the following few days. I was hoping for extra hands at the weekend to help but sadly they did not materialise. So the work has been postponed for the coming weekend.
I don't know how many seeds I will sow, but already know that I will be picking up some plants from local garden nurseries.
The other bit of work that I got done is that I cut down the dead raspberry canes, to encourage new plants. Here are the cut down canes ready for burning come this weekend.
Here is an example of what else we have still to do in the green house, the canes we built for the climbing beans also have to come down and then the ground dug. And there's also the greenhouse.
When I do get into gardening through I really enjoy it - its the first initial steps these days and the lack of motivation, but when I harvest home grown produce my heart sings, I need to find that homegrown veg and green garden love again. I will, its just going to take a little time. I think part of the reason is the hours I work these days find me tired in the evenings and that doesn't help, okay enough of my grumbling.
I made a very delicious Rainbow Chard Gratin recently with my homegrown harvest. I will share the recipe soon.
Rainbow Chard Gratin
Lots of Potatoes, peeled and sliced into thick slices, then parboiled. Drained and set aside
Lots of chard, roughly chopped including the stalks, blanched, drained and set aside
50g tablespoon butter
3 tablespoon plain flour
2 garlic crushed
400ml milk
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 teaspoon cayenne powder
160g 200g cheese
In a pan melt the butter, cook the garlic slowly until soft, then stir in the flour and cook for a couple of minutes, before stirring in the milk and spices. Boil. Then reduce until thick, stirring with a whisk to stop it from setting.
Stir in the cheese until it has melted.
Season to taste.
Pour over the potatoes and chard that have been transferred to a oven proof casserole dish.
Bake in oven for 30 - 35 minutes on gas mark 5/200oc or until golden.
Serve immediately.


text:
Done-Rite Plumbing is searching for qualified candidates to work on common and complex plumbing, sewer pipe repair, and water heater work. We are located in Anaheim, California and do work throughout Orange County.
Our field service technician position is available in full time or part time roles. These roles can be permanent or temporary positions.
Job Responsibilities:
- Water Heater Repair
- Trenchless Sewer Repair
- Hydro Jetting
- Toilet Installation
- Trenchless Services
- Whole Home Filtration
- Drain Cleaning
- Sewer Camera Inspection
Job Requirements:
- Valid California Driver's License
- Physically able to lift heavy machinery and operate it
- Able to pass drug screening
- Able to pass background check
Preferred Skills:
- Able to solve problems and think strategically
- Self motivated and efficient
- Certifications or experience in the plumbing industry
- Up to 2018 standards and techniques
Description of Day-to-Day work:
Work performed can include common residential plumbing services, such as main line repair and home plumbing fixtures, Trenchless services, such as Trenchless Sewer Repair and Trenchless Pipe Bursting, and Water Heater Services, such as repair, inspection, and installation.
Send resume and/or cover letter to Vera Turner at firstname.lastname@example.com.


text:
It's always nice to be able to find materials that support the concepts you are trying to teach to children. Having a variety to choose from can be a good thing! The 2018 theme is "I Am a Child of God," and I have two FREE downloadable books that can help you to teach the theme for this year.
Gospel Games: I Am a Beloved Child of Heavenly Father
I Am a Child of God Activity Book
The downloads are completely free, and can be copied/printed, used at home or in Primary, or in any way you choose. They belong to you, and the files can be shared or changed to suit your needs. I recommend that you check with your local leaders if you have any questions about whether it is appropriate to use these materials in your classroom.
Have fun with these!
Glorianne Muggli
Muggli Graphics


text:
As you may have heard by now, ABC has officially picked up a spin-off of the show Once Upon A Time . The new series is Once Upon A Time in Wonderland will be told from Alice's point of view.
With a whole new slew of characters in a world we have visited in Once Upon A Time , the shows are intended to live independently of one another, with the potential for some character crossover.
From an Examiner interview with the executive producers, it sounds like Wonderland will open where Once Upon A Time's Season 2 began — after the curse destroyed most of the Enchanted Forest, while the wraith was terrorizing everyone. Just like OUAT, the show will jump around between present-day and flashbacks.
The show will star English/Australian actress Sophie Lowe (who was up for the part of Lisbeth Salander in The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo) as Alice.
According to ABC's website, also cast so far is English actress Emma Rigby as the Red Queen (not to be confused with the Queen of Hearts) and John Lithgow will be the voice of the White Rabbit. (IMDb incorrectly lists PeeWee Herman as the voice of the White Rabbit and I got nervous I would be too afraid to watch the show. That guy gives me the heebie jeebies.)
Check out this sneak preview of the new series posted today on ABC's official website:
Looks like little Alice is all grown up. (Plus, HELLO Red Queen. It is very nice to meet you. And your outfit.)
I don't know about you, but I will be wishing on the brightest star that, between these two shows and the number of characters potentially doubling, a queer character will appear. I mean, they've already proven that they are willing to twist and bend traditional fairytales to their will — i.e. Jack and the Beanstalk being female, Peter Pan being evil, etc. I love subtext shipping as much as the next girl, but I think they should have a little rainbow magic in Wonderland.
Has Once Upon A Time in Wonderland sparked your interest? Any new fairytale characters you hope our new Wonderland friends run into?


