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Nancy: Christina stopped by to talk about two loves we have in common: Writing romance...and CATS! Take it away, Christina!
Since the long ago day I discovered Space Cat Meets Mars in my local library, I've loved science fiction and fantasy. So I guess it was natural that when I tried my hand at writing, I'd choose space opera. My stories were always less about the technology and more about the people, how they interacted and cared about each other—even if some of them were aliens. Sure, there was adventure and danger, but my characters were often motivated by the emotions they felt for each other. They wanted to save the universe, but more importantly they needed first to save each other, because they were in love. I labored for years, receiving many letters from editors. You know the ones—"We liked this, but…" Eventually I found some success in writing magazine articles, but fiction remained my elusive first love.
Once again, a cat stepped in to show the way. In my local Barnes & Noble, while perusing the science fiction section, I came across a book with a cat on the cover. I decided to take a chance on it. It had cats in it; that alone was worth the price. It turned out to be the first science fiction romance I'd ever seen. The echoes to my own stories were astounding and heartening. Not only did it have adventure, space battles (and of course cats) but it had love. And (gasp) sex scenes, right there on the page—actually no, they were usually in bed.
I was hooked.
Now my long literary pregnancy is over and those chance encounters with cats have led to the release of my first SFR (Sci-Fi Romance) this month, A Hero For The Empire. Are there cats in it, you ask? Bet your whiskers.
Cybernetically augmented Kimber FitzWarren has been given the task of locating a missing military icon, Arianne Ransahov, but the only person with a clue to the woman's whereabouts is mercenary, Wolf Youngblood. The Empire just attempted to assassinate him because of this knowledge, so when Fitz shows up in his bedroom at 0-dark-30, he's less than happy to see her. She explains she isn't there to kill him, but to plead for his help. Help he's reluctant to give—until another assassin comes after both of them.
The two set off on their quest along with Fitz's sentient starship, Lizzy, and Wolf's telepathic cat, Jumper—who's a cross between Chewbacca and Garfield. The action is non-stop, with our heroes escaping one Imperial trap only to face another danger, then another. But there is enough time for the pair to fall in love. Hero for the Empire is good, old-fashioned space opera in the style of Star Wars, Firefly or this summer's blockbuster Guardians of the Galaxy.
I've always thought that when man went to space, cats would follow him. Their lithe bodies are built for flying in zero gravity and their paws grip with the tenacity of Velcro. Now if we can just figure out what to do about that pesky cat litter in zero gee…
Cat have always gone adventuring with mankind, accompanying us on voyages of discovery, riding on merchant vessels and have even following us to war. There's the story of Oscar, the German cat who was aboard the battleship Bismarck when it was sunk in 1941. He was rescued by a British ship, which was itself sunk four months later. Only to be rescue again and—you guessed it—sunk again before the year was out. Eventually, his name was changed to Unsinkable Sam and he was retired to an old sailors home in England.
In that tradition, the cats in my imaginary worlds, ride aboard starships to protect their crew from frainies, a particularly nasty mind parasite. Fearless space cat, Jumper, does battle with The Enemy to save the hero and heroine.
Now The Enemy had come aboard this ship and wanted to kill his person. That would not be tolerated.
Five fuzzy globs of light drifted out of the common room. Jumper saw them as dirty gray spheroids of wiggling tentacles tipped with organs to locate the thoughts of their prey. His green eyes narrowed, a hunter's growl rumbling in his throat.
The powerful muscles of his hind legs hurled him among them, claws slashing, jaws crushing. He hit the deck and rebounded, tumbling and slaughtering until only one remained. It flashed away and down the stairs to engineering. Jumper spit out the foulness of his last kill and soared after it.
He grabbed the handrail on the stairs, slowing his forward momentum and peered down into the room. A glowing ball of frainies a meter across churned in mid-air. Was it a trap? He'd heard stories of cats swarmed by The Enemy and killed, but were they true? Or only cautionary tales to keep high-spirited kittens in check?
The puff of fur on his behind twitched as he tried to lash his non-existent tail. Jumper leapt, screaming his battle cry. He was a Gold Dragon and this was, as the mercenaries liked to say, a target rich environment.
As long as she can remember, Christina Westcott has had imaginary people living in her head. Cyborgs, mercenaries, wizards, dragons and cats. Lots of cats—shape-shifting cats, talking cats and telepathic cats. After continual nagging from this bizarre cast of characters, Chris decided to turn them loose on the world in her science fiction and fantasy stories. She's been an incorrigible collector of not only books and cats, but of experiences, riding in rodeos, driving racecars and flying airplanes. All good experience for becoming a writer.
She lives in sunny Southwest Florida where she delights in telling all her friends "up north" the local temperature in the middle of January and she proudly wears the moniker Crazy Cat Lady. She's currently at work on the second book in the Dragon's Bidding series, Cypher, where we learn what happened the day after the first book ended.
You can catch her on her website at christinawestcottauthor.com or onfacebook.com/chriswestcott33.
Buy A Hero for the Empire at:


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It never ceases to amaze me the confusion people have when they borrow from everything they hear. The amount of information in this world is endless. The doctrines and the philosophies are two numerous to be contained in ones mind. The different nuances of each is enough to make you thrown in the toil, that is why I love the simplicity of the gospel.
I know theologians abound and they intimidate some into thinking that the Scriptures are so deep, but Jesus said, you must come to him, like a little child. Is this not the sweetest thing? Jesus said, if you love me you will keep my commands and the commands are broken down into two. Love God and mankind who were created in his likeness.
The prayer of Atheist should not be suprising. We know that there are spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places as well as God the Father. Satan desires worship just like God. Both are part of the spiritual hosts that exist in the heavenly places. The experience Atheist have with prayer makes sense. Unfortunately, the only way to the Father is through his Son Jesus, so the spirit he/she is communicating with does not love him/her and will lead them to destruction.
P.S. Everyone prays. Even those who claim they have no religion. Don't believe the lies of those who say they don't. They may not pray, in what some consider, traditional prayer, with folded hands, but is that really the only way, believers in Jesus pray? Communication between the spiritual hosts happens to us all. The foundational difference is Jesus is the only door to access the one true God.
Link to the article that inspired this post: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/06/25/atheist-prayer_n_3498365.html

subset: commoncrawl


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- Record shutdown is a massive Washington failure CNN
- What happens if Trump declares national emergency at the border? CBS News
- Who's Going To Pay For The Wall? Mexico, Many Republicans Still Falsely Claim HuffPost
- Marc Thiessen: This is the stupidest government shutdown in US history. When will Dems get smart about it? Fox News
- Trump's Great Diversion Cant Last Much Longer The New Yorker
- View full coverage on Google News
Via:: Sports Headlines
Via:: Sportznutz


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#InTheStudioThisWeek we say goodbye to our designer, the lovely Bekii!
Today is Bekii's last day in the office, she has filled the studio with so much laughter and creativity and we wish her luck in her new role. Moving down the road to Whiteley, we're sure she'll still pop in from time to time for a cuppa.
Having joined us 19 months ago, coming from a publication design background, Bekii took to the Glow way of life like a duck to water. To see all she has learned in such a short time and the projects she has produced has been a wonderful journey. We are sure she will continue to flourish in her new role too.
Not only will her creative skills be missed, but the constant flow of tea, gossip and hilarious stories too. The Glow office will be a little less girly, Disney-filled and pink (despite our brand).
Good luck Bekii!
As we say goodbye to one designer, on Monday, we welcome Amy. Amy is filled with so much passion for design and her illustration skills are amazing! We cannot wait for her to share her work with you. A lover of Scrabble and travel, we're sure Amy will be a great fit for the Glow team.
It's always Go, Go, Go at Glow ☺
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The cookie settings on this website are set to "allow cookies" to give you the best browsing experience possible. If you continue to use this website without changing your cookie settings or you click "Accept" below then you are consenting to this.


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On this day 71 years ago, the largest Nazi concentration camp Auschwitz-Birkenau was liberated. To commemorate that historic day, the international community is marking the International Holocaust Remembrance Day, a day when we remember and pay our respects to the victims of Nazi crimes around the world, victims who were killed simply because of their race or religion. By commemorating their suffering, we express our readiness to fight all forms of anti-Semitism, racism, discrimination and intolerance towards others solely because they are different, making sure that such atrocities never happen again.
Croatia is a member of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance and is actively involved in Holocaust education, research and commemoration, in order to raise awareness about the fate of the Holocaust victims.


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World's Largest Offshore Wind Farm Opens in The Netherlands That Will Power 1.5 million Dutch!
Wind energy has been used by humans for more than two thousand years and in modern times, it is mainly used to generate electricity, primarily through the use of wind turbines.
In past, the first offshore wind project was installed off the coast of Denmark in 1991. Since then, commercial-scale offshore wind facilities have been operating in shallow waters around the world, mostly in Europe.
Now, a gigantic 'Gemini wind park' has been installed in the Netherlands that has 150 wind turbines spinning approximately 85 km off the northern coast of the country.
The project is capable of generating about 600 megawatts at full winds – enough to power 1.5 million residents in the Netherlands.
The Gemini Wind farm consists of wind farms 2, each with 75 windmills. It is built on two closely spaced locations, there is the name 'Gemini twins' derived.
Images credit: Gemini Wind Park
Gemini offshore wind farm in the Dutch part of the North Sea will be having a total capacity of 600 MW is one of the largest wind farms in the world, both in size and production.
The construction of the Gemini wind farm began in January 2015 and it is expected that the park will be fully completed in July 2017.
Over the next 15 years, the Gemini wind park will be able to generate about 13 percent of the country's total renewable energy supply or about 25 percent of its wind power.
This, in turn, will meet the energy requirements of about 1.5 million people. It is estimated that the wind park will help reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 1.25 billion tons.
Gemini gets two export cables which carry the alternating current of 220 kV Eemshaven ashore. Both of these wires are about 120 kilometres long, have a diameter of 30 cm and have an aluminium core.
Most of the current that produce the Gemini wind farm is conducted by the Delta, the Zeeland power company. Delta will result in a stroke, the largest wind energy provider in the Netherlands.
At €2.8 billion, Gemini is the largest ever offshore wind farm financed on a project basis and there are four companies joined forces to create Gemini – Northland Power (60% project share), Siemens (20%), Van Oord (10%) and HVC (10%), according to the company site.
The Netherlands has set an example that will inspire other countries to follow suit in an effort to curb climate change!


