text:
HP Introduces Next-Generation LaserJet Printers
Mar 10, 2015
Today, HP announced the global launch of a "re-engineered, sleek" new series of A4 color LaserJet printers intended to make businesses more efficient. The devices—which consist of one MFP and three single function printers—are a significant departure from previous LaserJet products. Comprising new "JetIntelligence" technology, they take up 40% less space; use up to 53% less energy; and wake up, print, and duplex "in a fraction of the time."
The "enterprise" M552 and M553 single function printers, for instance, offer 100% duplex productivity—meaning that in addition to printing 40 one-sided pages per minute they can achieve 40 images per minute spread across two sides of the page. HP says the announcement represents its most significant laser printing re-engineering since the launch of the first LaserJet in 1984.
Footprint of New HP LaserJet Devices
Source: HP press event in New York City
The devices are built around original HP toner cartridges with JetIntelligence, delivering up to 33% percent more pages compared to previous toner technology. This is achieved through a reduction in toner waste as well as more space available for toner in the cartridge. The cartridges also feature a lower fusing temperature as a result of polymerized toner particles, "innovative" anti-fraud technology to protect against counterfeits, and "print gauge technology" for better predicting cartridge life.
From a mobility standpoint, the products offer a version of Wi-Fi Direct Print that enables access to the Internet and printer at the same time, while the M552 and M553 single function printers also offer Google Cloud Print 2.0 supporting Google's new local printing standard for Chromebooks and Chrome OS applications. The devices range in price from $299.99 to $1,199.99, which is comparable to predecessor models, while HP says their high-capacity toner cartridges have an 8 to 10% lower cost per page.
When unveiling these products to analysts, HP highlighted several trends driving today's changing office—including a focus on 1) energy reduction and the environment, 2) collaboration and space design, 3) your office being "where you are", 4) security, and 5) automation of paper-based processes.
HP LaserJet and Enterprise Solutions Senior Vice President Pradeep Jotwani emphasized that office spaces have become more compact, yet employees still need completely functional devices.
At the same time, they need to be able to work from wherever they are (in office, at home, on the go, etc.)—which includes being able to print "intuitively" from mobile devices. Jotwani also stressed that business process automation has become increasingly important given its benefits around cost, accuracy, productivity, and big data.
It appears that HP has taken several of these trends into account with the introduction of its new LaserJet series.
InfoTrends' Opinion
The new models from HP are impressive; it is clear the company has checked off the box of required features and functionality to stay competitive. While HP is the definite leader in the laser printer market, it is evident the company does not want to take this leadership position for granted and is continuing to refine the technology to fortify its core business. Furthermore, recent quarterly earnings announcements have reinforced the importance of innovating within this segment.
While these models seem to be closing the gap between laser and business inkjet technology in a number of ways (e.g., from a footprint and "green" standpoint), it appears that HP continues to view each technology as excelling in certain areas. For example, in the area of color printing, inkjet technology continues to be positioned for general office settings while LaserJet technology is promoted for more specialized environments.
It will be interesting to see how much success these products are able to achieve in the market, particularly when considering the extent to which traditional copier vendors as well as business inkjet vendors (including HP) have infiltrated the A4 office space. Nevertheless, given some of the particularities of these devices as well as the apparent breadth of marketing planned for the launch, we would not be surprised to see HP capture market share in this segment as well as move further upstream with the new technology.
InfoTrends will soon be publishing a more detailed discussion of these LaserJet devices for clients of its Digital Peripherals Solutions and Digital Peripherals Solutions Europe consulting services. For more information on this analysis piece, please contact Scott Phinney at email@example.com.
More blogs from Christine Dunne


text:
Hot Summer Nights Giveaway
Posted On June 19, 2011
Starting tomorrow, the group blog I belong to is having a freaking awesome giveaway.
Now, I post on Fridays, but you should check each day out to see how you can get entries into a drawing for some sweet prizes. Autographed books, $75.00 gift card, and much more!
It starts tomorrow, Monday the 20th —–> HERE.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
RyanL31 brauchte ein neues Print oder Verpackung Design und hat einen Wettbewerb auf 99designs gestartet.
Aus 12 Designs von 2 Designern wurde eine Gewinner gewählt.
Motorsport Photography
We photograph motorsport/motor racing events and produce books to commemorate certain teams achievements
We require a book cover design for a motorsport event we're currently photographing.
The event is called the 'Armor All Bathurst 12 Hour' and is an endurance race event, see the official website for background info; http://www.bathurst12hour.com.au/
To illustrate our requirements for this book cover I have attached a PDF of the design that we used in 2010.
The cover needs to convey a sense of speed but also simplicity. The colours need to be strong without being overpowering (colour combinations can be up to the designer to decide, the scheme used in 2010 we liked but we're also open to other options).
The car featured in the cover design needs to be generic while still retaining a distinct outline, the car featured in the 2010 cover is a Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X. The car in the design also needs to be able to be interchanged, for example we photograph for a number of teams each of whom run a different model/manufacturer of car.
For the purposes of this project please base the car design on the Subaru Impreza WRX STi, the exact car competing in the event is also attached. As per the 2010 design, the cars do not need to contain sponsor logos, colours or signage - just the distinct body shape/outline.
Following the completion of the competition the remaining cars for the cover variants will be provided, however the core design/colour scheme will remain the same (note other than the Subaru Impreza STi, there are four other cars required - the Audi R8 LMS, the Lamborghini Gallardo, the Ferrari 458 GT3 and the Mercedes-Benz SLS GT3).
The specifications for the cover are 3578 pixels x 2550 pixels @ 300dpi, in PDF format.
If you have any questions please feel free to ask away as I'm sure I've missed something important! :)
Thank you!


text:
The Mööblifurnituur store at the Järve Keskus has the biggest selection of furniture fittings in Estonia – for kitchen, bathroom, wardrobe, living room and office.
We offer modern and top-quality products from renowned companies like Häfele (closet door lifts, quietly closing drawers), Kesseböhmer (extractable rack systems), Salice (door hinges), Schock (granite sinks and premixing taps), Hailo (dustbins), Camar (table and closet stands), Pelly (wardrobe baskets and racks) and Siro (closet door handles, knobs and pegs).
Brands: Camar, Citterio, Comferut, Gamet, Häfele, Italiana Ferramenta, Kesseböhmer, Laguna, Pelly, Rejs, Salice, Schock, Sibu, Siro, Siso, Elletipi, Ekotech, Permo, Lemi, Metal Arredo


text:
UI Workshop – £295
Whilst UX gets a lot of attention, even the best wireframes and customer journeys would be ineffective without a well designed user interface.
Our 3 hour UI workshop takes you step by step through the basics. We'll show you how to master Sketch, how to design responsively for android and Apple devices and how to design from wireframes.
Portfolios and Interview Preparation
We'll show you how to build a relevant portfolio and how to win over recruiters and clients alike.
Our courses are geared toward beginners with no prior knowledge of either ui or ux design. Inevitably, our courses attract students with a wide variety of career backgrounds.
As much time as you can. Certainly a minimum of 1 hour a day and it must be every day so you hit that hockey stick curve of learning and understanding. If you can commit to two or three hours per day, you'll be flying in no time.
If you need to reschedule, email firstname.lastname@example.com and together you can work out alternate dates.
There are plenty to choose from. However the industry standard is SKETCH for UI/UX. It's very light to use (memory wise), costs less than £100.00 to buy (not rent/subscribe..) and is beautifully intuitive. You'll be up and running in no time.
Three to four months if you're out of work and you can commit to 6-8 hours a day. If you are at work, then you'll need to commit 1 to 2 hours per day. Again, how fast you move towards becoming a UI designer is completely down to how many hours you can commit.
No one can know for sure. But one thing that is certain; we'll need more and more user interfaces, apps, web experiences and user experiences as we progress into a digital future. Just imagine 5/10 years from now, every surface from coffee shop tables, to wearables, to the walls in your home, kitchen appliances, cars, everything you interact with will need a digital interface. Someone needs to do that and more work = more demand = you 🙂


text:
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Dondre Whitfield is a Real Husband of Hollywood. He met her when he was just a teenager and fell in love. He's been with her ever since. Through the ups and downs, the sunny days and the rain, the times when she treated him like he was the only one she loved and the days when he couldn't get her to pick up the phone. Because that's what love is. It's dedication. It's faith. And it's patience. Dondre has that in spades. And so far, he's played his cards right. Dondre Whitfield is the player, and he loves the game. You want to know the score? Punch play.
Listen to the Featured Beat.


text:
Davydenko won, Almagro beat the gladiator Soderling, Ferrer beat Monaco, Daniel beat Dent and Querrey beat Ram.
Sharapova's back and feeling good (and pushing toddlers about in cars) "I am a hundred percent," she said about her shoulder. Whew! Must be time for the Williams sisters to get injured again then. We certainly can't have all the WTA stars fit and healthy at once...
Contemplating the nature of Roddick's injury at the Tennis Chick.
Tamira Paszek in trouble for blood doping?


text:
- Details
- Reviews
The simple, elegant design and the beautiful satin black finish of the Anywhere Fireplace™ 90201 Tribeca II Floor Standing Fireplace on a stand will create a dramatic statement and add architectural interest to any room. Just place it on the floor in any room and your guest will be impressed at the style and sophistication it adds to any decor, traditional to contemporary. Assembles easily in just a few minutes. An additional feature of the Tribeca II Fireplace is that if you would ever want to change it to hang on a wall instead of sitting on the floor, you can purchase the wall brackets, remove the base and it will easily convert to a wall-mount fireplace. Truly one of a kind fireplace that will give you the real dancing flames a fireplace, but without construction, connections and without the hassle of smoke, fumes, soot or smell. Totally clean and beautiful for you to enjoy anywhere.
Smarthome does not accept defective returns for this product. You will need to contact the Manufacturer (or Supplier) directly for all warranty issues.
Smarthome can ship Anywhere Fireplace products only to addresses within the USA.


