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Advice on Setting up a Recording Studio
The amount of info involved seems a bit overwhelming to an old fart like me.
Tried to ask questions on another forum and got zippo so figured I would try a different approach.
Here's the background info:
Im an older guy who plays acoustic and electric guitar. Having just moved into a house, I have a dedicated practice room aka fledgling studio. It is climate controlled and the walls are insulated and the clap in the corner test sounds pretty dead and non-echo-ey to me. I assume this is a good sign. Im getting old enough that Im running out of vices, besides GAS, so Id rather do it right the 1st time and be done. Cry once makes sense to me.
GOALS: I want to make recordings for my granddaughter. I would like to be able to do the audio stuff for the videos I take with my digital SLR. Nothing fancy, just some basic stuff (I assume its basic) like add narration, background music or edit stuff. I would like to make quality recordings.
So based on my vast experience of reading stuff on the internet till my eyes bled for the last 2 weeks here are my questions. Feel free to laugh out loud if my instant internet expert perspective is way off base.
I have iRig stuff, and iPad and Garage Band. Ive been told by someone with a weeks more experience than me, that upgrading now will better suit my long term goal of quality and cry once on gear since I want to add the video soundtrack factor to the equation.
Current nominees for gear are:
1. Audient Audio Interface iD22
2. Ultimate Support JS-MS70 Jam Stands Series Studio Monitor Stands
3. Studio monitors being considered are:
a. KRK V8 G4 with Kevlar
b. KRK RP8
c. Yamaha HS8S
d. ADAM Audio A7X
The reason Im going with 8 inch versions is what I read that I wont need a sub-woofer with 8 inch speakers. Remember the part where I said based on my vast experience? Well, feel free to laugh if thats a silly reason for 8 inch speakers.
Which software to use is a difficult choice. What I read indicated that ProTools was the industry standard and had a steep learning curve. Im OK with that and the cost is not much, if any, of a factor. I dont know if that is a smart move or not.
Part of me says "screw it, stick with the iRig and Garage Band" and part of me does want to get a year down the road and starting over on new gear and new software because it's time to upgrade. Maybe trying to get gear to 'grow into' is dumb, or maybe it's a good idea. Obviously this is a question I'd like to discuss.
Feel free to provide recommendations of who you think I should talk with.
Thank you in advance for your help.
AGF Mod
Last edited by srick; 05-10-2019 at 11:53 AM.
You can budget hundreds to tens of thousands of dollars towards this and the quality of your recordings may vary widely at any price point.
Everyone has their biases about what to do mainly centered around what they have done and what they have bought. By the time you are done
listening to all the varying opinions you may well be still lost as to what to do.
However browse through the many threads on the topics of interest. Zero in on the people playing the same type of music you are interested in
and whose results you like the look and sound of. See what you can pick up there.
Derek Coombs
Website -> Music -> Tabs -> and Youtube
Guitars by Mark Blanchard, Albert&Mueller, Paul Woolson, Collings, Composite Acoustics, and Derek Coombs
Spend money on these two things:
Room treatment - no amount of awesome gear can undo the sound of a bad room
Monitors - you can't hear what you can't hear if your room is treated well and you have solid monitors then you will get an accurate picture of what it will sound like elsewhere
Mr. Womack - are you out there??
"One small heart, and a great big soul that's driving"
Charis SJ Koa/BC Sitka
Mcknight/Poling GC Koa/Italian
Cordoba Solista EIR/Euro Spruce
Hello Victor,
I'm a semi-retired classical guitarist who has dabbled in home studio setups going back to the heyday of the Tascam 388 multi-track recorder. About 5 years ago I decided to take the home recording studio idea more seriously and now have a studio that meets my current needs. That said, there are many people on this forum with a GREAT DEAL MORE EXPERTISE than me! Hopefully they'll chime in shortly.
So.....I don't want your money but will help as much as I can.
The first step many here on the AGF will advise you to take is acoustically treating your recording space. Baffles, wall panels, ceiling panels, etc.. Here's a link to an old thread from this site that addresses the issue from a DIY perspective.
The next critical step is probably choosing a microphone or microphones. In my experience condenser mikes are the way to go but there are so many choices you might want to start with a budget to expedite the search.
Your current nominees for audio interface and monitors looks good to me. I have a pair of Adam 7" monitors and they're ideal for my purposes. Having said that I rely as much on my headphones as I do on my monitors, especially during the recording phase. Like microphones the headphone selection is vast. So here again I decided on the budget first then choose the most highly rated set accessible at that price point where I live. Consequently I use Shure SRH 840 headphones most of the time.
Perhaps the best advise I can offer at this point is that you should at least consider upgrading to a more fully featured DAW than GarageBand sooner rather than later. While GB does offer some editing options it's very limited compared to many other recording softwares like Logic Pro X which is the most logical step up from GB. At the very least you'll want a DAW that lets you use sends for time based effects (delay, reverb, chorus etc.).
I'll follow along as this thread develops. Hope some of my comments are helpful.
Good luck!
First step is room treatment. That perspective is VERY useful. I am obviously going to have to do some more research and re-read the linked thread several times. Sure is useful to know to get that taken care of before I start setting up gear. Much thanks for that info.
The point about monitors makes sense. Seems obvious once someone else says it. I am now much more comfortable about why it is worth it to buy really good monitors from the get go.
I appreciate the time and effort put forth to help me work this out. Your input is very helpful. Thank you. Keep it coming.
AGF Mod
plus the family will appreciate not having to hear your recordings while you are tweaking the sound of them. My preferred headphone is the Grado 225e.
Derek Coombs
Website -> Music -> Tabs -> and Youtube
Guitars by Mark Blanchard, Albert&Mueller, Paul Woolson, Collings, Composite Acoustics, and Derek Coombs
Whether you need stands depends upon the size of the monitors, the size of the room, and how you plan to layout your gear.
But here's the thing about monitors... they're a very personal choice. And no matter what monitors you choose, you'll have to learn them. By that I mean you'll have to listen to things you mix on the monitors in other places to uncover how your monitors are lying to your ears. For example, an untreated room tends to have a bit of bass rumble going on. You might mix something in your room and it sounds fine, then listen in your car and it sounds thin because all that bass buildup you're hearing in your room isn't present in the car.
And speaking of bass, if all you're recording is acoustic guitar, there's no real need for a subwoofer. The lowest note on the acoustic guitar is about 83Hz. Even the 5" Yamahas will be enough to hear that. If you went with a quality pair of smaller nearfield monitors, you could put them on your mixing desk and use something like the Isoacoustic stands instead of the monitor stands on your list.
2017 Circle Strings 00 bastogne walnut/sinker redwood
2015 Circle Strings Parlor shedua/western red cedar
2009 Bamburg JSB Signature Baritone macassar ebony/carpathian spruce
2004 Taylor XXX-RS indian rosewood/sitka spruce
1988 Martin D-16 mahogany/sitka spruce
SoundCloud link
2017 Circle Strings 00 bastogne walnut/sinker redwood
2015 Circle Strings Parlor shedua/western red cedar
2009 Bamburg JSB Signature Baritone macassar ebony/carpathian spruce
2004 Taylor XXX-RS indian rosewood/sitka spruce
1988 Martin D-16 mahogany/sitka spruce
SoundCloud link
Some have mentioned it but I want to reiterate it
You can have loads of great gear and it will not sound as good as, say a Zoom recorder in a great sounding room.
here's a web site that could educate you. You don't have to spend loads of money on the room but you should put aside some for the basics
Edit....in regards to DAWs...all have some bit of a learning curve, especially if you are new to digital recording. so it might be worth taking online lessons for what ever DAW you choose.
I been using calkwalk Sonar for years and it's now free.
But once again there is a bit of a leaning curve if you don't have any experience setting it up
MJ Franks Lagacy OM, Furch D32-LM, Stonebridge OM33-SR DB. Voyage Air VAD-2, Rainsong H-WS1000N2T, Tacoma Papoose, 72 Fender Strat
To reiterate what everyone else has been saying, treating your room some will be the best first step. I am glad I listened to this advice. You can make your own traps or purchase them. I have a combination of both. Real Traps is a great source and I have been pleased doing some business with GIK Acoustics. Getting your room right will go a long way to letting you record with minimal processing afterwards.
This is what my room sounds like now. I made this little demo trying out a particular mic configuration and also to see how the most recent treatment made my room sound. There is no extra processing other than than low and high pass filtering at 100hz and 15k. I wasn't concerned in this with getting the playing and singing "right". I was more interested in the sound.
The people here are very friendly and helpful. They will also tell you if something needs improvement but usually can say why and how as well.
97 Taylor 555 12 string
17 Martin HD 28
19 Martin CEO 9
20 Gibson 1960 Hummingbird reissue
Old Alvarez beater RD10 I think
Note to self: Never play a guitar you arent willing to buy.
Last edited by gwlee7; 05-10-2019 at 05:58 PM.
Oh here is a picture of some of my homemade bass traps. In the sound clip I posted there are tuned soffits in the corners that I purchased from GIK. I havent taken a picture since I added them.
97 Taylor 555 12 string
17 Martin HD 28
19 Martin CEO 9
20 Gibson 1960 Hummingbird reissue
Old Alvarez beater RD10 I think
Note to self: Never play a guitar you arent willing to buy.
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Paris: 5 December 2014
eServGlobal is pleased to announce that HomeSend, a joint venture between MasterCard, eServGlobal and BICS, has signed a partnership with Vodafone Fiji's mobile money service M-PAiSA. The service targets customers who want to send money from Australia, New Zealand, Canada, America and United Kingdom to family members in Fiji.
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Image above: Flickr.com M M Fiji

