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Posts Tagged scrum master
8 Key Aspects of Scrum Master Role
Posted by rsa in Agile, Kaizen, Leadership, SCRUM, Scrum Master, Team, Uncategorized, Waste on August 23, 2016
Ever since I was a child I have had this instinctive urge for expansion and growth.
To me, the function and duty of a quality human being
is the sincere and honest development of one's potential.
Bruce Lee
Working as active Scrum Practitioner for almost 9+ years I have come up with my understanding of what is Scrum Master's role, service to the team and key responsibilities. Earlier I have written about what Scrum Master should master, here I would like to concentrate on 8 Key Aspects of Scrum Master work. Focus areas so to say. Here those are….
- Facilitates Sprint Planning Meeting
- Facilitates Sprint Review Meeting
- Facilitates Backlog Refinement (aka Grooming) Meeting
- Facilitates Sprint Retrospective Meeting
- Facilitates Daily Scrum
- Facilitates Release / Roadmap Planning Sessions
- Facilitates whatever/whenever else Team and/or stakeholders communication is required to be facilitated (not about any collaboration)
Purpose: to improve shared task clarity, planning, bring in more transparency over status quo for team to see where do they stand (and plan to go, and what have they achieved and how they want to improve) and their work results, help team to be able to enhance communication and perform their daily work
Team Builder
- Cultivates "us" vs. "me" culture and mindset
- Enables and fosters team to self-organize
- Helps team to make decisions
- Supports team through stages of its development
- Coaches individual team members on communication, collaboration and teamwork when necessary
- Increases "bandwidth" of communication among team members
- Observes team and talks to every single team member
- When required does one-on-ones to help through raising conflicts
- Navigates conflicts (involves management when necessary)
Purpose: to build up better team => better understanding each other => improved collaboration among team members => improved team performance
Team Guardian
- Guards team agreements, decisions and process (e.g. retrospective decisions, agreed "howtos", DoD, DoR, review process, etc)
- Make team stick to its agreements, drives teamwork and respect towards owning decisions, leading to performance improvements
- Keeps balance between fulfilling business (Product Owner) needs and maintaining team sustainable pace, so that business needs are addressed by PO requests while team development and pace is not forgotten.
- Makes sure environment is as Team empowering as possible. Empowerment raises team feeling of ownership that rises up dedication and servers to better results
- Helps the team and Product Owner to maintain their artifacts (product backlog, sprint backlog, task and action boards, sprint/release burndown charts, tickets comments, story maps, etc.)
Purpose: create and maintain environment where high demand is possible. Here is why that is important
Impediment "Fisher" & Resolver
- Creates environment for effective impediment "fishing" and removal. Cultivates transparency and information radiation as pre-requisite for impediment clarity and removal
- Enables team to respond to impediments
- Raises awareness of team's impediments
- Coaches team in resolving impediments (the one's that could be solved by team)
- Helps team to discover new impediments (wastes). Constantly questions the status-quo
- Helps to resolve impediments / take ownership of those cannot be solved within / by team
- Improves efficiency of the team by helping with eliminating impediments
- Escalates and follows up on impediments to where they belong
"High Focus" Promoter
- Shields team from external interferences (extra tasks, todos not agreed with Product Owner, etc)
- Enables team to concentrate on most important todos, achieving "state of flow" and high concentration.
- Helps to avoid wastes caused by context-switching and to avoid team member burn-outs
- Gardens team's sustainable pace, so that combined with "empowered" environment of high demand is possible
- Increases feeling of "urgency" and highlights how much is left to achieve (e.g. tickets, story tasks, story points, etc.), e.g. with the help of burndown charts, tickets left, etc.
- Helps team to focus on regularly achieving small thing to create feeling of fulfillment and good progress
Motivator and Coach
- Promotes positive thinking, open, honest and respectful feedback culture
- Motivates team to improve team productivity regularly
- Helps to raise team morale, to increase dedication and to improve team deliverables
- Helps to create feeling of achievement
- Creates environment of excellence and continuous improvement (and mindset of seeking for improvements)
- Creates mindset of "quality first", intolerance to poor quality and continuous improvement
- Regularly takes care of team's "happiness" (and involves management when necessary)
- Coaches and teaches required mindset, frameworks and engineering practices (Lean thinking, Scrum, Kanban, XP, pair programming, continuous integration, test automation, etc.)
- Teaches and integrates new team members into working process and agreements (and into the team)
- Serves as agent for change and positive challenger of the team
- Reflects integrity and leads by example (e.g. being on time, continuously self-improving, sticking to agreements, etc.…)
- Reflects Lean thinking and Agile principles to the team
- Reflects on reality and promotes transparency on status-quo to question
- Makes things measurable where applicable and possible to illustrate team progress: brings transparency about what is done, how much is achieved, so that weaknesses are easier to identify and potential improvements are easier to see
- Helps team to radiate information (e.g. burndowa, burnup charts, impediment boards, hapiness matrix, knowledge matrix, peerwork matris, etc.)
- Introduces required measurements for team to see regularly its work results (e.g. tickets achieved, stories done, story points achieved, bugs popped up/fixed, retrospective decisions implemented, ..)
- Uses collected data to think and question team and act if required
Agileist: outside of Scrum Team
- Shares Agile/Lean mindset within organization
- Shares best practices and tools, so that other Scrum Masters can benefit / see different perspective of managing things and company can benefit from enriched toolbox of methods and practices
- Collaborates and helps other Stakeholders to learn how their requests could be fulfilled with the team doing Scrum (or Kanban), so that other Stakeholders could get their requests address while team' pace is also protected
- Helps to improve organization by creating learning organization
- Helps to address organization's impediments
Last and not least there are many other things that do not belong to this structure. Those are dependent on situation and circumstances. And those are still handled by great Scrum Masters 🙂
When self-organization does NOT work: teamwork hints
Posted by rsa in Agile, SCRUM, Self-organized, Team on June 12, 2012
Scrum is based on "Empower the Team" Lean principle that prescribes self-organization. This means that regardless of age and experience team members are equal and serve as managers to one another. There is strong rationale behind: people that do the work are the best to manage it as they own responsibility of results and know best how to handle it.
Daily stand-up or daily SCRUM is a team tool to reflect on changing reality and adapt accordingly.
I'd like to point out some cases when self-organization does not work as should and help those teams out to boost their productivity.
Let us discover some sick stand-up/self-organization symptoms first…
1. Refraining from exposing problems (ignorance of reality):
- Task takes longer than planned and reasons are not clear to everyone (or something holds back people from raising problems);
- Task is blocked and impediment is not exposed/raised (this also may indicate some other problem with task that is not comfortable to raise);
- It's just a way it is (yes we all know that we've planned 4 hours for that task, but as usual it takes us 2,3,5,… times longer or this guy always messes things up, we can do nothing, etc…);
- Team does not reflect during a day on changing reality (just in stand-ups), leading to impediments piling up and being addressed late, so that they mask something else;
- Etc…;
2. Intolerance to critical feedback:
- Team member pushes back heavily when someone tries to rise a problem related to his/her task;
- Raising problems considered as de-motivating and team silently prefer to hide them until it's too late;
- Team members prefer to stay "nice" to each other rather than constructively criticize their plan in order to adapt it daily;
- Etc…;
Those two are inter-related. As a team member one will hold back from giving critical feedback if receives push back from his/her peer leading to confrontation and poor->no self-organization…
Scrum Masters, look around. Don't you observe those symptoms during your stand-ups and/or during daily work?
If yes then…
Try out following cures ….
- Talk to push-backers one on one, try to understand what makes them do so? It could be personal issues with team members, lack of positive feedback or self-esteem, or other personal or inter-personal problem(s). It also could be absence of trust (readiness to look vulnerable to the team).
- Explain that feedback is not oriented towards person, rather towards team (exposes problem) as there are no personal problems in a team, since problem causes wastes, further slowness, incompleteness and later sprint failure of entire team.
- Focus person on constructiveness rather de-structiveness when exposing problem and coach on asking why 5 times, usually it helps to come up with adequate counter measures to remove root cause of the problem;
- Educate other team members that raising questions is crucial and needed, but highlight issues and offer them to try out different ways to do so (there may be personal barriers for push-backers, so more "gentle" way may be less stressful while lead to the same result, e.g. instead of asking "Why you did not finish this task so far"?, try "What holds you back from completing this task"?
- Cultivate more solution oriented then problem stating approach (as solution is vector, while problem is scalar);
- Talk to entire team that problems are normal and ignoring them just postpones failure. So they require courage to face and team spirit to overcome, that makes difference between team and group of people. Exposing problem does not mean it shall become energy-drainer and de-motivator, rather it's in-time red flag that shall re-focus team on next right thing to do;
- If conflict is unavoidable and your peers do not go with "exposing problems approach", steer it, but not let pile it up (nice article on conflict avoidance here);
- Launch team storming to "shorten the distance" between team members, so that exposing problems is more constructive and easy (see: "Teamleads, "Storming", Self-organization and Entropy")
- Propose and drive team branding activity to help them find out shared values and motivators (see: "Team DNA: how to Brand up your team");
To summarize, work both ways with ones who raise (also including you if you are in SM role) and with ones who push back to make raising problems comfortable and easy.
Good Luck!