text:
Welcome back . Sign out
Sign in
Welcome back . Sign out
Sign in
All CategoriesCamp Merrie WoodeSignature Softcover Book
Total: 2 product(s)
Showing products 1 to 2
Sort by:
Affordable and lovely. The softcover 10 X 8 layflat, panoramic book is becoming a camper favorite. With 18 photo slots for your own photos, your camp logo on the cover and the lovely matte paper with smooth texture and hefty weight, this book is stylish and classic all in one.
Photo Product Lines
Camp Merrie Woode
Signature Hardcover Book
Signature Softcover Book
Classic Hardcover Book
Contact us
stay connected
the social Scene
Evergreen Albums
Flat Rock, NC 28731
Phone: 865-742-8336
Email: info@evergreenalbums
Join our newsletter
Follow us
© 2020 Evergreen Albums. All Rights Reserved


text:
AAUW's Raleigh-Wake Branch
is proud to present as speaker at our
April 17th Meeting
Helen Moses
Women leaders need to communicate to their audience in effective and authentic ways. Often, we say we are impressed by a woman who "has found her voice." As a communication consultant, Helen Moses has worked with women (and men) who have wanted to use their voice but did not know how.
Whether we are teaching, researching or speaking in public, AAUW Raleigh members would benefit from the presentations that Helen Moses gives.
Come and see how you can be an excellent communicator by finding "your voice." Helen Moses will be our speaker for April 17 at the Junior League in Raleigh from 5:30 to about 7 PM.
Tuesday, April 17th, join members of the branch:
5:15 pm Hospitality
5:30 – 7pm Program & business session
Junior League Center 711 Hillsborough Street, Raleigh 27603
Parking available behind Center & on the street
Please contact Terry Wall, Membership VP


text: Outstanding ALS signed "Kate," one page, 5 x 8, personal letterhead, June 16 [1967]. Hepburn writes to Armina, noting at the top, "I'm staying at Spence's." In full: "You are right—I said to myself even one second after it happened—It is best—My brain knows it—no anticipation—no struggle—just end—It was instantaneous—and I know that it is a best way to die—But the finality is appalling I am sure you know—you just cannot believe it—Here—gone—It is so sad—All the years—All the shared struggles—And I know that you are right too that time can't heal it just forces you to change your own path—Well—not much to say—I was lucky to know him & you were sweet to write such a dear letter." In fine condition. Tracy died six days earlier, on June 10. Hepburn would later recount in her memoir that, after hearing the crash of a dropped teacup, she found Tracy on the kitchen floor, where he had succumbed to a heart attack. Handwritten letters relating to this most important of her personal relationships take a place among the rarest and most coveted examples of Hepburn autograph material. Pre-certified PSA/DNA and RR Auction COA.


text:
Fork-tender beef braised in beer, folded in a warm tortilla and topped with a piquant pico de gallo? Yes, please!
Braised Beef
¼ cup olive oil
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. black pepper
2 lb. trip tip roast
1 large bottle (1 pint, 6 oz.) stout
½ cup beef broth
6 cloves of garlic, peeled
1 white onion, peeled and quartered
2 large chipotle chilies in adobo sauce, chopped, plus 1 Tbsp. adobo sauce
12 6-inch tortillas
Pico de Gallo
1 large jalapeño, stem and seeds removed, chopped
½ cup chopped red onion
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
½ tsp. salt
½ cup tomatoes, chopped
¼ cup cilantro, chopped
In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over high heat until hot but not smoking. Sprinkle the roast on all side with salt and pepper. Sear the meat on all sides until browned, about 4 minutes per side.
Add beer and bring to a simmer, reduce heat to maintain a low simmer.
Add the garlic, onions, chilies and adobo sauce. Let simmer on low until fork tender and falling apart, about 2 ½ to 3 hours. During the cooking process, turn the meat over about every 30 minutes. If the liquid in the pot gets low or too thick, add additional beer or hot water.
Once the meat is done, shred in the pot using two forks, remove any large pieces of fat that have not rendered. Cover and simmer for about 5 minutes.
While that is cooking, make the pico de gallo by placing all ingredients in a bowl and stir to combine.
Remove meat from pot, serve inside warm tortillas and top with fresh pico de gallo.
Jacquelyn Dodd, thebeeroness.com


text:
Opening the iTunes iTunes would not open, click the iTunes application icon in your Dock or in your Home windows desktop.Progress Indicator. Along with these gross sales and repair awards, the Lowe's employees are very concerned in the community with initiatives such as the Logan County Human Society's Vets Trailer (Heroes Undertaking) and the continued partnerships with Boy Scouts and Woman Scouts of America, Habitat for Humanity and Doors of Encouragement.
Lowe's suffered in the Nineteen Eighties resulting from market circumstances and growing competition from the brand new large-box store chain, The Dwelling Depot For a while, Lowe's resisted adopting the mega-retailer format partly as a result of its administration believed the smaller cities the place Lowe's largely operated would not even support enormous shops.
I used to be within the construction trade for forty five years and never needed to take care of anybody throughout these years as dumb as the individuals working on the Lowe's Retailer in Cookeville, Tn. I've purchased hundreds of dollars of merchandise from Lowe's generally however the last buy actually took the cake.
Lowe's is an equal alternative affirmative action employer and administers all personnel practices without regard to race, shade, religion, sex, age, nationwide origin, incapacity, sexual orientation, gender identification or expression, marital standing, veteran standing, genetics or every other category protected underneath relevant regulation.
Lowe and Buchan differed on increasing the company to new areas they usually break up in 1952 with Buchan (himself) taking control of the hardware and constructing provide enterprise and Lowe taking different joint ventures the two controlled (including a automobile dealership).