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Two pharmacies targeted by burglars
COLUMBIA – Burglars targeted two drugstores in Columbia early Wednesday morning.
The Columbia Police Department responded to an alarm at Flow's Pharmacy on Keene Street. Police found a shattered glass door and window broken out. Suspects stole a cabinet of narcotics from the pharmacy.
Thirty minutes earlier, officers had responded to another alarm at D&H Drugstore on West Broadway. A glass door was shattered, but still intact, meaning suspects didn't enter the building. Locks were damaged and pry marks were left on the door.
The owner of Flow's said burglaries are nothing new for the store.
"It was about the sixth time in four years," Randy Flow said.
National numbers for pharmacy break-ins show there is a 14 percent probability of a pharmacy being targeted by criminals, according to Pharmacist's Mutual Insurance Company.
"Pretty common thing all over the country," Flow said. "D&H has been burglarized three times I believe in the last several months."
Pharmacist's Mutual said pharmacies must often invest thousands of dollars to improve security measures.
A worker who was replacing the broken window at Flow's said the cost of damages from the window and door could easily add up to one thousand dollars.
Flow said, "They're almost always after drugs. They'll walk right by quite a bit of money in a cash register and won't even touch it."
Pharmacists Mutual said the number of people abusing prescription drugs in America nearly doubled from 2000-2010, reaching 7 million people.
Officials said they don't know if the incident at Flow's and D&H are related.


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Block Print Charmeuse Scarf- Rhapsody in Blue | Block Print Charmeuse Scarf- Terracotta | Block Print Chiffon Scarf- Royal Blue | Block Print Chiffon Scarf- Zinnia
Elements of nature, man made structures, symbols of Indian culture, and simple geometrical forms were all used as inspiration for these designs. These visions are sketched, and a design repeat is created using the CAD (Computer Aided Design) process.
Various elements of the design are then identified for carving on a wooden block. Separate blocks are carved for each color.
Depending on the design, white silk is hand dyed or spray painted to create the background surface. Textures are created using simple tools such as combs, metal pieces, brushes, papers, plexi glass, scrubs, wood grains, and more.
The main design motifs are printed on the fabric using acid dyes, and then the printed fabric is steamed, washed and dried.


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I only got four more blocks completed today, but still tons more to come - they'll be getting done quicker now because I'm not doing any new starts.
Just to have something different to post, a friend sent me pictures from Geneva, Switzerland, knowing my love for this kind of statuary. Gorgeous griffin:
A winged lion with eagles' talons - don't know if that still counts as a griffin. And look at the neck - that looks rather dragonlike (or stegosaurian).
A lion, very majestic:
Weather here continues to be icky. This isn't making Tonya happy.
On a completely different note, I wanted to share part of an email I received from Amy. With her permission:
"I got into quilting a couple of years ago because I wanted to finish my great-grandmother's unfinished quilts. I was getting ready to put the binding on the first one and was stressing about squaring it up beforehand. So I googled "squaring up a quilt" and was led right to your post saying that you don't bother. I loved that, beaten up by the "quilt police" as I was allowing myself to be at the time. My instinct told me, "Who gives a $%^ about squaring it up? I'm making this to please MYSELF." But it was nice to have your validation. And I didn't square it up, AND it was fine! :-) "
Me again. Unfortunately Amy doesn't have a digital camera so we don't get to see a pic.
See, it's okay to be low-stress and casual about your quilting. It will all work out. In general you want the quilt to hold together and not fall apart after the first wash (or several), but other than that, it just doesn't matter. Put your heart into it, that's what counts.


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Hugo Themes
Ported theme of HTML5 UP's Aerial: a single page, single screen responsive site template.
- Author: Seth MacLeod
- Minimum Hugo Version: 0.18
- Updated: 2017-09-14
- License: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported
- Tags: responsive personal
Aerial is a single page, single screen responsive site template. It is a port of HTML5 UP's Aerial theme.
Run the following commands inside the folder of your Hugo site:
$ cd themes
$ git clone https://github.com/sethmacleod/aerial.git
Getting Started
After installation, you only need to configure the config.toml file and, if desired, change the background picture.
The config file
Copy the config.toml file from the exampleSite folder into your root folder of your Hugo site. Change the fields as needed. Be sure to change the baseurl. Add or delete social media as needed. You may need to look up the font-awesome icon names. The icon field should be filled out without the "fa" prefix. The icon field for Twitter should be
Change the background
Should you choose to change the background, create a
/static/css/images folder and add a picture named
bg.jpg. For the best results, follow these instructions:
The Scrolling Background:
This relies entirely on CSS to do its thing, which is cool, but that makes
changing it a bit weird/tricky at first. You can still use pretty much any image
you want, but for best results make sure yours is:
- Horizontally tileable.
- Wide and short.
- About 1500px wide.
- Fades to a solid color either at the top of bottom (which is used to fill
the empty space above or below your image).
Now, there are two ways to use it: with CSS, or with Sass:
Look for this line in css/style.css (line 108 as of this writing):
background: #348cb2 url("images/bg.jpg") bottom left;
and use it to set the page background color, URL, and placement of
your image. It should be as close to 1500px wide as you can get it.
Set the value of $bg to the page background color, URL, and placement
of your image. Change $bg-width if your image is something other than
1500px wide.
Add custom js snippets
Should you choose to add custom js snippet, create a
layouts/partials folder with
js.html file and put your js code in this file.
This can be useful for adding Google Analytics. Just add
{{ template "_internal/google_analytics.html" . }} to the file and configure the config file with your
googleAnalytics tracking id.
Customize favicon.ico
You can customize a
favicon.ico by adding it to
static folder.
This theme is released under the CC BY 3.0 license. For more information, read the License.


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CALIFORNIA — We've covered laws from the DMV including those pertaining to use of wireless electronic devices, child car safety seats, motorcycle lane-splitting and related others in an earlier report that's available for review at this link.
Governor Jerry Brown signed over 800 California laws in 2016. Here are a handful that go into effect Sunday, Jan. 1, 2017, unless otherwise noted:
Assault weapons SB 1446 Owners of magazines that hold more than 10 rounds are required to give them up, and buyers will now face a background check before they can purchase ammunition. Buyers will be barred from buying new weapons that have a bullet button. Read the new law here.
Building Safety SB 465 The state will try to improve their monitoring of potential safety issues and require better information-sharing between agencies when it comes to contractors, convictions and legal settlements. After one year a group will decide whether changes are needed to state building codes. Read the new law here.
Community college for homeless students AB 1995 Any community college campus with shower facilities will now allow homeless students who are enrolled, paid and in good standing to use the facilities. Read the new law here.
Drinking in salons AB 1322 Beauty salons and barber shops will be allowed to serve free wine or beer to their clients until 10 p.m. Read the new law here.
End of Life AB 1668 Terminally ill patients in California will be allowed to use certain experimental drugs to decide when they want to end their lives. The bill authorizes health plans to cover drugs that do not yet have full regulatory approval, but does not require it, and protects doctors from disciplinary actions if they recommend these drugs once other treatment options have been exhausted. Read the new law here.
EpiPens AB 1386 Businesses can stock EpiPens in case there is a need to treat someone suffering from a life-threatening allergic reaction. The law allows pharmacies to dispense the devices to colleges, private businesses and other venues with a plan in place for using them. Read the new law here.
Gender-neutral bathrooms AB 1732 Beginning March 1, all single-user toilet facilities in any business or public place are to be designated as all-gender facilities. Read the new law here.
Human trafficking SB 1322 People under 18 cannot be charged with prostitution and will instead be treated as victims. This law is now among a handful of related bills that include raising the age minors can testify outside a courtroom from 13 to 15, protecting victims' names from disclosure, and mandating that they have access to county services. Read the new law here.
LEO handgun storage SB 869 Law enforcement officers will now be required follow the same rules as civilians by securely storing handguns in a lockbox out of plain view or, if weapons are left in an unattended vehicle, in the trunk. Read the new law here.
Minimum wage SB 3 At companies with 26 or more employees, the minimum wage will increase from $10 an hour to $10.50. Read the new law here.
Powdered alcohol SB 819 It is illegal to possess, sell, make or use powdered alcohol including spirits, liquor, wine, beer and every other liquid that can be combined with water or any other liquid. Read the new law here.
School mascots AB 30 California public schools will be barred from using the name "Redskins" for sports teams and mascots. Read the new law here.
Sexual assault AB 2888 Sexually assaulting an unconscious or severely intoxicated person becomes a crime that is not eligible for probation. The law also clarifies that a victim cannot consent to sex while unconscious or incapacitated by drugs, alcohol or medication. Read the new law here.
Youth sports concussions AB 2007 Youth sports organizations are required to notify parents or guardians of athletes under 17 who have been told to sit out because of a suspected concussion. Athletic organizations must now offer annual concussion and head injury education to coaches and administrators, and comply with athlete removal provisions and return-to-play protocol. Read the new law here.


