text:
Open Access News
News from the open access movementJump to navigation
Australian govt report recommends OA, CC
The Australian government on September 9 released the final report of its Review of the National Innovation System. (Thanks to Creative Commons.) The official title is VenturousAustralia but most Australians are calling it the Cutler Report. The report includes this recommendation:
... Australian governments should adopt international standards of open publishing as far as possible. Material released for public information by Australian governments should be released under a creative commons licence. ...See also this article about the report from Australian Life Scientist.
See also our past posts on Senator Kim Carr, Australia's Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research, who commissioned the report.
Update. See also Stevan Harnad's comments.
Update (PS). See these specific recommendations from the report (thanks to Glen Newton):
And some of these reflections:
Also see the transcript of a speech given by Kim Carr on September 9. Excerpt:
Also see coverage and comment by Michael Geist, Michael Jubb, and Kate McDonald.
Update (1/21/09). John Kapeleris criticized the OA recommendations in this report as "commercially naďve and potentially damaging to Australia's interests." He seems to be unaware of the Houghton/Steele/Sheehan research showing that OA to publicly-funded research in Australia would achieve "a benefit/cost ratio of 51...(i.e. the benefits are 51 times greater than the costs)."
Labels: Hot


text:
How to Socialize a Kitten With New PeopleFiled Under Behavior, Kitten
By Cheryl Lock If you just brought a new kitten into your home, one of the first things you probablywant to do is introduce him to all your friends. Here's where you'll need to take a second. Of course there's...READ MORE
How to Bond With a New KittenFiled Under Care, Kitten
by Cheryl Lock Congratulations – you just brought a new kitten home! Now the fun can really begin! Of course there will be fun times, and lots of them, but first it'll be important to bond with your new kitten so that...READ MORE
How to Bond with a Senior CatFiled Under Care, Senior Cat, Senior Dog
by Cheryl Lock Maybeyou figured that you've done enough bonding with your senior cat over her lifetime that your relationship is pretty set now that she's older, but you might want to think again. Older cats have different...READ MORE
What I Love About Being a Cat OwnerFiled Under Care, Kitten
by Cheryl Lock The day my cat Penny and I locked eyes at the cat rescue event at our local pet store, I knew I was doomed. I had never had a cat before, and quite frankly had always considered myself to be a dog person (please don't...READ MORE
5 Ways to Keep Your Indoor Cat PurringFiled Under Care, Kitten, Adult Cat, Senior Cat
by Vanessa Voltolina Indoor cat or outdoor cat? When you bring home a cat or kitten, this is likely one of the first decisions you will have to make. Indoor cats are safer than their outdoor counterparts—research shows that outdoor...READ MORE
How to Throw a Cat Birthday PartyFiled Under Care, Adult Cat
by Cheryl Lock The lights are off. The guests are huddled excitedly on the ground. Suddenly, when the guest-of-honor saunters into the room, you throw the lights on; everyone jumps up and shouts, "Surprise!" Granted,...READ MORE
Do Cats Like to be Hugged?Filed Under Care, Kitten, Adult Cat, Senior Cat
by Cheryl Lock If you're anything like me, attempting to hug your cat is an exercise in futility. The panting. The squirming. The agonizing look in her eyes. At the end of the day, it's just not worth it for me to keep up the...READ MORE
15 Sure-Fire Ways to Bond with Your CatFiled Under Care, Adult Cat
By Valerie Trumps Signs Your Cat Loves You Even though your kitty is standoffish sometimes and may even disappear for hours, that doesn't mean she doesn't love you. To learn to love like a cat, simply watch what she...READ MORE
7 Great Reasons to Adopt a Senior CatFiled Under TheDailyVet, Senior Cat
November is Adopt a Senior Pet Month. Why might you want to consider adopting a senior cat? There are lots of good reasons. Here are seven of the best. When you adopt a kitten, its personality is still developing. As a result, you...READ MORE
Playing with Your Senior CatFiled Under Care, Senior Cat
By Lorie Huston, DVM Play behavior serves many purposes. It exercises muscles and joints, keeps your cat fit and lean, keeps your cat entertained, and helps to prevent boredom and stress that can lead to behavior and health issues....READ MORE
Are Our Pets Capable of Loving Us?Filed Under FullyVetted, Adult Cat
I just had an interesting conversation with the manager of my horse's new barn. We were swapping stories and our outlooks on all things equine when he said, "I think one of the biggest mistakes that people make is thinking that their...READ MORE
Top Ten Reasons You Should Adopt a CatFiled Under Care
Adopting a cat is a great way to support your local animal shelter, its much more cost effective than buying from a breeder & you get a new feline friend.VIEW SLIDESHOW
The Special Bond Between Women and CatsFiled Under TheDailyVet, Adult Cat
The crazy cat lady. I've always hated that stereotype, and not because I'm at risk of being considered one myself. Truth be told, my husband is the bigger feline fanatic in our house. I just really dislike the way the portrayal demeans...READ MORE
Top 4 Reasons Girls Love Guys with CatsFiled Under Care, Kitten, Adult Cat, Senior Cat
Why Cats Make Men Sexy Let's face it, owning a pet makes men much more attractive in a girl's eyes. And a guy owning a cat? What's not to love? Here are the top four reasons why (because top five lists are so passé)...READ MORE
Top 5 Reasons You Should Adopt a CatFiled Under Care, Adult Cat
Meow Monday If you've been feeling lonely or simply like something is missing from your life, you're right. Everyone needs a special someone and perhaps that someone is an adorable bundle of purring fur. Not convinced?...READ MORE

subset: commoncrawl


text:
The University of Tennessee Board of Trustees in a special called meeting today unanimously approved appointing Donde Plowman from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln as the ninth chancellor of UT Knoxville at a base salary of $60,000 a year.
Her offer letter is at http://tennessee.edu/wp- content/uploads/2019/04/Donde-Plowman-Signed-Offer-Letter.pdf.
At Nebraska, Plowman operates as the No. 2 administrator over the campus and oversees academic affairs, student affairs, the Office of Research Economic Development and the Office of Diversity and Inclusion. Before being named executive vice chancellor, she served for more than six years as the James Jr. and Susan Stuart Dean of the College of Business Administration at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
Prior to coming to Nebraska, Plowman was on the management faculty at UT Knoxville from 2007-10, serving as department head of the department of management for two years. She began her academic career at the University of Texas at San Antonio as an assistant professor of management and advanced to the position of professor and associate dean for graduate studies and research, where she was responsible for the creation of the doctorate degree in business.
Plowman received her undergraduate degree with a major in English from Southern Methodist University in Dallas. She holds a master's in higher education administration from the University of North Texas. She received her doctorate in strategic management from the University of Texas at Austin.
https://www.thedailytimes.com/news/ut-n ... 39703.html


