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You may have come to the point that you have begun to think about euthanizing your family's beloved pet. They may be quietly struggling with pain, anxiety, unhappiness, immobility, or an inability to do the things they once liked to do. In the face of making this very painful, yet very loving decision, clients have asked me, "How do I tell my young children?". If you have a scheduled appointment to euthanize your pet, or know that your pet could die without assistance any day, it may be time for a conversation with your kids. For children of any age, I recommend telling them the truth; that their pet is very sick, and sometimes pets cannot get better and they die. Because children under the age of 8-10 may not understand the permanence of death, you can explain that death means their bodies stop working and we cannot see them anymore. I recommend avoiding euphemisms such as the pet will be "put to sleep" or will be "going away" as these are things your child faces in their own lives every day, and we don't want them to be scared when they are put to sleep at night, or say goodbye to a family member who is going away on a trip. I would also avoid telling them that their pet will be going to the veterinarian to die, as this may instill a fear or distrust of veterinarians or doctors in general. You can tell the children that their pet could die any day and that it is time, for everyone who wants to, to spend some time with the pet telling him/her how much fun they had together, how much they love him/her, how much they will miss them when they are gone. You can suggest the kids do something special for their pet; draw a picture or write a letter that they could share with their pet, or give them a "party" with lots of love and special treats, for example. Of course you know your child best, so the above are only ideas to help prepare your child for coming home to the news their animal companion has died, and to begin their journey of grieving the loss. The goal of preparing your child (and yourself) to deal with the anticipatory grief, and the grief after the actual loss, is to eventually be able look back with memories of happy times spent with a beloved animal companion, as opposed to only being able to focus on the sadness of the death itself.
Please do not hesitate to call or email for more information on Gentle Goodbye's services and grief support for adults and children.
Kristin Carpenter, LCSW
Gentle Goodbye Grief Counselor
Here is a great AVMA video on arthritis. We can help make your pet more comfortable.
The DEA asks "Got Drugs?"
UPDATE: In place of the National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day, the Department of Consumer Protection has rolled out local drug collection boxes. Current locations and more info can be found here or download a brochure
Local Disposal of Unused, Unwanted or Expired Medications
Without Endangering the Environment or Water Supplies
Ever wonder what to do with those left over pet medications? According to the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) each year thousands of pets are accidentally poisoned when they eat human or pet prescription drugs, even ones prescribed for them.
So how do you get rid of them?
Experiencing the Human-Animal Bond
The relationship between people and animals, often called the human-animal bond, is powerful and diverse and has been documented throughout history, across cultures, and in recent scientific research.
Although people experience the human animal relationship most often with dogs, cats and other household pets, individuals also form bonds with wildlife, feral animals, even farm animals. We magnify the effects of the bond even further when we bring registered therapy animals into nursing homes or children's reading programs to benefit others. We train service animals to help people with disabilities, literally transforming their lives and providing increased independence.
I don't usually have to explain to my clients what the human-animal bond is - they are often experiencing the benefits as well as the painful emotional consequence of loving an animal as we face end of life concerns.
Recently I had the honor of being elected to the board of the American Association of Human-Animal Bond Veterinarians (AAH-ABV), an organization with the mission to advance the role of the veterinary medical community in nurturing positive human-animal interactions in society.
That seems like it should be a "no brainer" to most of us as veterinarians, but as scientists and physicians we are taught to fix things. In fact the veterinary oath makes no mention of people beyond using our skills "for the benefit of society".
What we need to keep in mind, especially as companion animal veterinarians, is that the relationships pets have with their people has a huge impact on their health and welfare. Here are just a few examples:
In consulting with clients with patients in veterinary hospice, we weigh the benefits of any treatment with the potential risks, as well as the impact on the relationship. A medication that we can mix with gravy may be okay, but if getting a pill down requires a struggle, we need to look at other alternatives.
It's about the bond.
Veterinary Oath:
"Being admitted to the profession of veterinary medicine, I solemnly swear to use my scientific knowledge and skills for the benefit of society through the protection of animal health and welfare, the prevention and relief of animal suffering, the conservation of animal resources, the promotion of public health, and the advancement of medical knowledge."
A Chance to Ask Questions
Acknowledging that your pet is getting older is difficult and often talking about it is even harder. That's why I always look for opportunities to meet people face to face before they are facing a more serious situation.
Having a Hospice State of Mind
When pet owners ask me whether "it's time", I often say to them, "your friend is ready, but he (or she) will wait until you are. Let's make sure we keep him comfortable until then." This is veterinary hospice.
Veterinary Hospice might be a new term for you to think about, but it's an idea that makes sense for our animal companions who's lives are never long enough! It is end of life care for our animals, focused on the patient and family's needs. It is purposefully helping our patient live life as fully as possible until the time of death with or without intervention (euthanasia); and it is allowing you and your family to prepare, to a degree, for the death of your pet.
Many people ask me if they should get a second dog as a companion to their older dog. After all, it doesn't take twice as much work to take care of two right? (Although remember, it does cost twice as much!)
If you add the right second dog to the family and are a bit lucky, it can work well for all involved.
A Toothy Grin
My experience providing hospice services in my mobile practice has helped me think differently about the care a pet gets years before.
For example, while we are cautious about anesthesia in older dogs and cats and may be tempted to put off a teeth cleaning in a senior pet, the truth is - bad teeth only get worse!
When you think the word "Dog", what image comes to mind?
In my minds eye,
I see a verb,
an action word,
a creature in motion.
Running, digging, crouching, sniffing, wagging - dogs hold such joy in their hearts. Expressing that exuberance in activity and motion is a big part of who they are.
When I talk to clients about quality of life indicators in their older dogs, of course we talk about mobility, pain control, appetite, elimination habits and other biological functions. But quality of life also involves a dog's spirit - the behaviors and activities that create the special bond we have with our canine companions and the daily adventure that is a dog's life.
Celebrating Technicians!
The best way I know to make connections with strangers is to tell them I'm a veterinarian. I get "ohs" and "ahs" and stories about pets - present and past. It makes me feel special.
But I know that in veterinary medicine the hidden angels are our staff members - especially the veterinary technicians - that work in every veterinary clinic largely behind the scenes. And this week is their week - Oct 14th to the 20th.
Request A Telephone Consult
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Robinson and McGuinness announce almost 1,000 jobs by Stream
Photography: Harrison Photography
Pictured are First Minister the Rt. Hon. Peter Robinson MLA and deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness MLA, with Kathryn Marinello, CEO Stream.
First Minister the Rt. Hon. Peter D. Robinson MLA and deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness MLA today announced almost 1,000 jobs by Stream Global Services in Belfast.
Stream, the US-based business process outsourcing (BPO) company has established a new contact centre at Airport Road West as part of its growth plans. The company began recruiting the posts last year at a temporary facility, with approval from Invest NI, allowing the company to meet customer demand and ensure the project was secured.
The majority of the positions are customer service agents with over half already in place. When complete the project will deliver £14million annually in additional salaries.
First Minister, Peter Robinson said: "I welcome this investment which will secure almost 1,000 jobs in Northern Ireland and make a significant contribution to our local economy. To have so many of these jobs already in place at this new facility is fantastic news for us. While several alternative global locations were considered by the company, the requirements of its customers combined with Northern Ireland's attractive business environment resulted in Stream locating this new centre in East Belfast.
"This expansion by Stream is positive news ahead of our forthcoming Investment Conference where we expect to welcome over 100 potential investors to Northern Ireland. We are growing as an attractive place for foreign direct investment and Stream's location here is further proof of our global appeal."
Deputy First Minister, Martin McGuinness said: "Our Business Services sector is a key driver of economic growth and securing this major investment over competitors in other regions is an important win.
"Stream's investment here underlines our ability to meet the business needs of global companies. Its expansion is positive news for our economy and creates much needed jobs that offer flexible employment and the opportunity to develop transferrable skills. The jobs at this centre will benefit the whole economy through the generation of £14million per annum in additional salaries. Once recruitment has completed Stream expects to employ more than 1,700 people here.
"The high level of collaboration between industry, academia and government here, ensures investors have immediate access to the tools they need to establish and grow a successful business."
Invest NI and the Department for Employment and Learning have offered a total of £3.3million support to secure this 993 jobs project. Invest NI has offered £2.8million of support through its Jobs Fund and the Department for Employment and Learning has also offered over £496,500 of training support under its Assured Skills programme to Stream.
Enterprise Minister Arlene Foster said: "Thanks to Invest NI's flexible approach we were able to ensure that the company's investment plans could proceed quickly and that the jobs could benefit local people as soon as possible. Over half the jobs are already in place which highlights the demand and appeal for such employment opportunities offered by an internationally renowned company.
"The employment opportunities are appealing to a wide range of people including those returning to work, those who have experienced a period of unemployment as well as school leavers."
Employment and Learning Minister, Dr Stephen Farry, said: "The expansion of Stream to these new offices in East Belfast is not only a boost to employment but also to our skills base. Through support from my Department's Assured Skills programme to deliver the skilled workforce that they require, Stream are creating new job opportunities which will help strengthen the local economy. The Assured Skills programme plays an important part in attracting high quality investors to Northern Ireland. I am greatly encouraged by this investment and I look forward to building our relationship further with Stream."
Stream Chairman and CEO Kathy Marinello said: "Establishing this new centre is a very exciting development for our business in Northern Ireland and Europe. Invest NI has assisted us in bringing these plans to fruition. A number of locations were considered for this project, however Northern Ireland best met our needs.
"The talented people we have in Northern Ireland have already made significant contribution to our operations. This investment from both Invest NI and the Department for Employment and Learning underlines the value placed on the skills and commitment of our local workforce. We are focused on providing meaningful career opportunities for our Northern Ireland employees."