text:
In the latest version of the Byline survey (September to December, 2011), we broke down op-eds by gender, staff/non-staff, outlet, and subject in an effort to gain a more precise picture of the op-ed writing environment. I don't mind admitting that the results were fascinating.
As you can see in the charts below, in both legacy media and new media, women authored far more articles on subjects that women have traditionally written about (Pink Topics), and significantly fewer than men on every general interest subject aside from the subject of health in new media (women wrote 53%).
In new media, women wrote proportionally far more of the pink articles than they did in legacy media (e.g., 40% of food articles in legacy vs. 67% in new media), but women also wrote a higher proportion of articles on every other subject, with the exception of national politics, which was 20% for both new and legacy media.
Some of the numbers in legacy media were especially dreary. The worst, in my mind, was that just 10% of economics articles in legacy media were written, or co-written, by a woman. In new media, that number was a less grim, but still sad, 19%.
It's true that this low 10% figure is, in large part, a result of a higher number of men in economics. In fact, only 9% of economics doctorates were awarded to women in 1974, but the number has been steadily on the rise, reaching 27% by 2000. So, not only is this 10% figure not representative of women in general, but it is not representative of women in the field of economics.
If you would like more information on these statistics, please write me (Taryn), at firstname.lastname@example.com
Donna Gimther, Shulamit Kahn. Women in Economics: Moing Up or Falling off the Academic Career Ladder. Journal of Economic Perspective – Volume 18, Number 3 – Summer 2004, pg. 193


text:
Just another WordPress.com weblog
Jen Szymanski is a freelance writer who has been a biology professor, a music teacher, a veterinary technician, a deckhand, and a Dairy Queen counter girl. Every job she's had is her favorite. Her life, in a nutshell, has been neatly summed up by an utter stranger at this link: http://www.birdandmoon.com/sciencevsart.html . Twitter @jenami75 Site: https://jenami.wordpress.com tumblr: http://notsureabouttheformer.tumblr.com/


text:
I first registered the domain name for Bend Outdoors just over fourteen years ago. Back then I had visions of creating an online guidebook of sorts, and even coded up a site that (I thought was awesome) sat around for a good chunk of those years. I loved the name of the website, and still obviously do, because it really succinctly defines what many of us love about this magical place – The Outdoors.
As such it seems fitting that the first goal of Bend Outdoors is to share the love many of us have of this special place. Whether it is as simple as sharing a beautiful photo of North Sister, or writing a blog post about a favorite trail – introducing others to the wonders of the Bend Outdoors is critical to ensure that the thing we all love is Protected and Respected.
There are many of us who frequently play in the Bend Outdoors, but might not be aware of some of the active problems that are occurring with our playground. Therefore the second goal of Bend Outdoors is to act as a tool to help inform all of us, who enjoy the outdoors of Bend, about critical issues that are affecting it. Our bi-weekly newsletter seeks to keep all outdoor lovers informed of upcoming events and activities in the Bend Outdoors, and to help everyone learn about critical issues and how to become involved.
Protecting the very thing we care about is quite possibly the most important goal of the Bend Outdoors project. All proceeds from sales of merchandise are donated directly back to local non-profit groups that act as stewards of the Bend Outdoors.
A big inspiration for this project came from my daughter, Kaydee, who used this very model to raise money for Central Oregon Animal Shelters. Her project – Oregon Paws – has raised over $2,000 in one summer for animals in need. I seek to do this very thing but for local outdoor non-profits that also show a love and desire to protect the Bend Outdoors. A few charities we will be contributing to are:
- Coalition for the Deschutes
- Central Oregon Avalanche Association
- Central Oregon Trail Alliance
- Deschutes Redbands Chapter Trout Unlimited
Join Us!
If these goals speak to you at all, I urge you to get involved in our outdoor community. This can be as simple as picking up trash while you are out on the trails, exploring our blog to learn about some of the current issues the outdoors of Bend are facing – or signup for our newsletter to stay informed on all things Bend Outdoors.
Of course you can also checkout our Store to see if there is anything that might look good on your adventures in the Bend Outdoors.
Thanks for reading!
Timmy Crawford, April 2018
Bend Outdoors is hosted and created using WordPress.com ( which also happens to be my fabulous employer ), and the store functionality is powered by WooCommerce. If you are a fan of WordPress or Woo, or want to learn about either – be sure to checkout the local Bend WordPress Meetup!
The Bend Outdoors logo and other designs were created by the very talented Matt Cole Wilson. Photos on the website are all taken by Timmy Crawford, unless otherwise noted.


text:
23 May Oakley Park
Oakley Park was built in 1835 by Daniel Bird, a Virginian who came to Edgefield and became a very successful cotton planter. After the War Between the States, it was purchased by General Martin Witherspoon Gary, a former Major-General of the Confederacy.
Oakley Park was used as his headquarters in 1876 when he was the leader of the Red Shirt movement, a campaign to restore Democratic government to South Carolina. This group was called the Red Shirts because they dyed their shirts red and then marched in the streets of many South Carolina towns to show their support for Wade Hampton. In 1941, Governor John Gary Evans, who was the nephew of Gary and had inherited the property, gave it to the Town of Edgefield and the United Daughters of the Confederacy. Items in the house include period antiques and relics. Today, Oakley Park is a house museum and is open to the public.
The house contains a remarkable collection of Civil War and Reconstruction era artifacts and is open to the public.
Visit Oakley Park by appointment only. Contact us to inquire.


text:
All Points Limousine has your solution for Palm Beach Airport transportation. We provide you with the highest quality of service starting with our helpful reservationists, professional chauffeurs and one of the newest and largest fleets of Sedans, Limousines, SUVs, Vans and Mini-Buses in Palm Beach County and the surrounding areas.
You can truly rely on All Points Limousine, one of South Florida's most respected companies in the ground transportation industry for all your Palm Beach Airport transportation requirements. We have successfully served corporations, groups and individual travelers throughout Palm Beach County since 1985 with their transportation to and from West Palm Beach Airport
All Points Limousine is dedicated to the principle of customer service; we understand the complexities and pressure of travel, especially the requirements of air travel and airport logistics. This knowledge drives our team of ground transportation professionals to bring a unique perspective to all ground transportation, planning itineraries, resolving issues, providing competitive pricing and delivering high quality services.
Each and every staff member at All Points Limousine always exemplifies a can-do attitude that guarantees all your needs are met, every time you call and with the highest degree of professional performance.
- Flying out on an important business trip?
- Is an important client arriving at Palm Beach Airport needing transportation?
- Organizing a business meeting or training session?
Whether you need a sedan, suv, van or mini-bus for your transportation to or from West Palm Beach airport or multiple vehicles to accommodate a group arriving on different airlines and flights, we can accommodate all of your Palm Beach Airport transportation needs.
With All Points Limousine's Palm Beach Airport transportation services you can book your reservations or get and immediate quote on our convenient reservations website or call and speak to one of our representatives 24 hours a day.


text:
My buddy Dale is a dyed-in-the-wool Cardinals fan getting developed up in the St. Louis spot. His occupation has taken him far away from the Gateway metropolis, but he keeps his loyalty large when it comes to his Cardinals. He in no way misses a game. Dale can look at St. Louis Cardinals MLB online games on-line.
"You're kidding," you are pondering to on your own.
Absolutely not.
Dale watches as many online games as a result of live streaming movie around the Web on his computer system as he potentially can. He is, without a doubt, a fan-atic. So, he has his laptop computer almost everywhere he goes as a sales expert, so no subject what part of the state he visits, he however visits his valuable Cardinals .He in no way misses the enjoyment when cardinal fantastic Albert Pujols ways to the plate to zing just one out or keeps environment MLB fielding information. Dale brags about the professional steerage Supervisor Tony LaRussa has furnished the club for fourteen many years. He reminds me that the Redbirds however have members from the 2006 Globe Champions that get the occupation carried out like Adam Wainwright, Chris carpenter, catcher Yadier Molina together with ace reliever Josh Kinney.
I questioned him what sort of mortgage does he have to shell out for this of course super pricey game package deal. He instructed me that he identified this great application that expense a lot less than a superior seat at Busch Stadium that he quickly downloaded, installed and now uses to catch all the action.
You can catch all the action on your Personal computer, as well. Given that Dale turned me on this application, I look at St. Louis Cardinals MLB online games on-line plus considerably much more. The application gives you entry to a wide array of televised programming that incorporates other activity venues, leisure and information channels, heritage, education and learning and kid's programming as properly. All you want is a DSL or cable Web relationship plus a Windows working technique. That's it!
Now you can set on your Cardinal jersey, sit back and take pleasure in online games on your computer system everywhere you are.
I look at on my computer system all the time.


text:
Early in October Adobe revealed that nearly 3 million user accounts had been compromised by hackers and some personal information may have been taken. Now company is revising that number and saying the actual number of hacked accounts is 38 million.
Adobe ID hack jumps up to 38 million accounts
Adobe's initial report said that user names and encrypted credit card information for 2.9 million users had been taken in the attack. Based on what the company knows now, it is saying Adobe IDs and encrypted passwords for 38 million users were taken.
"So far, our investigation has confirmed that the attackers obtained access to Adobe IDs and (what were at the time valid), encrypted passwords for approximately 38 million active users," Adobe spokesperson Heather Edell said in a statement to CNET.
The company said it has already notified all of the affected users by email, and is now looking into the number of inactive and text user accounts the hackers were able to tap into.
Adobe is working with law enforcement officials on the investigation into the hack, and has also said hackers made off with the source code for several of its products.
Adobe is hosting a security alert webpage where users can reset their passwords and get some more answers about the security breach. Even if Adobe hasn't contacted you, it's still a good idea to change your Adobe ID password as a security precaution.