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subset: commoncrawl


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Our Group
Company Accreditations
Environmental Policy
Unique Thermal Homes SurveyHighlights Energy Efficiency in Ipswich
March 2010)
Anglian Home Improvements is undertaking an unique venture, the Thermal Homes Survey, designed to allow householders to see how energy efficient or inefficient their homes are.
The survey uses infra red imaging to detect the amount of energy lost in each property. The thermal imaging trial has taken thousands of images of homes across Ipswich and will be available to view on www.thermalhomesurvey.com
www.thermalhomesurvey.com explains how each image can be interpreted and offers energy efficient solutions for properties. Ipswich is being trialled as the first town to undergo the Thermal Homes Survey in the UK.
To combat climate change, the UK Government has set a target of reducing CO2 levels by 30% by 2030. The survey provides people with information about their properties they have previously had no exposure to and it is hoped that once the energy efficiencies of each home are made available homeowners will be prompted into taking action.
The average UK household loses around £280* worth of energy a year - every year. Much of this energy is wasted through poorly insulated windows which not only leak heat, but also money, which is bad for the consumer pocket as well as the UK's carbon footprint.
Commenting on the survey, David Pitt, product manager from Anglian Home Improvements said, "What we have found from previous research is that people are heating the streets instead of their homes – a fact many home owners seem oblivious to. By making the normally invisible, visible we can physically show how much energy is lost through the home. We hope to prompt people into taking action and creating more energy efficient homes across the UK, starting in Ipswich.
"The Thermal Home Survey is designed to show how much energy is wasted through poorly insulated homes. We are trialling this website initially in Ipswich to gage people's reactions to this unique service, if successful our aim is to roll the thermal homes survey across the rest of the UK."
To view Anglian Home Improvements thermal homes survey of Ipswich go to www.thermalhomesurvey.com
Notes to editors:
* Source: Local Government Association.
Anglian Home Improvements is the UK's leading home improvements company. With more than 40 years' experience and an annual turnover of £300million, Anglian ensures they are ahead of the competition with a continuing research and development programme.
Anglian offers an extensive range of home improvement products, including windows, doors, conservatories, driveways, garage conversions and roof trims and in the last financial year the company made an average of 10,000 windows/doors per week.
For more information contact:
Rachel Birtwhistle on 01603 706561, e-mail
[email protected]
Thermal property images accompany release in attachments – red glow indicates energy loss.
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Education INTERVICT
INTERVICT is dedicated to excellence in education on Bachelor, Master and post doctorate level. In its education, INTERVICT challenges students to deepen and broaden their knowledge and stimulates them to develop their skills.
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The institute is responsible for the complete Master Victimology and Criminal Justice , a world-wide unique program focusing on victimology.
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The aim of this Advisory Board is to serve as a reflection group, to advise on the Master's Program, and to signal developments that are important for our students and the master program as a whole. Based on the input of the Advisory Board the curriculum will be improved and tuned.
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Courses Bachelors / Master's program
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PhD degree
INTERVICT offers researchers the possibility to pursue a PhD-degree as (external) PhD-candidate.


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Club Newsletter: The 5th annual Moycarkey-Borris GAA Club Newsletter will be available for sale at the Juvenile AGM on this Thursday night and in the local shops in the parish from this weekend. This 40 page A4 colour production covers all aspects of club activity throughout the year and is a great Christmas present at the bargain price of €8.
Juvenile AGM: The Juvenile AGM is being held in the club rooms on Thursday 5th December at 8pm. All are welcome.
Senior AGM: The senior club will hold their AGM on 13th of December, more details to follow
Scor na bpaisti Scor na bPaisti is fast approaching and will be on in January the date has not yet being finalised. I am asking all the boys and girls who can sing, dance, play music, have a flare for question time or fancy themselves as a actor to get their thinking caps on and start planning. Scor is a great opportunity for children to get together and show off their talent to their families and friends. If interested in taking part or if anyone can help please contact Mary Shelly 086 3190653 or Helen Dowling 0863403371.
Club Notes: If you wish to have any items included in the club notes please email firstname.lastname@example.com before 9pm on Sunday night
Club Notes >


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The Australian Newspaper Plan (ANPlan) is an ongoing collaborative initiative between NSLA libraries to collect and preserve every newspaper published in Australia. guaranteeing public access to these important historical records. Coordinated by the National Library of Australia, the ANPlan collaboration aims to preserve all Australian newspapers and to give the public access to them.
ANPlan strategic plan 2015-2018
Environmental conditions for storing print and microfilmed newspapers
Australian Newspaper Plan position statement on newspaper repatriation


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The mechanical numbers are the perfect size to write the name of the lab in the center of the composition. The new mechanical rusty and steampunk gears, the Barn Stars and Mini Hardware were also a perfect match for this project, I just love them there!
This Gel is a very strong glue and I highly recommend it if you need to glue heavy or metal embellishment on your project like I did.
The next step was the most exciting of all the process. I used the Rust Pastes. I couldn't wait to use them when I first saw this amazing product! I have to tell you, this is my new favorite 'must have'. The rust look is so awesome and feels and looks real!!! I absolutely adore the result!
Last thing I did was to spread two shades of Mica powder (Rust and Deep Water) with a paintbrush all over the project. I sprayed some water and dried it with a heat gun. I think this last step was very important because it unified all the colors and textures.


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Tonight, I got 'FAG' and three points in Scrabble. The other night I received 22 points for mixing cum and uhaul. I got uhaul because my friends and I put in funny points, wherein something that was funny could get points.
I love Scrabble. A lot of fun when you're bored.


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1. It only takes a smile
It's good to have a focus on making a profit, but we are in the leisure industry (or as Disney puts it, the 'feeling industry'). The people within your club (so people at your reception, waiters, greenkeepers, Marshal, staff and even your club members) are in constant contact with your customers (i.e. green fee players). A smile from them will amplify the customers' spirit. Grumpy or rude behaviour will however dampen their spirits and will have a negative affect on sales and their overall feeling about your club.
2. Take care of business
Make sure people within your golf club are proud about what they are doing. This means, be friendly, clean the tables, dump the garbage, clean the paths and the toilets, provide towels, repair stuff that is broken, or remove it al together. Walk the golf course yourself, preferably with people who have never played your course, and see what happens. Do they understand the routing, are there enough bins, toilets, water points, etc. Often some small inexpensive changes will increase the overall experience.
3. Think as a golfer
Golfers are often pressed for time, they have quite a high level of expectations and they will spend 4-6 hours at your club. So, provide them the best experience ever. And, when they are there, try to help them by making relevant offers! Golfers always need food, drinks and tees/balls. So, have food packages available for them to take away, make sure you have (cool) drinks, fruit and candy bars available in the proshop. It's so obvious, but only a few golf clubs do this. And, provide good rental sets, decent lake balls and good driving range balls.
4. Don't oversell
Don't ask a fee for the driving range if someone has just paid 80 euro's to play at your course and 40 euro's for a buggy. It just feels wrong. Give him the token for free. And don't ask more than 5 euro for a strokesaver, it's a direct turn off. Moreover, give golfers a free apple, tees, a water bottle or something else. Golfers will appreciate and remember it.
5. Be honest
If you are coring the greens or making adjustments to the course, then tell people on forehand. Provide a small discount on the green fee or give them something extra (like coffee or a drink for free). This will manage expectations and it will save you a lot of problems afterwards. People don't mind if you tell them upfront. This will also give them the opportunity to decide to come back later.
6. Show some interest
If people have played your course, then the first thing your staff should do is ask them a few questions. The first should be: 'how was your round and did you like the course'. The second should be 'what could we improve? And the third should be 'what they would like to drink or eat'? And of course it would be a great idea to direct them to our site to write down their experiences for their fellow golfers!
7. Inform and care about people
If people are at your club for the first time, then make them feel at home. Tell them how everything works. For example, tell them where the locker-rooms are, if towels are available, if you need tokens for the driving range, where the putting green is, where can you get food or drinks, etc. It's very obvious but if you are honest, are you or your staff actually doing this? And if a golfers returns, then welcome him back. It's so great when that happens. If you are a member club and there are only 2 green fee players arriving that day, then welcome them by saying their names. It makes a great and long-lasting impression.
8. Do small things to surprise people
Surprising people with small gestures is easy and it is a great way to give people an experience to remember. So, if it starts raining, bring people an umbrella. If it's cold,bring them a cup of coffee. If it's hot, bring them a cool bottle of water. And if you have a very difficult hole, then give golfers a free ball or a small bottle of spirit. It provides a great story, which people will share with all their friends and fellow golfers.
9. A good marshal/starter makes a difference
It's vital for a nice round of golf that flights move around the course in a timely fashion. Slow players should be told to either pick up their pace or to let other flights pass. And a starter/marshal should inform people about the local rules, how to repair divots or pitchmarks and perhaps even tell a little story about the course and its characteristics. Telling golfers why certain choices were made (for example no vegetation and trees for an inland links course) will help golfers to understand the course, to manage expectations and to provide a good story afterwards.
10. Exceed expectations
If you have the email address of a green fee player who booked at your course, then send them a reminder a day before with the weather forecast and any other relevant information. Think about parking instructions, navigation hints or planned course maintenance etc. and tell people you are looking forward to their visit. Place free trolleys at the parking lot, so people do not have to carry their bags. Clean people's clubs after a round or give them a personalized bag tag to remember your course. Try to find out the birthday of visitors and surprise them on their birthday. If you exceed expectations, people will definitely come back!
Premium Extranet clients have access to much more tips from our research lab! So, sign up now! If you have more good tips for golf clubs, then feel free to share them with us!
Our friends at Chronogolf have also written a nice blog about how a loyalty program can help you attract and retain golfers. Make sure to check it out!