text:
Duration: 2 days
The objective of this two-day course is to train individuals to correctly assess the suitability of fabricated steel articles for the hot dip galvanizing process and to correctly inspect hot dip galvanized steel articles to ensure compliance to Australian, New Zealand and international Standards.
Who Should Attend: Anyone who is interested in increasing his or her knowledge of galvanized coatings, or who wants to become a Certified ACA Hot Dip Galvanizing Inspector should attend this course.
Course Content:
- An introduction to corrosion and its prevention
- Local & international hot dip galvanizing Standards
- Design considerations for inspection before galvanizing
- The hot dip galvanizing process
- Metallurgy of the hot dip galvanized coating including the effect of steel chemistry and surface conditions
- Typical surface conditions – description and extensive visual examples
- Repair of damaged and uncoated areas of galvanized steel
- Inspection of jobs before, during and after galvanizing
- Development of inspection and test plans, including
simulated project inspection and test plans
- Statistical sampling for Test Reports
- Practical testing of real project items
Benefits: After attending this course, you will be able to:
- Recognise the inspector's common duties, responsibilities and authority
- Use galvanized coating inspection equipment according to the manufacturers guidelines
- Understand and identify 33 design, fabrication and
galvanizing issues
- Prepare an inspection plan/procedure
- Observe, assess and document galvanized coatings
Materials and Assessment: A course manual will be provided to students on-site
Prerequisites: Students must have either an ACA, NACE or equivalent
current coating inspection certificate or have at least
12 months experience in a galvanizing plant.


text:
How does TCP determine the round trip time and time out interval? Discuss the algorithm.
posted by , on , No Comments
Download Solved Assignments 2017-2018, Solved Question Papers Best Answers from Yahoo.com, Quora.com, Stackoverflow.com, Ignou.ac.in, Solved Assignments, Solution to any question
Copyright © 2018 MCA IGNOU GROUP | Crafted by ignougroup.com
Download now by filling this form.


text:
1 Peter, Bible, Chance Strickland, church, church services, harpeth baptist church, kingston springs, podcast, sermon, sermon audio, tn
God is to be worshipped for the salvation He has given us! We have become a particular people. We have been given high privilege. We are being kept positionally.
This podcast is a ministry of Harpeth Baptist Church in Kingston Springs, TN. "Holding Forth the Word of Life."
Feel free to contact us:
1011 Butterworth Road
Kingston Springs, TN


text:
Skip to main content
Register now for world-class business, education and networking opportunities at www.cibtm.com/en/Visit
Trade Visitor registration is now open for this year's CIBTM, China's leading meetings, incentives and business travel exhibition, which is set to take place from 17th – 19th September 2014 at the China National Convention Centre in Beijing. Visitors are encouraged to sign up early to benefit from pre-show news updates, free entrance and fast-track entry on arrival, and preferential rates for selected hotels in Beijing.
CIBTM provides a dedicated three-day business platform focused on the rapidly expanding and developing incentive, business travel and meetings market in China. Trade Visitors will have the opportunity to meet with exhibitors including venues, hotels, destinations, technology, and business travel and event service providers from over 50 countries.For more information visit www.cibtm.com/en/Exhibit
CIBTM Knowledge Programme is available to all Trade Visitors to attend on a free of charge basis, providing a range of world-class education content designed to tackle the latest industry issues and trends. Further information on CIBTM Knowledge can be found at www.cibtm.com/en/Education
CIBTM has also announced that the official Welcome Reception will take place onsite, hosted by the China National Convention Centre, immediately after the show closes on Wednesday 17 September to ensure easy access for all. The networking event is an ideal opportunity to get better acquainted with the people you have met during the first day of business.
Jacqui Timmins, Exhibition Director CIBTM and AIME, Reed Travel Exhibitions commented, "Attending CIBTM as a Trade Visitor provides the opportunity to meet with over 500 suppliers from around the world, keep up to date with industry knowledge and events, increase professional development, and build and maintain relationships with contacts through our range of networking events."
Travel and AccommodationCIBTM will offer a range of travel and accommodation offers for all CIBTM attendees including up to 50% discount on air, rail and ferry fairs as well as reduced rates on accommodation. There are a number of official and unofficial partner hotels offering rates starting from RMB700 per person per night. For full details visit: www.cibtm.com/en/Visit/Hotel-partners
The organisers have also once again partnered with Air China, which offers a comprehensive global route network linking major cities around the world. As the official airline partner, Air China will offer special prices and conditions to all visitors. To benefit from this offer and request a flight booking, please contact the CIBTM team at firstname.lastname@example.com and mention the CIBTM promotional code: 9CVA000O. To find out more about the benefits of visiting CIBTM as a trade visitor, please visit: www.cibtm.com/en/Visit
If you are a senior decision maker or make budgetary decisions for meetings, incentive travel, business travel, international conventions or events, you could be eligible to attend CIBTM as Hosted Buyer. To find out more, please visit www.cibtm.com/en/Hosted-Buyers/
CIBTM 2014 takes place on the 17th - 19th September 2014.
Join CIBTM on LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook.
Notes to EditorsFor media enquiries, please contact:International PR:Siria Nielsen Tel: +44 (0) 208 334 4006Mob: +44 (0) 7768 211 629Email: firstname.lastname@example.com SabattiniTel: +44 (0) 208 334 4009Email: email@example.com forms part of the Reed Travel Exhibitions Meetings, Events and Business Travel Portfolio along with AIME (www.aime.com.au), GIBTM (www.gibtm.com), CIBTM (www.cibtm.com), IBTM America (www.ibtmamerica.com), IBTM India (http://www.ibtmevents.com/IBTM-India/) and IBTM Africa (www.ibtmevents.com/IBTM-Africa/) and EIBTM (www.eibtm.com).CIBTM (www.cibtm.com) is the annual China meetings and incentive exhibition held in Beijing, China. CIBTM is BPA Audited every year to guarantee that the number of visitors promoted is completely accurate and are unique attendees only.Reed Travel ExhibitionsReed Travel Exhibitions (RTE) is the world's leading provider of exhibitions in the travel and tourism industry, with a wide-ranging portfolio of 21 international events in 14 countries throughout the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Asia Pacific and Africa. Its market-leading, business-to-business events cover all elements of travel and tourism, including leisure travel, luxury travel, meetings, events, incentives and business travel, as well as golf, ski and spa travel. RTE is part of Reed Exhibitions. www.reedtravelexhibitions.com


