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Over the past few years, the collapse of New England cod stocks, and the growing restrictions placed on the northeast groundfishing fleet, has been a bigger and bigger part of the fisheries news. We hear a lot of talk about fishermen selling their boats and going out of business as a result of strict regulations, but it is sometimes difficult to get a good feeling for what's going on.
There is no question that groundfish landings are far smaller than they were a generation ago.
According to the National Marine Fisheries Service's reports of commercial landings, recent cod harvest peaked in 1990, when over 96,000,000 pounds were landed. By 2000, that figure had dropped to just 25,000,000 pounds, and fell even farther, to a little over 5,000,000 pounds, in 2013. This year, the figure will be much smaller.
Of course, groundfish boats catch a lot of fish other than groundfish. The question is whether such other species will be enough to keep them afloat.
A recent study released by the Measuring the Effects of Catch Shares Project provides a good first look at the recent landings of vessels with limited access groundfish permits.
The data set used in the study begins in 2007, when cod landings were nearly 17,000,000 pounds, and extends through 2013.
Throughout that period, cod and other groundfish never comprised much more than a quarter of the overall landings of the groundfishing fleet, with the exact proportion ranging from a high of 26.9% in 2009 (when cod landings totaled nearly 20,000,000 pounds), to a low of 16.5% in 2013.
Thus, groundfish regulations had a lesser overall impact on the income of the fleet than they would have if the various groundfish species made up a majority of the catch. Still, there is no question that the groundfish restrictions have been painful.
That pain wasn't shared equally among all of the vessels. Researchers found that vessels in the 30 to 50 foot range, which includes many boats in the fleet, had a much greater dependence upon groundfish than either smaller or larger boats. Smaller vessels, which fish inshore waters for a greater variety of species, had the least dependence on the groundfish resource.
Although the poundage of groundfish landed fell from 70,000,000 in 2007 to 42,000,000 in 2013, the poundage of non-groundfish species landed remained relatively consistent. In 2007, groundfish boats landed about 214,000,000 of non-groundfish species; in 2013, that figure was essentially unchanged (although it did vary between 221,000,000 pounds and 183,000,000 pounds in the interim.
Unfortunately, from an economic standpoint, all species are not equal.
For the most part, groundfish are pretty valuable. In 2013, the average ex vessel price for cod was about $2.10 per pound, while haddock was worth around $1.45 and yellowtail flounder about the same.
The value of non-groundfish species varies widely, and some ports are able to fish on more valuable species than are available elsewhere. In that regard, southern groundfish ports—those south and west of Chatham, Massachusetts—have more valuable non-groundfish species available to them than do ports in northern New England.
The study found that the primary non-groundfish targets of the southern groundfish boats are monkfish, which sold for $0.95 per pound in 2013, skates, which brought an ex vessel price of $0.33 and squid, which could be sold for $1.06 per pound.
On the other hand, groundfish boats sailing out of ports bordering the Gulf of Maine had far less attractive options.
Historically, they were significant participants in the northern shrimp fishery, but that fishery has suffered from a combination of rapidly warming waters and overharvest, and is currently closed. Some Massachusetts vessels are also active in the spiny dogfish fishery, but with dogfish selling for just 0.16 per pound, it takes a lot of dogfish to make up for lost groundfish landings.
Throughout the northeast, NMFS records indicate that various boats supplemented their harvest with other seasonally-available non-groundfish species that ranged from sea scallops to black sea bass to bluefin tuna.
However, it is clear that, particularly in northern New England, the reduction in groundfish landings has had a real economic impact on the fleet, which has been made worse by a change in the groundfish mix.
In 2007, cod was arguably the most important component of the groundfish complex, with vessels landing nearly 17,000,000 pounds, worth about $1.60 per pound at the dock. In that year, groundfish boats also landed about 8,000,000 pounds of haddock, at $1.55 per pound, and just 1,700,000 pounds of Acadian redfish, which sold for only $0.58.
By 2013, cod landings were less than a third of what they were in 2007; while the price increased by $0.50 per pound, such increase didn't come anywhere close to making up for the lost volume. Haddock landings increased by about 25%, and so were worth a little bit more even though the price per pound had dripped a few cents. However, landings of Acadian redfish had surged; harvest more than quadrupled, to 7,800,000 pounds, although the price slipped just a bit to $0.55.
Thus, because of the change in species mix, the 42,000,000 pounds of groundfish that were landed in 2013 were probably worth quite a bit less, in the aggregate, than the same amount of groundfish were worth in 2007.
Groundfishermen are thus caught in a double bind, with regulation reducing the size of their landings and the fish that they can land being worth less.
Yet, however unfortunate their plight, it is a fate they brought onto themselves.
The New England Fishery Management Council, which manages northeastern groundfish, has been historically hostile to regulation. Until changes to the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, made in 2006, forced them to do so, they had never imposed hard catch limits on any species under their jurisdiction, and tolerated ovefishing for year after year. More than 15 years ago, the New England Council already knew that Gulf of Maine cod were in danger of collapse, and yet the fishermen who dominated the panel refused to take meaningful action.
New England groundfishermen are now reaping the inevitable consequences of their actions.
Yet instead of finally learning from the mistakes of their past, they continue to rail against needed conservation measures, and seek to change America's fisheries law in ways that would not only allow them to continue their destructive practices, but export such practices to every coast.
Instead of embracing the conservation provisions of Magnuson-Stevens, which might allow their stocks to rebuild, they support snake oil remedies such as H.R. 1335, the so-called Strengthening Fishing Communities and Increasing Flexibility in Fisheries Management Act which, if passed, would only assure that their industry's lot will never improve.
The plight of the northeastern groundfishermen must serve as a lesson to the rest of the nation.
Fish are not an inexhaustible resource, and they will not be restored through benign neglect.
Magnuson-Stevens is the most effective fisheries law in the world, which has proven itself on every coast in the nation—except that of New England. That is no fault of the law, but the fault of New Englanders, who must at some point accept that the ocean has limits, and that they exceeded those limits a long time ago.


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Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School aims to reopen less than 2 weeks after shooting
Principal Ty Thompson at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School has a message about the Feb. 14 shooting in which 17 people died after a former student opened fire there. Video posted Feb. 19, 2018
17 people were killed in the Valentine's Day shooting.
The Broward County high school where a former student allegedly killed 17 people last week will have a phased reopening that hopes to see classes resume by Feb. 27.
The Broward County school district announced late Monday that staff at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School would return at 8 a.m. Friday, Feb. 23. A voluntary campus orientation for students and their parents or guardians is set for 2 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 25.
The district said it hopes to resume classes Tuesday, Feb. 27, at the high school on a modified schedule.
More: Step by step: How the Parkland school shooting unfolded
More: Thousands honor school shooting victims in vigils across Florida
More: Florida school shooting: Judge orders social service records for Nikolas Cruz released
Support services will available on campus for those in need, the school district said.
"The reopening events are only open to Marjory Stoneman Douglas students, parents/guardians and staff," the school said. "Broward County Public Schools appreciates the support of our entire community during this phased reopening process."
From the time Nikolas Cruz entered the building until the time he left, only six minutes passed. During that brief time, he allegedly shot more than two dozen students and teachers, 17 of them fatally. (Feb. 16)
In a video message posted Feb. 17 on YouTube, principal Ty Thompson said: "We experienced an unthinkable act of violence. Our heart is breaking for the victims' families and our entire Stoneman Douglas community."
Thompson thanked the students and staff, first responders, and the school district, local, state, and federal authorities for their support.
"We've gotten such an outcry of support worldwide via email and social media, and I thank you on behalf of the whole Stoneman Douglas community," he said in his message. "I've received some media inquiries. Right now, my No. 1 job is to be here for my staff, my students and our community in this time of need."
More: Worst school shootings in U.S. history
More: 17 killed in 'catastrophic' shooting at Parkland school
More: Parkland school shooting: Town known as a safe place to live
Thompson visibly paused during the 2-minute video, but continued: "We lost 17 lives on Valentine's Day. That's supposed to be the international day of love."
This story will be updated.

subset: commoncrawl


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Call Us: (877) 443-SASH (7274) or +1-909-982-7222 for International calls
Celebrate in style with sashes and stoles that make a statement! Choose from clergy stoles embroidered with elegance to pageant sashes that celebrate any occasion. Our sashes are made from high-quality materials that last the years as a lifelong memento.
Handcrafted stoles with carefully selected embellishments add something unique for any occasion. Choose school colors for graduation, or purchase a family-centered sash that celebrates mom, dad or anyone to be the best! Our professional embroidery technique adds a custom touch to each product. One that even the guest of honor or officiant will be proud to wear. Optional fashion accessories let you add just the right touch of bling for that extra special event.


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Black Purchasing Channel, Inc. There are, nonetheless, a number of different varieties of procuring channels, like marketplaces and affiliate networks. Lisa Brash procuring channel, Shop with Lisa B. Store till you drop with eye catching bargains from The Shopping Channel. Based on a report from GeekWire , Amazon (AMZN) has quietly rolled out a buying characteristic in these units that lets users buy items like Hershey's candy or a FitBit Charge tracker from banner adverts on the home screen.
Although some media have defined the brand new logo and its tagline as a brand new title for the channel; the channel, its web site, and other media associated with the channel still seek advice from the channel as The Procuring Channel. The Procuring Channel is the Canadian model of dwelling shopping codecs widespread in the U.S. and other countries. But if that is not sufficient, the web retail large is outwardly also planning to launch its personal procuring channel, à la QVC, except that purchases may be executed proper from the display screen, in accordance with the report.
By offering a new purchasing platform permits viewers to hunt out gadgets from anyplace, at any time, through any system they select, Store Channel will be capable of broaden purchase factors for greater customer comfort and thereby enhance the shopping expertise. It changed a scenario the place TELEVISION purchasing was restricted to late evening reveals on various channels that sold mainly health supplements and astrological services and merchandise.
The Buying Channel (also called TSC) is a Canadian English language home procuring tv channel owned by Rogers Media The channel showcases numerous merchandise which viewers should purchase both by telephone or web. Get pleasure from sizzling deals from The Buying Channel! "We're good at selling stuff to folks," says Jack Kirby, president of HSNi, the interactive division of the House Purchasing Community.
As far as bringing the house shopping channel into the twenty first century, contemplate that QVC generates more than $8bn in sales yearly. A lot of its products include superstar endorsements, for instance, and those celebrities at the moment are showing up on air way more steadily as a result of sales spike after they do. The Netflix Prompt Streaming Channel shouldn't be available for download in the Wii Shop Channel.