subset: commoncrawl


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Find Christian resources in McPherson by city which include McPherson Churches, Lindsborg Churches, Moundridge Churches, Inman Churches, Canton Churches, Galva Churches. To browse through churches by all cities in McPherson County, see the list in the left column.
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Sunday, September 30, 2012
Antiviral today!
1 comment:
- Allan MacInnis said...
Hm. Antiviral is interesting. Very chilly/ self-conscious, and while it does have a few of its own aesthetic flourishes, seems very much an attempt to extend "brand Cronenberg" to the next generation - evoking mostly Videodrome, but with a much whiter palette. There's even an actor cast in it who appeared in two of Brandon's father's films, Nicholas Campbell (Hank, the Kerouac character in Naked Lunch; and Chris, Oliver Reed's assistant, in The Brood). That's all a bit weird, actually - it's my theory that the offspring of famous filmmakers have a better chance of getting respect if they DIFFERENTIATE themselves from their parents' work - but it's not entirely unwelcome, either. Couldn't stick around for the Q&A, but the young Cronenberg seems an unpretentious fella and maybe more normal a human being than you might expect (no offense to anyone, but "normal" is seldom an adjective attached to the name "Cronenberg").
Was actually less pleased with Berberian Sound Studio - it has a great first half, then decides that it is under no obligation to resolve several plot threads/ thematic possibilities it has raised; it's ending is at best an unconventional one, but one of the conventions it eschews is providing a satisfying resolution to what has gone before, which - call me conservative - is a convention of which I'm still fond. Still, some very inspired moments, and Toby Jones is skilled indeed (having seen him do both a British and an American accent now, I actually have no idea which is his native dialect, and will presently look him up...).


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Palestinians in the Gaza Strip opened fire with a machine gun at the southern Israeli town of Sderot on Monday night, causing damage but no injuries, in the second such attack in as many weeks, the army said.
The heavy gunfire triggered incoming rocket sirens in Sderot and the surrounding Sha'ar Hanegev region, which sent thousands of Israelis rushing to bomb shelters, the army said.
The shooting attack came hours after a clash between Israeli soldiers and Palestinian gunmen on the Gaza border earlier in the day.
The gunfire damaged a number of buildings in Sderot, the city said, as well as at least one car, according to Israel's Hadashot news.
This was the second machine gun attack on Sderot in under two weeks. On May 16, bullets also struck a number of homes in the town, though in that case no rocket siren was triggered.
According to the city of Sderot, the shots were aimed at an army aircraft that had been flying overhead, and the bullets struck the homes as they fell back down to earth
The region has seen a marked uptick in fighting in recent days, with near-daily cross-border incidents shattering the tense calm that had existed in the area previously.
Unlike previous rounds of violence, Gazan terrorists have refrained from shooting rockets, instead using small arms fire directed at troops, planting bombs, flying incendiary kites, and sneaking across the border to cause minor damage.
Hours earlier, Israeli soldiers came under fire from Gaza on Monday, prompting the military to launch fresh strikes on Hamas targets in the Strip, the IDF said.
One Gazan was killed and another moderately injured, according to the Hamas-run Gaza health ministry.
The Israeli troops were arresting two Palestinians who infiltrated into Israel from the Gaza Strip, when they came under fire from across the border, the army said.
No Israeli soldiers were reported to be injured.
In response, an IDF tank fired at a nearby observation post, the army said. Reports said the shelled position belongs to the Hamas terror group which rules the Palestinian enclave.
Mohammed al-Rudeia, 25, was killed and another man wounded by shrapnel, the Gazan health ministry said. Hamas's military wing said Rudeia was a member of the terror group.
Palestinian sources confirmed that Israeli forces shelled targets in Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip.
The Palestinians who breached the security fence were found to be in possession of bolt cutters, knives, and flammable liquid. They were handed over to the Shin Bet security service for questioning.
As a matter of policy, the Israeli army considers Hamas, which rules Gaza, to be responsible for any attack emanating from the beleaguered coastal enclave.
It was the second round of strikes in Gaza in two days, after Israel fired Sunday on an Islamic Jihad position in the southern Gaza Strip, killing three people. It came in response to the discovery of an improvised explosive device placed along the Gaza security fence. The army said the IED targeting IDF troops was disguised to look like a set of bolt cutters.
A spokesperson for the Iran-backed Islamic Jihad terrorist group confirmed the men were members of its military arm.
Earlier Monday, the Gaza health ministry said that a man who was wounded several days ago in clashes with Israeli forces on the border had succumbed to his wounds.
The report did not say exactly when the man, whom it named as Nasser al-Arini, 28, was wounded.
The strikes continued a series of cross-border incidents that occurred over the weekend.
Late Saturday night, Israeli aircraft carried out a series of strikes against Hamas positions in the southern Gaza Strip late Saturday night, in response to a border breach earlier in the day, the army said. Palestinian media reported that the airstrikes hit a number of Hamas positions in the areas of Rafah and Khan Younis. No injuries were reported.
On Saturday morning, IDF soldiers spotted four Palestinians who crossed the security fence into Israel from the southern Gaza Strip. According to the army, the four threw a firebomb, and left a tent inside Israel with the message: "March of Return: Returning to the lands of Palestine."
The soldiers opened fire at the individuals, who in turn fled back to the Palestinian side of the fence. No injuries were reported in the Saturday morning incident.
The IDF also announced Sunday that an explosives-laden drone flown over the border from the Gaza Strip was discovered in Israeli territory last week. The army said the drone was found in the Sha'ar Hanegev Regional Council, in the northern Negev, "several days ago," and that it was flown over the border from Gaza with the intention to injure Israeli soldiers patrolling the area.