text:
There is an underlying presumption that if you are an American, you are free. Or, at least that is what we used to believe in, say to everyone, and go to war over. However, are we really free? What makes one free and one enslaved? Could freedom simply be American propaganda?
I wrote previously in I Can Prove That You Are a Slave in America that I think that we are enslaved while Josh S. argued that we were being theived from. I believe we are both right (maybe agree with Josh a little more now than before). Even if either case is true – we live here and are enslaved to the State by taxes or we live here and have to endure being stolen from every paycheck via taxes – I cannot truly say that I am free. Can you? In either of these cases we are forced to either not work (live in poverty) or work and give up money.
What or who gives our government the right to enslave or steal from its people? This surely wasn't how America was envisioned to be when America was made was it? Wasn't it the pilgrims that came here because they sought a more free life – free of government telling them what religion to practice, free from government telling them to give money to the king, free from the government quartering the army in their homes, free from the government tossing them in jail without due process, and free from being taxed without representation (among other things they tried to be free from).
So what then are we supposed to do in 2010 when we realize that we are not free? Sure, we have Representatives in the House of Representatives, but they not only don't represent us… they don't even listen to us. For the last two years I have written my Representatives (and Senators) and the most response I've received is a canned letter. More recently with my problems with a government agency, my Representative ignores me. So now the government agency ignores me and so does all three of my Congressmen.
So what is it that a "free" citizen to do when they realize that they are not free and ignored by their government? I assure you, a government that does not listen to it's people is a government that is on the road that leads to absolute tyranny – and this is where I am afraid we are squarely heading.
This raises another point – where is everyone else? Where are my fellow countrymen? Why do I never hear anyone getting upset? Why do I feel like I am one of the few people who actually tries to communicate with my government (whether they listen or not is a different story)? I have been in numerous conversations with people over the ever increasing government encroachment in our lives and I never even get the time of day. People, in general, don't care. It is obvious to me that the complacency of my neighbors is not only what allowed government to not care, it is what allows our government to continue to become more and more tyrannical.
When is it that you, my neighbor, says enough is enough? When is it when you say that your government can't take 20% of your paycheck and give it to someone else or some company that failed to operate correctly? When is it that you stand up and say that it is your right to defend yourself by any means (gun rights)?
I know that I am personally tired of being beat down by my government and being ignored. I am tired of them calling me a fraud and then me asking what I've done to be a fraud and they only reiterate that I am a fraud (how is that for being constructive, fair, and logical?). I am tired of trying to read law that nearly makes no sense. How can I be a law abiding citizen if the law is written in such a convoluted way that only the loopholed politicians know what it truly means? Shouldn't the law say what it means and mean what it says? YES!
What am I supposed to do when I am being hassled and have no way to get answers? Me vs government… and the government has the guns.


text:
Our Avon, Ohio funeral home in Lorain County is located right on Detroit Road. We're typically onsite seven days a week from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and we're available 24/7 at 1-440-937-6175. For turn-by-turn directions, click "view larger map" on the right column of this page, then click "directions" and enter your address. We're just 20 miles from Cleveland, ideal for families across Northeast Ohio.
Interested in visiting our updated facility? Schedule a tour to get to know our staff and find out if one of our Lorain County locations (Avon, Avon Lake or Elyria) suits your needs.
At our Avon facility, families are offered the following amenities to help celebrate the life of their loved one:
The moment you arrive at our Avon funeral home, your family is greeted with a Busch staff member to assist with any of your questions or needs. Your time at Avon is backed by the Busch difference, and your family will feel welcomed and comfortable in our warmly decorated interiors.
We invite you to visit our Avon funeral home to see the Busch difference for yourself. Contact us today for answers to any questions you have about the burial, cremation or preplanning process.
Busch is Northeast Ohio's preferred choice for cremation, burial and preplanning services.


text:
July 4th Celebrations
My mom loves fireworks. Even though she claims that the night shows at Disney World have "spoiled her" she still enjoys a good local show. So no surprise that she looks forward to July 4th. If you're looking for a place that is lighting up the sky to celebrate our Fight for Independence you won't have far to look. And since the 4th is mid-week there are shows scattered through an entire week. and not just fireworks shows! there are plenty of ways to celebrate our Independence.
Thursday, June 28
Music at Orwigsburg Public Library. The history of Coal Mining Through Song with Jay Smarr at 6 p.m.
Concert at American Legion Memorial Garden, American Legion in Shenandoah. Upper Schuylkill Marching Band at 6:30 p.m.
Concert at Tamaqua Train Station. Six to Midnight from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Friday, June 29; Saturday, June 30 and Sunday, July 1
Musical at Simon Kramer Theater, 15 Alliance Street, New Philadelphia. Forbidden Broadway's Greatest Hits at 7 p.m. (2 p.m. on July 1) Tickets: $15. Online tickets here.
Saturday, June 30
Wild Edible & Medicinal Plants Presentation & walk at Locust Lake program shelter at 2 p.m.
Concert at Valley View Park. Cressona Band from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Fly Tying Lesson at Locust Lake Amphitheater at 5 p.m.
Fireworks at VRAJ Hindu Temple, Schuylkill Haven (junction of 895 & 183) at 9 p.m.
Fireworks at Pottsville Union Station at 9:30 p.m. Raindate: July 1
Fireworks at American Legion Carnival Grounds, Tower City at 10:45 p.m.
Sunday, July 1
Concert at Yuengling Mansion Garden, 1440 Mahantongo Street, Pottsville. Anthracite Philharmonic at 6 p.m. Tickets: $15, $12 Senior/Children. Bring a picnic, hot dogs, beer and ice cream will be available.
Tuesday, July 3
Fireworks at Little League Complex, Frackville at dusk
Wednesday, July 4
Kayak/Cardboard Boat Racing Event at Sweet arrow Lake County Park. Registration between 8 a.m. and 8:30 a.m. at the fishing/boat access. Call Craig Moran at 570-617-8223 with questions.
Firecracker 5K at Port Carbon at 8 a.m. Registration: $30 at http:www.pretzelcitysports.com Call Deniece or Scott with questions: 570-622-5824
Parade at Port Carbon. Registration at 9:30 a.m. Parade at 10 a.m.
Fireworks at Monument Hill, Port Carbon at 10 p.m. Raindate: July 5
Concert at Sweet Arrow Lake County Park. Pine Grove Community Band at 6 p.m.
Saturday, July 7
Car Cruise and Fireworks at St. Clair from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Concert at Valley View Park. Large Flower Heads from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Fireworks at The Island, Schuylkill Haven at 9:30 p.m. Raindate: July 8
Keep checking back between now and July 7 -- I'll be updating all your July 4th fun in one post!
Leave a Reply.
July 2020