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Žarkov, Dubravka. 2007. The Body of War: Media, Ethnicity, and Gender in the Break-Up of Yugoslavia. Durham: Duke University Press.
Abstract Available
Topics: Armed Conflict, Ethnic/Communal Wars, Armed Conflict, Combatants, Female Combatants, Combatants, Ethnicity, Feminisms, Gender, Masculinity/ies, Gender, Femininity/ies, Gender, Media, Sexuality, Sexual Violence, SV against men, Sexual Violence, SV against women, Sexual Violence, Violence Regions: Europe, Balkans, Europe Countries: Croatia, Serbia, Yugoslavia (former)
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Ryan Lopez is an Associate with Cushman & Wakefield's Tenant Advisory Group, where he specializes in office tenant representation in the Washington DC Metro area with a focus on Northern Virginia. Mr. Lopez's role includes business development, lease negotiation, transaction management and strategic planning. Ryan has successfully negotiated complex and time sensitive deals, often times ending up with far better results for all parties than originally anticipated.
Ryan is a loyal team player who is known for getting involved with events or causes that give back to our community. Whether it is a Cushman & Wakefield sponsored event or a not-for-profit organization needing volunteers, Ryan is there nights, weekends or holidays to help serve meals to the needy, deliver turkeys to community centers and offer support any way he can. Ryan is also one of Cushman & Wakefield's Future Leaders (CWFL) Committee Chair People. In 2017, Ryan spearheaded several initiatives including fundraising and volunteering for the Race for Hope, volunteering at the JDRF Real Estate Games, volunteering at the Boys and Girls Club of Greater DC (BGCGW) Thanksgiving Event and working with the Salvation Army.
Ryan is also actively involved with the Enzler Society at Catholic Charities, where he volunteers at the Spanish Catholic Center, which provides medical care, job training, and additional resources to immigrants in the DC area, and the Youth Transitional Program at Catholic Charities' East Men's Shelter, which provides temporary housing and support for homeless with his professional growth and ability to give back to his community.


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"I am a frayed and nibbled survivor in a fallen world, and I am getting along. I am aging and eaten and have done my share of eating too. I am not washed and beautiful, in control of a shining world in which everything fits, but instead am wondering awed about on a splintered wreck I've come to care for, whose gnawed trees breathe a delicate air, whose bloodied and scarred creatures are my dearest companions, and whose beauty bats and shines not in its imperfections but overwhelmingly in spite of them..."
Annie Dillard
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Thursday, January 28, 2010
"When you're dead, they really fix you up. I hope to hell when I do die somebody has sense enough to just dump me in the river or something. Anything except sticking me in a goddam cemetery. People coming and putting a bunch of flowers on your stomach on Sunday, and all that crap. Who wants flowers when you're dead? Nobody."
J. D. Salinger, Catcher in the Rye
J. D. Salinger, Catcher in the Rye
Posted by Maggie at 5:59 PM 2 comments:
Monday, January 25, 2010
I like that word more and more the older I get.
I like to say to my husband when I get home from my
little holiday that my drive home was "uneventful."
It looked at times today as if it were going to be anything
other than uneventful. Strange weather patterns.
I kept going in and out of the front. First, just light snow
and little wind. 80 miles later, blowing snow and almost
whiteout conditions. 5 miles down the road, west bound,
the sun shining all around and these thin, loner clouds hang there,
not 50 feet from my head. Like I was seeing those low-lying
wispy clouds with 3D glasses on. And all above and around
those clouds were enormous clouds, clouds with names like
nimbostratus and stratocumulus, the sky dark gray and
ominous to the north and east. Wonder what the wispy ones
are called.
20 more miles westbound and I am back in the whiteout
conditions, only this time the wind is so strong it pulls
my car to the far right shoulder of the parkway, almost
to the guardrail, which is the only thing between my car
and a creek about 20 ft below. But I hang on, and within
a mile or two, the sun shines again.
15 more miles and I am in a snowglobe, thinking how lovely!
To the south, a patch of blue, like a giant siamese cat's eye peering
through the clouds. I can hardly keep my eyes on the road
for wanting to see everything. But I do. Keep my eyes on the
road. Keep things uneventful. I do like it that way.
Posted by Maggie at 4:17 PM No comments:
"The way of the world is to bloom and to flower and die but in the affairs of men there is no waning and the noon of his expression signals the onset of night. His spirit is exhausted at the peak of its achievement. His meridian is at once his darkening and the evening of his day."
— Cormac McCarthy (Blood Meridian: Or the Evening Redness in the West)
— Cormac McCarthy (Blood Meridian: Or the Evening Redness in the West)
Posted by Maggie at 3:50 PM No comments:
Thursday, January 21, 2010
The truth knocks on the door and you say, go away, I'm looking for the truth, and it goes away. Puzzling.
Robert Pirsig
Robert Pirsig
Posted by Maggie at 12:11 PM 4 comments:
Labels: Robert Pirsig and Chris
Monday, January 04, 2010
Never is a long, undependable time, and life is too full of rich possibilities to have restrictions placed upon it.
Gloria Swanson
Gloria Swanson
Posted by Maggie at 11:19 PM No comments:
Sunday, January 03, 2010
Saturday, January 02, 2010
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In Scranton, Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania, a former nursing home aide will go to trial over accusations that several months ago the staffer, who was a certified nursing assistant, assaulted one of the Gardens of Green Ridge nursing home residents. The allegations include that the young nursing assistant physically restrained the 76-year old female resident by holding the resident's room door closed to keep her trapped inside the room. In addition to this particular restraint, the nursing home aide has also been accused of physically assaulting the patient by dragging her around by her wrists and arms, which resulted in bruising in those areas as well as on her shoulders.
It has been stated that the nursing home has cameras that have captured the alleged abuse and physical restraint, and that witnesses testified that they heard the resident hit the aide, and that the resident yelled at the aide to not touch her. However, the accused's defense attorney indicated that the aide was simply following orders from a superior to keep the patient in line because she was agitated. Notably, the patient suffered from dementia. As the trial approaches, the one good piece of news is that the patient has been moved to a different nursing home, and is reportedly doing all right.
This is yet again another unfortunate incident in which a nursing home staffer has been accused of abusing and restraining a patient. This case raises a number of issues. One is the importance of camera evidence in showing what happened and what did not happen when there are allegations of abuse or neglect. While we can only rely on pre-trial court filings so far in this particular case, it appears that at trial the camera footage could be helpful in showing what happened. Furthermore there is the importance of witnesses, which can provide some testimony as to what they may have heard or seen.
The Role of Dementia
Additionally, there is also the significant point that the patient victim in this case suffered from dementia. Nursing home and long-term care residents are often vulnerable to begin with because they suffer from physical debilitations, and even their old age altogether makes them subject to abuse and neglect at the hands of caretakers because the patients can do very little about it unless they are able to make a report or tell a family member. Yet this is not so simple because they are often scared of retaliation from the nursing home staff, or may not be believed because of their infirmities. Patients with dementia and Alzheimer's face this tremendous hurdle in particular because they may not be able to accurately convey the abuse or neglect from which they suffer. And because they are easily confused or not as easily believed, nursing home staff may be more prone to take advantage of them or abuse them knowing there will probably be little to no disciplinary consequences.
Lastly, this is of course another disturbing set of allegations of abuse as well as restraint. While patients, including dementia patients, experience periods of agitation and sometimes violence, there is the question of what means of restraining them are acceptable. The nursing home community has historically had an issue with using chemical restraints that can sedate yet still harm the patient, although the rate of usage has declined somewhat. It may be necessary to physically hold down a patient, yet one must question how dragging and locking up a woman in her 70s is all that necessary to accomplish that. Ultimately, there may be a need for new techniques and better training in how to deal with these matters as a member of a nursing home staff.
See Other Blog Posts:
Medical Review Panels Could Help Businesses But Harm Residents