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Little-Known Program Helps Local Couple Buy Fixer-Upper
Yes I do FHA 203k Rehab loans with $100 Down
Homeowners To Cover Unemployment Extension
Can you buy US Real Estate with other than US Dollars?
Listing Booster can Boost your 2014 Sales
Fannie Mae Down Payment To Increase
QM is coming - Rules are Getting Worse
HUD's New Deadly Short Sale Rule
Fed Taper is coming Are rates going higher
New HUD Program
Don't let this happen to you
One of the Secrets of Top Producing Realtors
Second Mortgage - Information that you can use
The Common Sense Housing act
FHA MIP to Increase
Make your payments on time and you still can lose your home to Foreclosure
Indianapolis History
The Fiscal Cliff Whiff
Industry Braces For 2013 Gut Punch
How Lender Overlays Prevent Mortgages
Ordinary People Doing Extraordinary Things
Count Down To Turkey Day and 7 Tips to Getting an FHA Loan
Shadow Inventory and Mortgage Rates
Is Political Agenda's Keeping the Housing Recovery at Bay
Understanding Flood Insurance
Fannie Mae HomePath Program
FHA $100 Down Program
Fiscal Battle over Mortgage Deduction
Monument Circle Indianapolis, Indiana
Credit Repair
Indiana Mortgage Rates
Interest Rate
Sign Up for Real Estate Marketing Essentials
Log In for Property Websites
What is Real Estate?
What is a Mortgage?
Fishers, Indiana Community History
Adjustable Rate Mortgage
Mortgage-Backed Security
Clean Slate Credit Repair
Rust Belt is Now Affordability Belt
Fannie Mae HomePath
FHA Streamline Refinance Gets Cheaper - The Government finally gets something right
FHA 203K Loan
Questions and Answers to FHA 203k Loan
Hud Settlement Cost Booklet
Your Door To FHA Home Ownership
A "Little-Known" Loan For Fixer-Uppers
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Indiana Facts
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State and Local Housing Programs
Tax Relief for Short Sales
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Give Me Some of That Country Life
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Buyers are going to be Paying More! Starting Now
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CBS 60 Minutes Reports - The Next Housing Shock
38 Percent Cash Buyers = Hugh Market
Something Really Big
Fishers Mortgage
Zionsville Indiana
Quick Quote
Buying A Home Is Very, Very Hard To Do
Brownsburg Indiana
Clay Terrace Shopping Center in Carmel Indiana
Indianapolis Indiana Local Websites
USDA Rural Housing
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Veterans Day 11-11-11
6 Cheap Ways to Improve Our Industry
Conforming Loans
Brownsburg Indiana Primary Schools
Update ON HUD $100 Down Program
Brownsburg Indiana High Schools
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7 Tips To Getting an FHA Loan
Use a free mortgage calculator to work out your monthly payments
Q & A on FHA 203k Streamline
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Weekly video 9-29-11 (6 minutes)
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Tips to settle your credit card debt
Credit Repair Service
Get Your Fee Credit Report
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Online Tool to Help Prevent Identity Theft and Reduce Junk Mail
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Realtor Presentation for Clean Slate
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Posts for tag: cosmetic dentistry
At the first-ever Players Weekend in August 2017, Major League Baseball players wore jerseys with their nicknames on the back. One player — Cleveland Indians shortstop, Francisco Lindor — picked the perfect moniker to express his cheerful, fun-loving nature: "Mr. Smile." And Lindor gave fans plenty to smile about when he belted a 2-run homer into the stands while wearing his new jersey!
Lindor has explained that he believes smiling is an important part of connecting with fans and teammates alike: "I've never been a fan of the guy that makes a great play and then acts like he's done it 10,000 times — smile, man! We've got to enjoy the game."
We think Lindor is right: Smiling is a great way to generate good will. And it feels great too… as long as you have a smile that's healthy, and that looks as good as you want it to. But what if you don't? Here are some things we can do at the dental office to help you enjoy smiling again:
Routine Professional Cleanings & Exams. This is a great place to start on the road toward a healthy, beautiful smile. Even if you are conscientious about brushing and flossing at home, you won't be able to remove all of the disease-causing dental plaque that can hide beneath the gum line, especially if it has hardened into tartar, but we can do it easily in the office. Then, after a thorough dental exam, we can identify any problems that may be affecting your ability to smile freely, such as tooth decay, gum disease, or cosmetic dental issues.
Cosmetic Dental Treatments. If your oral health is good but your smile is not as bright as you'd like it to be, we can discuss a number of cosmetic dental treatments that can help. These range from conservative procedures such as professional teeth whitening and bonding to more dramatic procedures like porcelain veneers or crowns.
Tooth Replacement. Many people hide their smiles because they are embarrassed by a gap from a missing tooth. That's a shame, because there are several excellent tooth-replacement options in a variety of price ranges. These include partial and full dentures, bridgework, and dental implants. So don't let a missing tooth stop you from being Mr. (or Ms.) Smile!
If you'd like more information about oral health or cosmetic dentistry, please contact us or schedule an appointment for a consultation. You can also learn more by reading the Dear Doctor magazine articles "Beautiful Smiles by Design" and "The Impact of a Smile Makeover."
Magician Michel Grandinetti can levitate a 500-pound motorcycle, melt into a 7-foot-tall wall of solid steel, and make borrowed rings vanish and reappear baked inside bread. Yet the master illusionist admits to being in awe of the magic that dentists perform when it comes to transforming smiles. In fact, he told an interviewer that it's "way more important magic than walking through a steel wall because you're affecting people's health… people's confidence, and you're really allowing people to… feel good about themselves."
Michael speaks from experience. As a teenager, his own smile was enhanced through orthodontic treatment. Considering the career path he chose for himself — performing for multitudes both live and on TV — he calls wearing an orthodontic device (braces) to align his crooked teeth "life-changing." He relies on his welcoming, slightly mischievous smile to welcome audiences and make the initial human connection.
A beautiful smile is definitely an asset regardless of whether you're performing for thousands, passing another individual on a sidewalk or even, research suggests, interviewing for a job. Like Michael, however, some of us need a little help creating ours. If something about your teeth or gums is making you self-conscious and preventing you from smiling as broadly as you could be, we have plenty of solutions up our sleeve. Some of the most popular include:
- Tooth Whitening. Professional whitening in the dental office achieves faster results than doing it yourself at home, but either approach can noticeably brighten your smile.
- Bonding. A tooth-colored composite resin can be bonded to a tooth to replace missing tooth structure, such a chip.
- Veneers. This is a hard, thin shell of tooth-colored material bonded to the front surface of a tooth to change its color, shape, size and/or length; mask dental imperfections like stains, cracks, or chips, and compensating for excessive gum tissue.
- Crowns. Sometimes too much of a tooth is lost due to decay or trauma to support a veneer. Instead, capping it with a natural-looking porcelain crown can achieve the same types of improvements. A crown covers the entire tooth replacing more of its natural structure than a veneer does.
If you would like more information about ways in which you can transform your smile, please contact us or schedule an appointment for a consultation. You can also learn more about the techniques mentioned above by reading the Dear Doctor magazine articles "Teeth Whitening," "Repairing Chipped Teeth," and "Porcelain Crowns & Veneers."


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Scientists wire two rats' brains together. Rats: "We are the Borg. Resistance is futile. You will be assimilated."
Belgium releases stamps that smell and taste of chocolate. Nice work Belgium. Now can you make stamps where the snozzberries taste like snozzberries?
While we're on the subject, here's a piece of information regarding snozzberries that will destroy your childhood. (NSFW)
The science behind the old Diet Coke and Mentos trick
For artists too modern to paint by hand but not ready to make the leap to computers, there's the Chromatic Typewriter
More typewriter art
From the Extremely Improbable Files: Arkansas couple wins the lottery twice in one day; Texas woman gives birth to two sets of identical twins at the same time. The first one sounds much more pleasant to me.
In honor of Argo's Oscar win, Argo Home Alone:


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Select An Industry:
April 27, 2004 Lehigh Valley, Pa.
A project team led by Air Products (NYSE:APD) including automakers, an energy company, two California universities, and a public agency will work together to further demonstrate and validate advancements in hydrogen-based transportation infrastructure. This ambitious five-year program will be funded in part by a grant announced today by the United States Department of Energy (DOE), as part of its national Controlled Hydrogen Fleet and Infrastructure Demonstration and Validation Project. The project team had submitted a request for a $91 million program. The hydrogen infrastructure project team to work on this endeavor includes Air Products and automakers Toyota Motor Sales USA, American Honda Motor Co., Inc., Nissan North America Inc., BMW, energy company ConocoPhillips, the National Fuel Cell Research Center at the University of California at Irvine, the University of California at Davis, and the California South Coast Air Quality Management District. "DOE should be applauded for initiating this far-reaching developmental project to sustain the world's energy supply," said Chris Sutton, vice president and general manager of Energy Industries at Air Products. "This is the first significant funding at the national level since President Bush's stated goal of supporting establishment of a hydrogen economy. On behalf of the entire project team, we are all excited about this opportunity to take a leadership role in the continuing development and commercialization of the global hydrogen economy. This is a step toward the goal of having key entities work together to solve important and critical issues and direct resources to gain real-world experience on fueling stations and feedback on vehicle infrastructure and hydrogen delivery technologies." Working together, the project team plans to make substantial commitments to establish and demonstrate hydrogen infrastructure in California. Over the five-year program, up to 24 fueling station locations using multiple approaches to producing hydrogen and providing fueling infrastructure could be developed. These include a fueling station located on a pipeline, relocatable stations placed at existing retail gasoline stations including ConocoPhillips sites, as well as municipal locations. These fueling stations will be supported by hydrogen produced from both natural gas and renewable energy sources. Some of these stations will also have dual dispensing capability of gaseous and liquid hydrogen. Toyota, Honda and Nissan plan to assign, collectively, up to 65 fuel cell vehicles to this project, and BMW plans to assign up to 15 hydrogen-fueled internal combustion engine vehicles. The vehicles are to be driven by a broad range of drivers and interested parties including technical experts, policy makers, vehicle customers and fleet operators. The team's automakers are seeking no money or reimbursement for providing their vehicles to the program. Vehicle production and maintenance is included in the cost-sharing portion of the award total. The project team requested DOE funding of approximately $35 million of the overall award for hydrogen infrastructure activities and a public outreach program. Team members each commented on the DOE award announcement:
If you would prefer to contact us by phone, you can call any of our Air Products locations worldwide by visiting Worldwide Locations & Phone Numbers.
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Breaded Haggis Balls
Member recipe by stacey44
ServingsServes 8
Haggis Balls in breadcrums (with sweet chilli dip)
This recipe has been submitted by the Good Food community. Sign in or create a My Good Food account to upload your own recipe creations. Please note that all recipes will be moderated but they are not tested in the Good Food kitchen.
- 454g Macsween Haggis
- 2 eggs, beaten with a little milk (egg wash)
- 50g plain flour
- 100g plain breadcrumbs
- Remove the haggis from its bag and divide into small pieces,then roll into balls.
- Lay out three bowls: one with flour, one with the egg wash and one with the breadcrumbs.
- Coat the haggis balls in flour, dip into the egg to coat, then finally roll in the breadcrumbs.
- Store in the fridge before cooking.
- Deep-fry in vegetable oil for 3 minutes, then drain on kitchen paper before serving.