text:
Helping students to re-engage with their creative sides
It has been some time since my last post. The past couple of weeks have been full of marking, report writing, TESMC, Language and Literacy Levels and Youth Mental Health First Aid courses. Needless to say, I'm glad to finally have a little time to breathe and get some thoughts up on my blog!
Today I was fortunate enough to attend the launch of a very talented colleague's second novel. You can find his Facebook page here and follow him on Twitter (@rjbrownauthor). R.J. Brown has an incredible ability to draw even the most reluctant readers and writers into the world of literature and creativity. There were actually two launches of his book – one public and the other one at the school. I was unable to attend the one at school, but from what those who did go have recounted, the event drew together students, parents and staff in a shared celebration of the achievements of someone who is an integral part of our school community.
These events got me thinking. As English teachers, part of our role is to help students develop and apply their creativity through language. Yet one of the biggest obstacles I come across in my English classes is how to inspire students to play with language and engage with their creative sides. So often, when doing a unit on narrative, have I heard students try to use the excuse "But I'm not creative." I don't think this is true at all. I think humans are innately creative. Watch children play with their toys. Whether it's girls playing with dolls, or boys playing with cars or action figures (or vice versa), kids make up story lines. They act out these narratives through their toys, or through the performances that they put on for adults. They are being creative without even having to think about it.
So what happens to make so many students seem to lose confidence in their creative side? It is still there, but it can be a challenge to help them find it.
Perhaps it is the absence of 'play'?
Or the imposition of rules and limitations on what they should be writing about?
Or a belief that they need to write simply to please the teacher, rather than for their own pleasure?
Or a culture that doesn't encourage spontaneous reading and writing?
I'm not a hundred percent sure if it is any of these, but I know that one thing I would like to do this year is to help my more reluctant readers and writers to find their creative sides and to use them whether they are writing a narrative or an essay. Another colleague and I are working on a project which aims, in part, to do just this. More information to follow on that at a later date as it is still in its early stages.
In the meantime, I'd love to get your thoughts – how do you help your students engage with their creative sides? What do you do to counter the attitude that writing is "just something they have to do" to get a grade?


text:
Taking advantage of a strong following south-westerly, generated by a low centred over the Atlantic, Cam Lewis's catamaran should reach the mouth of the Straits of Gibraltar on Wednesday. A ridge of high pressure is parked over Gibraltar at the moment but the catamaran is going to try to force a way through helped by a small front.
Team Legato is still struggling with a high pressure system preventing her from going very fast. The crew is fine, despite the watches that come round faster with her reduced crew.
Warta-Polpharma is making slow progress towards the port chosen for the repairs: Fortaleza in Brazil which the boat will reach probably around the March 22nd. The crew is as yet undecide as to whether they will continue in TheRace. They will take the decision to continue to Marseilles only if they can carry out a reliable repair within an acceptable delay, and we won't be taking risks with the boat.
World Sailing Newsletter
World Sailing Newsletter is the weekly online newsletter of World Sailing.
It features the latest news and events from the sailing world together with features and info in an easy-to-use format.
It features the latest news and events from the sailing world together with features and info in an easy-to-use format.


text:
As Ridley Scott's original Alien celebrates its 35th anniversary this year, it's ample reason to drown yourself in all things related to this seminal sci-fi horror masterpiece. Alien archivist Valaquen rounded up this amazing assembly of photos over the course of many years to create a dark deluge of pure awesome.
With a fanfare deserving of the special occasion, here's a buried treasure of 59 rare and never-seen set shots and production photos in which to immerse your inner geek to its heart's content. It's a gargantuan galaxy of marvelous miniatures, old-school models, spacesuit designs by Mobius and starship concept art by Ron Cobb, alternative ideas for the Nostromo, behind-the-scenes shots of the derelict, LV-426, Space Jockey, Giger, Scott, Badejo, O'Bannon and the birthday boy himself, the exotic, erotic xenomorph.
For more ultimate shots head over to Valaquen's Imgur site for a couple hundred more!
Dive on in, and no need to stifle any screams.
(Via Geek Tyrant)


text:
Coronavirus (COVID-19):
latest information about licences and registration.
The Regulatory Reform (Game) (England and Wales) Order 2007 has removed restrictions for those shooting and dealing in game.
New regulations to reform game licensing in England and Wales came into force on 1 August 2007 and have:
This authority is under a duty to protect the public funds it administers, and to this end may use the information you provide on any application form for the prevention and detection of fraud. It may also share this information with other bodies responsible for auditing or administering public funds for these purposes.
Phone: Monday-Friday 8.30am-5.30pm.Closed for training Monday 11am-11.30am.
Public Protection Service Number One Riverside Smith Street Rochdale OL16 1XU


