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March 15, 2018 — San Diego, CA — MintHealth, a global, decentralized health platform that aligns healthcare stakeholders around the shared goal of patient empowerment and improved clinical outcomes, at lower costs, is creating a two-token structure on the Ethereum blockchain: Vidamints (VIDA) and the MintHealth Security Token (MHST). The Company also bolsters its leadership team with the addition of Jeremy "Jerry" V. Gross as Chief Strategy Officer, effective immediately.
"The market and regulatory landscape for ICOs is evolving rapidly and shifting to embrace security tokens as a growing platform for executing ICOs. We believe regulated security tokens are the future of ICOs and the direction the market is heading. We view this as a positive development greatly enhancing the value, integrity and funding of Blockchain-based ventures, including MintHealth," said Samir Damani, CEO and co-founder of MintHealth.
The Vidamints (VIDA) and the MintHealth Security Token (MHST) will be linked in a way that enables stakeholders to participate in the growth of the MintHealth blockchain ecosystem, while capitalizing on the projected growth and regulatory compliant nature of security tokens.
Vidamints™ (VIDA) will operate as the rewards and incentive system on the MintHealth platform. Patients will earn Vidamints as a reward for completing healthy activities, thereby driving significant return on investment for Vidamint purchasers includiing health insurance plans, corporations, and other entities taking on financial risk for patient care
Patients will be able to redeem Vidamints for rewards in a similar fashion to frequent flier miles or other loyalty program points. The Vidamint token will not be used for capital raising activity.
The Vidamints token will be a loyalty/utility token that is sold at a fixed price (e.g. $0.10) via the MintHealth website and through the MintHealth enterprise sales team. All Vidamint transactions will be tracked and transparent via the blockchain.
MintHealth Tokens (MHST) will be a security token offered through a Regulation D private sale process (under Rule 506(c) of Regulation D promulgated under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act")). MintHealth is also exploring opportunities to offer MHST through regulatory compliant future sale(s) via Jobs Act Exemptions. The MHST token is expected to entitle holders to i) a 10% royalty percentage of revenues generated through the sale of Vidamints by MintHealth, subject to certain adjustments and offsets, and ii) equity ownership in MintHealth. MintHealth will be distributing the Regulation D private placement memorandum for prospective buyers of MHST in the coming weeks.
Read more in the MintHealth executive-authored article, "A Dual Token Structure of Utility and Security Tokens" on MintHealth's Medium channel.
Additionally, MintHealth announces the appointment Jerry Gross as Chief Strategy Officer.
In this new role, Jerry provides executive oversight for creating, communicating, and executing MintHealth's strategic initiatives, including its business and operating models, product development, and strategic partnerships.
"We are excited to add Jerry's strategic approach and high focus for growth to our world-class leadership team. Jerry is an industry visionary who has been an influential architect of global strategies for leading healthcare companies," said Damani. "Jerry's appointment reflects his deep technology and domain experience, customer focus, and strategic global perspective.
Prior to joining MintHealth, Jerry held senior technology and product software development leadership roles at Amgen, McKesson, Bank of America, JP Morgan and Intuit. Throughout his career, he has achieved industry recognition in spearheading "first of a kind" Digital Health, Wellness, Financial Services, and Internet Services through Technology Strategy, Digital Vision, Software Development, Digital Marketing, Strategic Alliances and Digital Operations. Over the last couple of years, his teams have globally launched digital products solving serious unmet patient needs, including, identifying over 300,000 patients suffering from previously undiagnosed illnesses
"I'm energized to join the MintHealth team. This is an exciting time for the Company as it builds out the MintHealth platform and partner ecosystem," said Gross. "MintHealth is gaining tremendous interest and traction from various stakeholders in the healthcare ecosystem. I look forward to working with Samir and the leadership team to accelerate the great work already underway."
Jerry is a graduate of the David Syme School of Business at Monash University in Melbourne Australia and is a recipient of the Moxie Award for the Best Digital Innovation as well as the Network World User Excellence Award.
To learn more about MintHealth, visit: http://minthealth.io; on Medium at https://medium.com/@Mint_Health or Telegram at https://t.me/minthealth.
The MintHealth Tokens to be offered in an offering under Regulation D promulgated under the Securities Act have not been, and will not be, registered under the Securities Act and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption from registration requirements. These securities are expected to be offered and sold in reliance on the exemption from registration set forth in Section 506(c) under the Securities Act. In accordance therewith, you should be aware that (i) the securities may be sold only to "accredited investors," which for natural persons are investors who meet certain minimum annual income or net worth thresholds; (ii) the securities will only be offered in reliance on an exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act and will not be required to comply with specific disclosure requirements that apply to registration under the Securities Act; (iii) the Securities and Exchange Commission will not pass upon the merits of or give its approval to the securities, the terms of the offering, or the accuracy or completeness of any offering materials; (iv) the securities will be subject to legal restrictions on transfer and resale and investors should not assume they will be able to resell their securities; investing in securities involves risk, and investors should be able to bear the loss of their investment; and (v) the securities offered will not be subject to the protections of the Investment Company Act.
Some of the statements herein may constitute forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements may include, but are not limited to statements relating to our objectives, plans, and strategies; statements that contain projections of results of operations or financial condition or of stages of development of our products; statements relating to the research, development, and use of our products; and all statements (other than statements of historical facts) that address activities, events, or developments that we intend, expect, project, believe, or anticipate will or may occur in the future. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to risks and uncertainties, including, without limitation, regulatory risks, our ability to execute our business plan, and our ability to obtain financing on satisfactory terms, among other risk. The forward-looking statements included herein should not be regarded as a representation by MintHealth that the projected results will be achieved. We do not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statement.


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|The Challenge
A national fitness chain depends on its Membership Sales Counselors to generate the new memberships necessary for growth and profitability. The job is difficult. Membership Sales Counselors have to constantly approach walk-ins to interest them in purchasing membership packages. The job requires the ability to maintain a positive, goal-focused attitude in the face of frequent rejection. It also requires Counselors to quickly identify the aspects of the Center that would appeal to the customer and to frame the description of benefits in terms accordingly. Recognizing the job's difficulty, the fitness chain decided to enhance its selection process with an assessment tool that could identify the candidates whose capabilities and personalities fit with the job.
|The Response
Polaris worked with job experts to identify the profile of traits associated with longer-tenured, successful Membership Counselors. A national job analysis survey was then used to verify that the job's success factors were consistent across the company (versus differing by region, size of fitness center, etc.). Tests were constructed that contained personality, attitude and value components. See Figure 1 for the range of characteristics addressed by the testing system.
The draft tests were administered to 154 incumbent Membership Counselors. Statistical analyses verified the strong correlation between test scores and performance on the job. A cloud-administered version of the test was constructed that would take most candidates 15-20 to complete. Computerized procedures scored candidates against the requirements of the jobs and also produced lists of suggested interview questions that were derived from problematic responses to groups of items.
|The Result
Following introduction, a follow-up analysis was conducted of the sales achieved by both high- and low-scoring individuals who were hired in different centers. As shown in Figure 2, the study found that sales for high-scoring Membership Counselors started out 36% higher than for their lower-scoring counterparts. After 19-24 months, that difference increased to 146%. While the test is clearly effective, the fitness chain is not "resting on its laurels." It has partnered with Polaris in continuous improvement activities in which Polaris "seeds" the test with unscored items focused on potentially-important characteristics. As data accumulates, Polaris examines whether the predictive power of the tool could be improved by beginning to use the items. The result is a very effective tool that, year after year, becomes even better.

subset: commoncrawl


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i got that sweet little message from the Rhonna Designs app. and it was so true to me today. the background is ofcourse made by me, mixed media and all :). the little crocheted heart too. that's gonna be such a rad project.
so what happened. today i had an amazing talk and plans were made, ideas were born and i'm like thrilled beyond chocolate!! serious. it's like the universe is listening to my thoughts, dreams, goals & wishes. it's like if written it down so many times. worked on my plans so hard (while keep working on my businesses too). imagined it exactly how i would like it to happen. and now. things are falling into place. the stars must be alligned just right for me right now, and that makes me extreme happy. like. chocolate rush happy.
ofcourse i share as much as i can when this is unfolding.
life is good. keep a eye on me the next months.


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Building the Band in the Bedroom
Wednesday, 5 October 2016
#1 BBB Blog: Welcome to BBB!
My name is Joe and I am a full-time music producer, musician and songwriter working out of my own modest studio Joe Public Studios in north London. I wrote BBB as part of my MSc in Music Technology and Audio Engineering that I have just completed (September 2016) at the University of Hertfordshire under the leadership of dance music producer, label boss, music journalist and educator Bruce Aisher.
You can find the free video content for BBB here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLsjOQ5uzivpu-AhsHHK02Gej4w6D3F3Ia which works well if viewed in isolation but really becomes valuable when viewed alongside the BBB book
In this blog I will try to continue the theme of the book and chart the progress of some of the exciting music projects that I work on here at Joe Public Studios...
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Price break at qty 40 and 200
Weyermann® Abbey Malt® is a highly friable base malt with pronounced malty aromas, and assertive flavors such as honey, nuts as well as hints of chocolate. Suitable for traditional Abbey ales, as well as Trappist beers. Also well suited for a full range for Belgian beer styles, including fruit beers.