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What baggage have you been carrying around? New Moon Pushes to Leave the Past Behind so the Twin Flame Heart Bond Can Blossom, Opening a New Cycle for Union.
Another big week for Twin Flames and lightworkers, started with a powerful New Moon in Cancer – the moon's natural "home", making for extra potent new beginnings in manifestation and love.
Twin Flame Love
As you may already know, a core aspect of the Twin Flame connection is the heart bond shared by the two Twins – this energetic, indestructible cord between the two Twins' hearts is what keeps them so in touch with each other despite any physical distance.
The Twin Flame heart bond is like a direct wire from Twin to Twin, keeping them attuned to each other's feelings and experiences, sometimes even memories and actual words.
When the Twins' carry emotional wounds relating to the heart – heartbreak, feeling abandoned, feeling rejected at their most vulnerable, or having "shut off" to others – this heart connection between the two can become blocked.
This week we see a strong energetic push to open up this heart connection between the Twins fully again, to help the connection blossom the way it was originally created to.
In fact, I'm shown in fact that as Twins go through the Ascension process the heart chakra is "unlocked" and upgraded more and into a "higher heart" – as we purge old negativity, the heart literally becomes capable of feeling more love, and to run the high vibration programs of unconditional love.
Approaching Reunion
Due to earthly ancestry and the limitations of energy vibration that's been common on earth, nearly all Twins grow up shutting the heart down in some respect. The blocks this causes, are now being flushed up.
It can be a challenge while it lasts but it's another big part of the preparation for this autumn's approaching theme of reunions between more and more Twins.
To help with the releasing of negativity and help your system integrate new changes and developments as your chakra centers are vibrationally realigned to a higher level – I would highly recommend using energy clearing and management.
I created the Vibrational Alignment Program especially for Twin Flames, and you can get a "sample" with a powerful energy cleanse tool in my Free Help Kit here.
When "I Love You" Means Nothing
I'm shown the previously closed down bud of the heart chakra literally blossoming as this process unfolds.
When our heart is shut, we tend to feel "dull", like nothing excites us and like there's no love around us. Someone could even tell us "I love you" and it would just feel like empty words. This is because we're on the "wrong wavelength".
When we're in fear or resentment or disappointment, we're in the basement while love is up on the 10th floor – until we move up closer, we won't really feel it…
When we feel afraid and wounded, as if we have to guard ourselves, we often hunch down, tighten our jaw, clench our muscles, shrink down to become more invulnerable physically.
Most of us don't realize that we unconsciously do the same with our chakra system and our energy field – and it shuts us down to receiving love and feeling love.
If you look at a fearful person energetically, their aura will be very small compared to someone who's feeling safe and joyous to be themselves fully – those in love and happiness radiate widely with their auras.
Releasing Old Hurts
So both for our energetic health and wellbeing and to open up many Twins' "tight" or "closed-off" connections to an influx of love, we're receiving a push now.
"When we close ourselves off to hurt, we also close ourselves off to love. On the Twin Flame journey, all our walls and defenses are demolished – with the aim of opening us up fully to love.
It might feel a bit scary, but it's our souls' way of helping us experience more and more love and joy – just like we've asked…"
The message is that although many Twins feel that it's their mirror soul who is the threat to their safety and that it's their Twin who is most liable to hurt and wound them – the hurt actually stems from elsewhere.
This is the underlying cause of so much suffering for Twin Flames. Look beyond the seeming situation at hand and see the deeper roots.
Most people carry emotional wounds from childhood, and even take on patterns from familial heartbreak. I've recently been reading about epigenetics and there is now hard scientific evidence that extreme experiences of things like suffering, starvation, pain, can carry through the physical DNA for later generations.
If there's been infidelity or sadness or secret keeping in the family, children also often pick up on and absorb the energy of this even if it's not being spoken out loud. Careful old pain – that might not even be yours – doesn't get involved in your Twin Flame connection.
Uncover And Remedy Blocks With Your Twin
Cancer is the sign of the "mother", the family, the moon, emotions, the feminine, creativity – the New Moon in Cancer on July 4th signals a restart in all of these areas.
Cancer energies tend to be past-oriented and emotion-oriented, and right now we're being pushed to use this very tendency to let go of past hurts for good.
In order for the Twin Flame connection to open in unconditional love, the heart chakra must function healthily and energy must be able to move freely through our system. When there are blocks and wounds in the heart, the Twin Flame connection becomes restricted.
If you want to know what the situation is with the heart connection between your Twin and yourself, here is a simple exercise:
Take a moment to close your eyes and relax, then visualize you and your Twin Flame moving to embrace each other. As you embrace, feel how your hearts react to each other.
When there's a block I'm often shown one Twin being "repelled" by the other, as if there's an invisible wall between the twins, and there's a distinct feeling of the heart being shut.
Getting Clear On Your Subconscious Fears
The remedy for this – to help you move out of old blocks and heal heart wounds so you can open up to joy again – is first of all to become aware of the issue.
Knowing what the issue is gives us a chance to resolve it for good so we don't "call back" the situations/feelings/blocks with our energy in the future.
A practical, actionable way to become aware of blocks and move out of them is to write out in automatic writing how you feel from the unconscious, allowing any fears to come up.
Get out a piece of paper and begin writing down everything you're worried about or afraid of in terms of love and relationships. Let it stream out onto the page – don't edit yourself. You might be surprised by what comes up, but allow it to. It's better you know than that it swims around in your unconscious mind under the surface – sabotaging without you knowing.
Once you feel done with this, having written down all the fears and negative beliefs, get out a new piece of paper.
Now, write down positive statements to counteract the negative beliefs and fears, and tear up the list of negatives (or burn it in a safe place).
This helps "reprogram" your unconscious so you move out of the patterns of blocking out love. This kind of method is often used for the Full Moon part of the lunar cycle, but as we're in the lunar energy current of Cancer most of this coming month, it's a powerful tool to use for this period in general.
I would highly recommend using metaphysical energy clearing tools to eradicate the energies. Uprooting any karmic basis for negative cycles permanently is also highly recommended (and it takes a lot less time than the old fashioned paper method). Many people's heart blocks are based in past experiences, even past lives.
To learn more about karma clearing, have a look here. I also wrote about my own Twin Flame experiences with karmic based love blocks here, if you're interested.
Nostalgia – Longing for The Place That Doesn't Exist
In general, Venus in Cancer this month tends to feelings running close to the surface and a focus on emotional safety, family and relationship bonds and attachments.
Cancer energies tend to be nostalgic, which in Greek literally refers to "longing for no place, the place that doesn't exist". A strong draw to the past.
Spirit shows an ongoing theme for the Divine Feminine to deal with and balance – to move away from past perceptions and attachments in order to be fully open to love.
We're shown the old metaphor of how a young woman would have to move out of her father's house in order to get married… Centuries ago, moving out of the family's home meant starting a new life cut off from the past.
In our day and age, on the contrary, many females (or those with an emphasis on the female energy polarity) are so strongly attached to and centered around family/friends/background it complicates their Twin Flame relationship…
When we have others' energies and attachments in our space it can disrupt our functioning and cause triggering. A remedy to this is regular shielding and to clear others' energies out of our space. We go through clearing outworn/negative attachments to family and past lovers in both the Intensive Energy Clearing Sessions for Twin Flames
The New Moon in Cancer on July 4th signals a restart within this area of emotions and safety. As always, write down some intentions for the coming month and invite things into your life.
You can focus your energy positively for the New Moon by writing down: "I now invite into my life the following, to the highest good of everyone involved" followed by all your goals and desires.
Then take some symbolic action and experience the "magic" of your subconscious mind getting to work at finding out how to get you to your dreams.
Your subconscious mind holds a wealth of resources you're mostly unaware of on a daily basis, but once you give it tasks to work on, it will come through and more.
If you're interested in reading more about the science of how this works, have a look here at this article on the functioning of the brain's Reticular Activating System, which is what controls a lot of your subconscious' focus and activities…
Masculine/Feminine Encounters
Midweek, Venus in Cancer interacts with Mars in Scorpio – symbolizing that the Twins "meet" in the hazy lands of the unconscious for Love and Healing to take place. As Twins are always connected, this can happen through meditations, visions, physical encounters, talks…
The main thing is that emotional connectedness is in focus and you're being "drawn together" like magnets to open the flow again. Your souls are set to be bringing you to each other to make this happen.
On the same day Mars in Scorpio and Venus in Cancer trine, indicating a positive encounter between Male and Female with a strong basis in emotions – often things don't need to be said, it will feel like understanding "flows" seamlessly between you.
Twin Flame dream encounters are heightened right now – especially since Mars went direct at the end of last month.
However, be mindful that both sides' feelings are easily hurt right now – high vulnerability around – so be careful with choice of words, body language and subtle messages sent. There is a sense of dealing with issues of emotional security now, and anything standing in the way of feeling safe to open up and share intimacy is likely to be triggered.
If negativity flares up in this period, look for how it relates to safety/vulnerability.
My Twin would often show me "film clips" of cats attacking when I'd get touchy or put up walls against him previously. Sounds a bit weird, but if you're familiar with cats you might understand how this unconscious triggering happens:
A pet cat will often lay down and open itself up to being petted on the stomach and seemingly love being petted and rubbed, only to attack with claws and biting out of the blue a moment later.
The reason for this is that they've become vulnerable – their defences are down and their reaction when they realize how vulnerable they've become, is to restore distance by attacking. They regain their defense that way. This happens with human beings more than we tend to realize.
When some Twins feel that their emotional safety has been compromised, they "run" to get to "safe ground" again. To read more about Twin Flame Running, have a look here.
Spirit recently channeled a comprehensive energy healing for the Twin Flame pair through me to deal with these kinds of issues, cleansing the pair's systems of triggers and negativity, as well as shielding the Twin couple from outside interference, uniting and uplifting the pair's timelines and energies into the highest vibration possible.
To read more about this, go here.
Subconscious Wounds Come up for Healing
The week ends with a beneficial trine between Venus in Cancer and Chiron in Pisces – healing is stimulated around subconscious emotional wounds. Again there's a sense of needing to tread lightly in love, others often carry wounds we're unaware of.
Where there are pre-existing wounds, even the slightest touch can trigger fear and aggravation.
Human consciousness is complex: We carry around a wealth of subconscious information and memories and hurts that we are normally not aware of. The unconscious mind has been estimated to contain one trillion thoughts and pieces of information. Yes, trillion with a T…
Like the basement of a house, your subconscious is full of things you might remember when you look at them – but on a daily basis you don't think about them at all.
These coming weeks we are going to be faced with some of the stuff we've been keeping out of sight in our basements – to give us a chance to "tidy up" for the journey onwards. To make sure it's not full of problems, hurts, fears…
We'll get a chance to tidy up down there now, so we can have room for new and positive things to help us move forward on your journey.
To get going, try my Free Energy Clearing Downloads, which include excerpts from the full Vibrational Alignment Program for Twin Flames. Keep an eye on your dreams this coming month, and make a note of any recurring symbols and situations – these relate to blocks and things your soul is asking you to "tidy up".
When our systems are full of "issues", there's no room for the new joy and love we're asking for. Often, the answer to a prayer is to get us tidying away the old baggage to actually make room for our wishes and dreams come true… Once we get "tidying", it's incredible how quickly shifts can happen.
As always I'm sending you love and light for your continued journey! <3
Cassady x
Want more? For an easy, smooth way to clear blocks, heal your energy and harmonize your journey with your Twin, have a look at the Vibrational Alignment Program for Twin Flames – a Step By Step Roadmap To Union.
Alternatively you can try our Free Starter Kit
Do you want more articles about Twin Flames in your inbox?
(Image Gustav Klimt "The Kiss")


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Emerald Curve hope you are satisfied with all of your purchases but if you ever need to return an item, you can do so within 14 days from the date of delivery.
Please note, we cannot offer change of mind returns on clearance items or on swimwear and lingerie for hygiene reasons.
Click here to view our full Returns Policy.