text:
Board of Education candidate Barbara Kahn
Board of Education candidate Barbara Kahn
Barbara Kahn
Retired social worker
Relevant experience
Director of youth activities at local social service agency
40 years of school board watching classroom volunteering and working for children's issues
I served on the Measure A oversight committee, worked on numerous parcel tax campaigns and over my 40 years of involvement with the district I served on committees including interviews for selection of administrators; curriculum advisory; master planning
If elected, what would be your top three priorities?
My first priority is to develop transparency in district decisions.
Secondly, and related to the above, is restoring trust between community, teachers and administration including a redesign of the website to make it more user friendly and add to transparency.
Thirdly, getting a handle on how money has been spent, including facility funds in view of the neglected state of our schools with the priority for spending being on facilities that educate the children as well as moving forward with a budget that focuses on the classroom and learning.
What would you do to encourage harmony between the school board, school district administrators and teachers?
I would return to Interest-based bargaining , a process that enables traditional negotiators to become joint problem-solvers. It assumes that mutual gain is possible, that solutions which satisfy mutual interests are more durable, that the parties should help each other achieve a positive result Immediately plan sessions among teachers, administrators and community on issues confronting the district. School board meetings are constrained and formal. Teachers have not been encouraged to participate and some teachers and administrators have been sidelined by the current administration. I think the board needs training in openness. Bristling at questions, rather than welcoming those leads to disharmony. I have participated in master planning in the past where there was broad community involvement, encouraged and stimulated by the district where ideas were shared and discussed and consensus reached, unlike the present master plan which was essentially orchestrated by the administration. Currently it seems that decisions are made prior to the actual board meeting and that input from the public is not taken into consideration.
The district recently released a facilities report that outlined $92 million in needed facility fixes. How would you address these needs?
Again I believe that we have to have a community discussion of what we want our schools to look like. It may be that in order to offer a comprehensive high school curriculum some modification needs to be made. Encinal is run down; has a makeshift facility for drama productions and assemblies. Alameda High school has a campus that is so impacted that students leave the campus at lunch break since there is no room on the campus. The campus is fragmented and students have to run from Encinal Ave. to Central for classes for them. Athletic fields at AHS are blocks away from the campus. Several facilities are not occupied for classrooms yet they need maintenance. The community has changed through the years with development on Bay Farm Island and the departure of the military – Bayport has been added, and further development is coming down the pike. Rather than doing a piecemeal fix, a community based plan should be developed. A number of years ago Alameda had a master plan that was developed by hundreds of people meeting in committees, led by community people and supported by the professional staff. The outcome was a body of citizens who were knowledgeable and supportive of district plans because they were part of it. Partnerships with the business community enabled us to do this. I believe that we must develop good relationships with all who benefit from good schools, including parents, teachers, students, all sectors of the business community as well as the city government. Decisions by the board such as the decision to relocate district offices to a business park are not part of a comprehensive solution, commit the district to millions of dollars, and lack community support which is imperative if we are to work together to achieve a long term plan for our schools.
Do you believe Alameda's schools are underfunded? If so, where would you find the revenue to address this problem? And if not, what do you believe the district's priorities should be and how would you shift funds in order to address them?
All schools are underfunded. The problem is a political one and has to be addressed in that light. We have tried lobbying and litigation, to no avail. Proposition 13 has seriously limited the funding options for schools and unless it is modified, we will remain underfunded. The federal and state governments impose mandates and do not fund them, and so we have to rob Peter to pay Paul. The districts priorities should be the classroom and teaching and learning. Everything else comes second. As long as funding is limited, everything that does not go to the above should be severely limited. There are some areas that are expensive and could probably do well with cuts that could go elsewhere. Testing is very expensive, and of questionable value, costing thousands of dollars that could be redirected. Currently, the district adds significant amounts of testing in addition to assessments mandated by the state. The volume of testing needs to be analyzed and scaled back. I would like to review the administrative structure of the district to assess how significant some jobs are to the first priority of teaching and learning and eliminate those that do not meet that criteria.
What services should Alameda's schools provide, and what services do you believe every Alameda student is entitled to?
Every student is entitled to a safe and healthy environment with competent teachers. Every student is entitled to an education that recognizes and maximizes his/her strengths so that the student feels confident in his/her potential for success. Every student should graduate ready for the world of work or further meaningful education.
Every student should be exposed to the arts, either as a participant or with an understanding of the critical relationship between the arts and community well being. In our fast growing age of technology students must be able to adapt and use to new ways of securing and imparting information through the provision of ample library and computer facilities. Physical fitness and the lack of it is a growing problem in America. Through participation in competitive sports and physical education lifelong patterns should be begun.
How do you view the challenges and/or opportunities posed by charter schools?
Charter schools are here to stay. Like it or not, by law the district has to cooperate in the development of charters, while exercising oversight to guarantee that they are delivering what they promised. Charters are formed for many reasons. Sometimes they are formed because they replace schools that are failing. Sometimes they are formed to address specific needs and interests of some students. Sometimes they are formed for profit. Sometimes they are formed to provide an elite private school education at public expense. Sometimes they are formed to get out from under regulations and unions.
We are not inundated with charters in Alameda, and there seems to be movement of students between our public schools and charters as children's needs and parent's perceptions change. See the next question.
Would you propose to compete with charters and private schools in order to retain students, and if so, how?
The district has to be aware of dissatisfaction in some schools, and work with the parents to resolve the problems. The district has to be aware of changes in the community that indicate the need for something other than the traditional school. The district should interview families who leave AUSD for private schools and charters to see what the underlying issues are and see if there are ways to improve our programs so that families choose to stay and support the schools within AUSD.
There is a wide disparity among PTA organizations' ability to support their individual schools in terms of the amount of money each can raise. How would you address this disparity?
This is a very thorny problem. There are schools in Alameda where PTAs raise enough money to fund additional staff and special programs, and there are some that raise far less. Some districts have tried to require all money that is raised to be pooled and distributed. The cookie cutter approach to giving every school so much per child is easy, but it may be that a formula for equalizing opportunity depending on the affluence of the school should be explored. The schools that raise the most money are already ahead of the game because of the nature of their population. The district cannot legislate sharing. The district in budgeting has to be mindful of these disparities, and provide through its budget and equalization of opportunity for all children.
How would you improve the way the school district does business?
Immediately insist that all work and purchases be done on a bid basis.
Administrators have a way of staying just under the cap they are permitted to contract, without board approval and this does not lead to best value for the dollar nor to transparency. This policy should be reviewed as well as the process for reviewing warrants by the public and the board.