subset: commoncrawl


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Are event registrations refundable?
At this time, event registrations cannot be refunded or exchanged for other events. elite pharmaceuticals steroids
Enter your question in the field below. Then click "Search".
At this time, event registrations cannot be refunded or exchanged for other events. elite pharmaceuticals steroids
Vitality and National Success Training (NST) are the two biggest yearly events that Vi hosts. At these events you can learn about the new products, company initiatives, and the latest promotions. In addition, it's a time to recognize all the promoters who have grown there business, reached higher ranks, and lives the Vi lifestyle. . . . Read more
Digital Recognition Shareables are used to recognize various personal and team accomplishments as well as Vi community happenings. You can design your custom shareable at www.sharevi.com, and then post it on Facebook, Twitter, Goodle+, or Pinterest! prohormones
When a Vi promoter reaches the rank of Regional Director, they have the opportunity to join Vi's Car Club! As a member of the Car Club, you are eligible to get a brand new luxury vehicle and have Vi pay for it! For additional updates, details and limitations, or to register as a . . . Read more
Vi ambassadors are eligible to purchase an exclusive Vi Ambassador Jacket through their Sales Support Managers and can pick it up at the next Vi event! more


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Music is so prevalent at South by Southwest it"s even a big part of the film festival part of the annual Texas extravaganza.
Each year there"s a full lineup of music documentaries at the SXSW film festival. Here are six that truly rocked. Look for most of these films to get a theatrical release and/or come out on DVD/Blu-ray or cable soon.
Go to www.mercurynews.com/movies to read full-length reviews of all these films and to see trailers.
We"re thankful "A Poem Is a Naked Person" has finally been freed from film purgatory, undergoing the full digital restoration process and receiving a world premiere — some 40 years after the original film"s intended release date — at SXSW.
Although much of the filming was done at Russell"s recording studio in Oklahoma, there is a strong Bay Area connection with "A Poem Is a Naked Person." The film was directed by the late Les Blank, who lived in Berkeley and operated an office in El Cerrito.
"Made in Japan" follows Fujiyama — known as Japan"s first female country music star — on her quest to play the Opry for the second time. It traces her journey from the Land of the Rising Sun to Music City, underscoring at each step just how much country music means to this vocalist-guitarist.
The film works for so many reasons, but none more significantly than Fujiyama"s passion. She"s absolutely driven to make her return to the Opry stage, and it"s pretty much impossible not to root for her to succeed.
One of those true believers is Joe Nick Patoski, the Texas music scholar who directed this new Sahm biopic. The documentary is an insightful look at a very complex man, who frequently flirted with, but never captured, big-time fame during his nearly half-century of making music with British Invasion-inspired rockers The Sir Douglas Quintet, Tex-Mex band The Texas Tornados and other acts.
The Residents" story is as much about mystery as it is music, which is one of the reasons why there is ample intrigue around San Jose director Don Hardy"s documentary.
The film is revealing — but not too revealing. You won"t learn the names of the band members or any other fact that would sabotage The Residents" mighty mythology. Instead, the focus is on one of the guiding principles behind the band — the belief that artists do their best work before they"re famous — and the struggle to stay true to that principle.
The documentary tenderly traces Dominguinhos" path from childhood to music legend. Yet the focus is more on family than fame, more about the love of the music than the spoils of success. The film succeeds in so many ways, yet the biggest triumph comes from its ability to make viewers quickly and deeply care about Dominguinhos ("Little Dominic")," who died in 2013 at the age of 72.
The music in the film is just spectacular, showcasing the many different sides — from traditional to pop to jazz — of this Brazilian music king.
"Dominguinhos" is sure to please longtime fans. And it"s going to make new ones as well.
"They are on a mission to tell people about the Lord, and I"m on a mission to tell people about the Jones Family Singers," Corcoran explains in the documentary.
Corcoran, as the longtime music critic for the Austin American Statesman, was well-positioned to help the band reach more listeners. He got the Jones Family Singers a gig at the SXSW music festival, which put them on the path that would eventually lead to recording their first full-length studio album, 2014"s "The Spirit Speaks."


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There are many reasons why your lawn is experiencing drainage problems. A common cause is related to the kind of soil your lawn is laid on. For example, a greatly compacted soil type can't accommodate air and water movement which can be a leading factor in drainage problems.
In order to resolve your drainage issue, you may consider the following information.
1 ) For lawns that are retaining moisture try top dressing with sand and work it into the soil profile, over a number of top dressing you will increase the amount of sand in the soil profile and this will help the drainage
2 ) Aerating your lawn is a highly regarded process when attempting to resolve a drainage problem. It works well because it generates air pockets and relieves compaction within the soil profile to let air and water flow through to the rootzone for uptake. A number of passes with a god aerator is beneficial.
3) By adding a Ag drain underneath your lawn you can obtain a permanent solution to your drainage woes.
4) A spoon drain is also an option to divert water away from key structures like foundations and buildings.
For any drainage solution, be sure that you know your soil so that you can find the right resolution to your drainage problems. Visit us at Hanceys Turf Brisbane leading turf supplier for your turf and lawn problem tips.


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This version of the romantic comedy with a blood-craving plant (Audrey II) stays "really true to the actual story," says director and choreographer James Reed.
THEATER: "Little Shop of Horrors"
This version of the romantic comedy with a blood-craving plant (Audrey II) stays "really true to the actual story," says director and choreographer James Reed. "It's a little bit different than the (1986) movie. We're sticking to the original (1982) Broadway version. At the heart of it, it's a love story." His eight-member cast includes Eddie Hargreaves as Seymour, owner of a wilting skid-row flower shop, and Lydia Merriam-Pigg as Audrey, one of his employees. "It's nice to see the magic of the puppet on stage," Reed says. 7:30 p.m.; also 7:30 p.m. Fri.-Sat. Stockton Civic Theatre, 2312 Rosemarie Lane. $15-$25. (209) 473-2424.
MUSIC: Nick Fryer Trio
A guitar player and jazz composer, Fryer teams up with drummer Brian Kendrick and bassist Gerry Pineda. 7 p.m. Take 5 Jazz at the Brew, 157 W. Adams St., Stockton. $10; $5, students. (209) 464-2739.
MUSIC: Nothing But Losers
This heavy metal band from Modesto teams up with D.R.I., Cuttin' Loose, Blood Pig and Coffin Birth for a really loud "noise-fest." 7 p.m. Plea for Peace Center, 630 E. Weber Ave., Stockton. (209) 981-2311.
EVENT: McKee Student Art Exhibition
For an 82nd year, the best young artists in San Joaquin County display their talents to the public. Students from all county schools and grade levels submitted 1,000 entries in a variety of media - photography, mixed media, video, crayon, colored pencil, pastels, watercolor, oil and acrylic paint. The works are on display through May 5. 1:30-5 p.m.; also 1:30-5 p.m. Wed.-Thurs.; noon-5 p.m. Sat.-Sun. The Haggin Museum, 1201 N. Pershing Ave., Stockton. $8 adults; $7 seniors; $5 students/youth; 9 and younger, free. (209) 940-6300.
MUSIC: Frankie & Annette
Stockton's Kevin Hogan and Annette Taser only use this '60s beach-movie reference as a kooky name. 7 p.m. Lodi Wine Cellars, 112 W. Pine St. (209) 365-6622.
MUSIC: Tony Orlando
Orlando remains best-known for his 1970s hits with Dawn: "Knock Three Times" (1970), "Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Old Oak Tree" (1973) and 1975's "He Don't Love You (Like I Love You"). 8 p.m. Gallo Center, 1001 I St., Modesto. $19-$69. (209) 338-2100.
MUSIC: Jerk Indie Fest III
Ten local bands and musicians gather for a third year, playing together mostly for fun and friendship. Manteca's Lindsey Pavao - formerly a member of Acolorado who was a competitor on NBC's "The Voice" - will perform her indie-rock songs. The bands include Stockton's Adam S. Messenger, Filbert, Lavenders, Makes us Human, Satan Wriders, Steeproof and Surf Club. Stop Motion Poetry and Of Us Giants are from Modesto. "The name started as a joke and it just stuck," says Andrew Hemans, who helped organize the event. 2 p.m. Plea for Peace Center, 630 E. Weber Ave., Stockton. $5; $10 at the door. (209) 981-2311.
MUSIC: The First Responders
This trio from Modesto plays a mix of rock, blues and dance music. 7:30 p.m. Whirlow's, 1926 Pacific Ave., Stockton. (209) 466-2823.
EVENT: Mad Hatter's Tea Party
Characters from Lewis Carroll's "Alice in Wonderland" (the Mad Hatter, White Rabbit, Queen of Hearts) animate this 20th annual event. 10:30 a.m. The Haggin Museum, 1201 N. Pershing Ave., Stockton. $15; $10, 12 and younger. Reservations required. (209) 940-6300.
THEATER: "Buddy"
Subtitled "The Buddy Holly Story," this stage musical chronicles the life and music of the 1950s rock 'n' roll pioneer from Lubbock, Texas. It centers on 20 of Holly's timeless rockabilly tunes. Ritchie Valens and The Big Bopper (J.P. Richardson), who died with Holly in a Feb. 3, 1959, Iowa plane crash when he was just 22, also are portrayed. "Buddy died so young, all we really have is his music, and it's amazing what he created in just those few short years," artistic director Scott Viets said. 2 p.m.; also 2 and 8 p.m. Sat.; 7 p.m. Fri. Sierra Repertory Theatre, Sonora. $18-$32. (209) 532-3120.
EVENT: Daffodil Hill
This yearly profusion of blooming flowers is one of the most dramatic signs spring is here. 10 a.m.-4 p.m. daily, weather permitting. Rams Horn Grade, Volcano. Free; donations accepted. (209) 296-7048.
MOVIE: "Leonie"
Leonie Gilmour, a woman defying limited female roles in turn-of-the century America, nurtures her son into becoming prominent artist Isamu Noguchi. 4 p.m. Mon., Wed.; also 7 p.m. Fri.-Sat. State Theatre, 1307 J St., Modesto. $10. (209) 527-4697.