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The Spaniard Bunk Bed
The Spaniard is a strong, solid wood frame bunk bed in Light Antique or White Wash Finish.
A secured left-hand side ladder gives easy and safe access to and from the top bunk. A right-hand ladder conversion kit is available. The Spaniard Bunk can easily be converted into two separate beds if required. Suitable for children from 6 years of age upwards.
Available Sizes:
Small Single: H145cm L201cm W90cm
(Required Mattress Size: 2 x 75cm x 190cm
Standard Single: H145cm L201cm W105cm
(Required Mattress Size: 2 x 90cm x 190cm
Junior: H145cm L171cm W90cm
(Required Mattress Size: 2 x 75cm x 160cm
Wide Junior: H145cm L171cm W105cm
(Required Mattress Size: 2 x 90cm x 160cm
Available in Light Antique Stain or White Wash Finish
Bed frame only – for mattresses Please Click Here


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SNo. 13, Godavali Village, Behind Bharati Vidyapith Panchagani, Mahabaleshwar, Maharashtra - 412805
Just as how Panchgani and Strawberry have a unique combination in our minds, so would be your experience with 'Hotel Millennium Park'. Setting international standards for luxurious accommodation, quality amenities and uncompromising personal service, 'Hotel Millennium Park' offers a wide range of rooms that would suit your needs and budget.
'HOSPITALITY' being the key word of our business, we at 'Millennium', are dedicated to make a difference in setting new standards of excellence and professionalism in our line of business and have in the last fifteen years', made tremendous efforts in upgrading our services, training staff and improving the work environment. We also stand committed to provide the best in the hospitality industry and continue to invest to create more trained personnel.
We have a wide range of rooms and suites to suit every need and budget. Suites with nice garden view, beautiful pleasant interiors and luxurious facilities, they will surely make your stay unbelievable.


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DLF Seeds have conducted over 20 fodder beet trials at eight locations across the country, comparing the yield of different cultivars and research on management methods. Results can be downloaded by clicking here.
This website uses cookies to improve your experience of the site. You can delete cookies via the advanced settings in your browser.


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Brütal Legend is an action-adventure that marries visceral action combat with open-world freedom. Set in a universe somewhere between Lord of the Rings and Spinal Tap, it's a fresh take on the action/driving genre, which in this case is full of imitation cover bands, demons intent on enslaving humanity and Heavy metal tunes. Featuring the talents of comedian, actor and musician, Jack Black as super roadie Eddie Riggs, as well as cameos by some of the biggest names in metal music it's a wild ride in the belly of the beast that is not to be missed by gamers and Metalheads alike. Included as a free bonus in the PC version of Brütal Legend are both the Hammer of Infinite Fate and Tears of the Hextadon multiplayer map packs.
Only registered members can share their thoughts. So come on! Join the community today (totally free - or sign in with your social account on the right) and join in the conversation.


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Put one of the most potent Porsche street cars in the hands of a formidable talent like Mike Skeen, and you get a first-rate demonstration of driving brilliance. The Blancpain, World Challenge, and Trans Am ace gets to terms quickly with the turbocharged monster on a truncated version of Virginia International Raceway, where the abundance of slow …Continue to the full article
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Recent Posts from: VIR
Porsche's Pictures and Results In the USCC at VIR
If every race in IMSA was a victory for Porsche, the series would be thoroughly un-interesting. After recent strong performances at Lime Rock and Elkhart Lake, the most recent round at VIR resulted in 7th and 8th place finishes for the Porsche GT Team. Because of VIR's layout, with several very long straights, the Porsche 911 RSR's lower top speed …Continue to the full article
Results and Pictures From the Pirelli World Challenge at VIR
VIR welcomed Pirelli World Challenge racing back to the hills of Virginia for the first time since 2010. Heavy rains early in the week gave way to perfect warm and sunny weather for race weekend. The format for this weekend's PWI races is unique. The 60-minute sprint races scheduled for Saturday and Sunday come with 2-drivers per car and a rule …Continue to the full article
Porsche's Results and Pictures In The IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship at VIR
Round 9 of the 11 race IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship took place at Virginia International Raceway this past weekend. Through the grueling heat, Porsche works drivers Earl Bamber and Frédéric Makowiecki kept cool heads and managed to clinch third place on the podium. For Porsche, this marks the first podium result in the series since May …Continue to the full article
Porsche's Pictures And Results From Virginia International Raceway
Porsche has scored their third GTLM win in a row following the Oak Tree Grand Prix at VIR Sunday afternoon. It was a valiant fight by Nick Tandy and Patrick Pilet in their Porsche 911 RSR, and they made their salary worth the cost this weekend. With their third victory in a row, Porsche has now moved into first in the team's standings for the …Continue to the full article
Porsche's Pictures And Results In The USCC At The Oak Tree Grand Prix
Stop reading now if you don't want any spoilers as there are a number of them and they come fairly quickly this week. After what seems like a long dry spell Porsche found themselves once again back on the podium. This time, however, it wasn't a factory team collecting a trophy. Instead, it was Team Falken Tire in their 911 RSR who took a second …Continue to the full article
Porsche's Results And Pictures In The ALMS At VIR
In a race that will most likely be remembered for the spectacular crash vs. the race itself, Porsche's GT customer team, CORE autosport, managed its best finish for the season. Read the full Porsche GT and GTC race report after the gallery. Click on any image for a larger version. once done, simply click on the "x" in the top left corner to return …Continue to the full article
Video: Vicious Wreck Sends Porsche Airborne At VIR
This is the second Porsche flying through the air we've seen in as little as two weeks. Eduardo Cisneros and Marco Holzer were battling through the esses at VIR when contact between the two sent them both on off-track excursions and Cisneros' Porsche airborne. The video below was captured from almost head on as the camera man watches two Porsches …Continue to the full article


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Our Support | Your Confidence
If you would like further information about any of our member benefits or joining the ACA, please contact us:
As the peak body representing chiropractors, the Australian Chiropractors Association (ACA), along with its predecessors, has been supporting chiropractors and enhancing health for 80 years.
Our vision is that more Australians value and experience chiropractic care for their health and wellbeing. We are the strongest advocate for the chiropractic profession, engaging with government, stakeholders and the public to promote the benefits of chiropractic care and influence health policy for the future.
Our Services
Advocacy & Political Strategy
Holding a seat at the table with government, regulators & bureaucracy, ACA is helping shape the future of Australian healthcare.
Discounted PI Insurance
ACA members receive substantial discounts with Guild Insurance, the provider of choice for 70% of all registered chiropractors in Australia.
Public Engagement
ACA flagship campaigns, such as Spinal Health Week, as well as access to a range of promotional materials.
Chiropractic Research
Building the evidence base through funding the ACORN project, PhD candidates and the Chiropractic Journal of Australia.
The Australian Chiropractor
Australia's forefront chiropractic news and views report, keeping you informed on the chiropractic profession and community.
CPD and Events
Gain access to a range of events including the Annual Conference, webinars and workshops at discounted rates.
Interest Groups
The opportunity to network, engage, learn and share knowledge with like-minded professionals in niche areas of chiropractic.
Digital Resources
High-quality, current and relevant online resources to assist you in your lifelong learning, regardless of time and geography.
Chiropractors' HR Service
Expert advice in Human Resources, employment conditions & law, workers' compensation, superannuation and more.
Exclusive Member Benefits
Receive exclusive discounts on a variety of products and services covering automotive, travel, technology and much more.
What our Members are Saying:
Dr Ben Davidson
Member since 2013
Dr Anika Young
Member since 2013
Dr Joshua Shea
Member since 2007
If you would like further information about any of our member benefits or joining the ACA, please contact us:
Copyright © 2018 Australian Chiropractors Association. All Rights Reserved.


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On Tuesday, while I was wiling away the time between the end of my class and starting work I finished Code Noir by Marianne De Pierres (review to follow after I've finished the one for The Night Circus), and even before I was done I knew what my next free pick would be: Raisins and Almonds by Kerry Greenwood.
Raisins and Almonds is the 9th book in the Phryne Fisher Mysteries (out of 18 so far) and I was excited to read it for a couple of reasons:
- Its been a while since I've read a Phryne book (I read the 8th book, Urn Burial February last year so its been a year! O.O) so I've been missing her detective antics and fabulous outfits 🙂 and;
- I've been in a Phryne mood because the premiere of Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries (which I talked about in my Top 10 Books I Would Like To See Adapted For The Screen post) has been approaching, and is tonight at 8.30 (eeeee! :D)!!
Even though I chose the book Tuesday night I haven't started it yet, being so caught up in the other books I'm reading, so I'm looking forward to starting it tonight after the premiere, and then it will most likely accompany me on the bus next week 🙂
The end of February is fast approaching so this will probably be my last Free Pick February book as I am not near the end of any of my current reads, and I will revert back to my usual eeny meeny miny moe process of elimination for March.
Also I will be closing my latest poll early next week so I can begin work on the Top 10 lists, and with one theme currently on 2 votes and the other on nil, it looks like the chosen theme will be Top 10 Heroes and Top 10 Villains.
Hope you all have a relaxing weekend and Happy Reading!


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GULFPORT -- Lights to warn of a dredging pipeline off the Biloxi shore had been taken down before Mark Barhanovich's boat struck a partially submerged pipeline and he died, a U.S. Coast Guard report shows.
The report, part of a lawsuit, said Barhanovich was familiar with the waterway and the dredging area had been lighted in the past, but the lights were taken down before Hurricane Isaac and had not been put back up, the report said.
Barhanovich died Sept. 12, 2012, in a boating accident reported about 6:20 a.m. It was dark and just before sunrise, the Coast Guard report said.
"The dredge pipeline should have been lighted," the report said.
The Coast Guard found four orange fenders, floats to raise up dredging pipes and identify them, tied to 3,800 feet of pipeline used for the Deer Island Restoration Project.
As Coast Guard personnel were leaving the scene about 3 p.m., they saw barge workers tying other fenders to the floating pipeline, according to the report.
The report gives some insight to a federal criminal charge filed Friday against C.F. Bean LLC, a Louisiana-based dredging company.
The widow and children of Barhanovich filed a lawsuit against C.F. Bean and Archer Western Contractors in 2013. They agreed to a settlement Sept. 5 but the money, an unspecified amount, has not been released to the family.
All parties agreed to file a motion to dismiss their claims in a telephone conference call on Monday. Court records show they will file their motions by Oct. 23 or sooner.
The original lawsuit was combined with other suits as the businesses counter-sued.