text:
Romans 15:13
"May the God of HOPE fill you with all JOY and PEACE as you TRUST in him,
so that you may overflow with hope by the power the Holy Spirit."
I doubt there's a coincidence in being filled with joy and peace as we learn to wholly trust our God. I know it's impossible to remain hopeful for long in the midst of trial after trial, disappointment after disappointment unless you have tethered yourself to something much more steadfast and secure than the people and things of this world… The things we believe are our safe places and cutesy quotes we have penned all over the place. Those quotes become frustrating, people move on, and our safe places provide us with possibly fun and needed breaks and distractions but nothing lasting and fulfilling.
While I was at Created for Care this past weekend, one of my car buddies whom I met at the airport felt led to pray for me specifically about believing. Ironically, that's exactly what I was praying about when she tapped me on my knee and we started talking.
It's exactly what another mama and I were talking about laughing at how "smart" we are as adults when God tells us something or leads us some place and we have a ton of questions, our own methods, our own agendas to push through. And, of course, his time table must fit with ours or else we'll try to find some way to multitask and figure out how we can get what we want of before, during, or after his plan is set in motion. All of this when he tells us to be as children. Children who believe in literally anything you tell them – a chubby man who flies through the sky as he's led by reindeer (one with a red flashlight for a nose) delivering gifts to EVERY child across this world in a matter of hours or the tooth fairy who flies around exchanging funds for teeth…. or any other mythical creatures we come up with. They believe without a shadow of a doubt… without any other proof besides the money under pillows and gifts under a tree. (I mean, that is enough, right??) Yet, we grow to learn that it's foolish to believe in a real someone who truly existed and who has shown up for us time, after time, after time, after time. In the lives of our friends and families… in the situations we so desperately cry out to him about.
It's so difficult for us – ME – to believe that this dude loves me to my core in spite of all of my wretchedness…. that I am his beloved…. that he cares deeply for me…. that his plans are much more amazing than anything I could imagine… that he hears me…. that he can comfort me… that he is ENOUGH.
Jesus told his disciples time and again how he was going to resurrect after three days…. he told them in parables, he told them in plain English…… English in my Bible, some other language in real life. Which is fine. But, he told them many times, in many ways. The man that healed sick people, raised other people from the dead (numerous times), caused the blind to see and the lame to walk…. THAT guy said "yea, I'm dying but I'll be back. No worries."
Mark 16 tells us of how Mary (his mama), Mary Magdalene, and Salome went to the tomb but didn't find Jesus. Instead they found a couple of guys in really nice outfits who told them to spread the word that Jesus had arisen – they were scared, so they didn't. (Sidebar – they were worrying about things like moving the stone, when the stone was already moved and taken care of. Can we say a little something about how we don't trust God but worry about what we think may be an issue? Just a note. Moving on.) Then, he appeared to Mary Magdalene….. She went to the disciples (who were mourning) and they didn't believe her. Jesus showed himself to two disciples, they went to tell the others and they still. did not. believe. What was it going to take?!
No matter who came, Mary Magdalene or Jesus himself, to tell of the resurrection from the dead, they wouldn't believe them until He came and spoke to them himself. A total lack of faith. And, in a very Jesus like manner, he rebuked them. And, then being the forgiving kinda guy that he is, he moved immediately from discipling/reprimanding/correcting them to letting them know that they were still his – no matter what they didn't do or didn't believe. He commissioned them to go spread the word, serve people, and change lives.
I admit, I have a hard time believing. When I have a bad day, although I may pray about it and spend some quiet yet distracted time with God, I still need my Chipotle bowl, possibly some ice cream, a chat with a friend, and…. and…. and…. and…. in order to feel "better". I hear the whisper of "… but, aren't I enough?" And, my immediate response in word is "YES! Yes, you are enough" but my response in action is faithless, because then I go buy candy and order a large fry from Chick-fil-a. Not even giving myself SPACE to be FILLED by God. I'm trying to fill this God sized void with a bunch of stuff that is a terrible habit at the least and totally unsatisfactory at best.
I'm crowding his voice out with music and my favorite movies because I feel so badly that only love stories and snacks will make me feel better. A run will help me clear my head, writing, painting, coloring…. all of those calming, peaceful activities will do the trick. But, the thing is – they don't. I'm still needing and craving and crying and asking and begging to feel better or for my situation to change when I am not even going to the source that gives a drink that will forever quench my thirst. (John 4:8-14)
I'm busy believing in things that will fall away and increase my body fat, things that have proven to fail me…… instead of believing in the one in whom I gave my life and who sustains me daily. The one who has done great things for me and my friends. Things that are tangible. Things that I have witnessed and seen for myself. Just as the disciples saw and witnessed and were on the front row of God doing amazing things.
He gives peace and joy as we trust…. not when we have learned to trust (as in completely finished learning). Not when we have grown to trust at a level 10. But, as we trust. day by day, moment by moment leaning and depending on a God who can do all. As we learn to trust that He is capable of doing far more than we can even drum up in our minds. Isaiah says there's no limit to his understanding so I believe that he knows its difficult to trust that some pretty major and miraculous things can happen in some pretty hard situations…. I get it. I appreciate it… so He isn't going to wait for us to "arrive" before He grants us peace and joy as we walk through the valleys and endure the really difficult stuff He has put before us for his glory. (You gotta appreciate that… I mean, its kinda thoughtful. lol)
He will fill our cups if we allow Him room to. He's not going to fight for space just as we don't want to beg for attention or constantly ask to be a priority in someone's life. He's not going to compete against Chick-fil-a and Rachel McAdams…. He doesn't have to. He will patiently wait with every spiritual gift, with all of his peace, with all of the comfort, and miraculous plans he has stored away for us until we recognize His greatness. Until we begin to moment by moment, and step by step believe that he is enough. More than enough. He will fill us to overflowing. Not fill to the brim of the glass so nothing will spill out… his goal is to cause us to overflow. He knows that when anything overflows it seeps under doors, saturates carpet, causes wood to expand, its soaks everything around it…. even when the overflow is stopped, it soaks and fills that which attempts to stop the spread.
The overflow causes change and effects everything around it. He knows if joy and hope are overflowing, we are actively being light to a dark world. Others will see that our circumstances aren't shaking our faith, that bad days aren't causing us to despair, and the unkind are being met with a grace, forgiveness, and peace that they can't comprehend……. and, they are won over because of the overflow. They are curious. They begin to wonder "how is it that you are so…… in the midst of ….??" Just as after each and every miracle Christ performed while here on Earth, someone said "Well, who is that?" He didn't heal because he felt bad for the people; yes he loves us, but he heals and comforts us for his own glory. Everything he did caused more to look towards him, more to become a part of the family of faith, gave more opportunities to see how trustworthy, faithful, compassionate, forgiving, and loving He is. We get to see who he is, his character, in the midst of our trials.
As we believe and as we trust in our God who is everlasting, we not only are we benefiting ourselves, serving our God, and serving others, but we are also bringing glory to his name.
Emptying ourselves so that we are filled in order to spread the gospel and serve others. So that we and others can glorify God.
And, that what this life is all about.
Y'all, will you believe with me? Will you ask to be emptied and filled to overflowing for the Lord's sake?
He doesn't ask us to be perfect, he doesn't expect nor need a bunch of perfect people to work with. Just a bunch of regular folk willing to serve and be filled.
… here's to making changes to how I "self-soothe" and living a life of faith as I actively in word and in deed trust and believe in our God.