text:
Discover the photographic highlights of Meteora's rocks, accompanied by a professional photographer in this Athens to Meteora by train Photo Tour. Learn the tips and techniques of landscape photography on this guided, private tour. You and up to 4 friends or family members, using your own cameras, will learn practical tips from a professional photographer guide, capturing the details that many amateurs miss. See the famous sunset at Meteora from an entirely new perspective and get creative pictures from the monasteries.
This daily Photography Tour starts from Athens and ends in Athens the same day. Tickets for your train ride from Athens to Meteora and back are included.
Your train ride from Athens to Meteora departs at 7:20am from the Athens train station. The Athens train station is accessible by Athens metro. You will disembark from Athens and venture to Kalampaka, a town near Meteora. Upon arriving (at approx 11:31am) you will be greeted by your photographer and will start photographing the traditional village of Kastraki which lies on the footpath of the Meteora rocks.
The day will take you on an unprecedented tour around the UNESCO Heritage site of Meteora, photographing its multitude of unique visual highlights. In your private vehicle and with some light walking, you and your photographer guide will spend about 3 hours visiting some ancient monasteries which sit atop these rock formations, and exploring the beautiful landscape. You will also have 1 hour of free time during your visit, to wander around the city of Kalampaka or enjoy a nice meal (not included).
Learn how to photograph at different times of the day, and as you progress toward sunset you will be presented with a magical view only found in Meteora. The day ends with an evening (5:15pm) train ride back to Athens . You will arrive back to Athens around 9:25pm.
Other Photography tours to check out, Full Day Meteora Photo Tour, Full Day Zagori Photo Tour.
Athens to Meteora by train Photo tour details
Group Size
This Athens to Meteora by train Photo Tour is scheduled up to 4 participants with a minimum of 1 participant.
Subscribe to our monthly newsletter and be the first to know about photo tour updates.
Experience – Difficulty
- From Beginner to Pro Photographers
- Led by a professional photographer
- Small-group tour
- Family friendly
- Round-trip train fares
- Easy pace walking tour. Some walking on uneven routes
- Small elevation changes along the way
This is an intermediate 14 hours photography tour from Athens to Meteora by train the same day.
Athens to Meteora by train Photo Tour is held every day through out the year. Check below the days itinerary:
Athens 07:00. Train departs at 07:20 from Athens Central Train station.
Kalambaka 11:31. Train arrives at Kalambaka Train station.
Our photographer will meet you at the station and your photography tour starts!
Explore Meteora rock formations and Kalambaka city in a four hours photo tour.
Kalambaka 17:00. Train departs at 17:15 from Kalambaka Train station.
Athens 21:25. Train arrives at Athens Central Train station.
You need to arrive in Central Athens train station at least 30 minutes before train departure.
Map of the train station. The train station is accessible by Metro, bus, taxi.
You will be escorted by a professional photographer, discussing composition, different angles, technical aspects and everyday usage of your camera.
- Entrance fees to monasteries
- Train ticket from and to Athens
- Professional photographer at Meteora
- Small-group private tour
- Transport by private vehicle
- Alcoholic drinks (available to purchase)
- Food and drinks (lunch, dinner, snacks)
- Gratuities (optional)
- Camera
Additional info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- A dress code is required to enter places of worship and monasteries. No shorts or sleeveless tops allowed. Knees and shoulders MUST be covered for both men and women. You may risk refused entry if you fail to comply with these dress requirements
- Food and drink is available on the train for you to purchase, but you are also allowed to bring your own food, drinks. Purchases in the train are cash only
- A small amount of walking is involved Due to uneven surfaces, this tour is not recommended for those with walking disabilities
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Adult pricing applies to all travelers
Cancellation Policy
If you cancel at least 7 day(s) in advance of the scheduled departure, there is no cancellation fee*.
Cancelling between 3 and 6 day(s) in advance of the scheduled departure, there is a 50% cancellation fee*.
Should you cancel within 2 day(s) of the scheduled departure, there is a 100% cancellation fee.
* Train tickets can not be cancelled or refunded.
Contact us for more information, or any of your questions


text: When it comes to fabrication for a hot rod or classic car, rest assured that Silverback Garage is your place to go for the best precision fabrication and professional results in Houston! Need a frame boxed? Want a custom-built steel-tube frame? Been told they don't make headers for that make and model? Time to get a roll-bar installed? Our fabrication shop can make just about anything out of steel or aluminum to meet your needs.