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When a "Heat Advisory" for 80 degree weather is issued on a coast that rarely sees 70 you throw your to do list out of the window. We did just that this weekend. Living by the ocean really can be the best thing in the world and it's even better when you wake up and have a day or two that feels like a vacation.
Our little beach town is so much different from the beaches I visited growing up. The coastline is cut by dramatic cliffs, made only more so when the fog rolls in to wrap them up in a cloud of mystery. But this weekend the wind slowed, the sun warmed, and the "bathing soup" came out for a glorious juxtaposition of the two kinds of beaches I love.
We pulled off 101 and made the short trek down to Moolack Beach eschewing the touristy crowds at our usual spots. At this point allow me to make one strong recommendation for your bucket list.
Experience a beach that feels as if it's all yours.
It's paradise no matter the weather.
The one constant out here? The Pacific waters where we are hover in the very crisp range of 50 and 55 degrees. It's wet suit mandatory kind of cold. For me that means no water will be touching my toes. Abigail, however, splashed until her little lips were quivering.
There was even more splashing when Olivia, Ollie, and Bella the beach dog showed up.
Thankfully this Coast Guard Helicopter was not going to rescue us or our potentially hypothermic daughter.
Thank you Coast Guard!
If that wasn't enough of a treat, we took our weekend to hot fudge sundae proportions when a trip to the valley resulted in a get together with friends we are missing and new running shoes for me!
Wagon Rides, of course!
Guard dog, Ella.
Oh and we did some of this, too.
Is it Friday yet?


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'55+ House' Now Helping the Homeless
More than 8,600 attendees at the International Builders' Show toured the 55+ House as one of the collection of Professional Builder's Show Village homes. Now, the show home has a new life.
The house was originally designed for Jim Chapman Communities in Atlanta, where it was a customer favorite. The modular builders at Nationwide Homes turned Chapman's floor plan into modules that could easily be put together on the parking lot behind the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando to demonstrate the features that 55+ customers find attractive.
But the 55+ House story didn't end there. After the show, the builders took apart the modules that made up the house, loaded them onto trucks and sent them off to Atlanta.
Once they arrived, Chapman donated the house to a group that worked with HomeAid Atlanta, the designated charity for the Greater Atlanta HBA. That group, Family Promise of Hall County, helps homeless families find stability by providing them with housing for 90 days while the family – supported by Family Promise – gets the support that will help them attain financial independence.
Family Promise raised $100,000 to transport and rebuild the home, which could have been sold for $300,000 in that market.
Last month, Chapman spoke at the ribbon-cutting ceremony, where he said he was "honored to be a part of the solution to help homeless children and their families regain stability in their lives."
Tags: IBS


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NYC Labor Against the War
10.8 Occupy Wall Street Report:
Rising Strong, Everywhere
Today: Occupy Chicago antiwar protesters unfurl giant Palestinian flag
– – – – – – –
"If the Occupy Wall Street protests included labour strikes, they would have the power to inflict heavy economic losses."
– – – – – – –
OWS Live
The Occupy Wall Street Press
What chance a general strike in Manhattan?
If the Occupy Wall Street protests included labour strikes, they would have the power to inflict heavy economic losses.
Michael Bloomberg: Occupy Wall Street is trying to destroy jobs
The New York mayor says the protests are 'not productive' given the importance of financial services to the city's economy.
672 School Jobs Are Lost in Largest Single-Agency Layoff Under Bloomberg
The laid-off workers are among the city's lowest paid. School aides make $14 an hour for four to eight hours of work a day, while parent coordinators and family workers are salaried employees whose pay is about $35,000 a year, according to union representatives.
OWS Letter of Solidarity with Bahrain healthcare workers
Letter of Solidarity with imprisoned Bahrain doctors and nurses from the Occupy Wall Street Medics.
From Tunisia to "Occupy Wall Street": Who is the AFL-CIO's Stuart Appelbaum?
These are the deeply reactionary and sinister circles in which Appelbaum lives and breathes. What he brings to the Occupy Wall Street protests is a ferocious hostility to the working class and to socialism. AFL-CIO officials such as this should be driven out of the protests as the agents of big business and political reaction that they are.
Who is the AFL's Stuart Appelbaum?: June 13 New York City Picket Tells Labor Officials to Dump Israel Bonds
Appelbaum has long traded on his image as a "progressive" labor leader to attack growing international trade union support for Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions against Israel. Recently, he has been at the forefront of a witch-hunt that banned supporters of Palestinian rights from meeting at the NYC LGBT Community Center.
Occupy America: protests against Wall Street and inequality hit 70 cities
The generation that opposed Vietnam has joined Facebook anarchists amid anger at tax breaks for the rich while ordinary folk tighten their belts
Amazing Pix: Occupy Wall Street Spreads Beyond NYC – Alan Taylor – In Focus – The Atlantic
Collected here are a some of the scenes from these protests across the U.S. over the past week, as the movement moves forward with no signs of slowing.
Protestors Mark 10th Year of Afghan War
Many of the protesters merged with about 100 people affiliated with another group — Occupy Chicago — which has been rallying in the financial district against corporate influence in government for more than two weeks. That group is a spinoff of anti-wall Street protests in New York.
Protesters rally in downtown Chicago
The anti-war marchers made a stop at President Obama's 2012 campaign headquarters in the Prudential Building, with some protesters likening Obama to many of his Republican predecessors in the way he is handling both the war and economy. The group held signs and chanted "This is what Democracy looks like," among other slogans. Part of the group, some carrying Palestinian flags, also stopped near the Israeli consulate near Wacker Drive and Michigan Avenue. While the marchers gathered on the 10th anniversary of the start of the Afghanistan War to call for an end to U.S. military action there, economic issues weren't far from protesters' minds.
Standoff with protesters closes D.C. museum – CBS News
The museum has an exhibit, "Military Unmanned Aerial Vehicles," that covers the history of unmanned aircraft and their current use as offensive weapons. Drones are often called the weapon of choice of the Obama administration, which quadrupled drone strikes against al Qaeda targets in Pakistan's lawless tribal areas, up from less than 50 under the Bush administration to more than 220 in the past three years.
USA Anti-War Afganistan Demonstration Pictures – Monsters and Critics
We have added a set of pictures of the Anti-War Demonstrators Protest on 10th Anniversay of Afghanistan War.
Hunger Strike Resumes in California Prisons as Sides Dig In
"I'm ready to take this all the way," J. Angel Martinez, one of the strike leaders at Pelican Bay State Prison, said in a message conveyed through a lawyer this week. "We are sick and tired of living like this and willing to die if that's what it takes."
The Irvine 11: Guilty of Being Muslims in America
It's OK, however, for Israel to occupy Palestine illegally, persecute its people, attack them lawlessly, imprison them en masse for demanding their rights, torture them to confess to crimes they didn't commit, steal their land, and wage war against defenseless civilians. It's also OK for America to supply billions of dollars in aid, the latest weapons and technology, and full support for Israel's worst crimes. Only victims are held accountable for wanting to live free in peace. Only supporters are vilified and prosecuted for courageously supporting what's right.
As students of this public university system, which claims to value and foster an environment for free speech, we call upon the UC Administration to stand by its values and protect and encourage peaceful student activism on campus.
Around the Globe, Workers Demand Decent Work – IPS ipsnews.net
Not only in Greece but workers from every corner of the world are resisting economic practices that they say reap profit for the wealthy by exploiting the labour of the average working person. A global wave of protest, buoyed by the ongoing Arab Spring, is crashing over capitals as far-flung as Tunis and Madrid, New York City and Beijing.
U.K.: Stop the War Coalition demo in London marks 10th anniversary of Afghan war
Hetty Bower, who was born in 1905, told demonstrators how she remembered the start of the first world war, and said "lies" were still told in order to justify conflict. "I hear my father clearly saying: 'So, we are at war. This is where the lies begin.' And begin they did," she said.
CHILE: Camila Vallejo — Latin America's 23-year-old new revolutionary folk hero
"For years, Chilean youth have been consumed by a neo-liberal model that highlights personal achievement and consumerism; it is all about mine, mine, mine. There is not a lot of empathy for the other," said Vallejo in her office, decorated with a large photograph of Karl Marx. "This movement has achieved just the opposite. The youth has taken control and revived and dignified politics. This comes hand in hand with the questioning of worn-out political models — all they have done is govern for big business and powerful economic groups."
BAHRAIN: Bahrain Shias mourn teen protester's death
Security forces opened fire with tear gas, sound grenades and rubber bullets, injuring at least 11 protesters, activists said.
SYRIA: Syrian security forces 'fire on mourners'
At least 13 people have been killed by security forces across Syria, according to the Syrian Revolution General Commission.