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Fill your brand information and click on Update Logo to set your company's logo. Your logo will be visible to your users on login page of your domain.
You can setup IMEI number of your devices and only they will be allowed to register under your domains.
You can setup any number of domains with SSL support.
DNS configuration must be done through your DNS provider.
SSL certificate must be purchased from SSL provider. Paste SSL certificate along with any intermediate certificates included. Paste the SSL certificate key in the provided field.
Your customers will be able to register under your brand by entering IMEI number of the device.
Now just sell your hardware and point your customers to your custom domain!
Need some help? Contact us for assistance.
This screen allows you to switch to Premium account and activate or deactivate paid IMEI numbers.
All premium features will be instantly activated. You will be able to add custom domains and paid IMEI numbers.


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Totke to get ex back
- by admin
- 5 months ago
- 0 comments
Totke to get ex back: Love is a sweet feeling. The true lover becomes blind in love. He starts to see the person he loves everywhere. He wants his lover to be with him forever. Above all when he wakes up while sleeping and sees the person he loves. But sometimes misunderstanding comes in the relationship. As a result, a person loses his love. If you want to get your love back and attract your love by photo. Then Contact our Pandit Ji for best Totke to get ex back. In the event, you have lost your love.
Are Tone and Totke are same to get ex back or is there any difference
Often people consider Tone and Totke (टोने और टोटके) the same. While there is a lot of difference between the two. In fact, the first and clear distinction between Tone and Totke is that Tone is useful only for the purpose of doing evil. While Totke is useful for the purpose of doing something good. In other words, Tone is the wrong way of attaining desired results. Totke and fast vashikaran is the sacred way of attaining desired results.
Lal Kitab Totke to get ex-love back
Love is a feeling that makes life beautiful. But if this love gets away from you, it makes you die every moment. Many times we have to break away from our love due to unwilling circumstances. Today we are telling you Totke to get ex-love back given in Lal Kitab. To deal with a similar situation.
If your lover has gone away from you. but you want to bring him back in your life in any way. Then you should start chanting the mantra to get love back.
"Kaleeeem Kreeeeshanaaaaaye Namah"
- 551 times starting on Friday
- Then take 7 leaves of betel leaf and sprinkle vermilion and water on these leaves while continuously chanting this mantra
- Read this mantra for the next seven days on top of these seven paan leaves
- Next Friday, take a little vermilion and mix it in water
- After that write the name of the person to whom you love on a betel leaf from that vermilion
- After that, make a round from your head in a clockwise direction 21 times and throw it away
This experiment is to be done for seven consecutive days and on the eighth day go to the person you love. You will definitely get the desired results. You can also contact our astrologer for vashikaran for getting ex back.
Precautions to take while reciting the mantra to get back lost love and lover using Totke
Most of the people usually email us that remedy given on your website is not working. We would like to tell all of them to consult our astrologer once before using any mantra to get back lost love and lover given on our website. In addition to this pay attention to the following words by our Love problem solution in Bangalore.
- To get the full results of this remedy, it is necessary that these measures should be done on the day of Saturday
- Do not forget to recite the above-mentioned mantra 551 times on seven betel leaves for seven consecutive days
- When doing this trick, give up alcohol and non-veg
- Do not make physical relationships with any stranger. Else this trick can be fruitless
You can also contact us. If you want to get astrological remedies and Totke to get ex-husband back. See you in the next article.
Thank You


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Information About Oil Production
Oil production has been a part of history for many years. Each country has its own way of producing oil. This industry is very widespread and it affects the world as a whole. There have been numerous reports on the production of oil and how it affects daily life.
The question remains, what do we know about the world's oil reserve. Documentation had been written about the world's oil reserves. Oil is a necessity to maintain our earthly existence. Humans have found these resources over time. Living and survival depends on the use of minerals and natural resources.
These precious materials are for everyone to use. Life is enhanced with the use of oil and the production of oil. Oil has a price because it is such a precious natural resource. Many countries across the world produce oil. World reserves are meant to back up oil production.
This country is considered the oil powerhouse. There are estimates of oil reserves in this country.
Another country on the top list is Canada. Oil can be found in many different areas. Iran mass produces oil as well. Countries mass produce oil and have a certain limit in reserves. One other country that produces oil is Iraq. Kuwait is the number 5 oil producing country. Oil reserve is what is used in the event the normal oil production goes down.
The gap in the oil production is constantly evolving. The world oil reserve goes from high points to low points. Oil production comes from the countries that control the flow. Additional resources are continuously being discovered. We cannot imagine a world without oil. Oil is a great natural resource.
You will see a rapid climb of oil production over time. Decades to come will know about the increase in oil prices. Oil productin is slowing down but the profits are constantly going up. Oil is a very lucrative and profitable business. High quality oil from these fields are in question. Oil production will decline and prices will go up when oil fields are producing quality. Oil production needs to be twice as fast as its consumption. Oil can be considered the special mineral. Now that the population in the world is steadily increasing, the demand for oil is higher than ever.
Researchers have proven that oil is a very necessary mineral and resource. The demand is being drawn from reserves. This is a scary fact if the reserves come up empty. Across the world oil production has decreased. Oil production needs to keep up with population increases. Oil companies are seeking ways to increase oil production. Oil production is constantly studied.
The 10 Rules of Options And How Learn More


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a)The assessee, a builder, received certain payments from customers who initially booked flats by making advance payments and a few installments; but due to various reasons the customers could not fulfill the payment schedule and they requested for refund.
b)The assessee had sold those flats at a higher price to other parties and returned the payment received from previous customers with a margin. The Assessing Officer ('AO') opined that the excess amount paid to previous customers was to be deemed as payment of interest, which would attract TDS under section 194A.
c)The AO disallowed these payments as assessee had failed to deduct tax at time of making interest payments to previous customers. The CIT(A) deleted disallowance made by AO. The aggrieved revenue filed that instant appeal.
The Tribunal held in favour of revenue as under:
1)It was clear from the plain reading of section 2(28A) that money paid in respect of amount borrowed or debt incurred, was interest payable in any manner. The definition of interest in section 2(28A) proceeds to include in the terms money borrowed or debt incurred, deposits, claims and 'other similar rights or obligations'.
2)The definition of interest has been carried to the extent that even the amounts payable in transactions had not been borrowed and those that had not been incurred, were brought within the scope of its definition.
3)Undisputedly, in the instant case, the amounts were paid in respect of an obligation in respect of purchase of flats through agreement, therefore, no fault could be found on the part of the AO for treating these charges as interest and liable for TDS under section 194A.
4)The mere fact that the assessee did not choose to characterize such payment as interest, would not take such payment out of the ambit of the definition of 'interest', in so far as payments made by the assessee was in respect of an obligation incurred with earlier flat holder. Thus, impugned payments had to be treated as interest under section 2(28A) and it were liable for tax deduction under section 194A. - INCOME-TAX OFFICER (TDS), TRIVANDRUM V. BEACON PROJECTS (P.) LTD. [2014] 49 taxmann.com 173 (Cochin - Trib.)


text: BUSINESS Social Media to Boom During Soccer World Cup 8:01 AM PDT 6/9/2014 by Stuart Kemp FACEBOOK TWITTER EMAIL ME AP Argentina's Lionel Messi Twitter, YouTube and Facebook are expected to be busy during the Brazil tournament, which an Adidas exec predicts will "undoubtedly be the most social World Cup ever and probably the most social event in history." Social media giants, such as Twitter, Google's YouTube and Facebook, are predicted to be front and center of marketing efforts during the World Cup 2014 soccer tournament in Brazil, which kicks off Thursday when host Brazil take on Croatia in the opening game, but they may not necessarily experience a huge revenue boon. Traditional media sectors including TV and radio are predicted to enjoy their usual advertising revenue bounce during the World Cup, the biggest global single-sport event in the sports world. But a Guardian report notes the signs are there for a looming social media soccer revolution. STORY: Full 2014 World Cup Schedule Tournament sponsor Adidas, for one, has launched its biggest-ever campaign to support its World Cup involvement, with The Guardian noting that it was "telling" that Adidas has opted to spend more on digital marketing than TV spots. This from a company whose "Leo Messi's World Cup Dream" TV spot is directed by City of God director Fernando Meirelles, co-directed by Cassiano Prado, features an exclusive track by Kanye West and has a host of soccer stars including Luis Suarez, Bastian Schweinsteiger and Xavi. For the 2010 World Cup, just 20 percent of marketing spend was digital, The Guardian reported. Marketing spends for the 2014 event are being reported as hitting an estimated $1.3 billion, with an increased share going to digital. Adidas soccer global brand marketing director Tom Ramsden told The Guardian that the 2014 edition of the quadrennial event is "not about a need to do the big TV ad." He said that it will "undoubtedly be the most social World Cup ever and probably the most social event in history." Twitter reports there already have been more posts about the World Cup before a referee has blown a whistle in Brazil than for the entire tournament in South Africa in 2010. And the combination of live TV and Twitter is an irresistible combination, with research from Nielsen showing that 60 percent of British users tweet while watching TV. Sponsors are expected to benefit from all that and will also look to use the social media power of their soccer stars. For example, Portuguese star player Ronaldo is part of Nike's World Cup campaign and is considered the world's most popular athlete on Twitter with 26.5 million followers. He tweeted a link to Nike's second World Cup TV ad spot on YouTube, boosting views to more than 70 million within days. The World Cup tournament, featuring 32 countries including the U.S., Australia, Italy, Spain, The Netherlands, Germany, Argentina and England, runs through July 13. FACEBOOK TWITTER EMAIL ME Stuart Kemp email@example.com @thr