text:
Category Archives: Cindy McCain
Did John McCain cover his political ass?
When Cindy McCain had her 'problems' with stealing and/or being addicted to pain meds, her hubby was quick to cover her tracks for her. The man in the middle of the situation, Tom Gosinski, was ultimately fired, as a nice thank you for warning John McCain about Cindy's drug addiction and consequent stealing of said meds from the non-profit she headed.
Well, the man is speaking out and not a minute too soon in my humble yet vocal opinion. See, in AZ, which is a no-tolerance state, you get fucked over for even the slightest amount of cannabis in your possession.
Yet Cindy saw no charges or jail time… and the question now is…did Johnny keep it all on the lowdown not only to save her ass but to save his political career? After all, this all went down shortly after the Keating Five scandal. From the WaPo article linked above:
While McCain's accounts have captured the pain of her addiction, her journey through this personal crisis is a more complicated story than she has described, and it had more consequences for her and those around her than she has acknowledged.
Her misuse of painkillers prompted an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration and local prosecutors that put her in legal jeopardy. A doctor with McCain's medical charity who supplied her with prescriptions for the drugs lost his license and never practiced again. The charity, the American Voluntary Medical Team, eventually had to be closed in the wake of the controversy. Her husband was forced to admit publicly that he was absent much of the time she was having problems and was not aware of them.
He wasn't aware until Tom Gosinski warned him about Cindy's drug addiction and stealing. Doctors who prescribed the meds to her lost their license to practice medicine…but nothing happened to Cindy…in the no-tolerance state of Arizona. Mr. Gosinski has said the following in his WaPo interview for the article:
"It's not just about her addiction, it's what she did to cover up her addiction and the lives of other people that she ruined, or put at jeopardy at least,"
Lives were ruined…but not Cindy and John's. Nope..Johnny ran interference with the DEA even after Gosinski reported Cindy to them.
Its a good read and worth your time folks…check it out. WaPo of course paints Cindy as a victim and cough..its not ALL her fault now is it? We can understand and emphathize with someone protecting their loved one. But protecting his own political ass, well…thats another story altogether ain't it? Below is a short video of the man at the heart of this story, Tom Gosinski. He is currently battling cancer and I will keep him in my thoughts and prayers. Cindy McCain? Well, she can take a long walk on a short pier as far as I am concerned.
Top graphic filched from the wonderfully talented Nonnie9999
Tags: Cindy McCain, Cindys Drug Problem, John McCain, Tom Gosinski
We will never see Cindy McCain's tax return.
And interestingly enough, ALL of Johnny's assets are in Cindy's name as well..
Therefore, we can not vet his assets or holdings. He talks about transparency..and frankly, Johnny is full of shit on that one boys and girls.
Cindy is a rich little wife, and to be sure, that is a purely elitist move to keep your shit private like that.
Video filched from the CarpetBagger's post on John and Cindy. Its Cindy telling us we will nevah evah see her tax returns.
So, after all the MSM whining about Hillary and Bill and those Obama kids…are they going to give this one a free pass too?
McCain calls wife a..well, he used the 'c' word
RawStory has an interesting article up about Weathervane McCain's ability to come unglued at inopportune times and even on people he espouses to love and cherish. In this case, he got highly peeved at Cindy, his wife. This excerpt is from a soon to be published book by Cliff Schecter:
Three reporters from Arizona, on the condition of anonymity, also let me in on another incident involving McCain's intemperateness. In his 1992 Senate bid, McCain was joined on the campaign trail by his wife, Cindy, as well as campaign aide Doug Cole and consultant Wes Gullett. At one point, Cindy playfully twirled McCain's hair and said, "You're getting a little thin up there." McCain's face reddened, and he responded, "At least I don't plaster on the makeup like a trollop, you cunt." McCain's excuse was that it had been a long day. If elected president of the United States, McCain would have many long days.
I don't know about other women..but if my spouse..or anyone for that matter uses cunt when referring to me face to face or within earshot..they will either be walking funny for the next month or splayed out on the ground out cold. Call me a bitch if you must..but a cunt..nope…if you value your life you won't go there with me. The excuse that it was a long day doesn't cut it either..you old fucking fart..get used to it..Presidents get maybe 6 hours of sleep a night..if that. Unless your Georgie Bush of course.
Considering that Cindy has all the money in that marriage..I found it even more incredible. Because if it was me, he would be shining shoes for a living after that friggin tirade, in front of other people no less.


text:
Brand new and unworn. These pants are cut slim down the leg and end with three adjustable belts on the calf. I like BPN pants because they always have a good cut and some obvious, but not over the top, details that make their items easy to adjust the 'edginess' level of your outfit. Waist is about 78cm.
This has been used once and is in excellent condition. It is meant to be worn on the hips over your pants or skirt. A nice alternative to stuffing those back pants pockets full. At the largest setting it is about 100 cm.
This item is used and shows some wear. The leather is real and quite thick. There is some rust on the grommets on the back of the cuff. Please check the detail photos.
This was bought new and has been worn. There is a button and loop at the wrist which gives a cool bit of shaping to the sleeve end. There may be a touch of discoloration around the collar roll, and the fabric at the elbows has a small line of exposed white from stretching that you can see in the photos.
I bought this item new from the store and wore it about 4~5 times. It has a simulated roll (the striped fabric) on the arms that is buttoned on so it can be removed leaving a sleek 3/4 sleeve. I did not see any condition issues from it being worn.
This hat is 100% wool, narrow brim, and comes with a cool logo skull pin.
Used about two times, so it is in great condition. Pin stripe, d-rings, buttons, and a Sixh guitar pick charm make this a super swanky hat. The form is very rigid. I bought this new a the H.Naoto flagship store several years ago. I believe it is one of a kind as I had not seen it for sale elsewhere. Sometimes the designers hand make accessories for sale at the flag shop, I believe that is the case with this item but I cannot make any gaurantees.