text:
uh oh.
amid still sliding poll numbers, president bush has just lost his number one fan:
i am frustrated with the progress. if you were to take it and put me in an opinion poll and said do i approve of iraq, i'd be one of those that said, no, i don't.
— president bush, pbs newshour with jim lehrer
hmm — looks like it's really just down to laura and barney now.
Wednesday, January 17, 2007
one more bush hater
Sunday, January 14, 2007
like writing on toilet paper
it sounds like bush is getting tired of all the carping know-it-alls-without-a-plan:
president bush on saturday challenged lawmakers skeptical of his new iraq plan to propose their own strategy for stopping the violence in baghdad.
"to oppose everything while proposing nothing is irresponsible," bush said.
but if bush is genuinely interested in seeing other plans, he need only check his inbox.
it's where he'll find, among others, the murtha plan, the kerry-feingold plan, the biden plan, the edwards plan, the levin-reed plan, and not to mention the baker-hamilton plan, otherwise known as the iraq study group plan, which bush already sounds familiar with, since he was recently overheard describing it as "a flaming turd".
and then there are the seemingly daily growing roster of freely-dispensed blogger plans like the johnson plan. it's plainly apparent to none but the willfully blind and deaf that at this late date there are no lack of thoughtful alternatives.
unfortunately (and i do say this with the utmost respect to all those who have been applying the necessary brain-power and wisdom that's been heretofore lacking in this debate) all these plans represent nothing more than idle academic masturbation. they're all quite pointless. and that's why you'll find no trademarked and patented "aarrgghh plan" on this site.
because unless the first step in your grand strategy reads:
my grand strategy for iraq
by carping know-it-all
remove george bush and dick cheney from office.
... then your plan is nothing but toilet paper.
because unless you're willing to let events continue to spiral for at least another two years, george bush will give your precious plan all the due consideration he gave to the over-anticipated iraq study group report — that is, as steve gilliard remarked, he'll "wipe his ass" with it.
which leaves us with only one plan — the only one that matters — the kagan plan, more fondly known as "the surge".
and what makes this one plan oh-so irresistible to the commander-in-chief?
frederick kagan, 36, is the author of choosing victory, a blueprint for the surge adopted by president george w bush. just as everybody had begun writing off the influence of the neocons at the white house, genial, chubby-faced frederick gave the muscular intellectuals a lease of life.
it was at camp david last june that kagan, a military historian and fellow of the american enterprise institute, outlined his plans for pouring more troops into iraq to bush and his war cabinet.
donald rumsfeld, the then defence secretary, was unimpressed, but kagan's views got another hearing when bush was searching for ways to ditch the seemingly defeatist recommendations of james baker's iraq study group. "wow, you mean we can still win this war?" a grateful bush reportedly said.
Saturday, January 13, 2007
calling captain kirk
oregon congressman david wu on the floor of the house rebuking bush's plan to escalate our adventure in the middle east:
now, this president has listened to some people, the so-called vulcans in the white house, the ideologues. but unlike the vulcans of star trek, who made the decisions based on logic and fact, these guys make it on ideology. these aren't vulcans. there are klingons in the white house. but unlike the real klingons of star trek, these klingons have never fought a battle of their own.
don't let faux klingons send real americans to war. it is wrong.
wu, a democrat, is chairman of the technology and innovation subcommittee of the house science and technology committee, and apparently an avid star trek fan:
he admitted friday that while recovering from a recent back injury, he watched "a whole basket of star trek tapes" lent to him by a neighbor. which star trek series or movie is his favorite?
"i watch them all," wu said. "a terrible confession."
Thursday, January 11, 2007
we don't do backup
secretary of state condoleeza rice, speaking at today's senate foreign relations committee hearings on bush's plan to send more troops to iraq:
it's bad policy to speculate on what you'll do if a plan fails when you're trying to make a plan work.
ah ... so that explains the last three years.
Thursday, January 04, 2007
it's official
3000 1, 2 deaths confirmed by the department of defense.
1 3006 reported deaths at iraq coalition casualy count
2 3013 reported deaths at globalsecurity.org
Wednesday, January 03, 2007
how to make a martyr
nir rosen @ iraqslogger:
hijacking eid and hanging saddam
the important muslim holiday of eid al adha was due to begin over the weekend. for sunnis it began on saturday the 30th of december. for shias it begins on sunday the 31st. according to tradition in mecca, battles are suspended during the hajj period so that pilgrims can safely march to mecca. this practice even predated islam and muslims preserved this tradition, calling this period 'al ashur al hurm,' or the months of truce. by hanging saddam on the sunni eid the americans and the iraqi government were in effect saying that only the shia eid had legitimacy. sunnis were irate that shia traditions were given primacy (as they are more and more in iraq these days) and that shias disrespected the tradition and killed saddam on this day. because the iraqi constitution itself prohibits executions from being carried out on eid, the iraqi government had to officially declare that eid did not begin until sunday the 31st. it was a striking decision, virtually declaring that iraq is now a shia state. eid al adha is the festival of the sacrifice of the sheep. some may perceive it as the day saddam was sacrificed.
... although the shia dominated iraqi media claimed saddam was terrified prior to his execution and fought with his hangmen, saddam's on screen visage was one of aplomb, for he was conscious of the image he was displaying and wanted to go down as the grand historic leader he believed himself to be.
the new york times:
u.s. questioned iraq on the rush to hang hussein
none of the iraqi officials were able to explain why mr. maliki had been unwilling to allow the execution to wait. nor would any explain why those who conducted it had allowed it to deteriorate into a sectarian free-for-all that had the effect, on the video recordings, of making mr. hussein, a mass murderer, appear dignified and restrained, and his executioners, representing shiites who were his principal victims, seem like bullying street thugs.
but the explanation may have lain in something that bassam al-husseini, a maliki aide closely involved in arrangements for the hanging, said to the bbc later. mr. husseini, who has american citizenship, described the hanging as "an id gift to the iraqi people."
nir rosen @ iraqslogger:
saddam had been in american custody and was handed over to iraqis just before his execution. it is therefore hard to dismiss the perception that the americans could have waited, because in the end it is they who have the final say over such events in iraq. iraqi officials have consistently publicly complained that they have no authority and the americans control the iraqi police and the army. it is therefore unusual that iraqis would suddenly regain sovereignty for this important event.
digby @ hullaballoo:
bush's law: if it's possible to make things worse, he will.
saddam hussein is the the man i would have thought was least likely to be turned into a martyr, but damned if they didn't manage to do it. bush's law. and here's the great thing about it — the us, which claims rather unconvincingly that it had no say in this because iraq is a sovereign country, gets blamed for this right along with the shi'a government and moqtada al sadr. terrific. lose, lose for us — as usual. heckuva job, bushie.
christopher hitchens @ slate: (hitchens has been called "the gold standard for leftwingers who had adopted the neocon stance on iraq", so his post represents something of an ongoing epiphany)
lynching the dictator
... in spite of his mad invective against "the persians" and other traitors, the only character with a rag of dignity in the whole scene is the father of all hangmen, saddam hussein himself.
... the said chief perpetrator was snatched from the dock — in the very middle of his trial — and thrown as a morsel to one of the militias. this sort of improvised "offing" is not even a parody of the serious tribunal that history demands.
... did our envoys and representatives ask for any sort of assurances before turning over a prisoner who was being held under the geneva conventions?
... we have helped to officiate at a human sacrifice. for shame.
... to have made the butcher saddam into a martyr, to have gratified one sect, and to have cheated millions of iraqis and kurds of the chance for a full accounting — what a fine day's work!
p.z. myers @ science blog pharyngula:
how can they screw up this badly?
why is it that i, nasty ol' atheist who is completely ignorant of theology and religious history, can see the parallels in the execution of hussein, but our theocracy-sympathizing leaders bumble along, failing to see the damning errors of their position?
... you know, foreign occupying power, powerful religious group agitating for the execution of a hated, charismatic competitor, promises of who will bear the guilt for the deed, metaphorical washing of the hands ... jebus, if i know what a counterproductive pr disaster that was for the pharisees and the romans, what's the matter with the american leadership in iraq? don't they read the bibles they thump? add to that that they've apparently done the execution at a time when it is "religiously unacceptable", and we've got a situation that makes pontius pilate look good.
the new york times:
at the burial, several mourners threw themselves on the closed casket. one, a young man convulsed with sobs, cried: "he has not died. i can hear him speaking to me." another shouted, "saddam is dead! instead of weeping for him, think of ways we can take revenge on the iranian enemy," sunni parlance for the shiites now in power.
the los angeles times:
sunni grief, anger flow at funeral
"today they proved themselves that the trial and the execution were mere retaliation and not justice," said a mourner from tikrit, near al auja, who gave his name only as abu mohammed, a customary nickname. "it is clear now against whom we should retaliate."
booman @ the booman tribune:
shrine desecration and other happy news
the execution of saddam was handled very badly. there were many errors, but allowing footage of the executioners yelling 'moqtada, moqtada, moqtada' was perhaps the worst mistake. the sunni response, breaking into the samarra shrine and parading around a faux-coffin of saddam the martyr-hero, is about the worst sacrilege imaginable. imagine a bunch protestants blowing the dome off of st. peter's cathedral. then imagine them breaking into the church and parading around pictures of hitler and mussolini. there is not going to be any end in the cycle of sectarian violence.
Monday, January 01, 2007
and to start off the year ...
3002.1, 2
1 according to the iraq coalition casualty count, "two task force lightning soldiers assigned to 3rd brigade combat team, 1st cavalry division, were killed sunday as a result of an explosion while conducting operations in diyala province."
2 the globalsecurity.org count continues to stand at 3002.


text:
- Pop Punk
- Pure Noise Records
- May 19th, 2015
2.Heavy Gloom
3. Distaste
4. Solo
5. Mock
6. How You Are
7. Nerve
8. Phantom
9. Scowl
10. Stalemate
Usually a band doesn't release a self titled after several successful records yet The Story So Far have and by doing so have thus not only showed us their best yet but also showed a new side to The Story So Far.
From the first line of Smile you'll be able to tell that singer Parker Cannon has gone through something horrible in his personal life to be able to write and belt out these heartfelt lyrics. With a mix of near rage induced fury seemingly infused with the heartache of the loss he suffered. What it results in though is some of the best lyrics and vocals sent out in pop punk in years.
You won't be finding some super fast happy pop punk songs like previous TSSF albums might have had or like any of the bands associated with them will produce. You have mainly mid tempo songs through that seemingly flow in sometimes a random order. The band really showcases the album to randomly throw a catchy chorus where one might not expect. Speaking of which, for a album so heavily soaked in heartache this is one record that will have you belting out the lyrics with all your heart and singing them even after you've stopped listening to it.
Parker and company also show their other musical interests with this album sometimes having that bounce around hardcore beat that is popular in such bands as Turnstile now. Knowing the band and such this comes as no surprise with their roots in the hardcore scene.
In a scene where many bands are seemingly copying each other The Story So Far come out with a curveball and end up knocking it out of the park. With heartfelt lyrics sang out to a perfection, some of the catchiest songs as of lately, and just hit after hit if The Story So Far continue how with this then expect them to continue climbing the pop punk leadership ladder like they already are. This is easily one of the best pop punk records in years.
Score :