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Monthly Archive:: July 2016
Divorce Lawyers in Bethlehem PA Provide Crucial Help with an Often-Difficult Process
On July 28, 2016
Filing A Claim With A Medical Bills Attorney
On July 27, 2016
Reviewing Charges And Penalties With Theft Defense Lawyers
On July 22, 2016
Acquiring Protection After Domestic Violence With Divorce Lawyers In Thiensville, WI
On July 20, 2016
Settlement Negotiations: What a Personal Injury Lawyer in Lafayette, LA Will Do For the Client
On July 19, 2016
Why Should Victims Hire Dog Bite Lawyers in Bronx, NY?
On July 18, 2016
Are Your Driving Habits Leading You To An Auto Accidents Attorney In Glendale AZ?
On July 18, 2016
Answers to FAQs From A Child Custody Lawyer In Linwood, NJ
On July 15, 2016
Transvaginal Mesh Lawsuits Continue to Climb in Number
On July 14, 2016
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5 DataWorks Must-Reads as You Make Your Way to San Jose
The DataWorks Summit in San Jose, CA is just a few days away. How about a little light plane reading to help you get conference-ready? Here are 5 blog posts to help you prepare for DataWorks 2017.
Insights from a DataWorks Keynote Speaker
Read: Expert Interview: Scott Gnau On the Hadoop Toolbox, Spark, and Future-Proofing the Hadoop
We recently sat down with one of the DataWorks Summit keynote speakers. In our interview with Scott Gnau, he discusses future-proofing, adding tools to the Hadoop ecosystem toolbox, and the advantages of using streaming and batch together in a connected data architecture. Read on >
Strata + Hadoop World 2017 Themes
Read: Strata + Hadoop World 2017 Recap: Machine Learning, Data Lakes and the Cloud
Themes that emerged from this year's conference in March include a renaissance of machine learning, Big Data in the cloud and purifying Hadoop data lakes. It's probably not a coincidence that these topics are also prominently featured in the DataWorks Summit agenda. Read on >
DataWorks Forecast: A Mix of Hadoop and Clouds
Read: 5 Reasons to Run Hadoop in the Cloud
You know Hadoop. You know about the cloud. But do you know why and how to run Hadoop in the cloud in order to supercharge your data analytics operation? Read on >
Avoid the Data Swamp
Read: Testing the Waters: How to Get a Hadoop Data Lake Set Up Right
Hadoop has some distinct advantages, including the fact that it's so widely used. Most of the analytical tools you'll want to use with your data lake are Hadoop compatible. It's called the Hadoop ecosystem, and it includes a wide plethora of products like Stream, Spark, Storm, etc. Read on >
New to Big Data? Here's a Cheat Sheet
Read: Datalicious: The Sexiest Platforms for Streaming Big Data in 2017
If you're just getting your analytics act together, no worries. One of the benefits of being a Big Data late bloomer is that you won't have to waddle through all of the platforms and products that came and went during the nebulous early years. Read on >
We Hope to See You There!
Visit us at DataWorks Summit at booth #1102! We'll show you how we can help you get trusted insights from ALL your data.
Also, don't miss our customer presentation with Progressive Insurance: "Journey to the Data Lake: How Progressive Paved a Faster, Smoother Path to Increase Enterprise Adoption" on June 13th at 12:20 PM in Room 211


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I have huge CSV files that I need to import a database. For this approach, I have to write my own import function. The code works fine, except... it takes time to import files (sometimes an hour!)
Basically, the process is
I have to perform step 4 since I had errors because of bad characters before. But evaluating each character really takes time.Code:1 ) open file 2 ) read file - fgets() 3 ) split each line into tokens 4 ) for each read token 4.1 ) check if there are any "bad characters" which will cause SQL errors while executing SQL queries 4.1.1 ) if there is, remove it 4.2 ) construct SQL query 4.3 ) update database
To improve the overall performance, I was thinking to map the file into memory before fgets() but mmap() is not portable
any recommendations are welcome....


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Retro Swing Band
Stoughton Opera House 381 E. Main St., Stoughton, Wisconsin 53589
press release: The Stoughton Opera House will be hosting the Spring 2018 series of Music Appreciation, organized by John Beutel and sponsored by the Stoughton Area Senior Center, The Bryant Foundation, and patron donations. Music Appreciation programs take place on the following Monday afternoons at 3pm. All sessions are free and open to the public with donations graciously accepted at the door.
March 26 - The "Retro Swing Band" of Madison: This band of passionate retirees performs energetic tunes of the 30s and 40s. Members hail from Baraboo, Cross Plains, Whitewater, and beyond. Stoughton is represented by Roger Gohlke and Dick Mullen. Come and join us for a journey down Memory Lane. Your toe will be a tappin'!


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Thursday, December 8
Philthy Rich X DJ Racks - Hood Rich 3
Appearances from Messy Marv, E-40, Fetti Mac, Shady Nate, Jackie Chain & more. Tracklist and DL after the cut.
Project Mayhem – Industry Night
Project Mayhem is @MCTreeG, @TheKidSeanMac, @PastorOffering, @BigIshLo, & @ChrisCrackNDC. Tracklist and DL after the cut.
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New Mexico Marijuana News and Politics
U.S. Senators
Heinrich, Martin - (D - NM)
303 Hart Senate Office Building Washington DC 20510
(202) 224-5521
Contact: www.heinrich.senate.gov/contact
Udall, Tom - (D - NM)
531 Hart Senate Office Building Washington DC 20510
(202) 224-6621
Contact: www.tomudall.senate.gov/?p=contact
Marijuana Policy Project on New Mexico:
Last update: April 15, 2015
New Mexico is one of 23 states (plus D.C.) that have removed criminal penalties for the medical use of marijuana. For information on New Mexico's medical marijuana program, including information on qualifying conditions and how to become a patient, please visit the New Mexico Health Department's information page.
For non-medical use, New Mexico's marijuana laws are less draconian than those of most states. Possession of one ounce or less of marijuana for non-medical purposes is punishable by a $50-100 fine and up to 15 days in jail. A second offense, or a conviction for possession of more than an ounce, can lead to a fine of up to $1,000 and a prison term of up to one year.
However, 19 other states have removed the possibility of jail time, with four of them having legalized marijuana for adults and regulated it like alcohol. In both 2014 and 2015, Sen. Gerald Ortiz y Pino sponsored a resolution to ask voters whether to end marijuana prohibition in New Mexico, replacing it with taxation and regulation.
New Mexico misses opportunity to decriminalize marijuana
The New Mexico Legislature's 2015 session ended in late March, and with it died SB 383, a bill that would have decriminalized marijuana throughout the state.
SB 383 would have replaced criminal penalties for possessing up to an ounce of marijuana with a $50 civil fine. It also would have removed the possibility of jail time for possession of up to eight ounces. Although SB 383 passed the Senate with a bipartisan vote, the House did not take it up.
The state legislature failed to act despite a strong call from voters. In November 2014, voters in Santa Fe and Bernalillo Counties — representing 40% of the state's population — approved advisory questions asking their elected officials to support decriminalization. The questions won with 73% support in Santa Fe County and 59% in Bernalillo County.
New Mexico Cannabis News
- Details
- Category: New Mexico
Overall support in the state for legalizing recreational marijuana grew by just 2 percentage points over the past two years, but more people said they now "strongly support" legalization, according to poll results released Tuesday by the groups that commissioned it.
- Details
- Category: New Mexico
The Albuquerque City Council has voted to decriminalize marijuana possession in small amounts and send the measure to the mayor for final approval.
- Details
- Category: New Mexico
Two Albuquerque city councilors are pushing to decriminalize marijuana possession in cases where a person is caught with an ounce (28 grams) or less, saying their proposal will free up police time and resources to focus on more serious crimes.
- Details
- Category: New Mexico
The state House of Representatives on Tuesday passed yet another bill that would legalize research on industrial hemp.


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It is a bad saw, the cast iron base and retaining clip mount are of poor design, after about an hour's use the cast iron retaining clip cracked and broke off. The "angle" markers for the compound miter are about 5-10 degrees off. the little support bars on the sides don't actually fit into the mounting holes, and so when you go to tighten them down the bars end up being out of alignment with the base platform.. (useless). The lock pin is also poorly designed, it has a screwed on head, which means that when you go to pull the pin back (to release the saw) when you need to rotate it (to get it into "live" position) you end up unscrewing the head of the locking pin!. The handle feels a bit close to the blade, and makes it hard to look under there if you should need to line up your material on the right.
It was a gift, and so now I need to go out and have a new retaining clip made part: 70705-098 (I wouldn't trust their replacement part if it is made the same way), Heading to the Machine shop today, should be ~$20 to repair (if I'm lucky)… (Update: ended up costing 50$ but it is a nice solid piece, probably the most durable part on my saw now.)
I do NOT recommend this product!


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If you have ever entered an "horno" (bakery) or approached the counter ("mostrador") for "fiambres" (coldcuts) or at marketplace stand, were waiting to be served, and wondered what that person who approached it had just asked you, chances are it was one of the following:
"¿Quién es el último [en la cola]?" (Who is the last person [in line]?)
"¿Hay que coger número/turno?" (Does one need to grab a number/turn?)
|The classic turn dispenser in a supermarket.
|And once you have your number, look for this digital display to wait for your turn.
And anyone who upsets this neat system of lining up is as likely to irritate and leave locals indignant as one would upset a Brit or American if they cut in line. (Ah, the everyday morality dramas of "first come, first served" commercial ethics.) So, yes, Spaniards do know how to queue, they just do so virtually.
|And everything is relative. Apparently one Galician blogger believes that the Chinese
are even more chaotic than the Spanish at forming a line.
But there are exceptions and lapses in this system. The worst case is at airports, where the gate line for a flight can often turn into a mass of people all glutted around the ticket check, no real line whatsoever. I've begun to suspect, however, that this is more because of the presence of guiris than Spaniards. In their time on holiday in Spain, I think foreigners get the wrong impression that it is laissez faire at the queue, and so many a time I have noticed it is the Brits or Germans who are rushing past the line to the front of the gate, which only spurs on the Spaniards to reciprocate… leading to the
|"In a rush," to the left. "In no rush," stand to the right. The Valencia Metro's
effort to inculcate in its citizenry a common English protocol.