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The 2015 Dodge Challenger is the fun to drive muscle car with a bigger back seat and trunk, so it can be a practical only car as well. Take one for a test drive today at Sulphur Springs Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram in Sulphur Springs, TX, just a quick drive from Greenville or Tyler.
The 2015 Chevy Camaro is also a muscular coupe that is fun to drive, but it lacks some things that make the Challenger the obvious choice when these two are compared head to head.
Both of these cars offer the same fun to drive factor and cool image, but you get more room in the Challenger. The Camaro has only a tiny trunk opening, and almost 5 cubic feet less room. In the passenger cabin, the Challenger beats Camaro in nearly every measurement except front legroom, and then it is behind by less than half an inch.
The base model of both of these cars was designed for a low sticker price and a high coolness factor. Still, even with maximum cool, there are some things you don't want to live without so you end up paying extra for them on the Camaro, like:
Both of these cars offer V8 power, but the base Challenger R/T V8 is less expensive than the Camaro SS by more than $1500. That Dodge V8 will get better highway mileage too, according to the EPA, thanks to the 8 speed automatic transmission. Plus, even on the base model Challenger, you get access to the Dodge Performance Pages apps via the infotainment system, and can monitor your performance, 0-60 times, and G-forces.
Why would you want a midsize coupe when the 2015 Dodge Challenger is nearly the same price but 10 times as cool? Come over to Sulphur Springs CDJR and find out for yourself how easy the Challenger is to live with.View Inventory


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A "leftover" from a breeder who was unable to sell her when she was a cute kitten. Of course, the older the animal, the more difficult they are to sell, so after a period of time, the dealer in Miami sent Phoebe to Panther Ridge.
After a slow introduction process, Duma (the serval) and Phoebe now live together and are often seen cuddling together. In the wild, although their territories would overlap, they would normally be enemies and would compete for food. But at Panther Ridge, they get along beautifully. For two cats who were "unwanted," it's especially heart-warming to see how they so enjoy life and each other.
Phoebe is quite an athlete: a great jumper who is capable of knocking birds out of flight with a tremendous leap. That is why her habitat was designed with multiple levels and a lot of verticalities.


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- Livraria Air Books
- Engenharia
- Handbook Of Industrial System Safety Engineering & Risk Asse
Handbook Of Industrial System Safety Engineering & Risk Asse
Handbook Of Industrial System Safety Engineering & Risk Assessment : Basic Theories , Analytical Methods & Applications
Even though the levels of benzene and 1,3-butadiene routinely encountered in many urban locations may be more dangerous than the photochemical oxidant (ozone) levels that precipitate "ozone action days" in most cities throughout the country, there are no "benzene" or "butadiene" action days. Using a systems approach, this Handbook discusses the best system safety techniques used in various industries, types of hazard analyses, safety checklists and other safety tools, as well as techniques for investigating accidents. The book explains how to set up a data management system for a system safety program, and delves into risk assessment, including ways to conduct a risk evaluation which will provide engineers with an efficient reference in a critical area, the clarity of the writing along with the case studies and illustrations making it accessible to non-technical professionals needing a how to guide for the safety management of complex systems. Regulators can assess human exposure to toxic air contaminants with technologies of varying degrees of accuracy and sophistication. They can measure exposures directly by monitoring blood and other bodily fluids for "biomarkers" that provide internal indicators of exposure to toxicants; somewhat less directly by attaching individual air-quality-monitoring devices to workers and residents in suspect areas; and even less directly through ambient-air-quality monitoring devices that agencies install in such areas to determine the typical concentrations of relevant hazardous air pollutants that people in those areas are breathing. As technological systems become more complex, it becomes increasingly difficult to identify safety hazards and to control their impact. Engineers today are finding that safety and risk touch upon every aspect of any engineered process, from system design all the way through disposal. By employing highly pragmatic examples from a number of industries, this Handbook provides a comprehensive and easily accessible guide on how to build safety into products as well as into industrial processes. This Handbook can be also used by graduate classes involved with ergonomics and occupational safety as well as engineering.
AUTOR: Lee Gaumer
EDITORA: Auris Reference
IDIOMA: Inglês
ENCADERNAÇÃO: Encadernado
DISPONIBILIDADE DO PRODUTO: Sob Encomenda - Até 40 dias ( Importação )


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Does anyone else have a love/hate relationship with books?
There is a lot to love about pages of words that transport you into another world or teach you how to write a software program or show you pictures of creatures you'll never be able to see in real life.
When it's time to move, however, there's a lot not to love about books. They're heavy to transport. They take up a lot of space to store. They seem to multiply every time you turn around. (or … does that not happen to you?)
Books are the first thing I tackle when I move: They are easy to pack, easy to sort, and easy to get rid of for a little bit of cash. If you're moving over a long distance, it's also cheap to mail them via media mail — which gets them out of your way and on their way to your new home while you focus on other packing.
After the initial sorting and packing phase, where I sat in front of our five bookshelves and packed up the books we wanted to take with us to our new home,* comes the money-making part. All of our unwanted books went into a pile.
1. Send in your books for CASH
Grab your smartphone, download the BookScouter app, and find out how much those books are worth. Scan each ISBN with your phone and BookScouter will tell you what each book buyback store will pay you for the book. Put the book in a pile according to the store with the highest payout.
After you sort through all the books, log on to the buyback store's site and enter the ISBNs.
You will probably find that two or three stores continue to pop up for your books, and there are a few books designated for other stores. Many stores have a minimum number of books or payout that they will accept, so you may need to re-sort those books into a different pile.
Tip: Don't Wait to Send the Books. After I scanned all of my books and sorted them into piles by buyback store, I waited a few weeks before going back to those sites and accepting the buyback offers. I wish I hadn't, because the offers changed — and all for the worst. Next time, I'll scan and immediately send in the books.
To give you an idea of the payout, here is a list of the books CKY Books bought from me. The biggest payout was a hardcover set of the Divergent trilogy, and a random software programming book was a close second. They bought half of these books for less than $0.20, but because I was sending in a box of books anyway, I figured I would get a few cents for some other unwanted books.
Ready to see how much money you can get for textbooks and novels collecting dust? Sign up here.
2. Trade in your books for other books
For those books that are in good condition and no one will buy, I upload to Paperback Swap — a site for swapping used books. Here's how it works:
- Sign up
- Type in the ISBNs of the books you want to get rid of
- Earn 2 credits for the first 10 books you list on the site
- If someone else wants a book, she will request it from you.
- Print a shipping label, wrap up the book, and mail it from your local post office.
- Receive 1 credit for each book that you send.
As soon as you have a credit in your account, you can "spend" the credit on a book. I have used Paperback Swap not only for my own reading, but for giving high quality used books to others.
TIP: Use the Wishlist Function! Whenever I add a book to my Amazon wishlists, I always add it to my Paperback Swap list too. Sometimes it's a book for Mr. Stapler or my parents — all of them like used books as much as I do, so if I can get them a great read for the cost of shipping out a book to someone else, it's a done deal. Now is the time to start adding to that PaperBack Swap wishlist.
Ready to swap some unwanted books for books you want? Sign up here*
(that's my affiliate link — I get book credits for each new member I refer)
3. Donate your books for a tax write-off
If no one has requested your PaperBack Swap books within a few weeks, you may be ready to get them out of your house. The quickest way is to donate them. My favorite place to donate books is to my local library. They have a semi-annual book sale that I love. It happens to also be my favorite place to get new-to-me books.
As a renter, I never itemized my tax deductions, so I had no need to track our charitable donations. Now that we pay more mortgage interest than I care to admit, itemizing our deductions is a no-brainer.
Kay Bell, over at Don't Mess With Taxes, explains how to value the books you're donating and what kinds of entities you can donate to, here. Check it out, and don't forget to save your donation receipts!
If you're anything like the Stapler family, you probably have bookshelves brimming over with good books, unread books, old college books, and books you never seemed to finish. It's hard to part with them, for several reasons, but it's worthwhile to lift that physical weight out of your space and psychic weight off of your "to do" list.
For more ways to sell your unwanted stuff, books or not, as well as other ways to make money check out these articles.
How to Make Money Selling at Consignment Sales
Ingenious Ways To Make A Living Online
Facebook Yard Sales: Worth the hassle?
Have you ever tried any of these ways to clean out your bookshelves? What did you think of the experience?
*If you do manage to get rid of your books, don't fallback in the habit of accumulating new ones. Instead, follow the example of the crew at saving advice and check out youtube, study.com or openlearningworld.com to get some free resources.