text:
Sharp VE-CG40U Review
Sharp VE-CG40U
Steve's Conclusion
I've gotten a lot of requests to review this camera and had tried to get one from
Sharp but we never found the right person. I finally just searched the net and then
bought one from
Fry's Electronics/Outpost.com for an unbelievable $288. I found it listed at a
few other places but they were selling it for $499 or thereabouts. Sharp also has
the VE-CG30U, which is identical to the VE-CG40U except it has a 3.2-megapixel image
sensor and sells for even less (just $229 at Outpost.com).
Both cameras feature a 3x Canon optical zoom lens and a very high resolution CG Silicon 1.5" color LCD display, one of the nicest color LCDs that I've seen to date. In addition to the color monitor is a large and bright eye level viewfinder that has ~83% coverage and dioptric correction. These cameras have point-n-shoot AUTO, Aperture and Shutter-speed priority, pre-programmed Scene and full Manual exposure modes. There's also a movie mode with sound capture at 15fps that isn't bad -- but we've yet to see any digicam's movie mode equal to even the worst video camcorder. The build quality of the all-black camera is very good, it looks like metal but it's high impact plastic. The controls are placed well, easy to operate and clearly labeled. The camera's menu system is also easy to navigate and gives the user control over the ISO sensitivity, metering, white balance and gamma. The only problem is that there isn't an option to memorize your settings, they return to default when the camera is powered down.
Images and movie clips are stored on SecureDigital (SD) flash cards, the camera is supplied with a 16MB card and we used a SanDisk 256MB size card with no problems. It will operate with MultiMediaCard (MMC) type cards but the read and write operations take 3-4 times as long as when using SD cards. Power is supplied by four AA type batteries and as always we highly recommend the use of NiMH rechargeables. You can use alkaline but don't expect them to go very far. The NiMH cells pack about 4x the power and will save you lots of money as you can recharge them about 500 times or more. Sharp supplies an AC power adapter in the camera package. We like the versatility and economy of cameras that use AA type batteries versus the more expensive and proprietary lithium battery packs.
Sharp supplies a software application called PixLab that runs under Windows 98, 98SE, 2000, Me or XP Home/Pro. This lets you quickly download images, movies and sound clips from the camera to the host PC via the USB port. Connect the camera, turn the Mode Dial to Play and then push the blue button on the back. Everything is downloaded to a folder on your hard drive. Note that this software works great on a Windows PC but it is not Macintosh compatible, neither is the USB driver. If you have a Mac and you want to use this camera then you'll need an external SD card reader. The images, movies and sound clips can be played back on the color LCD or you can connect the supplied A/V cable to a television and view them on a big screen. The Video Out function is only active in Playback mode and is selectable for either NTSC or PAL format.
Operation of the camera is fairly robust. Power up to first shot is about four seconds, if you haven't used it in a while it will take about 3-4 seconds longer as it charges the flash. The shot to shot time in Single frame mode is about two seconds with about 4-5 seconds required to fully process and store. The camera lets you take another shot while it is still processing the last one. In sequence mode you can capture three frames at about one frame per second. After the third image is captured the image on the LCD is frozen for about ten seconds as it process the contents of the buffer. Switching to Playback mode takes about four seconds before the last captured image is displayed.
The autofocus speed is a little slower than average for a camera in this resolution class. I'd say on average the AF time was around 1.2 to 1.3 seconds, a little longer if at full telephoto in normal room lighting. Even though we consistently got a "focus OK" indication, a lot of our sample photos came out with less than proper focus. Even outdoor shots taken in bright light suffered from more than just an occasional focus problem. That's not to say that all of the pictures were bad, they weren't, but we did experience more than the average number of shots that just weren't "sharp." I'd say that 90% of the pictures were taken in either AUTO or Program AE exposure modes and we expected better results from these point-n-shoot modes.
The white balance system did its job well, the colors were realistic and properly saturated even under flash illumination. I did notice a tendency to over-expose in direct sunlit outdoor lighting conditions. The exposure metering is center-weighted averaging by default with a spot metering option. Movie mode is good for Quarter-VGA (320x240) clips with audio up to 30 seconds in length. As is the norm with cameras that capture audio, the zoom is not useable once you start recording. The only problem that I saw with the movie mode was vertical streaking when you had a sun glinted object in the frame. We've seen this same problem in many digicam's movie mode so it isn't specific to this camera.
The bottom line - for less than $300 I don't doubt that this camera will satisfy the needs of many digi-photographers. If you shoot mostly for email, web page use or 4x6" size prints then this camera will do the job for you. If you're a more discerning user that needs sharp and well focused images for larger prints then I'd say look elsewhere, there are better 4-megapixel cameras out there.
Continue on to
Sample Photos
Want a second opinion?
DigitalCameraBasic's VE-CG40U review
Return To Our
Reviews Menu
Visitors of Steves can visit the stores below for real-time pricing and availability. You can also find hot, soon to expire online offers on a variety of cameras and accessories at our very own Camera Deals page.


text:
Beautiful, Sorry I waited so long to buy. I had my grandmothers china in boxes for years, I couldn't find a hutch to match my dining room table until I saw this one & I normally don't buy furniture through the internet, but I was so tired of looking and not finding, that I that why not try. Boy am I glad I did, It came withing 10 days & it matched perfectly & I love it.
Terrific Hutch! Solid wood. I've looked for a long time for a reasonably priced hutch and buffet. I've had this furniture for over a month now and it's terrific. Hard wood, lights, doors match up great. Quailty construction. [...] Highly recommend!
I looked everywhere for this. This was a much higher quality than I was expecting for the price. I had been unable to find a server this size that matched my kitchen until I found this one.
Great Furniture. It seems to have high quality material and hardware.
White Buffet. Useful in a breakfast room. Nice design, with a traditional accent. The "wood" is not very strong a and needed repair because of complications from assembling. [...]
Stylish yet large capacity console. I use this console to store all my glasswear and some entertaining items. It's perfectly sized for all my stemware and everything fits. It's huge and I love it!
Sideboard w Wine Rack. It's a nice piece that fits our decor well. It could be even better if the shelves adjusted to suit different bottle heights, but we've worked around that by laying the bottles we store in the compartments, on their side.
I would recommend this sideboard. I purchased this sideboard to go with the matching dining room set. They match beautifully.
Good for it's price[...]. Overall, we were very happy with it. [...] There was one piece that came slightly split (wood), but since you can't see it from the exterior, we decided not to go through the hassle of getting that one piece replaced. Other than that, though, it's a sturdy sideboard and a great accent piece to our Dining Room with great extra storage!
Great Caftsmanship. I bought this product to fill the void in a cut-out in my wall where a fireplace would be. It fit perfectly [...] The online description was dead on and photo represent product.
What a awesome piece of furnitue. I was very leary of ordering furniture online but the quality and look of this piece is so amzing that I will be back to order more!
Great quality, awesome price! This is in my kitchen and it fits perfectly into the corner. It looks just like the picture. Very sturdy, great quality.
Small Buffet & Hutch. Very attractive & useful for a small living room in a small apartmnt
Fine for the money. Needed a piece of furniture to go in my plantation style family. Although this is not high quality it fit my purpose because it would sit in a corner only exposing the front. Drawers and doors would rarely be used.
Great Piece of Furniture. Best on line purchase I have ever made. This well constructed buffet hutch helped me clear out the clutter in my kitchen and displayed beautiful pieces of china and family heirlooms I've had hidden for years. The lighting makes the entire piece shine.
A buffet will enrich any space and is practical, too. Choose from solid fronts or tinted glass that will keep linens and utensils protected from dust. They're the perfect height for serving needs and can also become elegant display pieces for everyday enjoyment. Sideboards with bar amenities also incorporate character in any room and will be a refined companion for entertaining. Servers will protect your finer serving accessories while hutch add-ons with glass doors let you display collectibles and fine dishes or bowls. Huntboards, typically a little taller than buffets, are popular choices for entertaining as well as everyday meals.


text:
Tap our crossing system (Global Business Language) to dominate your global niches virtually; contact us here: email@example.com
California – Japan AI, New York – Korea AI, Florida – Indonesia AI, Sillicon Valley – India AI etc etc
Our domains as AsiaUSATrade.com or USAAfrica.biz are a simple support because the key is in our crossing system where the URLs, metas and contents that will make you the virtual owner of this bilateral relationship on the whole Internet (you dominate your niche in the virtually world).
Furthermore you can create your own App starting your niche, as you can see in this example China – Africa Laser Trade
The Apps feed Sylodium, Sylodium feeds the Apps
Blogger, agent, or your own business in USA – ASIA AI?
Contact us here email@example.com
The World's Most Effective Anti-bacterial Honey* • MGO™ verified Methylglyoxal content* • 5 different scientifically proven strengths* • The higher the MGO™ content, the stronger the antibacterial activity. MGO® Manuka Honey Derived from…
We will find the right Property for Sale considering your needs. We will find the warehouse you need in Miami or South Florida. Contact us www.realtywonders.com/contact Phone: 1-786-287-3241
Mineral schungite. The main activity of the company "Ecoproduct" is comminution of food and non-food products. The site of the company "Ecoproduct» - http://eko-prod.com The site of the company "Ecoproduct" in China - http://ecoproduct.chinainout.com/…
Looking for Overseas distributors for our Unique Products. Our Products are very unique and its doing awesome sales. Contact us at email@example.com, www.woodtrim.in
This concept is the most unique way to start earning your residual income today! Extremely affordable, extremely simple and legal in just about every part of the world. You know what that means for business?! It comes with a unique product that whether…


text:
Is it just us or is Demi Lovato at her most glowingest, beautiful self, like, all the time now? Girl has never looked better. Wait, scratch that. The "Skyscraper" songstress turns 19 this weekend, so we can officially call her a woman. Since her hiatus, Dems has churned out head-to-toe looks so gorge we can hardly keep up.
First, there was a little black dress that practically slithered over her curves, emphasizing her waist and perfectly tan gams. But then she had to go and pair it with a cascade of luscious brown waves (seriously, what shampoo does she use?!), smoky eyes, and a bright pink manicure that elevated the LBD to a whole new level of hotness. The next day, Demi showed up in an outfit so packed with boho-chic gloriousness we had to take a second (and third...and fourth) look to drink in every detail, from her asymmetrical crochet dress and feather extensions to her cross necklace and stacks of bracelets. And can we PLZ take a time-out to appreciate her luminous bronzed skin, the enviable golden sheen highlighting her cheekbones? Sigh. Finally, at the Teen Choice Awards, Demi revealed yet another facet of her style persona in lacy, pretty BCBG. Call us Lovatics, but we are FEELING this: the "look at me now" yellow suede pumps, elegant makeup.
Just a hunch, but we have a feeling that the sartorial spotlight will SHINE on Demi this year, and we'll be right here, keyboard in hand, to document every divine moment.


text:
Photo by the fabulous Kate Luke Photography.
It's not just fabric.
It's wearable art.
A selection of my fabric prints are available to purchase through Next State.
Next State is a digital textile print company based in Melbourne. Working with the latest in printing technology Next State specialises in printing cotton and linen natural fibre textiles as well as polyester fabrics. The fabric selection available comes in a variety of different weights, weaves and composition suitable for apparel, interiors, home wares and accessories.I need some!


text:
By Timothy Vasile, Wine Captain, El Gaucho Tacoma
I just returned from a whirlwind five day road trip starting in Seattle, winding through Yakima, Columbia Valley, Red Mountain, and finally finishing in Walla Walla, where 50 of us from across the country were able to get deep one-of-a kind tours of vineyards, learn some techniques, hang out and pick the brains of the wine-makers and vineyard managers, and of course taste pretty much all the great wines of Washington. We attended 2 educational seminars, 3 regional tastings, had 7 winery hosted meals, 13 vineyard exercises, and 34 winery exercises. It was a truly remarkable, and inspirational trip and let me see first-hand why El Gaucho is so committed to Washington wines. As Winemaker of the Year, Chris Peterson of Avennia noted, 'We are in a golden age, and this is just the beginning.'
This trip allowed me to see all of Washington's great beauty and dramatic landscape and taste some truly wonderful wine, but most importantly, I met the best people. These winemakers are true artists, yet incredibly humble. They each expressed amazement at how beautiful something of their own turned out. But they give the credit to the grapes, to the earth, to those who grew the fruit, and feel lucky that they were able to capture it. The Washington wine community considers itself a 'cooperation'. There is, of course, healthy competition but they know that their communal effort to raise and keep the bar high, and really keep pushing Washington State wine is paramount.
The incredible paradox of Washington wine is this: what took thousands of years to create — from the formation of the land, to the receding of the great glaciers, to the Missoula floods, to the receding of the waters and formations of the mountains, and the deposits of fertile lands, and formation of the specific soil — is now being remarkably encapsulated in wine bottles today. It is hard to imagine, that a wine industry that started getting serious in less than 40 years, is already achieving what great winemaking strives to achieve — a sense of place. It was remarkable to think that this terroir was made over the course of thousands and thousands of years and is now being captured and bottled right before our eyes.
After moving here in 2015, I am new to the Pacific Northwest, so this trip gave me a chance to really feel proud of our wine industry. Most of the others the trip were from other parts of the country and I feel grateful that these are the wines and winemakers I work closely with day in and day out. These are people I am happy to get behind and feel proud to share their wines with our guests.