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- Why was this research carried out?
Previous FRA research showed that in a majority of Member States people with disabilities whose legal capacity has been restricted or removed are unable to vote. It also showed that many people with disabilities face barriers to participation in community life which affects the fulfilment of their rights, as enshrined in the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD).
Therefore FRA decided together with the European Commission to assess how the right of people with disabilities to equal participation in political life is fulfiled across the EU. This project contributes to the work of the European Union's CRPD Monitoring Framework, which is composed of: the European Parliament Petition's Committee on Employment and Social Affairs in cooperation with the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs; the European Commission; the European Ombudsman; the European Disability Forum; and FRA.
- How was the research carried out?
FRA developed the relevant fundamental rights indicators in close cooperation with the European Commission and the Academic Network of European Disability Experts (ANED), funded by the Commission. They were further refined through consultation with stakeholders.
The indicators were populated with through desk research carried out by FRANET, FRA's multidisciplinary network of research contractors in each EU Member State, and ANED, the European Commission's Academic Network of Experts on Disability.
The data analysed are publicly available. Statistical data that are used in the report was extracted from existing EU-wide surveys including the European Quality of Life Survey (EQLS) and European Social Survey (ESS). Promising practices from across all EU Member States were also collected.
- What did the research cover?
The project started by developing fundamental rights indicators on the right of people with disabilities to political participation. This right is guaranteed by Article 29 of the CRPD and is protected under EU law. The indicators follow the model of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights of structure, process and outcome indicators. Broadly speaking, structure indicators relate to laws and policies, process indicators relate to efforts to turn laws and policies into reality, and outcome indicators relate to the results of these efforts.
- What legal and administrative barriers do people with disabilities face?
People with disabilities face a number of legal and administrative barriers to political participation such as:
- legal restrictions on the right to vote for some people with disabilities such as those with psychosocial or intellectual impairments;
- cumbersome procedures for requesting support or assistance when voting;
- difficulties in complaining about problems when trying to exercise their right to vote. This includes the lack of accessible information about how and where to complain.
- What are the accessibility barriers?
Most Member States have accessibility standards in place for public buildings, and many also have standards for polling station accessibility. However, the focus tends to be on physical disabilities rather than all groups of people with disabilities, and there is often a lack of consistent criteria for assessing accesbility. In addition, election-related media and campaign material remain largely inaccessible. Where accessible material exists in Member States it is often inconsistent, provided by just one or two politicial parties and only in formats suitable for certain types of impairment.
Commitments to produce accessbile campaign materials for European Parliament elections in 2014 have been linked to campaigns by disabled people's organisations (DPOs).
- Do people with disabilities have opportunities to participate politically?
Under the CRPD, consulting with and actively involving people with disabilities in policy development and law making is an obligation. Although Member States are increasingly involving DPOs, this is not systematic and there is scope for improvement.
Regarding being elected to public office, there is very little known about how many people with disabilities have been elected to the European Parliament, national parliaments or to municipal administrations.
- How aware are people about the right to political participation for people with disabilities?
There is a lack of training and awareness raising among election officials, political parties, public authorities and media providers about the right to political participation of people with disabilities. Training for election officials by law has to cover disability issues only in one EU Member State, Croatia.
In addition, the findings point to the need for information providers such as media outlets and political parties, as well as public authorities, to be made aware of the needs of people with disabilities and to tailor their information and services accordingly.
- What does the research reveal about current data availability?
Data is largely missing for many of the indicators. When data exists, they are often not reliable nor comparable. This is due to: the lack of systematic data collection; the absence of standards and guidelines for measuring and comparing accessibility across Member States; and concerns about how the experiences of people with disabilities are captured.
- What can be done to improve the situation?
The report contains a number of FRA opinions about what concrete measures could be taken to improve political participation. They are grouped around the following five issues:
- Lifting legal and administrative barriers
- Making political participation more accessible
- Expanding opportunities for political participation
- Increasing rights awareness
- Collecting data to measure political participation
The FRA report also outlines a number of promising practices that could be rolled out in other Member States to help improve political participation. These range from enabling people living in institutions to vote (Finland) to developing accessible alternative forms of voting (Estonia), or setting standards for elections authorities and officials (UK).


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Avoid Costly Mistakes and Read This Before Purchasing Commercial Insurance For Your Miami Business
If you run a business or have a commercial property, then you already know how important having proper insurance is. Without the right coverage, one unfortunate accident can sink your whole business and leave you financially ruined.
The problem is many companies offering commercial insurance do not offer the flexibility necessary to cover your business' specific needs. They assume one size fits all when it comes to protection, but the reality is far more complex.
If you are a business in need of a new and improved coverage plan, then ProCom is the company for you.
We are risk management specialists who offer customizable plans for every type of industry.
If you are a business owner in Miami, you can't afford to ignore your coverage options. You may have been disappointed by other insurance underwriters in the past, but rest assured that ProCom is different.
We are the the best insurance brokers in Miami for finding tailored plans crafted to your commercial business and have a wealth of experience helping people just like you. Here's how ProCom gets you proper coverage and helps protect your assets.
- Policy and Analysis
- Market Research
- Presentation of Proposal
- Execute Contracts
- Implement Coverage
- Monitoring Risks
Policy & Analysis
One of the first steps in our insurance evaluation process is policy analysis. During this step, our experts will comb through your current insurance policy and gather data related to possible risks. Once we understand what you're working with, we can optimize your police for the future.
Market Analysis
One of the first steps in our insurance evaluation process is policy analysis. During this step, our experts will comb through your current insurance policy and gather data related to possible risks. Once we understand what you're working with, we can optimize your police for the future.
Request a Free Quote from Our Insurance Agency
All consultants are able to give you a free call back at any time.
Minimize Risk and Optimize Net Worth With Proper Coverage
While no insurance in Miami can ever eliminate risk completely, with the right security plan in place, we can help you minimize these risks. Although proper coverage is an expense for your business, not having the right plan can cost you much more in the long run. One of our customers found this out the hard way with their last insurer.
This particular client of ours runs a chain of stores that gets a lot of customer foot traffic. Being conscious of the public liability risk, they purchased coverage from a provider and thought they were well protected. The problems began when they sent their first claim in to the insurance company about a personal injury lawsuit that a customer filed. While on the surface the plan had them covered, deep in the fine print there were some clauses which limited the pay out.
What happened was the way their business was set up provided a loophole the insurance company used not to provide the protection they thought they had. The lawsuit cost them a significant amount of money, but luckily it wasn't fatal to the business. Now they work with us here at ProCom and we have tailored their new coverage plan to their specific business set-up so they never have to go through the stress of carrying improper protection again. When you work with ProCom for your commercial insurance, you will get the best, most personalized advice tailored for your business in Miami.
Our agents have an intimate knowledge of all the insurance products on the market and will take the time to understand your business specifics and help you choose the most suitable coverage. It is no secret that insurance can be expensive at times. However, we do our best to find the best valued policies for our clients.
In the long run, not carrying one of our coverage policies can cost you a lot more!
Of course, many people have been burnt in the past by policies that do not offer the right coverage when the time comes to make a claim. Because we take the time to tailor our policies to your specific situation, you won't have to wonder or worry. Let's find out about what kind of tailored coverage you can get for your business.
Customized Miami Insurance For Your Business Size and Tailored
to Meet Your Specific Needs
Depending on the size of your business and your specific situation, we can help to craft the perfect insurance plan for you.
No longer will you be stuck with a cookie cutter coverage plan that does not take into account your business' needs. Some of our most popular services include:
Employee Benefits
Employees are at the heart of every business and we understand how important it is to protect employee health. Providing employees with health benefits can be a massive expense unless you take the time to find a suitable option.
ProCom works with a number of reputable providers so we can offer you low-cost options for group health plans. Depending on your budget and needs, you can also add extras like dental or vision care. For years, we had real trouble finding affordable group health plans for our employees.
ProCom evaluated our needs and found a great policy that is not only cheaper, but includes more extras.
Insurance Evaluations
One of the first things we do with every new customer is a full evaluation, even if you have existing coverage. You would be amazed at how many people are doing business without adequate protection.
I had no idea how at risk I was until I spoke with ProCom - it was actually scary! I now have reasonably priced and comprehensive insurance for my business and I couldn't be happier.
Property and Casualty Cover
The most important aspect of your plan is property and casualty coverage. Our experts have an in-depth understanding of the law and your obligations under it. Like you, we hate surprises, which is why we fully evaluate your business so you are covered for every potential risk.
We know every business is different and work hard to customize your insurance to your business to get you what you need.
Are you ready to start working with the best insurance brokers in Miami? Here's how you can get in contact with us.
Work With the Best Miami Insurance Brokers to Get the Coverage You Need
The best thing about ProCom is we make the quote process painless. Our brokers do all the hard work for you so you can focus on your business.
If you are ready to protect your business with top-quality insurance, then get in touch with ProCom today. You can contact us by calling, emailing, or filling out our online form.
Once you reach out to us, we will assign you an insurance broker who will consult with you to find out your specific needs and business risks.
Before you know it, you will have a personalized insurance quote that offers the benefits you want without having to pay for protection you don't need.
We guarantee you will not find this high level of service, attention to detail and personalization with any other business insurance provider in Miami.
We have been doing this for a long time and know how to find the best value for you.
You can continue on with insufficient plan coverage, but that is like holding a ticking time bomb. Try searching for providers yourself and run the risk of paying more than you need to.
Or, choose the best option by contacting ProCom and let the experts handle it. We will find you the best insurance plan with the most benefits for your business.
Procom Insurance Company has a location in Miami Fl, however they set an extremely high standard for all of Miami-Dade County.
Procom Insurance Company is located in Miami Florida, but you can still reach us on Yelp, Four Square, and Go My Local. If you prefer a more personalized experience you can call us at (305) 740-4460 or stop in our office Monday - Friday 9 AM - 5 PM. We are also located near the Vizcaya Museum and Gardens, the Miami Seaquarium, and the Miami International Airport.
If you want to get from the Miami International Airport (MIA) to our offices, then follow these simple and fast directions. When your ready to leave the Miami International Airport (MIA) get on FL-953 South/North West 42nd Ave/South Le Juene Road in Miami from Miad Cir, North West 32st Street and Exit 4. Merge onto FL-953 South/North West 42nd Avenue/South Le Juene Road. Follow University Drive to South West 40th street/Bird Road. Then Turn right at the 1st cross street onto South West 40th Street/Bird Road. Continue on South West 72nd Avenue, Drive to 4909 SW 74th Ct, Miami.