text:
The team behind the playable and constructive merchandise created the playsets to promote the narrow gauge engines' big movie.
In 43 pieces, Blue Mountain Quarry eyes up an eventual simulation of the aforementioned place, where Thomas works with a hopper and a nearby halt.
Blue Mountain Crew shows the first glimpses of the subjected Peter Sam and Rusty models, where they are tasked with monitoring the building of an archway.
Distancing away from the new film, MEGA BLOKS have also reprieved eight of their buildable engine toys to be issued out again in additional packs.
Each of them now come with an added arch bridge, painted in their respective colour schemes. Thomas, Henry, Gordon, James, Percy, Diesel, Rosie and Scruff are the characters selected for the individual bundles.
Blue Mountain Quarry, Blue Mountain Crew and the eight engine bundle packs hit toy shelves worldwide now.
Thanks to GeebMachine for the alert.


text:
Trade Show Survival Guide: Set-Up Part 1
The AGSoest crew really, really wants your exhibitor experience to be as hassle-free as possible. Below are some frequently asked questions and problems that may come up and what to do about them. If you have a problem not covered here, let us know; maybe we can find a solution just for you!
Try to have your exhibitor badges mailed to you ahead of time so you have them in hand. If you must pick up your badges on-site, be sure to get them the day before show opening. Frequently on opening morning, the exhibitor and attendee registration areas are so jammed, the waiting lines wrap around like those endlessly long queues at Disneyland. Don't believe that you can show up at 8 am on opening day and get your badge in time to make it to your booth by 10 am for show open.
If you pre-ordered a lead retrieval machine, pick it up at the Lead Retrieval Service Desk, usually located within the "Exhibitor Services" area of the convention hall. If you did not pre-order but wish you had, they may have additional machines still available, so it's worth asking at the Service Desk as soon as you arrive at the hall. A cautionary note about lead retrieval machines: listen closely to the instructions so that you don't wipe out three days of leads by pressing the wrong buttons!
If you are exhibiting at a particularly big tradeshow, expect that the Expo Services Contractor will be receiving tons of freight, much of it directly to showsite (instead of "advance to the warehouse"), and it's very easy for freight to become "misplaced." Make sure your staff has the expected arrival date of your shipment, carrier name and airbill/shipping numbers with them; if your set-up dates fall on a weekend, your colleagues can't very well call the office for this information. We stress this because missing freight is our biggest nightmare (shipping back out is our second biggest headache; be sure to review that section, too).
If you sent your shipment to the "advanced" receiving address within the time frame specified in the Exhibitor Manual, it should already be delivered to the booth and the AGSoest crew will move it around as necessary.
If you sent your shipment to the "direct-to-showsite" address, it can take a day (or two or three) to be brought to the booth. Try to have your shipment arrive at least three days before show opening, so you still have time to track it down — or get a replacement shipped ASAP if necessary. If you don't have that three-day luxury, send the shipment to your hotel rather than the convention hall, if possible. Once the show opens, the Expo Services Contractor will not usually deliver packages to the booth during show hours. To find out the status of your shipment:
- Step One:get the carrier's name (Fed Ex, UPS, etc.) and phone number, and the airbill/tracking number of your shipment.
- Step Two:call your carrier to determine if the package has been delivered and when; also ask for a "proof of delivery," or delivery number or signature name of the person that signed for it.
- Step Three:armed with this information, go to the Expo Services Desk and ask them to locate your shipment. If you go directly to Step Three, they will send you back to Steps One and Two before taking your missing freight seriously.
Frequently, direct-to-showsite shipments get detained at the marshalling yard, the shipping dock, or sometimes they're just held in a single location in the hall and delivered to the booth … eventually.


text:
LILITH LANE- 'Slow Creeper' song from the album 'Pilgrim'
Filmed Lilith Lane and Tracy De Vetter. Edited by Agostino Soldati.
"I made a few trips out to this patch of land before Tracy came to help with the final daylight shots. The closing silhouette shot was nicely framed but I knocked the camera as I was rushing out to catch the sunset. It meant that you can see the Venus star fighting against the camp lights. A happy accident. I'm weaving the desert grass skirt I would wear in the 'Sun Set Fire' clip and the flower wreath was a gift from De Vetter on a shitty desert birthday that acts as a portal to other realms. The wreath makes an appearance in the 'Wicked' and 'I Could Get Used To This' clips as well. It's a slow creeper the deep effect being in nature can have on the human condition. Reach for the stars Apollo." – Lilith Lane
A neo-anti-institutionalized-religion gospel tune. A nature devotional. The film clip to this song was made on a little patch of desert that has most likely been blown up and sifted through for iron ore to keep our modern lives ticking over. I wonder if when Buzz Aldrin landed on the moon he was thinking of the spacecraft bits that were reaped from the earth to get it there? Did you know that he secretly took communion? He must have been thinking along the lines of "how the **** did I get here? I hope I make it back alive" more so than the impact of humanity on the environment.