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Posts tagged 'infatuation'
work in progress
Here recently I have been trying to figure out what it is that I deem to be important traits in my friends…
Almost a sort of priority…what is more important loyalty or honestly above all else? What things do I value most? I don't know yet but I am working on it.
Trust – I think this is still the first one on the list, which I find particularly difficult because I can't be trusted. I'm just, well their is no excuse, I just like to have too much fun sometimes at the expense of others feelings. I think of it as "putting myself first" or "looking out for me." Mean things always seem not so bad in the moment. I know that I have been an unfaithful person, yet trust is still a big thing for me. I hate double standards and here I am creating a huge one. I suppose it is all in the hope that I find someone that can "keep me faithful"…that phrase sounds horrible but if you have ever been unfaithful, it makes a lot of sense.
Loyalty- Really goes along with that being faithful business, which I'm not an expert on, but still I find it attractive.
Comfort-Everyone says that they can be themselves with certain people…or rather that you should always be yourself but I am looking more the pick your nose, scratch your butt, burp, sing, dance, cry to, and do whatever in front of kind that isn't even phased.
Is it weird that I find the qualities that I lack to be sooo attractive? Hmm, I'm sure someone is thinking opposites attract, but I don't believe that. I don't want opposite. I want the same but better.
typing l o v e
It is thoughts of love that turn my eyelids into rebells tonight. There are so may types or love and then there are so many ways to express love.
I worry about which type of love I'm going to get because I want the team spirit type. That unites us in all our goals and endeavors and is "pure" without nasty secretive motives but what will I get? Will I even be able to keep any?
A close friend told me once that I was particularly good at pretending to be happy even when I wasn't. Once it hits you that sometimes not even most of the time, just from time to time, you put up a mask it is odd to register. I feel like I do it because it is part of who I am being strong with emotional build up. Recognizing it as someone else sees it as a falsehood or something to be "worked" through is in so many ways upsetting.
To say I have a hard time with particular emotions is foolish and young to me because I know so many have the same problem and to me it is as if I expect it to be a problem like a battle that if won makes you stronger. The battles are tiresome.
I wish so badly to be a mind reader. I think that would make things easier.
Holiday Joy is Starting to Get to Me
Alright, We are two weeks into December and the Holiday season is in full swing. For the first time in my life the Holiday Season joy is really starting to get on my nerves. I don't now why but apparently everyone, okay so not everyone but all my ex-boyfriends and guy friends have decided to catch the holiday cheer bug or whatever it is that is going around making everyone feel "emotional."
So far, my most recent ex-boyfriend has chosen to tell me that as soon as I break up with my current boyfriend he will take me back in a flash. Which I could assume would be reassuring if I wasn't thrilled with my current relationship. As a side note, let it be known that this is the ex-boyfriend that asked me while we were dating if he should continue to date me or if he should date a high school crush that recently showed interest instead…yeah I can really pick them.
Next in line would be the ex-boyfriend before the previously mentioned. This one chose to let me know that he would wait for me; like a until I was ready to go/come back to him sort of thing. He let me know that he would like to marry me to…view previous blog to read about my thoughts on marriage…https://merelyobservation.wordpress.com/2008/10/13/i-do/
Lastly there is my best friend from high school that is fighting in Iraq, I only get to "talk" to him online. He let me know that he deeply regrets never dating me in high school. He let me know that he can't wait to get back to the states to see me and for some reason he wants to cook for me, which I thought was odd.
Why is it when you are single everyone is okay with just being your friend, but as soon as you are happily dating they just can't resist you?
I'm thinking this is just a result from the joyful holiday season that will past with the new year. It is up setting to have to turn down guys you consider a good friend because you know that it sucks, being turned down that is. I don't feel like I'm leading anyone on, because everyone knows about my current relationship status.
Being desired after a high school experience of being undesirable is still weird to me. I suppose I should be flattered but instead it is frustrated having to upset and irritate my friends.
Rose Colored Glasses
How do you know that you are seeing someone for who they really are and not for who you want them to be?
In this "new" relationship, I don't really get to see my boyfriend that much. Sometimes I feel like I have a good idea of who he is as a person and other times I wonder if I honestly know him. There is a saying that you can never truly know someone but at a point you can predict their behavior and just know their answers to questions. Either this one is a tough read or I am trying to rush the process along. I find myself thinking about him frequently. He is now the person I think about the most. I dream about him in normal situations.
I don't think this is fear; I think it is nerves.
How can I believe this one will work when there is no relationship that I envy or can model after?
After all the failed relationship I have seen I find myself interested in myself because I have not given up on this idea on loving someone and staying in love with someone for a lifetime. How can you have faith in an idea that you have never seen followed through?
the next step
Physical intimacy clearly has several levels. The more I think about it the beginning or new relationship levels like kissing and hand holding and hugging are the most meaningful to the development of a relationship. Physical intimacy after than is a development off of trust but is not a requirement for trust.
For example when a person is in a emotionally stressed state the contact that often offered is very basic and cherished at those moments.
Can one say that the majority of bonding is in the hands and lips? Not to say it is a most but it a basic building block for relationship development.
When someone is sick in a hospital bed you just squeeze their hand, this to me makes it an essential so to say. I like the point that was made at there a number of case where physical intimacy is an impossibility yet still the relationship develops and becomes strong. I'm just trying to weed through the development of a dating sort of relationship.
In a day and age when a more intense physical intimacy is more common place does the human emotion and brain still value it as much as when couple has to wait for marriage to do more than hold hands? Or has the human emotion factor and brain not "evolved" as fast as trends. In a sense you are lead to say that intense physical intimacy my just be for pleasure and that the brain acknowledges just that which is how we were lead to the free love type movement.
Being Pursued
A senior in college only ten more month before I walk across the stage and out of the lives of so many people I call friends. I have a problem. A problem with making decisions about my personal life.
C, my ex and best friend, appears to be pursuing me again. My most recent crush has taken me on my first double date in over a year, on here I call him D. I think I know what will make me happiest but I have a horrible tendency of changing my mind.
I really have no one to talk over the situation with. No one will ever see the world through your eyes. I have a room-mate but she doesn't understand my situation. You can never tell if someone has felt as you have once felt, but the laws of nature train you to believe that no one is like you that you are a snowflake. I don't believe we are all completely different, and unique.
Should I follow my heart even though it may lead me back down a path I have already travel, or should I encourage my heart to look else where? You may not be able to choose who you love but maybe I could aim my affections to either say inside to go else where.
I think D is different because I feel like there is something on the line to gain or to loose.
During the day C gets upset so easily but he has a way of seducing me when the sun goes down. I want just to lye with him. I miss cuddling; I have never thought myself much for cuddling but I still want to.
I have such horrible nightmares that visit me regularly. I now don't dread the nightmare, I expect them. They have almost become a measure of how deeply I slept. Company I know I should not depend on but slowly realizing how comforting another can be if you let them.
I love my independent personality. I don't want to lose it. I'm happy, but lonely.
Why so young am I tired of getting hurt by the way others drop me?