text: We have been working in the International theater since our first day on the job. Lone Star Directions was originally founded for a project to document a food distribution project in East Africa in 1992. We have since worked in every continent except Antarctica. Our work has included tracking refugee populations in Kenya and Bosnia. We followed a water treatment system built in Houston, Texas to it's final destination in Sarajevo. A start-up construction company in Costa Rica employed us to design informational DVDs and website presentations. Our experience in some of the world's most difficult places has sharpened our skills of adaptation. Allow us to help shine a light on your global project. We've been there before.


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Ensuring all aspects of your Desktop Website is OPTIMISED is vital to your Internet Sales Success. Search Engine Ranking is based on your Website's popularity and useability for Visitors.
All text and image tags should carefully chosen to give Optimal engagement to Visitors.
Since the mid 1990's we have been engaged in Internet Marketing.
Internet Business Marketing includes Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Google AdWords (PPC), Google+ Page (previously Google Places), and Social Media.
It is fast becoming a "mobile world". It is now widely accepted that Mobile devices such as Smartphones are overtaking PC sales and mobile access to the internet is set to become mainstream, it is important that your content is optimised for mobile consumption and interaction. The best way to gain the attention and engagement of people with Smartphones is to have a Smart5phone version of your website.
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1) Overview
|Supported Models
|Below are the LG models that support DLNA as-of march 2010.
|TV Setup
The instructions below use an LG TV that supports DLNA. Not all LG TVs support DLNA. Some LG TV menus will be slightly different than those pictured.
Once you have connected the TV to your home network, you can access any DLNA servers on the network. The TV requires no additional setup. Below is how to access the files on a DLNA server.
1) Press menu on the remote and choose My Media.
2) For this example, choose Movie.
3) The TV will automatically search and list media servers.
4) Choose the DLNA server you wish to connect to.
NOTE: In rare cases, you may have to allow the TV to access to the DLNA server. This can be done in the DLNA server's menus.
5) Choose Album or All Video. Note that in this case "album" means "collection"...It doesn't refer to a music album.
7) This will show a list of video files in the shared folder.
NOTE: If you press the up button and choose a photo or music folder you will notice none of your music or pictures show. This is because the TV is in Movie mode and will only show video files. Press the green button on the remote to change to Photo mode and the photos in the folder will be displayed (like the picture below).
|Supported Formats
Below are the typical supported formats on LG TVs. All LG TVs that support DLNA are DivX PlusT HD certified.


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School End of term Day Trips
Here in Planet Active we cater for School Day Trips for both Pre School and National school children. Our packages include arts and crafts with the children and afterwards playtime in our amazing Planet Active Kids Club.
Features include:
- Two floor Jungle Gym
- Ballpool
- Zipwire
- Large floor space for group activities
- Library
We offer a fantastic School Day Trip package to include:
- 1 hour Arts and Crafts session
- 1 hour playtime in Planet Active
- Lunch optional
- €13.50 per child (with lunch)
- €10.50 per child (without lunch)
Terms & Conditions:
- Minimum numbers of 20 children apply
- Day trips are for a two hour period plus additional time for lunch (if selected) in a separete room
- Children must be supervised at all times by adults
To book your school into Planet Active then please contact our sales team today on email@example.com or call 07493 61144


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Potatoes – 4
Green Chili – 4
Ginger – ½ tea spoon
Red Chili – 10 (deseeded)
Red Chili Powder – 1½ tea spoon
Green onions – 1 table spoon
Oil – 2 table spoon + to fry
Onion (thinly cut) – 1 cup
Corn Starch – 2 tea spoons + 1 table spoon
Water – ½ cup + 1 cup + 2 table spoon
Vinegar – 1 table spoon
Soy Sauce – 1 tea spoon
Salt – 2 tea spoons
Sugar – ½ tea spoon
Cut the potatoes into wedge shaped (preferably thin)
Boil the potatoes until they are half done. It took 6 minutes in the microwave.
Drain the water and wash once with cold water to ensure that the potatoes are not sticky
Put 2 tea spoons on the potatoes and coat them well with corn starch and fry them in hot oil until they are golden brown
Remove from oil and keep aside
Heat ½ cup water in a pan and add the red chili and boil for 3 to 4 minutes.
Once cool, put it in a mixie and grind it well to a paste and keep aside.
Heat 2 table spoon oil in a pan and add green chili and ginger
Add the onions and sauté it till well done
Add half of the green onions
Add salt to cook the onions faster
Add the red chili sauce and sauté for a minute
Add 1 cup water and allow it to boil for 2 minutes
Mix 1 table spoon corn starch and 2 table spoons water and add this mixture to the sauce
Add sugar and soy sauce
Add the fried potatoes and mix well
Once well mixed, add the vinegar and remove from heat
Garnish with green onions and the Schezwan Chili Potatoes are ready to be served.
Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM# 25
Sending this to my own Guest host event What is with my cuppa, Nupur's page, , Non-Indian Food, Favorite Recipe, Let's Cook / Bake for Valentine, Foodabulous Fest,


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There's that old adage that crime doesn't pay, but we all know that sometimes it kind of does, at least materialistically. But karmically — now there's a whole other beast that gets wrestled to the ground in this collection of CineFiles, focusing on a handful of the latest indie crime flicks just released on home video, some from around the world and some, in particular, from Texas.
First up, we have the grim and bleak look at underground world of Mumbai in the mesmerizing That Girl in Yellow Boots. Kalki Koeechlin delivers an astounding performance as Ruth, a girl from a broken family who's lost in a big city while making a paltry living in an illegal massage parlor. She's barely living off the hope that someday she'll find a man who'll take care of her and give her a better life. This all goes to pot, however, when she becomes intertwined with a scummy drug-dealer who just drags her down even deeper into a world from which she has absolutely no prayer of escape. This isn't the Bollywood that most of us are used to — it's a brutal, intense look at a world that very few Westerners have ever truly been exposed to on film.
Speaking of broken families and broken dreams, the kick-to-the gut that is Hellion brings the action home to Texas, with Breaking Bad's Aaron Paul as a wholly neglectful drunk dad, desperately trying to raise two boys who are well on their way to the penitentiary. As the boys sink deeper and deeper into petty crime and other miscreant mischief, DHS splits them up and then it really hits the fan. Hellion wants to offer glimmers of hope now and then, but about halfway through the viewer just knows that this can't end well. With a strong acting job by Paul, it's definitely worth a viewing, even if it might hit way too close to home for some people.
Sticking with Texas for a hot minute, the crime thriller Cold in July does the best it can, but far too many obvious turns that want to be seen as unexpected twists really dampen the proceedings. Michael C. Hall (of Dexter fame) is trying to protect his house when he shoots a burglar dead. This makes him a typical Texas Second Amendment hero, but it also brings the prowler's dad to town, looking for revenge. Pasts are uprooted, communities are threatened, and it's as Lone Star noir as all get-out, but that doesn't stop it from being a mish-mash of everything from A History of Violence to Homefront, with maybe just a little bit more sweaty Southern grit than we're accustomed to. It might be worth a Redbox outing, but that's about it.
Finally, let's go to the Netherlands with the triumphant MMA gangster pic Wolf. This ain't the Netherlands with the tulips and windmills — this is the black-and-white underbelly, and man, is it brutal. Just out of prison, kickboxer Majid wants to go on the straight and narrow and starts training at a gym that just might help put him back on the path of a champion. However, escaping from his bleak neighborhood is a little too much to ask, and he finds himself at odds with the criminals from his past who want him back in the life. As he tries to stop these worlds from blurring together, it's a seriously white-knuckled journey all the way to end because you want at least a little redemption for the guy, regardless of anything he's done. This Wolf bites. And hard.
Crime might not pay all of the time, but I'm sure we can all agree that most of the time, it sure does entertain.