text: A new challenging Brick Busting game similar to the arcade classics Arkanoid and Breakout. Use your bat to launch a bouncing ball into a wall of bricks and destroy them. There are many styles of bricks to devastate, including shields, bombs, and cloaks. Not to worry, along the way you can collect awesome weapons and powerups to achieve victory. The DEMO comes with 7 levels and limited functionalities. To get the full package, purchase the full version that comes packaged with 107 levels. What's more, you'll get a built in level editor so you can create your own and import them. For more information, visit www.cosmicinteractive.com


text:
Recently, Ellen Belk, CDP & President of Keep In Mind, Inc. was a guest on Conversations in Care with Tammi Neumann. In this clip, Belk shares the definition of CTE. A diagnosis often linked to former athletes, most notably from the NFL, who've suffered repeated concussions and head trauma.
Belk, a Dementia Solutions Expert for the past 14 years, is a former Division One scholarship athlete and medal winning triathlete, who spent 10 years as a sports broadcast journalist before transitioning into Dementia care. During her broadcasting career, Belk (formerly known as Ellen Roberts) worked for some powerhouse radio stations in Milwuakee, Charlotte and New York. During her years at WFAN in New York she was the game day studio producer for the New York Giants and produced the Monday Night coach's show for both the New York Giants & New York Jets.
Belk's background in sports uniquely merges with her 14+ years as a leader in Dementia care. Keep In Mind, Inc. offers Care Coaching for former athletes and their caregivers.


text:
The Harvest in streaming. A couple who keeps their sick son in a secluded environment find their controlled lives challenged by a young girl who moves in next door.
Journey Smith, Meadow Williams, Leslie Lyles, Natasha Calis, Samantha Morton, Charlie Tahan, Peter Fonda, Michael Shannon
Directors: John McNaughton
Duration: 104 min
Year of release: 2015
Click the links below to watch The Harvest in streaming:
- Alternate links
- 01


text:
Overview of Hostel
Great Alexander offers spacious dorms and ensuite private rooms at a very central location in Cairo. Breakfast is included, free linen/towels and guests have access to free wi-fi in public areas. Other service offered, the property can pick you up from the airport (for free for any booking with 4 ni
Great Alexander Hostel is at El Shorbagy Building which is well-known in Cairo and easy to find.
If you are coming from Cairo railway station turn from Ramses Streen right to Emad Eldin st, it is 10 min walk from the hostel..
Located near
Great Alexander Hostel is located at El Shorbagy Building which is well-known and easy to find. This hostel is located in Downtown Cairo, close to Abdin Palace and Tahrir Square.
Conditions & Policy
Credit Cards Accepted
Great Alexander Hostel policies and conditions: Check-in time starts at 12 pm. Check-out time is 12 pm. Payment types accepted at this property: only cash accepted upon arrival. Taxes included. Breakfast is included. General: No curfew. Non smoking rooms. Minimum check-in age is 18 No pets are allowed.


text:
On Saturday 1st July Foden's performed in the annual 'Party in the Park' organised by Sandbach Town Council.
Prior to Foden's performance the Sandbach School Big Band entertained the large crowd with a variety of classics
Foden's provided a varied repertoire concluding with the 'Last Night of the Proms' set with help from an audience member who was enjoying her hen do at the concert!
Once again the concert included a fantastic firework display


text:
but why is Bunny rockin' the same top knot, tho?
... even though we can read, count by 50s, request 'broken' jeans and demand, 'me time', we still prefer onesies, and for that alone, I am thankful.
Want CurlyNikki.com exclusives,
discounts and email updates?
Licensed Psychotherapist.
Professional Blogger.
Best-selling Author.
Natural Hair Lover.
Wife. Mother.
Daughter. Sister.
The views expressed on curlynikki.com belong to the blogger Nikki Walton and do not necessarily reflect the views of advertisers, their affiliates or any of the brands discussed or featured on curlynikki.com.
Copyright © 2018 Texturemedia, LLC
Design: Brittany Smarr
Created by: Nikki Walton, LPC


text:
20th Annual Friends of MSU Library Benefit Dinner and Auction
- Thursday, October 17, 2013 from 6:30pm to 9:00pm
The 20th annual Friends of MSU Library Benefit Dinner and Auction will be held on Thursday, Oct. 17 at the Hilton Garden Inn in Bozeman. A silent auction and social hour with no-host bar and music by jazz guitarist Craig Hall will begin at 6:30 p.m. with dinner and a live auction to follow at 7:30 p.m. Nationally recognized mountaineer, rock climber and author Conrad Anker will present "Exploration in the 21st Century" at 8:30 p.m. This event is presented by Toyota of Bozeman and sponsored by Ressler Motors, Sue & Jim Hamilton and the Bozeman Daily Chronicle.
Auction items for this event include a half-day climb with Conrad Anker, two badges to the Masters Golf Tournament in Augusta, Georgia, a Whistler Ski Getaway, a Napa Valley Epicurean Adventure an Everest gift basket from the Country Bookshelf, and a climbing lesson at Spire.
In honor of the 20th anniversary of this event, the Friends of MSU Library are proud to celebrate the local community. At this year's dinner, we're pleased to offer a Montana-made menu and present Conrad Anker, a local mountaineer with national recognition.
In addition, the Friends are proud to support the launch of the MSU Library's Acoustic Atlas, the first comprehensive online archive of the animal and environmental sounds of Montana and the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. This exciting new collection provides a unique reference source for researchers and educators in the biological sciences, media arts, human health, education, engineering, philosophy, and the social sciences and connects people the world over to the landscapes and life of Montana and the Rocky Mountain West.
This is the primary fundraiser for the Friends of MSU Library. Proceeds of this fundraiser enhance the collections and services of the MSU Library through collection and facilities endowments.
The Friends of Montana State University Library are dedicated to enriching MSU, the lives of students and our community by strengthening the MSU Library.
Tickets are $75 each or $520 for a table of eight. Reservations must be made in advance by calling 406-994-3119 by Oct. 11. For a complete list of auction items, visit www.friendsofmsulibrary.com.
- Library


text:
3031 Long Hollow Pike
Hendersonville, TN 37075
(615) 824-4006
8:00, 9:30, and 11:15am
IN-PERSON GATHERINGS SUSPENDED - Join Our Online Campus!
1200 Hartsville Pike
Gallatin, TN 37066
(615) 452-2859
8:15, 9:45, and 11:15 a.m.
IN-PERSON GATHERINGS SUSPENDED - Join Our Online Campus!
Meet Our Staff
Filter All Campuses All Teams
Chrissy Toth
Global Missions Specialist
Email | Twitter | Facebook
Chrissy Toth joined the staff as our Missions Specialist in 2011. As she focuses on the personal care and encouragement of our missionaries, she also equips and coaches future missionaries. During the sending process, she coordinates all Long Hollow mission trips from locations to leaders. Overall, whether it's across town or across the globe, short term or long term, Chrissy is passionate about clearing the way for believers to follow God's call to obedience!
As a servant of God, she continually seeks to please Him alone, found in her favorite verse Galatians 1:10. Outside of her position at Long Hollow, Chrissy can be found exploring area restaurants and cheering for Michigan State with her family.


text:
Customers always ask how long will it take for a carpet to dry? I'm sure you've read the "dries in an hour" ads from the Chem companies
( these are not extraction companies so they can't apply any deep cleaning techniques as they wouldn't be able to dry the carpet).
There is no exact answer as every carpet has its own density and degree of soil ,combined with the time of year, the days temperature, humidity, if your heat is on or air conditioning. Also if it is a basement that is being cleaned, however the other factors to consider is 1.