text:
Hong Kong's Skypark is an urban oasis for millennials
A gorgeous green oasis has surfaced in one of the world's most densely populated areas in Mongkok, Hong Kong. New World Development's Adrian Cheng teamed up with Dutch architecture studio concrete to craft Skypark, an innovative luxury development where like-minded millennials can connect in beautiful co-living spaces. The project's crown jewel—and the inspiration behind the development's name—is the unique rooftop park, as well as the rooftop solar panels and wind turbines.


text:
Over the past couple of years, the Design District in Miami has become a true hot spot of the tropical metro area. High end restaurants like Hermes, Armani and Cartier have opened retail locations here. Restaurants are abundant. Rundown warehouses have been converted into galleries, retail, restaurants and more. It is such a cool area to visit and live. Bordered by 36th and 42nd Streets on the north and south and Federal Highway and Miami Avenue on the east and west, the Design District is one of the newer neighborhoods in Miami that people are gravitating to live.
Business in the Design District
In addition to high-end retail, the Design District is a hub for – you guessed it – design. Here you can completely outfit a new residence from some of the most unique furniture at retailers like Baltus, Boffi and others as well as designer showrooms with room ideas, furniture, fixtures, lighting and so much more. It is amazing and so easy to spend a day, or two, or even three going from showroom to showroom and store to store meandering about in total amazement at some of the most beautiful interior design ideas and offerings on the market.
There are tons of restaurants throughout the Design District. Dining in the Design District is kind of like traveling the world to eat different foods in various countries from Italian café delacies and pastries at Mercato to perfectly prepared seafood with an Aegean twist at Mandolin Aegean Bistro to good old American fares at Michael's Genuine Food and Drink.
Design District Real Estate
Design District real estate is mainly commercial; however, there is plenty in surrounding Miami neighborhoods Wynwood, Midtown Miami and Edgewater as well as those north of the Design District (and just south of Little Haiti) are the neighborhoods like Buena Vista and Brentwood with homes built in the early to mid-1900s. These home feature lots of character in their design and finishes and offer lots of opportunity for investing in real estate that shows lots of promise and opportunity for quick equity. Some need tons of work and others simply need some TLC but one thing is for sure – these properties are oh so close to the Design District and have the potential of welcoming its look and style. There are tons of opportunities to invest in residential real estate in neighborhoods surrounding the Design District that are priced up to about $800K depending on their proximity to this neighborhood and other popular Miami neighborhoods. Most of these properties are mid-sized homes with square footage ranging between 1,000 and 2,500 square feet.
As for condominiums, Baltus House is a new condominium in the Design District that should be completed early this year. Baltus House is a boutique
condominium with only 167 units on 15 floors of which over half water views.
Each residence features high-end fixtures and finishes highlight the living areas. The large kitchens feature European cabinetry, stainless steel appliances and tons of counter space – exactly what you expect in the Design District. Additionally, there are tons of community amenities including a large reflective pool on the seventh floor overlooking Biscayne Bay, fully-equipped fitness center, spa, and more. Currently, two-bedroom residences are listed for sale with prices ranging within the $500s.
More Appealing
The Design District is definitely a neighborhood on the upswing. There is a definite vibe that gives it an appeal that is different from any other neighborhood. The surrounding real estate opportunities that allow home owners to walk into their purchase with equity make the Design District and the neighborhoods within walking distance more appealing.