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October 8, 2018.
Ivan Dawson Primary School Opened Its Doors Today on Tortola, British Virgin Islands
Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. (NCLH), operator of Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises, today announced the opening of Ivan Dawson Primary School, the first school to be constructed as a result of the company's Hope Starts Here hurricane relief campaign.
Together with All Hearts and Hands – Smart Response, the company raised over $2.5 million dollars to deliver early relief response and rebuild safe, resilient schools in the Caribbean communities impacted by Hurricanes Irma and Maria. A portion of the proceeds was used to build the primary school on Tortola, British Virgin Islands. On October 5, Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings officials attended the grand opening celebration of the Kindergarten through sixth grade school, which will open its doors to students on October 31.
The Hope Starts Here hurricane relief program launched in late September 2017, when the company partnered with relief organization All Hands and Hearts – Smart Response to help provide immediate relief in Key West and reconstruct schools and critical infrastructure in affected islands in the Caribbean including St. Thomas, St. Maarten and Tortola. It has been the largest fundraising campaign in the company's history. Within 90 days of the launch, Hope Starts Here reached its goal of raising $2.5 million to assist All Hands and Hearts – Smart Response. The program has received more than $1.25 million in donations from the company's valued team members, loyal guests, travel partners and business partners, which Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. has matched.


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Adobe Illustrator Training Courses
Adobe Illustrator is a program used by graphic designers to create vector images. These images will then be used for company logos, promotional uses or even personal work, both in print and digital form. It is typically used to create illustrations, charts, graphs, logos, diagrams, cartoons of real photographs, and more.
As it is part of the Adobe suite images produced in Illustrator will work seamlessly if imported into InDesign or Photoshop. While Illustrator is the best piece of software for creating images from scratch, editing them once created is often far more easily done in Photoshop.
Our Adobe Illustrator training courses are ideal for graphic artists, designers, image manipulators and editors, that are looking to learn how to use Adobe Illustrator for the creation of a broad range of graphics. From designing logos through to tracing complex images, we focus on the critical drawing methods capitalising on Adobe Illustrator's wide array of tools and features.
OUR ADOBE Illustrator TRAINING COURSES
Please click the buttons below to view our course overviews.
Adobe Illustrator Introduction
Our Adobe Illustrator Training courses are led by industry experts that have over 25 years of experience and they will show you how you can make the most of Adobe Illustrator.
Our Adobe Illustrator training courses are focused on making you a faster and more knowledgeable Illustrator user. They are deliberately hands-on, and include lots of practical exercises. This ensures that you spend lots of time actually working with Illustrator.
Whether you are a complete novice or a seasoned designer, we have the right course for you.
We have training facilities in Exeter, Bristol, Gloucester, London and further afield around the UK.
If you would like to learn about how Adobe Illustrator can used to create a broad range of graphics or to discuss your training requirements, please contact us on 01392 824 022 or email email@example.com.
If there is an Adobe training course that is not listed on our site, that you are interested in attending then please let us know and we can arrange one to one training onsite with our Trainer.
You can see a full list of our training courses here.
Still not convinced?
We can help you!
Fill out the form below and one of our IT specialists will contact you.


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Farmer's Market
I am very excited to be part of Ottawa Farmer's Market.
Join me every Sunday at Ottawa's Farmer's Market, at their new location, on Brewer's Park, May 6 to November 16, from 8am to 3pm.
Also every Friday at Orleans Farmer's Market, at Centrum Plaza, May 18 to October 05 from 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.


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Michelle Chronister is a Presidential Management Fellow in the Federal Citizen Information Center at the U.S. General Services Administration. She works as a web content manager for USA.gov.
For information on exhibition and sponsorship opportunities at the conference, contact Rob Koziura at email@example.com or download the Gov 2.0 Expo Sponsor Prospectus
For media partnerships, contact Jaimey Walking Bear (707) 827-7176 email@example.com
Send an email to firstname.lastname@example.com.
For media-related inquiries, contact Maureen Jennings at email@example.com or Natalia Wodecki at email@example.com.
View a complete list of Gov 2.0 Events contacts.


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You are here:
Access your account to check your loans, renew items and make reservations.
Enter you user ID, which you can find below the barcode on the back of your card. (Remember to use an uppercase 'K' when you enter the code, and if you have a member code starting with 9 you will need to add an extra 0 at the end, e.g. K9000010).
Your password is your date of birth (ddmmyyyy), eg 07061973.
If you are unable to log in please contact the library for assistance.
Under the heading 'Issued items' you can see all the items currently issued to your card and their due dates. If you would like to renew an item, check the 'Renew' box alongside the item, then click the blue 'Submit' button below. The loans will be extended, as long as no one has placed a prior reservation on the item and you have not exceeded your total borrowing period (items can only be extended twice).