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1776 - 1860
North Carolina History
Table of Contents
NC & the Making of the American Republic, 1776-1800
NC in the Age of Jefferson, 1801-1825
Settlement of the Mountains, 1775-1838
See also: Cooking in the 1800s
1830-1850: Antebellum NC Begins
American Indians in Antebellum NC
Black Classes of Antebellum NC
Democrats and Whigs in Antebellum NC
White Classes of Antebellum NC
See also: Antebellum literature; Agricultural Economy of Antebellum Life
4 October 2010
Add a comment
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Retrofitting parking garage
In March 2016, Speller Metcalfe was selected to undertake the £18 million refit of the Wolverhampton Civic Centre. As well as introducing modern and innovative designs, the renovation also aimed to increase the civic centre's capacity to a total of 5,000 people, including upgraded access for disabled visitors. Refurbishing the multi-storey basement car park was a key focus of the project.
Choosing an attractive finish
The £2 million car park refit included concrete repairs, a new anti-skid surfacing system, anti-carbonation coatings, new payment systems, lighting and sprinkler systems. Subcontractor VolkerLaser Ltd was selected to take the lead on identifying a fast curing protective solution.
The work was carried out in phases during a tight timeframe from the end of July to September 2016, to tie in with the wider refurbishment plans. The client also wanted to make sure the new car park had a brighter, fresher and more modern appearance with an aesthetically pleasing protective finish.
Accelerating project completion
DECSEAL®wearing course from Stirling Lloyd (now GCP Applied Technologies) was specified throughout based on its ease of application. Based on unique ESSELAC® technology, the DECSEAL®system can be applied to seven-day old concrete, enabling the application to begin as much as three weeks earlier than other systems. In addition, the system allows for an unlimited over-coating time, eliminates adhesion issues at day joints and provides for easy detailing.
As DECSEAL® wearing course is cold applied, it requires no hot trades and no hot work permits. The Bauxite aggregates also offer exceptional wear and skid resistance, making the surface safer for car park visitors.
The DECSEAL®wearing course provided a choice of six standard colors, with bespoke colors available, offering the designers the ability to create a fresh look.
With a speedy, problem-free application, the new parking garage opened on time.
gcpat.com | North America Customer Service: 1 877-4AD-MIX1 (1 877-423-6491)
This document is only current as of the last updated date stated below and is valid only for use in the United States. It is important that you always refer to the currently available information at the URL below to provide the most current product information at the time of use. Additional literature such as Contractor Manuals, Technical Bulletins, Detail Drawings and detailing recommendations and other relevant documents are also available on www.gcpat.com. Information found on other websites must not be relied upon, as they may not be up-to-date or applicable to the conditions in your location and we do not accept any responsibility for their content. If there are any conflicts or if you need more information, please contact GCP Customer Service.
Last Updated: 2019-08-19


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An integral part of our hospitality and wellness amenities, the Sanctuary Spa is our very own in-club spa. Complete with a full-service treatment menu of mind, body, and beauty services, as well as quiet lounging rooms with complimentary tea and water, the Sanctuary Spa is designed to be your tranquil getaway. Relax with one of our custom massages, treat yourself to a professional nail or beauty service, or hit refresh with an anti-aging skincare treatment—it's all available at the Spa.
Our full-service Sanctuary Spa is the perfect place to unwind and find time for yourself, complete with quiet lounges, a Spa Shop, and a curated treatment menu with custom massages, professional nail and beauty services, and anti-aging skincare treatments.
Members and non-members can book today at spabooking.bayclubs.com.
The Clubs below feature Sanctuary Spa


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Four people on trial for laundering $2.5m
Four people accused of laundering $2.5 million stolen from the Bermuda Government are to go on trial in Wales this week.
Husband and wife Jeffrey and Samantha Bevan, Joel Ismail and Paul Charity all deny charges related to the theft of the cash, Wales Online reported today.
Judge Michael Fitton QC said: �This case involves allegations of fraud arising from work for the Bermuda Government and the purchase of properties, not just in South Wales but elsewhere.�
The four were charged in the wake of a number of financial transactions alleged to have been made by Mr Bevan when he worked in the Accountant-General�s office in Bermuda.
The funds are claimed to have been transferred out of the country through an island financial institution.
The alleged theft was not discovered until after Mr Bevan and his wife left Bermuda.
All of the offences are alleged to have taken place between May 2011 and February 2014.
Mr Bevan, 50, from Cwmbran, Wales, has denied charges of theft, converting criminal property and transferring criminal property.
Ms Bevan, 52, has denied converting criminal property.
Mr Ismail, 42, from Leicester, denied converting criminal property and Mr Charity, 52, also from Leicester, has denied converting criminal property and attempting to pervert the course of justice.
The charges came after a four-year police investigation that involved the Bermuda Police Service and the Regional Organised Crime Unit in Wales.
The trial at Cardiff Crown Court started yesterday with jury selection.
The jury was told they would hear evidence from a number of witnesses, including testimony by video link from Bermuda.
Bermuda Police Service officers and officials from the Bermuda Government are scheduled to give evidence.
The trial is expected to last about eight weeks.
� It is The Royal Gazette�s policy not to allow comments on stories regarding criminal court cases. This is to prevent any statements being published that may jeopardise the outcome of that case.
Search for Chavelle: murder arrest made
Burt: �Zero tolerance� on enforcement
Armed police swoop on car
Hayward: clarity needed about House comments
Antibody tests show few positive results
Five new Covid-19 cases confirmed
Motorcycle pair shoot at group in Hamilton
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I hate the winter, so I'm moving to Costa Rica.
Well, there are other reasons, but chief among them is the fact that any weather which requires me to wear long sleeves makes me irritable.
Other reasons include: the lower cost of living (which will be important since I'm in the start-up phase of beginning a business and frugality is crucial), time zone proximity to my business partner in the US, cheaper cost of living, desire to learn Spanish (but not to be stranded in a place where I can't function without it), and the need to sate my wanderlust which, if put it off any longer after 2 years of grad school, will demand that I move to Papua New Guinea for the next decade.
Costa Rica is one of the countries that US citizens can go to without a visa and stay in for up to 90 days (this also played into my decision). As luck would have it, the next major business milestone that requires my geographical presence will take place in Beijing after the holiday season; my 90 day excursion neatly falls between now and then.
Other than basing major life decisions entirely on first world problems and minor annoyances, I tend to be a very meticulous and organized person, so after choosing the destination (and buying my plane tickets to stomp out any last minute wishy-washiness), I went about researching everything I could about Costa Rica and ended up finding a fantastic sublet in Playas del Coco (pictured above) for the exact dates of my trip. Playas del Coco is a small town in the northwest of Costa Rica and my place is just a few short blocks from the beach.
Incidentally, I don't know a single person in Costa Rica. This is new for me. As much as I've traveled and lived abroad, I've never really gone anywhere where I didn't know anyone. I figured it might be a good challenge. Everyone seemed to be impressed that I moved out of the country 5 years ago but, though I had less of a life plan then than I do now, I did have a close friend to help me figure things out when I got to China. As glad as I am for that, and as confident as I am that I can survive without that type of crutch now, I want to actually DO it. And why wait?
The biggest question I get asked is why I feel the need to leave the country at all. The answer is complex, but what it boils down to is that there is nowhere in the US where I feel entirely comfortable. With the possible exception of my time living in Hawaii, I have never been entirely satisfied by what any one place has to offer.
I doesn't only boil down to some existential need to find the "perfect" place. Really what it means is that, if I don't feel a very strong connection to any one location, why settle when there's a whole world out there to explore? Though I have many places that I love in the US and where I have family and amazing friends, for some reason none of them are very attractive to me as places to live permanently.
I don't really know what it is that makes me want to GO. I just feel like there is so much that I have yet to experience, so many perspectives I want to better appreciate. Perhaps it's the fact that every time I travel I feel like I come back a different person; I'm addicted to the changes in myself that travel brings, the shifts in understanding that learning new languages brings, the understanding of myself that being foreign brings.
Or maybe I just love the beach. In any case, next stop: Costa Rica. After that is anyone's guess.


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Job For A Cowboy Announces Tour Dates With Cephalic Carnage
Band Photo: Job For A Cowboy (?)
Job For A Cowboy has announced that the band will be embarking on a short tour of the northeastern US, with select dates in Canada. Direct support on the tour will come from Cephalic Carnage, with additional supporting acts I Declare War, and Legion, with one more TBA. The tour will begin December 6th and wraps up on December 18th.
Founding member and vocalist Jonny Davy adds: "Hey guys! We're very excited to announce our first headlining run in almost two years! This will be an incredible tour with the lineup we've put together. We have one more special guest to announce as well as a couple more tricks up our sleeve. Do not miss this tour! It's going to be a rager!"
Dates for the tour are as follows:
12/06 Cleveland, OH Peabody's
12/07 Detroit, MI Magic Stick
12/08 Buffalo, NY Mohawk
12/09 Toronto, ON Rum Runners
12/10 Montreal, QC FouFounes
12/11 Quebec City, QC Union Commercial
12/13 Philadelphia, PA First Unitarian Church
12/14 New York City, NY Knitting Factory
12/15 Worcester, MA Palladium
12/16 Albany, NY Boogies
12/17 Allentown, PA Maingate
12/18 Fredericksburg, MD Café 611
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A Knizia Game That I Enjoy? – Tigris And Euphrates Review
Well this is something you don't see on my review list every day. An abstract game and not only that, but one designed by Reina Knizia, who as much as I respect for being a long running legend in the board gaming world, hasn't usually sat well with me due to his usual style of putting theme on the back bench in place of mechanics. Much like Stefan Feld although he tends to stick solely to your stereotypical Euro style game and has his own trait of "point salad" associated with his work.
But contrary to evidence, I do actually enjoy abstract games from time to time. I was a long running Chess champion in my primary school years and during secondary school I played for Taunton in a local league. Loved the game and enjoyed every difficult challenge I faced. It's been many, many years since I picked up a chess board so that's probably a thing of the past now, but who knows? Some skills you don't easily forget! And many abstract games these days are doing well and have simple, yet engaging designs. Pentago and The Duke are great examples, Hexagony did well at the UK Games Expo this year and other games that are considered abstract such as Through The Desert still rank highly on the BGG listings.
Tigris And Euphrates is a game I heard spoken only in foreshadowing whispers like something from a Lord of the Rings trailer. Highly ranked and highly popular among older Euro fans, it was inevitable that this would get a re-print, but by Fantasy Flight Games of all people, that was unexpected! An odd pairing of designer and publisher, but I felt this was the perfect time to find out for myself whether this deserved its ranking on BGG or whether it was another over-rated oldie?
Check out the full review on Games Quest at the following link!