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Last month I shared my very first post on what I learned in this amazing world of blogging.
It was such an eye opener, and I eluded to the fact that my comments wouldn't even scratch the surface.
Well, I'm here to tell you, as of my second month blogging, that is still the case!
There is soooo much to learn, on many days I've just felt lost, floating around in a canoe that has no oars.
But you know what?
I've also learned so many little pieces of information. And when putting it all together, it somehow begins making sense.
(although sometimes it feels like just the teeniest of bits)
So, without further ado, here is What I've Learned my Second Month Blogging –
Note: Some of the links below are affiliate links. If you click on one and make a purchase, I will receive compensation (at no cost to you) for your referral.
My learnings are focused in two general areas:
- Website Optimization
How's that for two topics that are on extremely opposite ends of the spectrum??
But first –
Here's a quick little tidbit I encountered on WordPress settings:
Comment Settings
In WordPress, you can control what happens when others comment on your blog.
This is useful if you want to be notified whenever someone leaves a comment.
For some really successful bloggers, you may not want to do this because you'll be inundated with emails.
But for me, if someone comments on my blog, it's like Christmas morning.
At any rate, you have the option to hold comments for moderation — meaning, they won't be published on your site until you go into WordPress and approve them first.
I have that setting activated because I want to be able to read what people are saying first (and then there's the whole Christmas morning thing.) Any time I get a WordPress alert to moderate a comment, it's like sunshine, rainbows & hitting the lottery all in one.
So a week or two ago, I received a comment alert (Yaaayy!!)
I logged in, and approved it to display on my site.
Then went back to my site to take a look and … nothing.
I then proceeded to pull my hair out for the next hour, trying to figure out why the approved comment wasn't showing up on my post.
I reapproved the comment — nothing.
Refreshed the page many, many times — nothing.
And eventually turned to Google — nothing helpful.
I even thought maybe, just maybe, someone was playing a joke on me. Like they posted a comment, and then immediately took it away, just to mess with me.
(Paranoid, much??)
But I wound up going back to WordPress, and meticulously going through every single setting to see what was up.
And I found the following:
Settings –> Discussion –> Before a comment appears
Big dope that I am, I'd somehow checked off the box that says "Comment author must have a previously approved comment."
Like I had to make it that much harder for myself? It's a constant challenge to drum up traffic & actual human interaction — hey, how's about we also make it impossible to display any actual proof of readership???
I have no idea when I made this odd decision, but thank goodness I found it.
And you, dear anonymous reader, will hopefully benefit from my error : )
So — take a look at the settings above, and choose wisely.
The more you know.
Okay, now for the more interesting stuff.
Website Optimization
Note: This info is being offered at a pretty basic level, meaning I am by no means an expert!
I'm trying to figure this stuff out as I go — but I will continue to share whatever I learn going forward.
Here's what you need to know:
- If your website takes a long time to load, not many people are gonna sit around and wait for it. Which means your Bounce Rate will go way up, and no one will be reading your super cool blog posts. (High Bounce Rate = Bad, meaning people are bouncing away from your website.)
Here is a helpful description (via morevisibility.com) on both site speed and page load time.
- There are a couple of things that contribute to page load time and overall site speed:
- Your web server (overall performance and location)
- The other things running on your website (plugins, extensions)
- The stuff you're displaying as media (images, gifs, graphics, music, etc.)
Here are a few free websites that will check the speed of your site:
Also, there is Bitcatcha, where you can test the response time of your server.
Take a look at these websites, and see how the results compare to each other. It's important to know that you're not going to get perfection.
There are people out there who have A's and A+'s up and down the board for their site results. One article I read suggested you can hire a programmer through fiverr who will improve your website for roughly $400. Yikes.
Depending on the speed test site, my blog typically runs around a B or C+, and I'm happy with that. It appears to load pretty quickly. (Guess someone will ultimately let me know if it doesn't….)
Plus some of the recommendations are over my head in terms of technicality. So I'll wait to absorb more info before making any other changes.
Some Ways you can Optimize your Website
- Compress your images, so they aren't taking up as much space: Use free online resources like TinyPNG – optimize PNG and JPEG images to reduce file size
- There are also several WordPress plugins that will optimize images for you.
- In addition, this article from WPbeginner.com includes some helpful descriptions as well as ideas to speed up your site performance.
- Make your site mobile-friendly by enabling Accelerated Mobile Pages, or AMP.
- Take a look at plugins that can help optimize your website, like W3 Total Cache and WP-Optimize.
- Deactivate or delete any plugins that you're not using, or that aren't absolutely necessary. Are you actually using all of the ones that are activated on WordPress? If there are any that you can do without, try it and see if there is an improvement in your site speed.
For example: I had read online that the Broken Links plugin (which I've found useful) takes up a fair amount of space. The suggestion was that you install and activate it intermittently, but don't keep it running all of the time.
Think about it — if you leave it running all the time, it's constantly checking every single link to make sure none are broken. Isn't that a lot of juice that you're always giving to that one plugin, in the hopes that it doesn't find anything at all?
Example two: I recently stopped using the SumoMe plugin. While I did find it easy to use, it also appeared in a bunch of my speed test results. Apparently SumoMe was contributing to my higher load time.
So I stopped using SumoMe, and switched over to Shareaholic for my social sharing buttons. I still need to pick on an alternative for a call to action & landing page. Again — it's a learning.
- Is your server slowing you down? Contact your web hosting service to see if there are any tweaks they can make within your plan.
Maybe they can double-check your settings to make sure your site is set up correctly. Bottom line, if you're paying for the monthly service, they're obligated to check things out for you. Many hosting companies are available 24/7 and have online chat. They're very easy to get in touch with.
Or, if you're not making headway with your current web host, you may want to consider switching. There are a lot of debates out there with the big name companies. Each is continuously offering some sort of online deal, and many make it quite easy to transfer service. (This I'm currently looking at for other reasons, but am not quite ready to jump ship just yet … we'll see.)
- And finally, high traffic can contribute to slower load times — that's a good thing! We should all have such problems … and if that's what is causing your site issues, then you're probably super successful & are most likely not reading this post!
So I'm just starting out with Pinterest, after converting my personal account to a business account.
Everyone says Pinterest is the place to be, and if you're a blogger, it can make a huge difference in traffic.
While I will tell you my traffic has seen an increase, it's by no means the amazing influx of traffic that people write about.
But again, I am in the beginning stages.
And, truth be told, I haven't implemented all of the strategies that people are offering in their posts, courses, etc.
Bottom line: I've bought quite a few ebooks & tutorials on Pinterest, but haven't read through all of them just yet.
I know, I know — but right now I have competing priorities, distractions, and mostly information overload. (blah blah blah, excuses excuses …)
Whatever you want to call it — I need to go through & finish them up.
But, what I can tell you right now is there is one book I have fully completed twice, and am now taking the time to read for a third time — much more slowly, and with a more detailed focus.
It's an ebook by Carly Campbell (which I believe has now been turned into a course). And it is one of the first ones I purchased, because it had a sales pitch that wasn't pitch-y at all, and because I connected with everything this author was writing on her blog.
Instead of feeling like I was being circled by sharks, her perspective was more like "Hey, this has worked for me so I figured I'd share it. If it works for you as well, that's awesomesauce!".
Well no, she didn't actually say that, but that's the way her writing made me feel.
I bought this book (which didn't cost much of anything at all, compared to some of the other Pinterest books out there), and immediately proceeded to absorb the contents.
And then I read through it again, paying more attention to the pictures, examples and numbers. I started applying the specific strategies to my Pinterest account and boards, and have to say I've been extremely happy with the results.
I will go into a a full, all-out detailed post on this in the future, with pictures and graphs and stuff — But just so you know, I really believe this book has made a difference in my traffic and reach.
It's called Pinteresting Strategies, written by Carly Campbell. Feel free to check it out — I cannot say enough great things about this book. It was extremely helpful, and provided real, actionable guidance (especially to newbies like me!)
But here is the lowdown on what I've absorbed so far, either by trial and error, interactions with others, or reading advice on other blogs:
- Increase your time spent on Pinterest, by actually using it ("pinning"). Pinterest takes notice of how often you are in there. Your credibility as a user is partially determined by the amount of time you spend pinning useful information, and also by the number of times you are "re-pinned" by someone else.
- When you create a new pin, don't just pin a random image. Create what is called a pinnable image, by enabling rich pins with keyword-optimized descriptions and using hashtags.
- Practice creating the best pinnable images using a free graphic design resource like Canva or PicMonkey. Use vertical images, bright colors and large readable fonts
- Don't use lighter colored fonts, or ones that are too small/hard to read (scripts)
- Try to use your own images instead of free stock photos — real images tend to be favored by the Pinterest search engine
- Try not to use images with people, as those tend to not do well overall
- Once you have created your perfect pin image, save it as a template to work off of for your future pins. This will help you save time in the long run, and will also build your brand recognizability (<– a real word? not sure…)
- Once you have your business account enabled, take a look at your Pinterest Analytics daily to see how your pins are doing.
This section of your Pinterest account evaluates the overall reach of your pinned images. It tracks the impressions your pins make (how many viewers are seeing them). It also tracks the number of clicks and saves for your pins, and also the views to your profile.
- Request to join a few group boards, to start building up traffic & credibility. Do this by taking a look at others in your niche. See what group boards they belong to, click on that board, and read the instructions on how to get added as a contributor.
- Some group boards are closed, meaning they're not taking on any other members.
- Don't be discouraged if some admins don't respond to your request to join their board. Try for other ones — new group boards are being created every day.
- If you belong to any Facebook blogging groups, see if anyone has recently posted about new group boards.
- Build up credibility and reputation by pinning to group boards, and reciprocate by repinning from other member's boards.
- Make sure you follow the rules of each board! Common requirements are to only post vertical pins (no square or horizontal images), not to pin too frequently (spamming), and to always re-pin someone else's pin whenever you pin your own (one-for-one).
Up Next
So where do I go from here? For this coming month, I plan on doing the following:
- Keep learning more about Pinterest, and see what I can learn about pinning schedulers, like Tailwind. Although there are several tools like this in existence, Tailwind is probably the most popular and reputable. Plus it's an official partner of Pinterest, which means they fully support its use.
- Experiment with what pins to post where. When I first started using Pinterest I became massively confused on what kind of pins I should be posting to each type of board.
For example, do I post my own pins to my own boards, or only to group boards? And what exactly do I post to group boards, and how often?
Am I not supposed to post other people's pins there???
That last question is a doozy — I've seen so many back & forth opinions on whether you should post other people's content to group boards, it isn't even funny.
One Facebook group was going nuts on this topic, and I felt like a super-dork for [supposedly] doing this wrong.
People were adamant that you should only post your own content to group boards, however I'm not totally convinced. I mean, a group board increases its power based on the popularity of the enclosed pins, right?
So if I'm re-pinning someone else's super valuable & viral pins on there, won't it add to that board's credibility? Then once in a while mix in one or two of my newly created pins from my website.
But alternatively, if we bombard the board with only our own, newbie pins, wouldn't that bring down the reach of the board?
That's my current theory, which I'm testing out. More to come on this topic, for sure …
- Also look into Tailwind tribes — which are part of Tailwind, but supposedly they are free to use. Still evaluating this, but have read enough articles to believe there is some credibility to increasing blog traffic this way.
I think tribes might be kind of like group boards — on crack.
- Start a spreadsheet or some sort of cheat sheet to keep track of my pins, as well as the group boards where I've posted them. When you start rotating/shuffling the images onto other boards, you need to know at a glance which pins are on which boards, so you're not skipping any or re-pinning the same pin to one of the boards.
Well that was a long one…
Anyone still with me???
Bueller? Bueller?
Okay, well, if you are — thanks for hanging in there, and let me know if you have any questions or suggestions.
Hit me up in the comments!
Robin is a full-time business professional who has worked in the financial services industry for over 20 years. She is also a personal finance blogger who shares her first hand experience with the struggles of money and debt. On Mastering the Side Jam, she focuses on ways to maximize efficiencies to make & save money, pay off debt, and live your best life.
She has been been featured on The Money Mix, Rockstar Finance, The Financial Diet and Women's Money Talk, and has been quoted in various online publications.