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As part of our recent rebrand, we now have our new website up and running. Head over to www.geraldos.co.uk to see our new blog, read all about what we've been up to and browse our products.
We hope to see you soon!
Toni x
As part of our recent rebrand, we now have our new website up and running. Head over to www.geraldos.co.uk to see our new blog, read all about what we've been up to and browse our products.
We hope to see you soon!
Toni x
After much anticipation, the Scottish Gin Award winners were announced at a glitzy ceremony in Glasgow last week and we were delighted and honoured to be presenting one of the main awards of the evening for 'Scottish Gin of the Year'.
With hosts Des Clarke and Catriona Shearer, over 500 guests gathered to hear the winners announced in 15 categories.
The top award, 'Scottish Gin Distillery of the Year', was presented to Arbikie Distilling after their mission to create spirits "from field to bottle" was praised by the judging panel. The Arbroath-based farming family fought off seven other distilleries to win the award and they also collected the bronze medal position in the Cask Gin taste competition for their "Cask Aged Kirsty's Gin."
However, it was a new gin from Dundee which was the surprise star of the night. Verdant Dry Gin, which created its first batch in May of this year, fought off competition from 16 other contenders to win the gold medal in the London Dry category and went on to win the judges prize for the best gin in the competition sponsored by Geraldo's. Owner and Managing Director, Toni, presented the award to a delighted Andrew Mackenzie and his wife Judy pictured below.
Other big winners were Edinburgh Gin who collected five medals and the Glasgow Distillery, makers of Makar Gin, who won two gold medals for Makar Old Tom and Makar Cask Aged Gin, Matured in Oak. Popular and established producers such as Caorunn and Eden Mill also won medals, while some smaller batch new arrivals in the market barged into gold medal positions after scoring very highly. NB Gin's Navy Strength won gold for their super strength product while El-Gin from Elgin won gold for Distilled Gin of the Year.
Awards were also presented for business performance covering business growth, innovation and marketing with the popular Isle of Harris Distillery winning the highly sought-after Excellence in Branding award.
Congratulations to all the finalists and winners. It was the perfect night to celebrate innovation and excellence in gin distilling in Scotland and recognise the hard-work of the people behind their gins. We were thrilled to be part of it! Congratulations also to founder Stephen White of The Scottish Gin Society and KD Media for an excellent evening.
We can safely say that the GINdustry is booming!
Ten gin distilleries, 25 types of gin, 350 salmon canapes and a marquee full of gin enthusiasts soaking up the regatta atmosphere. I think we can safely say that Regatta GinFest floated everyone's boat last Saturday.
The sun came out just in time for our ginfest attendees to walk the red carpet and enter the Regatta Marquee on the first day of Largs Regatta Week. This Regatta is one of Scotland's premier sailing events which has been running for 29 years and includes yacht, dinghy and skiff racing over 10 days. The event is held at Largs Yacht Haven which has been awarded the very prestigious UK Coastal Marina of the Year 2017; the perfect venue for a GinFest!
While the yachts were competing on the water, the land-based gin fans enjoyed sampling and learning about a wide range of gins from ten distilleries across the country, many of which are finalists at this year's Scottish Gin Awards. And for those who fancied a wee nibble, Loch Fyne Oysters were showcasing their Makar Gin-infused smoked salmon. All 350 delicious canapes went down a storm!
Check out the official photos by Marc Turner.
If you missed out this time, don't worry as we still have tickets left for Geraldo's Gin Fest on 24th November in The Brisbane House Hotel in Largs. They are selling quick so best book soon!
We also have an exciting calendar of in-store tasting events over the coming months. Keep an eye on our Facebook Events page for details. Pop into Geraldo's of Largs this Saturday from 12.30 – 3pm to try the deliciously smooth Arran Gold Cream Liqueur. There's even some Arran Gold Truffles, courtesy of the Arran Chcolate Factory to go with it but you'll have to be quick as these are limited.
Finally we'd like to say a huge thank you to all of those who attended and supported us at Regatta GinFest. We couldn't do it without you! Thanks to Largs Yacht Haven, Largs Sailing Club, Largs Regatta Week, Marc Turner (for photos), Brockmans, Rock Rose, Darnley's, Arbikie, Wild Thyme Spirits, Select Drams, Kirkjuvagr, Avva, Shetland Reel, Makar, Loch Fyne and Gin & Mix. You're all wonderful!
Join us and 10 artisan gin producers at Regatta GinFest for a Saturday afternoon of gin tasting. What better way to spend the August bank holiday weekend?
Largs Regatta Week is one of Scotland's premier sailing events and includes yacht, keelboat, dinghy and skiff racing over 10 days. The event is held at Largs Yacht Haven, which has just been awarded the very prestigious UK Coastal Marina of the Year 2017. This is your chance to soak up the Regatta atmosphere, meet the artisan gin producers and taste their wonderful gins.
Saturday 26th August. 2-6pm
Regatta Marquee, Largs Yacht Haven
Buy your ticket here!
The gin producers will be coming from across the country with award-winning gins, old favourites and brand new gins on the market. SIX of the distilleries coming are finalists in this year's inaugural Scottish Gin Awards. This is your chance to meet them and find out what makes them stand out from the crowd.
Check out who is coming!
Tickets are limited and selling fast, so please grab yours soon to avoid disappointment.
We look forward to seeing you there!
Can't make Regatta GinFest? Then come along to one of our in-store tasting sessions.
This Saturday you can try a range of delicious fruit liqueurs. Made in East Lothian by husband and wife team Robin & Derry Ford, there are 5 amazing flavours to choose from: Raspberry Vodka, Rhubarb Rum, Brammle Whisky, Gooseberry & Ginger Gin and Damson Gin. What's not to love? There's a liqueur here for everyone! Pop in on Saturday 19th August from 12.30-3pm and try them for yourself.
Follow us on Facebook or sign-up to our newsletter for details of all upcoming tasting events and future masterclasses.
Looking for something special for your Dad? From a vast choice of whisky and gin, to sweet treats of luxurious handmade chocolates, gift-wrapped confectionery or some of our beautifully embossed tinned biscuits, we've got the perfect gift for him in Geraldo's of Largs.
Nothing beats a warming whisky to wind down in the evening. We have a lovely selection from many independent distilleries across all of the regions. Our newly qualified in-store whisky connoisseurs are also at hand to give you advice and help you find the ideal dram for your Dad.
Perhaps your Dad prefers a gin. With a choice of over 40 artisan gins in store, you're bound to find one that would tempt his tastebuds. Pair it with a refreshing Fever-Tree Tonic and you're all set to go.
You could also give him the opportunity to sample many different gins at one of our gin fests in Largs. We're sure he would be delighted to receive a ticket for either Regatta Gin Fest in August or Geraldo's Gin Fest in November. A real treat to look forward to!
Luxurious handmade chocolates and gift-wrapped confectionery are always a winner for a sweet-toothed Dad. We have a wonderful range of chocolate liqueurs, high quality turkish delight, embossed tins of shortbread and wonderfully moist and delicious whisky cakes.
We hope this helps you find his perfect gift and wish all the Dads out there a wonderful Father's Day this Sunday.
Whether you are new to whisky or a seasoned connoisseur, the month of May (Whisky Month) is the time to discover, taste and celebrate Scotland's national drink. There's a dram out there to suit everyone!
You are all invited to try 'the water of life' throughout the month of May, but in particular on World Whisky Day on 20th May. Across the globe celebrations will be taking place with the sole aim to make whisky fun, enjoyable and available to everyone.
Only this week, Toni and Alison have become newly qualified Whisky Ambassadors. After an intense day of training and successfully blind tasting a variety of Scottish malts it would appear they have the 'nose' for it. They were delighted to be presented their awards from Lee Foster of The Whisky Ambassador Training School this week.
Why not pop into the shop to test their knowledge and try something new? There's a lovely selection from many independent distilleries across all of the regions. The long-awaited and newly released Kilkerran 8 YO Cask Strength and 12 YO whiskies are now in stock from Glengyle distillery in Campbeltown. These lightly peated whiskies are definitely worth the wait and with limited stocks available they won't be on the shelf very long.
Also, at Largs Food Fest on 27th May, we'll be giving you the chance to taste the creamy, award-winning Benromach 10 YO and the delicious Atholl Brose Whisky Liqueur. Jim Irvine of Gordon & Macphail, the world's leading specialists on malt whisky, will be presenting in the seminar theatre at 5pm in the main marquee. Not to be missed if you're a whisky fan. If you're a newcomer to Scotland's favourite tipple this is a perfect introduction from the man himself.
With whisky celebrations across the world, we hope you can come and raise a glass with us during the whisky month of May.
If you only try one new whisky this month why not try something different and:
'Drink less but drink better!'
Spoil your family and friends this Easter with eye-catching, handcrafted chocolate eggs, Geraldo's bespoke Easter eggs or some novelty treats for the kids. There is no doubt that our artisan chocolatiers have gone to town this year with their unusual designs and flavours. Perfect Easter gifts for all the good eggs in your life!
Earlier this year we visited one of our main chocolate suppliers, The Arran Chocolate Factory and got a sneak preview of Jan's wonderful Easter creations. These beauties have hopped over the water to Geraldo's of Largs. Adults and children alike will love their handcrafted eggs, novelty bunnies and chocolate ducks. And have you seen James of Arran's chocolate 'twins' on our Facebook page? Enter our competition for your chance to take them home for Easter.
We also have really unique Easter egg creations from Stas Chocolatier and the ever-popular Chocolate Alchemist with unusual toppings such as nuts, dried fruit pieces, caramel, popcorn and chilli to add texture and a new flavour dimension to the chocolate. For those of you with food allergies or intolerances, we even have the great tasting Moo Free range of eggs. You won't find these in your local supermarket!
With our longer opening hours over Easter, there's plenty of opportunity to pop in and see our full range of egg-ceptional Easter treats.
Happy Easter everyone!


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We all know that using words properly is key to ensuring effective communication. Yet when it comes to discussing indigenous topics people often use words and terms incorrectly. Regardless of how you feel about indigenous matters, it is important to use the correct terms lest those who disagree with you attack your word choice, rather than deal with your actual arguments and ideas.
"Indian" is often considered offensive today, but was commonly used up until the 1990s. It remains today as an anachronism, a pejorative and problematic word or legal term. It was used in the British North America Act, the Constitution Act, and the Indian Act. As result, the current federal government and provinces still use it as it relates to these pieces of legislation, especially because Section 91(24) of the Constitution Act 1867 places "Indians, and Lands reserved for the Indians" under federal jurisdiction.
"Indian status" is an example of this aforementioned use. Sections 5 and 6 of Indian Act set out the criteria for who is eligible for status. Non-status refers to anyone who does not meet the criteria: historically, they have been ignored by the federal government. Complicating the matter is that the rules have changed over time, with notable amendments taking place in 1985 and 2010. Of note, the word "treaty" is not found in either section.
"Treaty card" is a colloquial term used in Canada for a status card. The confusion seems to emerge from the fact that historically the majority of status Indians in the Prairies were from bands that signed a treaty and status was used to determine who was eligible for treaty rights and annuities.
Currently, the federal government recognizes 617 bands or First Nations in Canada. They form the basis of officially recognized indigenous governance in Canada. The term First Nation began to replace the word band in the 1970s as a response to the federal government's argument that Canada only had two founding nations –the French and English.
The term "First Nation" does not refer to the Inuit or Métis. Rather, the catch-all term "aboriginal" has been used when referring to all three groups together. The term, however, is increasingly being replaced by "indigenous," which also includes groups from around the world. It is quite likely aboriginal will become like Indian and used only whenever it has a legal meaning. Grammatically, both aboriginal and indigenous are only capitalized when referring to people and/or individuals with the terms Aboriginal peoples or Indigenous peoples, used instead of Aboriginals or Indigenous.
"Inuit" is the endonym of the group historically called Eskimos. They have often been treated as distinct from groups known as Indians, although this was not always the case. In 1939, the Supreme Court ruled they fell under the term Indian in the Constitution Act 1867, but aside from that the federal government has treated them as legally distinct from status Indians and as a result the Inuit lack both status and reserves. This situation exists despite the fact the Inuit have signed numerous modern treaties with the Canadian state, such as the one that led to the creation of Nunavut.
"Métis" refers to an ethnic group with both Indigenous and non-Indigenous ancestry with its own culture, identity and language that emerged following contact. Although there is some disagreement over who is Métis, the dominant view is that it only includes people with a genealogical connection to an ancestral Métis group from the Prairies. In 2016 the Supreme Court ruled they fell under the term Indian in the Constitution Act 1867, but aside from that the federal government has treated them as legally distinct from status Indians. Métis membership or citizenship, colloquially known as "Métis status," is governed by the numerous Métis organizations across Canada and has varying criteria. As a distinct legal entity, Métis settlements only exist in Alberta. Aside from the Manitoba Act, the Métis lack anything like a treaty with the Canadian state.
We have often heard that sticks and stones can break bones, but words can never harm. But this is far from true. In addition to ensuring people's arguments and ideas are clearly understood to facilitate effective communication, it is important to realize that words are powerful as they shape political discourses and how people think and behave towards others. As Canadians continue to grapple with reconciliation, using the proper words matter more than ever.
Daniel Sims, History, Augustana Campus, University of Alberta. This column originally appeared in the Camrose Booster on December 6th, 2016.