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Call EPA 24 hours a day.1300 372 842 (1300 EPA VIC)
Air quality is important to the health and wellbeing of all Victorians. Most air pollution comes from industry, motor vehicles and domestic wood burning.
EPA plays a role in protecting the community from noise pollution.
Human health and wellbeing relies on the quality of our environment every day.
Our reporting system lets you dob in litterers in cars.
Many industrial activities require works approvals and licences from EPA.
EPA helps protect Victorians' health from potential environmental hazards.
EPA works to protect Victoria from pollution during major infrastructure projects.
EPA periodically reviews environmental policy and regulation.
Guidance for business and industry, including licensing, works approvals and planning.
Information about the fees and charges levied by EPA.
EPA's organisational strategy sets out five goals and how we'll work with Victorians to achieve them.
EPA welcomes the recommendations of the Independent Inquiry into EPA.
EPA works with the community, businesses and other organisations to protect the environment.
EPA recognises staff who are leaders in the areas of air quality, inland water, marine water, waste, landfill, land and groundwater, and odour.
The process to submit complaints about the conduct of an EPA authorised officer.
On this page:
Latest information is on the Wyndham landfill works approval application page.
Since the last update of the Wyndham landfill works approval application pages:
To assist members of the community with their submissions on council's responses, EPA invited members of the public to attend an information session regarding WCC's proposal to extend operations within the boundaries of its current landfill on Wests Road, Werribee.
The event took place between 2pm-8pm on 1 August 2017 in meeting rooms at the Eagle Stadium, 35 Ballan Road, Werribee. Residents and interested persons were invited to come by at any time to learn more about:
The format of the session was an informal drop-in session and WCC and EPA representatives were available to answer questions. WCC provided brief presentations about their response to the requests for further information.
Members of the public were able to make written submissions in relation to the new information up until 5pm on 16 August 2017. As some community members did not receive their invitations to the 1 August 2017 information session, EPA hosted a second session on 23 August 2017. The venue and the format were the same as the first session, while the comments period was extended to 30 August 2017.
On 19 January 2017 EPA issued a notice (PDF 269KB) to WCC under section 22 of the Environment Protection Act requesting that the council supply further information on:
The extra information will help clarify the remaining aspects needed by EPA to undertake a thorough assessment of the works approval application.
On 12 April 2017 EPA issued a second notice (PDF 269KB) to WCC under section 22 of the Environment Protection Act. EPA has requested that the council supply further information to address the recommendations and questions raised in the 20B conference report.
Environment Protection Authority Victoria (EPA) conducted a consultation period on Wyndham City Council's (WCC) works approval application (see Background) between 14 December 2016 and 7 February 2017. Submissions were received via email, post and an online form.
EPA received over 170 submissions on the application. Due to the significant number of submissions, EPA hosted a conference between the applicants (WCC) and the submitters at 6 pm on 14 March 2017, at Werribee Park.
The consultation session with community members, known as a 20B conference, discussed the council's plans to extend operations within the boundaries of its current landfill. This session aimed to ensure EPA fully understands the community's concerns regarding the application.
The conference was conducted by an independent chairperson. Their report (PDF, 700KB) contains the summary of the feedback heard from the community and the independent chairperson's recommendations to EPA and WCC.
EPA will take into account the recommendations of the conference chair when making a decision on the application. On 12 April 2017 EPA made a formal request (under section 22 of the Act) to WCC for information to address the recommendations and questions raised in the 20B conference report.
Presenter: Tim Faragher, Manager Development Assessment Unit, EPA
This presentation talks about the works approval process, what stage it's at and the issues raised in submissions.
Presenter: Simon Clay, Manager Waste Management & Disposal City Operations, WCC
The council's presentation outlines what it is seeking approval for.
All comments received were considered if the name and address (street or email) of the person making the submission or objection were provided. Anonymous submissions or objections were not considered. Submissions and objections are treated as public documents.
Wyndham City Council (WCC) has applied to EPA for a works approval to extend its landfill at 470 Wests Road, Werribee (Wyndham landfill). WCC proposes to construct four new large landfill cell areas (each made up of multiple cells) and raise the height of existing cells 1A, 2 and 3.
Under this proposal, all cells will be filled to 44 m Australian Height Datum (AHD, essentially above sea level), which is the maximum height allowed under the planning scheme (44m AHD is about 22 m above ground level). The existing cells are currently filled to between 30 and 33 m AHD.
There is no proposal to accept prescribed industrial waste (including asbestos) onsite. The proposal is for disposal of putrescible waste, solid inert waste, and fill material (the same waste stream as for the existing cell 4C). EPA understands the site receives waste from across the Melbourne metropolitan area.
WCC needs both planning permit approval and EPA works approval. EPA understands the planning permit is already in place for this site.
Page last updated on 21 Aug 2018


text: STYLE Finally: The Row is Opening in L.A. 4:25 PM PDT 5/12/2014 by Stephanie Chan FACEBOOK TWITTER EMAIL ME Charles Sykes/Invision/AP Come Tuesday, Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen's luxury brand will have its first brick-and-mortar home on Melrose Place. We know where this week's paycheck is going. The time is nigh: Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen are opening The Row's first flagship store in L.A. on Tuesday. The address, 8440 Melrose Place, will be home to the designers' high-end luxury label, which they co-founded in 2006. Though the duo contemplated whether to open in L.A. or New York, the hidden location -- reflecting the brand's carefully crafted, minimal aesthetic -- was ultimately chosen as the brand's flagship, as it was the hair salon that the twins frequented as kids. PHOTOS: Sarah Jessica Parker, Zoe Saldana, Anna Wintour Arrive at the Met Gala "We had been coming here since we were, like, 10 years old," Ashley told WWD of the former Sally Hershberger and John Frieda space. "We are from here and The Row started here, so it was all very appropriate." We'll be sure to stop by the store -- with its courtyard swimming pool and a front referred to as the "library" (think black leather love seat and armchairs) -- to give you a full report on where to do some damage on your AmEx card. FACEBOOK TWITTER EMAIL ME Stephanie Chan email@example.com stephmchan


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All Sold Out By Alan Stroud
Island Advertising from Victorian Times to the Sixties.
This collection of advertisements is a companion to the 'Yesterday's Papers' series of books by the same author. Where they took a sideways glance at life on the Island between the years of 1884 and 1970 using County Press news reports, this book looks at some of the advertisements that accompanied those articles. The advertisements are a faithful barometer of Britain at any one point in time – as important a piece of social history as found in any text book. They provide a contemporary record of how life changed during those years and offer degree-course lessons in the fashions, sexual attitudes and culture of the twentieth century.
Published by Now and Then Books.


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There's a big difference between a book that is too long and a book that is very long. Leo Tolstoy's 'War And Peace' falls into the second category. There's no fat to trim; the story would lose its depth if any of its events or parenthetical essays were excluded. The book looks intimidating, but Tolstoy delivers. A novelist and historian, he took true events, as they happened during the 1800's, and made them relatable through his fictional characters. If Tolstoy says something happened on October 3rd of a certain year, you better believe it did.
'War And Peace' recounts the stories of five Russian families, and what they experience during and as a result of Napoleon's invasion of Russia. Most of it is exactly what you'd expect: Sons run off to war and die; women, portrayed of course as mousy and slavish as befits 19th century gals, swoon over soldiers and get engaged; and some of the social elite bury their heads in a sand consisting of parties and gossip. But then there's Pierre Bezukhov, the seeker, who encapsulates the book's theme. Pierre's life is one long searching for peace of mind. He looks for it "in philanthropy, in Freemasonry, in the dissipations of society, in wine, in heroic feats of self-sacrifice, and in romantic love," and does not find it. When he does find peace of mind, it comes as a surprise unlooked-for, and it comes by much simpler means than all I have listed.
I expected the two nouns in the title to refer to two separate settings, but war and peace occur simultaneously in the novel. Tolstoy uses war as a backdrop against which his characters— not only Bezukhov, though he is the most prominent— search for peace, and 'peace' is not defined as the absence of fighting but as a state of mind. This contrast sharpens the epiphanies of the characters and made for some solid re-thinking of my own ideas, especially in the areas of death and the free will of man.
One of the most emotionally profound instances in the book takes place while Bezukhov is a prisoner of war. Having been captured by the French, he trudges along with the other prisoners until some of them irk one of the more important French guys. Half a dozen of the prisoners are lined up and shot, and Tolstoy (through Bezukhov's eyes) zooms in on the faces of both the condemned men and the ones doing the shooting. Tolstoy doesn't stamp "murderer" on the foreheads of the executioners; instead he describes their uncertainty and the dichotomy between what they are being told to do and what they think is right. The condemned men are no less complex. One goes before the guns with a smile on his face; another seems perfectly at his ease; one is a young guy, maybe my age, who is so consumed with contemplation that his expression doesn't change when he passes from life to death. When the march resumes, his is the face that Bezukhov looks at again.
'War And Peace' manages to mix edifying, entertaining, and educating, without being too heavy-handed with any of the ingredients. It's a balanced novel, and very sure-footed. The pace never changes; there is no introduction, no rising action, climax, or falling action. The trick in reading the book is to pace yourself. Try and read it too quickly and I guarantee you'll get frustrated to the point of nausea. But I can't recommend dawdling, either— if you give yourself too much time the danger becomes forgetting too much of the subtler stuff to make the reading worthwhile. And it is certainly worth reading, and not just for bookworm cred. You're not supposed to judge a book by its cover, but it's obvious just by looking at it that Tolstoy had a lot to say.