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NFL players, owners defy Trump on anthem protests as feud ramps up
National Football League players sat out, knelt and linked arms during pre-game national anthems played across the country and in London on Sunday, hours after U.S. President Donald Trump called on fans to boycott teams that do not discipline players who protest.
In the first few games since Trump stepped up his criticism of NFL players, dozens of players and coaches of teams including the Baltimore Ravens, Jacksonville Jaguars, Philadelphia Eagles and Miami Dolphins did not stand for the anthem and took a knee, a gesture that began last year as a protest over police treatment of African-Americans and other minorities.
The Pittsburgh Steelers waited off the field during the national anthem before their game against the Chicago Bears in Chicago on Sunday afternoon to avoid "playing politics" in divisive times, coach Mike Tomlin said.
And in Philadelphia, city police officers joined with Eagles players and team owner Jeffrey Lurie to link arms during the anthem in a sign of solidarity.
The defiant moves came in response to a series of comments made by Trump over the weekend criticizing players who refuse to stand for the national anthem.
"If NFL fans refuse to go to games until players stop disrespecting our Flag & Country, you will see change take place fast," Trump wrote on Sunday morning on Twitter. "Fire or suspend!"
In a second tweet, Trump, who is spending the weekend at his golf club in Bedminster, New Jersey, said that the "league should back" fans who are upset about the protests.
The form of protest began in 2016 when then San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick put one knee to the ground during pre-game renditions of the "Star Spangled Banner." Several players have since made similar gestures of protest before games.
Kaepernick initially started his protests last year by sitting during the anthem but when critics said it was a sign of disrespect, he instead took to kneeling.
At a political rally in Alabama on Friday, Trump suggested any protesting football player was a "son of a bitch" and should lose his job.
On Sunday morning, NFL managers, coaches and owners began to weigh in on the escalating feud, criticizing the president for calling out players' political dissent.
New England Patriots Chairman and CEO Robert Kraft, who has dined with Trump and who the president considers a friend, criticized Trump and defended players' right to protest.
"I am deeply disappointed by the tone of the comments made by the president on Friday," Kraft said on a statement posted on Twitter. Kraft said he supports his players' "right to peacefully affect social change and raise awareness in a manner they feel is most impactful."
Jaguars owner Shad Khan linked arms with team players in solidarity at the game against the Ravens in London's Wembley Stadium. Khan donated $1 million to the Trump inauguration fund.
And Robert McNair, chairman of the Houston Texans team, said that Trump's comments were "divisive and counterproductive to what our country needs right now." McNair also donated $1 million to Trump.
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said Trump's comments in Alabama revealed an "unfortunate lack of respect" for the NFL and its players.
As commissioner, Goodell reports to NFL owners, some of whom have supported Trump. New York Jets owner Woody Johnson, a major Trump presidential campaign donor, was confirmed by the Senate last month as Trump's pick to serve as U.S. ambassador to Britain.
The union representing professional football players also rejected Trump's comments, saying it would defend their right to freedom of expression.
In Chicago, Trump's feud was the main topic of conversation at the South Loop Club sports bar.
"This is a first amendment issue and the president is supposed to uphold that right," said Sam Cunningham, 55, who was watching the game with his wife. "He should know better than anyone that to fire someone because of their opinion is not right."
National Basketball Association players also struck back against comments by the president on Saturday after Trump clashed with one of the biggest stars in the NBA, Stephen Curry. Then on Saturday evening, Oakland As rookie Bruce Maxwell became the first Major League Baseball player to kneel for the national anthem in protest.
In a Twitter message on Saturday, the president rescinded a White House invitation to Stephen Curry, who had said he would "vote" against the planned visit by the NBA champion Golden State Warriors.
Curry told a news conference in Oakland, California: "It's beneath the leader of a country to go that route."
Singer Stevie Wonder also appeared to evoke protests by Kaepernick and other athletes when he put one knee to the stage during a concert at the Global Citizen Festival in New York City on Saturday.


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Meet Gei's
Yu MeiSenior Programmer
Connect on Linkedin
Yu is a professional software developer for GEI's Information Management team. She is primarily a Java Web application developer with very strong database skills. She is currently performing as technical lead for the development of the Water Transfer Information Application System (WTIMS) project for the California Department of Water Resources (DWR).
She holds a B.S. in Computer Science form Kunming University of Technology, China and an M.S. in Computer Science from Texas State University-San Marcos.
Sacramento, California
- Oracle Certified Professional, Java SE6 Programmer 2011
- IBM MAXIMO Asset Management System Professional


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An international Management Trainer,Consultant with wealth of experience in sales and marketing management,men management,resource management, training, innovative training methodologies, PR activities, publications, administration etc. The value added attributes along with the personality makes him a clients and employers delight.You can read his articles, case studies, research papers numbering 600(as on 20/10/2014),published in various national and international publications by mailing him.
Thursday, June 19, 2008
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
Experience sharing-Training Management Teachers
My recent training and workshop experience with UG and PG faculties of different domains of management, soft skills, IT, Economics gave me lot of new insights, which can very well be leveraged by trainers/teachers involved in management sphere. They are as follows-Case based learning, Operation work based learning,Live Project based learning, Role play are very important in teaching management, however they need to be customized keeping in mind the students and their level of understanding.Moreover, it also calls for the trainer making rapid changes to move from predicted and obsolete pedagogical tools to novel and innovative ones.It also requires lot of guts on the part of the trainer, to bring in that change and successfully implement it as this change is going to affect all stakeholders.Managing the teething problem is the core and I can very well see, the management of institutes playing a pivotal role in bringing in that metamorphosis.
Know more from me
Know more from me
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Saturday, June 14, 2008
EFQM Assessor Training Program
I am now an EFQM (European Foundation on Quality Management) assessor. I have successfully completed the EFQM assessor program of CII (Confederation of Indian Industry) at CII-Institute of Quality,Bengaluru(erstwhile Bangalore) from 10th to 13th of June 2008. It's really amazing how "five enablers and four results" in the EFQM model makes an excellent organization through persistent effort and meticuluous planning and implementation.You can know more from www.efqm.org and also from me.
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Labels: CII Institute of Quality, EFQM Training
Sunday, June 8, 2008
Benefits of e-Training
E or electronic training has many advantages over conventional approaches and methodologies.For one it is cost effective and has a deeper reach without facing the hurdle of time constraint.Moreover, it is not an one time affair, and can also be customized as per the changing need of the trainee.Leveraging enablers like technology so as to penetrate deep into the organization is possible through e-training.Companies like Dubai Headquartered Knowledge Horizon are doing excellent work in this area. Know more from me......................
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Do Government Monopolies Have a Child's Best Interests at Heart?
In John Stossel's recent report on public education, he conveys how the government school monopoly does not trust education to the free market even though the free market has made everything else in America great. Opposing teacher's unions argue that the parents aren't real 'customers' because they aren't knowledgeable enough about education. Stossel's report implies that if we trust public education to the teachers unions as we have before we will get more of the same–increased funding yet no results shown in improving student achievement. Teacher's unions continue to advocate that they are 'for' improving education, yet some teacher's unions are explicit in their thoughts such as one teacher's union leader who stated, "When school children start paying union dues, that's when I'll start representing the interests of school children."
To read more click here.


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Hotels in Abu Dhabi
Budget hotels in Abu DhabiSee all
Al Diar Mina Hotel
Abu Dhabi 2.6 km from city centre
The hotel is located on Salam Street close to the Business District & Commercial centres of Abu Dhabi. 2 kms to city...
Hawthorn Suites By Wyndham Abu Dhabi City Center
Abu Dhabi 2.6 km from city centre
The hotel is situated in the centre of Abu Dhabi, close to the main shopping street, just a few minutes walk from the sea....
Trianon Royal
Abu Dhabi 2.1 km from city centre
Just a 10-minute drive from Marina Mall and the Corniche promenade, Trianon Hotel is located in the vibrant city of Abu Dhabi.Free...
Golden Tulip Downtown Abu Dhabi
Abu Dhabi 1.9 km from city centre
Offering a year-round outdoor pool and views of the city, Golden Tulip Downtown Hotel is located in the Downtown Abu Dhabi...
Grand Continental Flamingo Hotel
Abu Dhabi 1.9 km from city centre
The hotel is conveniently located in the heart of the city and just a short walk from the corniche. The hotel owners have...
Ramee Garden Hotel Apartments
Abu Dhabi 448 m from city centre
The Ramee Garden Hotel Apartments are centrally located in the heart of Abu Dhabi city, just a short distance away from the...
Al Diar Capital
Abu Dhabi 2.9 km from city centre
Al Diar Capital Hotel is located in the heart of Abu Dhabi's business districts, commercial areas and most popular shopping...
Tourism in Abu Dhabi
Luxury, exoticism and glamour galore. Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates, will fulfil the desires of even the most demanding tourist. Are you ready for a holiday worthy of a thousand and one nights?
The Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque is one of the most impressive buildings in the world. Constructed of white marble and boasting a central courtyard where the floor resembles a carpet of flowers, it's a sight not to be missed, which will leave you speechless.
Along the city's promenade, you'll enjoy a beautiful panorama of Abu Dhabi and can also glimpse the artificial island of Al Lulu. How many countries in the world can boast an artificial island larger than four square kilometres? In Abu Dhabi, everything is possible!
And while you're in Abu Dhabi, a veritable shopper's paradise, which mall are you going to drop in on? The Abu Dhabi Mall? Or perhaps the Abu Dhabi Marina Mall? No matter which one you choose, the most exclusive products and services await you to make your dreams come true.