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Rent a Flat in Lagos Mainland or Victoria Island - Ikeja Lekki Ajah Ikoyi Magodo Festac
Are you looking for a Flat to Rent in Lagos - Mini Flat, 2 Bedroom or 3 Bedroom Apartments either on Lagos Mainland or Island? Your search ends here as we have launched LagosFlat.com
Download Here - Free Mobile App for All Smart Phones
Download Here - Free Mobile App for All Smart Phones
Lagosflat.com is an online flat and apartment rental platform for connecting individuals looking for an apartment in Lagos, whether it is down the street or across the state.
To simplify the process of finding a new place to live, Lagosflat.com offers renters (residents or people looking to relocate to Lagos) easy access to available flats – we cover mini flat, 2 bedroom, 3 bedroom, more flat size up to a customize tenants' specifications by sending SMS Flat request to over 500 apartment rental agents in Lagos. By incorporating the most relevant flats portal to reach renters, including personalized searches, rental budget setting, listing reviews and a mobile website, Lagosflat.com delivers a multimedia viewing experience renters want while creating easy access to listings from any computer or mobile device.
Lagosflat.com we are not agents. Instead, we help you find your dream apartment via agents, who have the direct mandate to rent or sale a flat straight from the owner.
As an Agent, you can freely list available Flat for Rent or Sale while Tenants can post a request on a specific flat choice.
Lagosflat.com is wholly owned and financed by Client Impact, a CAC registered outfit that help her clients leverage on information technology tools to find solutions to everyday problems.


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Dear Dr/Nurse Who Does Not 'Get It',
I've been living with type 1 for just over 20 years now. Having been diagnosed at the age of just 2, that's the whole of my life as far as I am concerned - I don't know what it is like to live without it. I'd really like you to remember that sometimes; I know no life without this thing. I have no living memories where type 1 has not been part of them - I can't imagine life without insulin vials, test strips and annual bloods. I can't imagine doing any kind of exercise and not having to plan it out and feel like I'm doing an experiment on myself. I definitely can't imagine looking at a plate of food and not worrying about what it is going to make me feel like in an hour or two. I have no idea of the concept of a 100% carefree, worryfree childhood (I was told from a young age I would die of a complication of type 1).
The thing is, when I walk into your room, I sort of need you to forget about everything else, just for a few minutes. I'll discuss my numbers with you and any problem areas I need a hand in ironing out. I'll tell you how much living with this thing drags me down some days. All I'm asking is that for a couple of minutes you attempt to put yourself in my shoes, instead of thinking that throwing numbers or statistics at me will help.
After 20 years of this game, I'm pretty down with it. My numbers are pretty predictable (which does not mean stable); my body (and when I say body please read: my body AND my diabetes) behaves in a way that I have come to know almost intuitively. That isn't to say there aren't some surprises along the way - but I'm pretty in tune with my body. So when I present an issue to you and you give me a textbook response, please don't be shocked if I ask for alternatives. I've probably tried those text book suggestions; I don't get to see you very often, so I have to have other resources. (here's looking at you, DOC).
I need you to trust me, too. I need you to know that I know my body best. I need you to give me the credit I'm due for doing this diabetes thing every day. I'm pretty open at trying new things and listening to suggestions; I'll always listen to what you say. Please don't be afraid if I challenge you on something; I need you to hear my thoughts on what you are saying.
I remember the first time I felt empowered in an appointment. Shortly before the appointment, age around 10 or so, I had asked my mum why I couldn't have a pancreas transplant (which in my head, was the answer to this whole type 1 problem). Knowing my appointment was coming up, she told me to ask my consultant, which I did. He was fantastic and explained to me at a level my 10 year old self could understand; that the thing with type 1 is that even if I had new insulin producing cells, those would be attacked too. Plus the amount of drugs I would have to take to keep my body generally rejecting them would be too much. Looking back, what strikes me about that conversation is the way he did not patronise me; he did not talk to me as if I'd asked a stupid question. I'd really like to continue feeling empowered and for you to be willing to share your knowledge with me.
I also need you to appreciate, not necessarily understand, the total fear that can come with living with a chronic, life long, can-kill-you-when-it-wants kind of condition. I am totally terrified of what will happen in the next few years in regards to my long term health; will I see complications? Are my kidneys going to be okay? Will I eventually end up with eye damage? The things I hear, mainly from the DOC, say that actually I have a pretty good chance of not developing complications. But on the other hand I could develop all of them. It's why I'm pretty anxious about my control.
I'd also love it if you could have a little appreciation of the word 'burnout'. This does not mean I am noncompliant and I don't care about my type 1; actually it's usually caused by caring TOO much and feeling very much drowned in living with it. It's the time when I really need some support and some help.
I've been playing this type 1 game for 20 years. It's basically a damage control game; I need to minimise the impact of my dodgy pancreas on the rest of my body. I can't do that alone and whilst I know that unless you live with type 1 you won't be able to fully understand it, I just ask for a little appreciation. Talk to me! I'll tell you what it's like (it's hard). I'll give you my honest and frank opinions on living with a condition like this (doable but so much more bearable when you have support and understanding. Also, scary).
With hope,
The Diabetes Network was developed with the idea that people living with diabetes needed a central place to go for resources as well as get ideas, suggestions and encouragement. We have put a lot of effort into this website to make it easy and fun to navigate as well as informative so that you can have a voice when it comes to managing your diabetes. Please let us know how we can improve this website to better suit your needs.
We're on a mission to make the healthcare community more technologically advanced than ever before. This website adapts to fit your tablet, iPad®, iPhone®, Android® or other smartphone. Just one of the ways we are working to make life easier for those living with Diabetes. Learn More...


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Day 159 & Day 160.
So Cyber Monday was yesterday, which means we were up at 5:15 a.m. and worked until about 11:00 at night. Not straight, but enough to make us totally wasted. (Disclosure: No alcohol was consumed in the working of this Cyber Monday.)
The good news is, I had to pick up Boo again from G-ma's, so of course I stopped by CFA to get my Every Day fix. What did I order? Went back to Old Faithful – the Asian Salad with extra crispies and a bottled water. Why did I need that? Because I have been living in absolute survival mode, and have pretty much lived exclusively on the following:
Pizza Hut Pizza
Homemade cheesecake and Dunkin Donuts
Hence, the need for a detoxing Asian Salad. And for the record, I did it on Day 160 as well.
It's weird to think I'm on my last month of the VIP card and it will soon be over. Of course I learn today that CFA is now doing something about the HFCS and dye in the their foods. I suppose the damage is done already on me, right?
They get flack for this, but Truett's like 150 years old, and I'm pretty sure he's had a few Original Sandwiches in his life.
At any rate, it's bittersweet to think about not seeing my friends every day. It's just bitter to think that I won't have free Chick-fil-A. However, it is SOOO sweet to think about not having to blog about it every day. That truly has been a test of character for this kid.
Day 161 awaits us.
Thanks to my friends who waited on me the past couple of days!
Day 158
Day 159 (I love these guys!)


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Freitags-Eyecandy: Forglemmegeigeschrieben am 22. March 2019 um 12:02 Uhr
Katarina Lundquist war mir bisher voellig unbekannt im Kurzfilmbereich, das was sie da aber abgeliefert hat zeugt von der tiefen dunklen Seele welche die Norweger nicht zu knapp haben duerften, ich musste mich trotz der knapp ueber 7 Minuten doch fast ein Zaehrchen abdruecken, ein perfektes Kuebler-Ross Modell, bittersweet:
Deep in the Norwegian forest, there is an old man, living an orderly and quiet life. Closed off from the rest of the world, he spends his days together with his lifelong friend, a troll.
Together they share an everyday routine, drinking tea andtaking care of each other. One day the troll begins to hint that the time has come for him to leave the comfort of their home.
Not wanting to face the consequences of reality, the man sticks to his routines, maintaining their daily life. One morning, the troll is gone.
Trying to restore balance to his life, the old man leaves his home in search of the troll, only to find himself getting lost in his own mind, entangled in his fears. In his
darkest moment, he realizes that in order to find peace, he needs to accept the fate of his friend.