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9 Smart Tips for Taking Great Candid Photographs You'll Love
Candid photos are tough to get right. It's not just about capturing a moment, but the emotion of that moment — and moments are fleeting. They come and go in the blink of an eye.
To be clear, when talking about candid photos, I'm specifically referring to unposed and unplanned shots. For example – group gatherings, family activities, beach trips, a night out on the town, etc.
I'm also assuming that you're shooting with a DSLR Not Everyone Needs a DSLR: Which Camera Is Right for You? Some people say you can't take good pictures without a DSLR camera. They're unequivocally wrong. Here's our guide to which type of camera you should buy. Read More . Some of these tips can be applied to smartphone cameras and point-and-shoots, but others can't. Do your best with the gear you have. Don't grab your first DSLR The Best Entry-Level DSLRs For New Photographers If you want to take your photography skills to the next level, or you know someone else who does, then there's no better way than to enter the world of DSLR cameras. Read More until you know you need it.
That being said, here are a few tips that can really help to sharpen your candid shots and prepare you for capturing those fleeting moments.
1. Aperture or Shutter Priority Modes
Most DSLR brands, including Canon and Nikon, have two semi-automatic modes called Aperture Priority and Shutter Priority. Manual mode is often too slow for candid photos, so consider using these instead.
In Aperture Priority, you set your ISO and aperture values, then the camera automatically adjusts the shutter speed for proper exposure. In Shutter Priority, you set your ISO and shutter speed values, then the camera automatically adjusts the aperture for proper exposure.
Which should you use? Aperture Priority if you're in a low light situation How to Take Great Photos in the Dark (Even If You're a Newbie) What can you do when you're shooting photos in the dark? A combination of knowing your basics and a few tips from pros can make any picture pop, regardless of lighting conditions. Read More or if you need bokeh (background blur). Shutter Priority if you're trying to capture fast action, such as sports or playing children.
2. Zoom Lens > Prime Lens
The thing about candid photography is that the situation is always changing. Within five minutes, you can go from a group shot, to a shot of birthday cake, to a shot of the birthday celebrant, and back to another group shot.
There isn't enough time for you to switch lenses or run around and reposition yourself to accommodate a fixed focal length. This is one instance where you should pick a zoom lens over a prime lens Zoom Lenses vs. Prime Lenses: What's the Difference? After graduating from a kit lens, you'll need to decide between a prime lens and a zoom lens. But what exactly is the difference? Which one is better for you? Read More .
Ideally, the zoom lens should cover a wide range. A short focal length is great for group shots while a telephoto focal length is perfect for close-ups and keeping your distance.
I'd recommend a Canon EF 24-70mm f/4.0L IS USM for full-frame sensors and a Canon EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM for APS-C sensors. I've found that to be the ideal range.
3. Use Ambient Light, Not Flash
Whenever your location changes, the first thing you should take into account is the direction and quality of ambient light (also known as natural light during the daytime). Then make sure to expose your camera accordingly.
Once you've done that, position yourself so that the light falls favorably on your subjects, compose your shot How to Compose a Photograph: 5 Essential Rules to Follow If you want to get really good at photography, there are some vital rules around image composition that you should consider. Here are five of the most important. Read More , and wait. Now, any time a snap-worthy moment occurs, you can take the shot immediately. No need to run around.
And I highly recommend avoiding flash. Sure, you can try some neat flash tricks — like bouncing it off a wall 5 Flash Tips for Speedlight Newbies At its core, the camera flash is a simple piece of technology that's deceptively hard to use well. Read More — to get good lighting, but nothing kills a candid mood faster than a camera flash. Everyone will freeze up and you'll lose future moments.
4. Change the Autofocus Mode
Most DSLRs have at least two autofocus modes worth using.
The first mode is called One Shot AF (on Canon) or Single Point AF-S (on Nikon), which simply looks to focus the lens on wherever you've placed your autofocus point. Most photographers use this mode.
The other mode is called AI Servo AF (on Canon) or Continuous AF-C (on Nikon), which constantly autofocuses as the camera detects motion. This is used less often, but it's indispensable for high-action shots.
Tired of locking focus on your friend only to have them move a couple of inches and come out blurry in the shot? It happens a lot in candid situations, which is why you should switch to continuous ASAP.
5. Take a Lot of Photos
One of the worst things you can do is hesitate. Holding onto your shutter button for one extra second could mean missing the shot. But worse than that is only pressing the button when a shot is "perfect".
Waiting for "perfect" shots is how you miss them.
Here's a rule of thumb: only 1 out of every 20 photos will be a keeper. Want to walk away with 5 great shots? Aim to shoot at least 100. If you're a newbie, aim to shoot even more. Bad shots are part of the process. Don't worry about it.
6. Shoot in Burst Mode
If you're still hesitating because you're afraid of missing the shot, then maybe you'd fare better by shooting in Drive mode (on Canon) or Burst mode (on Nikon). The two modes are essentially the same.
In these modes, you can HOLD DOWN the shutter button to continuously snap shot after shot at multiple frames per second. It only stops when you let go.
This feature is immensely useful for capturing high-action shots as you no longer have to worry about good timing. Fire off a burst of shots and pick the one you like best from the whole bunch.
7. Never Put the Camera Down
I can't tell you how many times I've missed an awesome shot because I got lazy and set my camera down. In the time it takes to find your camera, pick it up, expose and compose, then snap the shot — the moment's gone.
Always keep the camera on you, either in your hand or on a strap. A strap is one of several essential items every photographer should have 9 Essential Photography Gear Items Every Camera Newbie Should Own Many photography accessories are only situational. Here are the most essential gear items, useful for any type of photography. Read More , and in this case, it'll reduce the chance of you missing a great moment.
Another benefit of this is that people will get used to the fact that you have a camera, whereas if you constantly set it down and pick it back up, people will tense up every time. Relaxed subjects make for the best photos.
8. Learn to Post-Process
Candid photos are prone to imperfections. Often times your exposure will be off. Good composition is hard to hit on the fly. And if you're like me, you'll always forget to change white balance when moving locations.
Long story short, you're going to have to tweak a lot of your images in post. That's just the nature of something as impromptu as candid photography.
So you should learn Lightroom or Photoshop Photoshop or Lightroom: Which One Should You Use? If you can gain access to both of them, we highly recommend it. But what if you could only choose one? Read More as soon as you can — even if you're a newbie who has no intentions of going pro. Post-processing is the secret to taking photos that pop and impress.
On a budget? Try these free photography software alternatives 7 Free Apps & Programs for Photographers on a Budget Photography can be expensive, but it doesn't have to be. Why spend money every month for professional quality software when you don't need it? Read More instead.
9. Shoot in RAW Format
If you want to post-process your photos, you MUST start shooting in RAW format instead of JPG format JPEG, GIF, or PNG? Image Filetypes Explained and Tested Do you know the differences between JPEGs, GIFs, PNGs, and other image filetypes? Do you know when you should use one instead of the other? Fear not, MakeUseOf explains everything! Read More . RAW files contain way more image information than JPG files and give you more editing flexibility.
Simply put, it's easier to edit a RAW photo than a JPG photo. A JPG photo is one that has already been processed by your camera. Changing your camera setting from JPG to RAW should be straightforward in the menu.
The downside is that RAW files can be up to 25 MB each, which means you'll have to use a bigger and faster SD card How to Pick & Buy the Best SD Card for Your Needs What kind of SD card is right for you? Not all of them are the same, after all. Here are the minimum specs you should aim for depending any given activity or need. Read More . But it's worth it.
Most of All, Shoot With Confidence
You can't be shy. If you want to capture those great moments, you must be bold and willing to put yourself wherever you need to be to get those shots at the right time.
These tips are meant to empower you. Now that you know what to do, it's up to you to put them into practice. Shoot with purpose and confidence and you might be surprised by how much better your images come out.
And when you're ready, consider using VSCO for your smartphone photos What Is VSCO and Why Do Smartphone Photographers Use It? You've probably seen the name, but what is VSCO and why do serious smartphone photographers use it? Read More ? Our guide tells you all about its features.
Affiliate Disclosure: By buying the products we recommend, you help keep the site alive. Read more.