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Memories Last Forever | Maral Maniss
Memories Last Forever - From Narratives series, 2018
Mixed Media on Paper
40 x 33 cm
Maral Maniss
BA in Fine Arts, Lebanese University (2015)
MA in Fine Arts, Lebanese University (2017)
Maral Maniss is a Beirut-based visual artist whose work blurs the distinction between abstraction and representation. Her work has been the subject of several solo and collective exhibitions in Lebanon, Syria, Paris, Monaco and Mumbai.
A complement to her paintings, Maniss' works on paper form a critical part of her practice and aim to enlighten us on her artistic process through a powerful representation of her curiosities and opinions. Using bold figures and biomorphic forms, the mixed media works are color explosions that are part of a fantastic world referencing feminism, nature and the subconscious. Reflecting on personal experiences and memories, every drawing contains visual elements related to social and cultural issues while withholding subtle undertones of a rebellion. The use of bright pastel and pencil colors serve to distract the viewer from the underlying intensity of her narratives. Maniss' work is constructed freely, while holding an intentional balance of composition, colors, lines, forms, symbols and harmony.


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Champ storms to stunning last-gasp RSA success at Cheltenham for Geraghty and JP
An incredible finish to the RSA Chase today.
Champ crashes out with Dipper Novices' Chase at his mercy
Barry Geraghty and the 4/9 favourite came crashing down at the second last.
Spain's record goal-scorer David Villa announces retirement
The 37-year-old will hang up his boots next month.
Andrade lifts UFC gold after controversial slam finish against 'Thug Rose'
The Brazilian celebrated her win in front of a home crowd at UFC 237.
AP McCoy's Cheltenham tips: Gold Cup could be the best in years
Former Champion Jockey backs Champ, Sir Erec and Tiger Roll for success
McCoy: 'There's days where I'd give anything to go back and ride at Cheltenham'
AP McCoy on the magic of the Cheltenham Festival.
Paulo Dybala hat-trick sees Ronaldo-less Juventus ease past Young Boys
The Italian side's winning streak continues.
'I wasn't intentionally being mean, I just figured that's how you gotta do it' - George Foreman recalls when he was king
We spoke to the former heavyweight champion about life inside and outside the ring.
Ryan Burnett has WBA world title defence confirmed for Joshua-Parker bill in Cardiff
Burnett has vacated the IBF variant and will defend only the belt he earned in Belfast last October.
Rose thrives on Johnson's collapse to win in Shanghai, disappointing finish for Dunne
Justin Rose overcame an eight-shot deficit to lift the title as Dustin Johnson let it slip through his fingers.
'It wasn't a 10 out of 10, but I'm here with a belt and a victory - that's what matters'
Donegal's Jason Quigley won his first pro title last night.
Donegal's Jason Quigley overcomes early injury to win first pro title
El Animal had to work hard, but overcame Glen Tapia to take a unanimous decision and the NABF title in California last night.
Muhammad Ali: From the segregated south to world stardom
The world will bid farewell to The Greatest today.
Curry set to be named NBA MVP for second year running
The Warriors point guard will be crowned MVP, according to reports.
Michael Phelps reveals the scariest part of his dominance at the Olympics
The American athlete could become the oldest swimmer to ever win a gold medal at this summer's Olympics.
'It was a dream of mine to kick a right-footed conversion': Dan Carter has done it all now
The world's record points scorer topped off his Test haul with his weak foot.
How Ronda Rousey became 2015's most dominant athlete
She's good you know.
Christina McMahon is Ireland's newest world boxing champion
The Monaghan native won in Zambia earlier.
16 reasons why Andy Lee is a champ in every sense
Ahead of his fight tonight, we outline the reasons the Limerick native deserves respect.
Tomorrow's Andy Lee front page on the Limerick Leader is an absolute gem
That music shop really lucked out on their advertising place, eh?
Andy Lee wins WBO middleweight world title
The Irish fighter stopped his opponent Matt Korobov
Glory for Katie - the pics from South Korea as Taylor is crowned world champion
Taylor defeated Yana Allekseevna of Azerbaijan.
Katie Taylor opens defence of World title with convincing win in South Korea
The Bray woman overpowered and outclassed Valerian Spicer in Jeju.
Apparently Champ is Ireland's most popular drunk food
Nothing like a bowl of spuds to end a night out.
There's a mentality that Irish people can't win unless they cheat, it's all wrong – Heffernan
The world champion is paving the way for the next generation, but pleads that more support be put in place for elite and developing athletes.
'You could live like a celebrity if you wanted': Rob Heffernan is chasing that winning feeling again
After putting on more weight than he'd have liked last year, the 50km World Champion is feeling lean and hungry again.
Chances are you're not cool enough to open a bottle of champagne like this
Beaten by a man in a bow tie.
Mark Selby wins the 2014 World Snooker Championship
It's a first World Title for Selby.
Check out the posters for Anchorman 2!
Powerful stuff.
Euro star Frampton was 'the one that got away,' says Walsh
European super-bantamweight champion Carl Frampton has the talent to go all the way to the top, says Billy Walsh.
Bernard Dunne joins Dublin's backroom team
The former boxing champion will work under Jim Gavin as the side's new performance and lifestyle coach.
Marquez settles old score with Pacquiao in Vegas
Meanwhile, Ireland's Patrick Hyland was beaten by Dominican Javier Fortuna in the preliminary bouts.
VIDEO: Safety first: Pepe Reina runs through in-flight safety routine
The Liverpool star and his team-mates were celebrating Spain's third major trophy win in a row.
Videos: "I'm so mean I make medicine sick": Muhammed Ali's best interviews
Watch: The former world champ turns 70 today – and here's a selection of some of his best-known quotes.
In pictures: 70-year-old Muhammad Ali's life in the ring
He floated like a butterfly and stung like a bee. Today he celebrates a milestone birthday, so here's the champ's life, in pictures.
Muhammad Ali cheered at 70th birthday bash
Boxing world paid tribute to 'The Greatest' at party to mark his birthday tomorrow.
Taylor named IABA Boxer of the Year
Bray native Katie Taylor took top honours at the Irish Amateur Boxing Association Annual Awards last night.
Un-caged: Making Bones and breaking bones at UFC 140
Last week's UFC 140 gave us plenty of interesting points to pick over. Brian Kirk has all the latest.


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Posh Baby Dropped!
In a horrifying incident early this morning in Los Angeles, USA, Victoria Beckham, formerly known as Posh Spice in a all-girl band named "The Spice Girls", which had several world wide number one hits and played many sold-out successful live venues a...Read full story
Pippa's New Coat!
Pippa Middleton, aka The Rear of the Millennium, did it again yesterday when she wore a COAT! Admirers of the Queen's eldest son's eldest son's bride's sister might have been disappointed that our newest National Treasure chose to cover up that love...Read full story
Daffy Gadaffi Having a Laffy?
The infamous Muarmar, Colonel Gadaffi of Libya, continues to insist he is the "rightful leader of the country, the entire continent of Africa, and in fact the world". (Modestly, he does not lay claim to the universe. "That is the province of Allah."...Read full story
Surgeons battle to remove Queen's 'Do Not Resuscitate' tattoo
Scotland - Fisticuffs broke out today among the audience at Scotland's premier pageant of performing international military bands and display teams. Spectators from the Royal Army Medical Corpse (sic) at the annual Edinburgh Military Tattoo took e...Read full story
Peaches Geldof: The Truth
The strange marks on Peaches Geldof's arm are in the language of Amazonian tribesmen who hate Mondays. Peaches knew when she met them that her Dad's one and only hit should be commemorated on her arm. Peaches is known to be ripe for the pickin...Read full story
Nato Takes Over in Libya
The forces of Gaddafi are holding out so long in Libya NATO has decided to take over the reins of Government and sort things out, all with a United Nations mandate to protect civilians. 'We have to protect civilians from people who haven't had exp...Read full story
Invisible Cricket Proves A Big Hit
A large crowd packed into Trent Bridge today to witness the world's first invisible cricket match. The game features no players, no equipment, and no umpires - simply an empty field upon which the audience imagines the action. Invisible cricket h...Read full story
On the farm with George
The animals were assembled in front of the huge letters spelling out the deal between the farmers and the animals - but something seemed to be wrong. The animals were sure the first agreement was: The National Health Service is Safe in our Hands. But it was clearly written: The National Health Service is NOT safe in our hands. Several sheep thought hey remembered the great woman farmer Marg...Read full story
Republicans and Democrats reconcile to gang up on America
Washington, DC - Stung by what might be the lowest job approval rating in the history of work, leading politicians from both political parties have put their differences aside to team up and go after the American public. "The war between Democra...Read full story
Beauty Pageant Tells Miss Colombia To Start Wearing Panties or She'll Get Disqualified
SAO PAULO, Brazil - The 2011 Pageant has already encountered its very first piece of controversy (no pun intended). According to the pageant's president Pandora "Dimples" Slickpizzle, the contestant identified as Catalinita "La Bonita" Robayo and...Read full story
Three Vehicle Pile Up on M1
Police today closed of a section of the M1 due to a three vehicle pile up at junction 26. In atrocious conditions, a fish lorry from Grimsby skidded on the wet road and blocked the carriageway. A tanker carrying cooking oil from Liverpool braked but...Read full story
Dutch woman flies off of her mountain bike in Holland
A miracle happened in Holland today as a mysterious woman riding a mountain bike flew over the handlebars and landed in a cow field right in the crap. The miracle was the fact that Holland just happens to be as flat as their famous pancakes and ha...Read full story
Little Britain star David Walliams swallows crap in the Thames and he's not even gay!
David Walliams, better known as the gay assistant to a gay British Prime Minister, amongst other gay roles, has really been swallowing some "crap". Outside of his day job, David does some marvellous charity work, riding bikes from John o Groats to...Read full story
Man denied right to marry his mother
In New York state, a man is attempting to sue the state for denying him the right to marry his own mother. Eddie Puss of Scranton has a purely platonic relationship with his mom, but wishes to express his love for her by marrying her in a civil cerem...Read full story
Gay man claims heterosexuality is "sexist"
A homosexual campaigner man has brought a discrimination lawsuit against a man for refusing to have sexual relations with him. Dick Mann, who is gay, claims that his advances on the man were ignored, even though he "looked like he really wanted it."...Read full story
Ugly people can earn up to 20% less
A study sponsored by the Facially Unfortunate Commission (FUC) has found that ugly people can earn significantly less than their aesthetically pleasing colleagues. On average it is estimated that having a face like a badger's arse can cause someone t...Read full story
Zac Efron Says Taylor Swift Is Everything He's Always Wanted And Then Some
BOISE, Idaho - Zac Efron was in Boise in the capacity of parade marshal for The 59th Annual Boise Potato Peeling Festival and Miss Potato Peel Parade. The 23-year-old actor was told that he is the youngest parade marshal in the events 59 year hist...Read full story
New Course Offering: Ugly Churches only Jesus could love
Harfold State College will add a new art history/religion course to its offerings in the fall semster. Entitled "Ugly Churches only Jesus could love," the course is designed to focus on sorry attempts to please the Lord by building something modern.Read full story