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Post Highlights
Ballary District Central Co-Operative Bank announced the Bellary DCC Bank SDA Admit Card 2018 on January 2018. So, aspirants can download the BDCCB Admit Card from site www.ballaridccbank.com and attend the exam on the date given. The Officials scheduled to conduct the exam in same month i.e January 2018. The Exam will conduct separately for the posts of SDA, Typist & Attendee Posts.
Bellary DCC Bank SDA Admit Card 2018
DCC Bank Bellary Hall Ticket 2018: BDCCB Typist Admit Card is available readily on this site. The Ballary District Central Co-Operative Bank exam is going to conduct the Written exam in January 2018 for the posts of SDA, Typist & Attendee. But, the date for the exam is not announced yet. When the Officials of BDCCB release the exam date, the Bellary DCC Bank SDA Admit Card 2018 link will be activated here which is available at the bottom. Soon the Aspirants need to download this from the main portal ballaridccbank.com before the link expires. Aspirants need to enter the Hall Ticket Number and DOB to download this. The Officials will issue the Bellary DCC Bank SDA Admit Card only for those who apply before the due date i.e 06-12-2017. Along with this we also add latest Bank Jobs on this page.
Also, Check: DDELNMU Admit Card 2017
Download Bellary DCC Bank Typist Hall Ticket 2018 Online
Postulants who applied for this BDCCB Recruitment, definitely search for this BDCCB SDA Call Letter 2018 to attend the exam. On the downloaded copy of admit card, the Hall Ticket Number along with Candidates details and Exam Centre details will be awarded in a simplified manner along with Reporting time. So, the Aspirants need to verify all the details is match the candidate's details or not, if not just inform the officials. aspirants need to carry it to the exam hall along with the ID proofs that are postulated on it. Otherwise, the Officials will not allow the Candidates to attend the exam. So, aspirants just simply follow the steps specified to download Bellary DCCB Admit Card 2018 and reach the exam on time noted on it. To know further info open the site jobschat.in
Bellary DCC Bank SDA Admit Card 2018
ಬಳ್ಳಾರಿ ಡಿ.ಸಿ.ಸಿ ಬ್ಯಾಂಕ್ ಎಸ್ಡಿಎ ಅಡ್ಮಿಟ್ ಕಾರ್ಡ್ 2018 ಜನವರಿ 2018 ರಂದು ಬಾಲರಿ ಡಿಸ್ಟ್ರಿಕ್ಟ್ ಸೆಂಟ್ರಲ್ ಕೋ-ಆಪರೇಟಿವ್ ಬ್ಯಾಂಕ್ ಘೋಷಿಸಿತು. ಆದ್ದರಿಂದ, ಆದಿವಾಸಿಗಳು ಸೈಟ್ www.ballaridccbank.com ನಿಂದ ಬಿಡಿಸಿಸಿಬಿ ಅಡ್ಮಿಟ್ ಕಾರ್ಡ್ ಅನ್ನು ಡೌನ್ಲೋಡ್ ಮಾಡಿ ಮತ್ತು ದಿನಾಂಕದಂದು ಪರೀಕ್ಷೆಗೆ ಹಾಜರಾಗಬಹುದು. ಅಧಿಕಾರಿಗಳು ಅದೇ ತಿಂಗಳಲ್ಲಿ ಪರೀಕ್ಷೆ ನಡೆಸಲು ನಿರ್ಧರಿಸಿದ್ದಾರೆ ಜನವರಿ 2018. ಪರೀಕ್ಷೆ ಎಸ್ಡಿಎ ಪೋಸ್ಟ್ಗಳನ್ನು ಪ್ರತ್ಯೇಕವಾಗಿ ನಡೆಸುತ್ತದೆ, ಟೈಪ್ ಮತ್ತು ಹಾಜರಾತಿ ಪೋಸ್ಟ್ಗಳು.
Organisation Name: Ballary District Central Co-Operative Bank (BDCCB)
Name Of The Post: Second Division Assistant, Typist & Attendee Posts
No. Of Vacancies: 62 Posts
Category: Admit Card
Admit Card Status: Expected in January 2018
Exam Dates: 4th Week Of January 2018
Official Website: www.ballaridccbank.com
Also, Check: APGENCO JAO Admit Card 2017
Documents Carried by the DCC Bank Second Divison Assistant Test:
Aspirants need to carry any one of the Following:
- PAN Card
- Driving Licence
- Aadhar Card
- Voter Card
- Any ID Card issued by Government/Private Sector.
Steps How to Download DCC Bank Bellary SDA Admit Card 2017:
- The Candidates First visit the DCC Bank site i.e www.ballaridccbank.com
- On the Home Page find the link to DCC Bank Admit Card 2017.
- Open it in a new tab and enter the required credentials asked in the Web portal.
- And then click on Submit Button, then the DCC Bank Hall Ticket will be open.
- Download it and carry to the exam hall.
Check BDCCB SDA, Typist Call Letter 2018
Candidate needs to enter the required data correctly to download the copy of BDCCB SDA Call Letter. Applied Candidates know that the Bellary DCCB Typist Admit Card is compulsory for attending the exam. It is a compulsory copy because it is the proof for the Officials to allow the candidates to allow them for the BDCCB SDA Exam. And rules that are noted on it must be obeyed by the aspirants while taking the exam. In addition to this, also carry a Photo Copy of the respective documents to be submitted to the invigilator. Among the exam, the Candidates who give the best by checking the Previous Papers will get selected for further rounds.
Useful Link:
Bellary DCC Bank SDA Admit Card 2018 – Download Here


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Community Development Block Grant Program
CDBG, one of Baltimore Housing's greatest success stories, is a HUD program designed to give local jurisdictions power to distribute federal funds directly to non-profit and public agencies that support housing and public-service programs. CDBGs primary objective is to develop viable communities by providing low- to moderate- income families with decent, affordable housing and to expand local economic opportunities.
CDBG Application Materials for City Fiscal Year 2020
Notice of Public Hearing and Release
CDBG Application Budget Documents
More About Us
The Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program is authorized under Title I of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974. The program's primary objective is to develop viable communities -- principally for persons of low- to moderate-incomes -- by providing decent housing and suitable living environments, and through the expansion of economic opportunities.
To achieve the primary objective, the CDBG regulation specifies 26 eligible activities that can be funded with CDBG funds. At least 70% of the CDBG funds must be used for activities that benefit low- to moderate-income persons. Activities to be undertaken with CDBG funds must be eligible and must meet at least one of the following CDBG national objectives:
- Providing benefit to low- and moderate-income persons
- Aiding in the elimination or prevention of slums and blight
- Meeting an urgent need (usually a national disaster -- hurricane, flood, earthquake)
The Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) is the authorized representative for the City of Baltimore regarding the oversight and management of the CDBG Program. Responsibilities include:
Preparation of Annual Action Plans.The Annual Action Plan is the application submitted to the federal government to receive funding under four, formula programs: Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), Emergency Shelter Grant (ESG), HOME Investment Partnership (HOME) and Housing Opportunities for Persons With AIDS (HOPWA).
Managing the Integrated Disbursement and Information System (IDIS).The IDIS is HUD's system for tracking approved activities and is used to set up, report on, and draw-down federal funds for the CDBG, ESG, HOME and HOPWA Programs.
Generating Grantee Activity Summary Reports.This year-end report, generated through IDIS, is submitted annually to HUD. It summarizes program accomplishments and provides HUD and the public with activity descriptions, fund allocations and expenditures, total number of beneficiaries, etc.
Monitoring CDBG Fund Recipients.DHCD is required to monitor and review the performance and activities being undertaken by organizations and city agencies that are recipient of CDBG funds. The primary focus of this review is to ensure activities are in compliance with the CDBG Program.
For more information, contact:
Department of Housing and Community Development
CDBG Office
417 E. Fayette Street,
Room 1101
Baltimore, MD 21202
Relevant Links
Get information on the Neighborhood Stabilization Program


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Not referring to anyone in particular here, just a phrase I repeat to myself often. Usually this thought is prompted on my runs so I've wanted to write about it for weeks.
Oh and the necklace was a gift from my extremely thoughtful sister-in-law after completing my last marathon. The girl radiates kindness so I figured it was appropriate to highlight my thoughts here.
When I'm running I like to try to smile and interact with others as I pass. Either saying "good morning" or "hello" or something. Most of the time I receive a positive response. Sometimes it seems like the individual is sure to ignore me, but then startled, respond positively anyways. I like to feel like I'm breaking through the social norms here haha! On very rare occasions, I'll have someone not respond, not look up, or even make what I interpret to be a slight grimace.. my insecurity bristles for a moment and I think 'what is wrong with me that they would respond in such a way?' But then I just have to remind myself I may be infringing on their comfort zone and can't expect everyone to feel the same way I do. And that's ok-that we feel differently. Usually at this point in the "interaction" I come back around to myself. I am trying to be kind, I feel filled with positive energy and am trying to share what I'm feeling with others. A sad or negative thought passing through my mind will only hurt me. I am doing a good thing. I can feel good about that.
And then I'm "all good" again. Is the cycle clear there? I hope so..
Sometimes I think about this phrase and people of elite status in this sport. Or anything for that matter. People who have worked really hard and become exceptional at something. They deserve respect for their hard work. Renowned athletes like Dennis Kimetto and Paula Radcliffe. They may have genetics playing in their favor, but they've also busted their butts to achieve greatness. That deserves respect. And I'm sure they're good people too, though I know nothing of their character.
This brings me around to us mere mortals. We are all going through something hard. All working through life and these challenges sharpen us in some way. We are all becoming exceptional in our own ways. We may not wear this greatness on our sleeves, but it is there. And that deserve respect equally.
I want to be the kind of person who brightens others' days. To be a source of inspiration as well. I think we all have something to give, to contribute to making this world a little better place. I like to smile at others. Maybe lift their spirits a bit. It's just a tiny thing, but maybe it's making a difference. Who knows.
Even though it may not only relate to running, I am reminded again and again of this idea. Maybe it's just a reminder for me, and if so, great. I accept with open arms. If it's a small step, at least it's a step in a good direction.. one foot in front of the other ☺


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Implementing a SiteMapProvider that reads a SQL Server database
In my current series of MSDN Events, we are covering site navigation. With site navigation, the data for the site map is (by default) stored in a file called web.sitemap that is accessed by the default SiteMapProvider. The provider model allows you to change this, and obtain your site navigational data from another source. I mentioned this during my events but hadn't had time to track down a specific example.
I finally found time to do a little research and uncovered this article from the Wicked Code column in MSDN Magazine by Jeff Prosise with Wintellect. In addition to showing how to return site map data from a SQL Server database, there are some other cool ("wicked") tips on ASP.NET 2.0.