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I am a huge fan of background music while gaming, and its best when its thematic with what you are playing.
A quick win is to use good generic soundtracks such as Gladiator, Lord of the Rings, Gettysburg, Last of the Mohicans, Glory etc. I also make genre specific ones. For example, I have made a great compliation of WW1 period songs for Ace of Aces style flying games, I have an SF one wth various clips, and Ive been working on my Vietnam one for the last few months too.
If you like this sort of thing, you will find this site "The Sounds of Vietnam" enjoyable
They say" The Rock and Roll war..... To most Americans, the Vietnam War has a rock and roll soundtrack. Almost every novel, memoir or oral history of the war by a veteran mentions the music that the author listened to in Vietnam. All the songs of the '60s were part of the life in a combat zone. Troops listened to Sony radios, Akai stereos and Teac tape decks and new troops arrived weekly with the latest records from the states. Many of the sound clips below were recorded on a reel to reel recorder in Vietnam. They were then sent home and transferred to cassette. The sound quality is not the best but it sounded good to us back then. "
Enjoy! And remember: "Theres nowhere to run to baby...."
16 August 2007
The sounds of the Nam...
2 comments:
I'm with you on the background music!ReplyDelete
For Vietnam there are plenty of decent movie soundtracks: Platoon, Full Metal Jacket, Good Morning Vietnam, Apocolypse Now, etc...
I really enjoy this blog, by the way....
Thanks for the comment and kind words Tim!ReplyDelete
My Vietnam gaming soundtrack is liberally sprinkled with movie sound bites from all those flicks, and Forrest Gump too: "We were always looking for this guy named Charlie!"
Good hunting!
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text: Government and Internal Investigations Email This Page Overview Our Team Media Overview Our Team Media Government and internal investigations can be a highly sensitive, time-consuming ordeal for any company. Large and small companies and their boards, audit and special committees, officers and directors, and other individuals regularly turn to us for advice on a wide range of criminal, regulatory, congressional and other sensitive government inquiries and internal investigations. Our Team Our team includes former federal prosecutors, trial lawyers, and enforcement attorneys from the USAO, DOJ, SEC, FTC and Federal Defenders Division, SDNY. Financial institutions, professional services firms, multinational companies, and executives and other professionals rely on our guidance in investigations by the DOJ, U.S. Attorneys' Offices, the SEC, the CFTC, state attorneys general, district attorneys, the Federal Reserve Bank, FINRA, the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations and other regulators throughout the world. Our matters have included allegations of: Securities, accounting and financial fraud Investment advisor fraud FCPA and anti-corruption violations Criminal bid rigging and price fixing Insurance and healthcare fraud Violations of the False Claims Act and FIRREA Intellectual property theft, computer hacking and data breaches Violations of OFAC and economic sanctions Anti-money laundering violations Misconduct by senior executives (including fraud, expense account abuse, and sexual misconduct) Tier 1 White Collar Crime Benchmark Litigation 2020 Related Practice Areas Crisis Management International Regulatory and Compliance Whistleblower and False Claims Act Corporate Governance Antitrust and Competition – Litigation and Investigations Antitrust and Competition – M&A Intellectual Property Litigation Privacy and Cybersecurity Funds Compliance, Regulatory and Investigations By Last Name Show All A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z By Category Clear All Solution Accessing Emergency Government Support Programs Coronavirus (COVID-19) Resource Center Corporate Governance Crisis Management Emerging Growth Companies Leveraged Finance National Security and Regulatory Practice Privacy and Cybersecurity Private Equity Lifecycle Shareholder Activism Spin-offs Strategic Alternatives UP-C Structures Industry Business and Professional Services Consumer Products Defense Education Energy – Oil and Gas Energy – Power and Infrastructure Financial Services FinTech Healthcare Industrials and Manufacturing Insurance and Reinsurance Media and Entertainment Metals and Mining Real Estate REITs Retail Sovereign Entities Technology Telecommunications Transportation Practice Acquisition Finance Additional Firm Practices Antitrust and Trade Regulation Antitrust and Trade Regulation – M&A Asia Litigation Asset Management M&A Banking and Credit Bankruptcy Litigation Capital Markets Complex Commercial Litigation Corporate Corporate – M&A Debt Derivatives Environmental Equity and Equity Linked ERISA Litigation Executive Compensation and Employee Benefits Exempt Organizations False Advertising Litigation Financial Institutions Fund Finance Fund Finance Practice Funds Compliance, Regulatory and Investigations Government and Internal Investigations High Yield Initial Public Offerings Insurance and Reinsurance Intellectual Property Intellectual Property Litigation International Arbitration International Regulatory and Compliance Investment Funds Investment Grade Finance Labor and Employment Latin America Law Firm Practice Litigation Mergers and Acquisitions Mergers and Acquisitions Litigation Personal Planning Private Capital and Special Situations Private Equity Private Funds Product Liability and Mass Tort Project Finance Public Company Advisory Practice Real Estate Registered Funds Regulatory Advice Restructuring and Bankruptcy Securities Litigation Tax Whistleblower and False Claims Act Office Beijing Hong Kong Houston London Los Angeles New York Palo Alto São Paulo Tokyo Washington, D.C. Position Partner Of Counsel Senior Counsel Counsel Associate Not Yet Admitted Registered Foreign Lawyer Transaction Manager Fund Compliance Attorney Senior Staff Attorney Administrative View Only Lawyers... View Only Administrative... Filter by: All Partners and Counsel Associates Administrative Close Team Related Practice Areas Related Client Solutions Related Industries Offices Close News & Events Publications In This Section Litigation Antitrust and Trade Regulation Asia Litigation Bankruptcy Litigation Complex Commercial Litigation ERISA Litigation False Advertising Litigation Funds Compliance, Regulatory and Investigations Government and Internal Investigations Insurance and Reinsurance Intellectual Property Litigation International Arbitration International Regulatory and Compliance Law Firm Practice Mergers and Acquisitions Litigation Product Liability and Mass Tort Securities Litigation Whistleblower and False Claims Act Contact Stephen M. Cutler Partner +1-212-455-2773 email@example.com Spotlight on Simpson Thacher Again Recognized Among Leading Cross-Border Investigations Practices Read more > Spotlight on Simpson Thacher Names Stephen M. Cutler as Head of its Government and Internal Investigations Practice Read more > Spotlight on 2019 Global Cartel Enforcement Report Read more > Spotlight on Nick Goldin and Mark Stein Co-Author Chapter in First Edition of GIR's The Guide to Monitorships Read more >


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Redeeming Work: Connecting Our Work with God's Work
Part 4: The Joy of Work—Prayer & Progress
Purpose: Connect our work with God's work.
Goal: Pray for progress and Rest in future restoration.
Main Points
- Prayer connects our work with our God.
- Prayer releases the power behind our progress.
- Prayer entrusts the results to God.