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Michael mentioned the ever-popular Sextet from Lucia that was being streamed over the telephone in 1910.
In this version of the piece (which I take quite personally, given the text) we get to see, once again, that Larry Fine (sadly no relation to the Philadelphia Fines) is indeed a real violinist:
Monday, September 20, 2010
. . . Speaking of Lucia Sextets
Posted by Elaine Fine at 9:30 AM
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HOLLYWOOD HILLS (CBSLA.com) — Officials Tuesday were searching for suspects responsible for stealing approximately $50,000 in gold and cash from a multi-platinum Grammy Award-winning songwriter.
Toby Gad's wife discovered a safe at their Hollywood Hills home in the 3500 block of Wonder View Drive was broken into around 4 p.m. Monday afternoon, officials said.
Gold, cash and other undisclosed items were taken from the house, which was in the middle of a remodel.
"We never thought a safe like that could be opened that easily. It looked like a very solid safe," Gad said. "Let's hope we find the people who did that."
A specialized safe investigations team was called to the scene.


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Once the big day has come and gone, it's time for you and your new spouse to spend some romantic time alone together on your honeymoon. The beautiful adults only Couples Resorts in Jamaica are some of our top honeymoon picks (and a great pick for an adults only destination wedding) with their luxurious amenities, spectacular honeymoon packages, and romantic ambiance. With one of the most comprehensive all inclusive packages in the Caribbean, you won't have to worry about blowing the budget on extras – everything you could possibly need is right at your fingertips, including PADI scuba diving, golf, complimentary excursions, and waterskiing. You'll create romantic memories to last a lifetime!
Couples Negril
If you and your other half are all about rest and relaxation, you'll love the peaceful ambiance of Couples Negril. We recommend staying in one of the extravagant beachfront suites, where you'll be just steps away from the sparkling white sand beach – perfect for romantic sunset strolls – and enjoy nightly hors d'oeuvres on your balcony to the sounds of waves crashing against the shore. If you do venture out of your suite, be sure to enjoy a relaxing couples' massage in the unique treetop spa or take a trip to the famous Sunset Bar.
Couples Tower Isle, Ocho Rios
Nothing says romance quite like lounging by the beach of Couples Tower Isle's private island paradise! In addition to having a mini private island for resort guests, this gorgeous resort features eight exclusive spa villas where you can enjoy unlimited spa treatments (yes, we said unlimited) and sprawling one bedroom beachfront suites with Jacuzzi tubs. During the day, go on an excursion to the magical Dunn's River Falls (perfect for Instagram photoshoots) or take a trip to the iconic and vibrant Margaritaville for drinks and dancing. After an exciting day you can feast on delicious farm-to-table cuisines with a private beach dinner under the stars.
Couples Sweptaway, Negril
If the two of you prefer to be more active on vacation, the beautiful Couples Sweptaway boasts one of the biggest fitness complexes on the island in addition to air-conditioned squash and racquetball courts. You can also partake in exciting water activities such as windsurfing, water skiing, paddle boarding, and glass bottom boat rides. You'll never be far away from the action when you stay in one of the luxurious beachfront verandah suites that are just steps to the sand (perfect for sunrise yoga sessions) and feature expansive private balconies overlooking the water.
Couples Sans Souci, Ocho Rios
You'll always have a great view at Couples Sans Souci, which is nestled on a hillside overlooking the sparkling Caribbean waters. For the ultimate honeymoon splurge, book the penthouse ocean suite – the two of you will feel like royalty with your sprawling private balcony, two-person Jacuzzi, and stunning ocean views. You can also take a stroll to the natural grotto on the resort grounds for a therapeutic soak in its healing waters.


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Effectively meeting the needs of rosacea patients with an all-in-one system that:
- Treats redness and flushing, as well as inflammatory papules and pustules (acne-like pimples).
- Reduces the appearance of redness and blotchiness. Helps achieve a clearer, calmer, more balanced-looking complexion.
- Provides gentle, non-comedogenic skincare to calm and protect inflamed, irritated skin.
- Delivers immediate benefits with continued improvement
Many patients may not realize that their facial redness,inflammation and flushing is rosacea.
- Rosacea affects approximately 14 million Americans*
- Only 1.1 million of those suffering seek treatment†
- 79% of rosacea sufferers aren't aware that they need treatment for their skin condition


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Make the middle distances and miler races count, with the supremely comfortable Adidas Adizero Ambition 3 Running Spikes.
Enhance your 2016 indoor and outdoor season, with the Adizero Ambition 3 Running Spikes, perfect for the middle distance runner, with a breathable mesh upper, it provides a tremendously snug, glove-like fit so you're constantly comfortable from each lap completed on the track.
The full length EVA Midsole has been extended in the spikes so that the cushioning is much longer and also, lower to the ground, this produces a much better feel on the foot, bring you much nearer to the track so you feel a consistent foot strike.
Specifically made for the distance from 800m, 1500m, 3200m and even up to the one and two mile events, it's a fantastic all round middle distance shoe for the athlete looking to take the next step with their footwear.
Featuring the branding on either side of the spikes and underneath, the Adizero Ambition's arrive in Navy with equipment green underneath and comes with an Pebax Outsole with replacement spike holes with a shoe wrench as an additional feature. It's a well balanced shoe for the runner wanting to feel fast during their track training or competition and can be found in our Spring/Summer 2016 range of footwear.
Be sure to go and check out the rest of the 2016 track and field spike range, by clicking here!
Regular Price: £91.18
Special Price £72.94
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With the introduction of a limited-edition bicycle, Marc Jacobs becomes the latest fashion brand to embrace the joy of two-wheeled city transportation. Consistent with the inventive contemporary interpretation of retro styles for which Marc Jacobs is known, the bicycle, in a one-size edition of 10, is a classic single-speed with a twist: a sturdy bamboo frame with steel lugs produced by Panda Bicycles in Fort Collins, Colorado. This durable, ecofriendly material contributes to a smooth ride and also helps keep weight in line, making the bike less of a chore to tote for urban stair steppers. [The designer is in the news this week as he steps down from Louis Vuitton to focus on the Marc Jacobs brand in New York.]
A thoughtfully selected, city-ready complement of elegant components and accessories from Velo Orange, including cantilever brakes, front and rear freewheel hubs, rear rack and fenders, rounds out the ride. The front porteur rack is generously sized. The black leather saddle is from Brooks.
It's not the brand's first foray into stylish gear for an active lifestyle: Marc Jacobs surfboards and skateboards are already in the mix. The black bike, shown above, and below in detail, that I took for a spin through the streets of Soho near the Mercer Street Marc Jacobs store drew plenty of appreciative (covetous?) looks.
The bikes are available now at Marc Jacobs stores in the U.S. and London.
Marc Jacobs Bamboo Bike (floor stand included), black, red, blue, yellow and green, $5,000
Photos: Group: Marc Jacobs. Others: velojoy