text:
Here is a review of both How Asia Works and Acemoglu/Robinson's Why Nations Fail (which for me has some good stuff in it but fails to recognise that there are distinct 'stages' to economic development) from the UK's Future of Business blog.
Why emerging economies are starting to fail and what might prevent it.
There's increasing anxiety that many of the emerging economies, even in places like Asia, are failing to perform as consistently as we once thought they might. Even some of the BRICS countries – until recently seen as the stars of the emerging world – have recently been reprimanded for their shortcomings, while Argentina – no stranger to economic catastrophe, of course – has attracted the attention of the IMF over its statistics and expectations about Africa, which only a few months ago often seemed quite bullish, have cooled in certain places.
So what explains the variations in economic attainment between different parts of the region? Two new books shed insight on this issue.
The first, "How Asia Works: Success and Failure in the World's Most Dynamic Region" (Profile Books) is a hefty tome – as befits a work by somebody who has researched the subject as deeply as author Joe Studwell. But his explanation about what underpins Asia's success is really quite simple – as basic as one, two, three. In effect, there are three fundamental interventions by governments that make a real difference in these regions.
- The most overlooked, says Studwell, is to maximize output from agriculture, which employs the vast majority of people in developing countries. Essentially larger-scale farming, this makes use of all available labour and creates the produce surpluses that in turn lead to demand for goods and services. As such, it proves more effective at getting countries on the development road than the drive towards mechanisation and other efficiencies associated with developed economies.
- Direct investment and entrepreneurs towards manufacturing on the grounds that this work is most suited to workers first moving away from agriculture. Allied to this is a government focus on export through subsidies designed to promote technological upgrading.
- There are financial interventions focusing capital on these two sectors. The idea is to keep money targeted as a development strategy aimed at producing the fastest possible technological learning and hence the promise of high future profits, says Studwell.
He accepts that such policies do not tend to find favour with either many businesses or consumers, both of which tend to think in a more short-term way. Perhaps more significantly, such an analysis pits Studwell – as he freely admits – against the received wisdom of the World Bank, the IMF and many western governments, which have for years argued that "laissez-faire" policies have been central to economic growth. Such institutions point to the success of Hong Kong and Singapore on the one hand and the speedy growth of Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand on the other as evidence.
Are emerging economies failing?
But Studwell counters that the first two are more offshore centres than conventional countries, while the other three have not seen their development sustained. By contrast, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan and China have more or less followed the model set out above and so outperformed many neighboring countries. And confounded the so-called experts into the bargain.
This issue of how countries can continue to struggle in spite of huge amounts of attention from economists and other specialists and in the face of the much-vaunted "flattening" of the world through globalization is the subject of another recent book from Profile – "Why Nations Fail" by Daron Acemoglu and James A. Robinson.
As the authors acknowledge, there is much discussion of the roles played by climate and geography in poverty and prosperity. Certainly, it is true that there are a lot of poor countries in sub-Sahara Africa, for example. But then, as they point out, the climate and geography of North Korea are not that different from those in South Korea, while there is a great difference between the prosperity of Arizona and northern Mexico but not much difference in weather or terrain.
Another often-offered explanation for the discrepancy is ignorance – in the sense that certain countries do not know which policies to adopt. Quite apart from the sensitivities of such a suggestion, this is not grounded in experience, say Acemoglu and Robinson. In fact, they assert that there is no shortage of advice and the leaders of many countries "get it wrong not by mistake or ignorance but on purpose." They go on to say that understanding this requires studying how decisions "actually get made, who gets to make them, and why those people decide to do what they do". This, they add, is the study of politics and political processes – something that economics has traditionally ignored.
In his book Studwell describes how countries such as South Korea have subverted the current enthusiasm for free markets by talking the language while quietly getting on with the industrial strategies so opposed by Western governments. Never mind that these same governments have not always been adverse to a bit of intervention themselves. Indeed, there is a strong case to be made that Britain and the United States and other developed economies owe a lot of their strength to extensive use in the past of that most obvious of state interventions, protectionism.
Rich nations, poor policies
The Cambridge economist Ha-Joon Chang has pointed out that insisting that developing countries adopt large-scale trade liberalization as advocated by free-trade economists is akin to him forcing his young son into the labour market at an early age rather than educating him and otherwise nurturing him. As he writes in an article for the Independent newspaper (23 July 2007), based on his book "Bad Samaritans – Rich Nations, Poor Policies, and the Threat to the Developing World" (Random House), "industries in developing countries should be sheltered from superior foreign producers before they 'grow up'. They need to be given protection, subsidies and other help while they master advanced technologies and build effective organizations".
The phrase "effective organizations" is perhaps key to what is known as the infant industry argument. A central theme pursued by Acemoglu and Robinson is that nations fail because they are run by extractive political institutions. All over the world – from Africa to Asia and many places in between (the pre-Civil Rights southern United States is a classic case) – narrow elites have run things for their own benefit to the exclusion of the vast majority.
As recent events in the Middle East have shown, even holding elections – another activity much favoured by western developed countries – cannot necessarily break the cycle. Acemoglu and Robinson point out that a free media and developments in communications technology can help at the margins. But what really needs to happen is that a broad section of society mobilizes to create real political change. This means swapping extractive institutions for more inclusive ones, rather than – as often happens in revolutions – a simple change of control in the extractive institutions. In other words, creating prosperity can be as much about politics as economics.
A sense of history – something else said to be somewhat lacking in the modern study of economics – might also help. Just as some are calling for a relaxing of the austerity programmes in developed countries, partly on the grounds of questions over the intellectual underpinning for them, so it might be worth looking at whether there might be benefits for all in shifting away from the conviction that developing countries need to rush to adopt the free-trade policies so beloved of western policymakers. Certain economic issues are just too important to be left to economists.


text:
Ghostly Affects: Emotion and subjectivity in contemporary Thai Buddhist mindfulness
Please join Prof. Julia Cassaniti for a talk entitled "Ghostly Affects: Emotion and subjectivity in contemporary Thai Buddhist mindfulness" at UVA.
In this talk, Prof. Julia Cassaniti will discuss how ideas about the person, including those of non-self (anatta) and the multiple spirits that are thought up to make up the self, relate to competing discourses of mindfulness' psychological associations with 'ghostly' powers of interpersonal feeling. Drawing from fieldwork gathered from over 600 informants in Theravada Buddhist communities in Thailand, Burma, and Sri Lanka, she will report on findings that suggest how mindfulness has become framed through local claims about temporality, affect, power, ethics and subjectivity, and how these framings are changing over time. Through an attention to the meditative and psychiatric approaches to well-being associated with mindfulness in the region's monasteries and hospitals, she will argue for some of the globalizing political and power-laden connections between cultural contexts and psychological processes that are playing out for people in an increasingly interconnected world.
Julia Cassaniti is an Assistant Professor of Sociocultural Anthropology at Washington State University. She completed her Ph.D. from the Department of Comparative Human Development at the University of Chicago and conducted postdoctoral work in the Culture and Mind Program with Tanya Luhrmann at Stanford University. With a focus on Buddhist practice in Thailand, Dr. Cassaniti examines the relationships between religious ideas and mental processes as they play out through cultural experience. Her book Living Buddhism: Mind, Self, and Emotion in a Thai Community (Cornell University Press, 2015) recently won the American Anthropological Association's 2016 Stirling Prize for Best Published Work in Psychological Anthropology; she also studies the experience of supernatural engagements in Buddhism and Christianity in Thailand, India and the United States, and writes on these and related issues in journals of contemporary Buddhism, anthropological theory, and medical psychology. A new book on mindfulness practices in Southeast Asia will be out by Cornell University Press in 2018.
This event is co-sponsored by Nelson Family Lectures on Southeast Asia, Virginia Center for the Study of Religion and Contemplative Sciences Center.