text:
I haven't done an eating disorder post on here in forever.
But, I think it's important to acknowledge that Christmas is perhaps the hardest time of year for some. I know it was for me when I was overwhelmed by an eating disorder so I wanted to write about it.
I don't know how many Christmases this will be since recovering. I think the lines between ill and recovered are extremely blurry but this definitely isn't the first one, and the further along I go, the more I realise that Christmas isn't actually about food.
I know, I know - easy for me to say now. There's turkey to buy, boxes of celebrations, quality street and roses open, minces pies being eaten. There's advent calendars every morning, mulled wine being poured and Grandad's snoring in a food coma at 4pm on Christmas day. Not about food, Samantha?
No, actually it's not. Of course, I can see how it can be. I know there will be hundreds of people planning how to eat as little as possible with Nan forcing more roast potatoes on your plate. I know some of you will be panicking, wondering how you can escape to the toilet without anyone noticing. Can I go for the 6 mile run this morning? I can burn x amount for everyone gets up? How? If? But? Why?
I've been there. It's hard. Really f*cking hard. But what I've realised is that your loved ones actually just want you to be happy on Christmas day. They know that you probably won't accept a chocolate offer or want to eat those roast potatoes, but they offer because you'll take offence if they leave you out. They probably don't care if you leave pudding because they are too interested in how many helpings they can now have as a result. They are more happy knowing that you're at the dinner table with them for the first time all year, and you're joining in with that game of monopoly.
When I think back, it was me who put pressure on myself to be perfect on Christmas day. But what even is that? Is eating one million calories on Christmas day perfect? If it is, then I don't do that now either, mostly because it's uncomfortable! I enjoy myself more because I join in. I'm there and I'm present. For me, Christmas isn't about food but rather love, family and giving.
I hope it can be for you too.
christmas / eating disorders / food ·
Sunday, 18 December 2016
Christmas thoughts
at 09:56
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text:
In the series "Economics. Sociology. Culturology"
of peer-reviewed academic periodical "Vestnik NEFU"
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4 Reg. Golden Certified F1 Braford Bulls... Southeast LA
- Listing Number
- Location
- Southeast Louisiana
- Ship From
- Galliano, LA
- Breed
- Braford
- Registered?
- Yes
- Number for Sale
- 4 Head
- Origin
- Home grown
- Age
- 18 to 20 months old as of early January
- Est. Weight
- 1,100 lbs. to 1,200 lbs.
- Birth Weight
- Fertility
- Tested Fertile
- Frame
- Moderate to Large
- Condition
- Medium Flesh
- Vaccinations
- Dectomax, Viral Shield Vl6, Multi Men
- Horns
- 2 Horned & 2 Polled
- Pasture/Feed
- Rye Grass & Hay w/ Mineral
- Sell Part/All
- Any Number
- Delivery Date
- Available Now
- Price
- $2,500 per head
- Firm/Negotiable
- Firm
- Payment Terms
- Certified Funds or Verified Check
- Seller
- Contact Information
TCR Buyer Appreciation
Buyers... Report Your Purchase and receive
TCR Gift Items and Gift Cards up to $400 from
Gentle bulls, cake broke, easy handling...
Seller's Other Listings
NO SOLICITATIONS... Contact welcomed from Prospective Buyers Only.
Contact for any other reason makes you both unethical and a nuisance.
- Why Listings on The Cattle Range Are Not Always Current.
- Notify TCR Anonymously if Seller tells you the cattle are SOLD or not for sale.
Warning to Sellers:
Be aware of the following Internet Scam...
A prospective buyer contacts seller and agrees to the asking price and then tells the seller..."Give me your address and I'll mail you Certified Funds right away for the cost of the cattle plus $1,500.00 for trucking to my ranch. Deposit the check and then send the $1,500.00 by Western Union to my trucking company. After they receive the funds, they'll contact you about picking up the cattle."
The problem is that the check is counterfeit. An unwary seller deposits the check and wires the "freight costs to the trucking company." A few days later, the seller's bank contacts him to advise him the check is a fake and his $1,500.00 is gone.
Because these scammers typically e-mail or text sellers, avoid buyers wanting to do a transaction exclusively by e-mail or texting... If they won't talk to you, caution is in order.
Additionally, unless you are certain a buyer is legitimate...
- Do not accept Certified Funds as payment without calling the Bank or other issuing entity to verify the validity of the check. It could be counterfeit.
- Do not provide your checking account information for payment by wire transfer to a prospective buyer. Scammers, in possession of your name, phone number, e-mail address, bank account information, and utilizing software available on the "Dark Web" designed to hack into financial institutions and banks, will attempt to gain access to your account.


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Here in Pennsylvania we just can't keep up with the snow! We plow and by time the Love of my Life puts the truck away, its snowing again! I saw him yesterday throw his hands up and yell "I quit!" This was 4:30 in the morning……I am sure the neighbors thought he must be getting stir-crazy!
When He came inside he asked what I was planning for my day….a cup of Earl Grey and a blueberry muffin! and I am hitting the road in search of all that Pennsylvania has to teach me…..He kissed me good bye and said "Well, have a good trip don't forget to write.."
So where am I going today? I wanted to share with you something that I have grown up with here in Pennsylvania….
……Beautiful Pennsylvania Dutch Hex Signs….What are they? Have you ever sign beautifully painted round signs on barns and some homesteads? Yup! that's a Hex sign! Ever wonder what they mean? well, read on and smile……
…….."Dutch Hex Signs have a rich history that dates back approximately 300 years. The folk art style that inspired the modern day hex sign played an important part in the culture and traditions of the German settlers that created their new home in the region that is now Pennsylvania. These peasant farmers came here seeking the religious freedom they were denied in their home countries. They were comprised of many groups including Mennonites, Lutherans, to name a few……Fact: The Amish do not use Hex Signs…..
Folk art was a key part of their cultures. Originally geometric style designs were found in and around their farmhouses. It was not uncommon to find hand painted designs on doors, walls, books and other household items. After the 1830's as paint became more affordable the Pennsylvania Dutch farmers began expressing themselves on the sides of their barns by adding large colorful hex designs to the sides. The elements that make up the designs all had special meanings form the individual colors and star patterns to the birds or "Distelfinks". These designs were believed to add blessings and good fortune to the home and family such as, fertility, luck, love, good health and many other well wishes. These signs are a form of Folk Art, related to Fraktur, found in the Fancy Dutch tradition in Pennsylvania Dutch Country. By the 1940's commercialized Hex signs, aimed at the tourist market, became popular and these often include stats, compass roses, stylized birds known as Distelfinks, hearts, tulips or a tree of life. Two schools of thought exist on their meaning of Hex signs. One school ascribes a talismantic nature to the signs, the others see them as purely decorative, or "Chust for nice" in the local dialect. Both schools recognize that there are sometimes superstitions associated with certin Hex signs themes, and neither scribes strong magical power to them……"
Jacob Zook of Paradise, Pennsylvania claimed to have originated the modern sign in 1942, based on traditional designs, to be sold in gift shops along the Lincoln highway. Johnny Ott, and Eric & Johnny Claypoole are also considered to have contributed to this Hex sign revival or adaptation. An unusual use is the official logo of the Pennsylvania Bureau of Radiation Protection, which incorporates the international symbol for radiation into its yellow-and-red adaptation of a traditional Hex sign design.
There are two opposing schools of belief regarding the derivation of the name. The term hex with occult connotations may derive from the Pennsylvania German word "Hex" (German "Hexe", Dutch "Heks") meaning witch. However the term "Hex signs" was not used until the 20th century, after 1924 when Wallace Nutting's book Pennsylvania Beautiful was published. Nutting, a Pennsylvania native, interviewed farmers about their distinctive design. Before this time, farmers just called the signs "Blumme" or Schtanne" – meaning flowers or stars…
In recent years, non-Pennsylvania Dutch persons such as talismans, have used the signs for "Folk Magic".
Some view the designs as decorative symbols of ethnic identification, possibly originating in reaction to the 19th century attempts made by the government to suppress the Pennsylvania German Language. Anabaptist sects (Amish & Mennonites) in the region have a negative view of Hex signs. It is not surprising that Hex signs are rarely, and perhaps never, seen on Amish or Mennonite household or farm….The Hex signs are prevalent in Amish Country, but they are not Amish, The Amish and Mennonites are known as plain folk and their religion prohibits such "fancy" ornamentation."
read more here
Here are some beautiful designs:
I had forgotten how much I had loved these signs, as a child, we had two large hand-painted signs on our house here in Pennsylvania. So its time for me to adorn PineRidge Hills with one! Here is my favorite….. Unicorns ….
"piety, virtue, love, faith "…
Here are some more favorites:
Dutch Irish Sign
I found this one online – isn't it beautiful? I don't know the representation but I'm on the hunt! If anyone knows the meaning please let me know….
I hope I made you smile this morning……..Now go get a Hex sign and hang it proudly! I am also ordering one to put on a wreath for the mantle over the fireplace…..
Tomorrow I'll be taking you on another road trip to all the beautiful "City Lights" and Landmarks Pennsylvania has to offer! and a few you probably didn't know about……
Country Hugs,


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THIS RESTAURANT IS CLOSED Bar Marmont
8171 Sunset Blvd. (Crescent Heights Blvd.) Send to Phone
323-650-0575 | Make Restaurant Reservations
OpenDinner Wed.-Sun.
Open late
- Valet parking
- Dress code: Casual
- Full bar
* Click here for rating key
: Just a swagger away from the quietly chic and Old Hollywood-style Château Marmont hotel, this discreetly tucked-away but very hot bar caters to New Hollywood and those who want (or pretend) to be a part of that scene. Dress up, queue up and prepare for the once-over by the door staff. If you get the nod, you'll descend into the swarm of poseurs, have a martini and maybe, if you can find a seat and flag down a server, sup on such gourmet bar snacks such as vegetable summer rolls or a full-fledged porterhouse. Chef Carolynn Spence, previously of New York's The Spotted Pig, has beefed up the menu a bit with the likes of crab-sweet corn fritters, gnocchi, hanger steak and a popular burger. On Sunday nights, her buttermilk-fried chicken with biscuits and hot honey has developed a following. The cool crowd finishes with a salted pistachio crumble or chocolate-dulce de leche pudding. The hip space, bathed in red light, rocks till well past midnight --- still one of the sexiest places on Sunset Boulevard.


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David Bickford Southest Regional Sales Manager
Posted: 02-27-2012
David, a native of Charlotte, NC, comes to us from Fisher and Paykel Appliances. He held such positions as Regional Sales Manager, National Account Manager, National Sales Training Manager and Key Account Manager during his eight year tenure with F&P. His experiences include business partnership development, relationship management and curriculum formatting. David also spent eight years as a North Carolina public school teacher and coach.