text:
Christmas never saved anyone…but without Christmas, salvation would have never come.
Christmas–that is, the events of Christ's birth that many people celebrate on December 25th–broke a 400 year silence from God. Since His last words in the book of Malachi, He sent no prophecies and added no revelation.
Then, one day, that all changed..
An angel appeared next to the altar of incense in Herod's Temple. And the silence was broken, as it had been so many times before, with the news of an unexpected birth.
"Impossible!" the startled Zacharias said.
I can just see the angel narrowing his eyes. "I am Gabriel! I stand in the very presence of God. It was He who sent me to you with this good news!" (Luke 1:19, TLB)
Maybe miracles had been hard to come by lately. But that was about to change, dramatically.
God the Father, in eternal communion with His Son and His Spirit, sent down His Son Jesus to this lonely world, to be one of us.
And that event, more than anything else up to that point in history, told us a lot about the God that we serve.
God keeps his promises
Since the promise of a Seed who would destroy the serpent (Genesis 3:15), God had been making promises of a future heaven-sent deliverer (Isaiah 11:1-5). Christmas shows us that God means what He says. In the form of hundreds of prophecies, He promised a the arrival of a certain kind of man, a certain God. And every single one of them came true.
God controls history
Only an all-powerful God with a perfect sense of timing can make unchanging promises. To be truthful, by necessity He must also be in control of history. And that He is…and demonstrated at Christmas. An unheard of thing–a virgin girl having a child (Isaiah 7:14). A hectic Bethlehem tax registration…just in time to bring the pregnant Mary to the city predestined to be the Christ's birthplace (Micah 5:2 ). A hurried escape to Egypt–just as He said "out of Egypt I have called my son" ( Hosea 11:1).
Social class does not impress God
While God certainly does not bar the rich or the powerful from His kingdom, the Christmas story does not star many of the world's elite. In fact, the story is full of common–even disadvantaged–people. Peasant parents, middle-class innkeepers, shepherd guests…a baby born in a barn among the animals. From His birth on, Jesus seems to go out of the way to appear to the poor, the medically isolated, the ethnically outcast, and the religiously deficit. He did not come for those who thought they were enough, but for the ones who–in God's grace–were humbled enough to see that they could never be enough (Luke 5:31).
God reveals Himself
A star blazed the trail for hopeful astronomers. Angels shouted glory over the hillside. An angel appeared to both Zacharias and Mary with special birth announcements. Joseph and the Magi both dreamed of what they should do. Zacharias, his wife Elizabeth, and Simeon at the temple all prophesied through the power of the Holy Spirit, telling of the Christ's coming and His messenger, John the Baptist.
After so much silence, suddenly light broke over the darkness. If God was whispering before, now He was shouting.
Here's the truth: if God had hidden Himself, we would have never seen Him. We would have missed Christmas. It would have been too high for us, going right over our bent heads and right past our blind eyes. Even with a cast of angels, prophets, and a cooperative star, most Israelites missed out on the significance of this far-from-silent night. Aside from a passel of shepherds stunned by the glory of God, the newborn Son of God had no adoring visitors. I wonder if any children stirred in their beds at the shouts of the angels. I wonder if the light of the star kept anyone awake.
But God is good and gifted some with the capacity for comprehension (John 1:5). In His purposes, someone saw the light. Someone saw the angels. Someone saw the baby enthroned on the cow's trough. And soon, such glorious things were done in Israel that the world could not contain them.
God identified with us through vulnerability
Jesus, beginning in the stench of hay and barn, loves us enough to live the barest, most humble life. He was a baby, a refugee, a peasant, a citizen of a conquered nation, a blue-collar worker's son.
In His humanity, Jesus endured every pain and temptation that the rest of us endure. He felt the cold biting his skin. He was ripped by the claws of betrayal and scalded with scorn. He understood the keen pull of temptation, because He too endured the siren song of the Evil One.
He does understand.
He is God of the everyday
"It is ingrained in us that we have to do exceptional things for God—but we do not. We have to be exceptional in the ordinary things of life, and holy on the ordinary streets, among ordinary people—and this is not learned in five minutes.
—Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest"
In his birth, Jesus made the commonplace holy. His humble beginning shows me that my everyday living does matter. My "small things" are still important to Him. My years of normal living, unmemorialized by men, can please Him. After all, He is God, and only about 10% of his earthly life made it into the Bible. What did He do in those 30 unrecorded years? Small deeds of absolute faithfulness and love. We're not called to live in the spotlight, at least not all the time. He will take my small days and small hours with pleasure, if I give them to Him in love.
God deals in relationships
"Jesus does not turn away from the world, but turns to face it. Jesus came down. He turns toward. He makes his face to shine upon. He shows compassion. He sits with. His with-ness is so important that every time we say his name, we declare it—Immanuel, God with us."
― Emily P. Freeman, Simply Tuesday: Small-Moment Living in a Fast-Moving World
Not only is our triune God in close communion with Himself (Mark 1:11), He delights in pouring out His love on His children. Unlike the gods of lore who seem to poke at their creations with a long pole, not caring to be near to them, our God is a God of relationships. This is clear in the Christmas story. He is the God who cared enough to tell Mary, "Do not be afraid." He is the God who came to earth to actually enter into the closeness of human living, alongside us.
"I no longer call you slaves, for a master doesn't confide in his slaves; now you are my friends, proved by the fact that I have told you everything the Father told me."
– John 15:15, TLB –
Our God is a God of great joy
"At that time Jesus, full of joy through the Holy Spirit, said, "I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this is what you were pleased to do."
– Luke 10:21 NIV –
I do not usually think about the joy of our God. But it only makes sense. If we are to become like Christ, Paul says, "Rejoice in the Lord always" (Philippians 3:1). The Spirit of Christ in us produces joy (Galatians 5:22-23). Jesus, "for the joy set before Him, endured the cross" (Hebrews 12:2).
If we creatures can be full of joy, then think how much joy must be contained in our uncontainable God! Christmas shows us this mind of the Father for rejoicing:
"The angel said, "Don't be afraid! Look! I bring good news to you—wonderful, joyous news for all people."
– Luke 2:10, CEB –
Our God certainly understands the longings of our hearts.
"Oh, that men would give thanks to the Lord for His goodness,
And for His wonderful works to the children of men!
For He satisfies the longing soul,
And fills the hungry soul with goodness." – Psalm 107:8-9, NKJV
Christmas was the beginning of the end of Darkness. Over thirty years later, the Darkness would be permanently dethroned from its hold on the world. Over thirty years later, the red-faced infant would be a bloody-faced convict, still suffering for the world He had borne and been born into. Over thirty years later, He would become the only man whose own power was too great for Death to keep Him in its grasp. His rising would become the pattern for our own resurrection day.
Christmas is almost here! Take the time to read the stories our Savior's arrival again, and think about what our God shows us about Himself in this season.
Christmas certainly does not save. But the Christ of it does.
I think that calls for a celebration.
"Who can add to Christmas? The perfect motive is that God so loved the world.
The perfect gift is that He gave His only Son.
The only requirement is to believe in Him.
The reward of faith is that you shall have everlasting life."
– Corrie Ten Boom –