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(CMT Hot Dish is a weekly feature written by veteran columnist Hazel Smith. Author of the cookbook, Hazel's Hot Dish: Cookin' With Country Stars, she also hosts CMT's Southern Fried Flicks With Hazel Smith and shares her recipes at CMT.com.)
Bands are happening again in a big way in country music. One of the best, the Lost Trailers, has been making music since their high school days. Ryder Lee and Stokes Nielson actually met in a church band. They've blazed their way through honky-tonks, joints, roadhouses, night clubs and, finally, concert halls while gaining momentum and picking up fans with every song they've sung.
The five-piece band dropped by my kitchen for CMT's Southern Fried Flicks to talk about their Top 10 hit, "Holler Back," their album of the same title and their chart- climbing single, "How 'Bout You Don't." No nicer band ever said howdy to me and mine. This is the first act to call later in the day to thank me for the food I fed them and for having them on the TV show. I won't be forgetting that.
Sony Music A&R maven Renee Bell took the group to label chairman Joe Galante who signed them after seeing the same road-tested talent and passionate drive that Alabama had brought to the company 25 years earlier. The first songs Ryder and Stokes performed in front of an audience had been made famous by their role model, Alabama.
Because of the economy, these days the band flies to their concerts. And when they finish performing, they leave money to thank the fans and promoters for having them in their town. Please know that Ryder had to explain this to me twice. Then it hit me: all-American guys doing their part to help home folks.
In the beginning, the band called themselves Ryder Stokes, but after they had three trailers loaded with band equipment stolen from them, they became The Lost Trailers. It makes all the sense in the world. The group will open for Rodney Atkins in the months ahead.
Country Counts on Dancing With the Stars
Did real-life honeys Chuck Wicks and Julianne Hough have any effect on the debut ratings of the new season of ABC's Dancing With the Stars? Maybe so. The show scored its highest ratings ever with viewership topping 23 million. Once again, country stars draw the fans.
During one of the rehearsals, Julianne's strapless gown slid down revealing that she did not have on her pasties. You can hear her explanation in the video blog she made for CMT.com.
Chuck was asked about how he could dance so well with Ms. Hough. His reply, "Pelvis to pelvis."
American Idol Goes Country for a Week
American Idol goes country this week when they bring Grand Ole Opry stars Brad Paisley, Randy Travis and Idol's biggest winner, Carrie Underwood, back to their stage Tuesday and Wednesday (March 17-18). For the first time on television, Brad will debut his latest single, "Then." Carrie and Randy will perform "I Told You So," her current single that's a cover of the classic he wrote and recorded. Randy will serve as mentor for the contestants. Idol must've been listening when I'd tell them, "More country!"
ASCAP/BMI Parties
ASCAP helped the wonderful Dierks Bentley celebrate during a big party for his latest No. 1 single, "Feel That Fire." Dierks co-wrote, co-produced, published and performed the hit.
BMI hosted a celebration for Blake Shelton for his No. 1, "She Wouldn't Be Gone," written by Jennifer Adan and Cory Batten. It's the songwriters' first No. 1 single.
ASCAP celebrated the No. 1 success of "Down the Road" by Kenny Chesney and Mac McAnally. As many hit songs as Mac has written, this was his first time to sing on a No. 1 single.
Kenny Chesney Rolls Out the Keg
Kenny Chesney first rolled his latest Keg in the Closet tour of clubs in Tuscaloosa, Ala., at the Jupiter Bar and Grill. Then he rolled 'em out right here in Music Town filling up the Exit/In wall to wall with college girls. Kenny and his guests Brad Paisley and Mark Collie played and partied four hours. By the middle of the week, Kenny was performing another club gig in Panama City Beach, Fla.
Free Shows at CMA Music Festival
Did you see where the 2009 CMA Music Festival will present more than 30 hours of free music in June? Now, the nightly shows will cost you. For four days at the festival, you'll have to fork out at least $110, but some stars charge that much for just one show. The first performers announced for the nightly concerts at LP Field are Reba McEntire, Martina McBride, Trace Adkins, Lady Antebellum, Miranda Lambert and Julianne Hough. Trace is for sure the tallest one there! The festival takes place June 11-14 in downtown Nashville.
Randy Houser's Safe but Shaken
Randy Houser and a bunch of execs from the William Morris Agency and Pat Green's management company were on a private jet heading from Nashville to Birmingham, Ala., when they heard a loud thump. As the plane leaned left, the pilot announced, "Going back to Nashville." They landed safely, removed a bird from an engine and headed back to Birmingham. Houser and Green played a sold-out show that night.
Sara Evans Becomes Novelist
Having signed a four-book deal with Thomas Nelson, the Nashville-based book publisher, platinum-selling Sara Evans will publish her debut novel later this year. She is currently in the studio and will perform some tour dates later this year. Sara's fans will find much to enjoy from the inspirational fiction series.
Rascal Flatts in Reader's Digest
Rascal Flatts' fans will be interested to know that an interview with lead vocalist Gary LeVox is featured in the April issue of Reader's Digest The article tells about Gary's grandmother who would not allow him and cousin Jay DeMarcus to listen to the music of the Kinks, but Merle Haggard's country music met her approval. Funny to me, Gary's grandmother and my six grandkids' grandmother both feel the same way.
Dolly Sweepstakes
Now's your chance to win a trip to for two to New York City to see 9 to 5: The Musical on Broadway. Cracker Barrel and CMT.com are presenting a sweepstakes to celebrate the release of a special collectors edition of Dolly's latest CD, Backwoods Barbie. The winner receives airfare for two to New York, two nights accommodations, spending money and two tickets to see the show.
Major Losses in Country Music
When I opened my newspaper recently, it took my breath away. Three country music obituaries in one day.
Cecil Scaife worked with Sun Records and Sam Phillips in Memphis, Tenn., and he also managed an all-girl radio station in Palm Beach, Fla. He served on President Nixon's council to combat drug abuse in the entertainment industry. He had a hand in the beginning of the Gospel Music Association and the Country Music Association. Sending love and condolences to Cecil's son — my friend, record producer and recording engineer Joe Scaife.
Irby Mandrell, father and manager of the Mandrell sisters, passed away with family and close friends around his bed. A few weeks earlier, Irby had attended the event announcing daughter Barbara's impending induction into the Country Music Hall of Fame. Irby is survived by his wife of 61 years, the kind and beautiful Mary, who was always by his side. Sending love and sympathy to Mary and the girls.
The 66-year-old John Sturdivant, son-in-law of Kitty Wells and Johnny Wright was another obituary of note. Married to the Wright's daughter, Sue, the well-known Sturdivant was an executive in the music business. Deepest sympathy to his wife and children.
They say bad news comes in threes, but a day later, country music experienced another significant loss when the legendary Hank Locklin died at his home in Brewton, Ala. The 91-year-old star of the Grand Ole Opry was best known for his hits, "Send Me the Pillow You Dream On" and "Please Help Me, I'm Falling." Love and condolences to his son — my friend Hank Adam Locklin.
See the new Hot Dish recipe of the week: Chess Pie.


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[Professional Experiences]
Fixpoint, Inc.
Engineer (April 2013 - Present)
'Kompira' Development Team
* Kompira is simple and lightweight automation platform for IT system operations.
* I'm developing kompira core, maintaining CI, and consulting operations using Kompira.
Forschooner, Inc.
Engineer (September 2012 - April 2013)
'Kompira' Development Team
Research Institute of Systems Planning, Inc.
Engineer (April 2011 - August 2012)
[Technical Expertise]
Programming: Python, shell, C#, C/C++, Mathematica, Ruby
Frameworks: Django
Markup Languages: HTML+CSS
Systems: CentOS. Little Ubuntu, Solaris.
Tools: Emacs, mercurial, jenkins
University of Aizu, Master of Computer Science and Engineering (2011)


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Dopo l'uscita dalla formazione dei RAGE, il chitarrista Victor Smolski annuncia che seguirà la sua passione per il neo-classical / orchestral metal con una nuova band chiamata ALMANAC.
"Almanac is the continuation of the concept, which I started back in 2013 with »LMO«", dichiara il musicista: "The well-known faces of LMO stay the same: both female singers Jeannette Marchewka and Dana Harnge, as well as the Orquestra Barcelona Filharmonia. On top of that I am proud to announce that we also have two outstanding male singers joining us: Andy B. Franck (BRAINSTORM) and David Readman (PINK CREAM 69)! All of them offer me the possibility to add more variety and a new musical dimension to the new tracks' arrangements."