text:
All Categories
PMP(R) Certification
with Prep
PMI-PBA Cert
Learning - other
Six Sigma
Cert Preps
PMP(R) Certification
with Prep
Federal & Other Govt Prices.
The New PMP Exam has been postponed until Jan 2 - 2021 - You can take the current PMP exam until 12-31-2020. You can now take your PMP Exam Online.
PMP Testimonials & Exam reviews
Other PMP Class & Exam Details
PMP(R) Cert Prep
Other Retraining Loyalty Options
PMP(R) Retraining Loyalty - See other options.
How to Pass the PMP(R) Exam - Free Seminar
Certification Prep
CAPM(R) Exam & Class Testimonials
CAPM Exam Visibility Board (Kanban)
CAPM Third Exam Guarantee
For SmartPath LLC's CAPM(R) Trainees'
Quiz Practice Extensions or Resubscriptions Options
How To Become A Project Manager
Best Way to Switch to a Project Management Career
Agile Cert
with Exam Prep
Agile - PMI-ACP® Certification - Pricing for Governments
PMI-ACP® Exam Prep Kanban
PMI-ACP(R) (Agile) Certification
PMI-ACP(R) Class & Exam Details
Business Analysis
Cert Exam Prep
Overview of Business Analysis Cert and It's Relevance to Industry
PMI-PBA® Certification Exam
PMI-PBA Exam & Details
Program Mgmt
PgMP Testimonials
Program Management Exam & Details and Other Info
PMP(R) Quiz Practice Options
For SmartPath LLC's CAPM(R) Trainees'
Quiz Practice Extensions or Resubscriptions Options
PMI-ACP(R) Quiz Practice Options
PMI-PBA(R) Quiz Practice Options
Project Risk
Scheduling Cert
PMI® Certification and All Certifications offered - Overview
Other PM Certifications taught by SmartPath LLC
Overview - Foundations of
Project Management
Testimonials for the Overview of Project Management Foundations
Six Sigma
Cert Preps
Six Sigma Testimonials & Details
The Importance of Quality Training
BI-EDMP Details
About our Power BI Classes, Power BI for Enterprise Management Professionals
Power BI Kanban
Learning - other
Microsoft Project
with Resource Management
SharePoint End User, Intermediate Training - Class II
SharePoint End User Training for Project Managers
- Class III
SharePoint Workflow End User Training - Intermediate
Project Management Skills Training
Program Management Training
Business Soft Skills - Includes Leadership
Strategic & Business Skills
Agile Skills Training
Business Analysis Skills Training
All Other Project Management Training & PDUs - Available for Organizational Training
Project Management, Agile, Business Analysis & BI Articles- Free Reading
Other Training
Other Popular PDU Choices
PM Career Paths
How to Pass the PMP(R) Exam - Free Seminar
Overview of Business Analysis Cert and It's Relevance to Industry
Loyalty, Other
Trainers & Consultants
SmartPath LLC Loyalty
for More New Training, or Retraining Discounted Training
Directions & Hotels
WIOA Training, WorkSource, WA or WorkForce VA, Michigan Works
How to File a Michigan Complaint
Blogs, Social Media
Short-Term Engagements
Job Opportunities
Special Payments, PayPal, Other
Project Management training not available right now
Related Links
Agile Cert
with Exam Prep
PMI-ACP(R) Class & Exam Details
Agile, PMI-ACP® Exam Certification Related Articles
| PMI-ACP(R) Exam Content of High Importance
PMI-ACP(R) Exam Content of High Importance
Delivery of business value is of utmost importance to Agile projects. Aligning projects to organizational goals and objectives, requirements management, understanding agile methodologies (10 including scrum) and hybrids, agile tools and techniques, understanding adaptive versus predictive life cycles, differences between traditional (predictive) and adaptive life cycles, working closely with appropriate business stakeholders, stakeholder collaboration, having the Agile mindset, the Agile Roadmap, Lean, Roles of the APM, APO, developers, BA, and more are essential ingredients of this great training - all of which you will need in order to pass the PMI-ACP exam.
For more information or to review your resume for work experience in order to assess certification qualifications, please email Nereda by clicking send email at the top of the screening or phone Toll Free: 1-855-SMART50 (1-855-762-7850) - valid in all 48 lower US States.


text:
Have you ever tested your property for mold? Have you noticed signs of mold accumulation? You could be putting yourself, your family or tenants at risk. If left untreated, mold can lead to serious consequences including nasal stuffiness, throat irritation, coughing, wheezing and eye or skin irritation. Imagine a child with asthma or other health issues breathing in moldy air over an extended amount of time—the results could be life-threatening.
Don't wait until it's too late. If you're in the Charlottesville, VA area and you've never had your home inspected or you notice signs of mold accumulation, get in touch with Air Care Institute, LLC (ACI) today! When it comes to mold, we are the area's premier destination for testing, remediation and removal services.
Protect yourself, your family, residents and property from the harmful effects of mold. Call ACI today to schedule an appointment with Charlottesville, VA's mold specialists.
When you hire a professional to get rid of mold, you shouldn't have to worry about whether or not that company is removing the mold safely. For seven years, ACI has been able to provide our clients with the latest and safest treatment techniques in the industry. We utilize all natural, green technology that is safe for humans, pets and the environment.
Settle for nothing but the best when it comes to the environment in your residential property. Partner with the mold specialists at Air Care Institute, LLC in Charlottesville, VA by calling for a free estimate today!


text:
thanks guys. I was looking over my old posts and I guess I promised to post some FOA internal design documents like a year ago and never did.
Let me make up for that now.
This a file with the early production drawings for the jangutz kahn poster, the sciroid battleship etc. Some are the original concept drawings and some are reference material from YES (basically old images to help the artist creating the new images for Jangutz and the battleship and such). Its pretty easy to see what's pencil vs what's printed, below. Obviously, most of this stuff is one of a kind and pre-dates the actual production of the figures.
Edited by Bronty, 06 September 2014 - 02:41 PM.


text: March 8th is International Women's Day and we share 3 important graphics about what's affecting the lives of women around the world. Women are slowly taking control of their lives and international agencies have gone a long way to create slow and effective change. However, gender violence is real and women need more support to get out of violent situations. Women's empowerment programs focus around the following key areas – education, financial empowerment through Employment and access to better healthcare (to smoothen health shocks on income) and are slowly helping women gain control of their lives!


text:
(Oldest Posts First)
The tournament will have plate and cup competitions at both Junior and Senior grades and is 7-a-side with 3 subs allowed. Games start approximately 10am on Saturday morning with presentation and evening entertainment afterwards in the Clubhouse.
Interested clubs should contact Sheila at Tara Camogie Club for further information at [email protected] or via www.camogie.co.uk. Call or text 0777 1957 341.
Tara CC have both Junior and Senior teams and welcome new players and members all year round.
Sheila (None) - Posts: 106 - 08/02/2010 12:49:33 554914Link 0 0


text:
Keynote Speaker: Melanie Carvell
With grace and grit let's get moving with great tips, simple and effective exercises, and compelling information from Melanie. She'll inspire you to take charge of your health, reintegrating your body and spirit to a happier, healthier life.
Melanie Carvell is a gifted athlete who grew up in a small town in southwestern North Dakota in the 1970s. She is a physical therapist and the Director of the Sanford Women's Health Center in Bismarck. She is an accomplished triathlete who is a six-time All American, a certified Worksite Wellness Consultant, a captivating motivational speaker, and tireless community volunteer.
Most recently Melanie has become an author, with the publication of her book Running with the Antelope: Life, Fitness, and Grit on the Northern Plains. This beautiful memoir tells the story of Melanie's remarkable journey, from the agricultural village of Mott (population 732) to world duathlon and triathlon competitions, a splendid career as a physical therapist, director of the Sanford Women's Health Center in Bismarck, North Dakota, and widely sought after motivational speaker.
Melanie learned to run on the northern Great Plains where the winters are long and harsh and the wind tests the human spirit. She attributes her national and international success to her agrarian roots and the challenge of biking, running, and swimming in one of the most formidable landscapes of America. Her motivational philosophy is, "If I can do these things, given the modesty of my upbringing and the harshness of the Dakota climate, so can you." Running with the Antelope is so inspiring that readers will want to begin a program of athletic training, weight loss, or general self-improvement.
Written in a humble and accessible style, with loving anecdotes about her life as a top athlete and her work as a physical therapist, Running with the Antelope is part self-help book, part prairie memoir and part song of love to North Dakota.
At the Bismarck Women's Health Conference on September 29, Melanie's interactive presentation will inspire you to take charge of your health, reintegrating your body and spirit along the way to a happier, healthier life. With her humble and engaging style she delivers great information with a big dose of inspiration for all of us to be more active throughout our days. Her presentations get the audience moving with great tips, simple but effective exercises, and compelling information that is helpful and hopeful for us all. Register now to hear Melanie and the other inspiring speakers in Bismarck this year!
Leave a Reply.
September 2018


text:
Proposals to raise Oceanside water rates by about 6.5 percent and sewer rates by about 5 percent were approved Wednesday by the Oceanside City Council in a 4-1 vote.
The increases drew objections from only a handful of city residents who attended the council meeting, although city officials said they got far more complaints by email, letter and petitions.
The new rates, which would take effect in January, would push the monthly water bill for a typical single-family homeowner from $58.83 to $62.84 and the monthly sewer bill from $54.05 to $56.76, according to city figures.
A temporary surcharge of up to $6.60 also would be added to the typically monthly sewer bills under the plan to cover a tentative $1.5 million fine levied against the city by the San Diego Water Quality Control Board.
Water Utilities Director Cari Dale said the city is negotiating with the Water Control Board in efforts to reduce the fine, which would lower the surcharge. She said the surcharge would be removed once the fine is paid off, which would probably take two months.
At Wednesday's council meeting, Councilwoman Esther Sanchez voted no on the increases. She said she'd rather pay the fine in increments than hit residents with a hefty surcharge right around the winter holidays.
City Manager Peter Weiss said the city could restructure the surcharge to spread out payments to lower the monthly charge. He said the city could take up to a year to collect enough money to pay the fine rather than collecting it in two months.
Oceana resident Kay Parker said the surcharge would be particularly hard on senior citizens on fixed incomes.
The fine was for a December 2010 spill from a broken pipe along Haymar Road which dumped more than 5 million gallons of raw sewage into Buena Vista Creek and the Pacific Ocean.
Councilman Jerry Kern said there would have been no fine if the city had replaced the pipe before it broke. He said he and Councilman Jack Feller voted to replace the pipe in August 2010, but were overruled by the then-council majority of Mayor Jim Wood, Sanchez and then-Councilman Charles "Chuck" Lowery.
Sanchez said she isn't to blame because she and Wood had been pushing for years to move the entire sewer line away from the creek and not just repair it. "That sewer line never should have been placed there in the first place in the middle of the creek," she said.
City officials blamed Los Angeles-based Metropolitan Water District for the higher water rates. Oceanside buys about 85 percent of its drinking water from the San Diego County Water Authority, which buys water from Metropolitan.
Dale said the city is trying to increase the amount of water it produces on its own and that it was "imperative" that Oceanside continue to invest in desalination and water recycling projects. The goal is to provide half the city's water locally by 2030, she said.
Even with the rate increases, Dale said Oceanside would have the fifth-lowest water rates in San Diego County. Dale said the city Water Utilities Department also has tried to keep rates down by cutting operating costs by $597,000 in 2012.
Also up for review Wednesday was a request by a downtown Oceanside jewelry store to run part of its business as a pawn shop.
Oceanside Jewelers at 222 N. Coast Highway would be the second pawn business to open downtown in two years. In 2010, Coast Jewelry & More opened as a pawn shop at 205 N. Coast Highway.
Oceanside Jewelers owner Chad Coogan said he needed to be able to offer loans on jewelry and related items to compete. He said he would not offer loans on general merchandise.