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The church we attended today is nestled in a small, historic building, right in the midst of Midtown. They keep the door open throughout the service for anyone passing by, and the walls are thin enough (or perhaps the music was loud enough) that we could hear the first verse of "Did You Feel the Mountains Tremble?" as we we were walking in. After we settled into the pews, the words really sank in for me, in a new way:
"Open up the doors and let the music play.
Let the streets resound with singing.
Songs that bring Your hope, and songs that bring Your joy,
Dancers who dance upon injustice."
With the door behind us flung wide open, I suddenly had this vision of the church spilling open onto the streets, with the sounds of our worship resounding all around us. This is exactly what "creative theology" is all about: an idea, a vision, for the kingdom lived out through music and dance (among other things). Dancing upon injustice.
Sometimes the music and dancing is literally just that: music and dancing. And sometimes, it's the songs of our lives, our ministries, our stories, all coming together in kingdom-work onto the streets and into the city and into the world:
Do you feel the darkness tremble?
When all the saints join in one song
And all the streams flow as one river
To wash away our brokenness
And we can see that
God You're moving
A mighty river through the nations
And young and old will turn to Jesus
Fling wide you heavenly gates
Prepare the way of the risen Lord


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Program Description
The doctoral program in sociology prepares students for careers in research and teaching. While the majority of graduates teach in colleges and universities, many hold research appointments in medical and mental health centers, government agencies, consulting firms, or other non-profit or research settings.
The curriculum is intended both to acquaint students with the discipline of sociology and provide training in fields of special interest. Of the twelve required courses, four must be drawn from core courses in sociological theory, statistics, and research methods. Students are given ample opportunity to specialize but the Faculty believes that specialization must be preceded by a thorough grounding in a wide range of classical and contemporary theories and proficiency in social statistics and a variety of research methods. The curriculum permits — and Faculty encourage — study in related disciplines.
Between six and ten new students are admitted each year. Preference is given to applicants who intend to complete the Ph.D. degree. The general Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores are required. GRE Sociology Subject Test scores are not required. We also require two writing samples. Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) scores are required for international students whose native tongue is not English. For further information see the Office of Graduate Admissions website.
Although an undergraduate concentration in sociology is not a prerequisite, students applying for admission are advised to have taken undergraduate courses in the social sciences and statistics.
A personal interview is not required. Applicants, however, should feel free to send questions by e-mail to Phil Smith or any member of the Faculty specializing in research topics in which the applicant may have an interest.
Financial Aid
All accepted students are fully funded for five years. In the first four years they receive full tuition and a living stipend and in the fifth or sixth year students are eligible for the dissertation write-up fellowship. In the third and fourth years students are required to serve as teaching fellows to receive their stipend. In 2019-20, the 12-month stipend is $31,800. (Please refer to the Yale Graduate School site, Funding for Ph.D. Students, for further details).
Students who do fieldwork outside of New Haven are encouraged to apply to external and Yale-based research funds. Some recommended institutions are listed here:
Institutional Resources
The Department encourages students to pursue work in any instructional unit of the University which furnishes additional dimensions to sociological analysis. We also encourage students to attend seminars and apply for research and training grants outside of the Department. A partial list of some of the many such opportunities within Yale include:
Joint Degrees
For an overview of joint degree programs at Yale, especially the J.D./Ph.D. and M.D./Ph.D., see the Yale Graduate School's Requirements for Joint Degree Programs. The Sociology Department will make special arrangements for students enrolled in joint Ph.D. or professional programs. Please contact Phil Smith for more information.
How to Apply
To apply to the Yale Sociology Graduate Program please visit the Office of Graduate Admissionsweb site. Applications may be made online. The Office also publishes a list of Frequently Asked Questions about the admissions process.
For questions about the Department or the Sociology Graduate Program in particular, please contact Phil Smith or the Sociology Department Registrar.
The deadline for Fall admission is January 2.


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Develop a list of keywords
Identify important concepts.
If you're not sure what the important concepts in your research question or topic are, write out your question or summarize your topic in a sentence or two. Then cross out the small or unnecessary words. For example:
Do video games cause violent behavior in teens?
Do video games cause violent behavior in teens?
This should make it easier to identify the main words and concepts. Make sure each concept is short and to the point. Sometimes you may need to rephrase some of the words in your question to be more succinct. "Violent behavior" is a better phrase than "act violently towards others" when it comes to searching in library databases.
Your research question or topic will usually have 2-3 main concepts. In this case, we have video games, violent behavior, and teens.
Think of synonyms, broader terms, narrower terms, and/or related terms.
You want to identify other words or phrases that scholars and researchers could have used to write or talk about your concept. For example:
Video games – gaming, computer games, Grand Theft Auto
Violent behavior – violence, aggression, bullying
Teens – teenagers, juveniles, youth, adolescents
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The research question "Do video games cause violent behavior in teens?" would likely be explored by scholars and researchers in fields that include Psychology, Education, and Communications.
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"video games"


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Hi Blog Friends!
Well, I promised I would show you the chest I have been working on....
It is done & sitting in our master bath now.
I'd had doing this in my mind for sometime, but when I saw Julia here:
I was inspired to get going!
I'd had doing this in my mind for sometime, but when I saw Julia here:
I was inspired to get going!
This is the first time I've done a piece of furniture like this.
My hubby said he'd help me, but he knew this was "my project!"
The only thing he did for me was give advice, & help me carry it in & out of the house to work on.
The only thing he did for me was give advice, & help me carry it in & out of the house to work on.
I thoroughly enjoyed working on this piece & I took pictures for you throughout the process, so you could see what all goes into doing a piece like this.
So, get ready for a blitz of pictures! LOL
So, get ready for a blitz of pictures! LOL
Let's get started, & I HOPE you enjoy.
First of all,
This is the chest I picked out for our master bath,
found on Amazon....
It's made of wood from a rubber tree, which is easier to finish from what I understand.
It is a VERY HEAVY WOOD! LOL
Here, it is sanded between 2 coats of wood sealant.
(Notice the white dust?)
I sanded, put sealant on, sanded again, put another coat of sealant on & then sanded again using the different grades of sanding paper, sanding it the final time about 3 times.
(Always dusting between the sanding.)
I went from using 220 to 320 to 400 in sandpaper,
going from a rougher sandpaper to a finer sandpaper.
I wanted it smooooooth!
I wanted the chest to store towels in.
I know you might be wondering, how is she going to do that?
That is coming....
I applied Painters Tape where I didn't want stain or paint.
I applied Painters Tape on the drawers too....
All ready to stain.
I believe this is the first coat of stain.
I could have applied paint as the first coat with what I'm going to do, but I chose stain instead.
Don't forget, before you stain or paint, wipe down/dust the wood of the white dust from sanding.
This is the stain I used, found at Lowe's.
Here is the first coat of stain on the drawers.
Here is the chest with a few coats of stain; you can see I left the inside as is.
Working at this angle is difficult &
you'll find out that working on a vertical piece like this has other drawbacks.
You can leave your project in pieces to work on or not.
It's a matter of choice.
Here the drawers have had a few coats of stain.
You can also see I've stained the end of a decorator piece, an oar.
(I've seen these on Amazon & the more expensive ones have the tip painted...
I just purchased a plain one....)
You'll also notice the difference in the stain color from the oar to the drawers.
That is because of the base color, the stain is painted on.
(The oar gives the truest color of the ebony stain.)
I ended up doing about 3 coats of stain & realizing, that if you leave the stain in the corners & at joints, it tends to antique the piece.
I even had a brief moment of wondering whether or not I wanted to paint this piece at all,
I liked how it was coming out so much!
When applying the stain, I used rags & paint brushes & then wiped it off, as if buffing it.
The next step?
You can find this Crackle Medium on Amazon here:
Reading the directions & comments from others on Amazon, I found that others were confused as to how to use this medium. So, I was worried about how this piece would come out!
I didn't want to re-do it!
I took things slow & read & re-read....I thought, "Ok, here we go!"
What wasn't clear in the directions, was what part don't you overlap? The crackle or the paint?
So, I painted on the crackle in one coat which is clear, but it was easy to see as I did it,
without overlapping.
By the way, I have so much of this left over, I could do another chest, or three or four or......
Picking out the paint:
I picked out the paint color to match the blue in my master bath rug.
I then, picked out other blue paint chips from other companies that just might match up, just in case.
All those paint chips & guess what?
I picked THE PERFECT COLOR the first time! LOL
Take a look now after the paint is applied:
I know it looks REALLY BLUE, but hang in there with me.....
First, can you see the crackling?
All that was needed was one coat of paint.
I used Sherwin Williams-Blue Jasmine- HGSW3343 Latex Paint.
As I give you closer looks, you can nearly see my brush strokes, as the directions said to paint with a "hatching & cross-hatching" motion.
Where you overlap the paint, the crackling won't come through, so use a light hand.
Also, if you want large crackling, you will want heavier paint on your brush, for smaller crackling, you want less paint on your brush.
I wanted smaller crackling, because I knew this chest would be used a lot
& I didn't want the crackling to come off.
Take a look at the drawers with crackling!
The sides....you get a glimpse of why it might not be appealing to do this on a vertical piece.
The larger "crackling" is where the paint just wanted to slide off the crackling medium.
But, I thought it looked more realistic & aged; just my opinion.
The other side....
The bottom shelf...
It's "Crack-o-licious!" LOL
Time to varnish.
The varnish will seal the latex paint onto the furniture.
Helping to keep the crackle on....
The directions for the Crackle Medium said if you have your piece of furniture in a high moisture area, like a bathroom, you will want to varnish it.
I also researched on how to Antique your varnish...
Just add Burnt Umber & Yellow Ochre tint to the varnish!
Well there was no "tint" to be found at our hardware!
So, because the Formby's Tung Oil Finish is oil based, I pulled out my oil paints!
I just kept adding till it was the right color for me....
You can see the Burnt Umber & Yellow Ochre there on the side of my bowl.
It does yellow up the varnish, which is normally clear.
The varnish took 12 hours to dry, but the second coat didn't take near as long.
Remember now, my master bath is in a Nautical Theme.
NOW, take a peak at the finished chest!
I think this is my best picture!
And now you see just how I'll store those towels.
Here are some more pictures for you to look at:
This is the chest without the baskets & towels....
Here again with the baskets, found at Lowe's.
The liners for the baskets were made by me.
I just got some muslin material from Joanne's Fabrics & pulled out my sewing machine...
Inside the drawers:
I painted the bottom of the drawers.
If you look at the earlier pictures, you'll see one of the drawers had a rusted looking mark on the bottom. I didn't like it, so I decided to paint the bottoms.
I also varnished the inside of the drawers to make it less likely the paint would come off with use.
I will also line the drawers with drawer liner.
A look at the side with the baskets....
I also put place mats under the baskets to help protect the crackle painting.
(You can't see those!) ;)
A close-up of the baskets & towels....
I replaced the wooden handles that came with the chest & added antique Drawer Pulls from Lowes.
Here, you can see the crackle drooping up under the top of the table & you can also see the "good" crackling up close. Personally, I don't mind the drooping of the paint.
Another reason I don't mind it, I can see the stained undercoating just a little better....
Here, another look at the bottom shelf.
Another plus for antiquing your varnish, is that I think it brings out the crackling just a little bit more, not to mention, it tones down the brightness of the blue!
Here, the decorator piece--the oar, that is also crackled & varnished, along with the paint chip I used.
(The Blue Jasmine is the blue swatch next to the lightest shade, or next to the bottom swatch.)
This is the top of the table, where I only used the Ebony Stain & the antiqued varnish.
I didn't forget the back of the chest!
I just didn't bother with applying the crackle medium to the back panel.
Here's the chest inside with my inspiration piece!
I can tell you, I am QUITE PLEASED with how it came out!
We still need new towel racks, a wall paper boarder, etc. but we are on our way now!
It will be a Sea-Side Oasis! LOL
So, what do you think?
Do you also think like I do, that this piece looks like the sea has weathered it just a bit?
What a FUN PROCESS!
I hope you enjoyed this post & are thinking of something you can Crackle!
P.S. A few more little decorator pieces to complete here for our sea-side oasis,
& I'll show you those too when I get them done!
I just can't promise it will be soon.