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Gear-Driven Cable Cutter
The REC-Y760ACM has the largest and most robust open scissor blades on Huskie's gear-driven platform. It's designed to cut stranded copper and aluminum cables. The REC-Y60ACM comfortably fits into the lineman's gloved hand, and repetitive ratcheting movement is entirely eliminated. We have rotated the handle 90° to the blade to achieve a more ergonomic and comfortable cutting position. Gear guides are attached on both ends of the movable blade to align the gear teeth with the internal pinion gear. Consult factory for 1000 MCM copper and above.
NOTE: Do Not Cut Steel
NOTE: Do Not Cut Steel
- Improved ergonomic handle
- 2.3" Jaw opening
- One hand operation
- Safety lockout switch
- Upgraded motor and gear system


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Funky inner-city boutique hotel/motel popular with independent travellers! You're an adventurous independent traveller and want to experience the real Sydney, right? Well then come to Newtown - not another tourist trap but Sydney's throbbing, bohemian heartland of the inner-city. Located just south of Central Station and home to Sydney University, UTS and various other colleges, venues and galleries, Newtown is where you'll find the greatest collection of students, musicians and artists in Australia. TNT magazine says: 'Newtown is so alive, it's addictive!' Billabong Gardens is a warm and friendly 'home' just metres to the main street of Newtown, (King Street), full of sensational restaurants, cheap eats, funky cafes, eclectic shops and the best nightlife in Sydney - great bars, theatres and live music venues are everywhere. It is here that you will meet true Australians and not just more backpackers. At Billabong Gardens we offer a choice of private rooms and 6 bed dorms with or without private bathroom. Our hotel is super clean and has great facilities geared for the needs of the budget traveller. From a fully equiped kitchen to free internet and low-cost WiFi, Billabong has it all, even a tropical courtyard with a pool where you can dine under the stars or unwind at the end of a hectic day in the city. If you're thinking about staying in town for a while, Billabong Gardens might be the ideal solution. So come and relax by our swimming pool, choose from our excellent 6 bed female only or mixed dorms or your own private room and find out what it's really like to live in the real Sydney. Anything else and you're just visiting! NOTE: Office hours are 08:00h - 22:00h.| While we aim to do our beds, note that we cannot book multiple dorm beds in the same room as it's subject to availability - best to enquire directly if so.
- Parking
- Swimming Pool
- Laundry service
- Shared Bathroom


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I'm sad to say this is the last day of this week's Featured Internet Marketing Expert, Carrie Wilkerson, the Barefoot Executive. It's been a great week jam-packed with awesome home business strategies. As always Carrie over delivers! Today she is talking to us about getting traffic to your site even if you have a shoestring budget.
Here she is, Carrie Wikerson…
The most important qualities you must possess in order to succeed in any business whether it is online or offline is perseverance. The drive and the proper mindset will all pay off in the long run. You must be willing to put in long hours to generate traffic along with the research to find ways to generate more traffic.
Now although there are ways to market your business online to generate traffic that you can certainly pay for such as advertising, there are also many ways you can implement that won't cost a dime.
Some great ways to generate traffic to your site are:
- Online forums or communities – there are many forums and communities online, do your research and find the one that contains your target market. Be sure to build relationships and then share your information. Don't join to bombard the community with ads that is a definite turn-off and can be detrimental to your business. With online communities and forums you can build a reputation for your company or your brand. Show them what you are made of and wow them with your range of expertise about the subject, with that you can build a reputation and build trust with the people in your expertise and knowledge.
- Newsletter/Ezines – Providing an online newsletter doesn't cost a dime. All it will require is your time and energy but you can include interesting and entertaining articles as well as show off your products. If you make it really interesting and entertaining, more people will sign up for your newsletter and recommend it to other people. The more people who signs up for your newsletter, the more people there will be that will go to your site increasing your traffic.
- Writing articles – articles will attract visitors to your site, but don't just simply post them on your site. Be sure to add your articles to article directories, or better yet, add a resource box to your articles in your newsletters and your site and allow others to use your articles on their sites. This will not only help them in relieving them from writing an interesting article, but it will also expose you to more traffic.
- Great content – as mentioned above providing good content on your site is essential. Search engines track down keywords and keyword phrases used in your articles and on your site. It's not necessary to have a professional write your content, you can very well provide your own. Just remember to keep it not only entertaining but informational as well. Folks searching for particular items or information will usually use keywords or phrases; with the right keywords you can get high rankings in search engines which of course results in no cost to you.
All of these methods and more will drive more traffic to your site for free. All it takes is a bit of effort and perseverance to succeed. Learn all you can about the methods depicted here and you will soon have a site with a great traffic flow without the usual costs that come with it.
Carrie Wilkerson is the voice of experience. From corporate life to teaching high school to direct sales, she has 'been there and done that' professionally and personally. An 'overnight mom' to 2 toddlers through adoption, her priorities instantly changed and so did her workplace. She's now built several businesses and coached others to do the same while overcoming extreme debt, losing 110lbs and having 2 more children, for a total of 4 children, ages infant through 12!
As 'The Barefoot Executive', Carrie and her network of experts have quickly become the definite resource for helping women achieve extra income and career goals while working from home. Visit http://thebossmovie.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Carrie_Wilkerson
I've thoroughly enjoyed featuring Carrie this week as our Internet Marketing Expert. I hope you learned a lot and have taken away some good ideas. Make sure you connect with her on social media and keep on learning from her!
Head on over to Carrie's Facebook and Tweet her up on Twitter and tell her The Happypreneur sent you! Please leave a comment below and let us know what you think and don't forget to share and tweet it, too.
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These 5 Rustic Spots In Michigan Are Extraordinary For Camping
If there's one thing we could do without when off on a camping trip, it's the crowds. So many people all flocking to the same place at once, playing loud music, setting up their tents way too close to yours, and taking away from the natural beauty that you were looking for.
That's why you need to find someplace more rustic, where you're less likely to come across big crowds of fellow campers. Last year, we brought you 10 of the best campsites. This time around, we've got five more spots – this time in more secluded sections of Michigan – that are sure to be favorites.
Now that's what we call camping. We know there's so much ground to cover in Michigan camping. Tell us, where are your favorite rustic camping spots? We promise not to crowd it up.


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September 9, 2016: Today during my 101st Fire and Rain outdoor art show I donated my painting Hidden from sight to the Alberta Government's Treasury Board and Finance department's Belinda Mack who will put this painting up for auction to help raise money for the United Way this fall. I staged a second show, my 102nd, on the corner of 100 Ave. and 104th street for Daryl and his neighbour. Daryl is holding Fort McMurray Wildfire- The Beast, which I painted during the Fort McMurray evacuations on the afternoon of May 3, 2016.
Man enjoying the sunshine gets his own art show look of the Fire and Rain art project. He hold Fort McMurray the Beast that was painted May 3, 2016 on the afternoon when evacuations began in Fort Mac.
September 10, 2016: A little splash of colour added by today's outdoor art show. Fire and Rain lightens up an overcast fall day inside Beaver Hills House Park (Amiskwaskahegan) The annual corn-fest was also featured in the park.
Civil Information Leaflet