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Brass Lessons
If the roaring sound of a brass band has inspired you to take up an instrument, or you just love the sound of a trumpet, or you simply want to learn an instrument but aren't sure where to start, brass instruments may be for you. With the exception of the French horn and the larger brass instruments like tuba, brass instruments are relatively inexpensive, and fairly easy to begin learning. With a little patience, practice, and perseverance, and the guidance of an MTN teacher, you will be playing tunes in no time.
About Brass Instruments
There are a few different types of brass instruments. Valve brass instruments use a set of set of valves or pistons moved up and down by the player's fingers to produce different notes. These include most modern brass instruments, such as the trumpet, French horn, euphonium, tuba and cornet. Slide brass instruments, such as the trombone, use a slide that's moved in and out to change notes. Natural brass instruments have no valves or slides and it is only possible to play certain notes. The bugle is a good example of a natural brass instrument. The brass section of the orchestra can give different qualities to the sound depending on how the instruments are played. Most often, the brass section gives a very bright, direct sound, but if the instruments are muted or playing softly in the low registers, they can sound very mysterious as well.
Example Lesson Progression
Sound is produced on a brass instrument by buzzing the lips into a mouthpiece. Pitch is modified by valves or a slide, and by altering the tension of the lips in the mouthpiece. This tension is called embouchure. In a first brass lesson, the teacher might start by having the student experiment, first simply producing a note, then trying to alter it by changing the embouchure using the tongue, jaw and cheek muscles. Next the student will learn basic fingerings for valve instruments, and slide positions for the trombone. The student will practice moving up and down the scale, moving smoothly from one note to the next. Once this has been mastered, the student is ready to begin learning songs. As the student advances, exercises for breath control, finger dexterity, tonguing (punctuating notes by pressing the tongue against the front teeth and releasing it), and embouchure control will be introduced, as well as more advanced techniques like trilling, bending notes, double-tonguing (using both the tip and the middle of the tongue for faster articulation), and circular breathing (breathing in through the nose and out through the mouth simultaneously by storing air in the cheeks in order to sustain notes longer). Basic music theory will also be taught along the way.
How Brass Instruments are Unique
The main styles of music that utilize brass instruments are classical, jazz and band music. All three styles require at least some theory, and jazz will require the student to learn improvisation. Generally, with consistent practice, students can progress relatively quickly on brass instruments. Depending on the style and the instrument, a student can reach an intermediate level in a year or so. The French horn tends to be more difficult than other brass instruments, as the note range it is required to play is wider than other brass, and the embouchure can be more difficult to control. Classical and jazz music require more theory, and some classical music requires the student to learn to transpose, change the music from one key to another, on sight. An intermediate level of proficiency will allow the student to play most band repertoire and much of classical and jazz repertoire as well. Moving from intermediate to advanced can take several years, as the techniques being learned become more complex and subtle.
Get Started!
Brass instruments are versatile and in high demand for orchestras and bands. Whether you plan on finding a spot in an orchestra or band or just want to play for personal enjoyment, an MTN teacher can help you achieve your goals on a brass instrument.


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In celebration of 'A Beautiful Machine', a two week series of events organised by the McFaul Studio and supported by howies Store in Bristol, Cyclodelic invite you all to their fantastic, fancy dress, Easter Bicycle Treasure Hunt.
Cycle solo or in small teams to checkpoints around the city centre to collect Easter eggs & points & POINTS = PRIZES. In what order you collect them is up to you, some will be hidden & some will require tasks that can earn you points for style. Extra points will be given for best bunnies, top bonnets & booze inspired costumes (your Sunday best is allowed, as dapper & delightful will also earn you points).
Once the hunt is up and all the eggs are eaten (or broken) its back to howies for Havana Rum and prize giving and a chance to see an exhibition of bicycle themed artworks from illustrators around the globe.
What you'll need:
£5 entry with all profits going to the Environmental Justice Foundation
your beloved bicycle
a street map of Bristol
a digital camera or camera phone
your lock for the party after


text: Cape Town - African airlines continued to enjoy good demand, with traffic up 6.0% compared to March 2016, according to a report by the International Air Transport Association (Iata) on global passenger traffic results for March 2017.Capacity rose 2.4%, and load factor strengthened 2.3 percentage points to 68.2%. Notwithstanding fragility in the region's biggest economies (Nigeria and South Africa), traffic growth has strengthened in recent months with RPKs growing at an annualised pace of nearly 10% since mid-2016.According to Iata, this pick-up reflects a combination of faster growth on the key market to and from Europe, and also between Africa and the Middle East.The report shows that globally demand rose 6.8% compared to the same month a year ago. Capacity grew 6.1% and load factor climbed by half a percentage point to 80.4%, which was a record for the month.March demand growth represented a moderate slowdown relative to performance in February after adjusting for the distortion in the year-to-year comparisons owing to the extra day in February 2016. The imposition of the ban on large electronics in the cabin on certain routes to the US and UK occurred too late in March to have an effect on traffic figures."Strong traffic demand continued throughout the first quarter, supported by a combination of lower fares and a broad-based upturn in global economic conditions. The price of air travel has fallen by around 10% in real terms over the past year and that has contributed to record load factors. We will have to wait another month to see the impact of the laptop ban on demand," said Alexandre de Juniac, Iata's director general and CEO.


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Deroy Murdock is a very smart man and a great writer so we are not surprised that he sees the benefits of nuclear power. We also agree with him on the use of DDT to kill malaria mosquitoes in African countries. In fact, we first met him at a Congress of Racial Equality (CORE) conference in New York on the malaria issue. It is gratifying to see so many people and newspapers starting to embrace fission power as a viable energy option. And four years ago AAEA was alone in the nuclear power wilderness and EVERYBODY was telling us we were absolutely crazy.
Murdock is funny in teasing my colleagues in the environmental movement about their NIMBY addiction. It is ironic that blacks are not normally viewed as environmentalists, particularly by traditional environmentalists. AAEA has been operating for 21 years and AAEA president Norris McDonald has been working as an environmentalist for 27 years, but he and we are still not considered to be 'real' environmentalists by many. Yet we believe many of our positions are more environmentally beneficial than most mainstream environmental groups. So thanks for verifying our position on this important energy option Mr. Murdock. Hat Tip: NEI


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Sunday Singing
Sunday morning my daughter Katie and I sang a song before I preached. Unfortunately, my wife's cell phone cut off half-way through the song, so we didn't get to capture the moment on video.
Sunday evening we had special guests to speak, and they wanted to hear Katie sing something, so we sang the song again (nothing wrong with repeating something). Again, we tried to record it, but things happened – like sour notes and I dropped my pick.
So, determined to make a video, Katie, Haley, and I went back to the church late last night and recorded the song. That's what I wanted to share with you this morning 🙂
Oh, What A Savior Is Mine!
I don't know who wrote this song, or how old it is, but it's one that I love. It was the perfect song to sing before preaching about Jesus.


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In addition to the writing, hobbies include photography and music. I used to be in a couple of bands many years ago and haven't touched a keyboard or sung for long long time. Recently I thought it would be a good idea to get back into making music. Here is the link to the sounds I've uploaded so far:
Smaller tales from Toriello


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January 19 @ 4:00 – 5:00 pm
Speaker: Jeff Saville, RN, BS, CPHIMS
Presented from Duke University
The Healthview Patient Portal is a gateway for the patients of Duke Medicine to view their medical record. The portal provides access to clinical data such as test and procedure results as well as medication, vital signs and allergy lists. In addition, the portal provides functionality that allows a patient to schedule appointments and manage financial data. This presentation will survey current functionality as well as discuss some of the issues surrounding access to clinical data by patients and some of the lessons that have been learned as the portal continues to develop and mature.
Jeff Saville, RN, BS, CPHIMS is a Senior IT Analyst with the Duke University Health System HealthView Patient Portal team. In this capacity, Jeffs leads a team of software developers who focus mainly on designing and building the portal's clinical functions. Jeff has been involved in clinical informatics since 1994 and in addition to working for the Duke Health System, has worked for Hewlett Packard, Agilent Technologies and Philips Medical Systems as a technical consultant for clinical products. Prior to entering clinical informatics, he practiced bedside care as a registered nurse for fifteen years. Jeff holds an Associate degree in Nursing and a Bachelors degree in Computer and Information Sciences from the State University of New York.