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But we will spend the weekend together ♪
So, on we go!
We recently noticed that we usually meet up when the rest of our 'gang' is coming, too XD
This is really strange because when we were younger, we used to spend many days just the two of us, looking for pretty bags, trying to do webdesign [and totally failing at it, at least me] and eating Golden Toast Croissants. Good ol' times, eh?
Anyway, both is fun, meeting up with a group of friends and meeting just one friend.
So yesterday, we went shopping. Both of us snatched some really cool pieces, but actually we talked more than we shopped ;;
First we went to Starbucks and had Vanilla Latte since it was Glamour Shopping Week. We got 2 drinks for one ♪ Amazing, right? Especially since Starbucks is super pricey :/
Next we went to a store where Sue spotted the perfect uni bag ♥ She bought it after Ballet class when I was already home.
Some of you might remember George, Gina& Lucy bags because they were totally hyped when we were around 14 years old. At least in my town. And whether or not you like them, I guess you have to admitt how useful they are. The material is like unbreakable;; the bag doesn't mind when it gets wet and they are not too heavy. I'd say they are the more 'cool' and 'rock-ish' alternative to Longchamp for many school girls. If you don't know what I am talking about, have a look here
The two of us ♪ In Deichmann, haha ~
I bought a pair of really pretty shoes there. They were not expensive at all and I've been looking for these kind of boots...like everywhere. It was the last pair and they had my size! Fate?!
We also had a look at Primark and discussed child labour a little. It makes me really sad that so many stores, even the ones you wouldn't expect to do it, use children to make their production cheaper. On the one hand, you shouldn't support it because it is morally not correct. On the other hand, if you don't buy their products, these children can't make a living for themselves and their families.It's a whole pro and contra thing, really.
Have you heard about the scandal around Zara?:(
Okay, let's get back to shopping ;D I don't want to make anyone sad. Everybody has to make a decision for themselves. I personally will continue to shop at Primark and Zara, but not too much.
At Pimkie [I didn't enter this store in years] I bought a pair of shorts and then Vero Moda also had something nice ♪ >//< A super cute top. With lace *-* Sue sad that she's probably gonna buy it as well because it is so simple yet so pretty ♥
The shorts fit perfectly ♥ Now I kinda get the feeling that I really am a size 36 (UK10), not a 34, not a 38, and that I could order clothes online because they will fit. Before I wasn't so sure of that but it turns out really everything I bought in the last 2 years or so is a 36. hm ♥
Here is the top ♥ It's just white so I'm showing you the bottom part~
At some point we took a break and went to 'backfactory' :D But no picture of that because their stuff is tasty and cheap but not very pretty ^^"
Before Sue and me met, I bought this here. Certain bloggers ('cough Julia, cough') said they love Essie nailpolish and that it would last long ♥ My nails are super short and dead at the moment tho.
This is 'Go Ginza'. Whatever that means.
I'm always so 'greedy'. When I get new clothes, I want to wear them immediately.
Sorry for the blurry picture.
It was a super lovely day, Sue ♪
I hope we can meet again soon :)
Ps: Out of randomness. I found this and I have no idea what to think of myself (and my friends) back in 7th grade :D
I'm not gonna translate the first part, but the 'treaty' underneath says:
"Keysire, Losnn and Roman happily declare themselves to be 'anti-croissant' for one week. Signature: I won't eat any chocolate croissant for one week'. WTF?! XDD Were we that addicted? They surely taste nice though.


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May 31, 2020 - Latest: What has happened to markets this year? by Darius McDermott
18th April 2013
The OFT is researching the 'quick house sale' market and is calling for people who have used, or considered using, these businesses to contact the OFT about their experiences.
Quick house sale providers offer to buy a house or find a third party buyer very quickly, usually at a discount from the full market value. While providers may offer a valuable service, the OFT is concerned that some practices might lead to homeowners receiving much less for their property than it is worth and that any losses could be very high.
The OFT says it is particularly concerned about the risks to people in financial difficulty – including those who have worked up large amounts of debt or are facing repossession. Consumers at risk may also include those who need to sell their property quickly following a relationship breakdown or the elderly, who might need money to pay for their care.
The OFT has listed the sort of practices that would give rise to concern below:
The OFT has asked over 50 quick house sale firms to provide information on their business models and practices and would welcome evidence from people with experience of this sector, including valuation experts, estate agents, debt advisors and home owners.
Cavendish Elithorn, OFT Senior Director for Goods and Consumer, says: "Businesses offering quick house sales may provide a useful service for homeowners who need to unlock cash in a hurry. However, they are often used by consumers in vulnerable situations and therefore we are concerned about the risk of consumers being misled and losing out on large sums of money.
'We want to hear from anyone who has used a quick house sale provider, whether they have had a good or bad experience with the business. We will protect the confidence of anyone who contacts us and their information will be invaluable in helping us to build up a picture of the market and establish whether we need to take action.'
Christopher Woolard, Director of Policy, Risk and Research at the Financial Conduct Authority, says: "We welcome the OFT's market study. Consumers facing repossession of their home are in a very vulnerable position and it is important that they are not pressured into making poor decisions. 'This market study is an important piece of work that will explore current practices in the market and, where necessary, make recommendations to improve outcomes for these vulnerable consumers. We will continue to work with the OFT and others to address any concerns in this market."
Hi Shaun,
Two main themes on your blog today, the very sensitive energy situation of the UK and the blatantly biased propaganda organ of what had become the BBC: a mere tabloid.
Think for yourself! Read everything, listen to everything, but believe nothing no matter where you read it or who said it, not even if I said it, until you've researched it yourself and it agrees with your own reason and your own common sense!- Gautama
I am glad to the development of the Internet and the rise of alternative media where much relevant and accurate information can be found and to follow independent observers such as yourself as well as critical thinkers commenting on blogs such as yours.
Japan plans to have a power plant in space in a decade…
Amazing, thanks for the link.
Hi Just a thought
Thanks for the link, I did enjoy the reply from someone who had seen the idea in Futurama! Actually I think I recall Arthur C Clarke suggesting some of the ideas in play here.
If there is a weak link it is the idea of the tether, It had better work as I suspect that none of us want to be in the focus of that microwave beam.
UCG – Bill Bryson writes about burning coal mines, when they play with coal underground – the engineers in charge are doing lots of guess work. They take risks and subsequent problems are a surprise.
Coal extraction has proved a dangerous business for miners. It has also blighted many towns with subsidence or even wiped them off the map in open cast mining. Coal is very dirty and bad for the environment.
It is a big and urgent question how we power our society going forward. Nuclear fusion is on a back burner – always another 40 years away. I'd recommend adding some urgency to this research.
Hi ExpatInBG
I hope that engineers and physicist are researching thorium too.I have watched many of Professor Jim Al-Khallili's documentaries on BBC 4 ( The Atom, The Elements etc..) and was quite struck bu his remark that he and colleagues studied thorium some 20/25 years ago then everybody seemed to forget it.
Yes, another underfunded scientific project. Our useless politicians waste incredible sums on useless agricultural subsidies, worthless bank subsidies, counterproductive solar subsidies, CO2 emitting Strasburg trips etc.
With resources and determination, human ingenuity is amazing. The Manhattan project delivered in under 5 years. JFK's moon shot was realised within the decade. With leadership, energy is a solvable problem
Hello Shaun,
we can all see that for oil world wide that the price has remained in the 100$ plus range through what is considered the worse economic recession since the 30's
Also ref: " …The units used are "years left" i.e. how many years of internal oil
consumption (at the current rate) could be provided for by existing
reserves. .."
The words "at the current rate " are the ones that mean NO GROWTH , and wel all know thats poppy cock !
I read that the "Limits to Growth" was revised but even still the timeing for all the major issues was 2010 , hmm, I suggest we wait until 2015 , something is up and its probably the oil price 😉
Just a thought has it correct – think for yourself and check the web
Just today we see the HMG are renageing on Solar power , in itself it won't solve the problems
oh Shaun , can we afford to import all our oil ,coal and gas? Oil itself I think was predicted to cost 25billion by 2015………. yikes !
No worries we'll just QE it ….
Hi Forbin
You pointed out a while ago the way the oil price seemed tightly fixed to US $108 per barrel (Brent Crude) and as of Friday it was US $109.75.
Good post, and you hit on the obvious relevance for the Scottish referendum.
There are two points here. The first is that the figures for our oil reserves are simply not credible – the UK consumes around 1.7 million barrels a day, say 600 million barrels a year, which implies that Anglia Ruskin think the North Sea has just over 3 billion barrels left. No-one in the industry pitches the figure that low, or even close, and the Anglia Ruskin report gives no evidence to back their figures up.
Secondly, the BBC report is about the most shoddy journalism I have seen for a long time – sensationalist and totally unchallenging of some frankly very odd claims. Is there nobody at the BBC who notices that this is so much lower than their own figures – see http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-26326117 .
Hi John
Thank you and welcome to my part of the blogosphere.
The bit that was the least credible was the claim about our coal reserves which contradicted pretty much everything I have ever read on the subject. As to the BBC it has now rewritten much of the article which I presumed happened after the majority of people read it. Whilst I am a fan of correcting errors there is also the danger of rewriting history.
This is not new conduct. by either the climate Ayatollah Harrabin, or the disgraceful BBC.
Obviously, how much oil is extracted from the North Sea depends upon how financially efficient it is to do so, and the major defining factor in this is the price of oil itself.
The BBC bangs on about the OBR's forecasts for oil revenues, and will not, despite prodding, publish the DECC's forecast for oil prices alongside the OBR's. (The DECC's forecast for oil prices is almost 50% higher)
The BBC knows, full well that there are 40 years of oil supply from the North Sea, and who knows how much west of Shetland?
There are 2.4m homes in Scotland, and the BBC stands to lose £350m in licence fees in the event of Scottish independence, and is ignoring its charter with the collusion of the UK govt. and stonewalling any complaints about its behaviour.
Hi therrawbuzzin
You are entirely right to point out that an estimate of reserves depends on the price of it. Furthermore as the reserves fall the price is likely to rise leading to the likelihood of more reserves being found or being economic to exploit. Of course that assumes an element of free markets which is a moot point at this time.
You may enjoy this from the carbon brief.
"It turns out that the UK has been 'running out' of oil for decades. In fact, the UK has had much less than 15 years of oil reserves remaining for the past 30 years"
Eventually it will not be financial efficiency which will determine recoverability, but energy efficiency.
Electricity from the tides? There are plans afoot to build a tidal lagoon in
Swansea Bay which claims it would power over 100k houses in Swansea.
Will it happen? Strange how some renewables are favoured eg wind….so why not tides – power twice a day for the forseeable future! Also, they provide jobs, leisure facilities, can reduce erosion and control flooding. They can be built quickly compared to Nuclear … 2 years rather than 10. So a relatively modest outlay (Swansea £850M) with a quick return is more likely to be funded privately (vs £10B for Nuclear) … I quite fancy a few shares in a lagoon fund!
Tidal power is commercially viable. Unfortunately it can only supply a small fraction of Britain's electricity demand.
so it is not true? what a surpise
Good post.
I feel sure the BBC was worthy of respect once. Maybe I have just become more cynical?
South Korea is building a Tidal Barrage (800MW) – completion 2015. It proposes a further Tidal Barrage (1300MW) to start 2017. China is building them too.
The Swansea Bay lagoon should produce 400MW and is considered a SMALL lagoon.
Professor Roger Falconer (Director of the Hydro-environmental Research Centre at Cardiff University) wrote that a combination of a Severn Barrage
and Lagoons around Llandudno, Colwyn Bay, Towyn, Rhyl and Prestatyn
could provide most of Wales electricity needs, protection against
coastal erosion and rising sea levels.
From a supplement of the Western Mail.
A Somerset Levels lagoon could provide power and sort the flooding problem.
Then there's the Mersey, Morecambe Bay, the Clyde…..
That or they are prepping us for an announcement on new nuclear reactors ….
Hi Dutch
Critiques of our political class are fine! Also I knew that there were hints of this in the article itself in spite of the fact that the BBC has re-written it!
Anyway this bit seems unchanged.
"Professor Anderson said: "Coal, oil and gas resources in Europe are running down and we need alternatives.
"The UK urgently needs to be part of a Europe-wide drive to expand renewable energy sources such as wave, wind, tidal, and solar power."
Hi ExpatInBG
It seems you may have been rather prescient in your choice of country.
"with Bulgaria having 34 years of coal left."
If that is as accurate as the other data in the report then it will be more like 300 years…
In 1994 a friend's friend & geology grad went to West Germany. He'd been taught the communist supplied Bulgaria maps were a state secret, imagine his surprise to find better maps on sale in an ordinary book store.
Any Bulgarian coal reserve numbers want a large error margin – whatever source that report used.