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I participated in the October 28-30 PMI Global conference in Chicago, Illinois. This was my first global conference. I began session planning some time ago, but I made further adjustments to the schedule on site, as described below.
The conference kicked off with a keynote by Sir Tim Berners-Lee. Having Berners-Lee begin the conference made sense in one way, since he created one of the most important projects in history: http://info.cern.ch/hypertext/WWW/TheProject.html. Several points that he made blended well with other PMI Congress conference themes:
-Central role of collaboration in terms of building out the World Wide Web (the early WWW were colleagues from CERN and others with networked access to a NeXTdevelopment workstation)
-That the WWW and the predecessor TCP/IP were "permissionless" spaces that enabled extension of the protocols without the bottleneck of clearing work with a central authority
-In terms of leadership: Berners-Lee called out a couple of leaders in his career, for example, his manager at CERN, who provided protection to him in WWW development (think: Protecting the project manager and team)
-No royalties demanded, contrast to Gopher, which had a strong growth period and dived after the University of Minnesota began charging licensing fees (more details in this article)
One year ago, I was furiously studying in preparation for my (successful) Monday, November 7 PMP examination, with my study focused on A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge, Fifth edition and supporting materials for the PMBOK. Thus, it was based on what I'll term predictive project management tools and processes. And while the PMBOK is still a valuable tool, I organized my conference schedule to focus on agile and adaptive methods - with the recently-released Agile Practice Guide as my primary focus.
Mike Griffiths of RMC Learning Solutions was the chair of the group that created the Agile Practice Guide. This guide was collaboratively created by the Project Management Institute and the Agile Alliance. Griffiths presented on the guide and how its creation fits with past project management methodologies. One point that he made was that the term predictive is used in the guide instead of traditional or (particularly) waterfall, and that the latter term is intentionally not used in the Agile Practice Guide beyond a single sidebar instance because it's become a loaded term, with the currently-understood definition not matching what Winston Royce proposed in 1970. (Here's another analysisthat supports Griffiths' interpretation of waterfall.)
Griffiths described agile approaches as the de facto standard for innovation projects most of the time, and that agile approaches fit well for knowledge work. In cases of either requirements uncertainty or technical uncertainty, the use of agile approaches make sense. (I'll be addressing the cases of both requirements and technical uncertainty later when I discuss Andy Silber's work, but Griffiths' take is that one needs to be reduced in order to effectively manage the project.)
In reviewing the history of some twentieth century US technical projects, Griffiths noted the fact that two prominent examples, Manhattan Engineer District and Polaris, mirrored agile approaches in some respects. For MED, he asserted that the project was focused heavily on prioritization and risk reduction. Specific example not cited by the presenter, but one that I'm aware of that fits nicely: A Naval Research Laboratory researcher, Phillip Abelson, worked on a thermal-diffusion process for separating U-235 from U-238 independently of the MED. MED head General Leslie Groves had ordered inspections of Abelson's work in 1943, but decided not to support this uranium isotope extraction method. The story continues:
Even under these difficult conditions, Abelson persisted in his research on thermal diffusion. Now ready to test large equipment, Abelson obtained approval to build a new plant in the Naval Boiler and Turbine Laboratory at the Philadelphia Navy Yard. The plant was under construction in the spring of 1944 when J. Robert Oppenheimer, director of the weapons laboratory at Los Alamos, learned that Abelson's plant would be producing small amounts of slightly-enriched uranium by July....Aware of the obstacles which the Manhattan District had encountered in developing other isotope-separation processes for the huge plants under construction at Oak Ridge, Oppenheimer suggested to Groves that Abelson's plant might be the best way to produce uranium 235 quickly. Groves immediately reestablished contact with the Navy. Time was so critical that he decided to gamble on building a full-scale thermal diffusion plant at Oak Ridge without further experiments... (Hewlett/Duncan, Nuclear Navy 1946-1962, pages 16-21).
The other common characteristics of agile approaches include: Consensus gathering; short build/feedback cycles; results-oriented reporting (for example, Earned Value that focuses on delivered product, not percent of project completion), and respect and empowerment.
To wrap this section: The Agile Practice Guide provides information on agile methodologies used to manage complex projects successfully and my primary takeaway from this meeting is a deeper knowledge of its potential use. The guide describes tools like the Project Approach Suitability Filter, which supports the application of agile to organization projects.
Continuing: One of the methods described in the guide is the Kanban Method. Annette Godsk Vendelbo presented on Kanban. From my perspective as an Orbis Cascade Alliance program manager in an organization that's working to improve project management practices, Kanban is an attractive methodology. Its foundational principles:
1. Start with what you do now
2. Agree to pursue improvement through incremental change
3. Initially, respect current processes, roles, responsibilities, and job titles
4. Encourage acts of leadership at every level of your organization (more info)
Thus, it's a conservative way to move into more agile/lean project management. The goal with Kanban is to manage the project work as a batch, to optimize throughput and flow and, thus, to shorten project lead time (or, the time it takes for a task to move through a Kanban Board). In terms of the project manager, Vendelbo described two roles that have emerged with Kanban:
Service request: Marshaling opinion
Using a Kanban Board to quantify and prioritize options
Service delivery: Managing flow
Using a Kanban Board to track status from committed through development and testing to release and rollout
Note: WIP (work in progress) limits are defined on the board and adhered to by the team
Note: Limiting WIP should limit multi-tasking
This was really a complete and informative presentation by Annette Vendelbo. It will take me some time to work through this, but one takeaway that I have is for the Alliance staff to understand the current uses of project boards in the Alliance and for managers to fully share information about their function(s). In at least one case, for a newly-created group supporting Alliance extensions to the Primo discovery service, the Alliance group is consciously using a Trello project board as an information radiator ("a visible, physical display that provides information to the rest of the organization enabling up-to-the-minute knowledge sharing without having to disturb the team").
This brings me to Nicholas Epley's keynote, one that I had prepped the most for by prereading portions of Mindwise before arriving in Chicago. Epley, in Mindwise: "My collaborators and I asked one group of volunteers to write two different sentences about ten topics, one intended to be serious and one intended to be sarcastic....We then asked each of our volunteers to convey these messages to another person in the experiment. In one condition, they sent the message via email; in the other, they spoke it over the telephone." The results? Anticipated accuracy for both email and phone communication was around 80%. Epley: "Those actually receiving the messages...could understand the speaker's intent only when the communication was clear." (Epley, Mindwise, pages 106-107). The actual accuracy with phone communication was close to anticipated (73.1%), while the actual accuracy level for email was vastly lower - only 56%. Note the receivers' interpretation accuracy figures - even higher than that the senders' expectations.
I need to spend more time with this book, but one takeaway that I have, that the author touched on at the end of his keynote, concerns humility. This means keeping proper perspective on your own role as project manager (which I see as meshing well with the "servant leadership" emphasis in the Agile Practice Guide). Also, understanding our limits as project managers on the ability to read people (via body language) and to understand the limits of electronic communication.
Then, finally: I'm interested in learning more about Andy Silber's work after seeing his presentation on adaptive project management. Silber described this management as applicable for projects that are uncertain in terms of requirements and technology. Silber, an astrophysicist and PMP who leads hardware product development, asserts that there are cases in which neither predictive nor agile approaches work well. These include: Where the cost of a build is very large; and, a project with extremely complex dependencies. (He also asserted agile's lack of strong support for risk management, but I cannot agree with this point). I hope to work through Silber's book soon to more fully understand his project management recommendations.
As you can see, most of my focus at the conference was on technical project management. I did attend some leadership sessions as well and I feel that they were valuable:
-Karen Chovan, The Necessary Culture for Soaring Performance (which also touched on the importance of servant leadership in project management)
-Sara Gallagher, on communicating when you're not co-located/communicating virtually: A session that was repeated on the final day due to attendee voting for encore sessions; as a member of the Alliance staff, this was extremely valuable for me
-Abbigail Frelich and Elizabeth Allen from Nemours Children's Health System, describing how they've worked to build an enterprise culture of project management, including an organization project management training program - the Alliance staff have started a program like this in the past few months and I'm hoping to take some lessons learned from the Nemours effort
I'll wrap up my summary, having just scratched the surface. One year ago this weekend, I was in deep study on predictive project management in preparation for a Monday morning PMP exam. This weekend, I'm focused on the newly released PMI/Agile Alliance guide and on making project management work for my organization, a nonprofit providing services to higher education institutions (read, a knowledge management organization, where agile approaches fit well). But a concluding and key point: Both predictive and agile methods employed by project managers are standardized. Project managers need to be proficient in a range of approaches that can be applied to help their organizations meet and exceed their goals.
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June 2019


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Often people turn to pleasurable activities when feeling stressed, and we tend think of this as being an "escape" or an unhealthy coping mechanism. This is especially true when the pleasurable activity is unhealthy for us and/or our relationships with others. But recent research at the University of Cincinnati has demonstrated that pleasurable activity such as food or sex actually reduces stress via brain pathways by inhibiting anxiety responses in the brain.
The researchers found that even small amounts of yummy food can reduce stress for a week – and that it was the taste that made the difference rather than the content or the quantity. Additionally, access to a sexual partner also had a similar effect. This helps to explain why seeking such activities continues during stressful times, even when it is a behavior that is unwanted, such as overeating or sexual acting-out.
But these findings are not simply important because they explain issues related to obesity or sexual addiction, although certainly that is important. These findings also point us towards finding a solution – alternatives to behaviors that someone desires to change. In other words, if it is true that a small taste of something delicious or pleasurable sexual activity can reduce stress, then it would follow that other pleasurable activities can reduce stress as well.
Furthermore, we know from prior research that there are activities that the body and mind can find deeply pleasurable and highly effective in reducing stress, even if intellectually we may not think of them as enjoyable. For example, exercise is an effective stress reduction activity (and pleasurable for the body), even if the person exercising imagines it to be a chore or tiresome. Similarly, people complain that they wouldn't be able to find time to mediate or think of it as a waste of time, when techniques such as Transcendental Meditation have been found not only to be pleasurable for the mind and body but also highly effective stress-reduction techniques.
The link between stress reduction and pleasure is becoming clearer, and adds to the list of explanations as to why some people may engage in activities that aren't necessarily good for them during periods of stress. But this link also provides us with alternatives that can bring about the (ultimately) same desired result in a better way. This is especially important in the weeks ahead, as we head towards the holidays. Holidays often bring a combination of both stress and the availability of unhealthy pleasurable activities. Becoming conscious of the link between the two can help us choose the option for pleasure that not only helps us to relieve the stress but makes us healthier in the long run.


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The Salute ECO yoga mat features a two sided textured surface for superior cushioning and excellent grip. The mat is lightweight, nontoxic, and germ resistant.
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