text: Asia-Pacific heads are just wrapping up the Apec meeting in Japan, where complaints about the US and Chinese currencies again emerged. Leaders have already been airing their grievances at the G20 summit in South Korea. And while they have now been trying to resolve their differences in Japan, outside, protesters aren't very happy either. Al Jazeera's Rosiland Jordan reports from Yokohama. SOURCE: Al Jazeera Politics Asia Pacific US & Canada Japan South Korea


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Series: Kate Daniels #8
Penguin Group - Ace
Publication Date: August 4, 2015
Date Read: August 6, 2015
In the latest Kate Daniels novel from #1 New York Times bestselling author Ilona Andrews, magic is coming and going in waves in post-Shift Atlanta—and each crest leaves danger in its wake…
After breaking from life with the Pack, mercenary Kate Daniels and her mate—former Beast Lord Curran Lennart—are adjusting to a very different pace. While they're thrilled to escape all the infighting, Kate and Curran know that separating from the Pack completely is a process that will take time.
But when they learn that their friend Eduardo has gone missing, Kate and Curran shift their focus to investigate his disappearance. Eduardo was a fellow member of the Mercenary Guild, so Kate knows the best place to start looking is his most recent jobs. As Kate and Curran dig further into the merc's business, they discover that the Guild has gone to hell and that Eduardo's assignments are connected in the most sinister way…
An ancient enemy has arisen, and Kate and Curran are the only ones who can stop it—before it takes their city apart piece by piece.
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | BAM!
I loved this book! It amazes me how this series is able to continue to get better and better with each new installment. I don't pre-order a lot of books but this is a book that I ordered several months ago and have been eagerly awaiting the day it would magically appear on my kindle. I was more than a little excited to jump back into the Kate Daniels world and I am happy to report that this book lived up to my expectations.
This book is a changing point for Kate and Curran. They have left the Pack and have moved into a suburban neighborhood. Even though they have left the Pack, the politics of the Pack still seem to find a spot in their lives. The Pack and all of its members have been such important parts of the series that I am glad to see that they still play an active role in this book. The difference is really seen in Kate and Curran. They no longer have to act in a certain way just because of their Pack position although Curran did seem to be holding back a bit.
Of course, Kate and Curran find themselves in the middle of major problem when George comes to them asking for help in finding Eduardo. George's father, Mahon, is not actively looking for Eduardo since he does approve of their relationship. Due to Pack politics, since the clan leader isn't actively looking the new Beast Lord, Jim, would have trouble stepping in . Kate and Curran are no longer bound by Pack politics so they agree to help. Atlanta seems to also have some kind of presence that may put everyone in danger. Hordes of Ghouls, mutant creatures with regenerative powers, plus a few giants have put the whole city on alert. Kate and Curran need to secure the city and find Eduardo in order to keep everyone safe.
I am in awe of how many things this writing pair does consistently right. They have created such a unique and intriguing world that never ceases to be exciting. The characters are by far some of the best, if not the best, that I have come across on the written page. I not only adore both Kate and Curran but the other characters in the story are equally amazing. There is a lot of action in this book and I found the pacing of the story to be excellent. There was never a single dull moment for me. The dialog in this story was fantastic and I love how they are able to inject a perfect amount of humor into the overall story.
This is a series that really needs to be read in order. I think that readers who try to start with this book will really miss a lot and will most likely feel a bit lost. I highly recommend this entire series and honestly think that most readers will be able to find something to appreciate in this world. I will continue to read and re-read anything that I can get my hands on from this writing pair. Bravo, Ilona Andrews!
Book #1 - Magic BitesClick the links above to read my other review of this series!
Book #2 - Magic Burns
Book #3 - Magic Strickes
Book #4 - Magic Bleeds
Book #5 - Magic Slays
Book #6 - Magic Rises
Book #7 - Magic Breaks
Book #8 - Magic Shifts
Book #2 - Magic Burns
Book #3 - Magic Strickes
Book #4 - Magic Bleeds
Book #5 - Magic Slays
Book #6 - Magic Rises
Book #7 - Magic Breaks
Book #8 - Magic Shifts
About the Author
"Ilona Andrews" is the pseudonym for a husband-and-wife writing team. Ilona is a native-born Russian and Gordon is a former communications sergeant in the U.S. Army. Contrary to popular belief, Gordon was never an intelligence officer with a license to kill, and Ilona was never the mysterious Russian spy who seduced him. They met in college, in English Composition 101, where Ilona got a better grade. (Gordon is still sore about that.)
Gordon and Ilona currently reside in Texas with their two children and many dogs and cats.
They have co-authored two NYT and USAT bestselling series, the urban fantasy of Kate Daniels and romantic urban fantasy of The Edge and working on the next volumes for both.


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2. Look I'm obsessed with:
I don't know why I love this so much, as I'm usually not a big long skirt kinda person, but it just looks so summery to me. Love the pattern and the color and the sandals and all of it. Love.
Seriously though... this show is just GOOD TV. Even the Hubs likes it... and we RARELY agree on TV. If you haven't watched this show, Netflix it. Now. You'll thank me.
4. The Hubs and I are making this pizza this Sunday.
I use the term PIZZA loosely, as the Hubs does not count anything other than traditional pizza (oh, and apparently it also MUST have at least 2 meats he just informed me) as PIZZA. Everything else, to him, is "pizza". Crazy man. Anyway-- this looks delicious. I'm pumped.
5. Speaking of food, while we were talking about the above pizza, we started talking about what to have with it. I said a salad, like one of the traditional Italian place salads w/ an Italian dressing and cheese. Anyway-- we got into an argument because I said Italian places use iceberg lettuce and he said romaine. Now, we'll use whatever lettuce we want and obviously romaine is healthier... but, I'm just saying... I'm right... right?!?!
6. This article is SO right.
Seriously. I have seen guys wear this shirt. Someone spent MONEY to buy this shirt. WHHHHHY?!?! Why is this funny? Has anyone ever in life, EVER fallen for this? No. Burn that shirt. Immediately.
7. I took Sadie to get her nails trimmed at PetsMart this week. Turns out, it is NOT easy pushing a cart, trying to put a GINORMOUS bag of dog food (because I had to pick up more since I was there) into said cart, AND not run over Sadie while she pulls her leash like a crazy dog. Oh, and all of that-- IN HEELS. While I have no pics of her nails (b/c that would just be weird) or of me trying not to break a leg or one of her legs in the store, I will put a pic of Sadie. Because she's just too cute not to.
8. Song obsession of the moment:
Forever ago, when my BFF and I went to see Jason Mraz, Christina Perri opened for him. I never really paid that much attention to her, though I did like her "Jar of Hearts" song. Well, after seeing her perform I was HOOKED. I could listen to her CD all day. I'm anxiously awaiting her second CD.
9. The Hubs birthday is next week. I have to make part of my gift today. Yes, MAKE. Yes, it requires the use of markers and construction paper. And, yes-- it's going to be AWESOME.
10. Seriously-- what did I do before I discovered BuzzFeed??? THIS. Who needs to know this?!?! But, yes-- I read (and loved) it.
11. So, this happened this morning...
WTF, spinning teacher? You teach EVERY Friday. This isn't new. How you just gonna NOT show up?? Not cool. So, I did 3.5 miles on the TM and 30 minutes on the elliptical. It was CRAZY hot and gross the cardio area too. I sweat BUCKETS. Bleah. Now, I'm crabby. Aren't workouts supposed to put you in a BETTER mood? Not today, friends. Not today.
12. Speaking of not today, I got nothing else. It'll have to be 12 Thing Friday.
I'm out.