text:
On trying to create a suitable picture for my anthology cover, I took a few more garden pics which I may as well share…
2 thoughts on "more in the garden"
Tricia says:
Your photos are beautiful, as usual. What a relaxing place your garden must be!RYC: My sister and I began coloring our hair when we started getting our mother's premature gray (she had gone almost completely gray by the time she was 38) – otherwise, I don't know that we would have gone that route. Well, K might have, judging by the blonde locks she's sporting now, but I probably wouldn't. We just aren't as enamored by the "natural" look, especially when that means gray/white skunk stripes, lol!
Matt Wright says:
Your garden looks lovely. And you are a very gifted photographer! Have I met you by the way? I'm really grateful for your comments on my blog. I love how we can all help each other grow in Christ together via what until recently for me was a very unlikely medium in cyberspace…the thing we call the blog! Have you been blogging for a while?:)


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Turkana power line halt signals high bills
Friday May 18 2018
A Nyandarua farmer has obtained court orders stopping construction of the electricity transmission line linking Lake Turkana wind farm to the national grid in a move that could cost consumers billions of shillings in additional penalties payable to the power producer.
The flower farm, Afriscan (Kenya Limited), says construction of the line cannot continue until it is paid a Sh2.7 billion compensation for the planned acquisition of its land for purposes of building the line.
Afriscan argues that construction of the powerline across its farm has destroyed matured flowers, an irrigation system and other assets grounding its operations.
This means that Power China Guizhou Engineering Company, which won the tender to complete the line, has to suspend the work in that section of the line until the court issues fresh orders.
Construction of the powerline, which started in November 2015, is way behind schedule, having been delayed by land compensation demands and last year's termination of the Isolux contract.
The delay has seen the wind power producer claim billions of shillings in fines that were built in the contract – a cost that has been passed on to taxpayers.
Homes and businesses will from September incur a penalty of Sh1 billion in monthly electricity bills after Kenya's failure to connect Lake Turkana Wind Power to the grid.
Delays in construction of the 428-kilometre power line have hampered electricity evacuation from the northern town of Marsabit to Suswa substation in Narok, the country's main interchange for power coming from different sources.
This has left the wind farm developers stranded with power since last year amid pressing cash needs such as loans repayment, an obligation that taxpayers will shoulder.
The Treasury wired Sh5.7 billion to Lake Turkana last September and the fine will be recovered this year from consumers via monthly bills.
"This application is hereby certified urgent and should be served upon the respondent within seven days for inter parties hearing on May 23, 2018," Justice Mary Oundo said even as she ordered that the status quo be maintained.
The flower farm is seeking Sh1.16 billion compensation for destroyed crops and lost earnings since February last year and Sh1.6 billion to cover the infrastructure.
Kenya Electricity Transmission Company (Ketraco) and the Chinese contractor are listed as respondents.
Benjamin Mwangi, the proprietor of the flower farm, says in court documents that Ketraco has engaged him in cat and mouse games, shifting goal posts even as the flowers are wasting away exposing him to huge losses.
Afriscan claims that it entered an agreement with Ketraco in February 2015 to allow the power lines pass through the farm subject to prompt compensation. But no compensation has been forthcoming even as his crops are destroyed, his high voltage lighting system destroyed further increasing his losses.
Mr Mwangi says Ketraco has refused to pay him even after it forcibly entered the farm in February 2017 to begin construction work.
The flower firm also accuses the Agriculture and Food Authority of attempting to defraud it off its assets by omitting the infrastructure aspect from the report it submitted to Ketraco in February 2018.
The firm says it has taken a number of loans to develop the farm and that it is facing heavy losses due to default.
Further, Afriscan has produced agreements signed with international firms on delivery of fresh flowers, it says could expose it to claims running into billions for breach of contract.
The flower firm says an agricultural extension officer submitted to Ketraco an assessment of the damage at only Sh11.7 million in April 2017, which it rejected.
The extension officer in May 2017 presented another assessment of Sh729 million, which the flower firm says Ketraco never disclosed to it.
In February 2018, FAA presented to Ketraco a fresh assessment report of Sh757 million that covered crop damages, but excluded infrastructure.
Afriscan says it gave Ketraco an offer of Sh447 million as an advance compensation, which the state firm allegedly ignored.


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If you've seen girls selling boxesof cookies just outside Palm Beach's Publix or the Publix at CityPlace, you know it's a grand time of year—that all-too-short three-week blessing known as Girl Scout cookie season.
So many Girl Scout cookies—thin mints, samoas and more—and so little time as Girl Scouts sell them (hours and days vary) through Feb. 14 outside the island's Publix, 135 Bradley Place; at CityPlace's Publix, 375 S. County Road; and elsewhere (see www.gssef.org for sales-location and other information).
There are many ways to enjoy GS cookies, too—dunked in milk, crumbled over ice cream, frozen from the freezer, paired with a glass of wine.
That's up to you, but the folks at Vivino wine app—its users can take a photo of a wine label or wine list and receive ratings, reviews and average price—think it's a great idea and they've put together a list of wine pairings for Girl Scout cookies.
The pairings were selected by Vivino partner and wine expert Tracy Byrnes, and Jessica Norris, wine director at Del Frisco's Double Eagle Steakhouse in New York City.
For Thin Mints, they chose Brunello because the wine's tart, dried red fruit and herbal tones pack enough punch to cut through the chocolate in the cookie.
Other cookie-and-wine pairings (for the full list, see www.vivino.com):Caramel de Lites or Samoas with Rioja. An aged Rioja can stand up to the caramel/chocolate/coconut cookies and their multi-flavored profile.Trefoils with German Riesling: The simple shortbread cookie doesn't require more than an off-dry German Riesling.Cranberry Citrus Crisps with New Zealand Pinot Noir: The wine's bright red fruit complements the cookie's citrus flavors.Savannah Smiles with Sancerre: A Sancerre both cuts and enhances the sweetness of the lemon-flavored cookies.Trios with Washington State Syrah. The dark berry flavors of Washington State Syrah complement the peanut butter-and-chocolate chip oatmeal cookies.