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LONDON — The bet was for $50,000. It was offered by George Washington Hill, president of the American Tobacco Company, to the designer Raymond Loewy, in 1940. The challenge was to spruce up the packaging of Lucky Strike cigarettes. Loewy accepted the wager, and Hill asked when he expected to finish. "Oh, I don't know," drawled the designer. "Some nice spring morning I will feel like designing the Lucky package... I'll call you then."
Loewy won the bet, and claimed the credit for the subsequent increase in Lucky Strike's sales. That was nearly 70 years ago, and design has changed dramatically since then, as the designer Tim Brown relates in his new book, "Change by Design." "Few designers today would even touch this type of project," he writes of Loewy's assignment. "What excites the best (design) thinkers today is the challenge of applying their skills to problems that matter."
He's kind of right and kind of wrong. Much as I'd like to believe that designers are too altruistic to bother fiddling with the graphics on cigarette packets, many still do. But it is true that more and more designers are devoting their time to serious stuff, like repairing environmental damage or kindling economic recovery, and it is their work that concerns Mr. Brown.
Born in Britain, Mr. Brown is now the president and chief executive officer of IDEO, a design group based in Palo Alto, California. His book?'s objective is summed up by its subtitle: to demonstrate "How design thinking transforms organizations and inspires innovation." He marshals lots of examples of how this works in practice, although his underlying theme is as much about how design itself is changing, as how it effects change in other industries.
When Mr. Brown, 47, started out as a product designer in the late 1980s, design was mostly about creating physical things, such as the widgets he developed in his first project for a machinery manufacturer, or visual ones, like the graphics on a Lucky Strike packet. Designers now also tackle intangible strategic and behavioral issues, such as helping businesses and government to organize themselves more efficiently and make their services more user-friendly. Mr. Brown describes this as the shift from old-school "design," which he regards as "technology-centered," to the "human-centered" discipline of "design thinking" — a term coined by David Kelley, who co-founded IDEO in 1991 originally to develop tech products for clients in Silicon Valley.
Design thinking is an elusive concept, as Mr. Brown admits. His punchiest definition is that it is "about more than style." In a nutshell, it involves the application of the traditional skills that designers develop, often without realizing, to identify problems and invent solutions in collaboration with experts from other disciplines, their clients and the people who will use the results.
For IDEO's designers, this has meant working in multidisciplinary teams alongside engineers, computer programmers, marketers and behavioral scientists. One design thinking project involved developing a new type of low-tech weekend bicycle — named "coasting" — for Shimano, the Japanese cycle components maker, to persuade the adult Americans who had loved riding their bikes as kids to take up cycling again, rather than developing a dazzling new bicycle as old-school designers would have done.
Another project encouraged the nurses employed by Kaiser Permanente, the U.S. health care group, to work out how to improve the care of patients by redesigning their own schedules. A third analyzed people's spending habits to invent a new Bank of America service that helps them to save by rounding up each purchase to the nearest dollar and depositing the difference in a "Keep the Change" account, just like throwing spare coins into a change jar. IDEO's teams of design thinkers have also worked on projects for nonprofit organizations, like the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and U.S. government campaigns, as well as on conventional product design and branding programs.
Mr. Brown gives glimpses of what it's like to work at IDEO. He recalls an executive from the furniture company, Steelcase, sinking into a snazzy-looking chair only for it to collapse. (It was a painstakingly detailed $40,000 foam prototype, not the real thing.) He also recounts the horror of the lead designer on the development of an Oral-B toothbrush, when he spotted one of his products washed up on a deserted Californian beach, six months after the launch. And what designer wouldn't relate to his description of how: "I cannot count the number of clients who have marched in and said, 'Give me the next (Apple) iPod,' but it's probably pretty close to the number of designers I've heard respond (under their breath), 'Give me the next (Apple ceo) Steve Jobs."'
There is a danger of books like this deteriorating into sales pitches, as their designer-authors trot out examples of their companies' prowess. But Mr. Brown writes with a winning combination of thoughtfulness, pragmatism and enthusiasm. IDEO looms large, but the references are relevant, and interspersed with descriptions of successful exercises by other companies, from the development of the Netflix online movie store, to that of United Airlines's Premium Service between San Francisco and New York.
Mr. Brown also puts design thinking into a historical context by explaining how some of his design heroes practiced it, albeit unknowingly. Take Isambard Kingdom Brunel, the great 19th-century British engineer, who designed the bridges, viaducts and tunnels of the Great Western Railway in southwest England and Wales, not only as spectacular structures, but to make passengers feel as if they were "floating across the countryside." They still do.
Critically, he avoids the trap of presenting design thinking as a panacea. Mr. Brown charts its failures as well as successes, and sees confusingly designed Web sites and dysfunctional help lines, as the latterday equivalents of the Industrial Revolution's "dark satanic mills." Nor does he pretend that it is easy. Instead, he depicts it as a messy, uncertain, often inconclusive process, albeit one that is more fun, and much more productive than tweaking cigarette packets.


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BuyOkrika.com is Nigeria's number one Online Secondhand shop. With BuyOkrika.com, online shopping has never been more easy. Simply login, find that elusive, designer shoe or bag you have been looking for, add to your cart and buy. Remember! these items are one of a kind so chances that you will find them again are very slim. Want more? Well, we will delivery your items directly to you. At BuyOkrika.com, we bring to you awesome collections from top brands such as Zara, BooHoo, Autograph, Fendi and a lot more. Also, we aim to make shopping fun with our latest bale, every week, as well as massive discounts on a collection of items and more.
At BuyOkrika.com, why BEND DOWN when you can just SELECT.


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To kick off the New Year, this January we took the Anthemis #hackingfinance Breakfast series to America's West Coast. The first installment was held in San Francisco, the second in Los Angeles.
In San Francisco, Tom Ryan, Partner and Head of Anthemis Americas, led a conversation focused on the new frontiers of insurance. Featured panelists included kWh Analytics' Richard Matsui, Trov's Neil Sands and Aaron Moser of Automatic. The discussion explored emerging topics within solar, data, the consumer and other broad themes related to the future of the insurance industry.
The panelists: Tom Ryan, Aaron Moser, Neil Sands and Richard Matsui
The following day, in Los Angeles, Anthemis Founder and President Amy Nauiokas hosted a discussion which looked at investment trends and predictions for 2017 with American Banker's Mary Wisniewski and Payoff's Scott Saunders. Hot topics included disruption, collaboration between startups and incumbents, and diversity in financial services and beyond.
The panelists: Mary Wisniewski, Amy Nauiokas and Scott Saunders | Amy with Arlan Hamilton
Both breakfasts were livestreamed, and are available below.
Live now at #hackingfinance: @GoTomRyan, @automatic, @kWhAnalytics and @neilosands on the new frontiers of #insuran… https://t.co/GniyVdRKGx
— Anthemis Group (@anthemis) January 24, 2017
Live now: @amynauiokas in conversation with @marymwisniewski and @drpayoff, discussing #VCTrends in 2017. https://t.co/gFH6fMhgsI
— Anthemis Group (@anthemis) January 25, 2017
To be notified of future #hackingfinance breakfasts, sign up for the #hackingfinance mailing list.


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On Thursday, March 29, at about 2 p.m., Houston time, Rice University grad Ria Cortesio will do something that has not been done since March 1989. Ms. Cortesio will step out on a grass field somewhere in the Phoenix area, and she will take her position up the first base line. Then, with the first pitch of a Spring Training game between the Chicago Cubs and Arizona Diamondbacks,Ms. Cortesio
will be the first woman to umpire a game between major league teams (that is, if you can count the Cubs as a major league baseball team) sincePam Postema
Ms. Cortesio is entering her fifth season as an umpire for the Double-A Southern League. She also happens to be the next umpire in line for promotion to Triple-A. Last season she had the opportunity to umpire the Future's Game and the Home Run Derby at the All-Star Game in Pittsburgh.
It has not been an easy road for Ms. Cortesio. She umpired high school baseball games. She then started in the Pioneer League. Then she moved to the Midwest League and to the Class-A Florida State League before advancing to Double-A minor league baseball.
Once Ms. Cortesio makes the leap to Triple-A ball, she will be only the second woman to have reached that level of umpiring in organized baseball. The next step will be the major leagues, where she would be a pioneer as the first woman to umpire at the major league level.
The All-Star Game is not her only brush with fame. Way back when, she caught the ire of one George Steinbrenner who accused her of squeezing the strike zone of one Roger Clemens when Clemens was making a minor league rehab start.
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Now, it's time for my confession. I've got more than a just disinterested curiosity in Ms. Cortesio's climb up the baseball ladder. Ria is a friend of mine. We met sometime in the mid 90s when Ria joined the Astrodome video crew. I've heard some of her stories about dislocated bones. About large bruises caused by foul balls. She's told me about the constant travel by van, and about the staying up late after games so that reports can be filed to the league office. But Ria has also told me about how much she loves this job. About how this is all that she has ever wanted to do. About how it's her dream to reach the major leagues.
I want Ria to achieve her dream. Because I figure that that would be my brush with fame. Surely, after all, the first woman to be a major league umpire has to end up in the Baseball Hall of Fame. And this way, I can say that I know a Hall of Famer. But besides that, I want Ria to make it because she's my friend.
But, Ria, I want you to remember this. You suck. You need glasses. Are you blind? Read the rulebook every now and then, you moron, so that you can learn the strike zone. You called that a balk? He missed the tag. And so on, and so on, and so on.
Thanks for reading. I promise to return with the snark later. — John Royal


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When I visit schools I always draw cats as part of my cartooning class.
Then I tell the students to check out my blog to see an example - but I haven't put up a new one in a while.
So here's a cat I doodled on the bag that our dinner arrived in (delicious Indian food from a restaurant named Banjara)!
I kind of like the cat's detached attitude and throw-back preppie outfit.
Just a doodle, but a good example of the importance of doodling all the time. Practice, practice, practice.


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Christianity.com: Can we add to the Bible?-John MacArthur
Christianity.com: How can I best minister to friends and family while in the hospital? - Eric McKiddie - @christianitydotcom2
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