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Getting Help from Your Crew Safety Series Part 2: Here's a novel suggestion on how to handle boating emergencies more effectively: don't get stuck having to do it alone. Train your crew in some of the basics over the next few months, so they're ready if a mishap occurs.
At first blush, that doesn't sound very realistic. Nobody wants to go through a long list of emergency procedures before shoving off. Depending on their boating experience, most people you take out for a day trip either know what to do or they don't, and you can't change that on the spot. It takes time and practice to become truly proficient in such skills.
But if you concentrate on your regular crew—family members or boating buddies who go out with you regularly—you can do the job gradually and painlessly. Start with a bit of hands-on training and occasional practice drills each time you go out, as little as 10 minutes out of your boating time. And if you play it right, both you and your crew actually may enjoy it.
The benefits almost certainly will be worth the effort. Even if only one other person onboard has been trained and has practiced some emergency procedures, it will ease your job as skipper, enable you to cope with mishaps more effectively, and increase your safety level significantly. And you don't have to start your own seamanship school to do it.
Having a trained crewmember onboard also will help solve the dilemma that your boat mates would face if something happened to you while you were on the water. Suppose you cracked your knee on a cleat or fell overboard? Who would come to your aid?
Who would call the Coast Guard if it were necessary? Who would get the boat back home?
Here are some of the basics you can teach your crew and practice easily when you're under way.
- How to put on a lifejacket-and to help others do it, too. Yes, everyone on your boat ought to be wearing a lifejacket, but if you're lax about that, the least you can do is make sure someone is there to help them if you run into trouble. When you're really in a spot, taking time to help others don their lifejackets can impede your own ability to respond to the emergency.
- How to call the Coast Guard. Operating a VHF-FM marine radio isn't that difficult, but it's more complicated than using a telephone. Show crewmembers how to turn the radio on and off, select the proper channel, key the microphone, speak slowly and clearly, signal a distress call, and provide the information that first responders will need to come to your rescue. Some boaters post a placard near their radio that provides these instructions and includes a short description of their boat that the crewmember or guest can pass along to the Coast Guard. This is especially important if you, the skipper, are incapacitated. Practice using a microphone without taking up the airwaves. Use an inexpensive, short-range walkie-talkie instead.
- How to use a fire extinguisher. That may seem obvious, but it isn't to a newcomer. Show your crew how to get the extinguisher off its bracket, how to operate it, and how to point the stream at the base of the fire rather than at the flames. Emphasize that the spray will last for only a few seconds. (Just go through the motions. Don't actually trigger the extinguisher.)
- How to use your distress signals. Show your crew where you keep your flares, air-horn, and other devices, and how to use them. Caution them to be sure they're on the leeward side of the boat and away from the fuel tanks when they light off a flare, so they don't cause a fire themselves. Demonstrate the technique of waving your arms to warn others you're in distress.
- How to shut off the engine and electrical power on your boat. Operating the shutoff switches isn't easy on every boat, but it can be crucial, especially in case of a fire or a mechanical failure in a crowded marina. Practice this one at the dock. Walk your crewmembers through the procedure and then have each of them try it. Repeat it to keep them in practice.
- What to do when someone falls overboard. Ideally, you need to take the helm while one of your crewmembers keeps pointing at the person in the water so you don't lose sight of him or her. Someone also should throw out a floatation device—both at the spot where the person fell overboard and when you finally reach the victim to help keep him or her afloat. Figure out in advance how to get a victim back onto your boat and walk your crew through the procedure. Pulling someone back onboard can be a serious challenge if you don't have a boarding ladder, especially if the victim is injured. Search online for gear that may be suitable for your boat. Protect the victim from your propeller; kill your engine as he or she boards.
How do you train your crew?
Start with yourself. Do you know your stuff well enough to show others? If not, brush up. Take courses or hire a private instructor to help you improve your own boating skills. (The Chesapeake Area Professional Captains Association is one source.) You'll learn a lot more if you acquire enough knowledge and experience to teach your crew.
Get your crew involved in making pre-underway checks. Take them through what you do to check your fuel, inspect your bilges, sniff for gasoline fumes, operate your ventilation system, make sure your fire extinguishers are properly charged, and other such tasks. Doing this will help show them where such equipment is located and help familiarize them with how it works.
Provide them with hands-on training by walking them through the list of skills offered earlier in this article, and ask each of your crewmembers to demonstrate what you've just shown. Then, while you're under way, find a place that's clear of boat traffic and conduct a drill. As soon as it's over, ask your crew to give you a critique of what went wrong.
Note: Be sure to let them do it, even if they do it wrong. Making mistakes is a good way to learn. And remember to be patient. Womanship, a onetime sailing school for women, had a great slogan—"Nobody Yells." It works for teaching men as well. Everybody learns more effectively when the teacher is patient.
Bolster what you've taught your crewmembers by reserving a few minutes of each day trip for a drill—on a different topic each time. And during the the drill period, give your crew ample opportunity to learn by letting them serve as lookouts and even take the helm under your supervision. Both you and your crew will feel more confident in their performance.
For crewmembers who are interested, urge them to take the state boating safety course, enroll in other boating courses (such as those conducted by the U.S. Power Squadrons and U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary), or a first aid/CPR course—and to surf YouTube for instructional videos. Urge them to read the Rules of the Road. You can quiz them during boating lulls.
The more your crewmembers know, the more they—and you—will enjoy boating and the safer you'll be out on the water.
Here's the first part of our 2018 Safety Series. Stay tuned for part three.


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Health is crucial for a positive experience of life. It's amazing how when I don't feel well or I'm in physical pain, my whole outlook on life goes down the tubes. I've had a slight headache on and off for the last few days. I wouldn't say I've been depressed. But my world view for the last few days has been dim at best. Just today my headache lifted, and my hip felt stronger. I had a great swim at practice tonight and all of a sudden, I was happy again. The Tantric teaching here is that the nature of the human heart is freedom. And the nature of freedom is joy. Whenever we experience a release from pain and suffering, there is joy. When you stop hurting, something else arises. That something else is joy. It's just how it is. This movement from suffering to joy is profound and fills me with awe and wonder each time. It's like I forget that life can be fun when I'm not feeling well. Then I feel better physically, and suddenly I have the strength to deal with my life. I have energy to post a positive perspective in my mind. Ahhhhhh, the pulsation. Until next time! Sweet dreams.
The Nature of the Human Heart is Freedom
By Todd Norian|October 19th, 2018|Ashaya Yoga|0 Comments
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A review of literature on the social behavior of horses is likely to lead many to think equine society is governed solely by the establishment of social hierarchies, usually based on the outcomes of social conflict or competition, commonly referred to as agonistic behavior.
Agonistic interactions are social activities "related to fighting, whether aggression or conciliation and retreat." (Wilson, 1975)
"Behavior patterns associated with fighting and retreat, such as attack, escape, threat, defense and appeasement." (Slater, 1999)
The description of animal societies is mainly based on agonistic classifications, in which cooperation and affiliative behaviors were overshadowed by the competition-aggression-reconciliation paradigm generally emphasized by many writers.
Affiliative interactions refer to the activities between two or more (dyadic, triadic and so on) individuals within a social group with the function of developing, maintaining or enhancing social bonds. {Equus Ethogram Project}
Indeed, agonistic and affiliative behavior are inextricably intertwined (Price & Sloman, 1993) in the complexity of social interactions, making it a laborious task to filter away the units of behavior neatly into separate compartments for either one type of interaction, or the other.
Social interactions lay on a behavioral continuum, a continuous stream of movements (Fentress, 1990; MacNulty et al, 2007) or spectrums of behavior (Abrantes, 2011):
"The distinction between any two behaviors is a matter of function; the borderline separating one category from the other is a matter of observational skill, contextual parameters and convention; the way we understand it all is a matter of definition." (Abrantes, 2011)
For instance, in the 'Agonistic ethogram of the equid bachelor band' published by McDonnell & Haviland (1994), agonistic encounters were considered based on their intensity, running or flowing across a spectrum from "very quiet affiliative behavior to serious aggression" (McDonnell & Haviland, 1994).
In this Equus Ethogram Project, affiliative interactions will be classified separately from agonistic ones, at least when at all possible. A host of authors have extracted units of agonistic behaviors from the interwoven fabric of equine social interactions, so it should be likewise possible to extract those other units of behavior which promote group cohesion: affiliative behaviors.
The results of a growing body of research on free-living mammals suggests that affiliative social interactions, those enhancing social bonds, have important fitness consequences for individuals ( Swedell, 2002; Weidt et al, 2007; Silk et al. 2003, 2010; Cameron et al. 2009; Frere et al. 2010; Wey & Blumstein 2012) engaged in them.
In horses as in most social mammals, affiliative interactions are usually described by mutual grooming, play and group resting. This ethogram considers including more subtle forms of affiliative behavior, such as the frequency or duration one individual is found sharing close proximity with others as an indication of their level of bonding (Hinde 1976; Garai 1992; Kleindorfer &Wasser 2004).
This Equus Ethogram Project is an on-going work, and the general framework, or particular sections and pages will be updated as new light is shed or brought to our knowledge.
Quick-link to some of our posts:
- [FSW Pottokas] Introduction to ethology and horses – Victor Ros & Lucy Rees
- Lichen licking in feral Pottokas
- Equus Ethogram Project
- Koniks at Oostvaardersplassen
- Feral horses
- Group specific behavior as a basis for equine culture – Part 1
- The art of over-simplifying an over-simplification!
- Horse behavior: generalisations from observations of one population?


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MWC 15 Special
A Telefonica O2 Germany confidential price list, which leaked to the Web yesterday, shows a lot of new and upcoming smartphones from O2 Germany. According to the document, O2 Germany will launch a couple of Windows Phone 7 and Android smartphones in the upcoming weeks including the new HTC Desire HD, Motorola Defy and Motorola Milestone 2 Android smartphones as well as the often rumored but yet not seen or announced HTC HD7 Windows Phone 7. According to the list, all smartphones will hit O2 Germany between CW 41 (Motorola Defy), CW 42 (HTC Desire HD and HTC HD7) and CW 43 (Motorola Milestone 2).
Without any contracts, the HTC Desire HD will costs 559 Euro, the HTC HD 7 will costs 559 Euro, the Motorola Defy will costs 379 Euro and the Motorola Milestone 2 will costs 529 Euro.
It's yet unknown if the information above are legit but there's a good chance that the info might be indeed true.
Cheers ~ Arne
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