text:
A unit of office lot in Gurney Tower is now for rent at RM1500 per month and for sale at RM350K, about 652sf, freehold. Renovated and manager rooms available, 2 air cons, pool view.
Thursday, September 12, 2013
Pool Viewing Gurney Tower Renovated Office Lot For Rent And For Sale
Posted by rayloo at 3:21 PM
Labels: 1 Sty Office For Sale, 1 Sty Shop For Rent
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text:
By DANIEL RUSSELL
The role of human resources (HR) has changed drastically in recent years from administrator and policy enforcer to strategic business partner.
Today, chief executive officers see HR strategy as a key piece to enabling business sustainability and growth.
Business leaders have higher expectations of HR professionals to be true experts on workforce trends, employee data, and translating business strategies into high impact people initiatives.
The Global Human Capital Trends 2014 report by Deloitte Consulting shows 42% of global companies report that the impact of HR operations on organisational success is "weak" and 85% of global companies believe they must "transform HR to meet new business priorities".
Even while transforming HR, many organisations fail to retrain the HR professionals to enable them to execute more strategic and sophisticated HR operating models.
Misalignment of business and HR goals
While most HR organisations feel confident in their traditional operational and transactional roles (e.g. recruiting, performance management, and compensation planning), they lack confidence in addressing the more complex areas of talent management, business change, analytics, and globalisation.
Today, HR is being measured by its ability to strategically manage talent in a way that aligns with specific business goals.
Unfortunately, a chasm between HR and "core business" still exists and performance indicators for HR are rarely aligned to overall organisational goals nor are "HR goals" included in line with manager KPIs (key performance indicators).
There are a number of unintended consequences resulting from underskilled HR professionals:
- Internal customers fail to adopt appropriate HR processes (e.g. HR shared services).
- Loss of credibility as trusted adviser or strategic partner within the business.
- Conflicts within the HR organisation as to who should engage with a client group on specific topics.
- Low internal customer satisfaction with HR programmes stemming from an inability to understand and customise solutions for business needs.
Deloitte's Global Human Capital Trends 2014: South-East Asia report found that "Reskilling the HR function" was the biggest HR readiness gap for South-East Asian respondents.
Only 30% of respondents felt their HR function has the skills needed to meet the needs of today's business environment and 48% listed it as a key challenge.
The report explains that a large proportion of South-East Asian companies have been either family owned or government linked.
As such, many of the strategic "people decisions" were made at the family, government, or business level, thus leaving HR to only focus on tactical operations.
As businesses in South-East Asia today compete on a global scale, leaders expect local HR professionals to level up to their peers from other multinational companies.
Even while organisations work to restructure and transform their HR function, most have not placed the time and investment into redefining the competency model for HR professionals and upskilling talent for these redefined roles.
The most common reason for this problem is, "we don't have the time and resources to spend on HR's needs."
The many hats of HR professionals
Acting as an internal managing consultant, HR professionals take on multiple roles including employee advocate, business ally, talent manager, change facilitator, and implementation leader.
Researchers Choi Sang Long and Wan Khairuzzaman Wan Ismail from Universiti Teknologi Malaysia surveyed (study published in 2010) HR professionals using HR guru Dave Ulrich's "Four Roles" model of HR:
- Strategic partner
- Administrative expert
- Employee champion, and
- Change agent.
They found that HR professionals are still especially weak in the roles of strategic partner and change agent.
Relatedly, Deloitte's research found that HR's ability to be a consultative trusted advisor to business was the most critical factor in HR effectiveness. These findings clearly point to a critical need for Malaysia's HR to upskill in key areas.
Upskilling as "strategic partners" and "change agents" sounds good, but what does it really mean in terms of new skills and behaviours?
HR as strategic partner
Being a strategic partner (and the corollary trusted adviser) requires HR to become much more skilled in business acumen and analytics.
Many HR professionals locally implement programmes based on "best practices" from aspirational companies like Google, Apple, or Facebook without really thinking through the relevance and business case for the practice within their own company.
HR professionals today must, at the very least, be able to accurately measure and interpret basic HR data like turnover, absenteeism, time to hire, employee demographics, compensation, and other foundational data.
To become a true strategic partner, HR must be able to marry these basic HR data to business results.
For example, HR should be able to advise line management on the cost of turnover by calculating average daily productivity per employee times the average number of days it takes to fill a vacancy once an employee quits.
This simple analysis can be used to demonstrate the cost effectiveness of retaining employees over lost productivity. Unfortunately, most HR practitioners today do not have a handle even on the most basic HR metrics.
HR as change agent
The ability to transform HR into a change agent depends on the credibility HR creates first as a strategic partner.
The transformation goes beyond simply understanding and managing change to boldly demanding that business takes notice of the hard data and pointing to opportunities to unlock business value through HR programmes.
HR leaders need to take risks by holding themselves accountable for business results and also demanding that line management take accountability for their part in high impact HR programmes.
For example, once a business case has been made and accepted for managers to mentor junior staff (e.g. to reduce turnover and accelerate leader readiness resulting in sustainable business growth), those managers should be held accountable for following through just like any other business critical KPI.
To build credibility and relevance, HR needs to get out of the HR department and learn more about the business.
Ulrich recommends that HR leaders get out and accompany sales and operations leaders in client meetings to learn more about the company's value proposition, key differentiators, and challenges.
He suggests simply telling clients that they are so important that HR wants to ensure that their policies and programmes facilitate employees to delivering better.
Most HR practitioners today are too fearful to even suggest talking with external clients. Clearly, building credibility and boldness is required to truly become a high impact HR professional.
In 2014, TalentCorp Malaysia launched its support of five HR certification programmes, saying:
"In order to attract, develop, retain the top talent required for Malaysia to reach her ambition of a developed economy by 2020, it is imperative that we raise the bar of the HR profession to improve the workplace practices and talent management initiatives in their organisations."
This programme is a huge step in the right direction. However, this is only a first step as these certifications cover only the foundational essentials of HR content knowledge.
The critical areas of business acumen, analytics, and consultative skills are outside the scope of these entry level HR certifications.
Business leaders are clearly demanding that HR professionals upskill and engage in high impact HR.
The chief human resources officer should play the role of championing the HR team's transformation from service provider to business consultant.
Critical starting points include:
- Investing in HR professional development.Benchmarks show that average HR teams spend around US$500 (RM1,800) on training, development, research, and tools.
High-impact HR teams spend between two and five times as much! HR oriented, off-the-shelf training programmes will not address the most critical needs.
- Elevate and deepen the business partner role.High impact HR professionals include highly trained expert HR business partners, networks of deep HR specialists, all supported by HR service centres for transactional work.
- Focus on the highest impact critical skills.Business acumen, analytics, and consultative skills are the most important areas to focus in the near term.
Reskilling for high-impact HR is not about training and certification in traditional HR skills but rather about tying HR to business impact through business acumen, analytic insights, and change leadership.
- Conduct self-assessments.Clearly define roles and honestly benchmark skills and effectiveness against like companies. Where is your team strong and where is it weak?
- Deploy against business goals.Consider HR to be an internal consulting organisation and deploy your best HR talent against the business's most pressing needs.
Cross pollinate HR with business professionals and pair them with strong content experts to cross train and upskill both.
- Improve measurement for HR.Measure HR based on talent metrics (quality of hire, retention) and related business results (lower expenses, improved revenue) so that HR is more responsible for outcomes.
Likewise, cascade talent goals (holding performance conversations, mentoring, recruiting referrals) to business leaders so they share responsibility for people practices which drive business performance.
While businesses across Asean are poised for growth, a key limiting factor is the scarcity of skilled talent. Organisations that can better manage talent will see their effectiveness, market value, and reputation improve.
Unfortunately, most HR teams are not up to the job to drive performance in leadership development, workforce planning, analytics, and business insights. Upskilling HR is critical to business sustainability and future growth.
Related article: Can You Afford Not To Upskill Your HR Team?
For more HR Talk articles, click here.
Published in English daily The Star, Malaysia, 4 April 2015
Daniel Russell is a partner at the management psychology firm RHR International. He has been researching destructive leadership since 1991 and has published research articles and professional papers on leadership assessment and development, talent acquisition, and workforce analytics.


text:
Year : 2010
Style : Death Metal
Country : Czech Republic
Audio : 320 kbps + all scans
Size : 134 mb
Tortharry are one of the longest running Czech metal bands and almost iconic stalwarts of the Czech death metal scene. Their popularity in this country and abroad is based on their clearly defined style, their way above average musicianship and – even after more than 25 years of existence – on their undying enthusiasm for gigging and songwriting. They started their career with the demo tape called "Mezi nebem a Peklem". From this time they recorded another two demo tapes and eight full length albums when album " Follow" released in 2013 was especially well-rated. This band experienced few personal changes over the years but it never stopped them.They played a lot of live shows on the worldwide festivals and club stages and tours a lot including gigs with the phenomenal cult band Death, the Brazilian icon Sepultura, as well as a South American tour with Gorgoroth and Belphegor. In February 2017 they toured over the Mexico and we can as well find them on many compilations CD over the world.This year their 9th album will come out after long 5 years and rest assured the guys still have a lot to show!
Material news is definitely one of the better things to hear from the band in recent years. So TORTHARRY are worthy of high marks, though they did not come up with anything new, but they made an above-average Czech album? In the context of the world scene, the album is more of an average, but after considering all the pro (sound, production, packaging, energy) and against (stereotypically mature), Beneath is a fucking portion of "deadly metal" on the domestic scene.TORTHARRY. If I do not remember, next year it will be twenty years since their first demo came between heaven and hell. But before it is celebrated, a new line comes out, named Beneath. The seventh album, just like the previous Round Table of Suicide, is made in a beautiful digipack design. As for graphics, I have to admit that this time the band really did matter. It's not like wildlife like this, but it corresponds to music at all points. Moreover, the logo of the Austrian Noise Head, but the Czech MetalGate publishing house is no longer on the packaging! A new one from Stani Valáška's (Sopa studio) plays my ear "more metallically" than the previous attempt from Shaarka. In addition, the sound is dense.honestly made death metal Made in CZ. You will know from every tone that the gentlemen have already done something. It's been a long time since they tried to make every kind of "coup" and stylish tumbling. Beneath is cut from the base of the deepest death metal, TORTHARRY does not allow him any compromise. It's either, or. The first Voiceless Storm is a cruel ride!The songs are striking and when you read the Czech translations in the booklet, they fit into the music to 100%. It is a fact that the Hrons are not such "technicians" as GODLESS TRUTH, but occasional attempts (see the title Beneath) make their music beautifully appropriated. When I mentioned the Olomouc part, I might have something new to the "Šimečkovska". But what I think is the most important part of the work is the atmosphere. The "Density" of the recording, WHAT is the line from the boxes when listening to it. When Heatley rises in you during the Fourth Call of Angry lyrics, you literally believe him every word! And the tension that makes him feel his voice, the record only testifies.Beneath is not a playlist that overturns the history of the domestic death metal. It's a frank and heart-made robot. If the boys are still ambitious to dig out, it remains a question ... but it is definitely in the first league on the local court. When they prepare the ground by selecting a studio, they are won.Material news is also one of the better things I've heard of in the last few years. Although they are not quite classic "hits", concert "tutook" here we find enough. What do you want more? The revolution is simply not going, but nobody would have expected it here, would it?The final evaluation should take into account two factors. Whether the TORTHARRY are worthy of high marks just because they did not come up with anything new, but they also shot an above-average Czech album. In the context of the world scene, Beneath is rather average, but it is a fucking portion of "deadly metal" in domestic conditions.
Line Up:
Dan "Heatley" Pavlík Guitars, Vocals
Martin "Lemy" Vacek Bass, Vocals (backing)
Martin "Máca" Hrubý Guitars, Vocals (backing)
Jiří "Panther" Rosa Drums
01. Voiceless Storm 03:20
02. Entrenched 03:33
03. Beneath 03:18
04. Request 03:54
05. Behind the Curtain 04:10
06. In the Shadow 03:30
07. Through the Ice 03:27
08. Deep Down (And in My Embrace) 04:23
09. The Camp 04:53
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text: Last week I entered Thailand at the koh kong/Hadlek border on my Cambo registered DRZ. For the first time in 6 years I was asked for Thai insurance at this border. Didnt have any so bought it from Thai Customs on the border Cost as follows :1 year insurance Bt 600 :VAT Bt 45 :Customs handling charge Bt 200 :Total Bt 845 As far as I know, one year is the minimum, unlike Laos where the border officials issued me with 20 days coverage.