text:
man-made global warming raises its ugly head once more
Are human beings rational? When a lie is repeated often enough it becomes accepted as truth, and is no longer given serious scrutiny.
Today, we hear President Obama's press secretary, Carney, telling us that there is much we can do to prepare for the deleterious effects of climate change. There is definitely an expanded role for the US government, and indeed for international bodies such as the United Nations (the World Bank, the IMF, etc.). We cannot, in good conscience, let this go unchallenged.
As you all know the assertion is repeated again and again that the earth's atmosphere is warming and this is causing climate change. Mankind, by burning so-called fossil fuels, is responsible for this. (We say "so-called fossil fuels" as we believe petroleum (oil) to be abiogenic in origin as we discussed in one of our earliest essays in June, 2012. Coal, on the other hand, does appear to be from fossilized ancient plant/tree life.) Carbon dioxide (CO2), produced when burning various fuels, is a so-called green house gas. Shame on you, dear readers, as you are emitting this terrible gas with every exhalation from your lungs. (Plants and trees need CO2 to grow and survive; these basically act to recycle the CO2 from the atmosphere and give back molecular oxygen (O2) to our atmosphere. This is basic 3rd grade elementary school science.) What we are rarely told is that water vapor is a much more potent green house gas in the earth's atmosphere. In fact, without water vapor in the atmosphere, the earth would be too cold for most life we see around us. You would not like to live in a permanent ice age, would you? No holidays at the beach, and no young girls sporting bikinis.
Others have taken on the proponents of so-called manmade global warming. (The exclusion of data from Russia (a large chunk of real estate!) from the data used in computer models, the frauds committed by that university in England (East Anglia, was it?), the disagreement between comprehensive satellite temperature data and ground based measurement points located near concrete cities are all ignored by people such as Al Gore and his like.) For me, this has been debunked as I believe that man (and woman) is not responsible for more than a small fraction of the warming. The sun's cycles and the natural cycles of the earth are responsible. No sane person will assert that we humans can do anything about what goes on in the sun.
I do not wish to repeat their arguments here, but rather want to address 2 related issues. 1. Elitist power and control over our lives. 2. How to meet our energy needs and maintain our standard of living in an environmentally responsible manner. We'll address the 2nd issue first and at greater length.
energy options
Nuclear power has been touted by some as a safe source of electric power generation that does not contribute CO2 to the atmosphere. Sadly, nuclear power is not only incredibly expensive when you factor in all(!) the relevant costs (including reactor decommissioning costs, some of which are borne by taxpayers, and the long-term storage of the "waste" (a still unresolved issue in the US today) which is basically the fission by-products left at the end of the reactors' lives and which decay rapidly and thus are very dangerous for the first several decades) – but nuclear power is not safe, not safe at all. We wrote on this last autumn: Nuclear power is inherently dangerous and allows for no human error(s).
Even though I worked for 10 years (1986 – 1996) for one of the largest electric power utility companies in the US that had (and still has) a large 2 unit nuclear complex in operation, I am now against the commercial use of nuclear power. Splitting uranium atoms just to boil water into high pressure steam to turn electric turbines is not sane. (To be clear here, the water that circulates through the reactor is not turned into the steam that turns the turbines – it is basically a 2 step process. Clean, non-irradiated water is heated to a boil from contacting the walls of the pipes that circulate the thermally hot reactor water.)
A little history is relevant here.
While an undergraduate at university, the Three Mile Island nuclear plant in Pennsylvania had a partial meltdown in March, 1979. Years later in the 1980s, it came to light that the destruction of the crippled reactor's core was significantly worse than the citizenry was led to believe at the time of the "accident".
In April, 1986, Chernobyl in the Ukraine Soviet Socialist Republic experienced the worst "accident" in nuclear power history (to that time). Readers in Europe ought to remember this as much of the radioactive fall-out came down on Scandinavia and Poland.
March, 2011. In a very seismically active region of the world, Japan experiences a mega earthquake of 9.0 on the Richter scale (being a logarithmic scale, a 9.0 is 10 times as powerful as an 8.0 quake, and 100 times as powerful as a 7.0 temblor). A major tsunami results that knocks out the vital cooling necessary to prevent serious reactor damage. (Even when the fuel rods are pulled out and nuclear fission stops, reactors must be cooled for long periods of time because of the significant decay heat produced by the decaying isotopes of iodine, cesium and strontium.) The government of Japan, and the Tokyo Electric Power company still (now 3 years on) have not stopped the continuing leakage of radiation into the environment (which includes the Pacific Ocean).
Nuclear power is not a rational choice for meeting our energy needs in a safe and environmentally responsible manner.
So-called cold fusion (nuclear fusion, not fission) is decades, at least, away from becoming commercially and economically viable. It is still at the experimental stage in a few advanced physics labs scattered around the world. This is also the situation with large-scale economically viable (meaning no major government subsidies) solar energy – it is decades away. Wind turbines are unreliable as the wind is unreliable and are killing millions of birds each and every year. Hydro-electric generation does not add green house gases to the atmosphere so a person might think that this option would be acceptable to global warmers. Not so, as major dams do alter the environment significantly. In this we agree as we have seen for ourselves Lake Mead and Lake Powell in the desert southwest US. These manmade lakes formed behind Hoover Dam and Glen Canyon Dam respectively and did substantially change the local environments over many hundreds, if not thousands, of square miles. As well, dams are very expensive to build now.
So, what can we do for the next few decades (basically for the rest of our lives and much of our children's lives)?
Being realistic and pragmatic about our choices brings us to those resources we have in abundance within the US and yet are choosing not to make use of. As we do not buy into the manmade global warming scam, we say the US ought to develop more of its truly vast natural gas resources both in the lower 48 states and in Alaska. Clean coal is in abundance in the Powder River Basin of eastern Wyoming. We already have many coal-fired electric power plants. Regrettably, Obama and his extremist EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) have shuttered many coal plants and idled thousands of coal miners. Coal miners, working families that you are, Obama does not care for working Americans. Five years into his presidency, we now know that Obama does not care for middle class working families. His policies prove this.
Let's not oppose the environmentally responsible development of our own resources. We can boost the growth of our economy and create good jobs at the same time that we would bring down the cost of energy for all Americans (and actually help to lower the cost of energy for the rest of the world as we in the US would be increasing its supply). To the eco-fanatics, who oppose all development, I ask have you ever considered that conservation and stewardship are old concepts and have worked in the past?!
opportunistic, misguided elitists
Does it make sense to insist that the US reduce its emissions of CO2 when the largest emitters of CO2, China and India, have repeatedly told the world that they will not do so?!
This manmade global warming scam (or fraud, if you prefer) is being used by the big government control freaks and liberal elitists to justify being even more intrusive into our lives. If the people of Europe put up with this nonsense, that is their choice. Americans ought not follow the lead of a largely socialist Europe. (Although we note in passing that some Europeans are beginning to say enough is enough of this nonsense.) If the elitists have their way expect your costs of energy to rise significantly in the coming years. This means both gasoline for your car or truck and your home and business utility bills. As well, these costs will be passed on by others to you. Consumers (individuals and families) will suffer big time. This is immoral. These elitists do not care that they are basing their demands on a fraud.
There is one other thing people really ought to be aware of. These elitists, so very concerned with the welfare of humanity and the well-being of the planet, do not really care about the individuals they harm. They view human beings as the problem. Reduce the numbers of human beings and thus the problems in the world are reduced. They at times will even refer to human beings as "weeds" or akin to cancerous tumors to the earth. These same climate alarmists and eco-fanatics often support and advocate population control programs throughout the world. And, they readily endorse coercive population control as goes on in China and in some countries in sub-Saharan Africa. There is a component of racism at play here. Most of these elitists are white. In their view, it is better if there are less infants of color born throughout the world. This is reflected in the aid given to less developed countries in Africa. What complaints do we hear from the local doctors in these countries? They complain of not having simple antibiotics and vaccines for childhood diseases. They also tell of incredibly large shipments (to them from aid agencies) of contraceptives. The message is clear: the elitists do not care for those brown and black children already here and do not want very many born in the future.
My view is that each country's citizens can address the issue of population and family planning for themselves, and ought not be victimized by rich, white elites in Europe and in North America.
Beware of the vile hypocrisy among these elitist control freaks!
We have written on environmental topics before. This is a helpful essay (with helpful links).
Thanks for reading.
Copyright 2014 – larrysmusings.com