text:
Counseling Services for Individuals with Medi-Cal: In addition to school-based counseling, quality community-based counseling services are provided to children and families with Medi-Cal from either Santa Cruz or Monterey County. We serve children, youth, and families at our main office, located at 335 East Lake Avenue, and at our community counseling center at 240 East Lake Avenue. PVPSA's counseling programs help keep students and families healthy and strong. We provide quality counseling and case management services to hundreds of children, youth, families and adults each year. Referrals can be made by calling the counseling center at 831-728-5808.
Low Cost Clinic for the uninsured: Uninsured individuals are eligible for brief counseling services through the low cost clinic. Brief counseling services are offered by trained personnel at a low cost of $10 per session. Services are available for children, youth and adults at the counseling center located at 240 East Lake Avenue. Referrals can be made by calling the counseling center at 831-728-5808. Services are limited and a wait list maintained.


text:
CRM and Loyalty
Future proof CRM solutions that help you
generate new business and profitable
long term business relationships.
Companies are using CRM solutions to reach, track and manage their customers in their end-to-end journeys. CRMs help organizations generate new business faster, reduce the costs associated with attracting and retaining customers, define optimal pricing structures, cross-sell, up-sell and build customer loyalty.
At Euro IT Group, have a proven track record in helping customers from various industries stay ahead of their competition with innovative processes and established CRM solutions integrated within their IT infrastructure. Our cross-functional teams incorporate business analysts, consultants and technical experts that focus on delivering value driven CRM solutions.
Euro IT Group teams provide end to end implementation, customization, migration and consulting services for leading CRM platforms; additionally, our experts have a proven track record in developing bespoke CRM solutions.
CRM Consultancy
We analyze
your current needs
and translate them
into functional specifications
for your chosen CRM solution
to ensure that your
CRM implementation
will be successful.
CRM Customizations
We tailor your chosen
CRM solution to match
your business processes
and needs.
We customize user interfaces, design reports, create workflows in accordance to your sales
and marketing processes.
CRM Integration
We integrate your CRM with your existing IT infrastructure, external applications and with the social channels your customers use to help you achieve a unified customer view and create micro-segmented campaigns.
CRM Migration
We are experienced
in deploying various
CRM systems,
we can help you migrate between CRM platforms
or migrate to cloud CRM solutions without impacting
your business operations.
- Extensive CRM domain knowledge and experience
- Experienced technical consultants in acknowledged CRM solutions such as Microsoft Dynamics CRM, Oracle Siebel CRM, Salesforce, SAP CRM
- Certified Microsoft Gold Partner for Dynamics CRM, Oracle Gold Partner
- Diversified technical skills, business and industry specific knowledge
- Largest CRM implementation in insurance, retail and distribution in Romania (over 300 users each)
- First large Dynamics CRM integration with SAP in an Eastern European country
- Vast expertise in implementing CRM platforms across various sectors, both on premise and in the cloud
- Proven track record in3rd party integrations with other systems such as ERP, HRM, Accounting Software, Business Intelligence, ecommerce, etc.
- Simplified CRM Solutions – the less the better in terms of functionalities
- Tight email integration – track all relevant email communication with your customers
- Mobile CRM – enable your teams to have access to your CRM solution anywhere, anytime
- Effective Automation – support your sales team with follow up notifications
- CRM stake holders – proactively involve your executives in CRM adoption within the organization
- Include personalization and geolocation in your customer experience programs
- Unique view on customers – integrate your CRM with other IT systems and processes
- Data driven decisions – use advanced analytics and reporting for smarter business decisions
- Social CRM – integrate your CRM with social networks your customers use and use the content to update your customer profiles, thus being empowered to provide contextual service and micro-targeted promotions
CRM Deployment for large national Wholesaler
♦ 400 active users
♦ live in less than 3 months
♦ Microsoft Dynamics CRM
The customer was looking for an experienced Microsoft partner with proven hands-on experience in retail and distribution to help them integrate Microsoft Dynamics CRM within their legacy IT infrastructure fast, including the integration with SAP ERP and their complex eCommerce website.
EURO IT GROUP contribution:
On top of deploying Microsoft Dynamics CRM, Euro IT Group team developed fast tailored made wholesale/distribution workflows and entities such for sales and marketing management, customer service, project management, route management, pricing and discounts lists, customer information and promotional offers, quotes and orders management, customized financial data and reporting, thus empowering sales agents with relevant commercial and financial information that enabled them to increase sales volume and value by promotions, real time order processing, cross-sell and up-sell.


text:
This year is about to end and in some ways I feel like it has only just begun. So much has been packed into the year and time has slipped away. It's really easy to only focus on the things that haven't been completed and the things that went wrong, but I need to also … Continue reading And that's a wrap
Shaping the Fractured Self
I have been fairly silent here for a little while as my migraines spiraled out of control with a long six month period of daily (nightly) migraines that robbed me of sleep (and sanity). Fortunately for me, a change of neurologist who made some subtle changes to my preventative treatment and some more drastic changes … Continue reading Shaping the Fractured Self
On small wins and finding energy
...and self-doubt, ploughing on and remembering what I do. You know the scenario. Life gets busy, real busy. You open your computer only to realise that there are over 300 unread emails, bills to pay, workshops to prepare for, short stories to edit, manuscripts to work on, manuscripts to edit. So you shut it. Then you worry that … Continue reading On small wins and finding energy
Lessons from childhood
Last Friday I set out for my second Going Solo hike. I headed back out to Werribee Gorge and took the track that I had planned to go on the first week. It's a hot day. The sun beats down on my head and as I put one foot in front of the other I'm … Continue reading Lessons from childhood


text:
Baseball is back, baby! The Seattle Mariners and the Oakland A's open against each other today in Tokyo, signaling the long-awaited — but earlier than ever — return of MLB.
The year ahead is full of questions, though. It's undeniable at this point that baseball is changing: The contracts are bigger, the rule-change rumors louder, and the balls juicier than ever before. Ahead of the 2019 season, here are the biggest and most exciting storylines that will be worth following for the next seven months.
Is the opener here to stay?
There is some debate over if the "opener" is really the next big thing in baseball. While the Tampa Bay Rays were the most enthusiastic team to try having a relief pitcher start the game, franchises as varied as the Oakland A's, Texas Rangers, and even the Los Angeles Dodgers attempted the newfangled strategy last year. As ESPN's David Schoenfield remarked at the end of last season, "It's remarkable that a sport as old as baseball can still find ways to innovate." The question will be if it has staying power as critics have slammed the strategy for "not working."
Who is the ace on the Dodgers?
If you'd asked this at any point in the past six years, it'd have been a no-brainer: Clayton Kershaw, one of the greatest pitchers to have ever lived, has brought pride to L.A. — if not quite a World Series trophy. Now, though, Kershaw is staring down 31 (happy belated birthday!), with the Steamer projections system predicting his ERA will creep up to 3.23 this year. He's got competition for his spot as the team's ace, too: Walker Buehler made a case for himself as the best pitcher on the team in 2018, boasting an ERA of 2.76 with 148 strikeouts, while Hyun-Jin Ryu, whose ERA dipped under 2.00 last year, has also impressed in southern California. Any way you look at it, it's a scary rotation, and an exciting one when anyone could come out ahead in 2019.
Can Trevor Bauer get the Cy Young?
Indians ace Trevor Bauer wants a Cy Young. Actually, to be more specific, he wanted last year's Cy Young. The famously trollish pitcher sees no reason to be polite about it — "plot twist, I was better than [Indians' pitcher Corey] Kluber this year" he even tweeted of his teammate, who came in third in the voting. But Bauer isn't all bark; as a great Sports Illustrated profile of the pitcher reveals, Bauer is trying to improve his game with methods as varied as stimulating his brain with electricity to obsessing over things like RPM and spin rate. Will it pay off? Bauer thinks so: "My new five-year goal is to be the most internationally recognizable baseball brand," he told SI. We'll see where this year puts him on that path.
Is Vladimir Guerrero Jr. worth the hype?
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. has spent practically his whole young life being the next big thing; he signed with the Toronto Blue Jays for $3.9 million when he was just 16. Having just turned 20, the infielder and son of hall-of-famer Vladimir Guerrero Sr. is the top prospect in all of baseball and, despite never appearing in a single Major League Baseball game, already looks to be a lock for AL Rookie of the Year. He's projected to bat over .300 this season, but will be starting in the minors due at least in some part to Toronto gaming the system to keep him under team control for longer. He's proven he's good, but what remains to be seen is if, when Guerrero Jr. finally gets to join the team, he'll be able to meet the monumental expectations that lay ahead.
Is this the beginning of the Phillies' reign?
You don't write a player a 13-year, $330 million dollar contract if you just want to contend in an October or two. With the acquisition of Bryce Harper, the Philadelphia Phillies signaled they aren't just looking to make the playoffs this year — they're here to stay. With the addition of Andrew McCutchen, and with Aaron Nola and Jake Arrieta in the rotation, it's certainly a formidable team. That being said, it won't be easy becoming king; the NL East is a competitive division this year, with the New York Mets and Washington Nationals both poised to put up a fight. As The Ringer observes, "Almost all of the notable departures from NL East teams — Harper, Realmuto, Ramos, Sánchez, Suzuki, Jorge Alfaro — went to other NL East teams, preventing the division from leaking talent."
Will this be the last year of baseball as we know it?
Earlier this month, MLB and the Atlantic League announced major changes to gameplay, including computer assisted strike zones; a requirement for pitchers to face a minimum of three batters, or reach the end of the inning, before being swapped out; and two infielders on each side of second base, among other changes. This much is now certain: It is only a matter of time before the Major Leagues begin adopting similar tweaks to the game. Already this off-season it was rumored that the DH could be axed as early as Opening Day. While there haven't been any major structural changes of that sort just yet, this will in all likelihood be the last year of baseball exactly as we know it, and it will be fascinating to hear how players weigh in on the rumored adjustments over the course of the season.