text:
New Design 2017 Fluval Edge 46L Aquarium (Black)
Stylish and contemporary, Fluval Edge is a unique cube-shaped aquarium that turns fishkeeping into an extraordinary visual experience.
Edge's simple, uncluttered design allows a clear and unobstructed view inside the aquarium, thanks to a housing module that conceals all essential equipment. Even the wiring is cleverly hidden. Perfect for homes or offices, its compact design fits perfectly in areas where space is limited. It will add a splash of life to dull areas such as countertops, desks or pedestals.
Edge includes a powerful and efficient LED lighting system that creates ideal lighting for fish and aquatic plants. The shining aquarium will bring a ray of light to dim areas begging for visual excitement. A sealed glass top allows excellent aerial viewing. An overhead ventilation grill dissipates the heat from lighting, preventing moisture and reducing maintenance. A removable cover allows direct access to the aquarium and filter.
Aquarium Capacity: 46 L (12 US GAL)
Aquarium dimensions (L x W x H): 43 X 26 X 59.4 CM (16.9 X 10.2 X 23.4 IN)
Colour: BLACK
Light: 42 HIGH OUTPUT LEDS, 7600 K, BLUE HUE SETTING
For stocking levels, allow 1 inch body length of fish (excluding the tail) per US Gal of water. Miniature fish species must be kept in shoals of at least 4 or 5 individuals. Please consult with your dealer for fish species compatibility and recommended stocking.
Package Contents:-
1 x New Design Fluval Edge 46L (Gloss Black)
FREE Fluval Edge Gravel Cleaner


text:
Sunrise at Monihans
Shot in Narragansett RI 2018
Black Point Sunrise
Shot near Black Point Fishing area in Narragansett, RI December 2017
Point Judth Color
A typical cold winter morning with Narragansett's Point Judith Light House
Reflections Of Block Island Sound
A beautiful sunrise on on a cold winter morning in Narragansett, RI
Spring Sunrise over Block Island Sound
There are only a handful of days that an scene like this makes itself available. I was fortunate enough to wake in time to catch it.
Sunset on the rocks
Photographed at Roger Wheeler Beach in Narragansett RI
Sunset at Portland Head Light
Another view of the iconic Maine Lighthouse
Red skies in morning
Image shot Friday Morning in front of Monahan's Clam Shack in Narragansett the morning of 1/12/2018


text:
Take a Look at What Pella Has in Store for 2018
Whether you want a trendsetting and sleek current style or prefer a more traditional look, Pella Windows and Doors offers you innovative and inspiring picks. Take a look at highlights from Pella's 2018 product guide and find out what the Pella Difference gives homeowners looking for replacement windows and doors.
Learn how to get started toward the room of your dreams. Contact your local Pella location to schedule a free, no-commitment consultation today!


text:
More than a thousand immigrants have now taken advantage of free German courses for new arrivals in the city of Basel.
The offer, unique in Switzerland, came about thanks to a popular initiative that was accepted by voters in Basel in November 2014, the aim of which was to improve the integration of foreigners.
New arrivals with B residence permits are entitled to free German lessons at one of 12 language schools around the city. The voucher lasts for one year. For each student who cashes in a token, language schools receive CHF1,200. The courses are adapted to the German level of the student, from beginner to advanced, and teach vocabulary that helps them go about their daily business.
Since the free lessons system was enshrined in the law in December 2014, about 4,500 vouchers have been sent out, with a take-up rate of 23%.
swissinfo.ch visited the city's Inlingua language school to meet two students who are taking advantage of the offer.


text:
Scenic designer Donyale Werle turned to prospective audience members for help creating the set of "Bare," the Off-Broadway musical beginning previews at New World Stages on Monday, Nov. 19.
In September, the Tony Award-winning designer ("Peter and the Starcatcher") sent out word via Facebook and the show's website that she was seeking Instagram images to create a collage that would serve as backdrop for the story about teens in a co-ed Catholic boarding school.
What she got was some 7,000 responses -- mostly, photos people took of themselves. Werle and her team then duplicated the images, making 14,000 images, in order to fill the theater's square footage.
Werle says she took inspiration for the design both from church imagery, and from artist Damien Hirst, who repeats common items in his work. She was also looking to convey that "everything is a feed" in the world teens are coming of age in.
"Computers are about lines, and grids and boxes, which led us to Instagram," Werle said this week during an open tech rehearsal for the show, which hinges on one photo, in particular, that ends up changing a student's destiny.
The original incarnation of "Bare" debuted in 2000, in Los Angeles. While most of the photo contributions for the set came from fans aware of the show's history, the current cast and crew also sent in their own Instagrams, which also found their way into the design.
"Bare" is directed by Stafford Arima, who also led the recent MCC Theater revival of "Carrie." Here's a YouTube look at the new production of "Bare."