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Sabrina Fedel's debut novel, Leaving Kent State, is the recipient of a 2017 Gold Medal in the Moonbeam Children's Book Awards for Young Adult Historical Fiction, and a Mom's Choice Gold Medal. Her prose and poetry appear in various journals, and her work has been nominated for the Pushcart Prize, Best of the Net, and a Storysouth Million Writers Award. Sabrina teaches English at Robert Morris University. You may find her at www.sabrinafedel.com or on instagram, twitter, and Facebook.
The Realities of Being Creative in a Profit-Driven World
by Sabrina Fedel
I had been writing for a while when I finally took the leap to get my MFA in Creative Writing. I hesitated, because I had already tried to reinvent myself as a writer on my own after leaving my job as an environmental lawyer to be a stay-at-home mom. I had a critique group, I attended workshops, I practiced. I was getting personal rejections, which everyone will tell you means you are really, really close to being published. At the time, I was the exception which proved the rule. I was always the bridesmaid, never the bride. I figured that had to change eventually.
There was one thing that an MFA could give me that I didn't have, though, and that was some level of teaching credentials. I have never had the expectation that I could become the next J.K. Rowling. But I did believe that, by supplementing my income as a teacher, I could be a full-time writer who made a living at it. Not a fly-first-class-and-hob-nob-with-Newbery-winners living, but a pay-the-bills-and-not-eat-spaghetti-every-night living. Because of this—and that I qualified for some school benefits thanks to my husband fighting in a war that I hadn't approved of that was started by a guy I hadn't voted for—I applied to Lesley.
When the director called to welcome me to the program, he promised me that I was coming to a program that would change my life, and that I would leave with friendships that would last a lifetime. Being a ridiculously shy introvert, I didn't believe him. My husband's instructions to me before my first residency were: "don't go up there and not talk to anyone."
In the spirit of fresh beginnings, I emailed the only other Writing for Young People candidate coming into the program that semester to introduce myself. She has since become one of those lifelong friends the director had promised me.
Lesley gave me everything it promised. I became a better writer. I found a broader community of kindred spirits, as Anne Shirley would say, than I could have imagined. I made lifelong friends. I have seen my words in print, been nominated for awards, and received some awards. I have even been paid for my work. I just haven't been paid much. Even though I am traditionally published and my debut novel has won two awards, I still haven't broken even on it. Because when you are published by a small press, even one with a good reputation like mine, the burden of marketing falls largely, if not entirely, on the author. I only earn about a dollar on books sold through traditional markets, so that means that even a $25 Facebook advertisement takes me twenty-five sales to recoup. It sounds easy enough: your Facebook ad is seen by lots of people. But most of those people are not willing to shell out the high price point that comes with a traditionally published small press title by someone they've never heard of and who doesn't have a splashy YouTube channel.
The sad reality of being creative in a profit-driven world is that, unless you are able to strike it really, really big, such as a six-figure, two-book deal your first time out, and unless you justify the advances you get for those books, or you are able to leverage some celebrity of some sort, then you probably aren't going to be making a living as a writer.
I know a writer who has had five picture books published with large houses in the last five years, with several more in production. She said at a conference I attended last month that she's not making a living at being a writer.
Another writer friend, a midlist author at a big house, self-published his latest title because he wasn't getting the support he needed from his big house to make his books successful enough to make it work for both of them. "We only exist to fund the bestsellers," he lamented to me one night at a bookstore promotion I did where he was the only person who bought a copy of my book. He had gotten me the gig and was scheduled to appear a couple of weeks later. He fared better than I did, but probably not enough to have made it worth his or the bookstore's time. We've done conferences and book festivals together. I can assure you that young adult historical fiction does not fly off the table. Forget "write the book you want to write." Write fantasy or sci-fi. You will at least get your gas money back even if you don't recoup your table fee.
If I've totally depressed you by now, don't fear. There's more. Those teaching credentials I was going to use to supplement my income? They did get me a job. As an adjunct professor at a private, top-five business school. The pay was abysmal, but I found out my first semester that there were efforts to unionize. All of the schools in our area that were unionized were making twice what I was making. If I could double my salary and teach the maximum three courses per semester, I'd actually be making a decent amount of money for a part-time job. The school desperately tried to convince us not to unionize. They told us that it would be unpatriotic, that we didn't need a union because they cared about us so much, and that we would be destroying the kids because the school wouldn't be able to afford it without hiking tuition. We unionized anyway. Conditions at work have greatly improved. As for my salary, it didn't double. My raise this semester was $40, not even enough to let me get a regular Starbucks before I head to class. Because my MFA is a terminal degree, I'm at the top of the adjunct pay scale. Without a Ph.D., I don't qualify for a full-time position, at least teaching English. Surprisingly, there are not a lot of full-time jobs to teach creative writing.
I don't regret my time at Lesley. I loved it. I loved being around people who cared about books and writing the way I do. I loved the flood of inspiration I got with every single residency. I love my lifelong friends and my various Lesley Facebook groups. But every day, I find myself angry at a world that makes being a creative person a liability.
The reality is that being with a small press is only nominally better than being self-published. People do notice and do take your work more seriously, but even winning an award, unless it's a top award, doesn't sell books. You will struggle to get reviews, and unless they are from the major reviewers and starred (which they won't be), they aren't going to help you. I couldn't get a single review from a major reviewer, but an established author I know had multiple reviews for his book six months before his book was published (some starred, of course).
Independent bookstores, which are supposed to be the place where the voiceless sing, won't take a chance on stocking a book without major reviews from an unknown author. They may be willing, if you bring them coffee and donuts, to keep a couple of copies on consignment. They won't do anything to hand sell them, though, and you'll be losing money because consignment means you are paying them forty percent you don't have after you buy the book from your publisher. You also don't get royalties on these books. This isn't meant to bash independent bookstores. They have really tight margins and you should buy from them. Just understand that, as a writer, you need to be at least a midlist author with a big house for them to take a chance on you. If you fit this slot, then they are a place where you might sing.
So how does someone change this dynamic so that they can make a living at being a writer? I don't know, I haven't discovered this secret yet. Having YouTube celebrity helps. Starting out at least as a midlist author might help. Winning a major award might help, although your chances of being considered as a small press author for a major award are pretty slim. If you don't believe me, pick any major award you've dreamed of winning and then look at the books that have won and where they've been published. If there is a publisher name you don't know (other than an imprint), I'll tweet your book release to my myriad of twitter followers.
I've grown increasingly frustrated that I can't live my dream (which would be to make enough money to justify not doing anything for a living but being a writer). I don't understand a world that values creativity so little when it seems that everyone wants to be creative. I would think maybe it was just me, except that I know a lot of talented writers who are in the same place, wishing they could make a living doing what they love. That's the real dream, not being published or winning awards, but having the space to just do.
So, if it's so impossible to make a living at writing, why do so many of us try? Why do I feel guilty every day because my husband, who stuck with law, makes more than 200% of what I can scrape up indulging my creativity? Why do I subject myself to criticism and rejection and almost? I think it's because the real dream is to be seen. To create something that someone else will find value in.
Recently, I did a school visit with a group of gifted and talented teens from a local public school in a working-class school district. Their teacher read the book before she hired me and loved it, but I wasn't sure how my actual demographic would feel. I'd only had limited feedback from teen readers. I was really nervous. The shy me, the one my husband had to instruct to talk to my fellow students at Lesley, was pretty sure they weren't going to like my book very much. I didn't expect them to pummel me with bad fruit or anything, but I didn't expect them to actually care.
Except, they did. When I signed their copies, they would look at me with admiration and tell me how much they loved my book. One boy told me, "You're the first author I've ever met," as if that was something to aspire to be. Another girl told me, "I read it in one night over Christmas break. I couldn't put it down." Even more important to me than these words was the way they would look at me, as if I had given them something that mattered to them, an unexpected gift. A gift they treasured.
This is the reason we write, even before we even know what it feels like. I still think that we deserve to be paid more for what we do, and I understand those who argue that you should never give your words away for free because then it just enables the gatekeepers to cheapen what we do even more. There is a truth in that, and I don't know how to solve that problem because most of us are giving our words away even if we are traditionally published by a paying publisher. The truth is, making a decent living at being a fiction writer or poet is nearly impossible. There really needs to be a union for fiction writers and poets (one that is better at increasing salaries than my union is). But if you've stayed to read all of this, I'm pretty sure I'll see you at Starbucks banging away on your computer as you pay for your latte with a day job.


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HELSINKI: Australian regulators have fined Nokia, the world's largest cellphone maker by volume, A$55,000 (US$58,000 or RM174,000) for spamming customers, and said the Finnish company should change its text message (SMS) marketing.
The Australian Communications and Media Authority said texts Nokia sent to clients as tips to get more out of their phones promoted the company without offering an "unsubscribe" option as required by law.
Nokia said it has discontinued the service in Australia and was ramping it down elsewhere, adding unsubscribing was simpler on its current devices.
The regulator said Nokia had agreed to train employees engaged in SMS marketing about legal requirements.
"Some businesses are still not getting SMS marketing right. The same rules apply to SMS marketing as for email marketing, and the same rules apply to all businesses, big and small," said Richard Bean, acting chairman of the authority.
While advertisers have great hopes for cellphone marketing, including location-based services, potential hostility from customers has held them back.
The Australian regulator said it saw a 370% rise in reports from the public about SMS messages believed to be spam in 2010-11. — Reuters
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XE Currency BlogTopics7281 Posts7326
FX trade was nearly non-existent overnight, with most of Europe out for Boxing Day holidays. EUR-USD moved briefly over 1.3700, though has since drifted in the 1.3790s. USD-JPY meanwhile, was flat-lined near 104.75. The only U.S. data release this morning will be weekly jobless claims at 8:30 EST, where we expected a 340k outcome. Meanwhile, equity futures indicate further Wall Street gains at the open. We don't look for much in the way of FX price action, as desks will remain lightly staffed. The new year is in sight now, so most will be happy to keep a foot on the sidelines until then.
EUR-USD settled around 1.3700 after logging a two-week low to 1.3625 last Friday following the Fed's dollar supportive tapering announcement. Yen underperformance, meanwhile, has seen EUR-JPY remain well bid near five-year highs. EUR-USD's Dec-6 low of 1.3618 is the next support level, ahead of 1.3600. The 50-day moving average is situated at 1.3575. Resistance is at 1.3680 and 1.3700. Trade will now be very quite until the new year.
We expect the yen to remain on a weakening path during the early part of 2014. Japanese policymakers are pursuing a weak sterling and there will be market concerns about the impact of the planned 8% rise in sales tax next April, to which the BoJ is expected to offset this by making further liquidity provisions. At its meeting last week, the central bank maintained monetary policy unchanged, reaffirming its commitment to expand the monetary base by an annual 60-70 tln yen, as had been widely expected. USD-JPY's major-trend peak at 104.63 and 104.50 are marked as resistance. We continue to target 105.00..
We continue to target 1.6500 in Cable. Resistance is marked at 1.6400, support at 1.6320 and 1.6320. S&P last week affirmed the U.K. 's triple-A rating but kept a negative outlook, saying that the country would be vulnerable to a downgrade if growth was not sustained (the main risk to which stems from Eurozone). Cable has been in a bullish trend for six months, reflecting a trade-weighted appreciation of the currency over this time as U.K. recovery took hold. We anticipate more of the same during the early part of 2014. Forward looking survey evidence, such as from PMI order data, and the CBI industrial trends survey, strong mortgage lending figures (which signal house price potential two to four months down the track), support this view.
The Swiss currency's safe haven premium has unwound some now that the period of Fed policy uncertainty is over. EUR-CHF breached above 1.2250 last week, well up on the pre-Fed eight-month low of 1.2166. Resistance comes in at 1.2280, marks a series of former lows seen between October and November. Support is now at 1.2220 and 1.2200. USD-CHF faces resistance at 0.9000, but can be expected to breach this over the coming sessions.
USD-CAD has settled over1.0600 after some choppy price action after making a major-trend peak of 1.0737 last week. The pair had dipped to sub-1.06 levels on Monday's forecast-beating GDP data out of Canada, making one-week low of 1.0581 before finding a footing. The pair has been looking stretched technically, with prevailing levels having deviated above the 200-day moving average by a comparatively wide margin by historical standards (the average is presently situated at 1.0420). This conviction may have been strengthened by the repeated U-turns lower from levels above 1.0700 over the last three weeks, and we may see a period of price stasis or a deeper correction over the coming weeks. Support is suggested by the Dec-12 low of 1.0561 and the 1.0550 level, between which are encompassed a multiple of former daily lows and daily highs that were recorded over the last six-months.