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Record warmth, bitter cold and blizzard conditions top the list of Michigan weather events on this day in history. From the National Weather Service archives here are the events that happened on February 27.
1976 – Temperatures soar to the upper 60s during a spell of spring-like weather during the last week of February. Record highs include 62° at Muskegon and 67° at Grand Rapids. Lansing reaches 62°, just shy of the record 64° set in 1867. Detroit also sees a record 63° on this day.
1994 – Temperatures plummet to readings well below 0° as high pressure settles into the Great Lakes from Canada. Record lows include -12° at Grand Rapids, -11° at Muskegon -20° at Lansing, -14° at Flint, and –15° at Marquette.
1996 – A daily record snow water equivalent fell at Weather Forecast Office in Marquette of 0.57 inches.
2005 – A storm system tracking from the High Plains into the Lower Midwest brought heavy synoptic snow to portions of west and central Upper Michigan. Some higher terrain locations along Lake Superior received heavy lake effect snow behind the storm on the 28th into March 1st. Twelve hour snow totals on the 27th included 16 inches at Lake Linden in Houghton County, 12 inches at Herman in Baraga County, 9 inches at Rockland in Ontonagon County and 8 inches at Champion and Skandia in Marquette County.
2009 – An intense low pressure system tracking from the Plains into the Lower Great Lakes brought widespread heavy snow and blowing snow to Upper Michigan on the 26th and 27th. Blizzard conditions occurred over Marquette and Alger County from the evening of the 26th into early afternoon on the 27th. A widespread five to eight inches of total snow was reported across Delta County. North winds gusting to 30 mph at times also caused considerable blowing and drifting of snow. Schools throughout Delta County were closed on the 27th. Storm total snowfall amounts around six inches were reported in Menominee. Northeast winds gusting to 40 mph at times caused considerable blowing and drifting of snow with occasional whiteout conditions on the evening of the 26th. Schools throughout Menominee County were cancelled on the 27th. Observers measured five to six inches of total snowfall from Rockland to Ontonagon. North winds gusting to 30 mph at times also caused some blowing and drifting of snow. Storm spotter snowfall totals included 8.5 inches at Painesdale, 6.5 inches near Twin Lakes and around 5 inches at Houghton and Freda. North winds gusting over 30 mph at times also caused considerable blowing and drifting of snow. Morning classes were cancelled at the Keweenaw-Houghton Area Schools on the 27th.


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Look! Another post inspired by Brene Brown, this time from Daring Greatly. "What's worth doing even if I fail?" She whispered this phrase to herself as she was walking out on stage at her 2012 TED talk. I think I have to step back further from where she's at though and just start with "what's worth doing?" What is something that needs to be done, what is something that I feel I need to do? I want to do some sort of deep introspection and thinking here but honestly I am too internally blocked to go that far. That will eventually be my answer to "what's worth doing even if I fail?" but I'm not quite there yet.
That leads to the question of what is worth doing in a more general sense. Superficially I want to create whether it is to create a difference, create an object, or create a thought.
Creating a difference is important to me because I have always desperately wanted to be needed. So much of my self-worth and identity is tied into being a helper, being available for people when they have little else. It's probably the primary reason why I've been entrenched in mental health nursing since I became a nurse nearly a decade ago. (Side note-holy shit that was 10 years ago!) If there's one group of people that don't have much it's the people described as severe and persistently mentally ill. All of the agencies I have worked at served a population of people that were homeless or only one flat tire away from it. I could be something for them: a smile, a greeting, a "how are you?" with the actual desire to know, a quiet presence to cry with, or a guide when the voices, self-contempt, or anxiety got to be too much. (This is where my tendency towards over functioning comes in but that's a blog for another day)
You see, in working at places where my need to be needed was satisfied with little effort on my part I was able to continue to do without having to stretch out and be uncomfortable. Sure there are always the discomforts of learning new systems, new people, and figuring out my place in the system but I could always figure out a way to create a difference because there was always at least one person around that needed something.
Creating things has become a large focus for me in my knitting and crochet projects. I can make things that are useful and have an art to them. They aren't perfect but often I'm the only one that knows how imperfect they are. Other people see the things I've made and appreciate them and all is good in the world. I've even slowly been pushing past my fears of different techniques and projects because this is a challenge I can do. If it doesn't work out I can just rip back the yarn and watch my work shrink away until the mistakes disappear. (Note that more often than not this is an accidental thing and results in cursing at the tiny loops until I get everything back to where it's supposed to be.) I can take chances and risks with little waste except my time and patience. This is a safe place to challenge myself and do something daring.
Lastly, creating a thought is actually the other two forms of creating mixed into one. A thought is an unformed object budding from someone who has been bit by the inspiration bug. I'm still working on how to do that with any consistency. There's an unhealthy level of criticism and fear around creating a thought… oh. Right. I think that is probably what I need to focus more on. A something that is so important and worth doing despite the risk of failure would be an act of creation so long standing as to inspire thought, discussion, debate. Writing is one of those things for me.
Perhaps that is enough honesty and being vulnerable for the night. I know that my something worth doing despite the risk of failure is doing something that can inspire thoughtful discussion, ideas, and perhaps action. It's still a rather broad concept at this point in my journey but I now have a direction to wander while I let this percolate a bit more. Hopefully the process of finding out what's worth doing even if you fail isn't so vague or hidden from yourself as what I've found my something to be.


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Off Limits
(1953, Paramount Studios)
Off Limits (released outside the U.S. as the blandly titled Military Policemen) is one of those obscure Bob Hope films that somehow has ended up online at a ridiculous price that I'm sure I'll eventually pay. I don't believe this is a public domain film so that would explain why it appears Olive Films has the only DVD release for it and are charging $24.95 (they are also doing this with My Favorite Spy). Luckily, before I decide to spend the money on it, it's available for streaming on Netflix.
Having not heard much about the film, I wasn't sure what to expect. Once you get into the 1950s, Bob's movies could be hit or miss (even if his performances stayed top notch). Knowing that and coupling it with the fact this movie seems to become forgotten by most, I figured it was going to be an uninspired effort.
On the contrary, it's an enjoyable movie that fits the mold of the typical Bob Hope film. Hope himself is still in top form (in what I think might've been one his last B&W films) and I'm sure that was helped by the fact that George Marhshall directs. George & Bob first worked together in 1940 on The Ghostbreakers and would work together on a total of 8 films.
The story is that of a boxing/military comedy hybrid as Hope plays Wally Hogan, a boxing trainer. When Wally's world champion fighter is drafted into the Army, Hogan enlists as well to keep watch on him (a reversal of roles for Bob in regards to 1941's Caught In the Draft). The problem is the boxer is rejected because he was deemed to be manic-depressive and not fit for enlistment. Hogan of course wants to get out since his boxer has been rejected but it doesn't work like that.
Once enlisted, Wally ends up running into wanna-be boxer Herbert Tuttle (Mickey Rooney) and they both sign up as MPs (because it'll be easier work) and Hope tries to make time with Herbert's Aunt Connie (Marilyn Maxwell) while training Rooney's character to become a top boxer.
By 1953, Bob was 50 years old. The premise that he was still a skirt-chaser and enlisting in the Army is a bit hard to swallow but he already had 15 years put into this on-screen persona, so why change it? Sure, it's getting slightly creepy by this point but it still works.
And yes, just in case you're wondering, there is a very brief Crosby cameo in the form of singing on television.
Off Limits may not rank with some of the best of Bob but it's certainly better than most of the movies I've seen him in from the mid-1950s and into the 1960s. It may be one of the last Bob Hope movies that feels like a Bob Hope movie. If you can catch it on Netflix, I recommend it. Other than that, hardcore Hope fans will probably have to spring $20 or so to own a DVD copy.


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Movie Quotes - Inception - Part 8
COBB: I thought he had some knee thing?
EAMES: Nothing they'd put him under for. Besides, we need a good ten hours.
SAITO: Sydney to Los Angeles. Twelve hours and forty-five minutes-one of the longest flights in the world. He makes it every two weeks...
COBB: Surely he flies private?
SAITO: Not if there were unexpected maintenance with his plane.
ARTHUR: It'd have to be a 747.
COBB: Why?
ARTHUR: On a 747 the pilots are up above, first class is in the nose so nobody walks through the cabin. We'd have to buyout the whole cabin, and the first class flight attendant-
SAITO: We bought the airline. It seemed... neater.
ARTHUR: My question is how we go down three layers with enough stability. Three layers down a little turbulence is gonna translate into an earthquake. The dreams are gonna collapse with the slightest disturbance.
YUSUF: Sedation. For sleep stable enough to create three layers of dreaming... We will have to combine it with an extremely powerful sedative....
YUSUF: Brain function in the dream will be about twenty times normal.
COBB: And when you go into a dream within that dream the effect is compounded.
ARIADNE: How much time?
YUSUF: Three dreams... that's ten hours, times twenty, times twenty, times twenty...
EAMES: Math was never my strong suit.
COBB: It's basically a week one layer down, six months two layers down-
ARIADNE: And ten years in the third level. Who wants to spend ten years in a dream?
YUSUF: Depends on the dream.
ARTHUR: How do we get out once we've made the plant? I hope you've got something a little more elegant in mind than shooting me in the head like last time.
COBB: A kick.
ARIADNE: What's a kick?
EAMES: That, Ariadne, would be a kick.
COBB: That feeling of falling which snaps you awake. We use that to jolt ourselves awake once we're done.
ARTHUR: But how are we going to feel that through the sedation?
YUSUF: That's the clever part. I customize the sedative... To leave inner ear function unimpaired...
ARTHUR: Even that won't cut through three layers of deep sleep.
COBB: The trick is to devise a kick for each level, then synchronize them to get a snap that penetrates all three layers.
COBB: If I get on this plane and you haven't taken care of things... when we land I go to jail for the rest of my life.
SAITO: Complete the job en route, I make one phone call from the plane... you will have no trouble clearing immigration.