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Lindsay Lohan and Samantha Ronson, who recently came out as a lesbian couple to DJ Ted Stryker, on Loveline, were spotted on vacation in Mexico this week. Even though Manthy is clearly the butch of the relationship, she's pictured wearing a blue and pink bikini. It sort of makes her a little more vulnerable and likable, I think.
Samantha sort of has a weird body, but Lindsay's body is refreshingly AWESOME. She's totally off the wagon, but it sort of seems to agree with her, don't you think?
I love that there are all these hot superstar lesbians these days. As much as people new to to the homosexual thing tend to be more comfortable with the idea of girl on girl on a personal level, gay men were more culturally excepted in major media. Now we have Ellen, Portia, Lindsay, Samantha, Melissa, Michele, and – unfortunately – Rosie. Regardless, it's awesome!


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No doubt by now you are lingering halfway between your summer and fall closets, which means putting together an outfit every morning can be tricky. So, what's a girl to do? If you are in need of a quick dose of fresh outfit inspiration for these tricky transitional days, you are in luck because that is just what we have in store in today's Steal Her Style story. Three super-stylish stars—Kate Moss, Jessica Hart, and Katy Perry—are offering up the inspiration, so trust us when we say there is plenty!
Kate Moss
It is no big secret that a blazer can instantly give an outfit the touch that it is looking for, but sometimes it takes Kate Moss to prove just how easy it is to do. Kate's outfit is definitely worth trying if you work in a casual office setting and you want something smart and sensible all at once. To steal Kate's style, layer Topshop's Seam Front Waterfall Jacket ($120) over a slouchy tee like Ami Dans La Rue's Pocket Cap Sleeve Tee ($56). Then, simply add Siwy's Hannah Slim Crop Jeans ($120) and Gentle Souls by Kenneth Cole's Gladiator Sandals ($130) and you're all set.
Jessica Hart
If you want to try something a little different, why not pair a cropped top with printed palazzo pants, the way Jessica Hart has done? This look is so breezy to wear, but it also catches the eye—using just two simple easy pieces! The trick is to pick pants that hit just above the navel and make sure you only leave about one-inch of space between your pants and top. To steal Jessica's style, pair a top like Our Prince of Peace's Basic Crop Tank ($44) with Staring at Stars' Palazzo Pants ($39), slip on sandals like Dolce Vita's Archer Flat Sandals ($69), and head out the door.
Katy Perry
Another piece that will instantly elevate your outfit from simple to stand-out is a kimono jacket—as seen on Katy Perry. Notice how the rest of Katy's outfit is somewhat simple? Her floral kimono jacket adds a pop of color and a dressy twist, making it the perfect option for the girl who has an entire day of socializing in front of her! To steal Katy's style, grab Sam & Lavi's Tal Colorblock Jacket ($40) or Sabine's Printed Bed Jacket ($24) and layer it over a simple tee. Then, simply add your favorite skinny jeans before finishing with Via Spiga's Marie Sandals in Blue ($225).
Photos: AKM-GSI, Bauer Griffin, PacificCoastNews.com


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In case of an emergency or when the surgery is closed, you have below options available to you:
- If your problem is an emergency or life threatening, please call 999.
- Out of hours contact number for the practice is 111.
- If you require information on symptoms or need medical advice, please call 111.


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By design, many manufactured homes have composition roofs that are low-sloped. A general guideline is that composition shingles are suitable for a roof with a slope of 4/12 or greater. But, in fact, most inspectors do not worry much about a roof that is sloped at 3/12 or greater. The roof slope gauge, below, indicates that this roof is under 1/12 slope.
The concern has to do with basic roof functionality. A roof with composition shingles is not designed to be water-tight. The sufficiency of the roof depends on runoff water quickly exiting the roof. When a roof has a slope that is minimal, the water may be retained on the roof surface and it might even work under the shingles. In that event, whether the leak damages sheathing or not is dependent on the quality of any felts that were installed under the shingles. In most cases, other than trying to peak at an eave to see if there are felts at all, the inspector cannot verify the absolute integrity of underlayments.
I have seen obvious leaks, in attics, under this type of improper installation. From the standpoint of home inspection, usually the safest procedure for the inspector, when a very low-sloped composition roof is seen onsite, is to refer the roof and any of its obvious problems, to a professional roofer. It is my experience that, seldom, does an actual roofer put composition shingles on a very low-sloped roof. Usually, a real roofer selects a different and more suitable roofing material, the exception being at manufactured homes.


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The Life According to Literature Tag
In the meantime, I saw this tag in Natalie's post, in which she linked to Hamlette's post, in which she linked to somebody else's post, and on and on the linking goes ;) Anywho, I took an immediate fancy to this tag, and decided to fill it out! (Obviously.)
Apparently, the original rules say to only use books you've read within the last year…some of these I've read within the past year, and some of them I'm not exactly sure. And some of them I haven't actually read yet, but am going to soon or am in the process.
How do you feel today: Right Ho, Jeeves ~ P.G. Wodehouse
Describe where you currently live: In My Father's House ~ Ann Rinaldi
|Hehe. I'm proud of that answer ;D
Your favorite form of transportation: Peter Pan ~ J.M. Barrie
Your best friend is: Perfectly Unique ~ Annie F. Downs
What's the weather like: Dandelion Summer ~ Lisa Wingate {I know, I know, not summer yet, but soon! And there are lots of dandelions, so, y'know, it works.}
What's the best advice you have to give: The Lord of the Rings ~ J.R.R. Tolkien {Always a good idea ;D}
Thought for the day: My Utmost for His Highest ~ Oswald Chambers
How you would like to die: Ivanhoe ~ Sir Walter Scott {Ha. KIDDING.}
Your soul's/imagination's present condition: Hinds' Feet on High Places ~ Hannah Hurnard {By God's grace; He's been helping me get out of a funk lately, and is drawing me back to this book, I think.}


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Each of our CAREGivers completes a comprehensive, multi-phased training program before they ever meet or serve a client. They also participate in periodic ongoing training programs as we develop them. Your CAREGiver also may opt to take specialized training modules for advanced levels of caregiving, such as Alzheimer's care.
We like the diversity of our caregiving team to match the diversity of the population we serve. For this reason, we encourage retirees, students and veterans to join us in serving your family. We will always endeavor to match you with the CAREGiver who best meets your needs.
Give us a call to learn more about our local, Brampton, ON area CAREGivers and how they can serve your family: (905) 463-0860
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Report: Tottenham to Make Improved Bid for Lo Celso After £53M Offer Rejected
Tottenham Hotspur are readying another offer for Real Betis star Giovani Lo Celso, after their initial proposal was rebuffed by the La Liga side.
Spurs' opening £53m bid was swiftly turned down by Betis, who are in no rush to part ways with one of their most exciting talents.
According to The Mirror, Betis are waiting for a side to activate Lo Celso's £88.9m release clause, so Spurs are ready to return with a higher bid in an attempt to convince Betis to sell.
The La Liga side are eager to see Lo Celso impress with Argentina at this summer's Copa America, in the hope that that will spark a bidding war between a number of interested sides.
The 23-year-old, who racked up 16 goals and six assists last season, is thought to be keen on a move to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, but it remains to be seen whether Spurs would be prepared to meet Betis' demands. They are also keen on Sporting CP's Bruno Fernandes, and could move for the Portugal midfielder if they are priced out of a move for Lo Celso.
Sevilla's Pablo Sarabia and Paris Saint-Germain's Julian Draxler have both been offered to Mauricio Pochettino, but Spurs have no interest in either and are focused on signing either Lo Celso or Fernandes.
The club are preparing themselves for life without creative midfielder Christian Eriksen, who recently spoke of his desire to leave Spurs in search of a new challenge. Real Madrid have been heavily linked with the Dane, who is about to enter the final year of his contract.
Last season, Eriksen managed 10 goals and 17 assists in all competitions, proving his importance to the Champions League finalists. Losing such an influential player would come as a huge blow for Spurs, so they are trying to prepare themselves as much as possible.
Pochettino is thought to be keen on spending heavily this summer to try and help Spurs push forward and improve, but there is fear amongst many at the club that chairman Daniel Levy will continue to prioritise signing young players with potential, rather than bona fide stars.