text: I will catch these photos up yet! I hit 31 weeks tomorrow, so I only have week 29 to write and week 30 to take tonight and write up. The due date is getting too close to fall behind now! And if you think I've been overly busy so far, just wait – with both Flintstone's and Punky's birthdays in the next 9 weeks plus a Halloween party, a wedding, and a business trip – all on top of a few major work projects – things are about to get downright mad!


text:
Olivia makes answering thousands of candidate questions look easy.Request Demo
Candidates have questions, but they aren't going to read an FAQ page. Today, they have the world's information available at the click of a button or through a quick "Hey Siri." Your candidates expect the same availability and speed that they experience as consumers. Deliver a real-time, personalized experience through the personal recruiting experience of Olivia.
Your candidates are looking for jobs and making decisions about where to apply even when you're not available. In fact, for some of our clients, nearly 50% of candidate questions are asked outside of normal business hours. Don't risk a candidate not applying because they don't have the information that they need to make a decision about raising their hand for jobs at your company.
While your recruiters know the answers, they probably don't have time to field the same candidate questions that come up time and time again. Olivia stays on messaging and will even share insight about the questions asked, helping you to know what candidates really care about when evaluating your company or where they have uncertainty in the hiring process.
We'll help you onboard Olivia as your newest employee. She'll learn your brand persona, the questions most often asked, and the right information to share. Just like your best employees, she'll learn quickly and get better at her job over time. And the best part is, she'll always be available—ready to answer the questions your candidates have, whenever they have them.
Whatever your employment brand and company voice, Olivia will make sure to represent it. Maybe the name Olivia doesn't feel right for your brand? No problem, choose your assistant name and visual representation that fits your company and the people in it. Use a different persona by country and vary answers by location to ensure a relevant and personalized experience across the globe.
Schedule a demo of Olivia and see how she can work for you, text demo to (480) 568-2449
Schedule a demo of Olivia and see how she can work for you, text demo to


text:
How We Work
IQT's tech team vets each technology against the requirements of our partners' mission capability needs, then compares alternative approaches and rigorously validates technical claims. Simultaneously, the investments team gauges the potential for long-term success by evaluating each company's commercial potential, business plan, and management team.
Once an investment is made, IQT works with the company and the partner agencies to complete a work program and facilitate solution delivery. Our process strives to ensure that portfolio companies deliver on their technical promise, and that they will continue to support and enhance their products for years to come.
The significant advantages of IQT's model include:
- Rapid product development
- Valuable product enhancements
- Lower initial and long-term costs to the national security community


text:
I am the youngest of seven children born under three marriages, but comprising only two constellations of siblings: Russell and Larum. I was perhaps six months old when my eldest brother Ronald went off to Vietnam. That should give you some sense of the remoteness the baby in the family can feel toward his oldest siblings. But ours was far from a normal family. "Blended" wouldn't do it justice, so I leave that tale for another day.
Six boys and one girl, which means that both mom and sis were strong women in a way that could put to shame many a man I have known. Mom buried three husbands and two sons. I am very grateful she was already home to greet the latest departure. On Friday, September 29, 2017, Michael, my third-oldest brother, went home to be with his Lord and enjoy a family reunion I can only hope for. And then there were four.
One would think that having six siblings would minimize the intense sense of loss somewhat. But it doesn't. Seven is the full set. Anyone missing leaves us less. I felt this first at the news of my brother John's death in 1992. He was only forty-three; I was nearly twenty-eight and already overly familiar with the process of grief having lost my father when I was thirteen. As I recall it, I was deep into a construction project with my son Nikolai—a toddling two-year-old who loved stacking the blocks up into imaginary castles almost as much as I did—when I received the news. I was totally unprepared for my reaction: shock, sorrow, and relief. Relief? Yes, relief. I suppose it is time to introduce you to my brother John.
John was my mother's second son. She was a recently minted nineteen-year-old when she had him. Though young, the drama of life had already swept her into a tale that would ultimately rival any soap opera and still surprises audiences when I tell it. John was the only boy among us with black hair. "You don't look like the rest of them," folks would often say. "If I only had a dollar for every time I've heard that," was his frequent reply. The rest of us boys were redheads. Barbara stood out because she was the girl. John, well, John was different.
All my siblings are charming, but I admit I am biased. John was charming in a way that would make women who knew better swoon. Handsome, athletic, driven, brilliant and armed at an early age with a sociopathic lack of conscience, John was an exhilarating and dangerous roller coaster to ride. As life would have it, he was the older sibling who showed up on the scene to "help" my mother when my father was dying of emphysema and lung cancer. "Help" meant that he was there to engage and challenge his teenaged baby brothers, Timothy and Nikolas (that's me on the right—people often confused us even though our names only share two letters), who were the last left at home. And "help" is in quotes because his move to Arkansas from California wasn't motivated by any sense of obligation or altruism. Narcotics officers were hot on his tail and he thought it best to let his California market fade away in his rearview mirror.
John taught us all the things older brothers shouldn't teach their younger siblings and a few that they absolutely should. The shoulds ran the range from expanding my literary horizons to knowing how to put my fist through wood if necessary. The should-not's I won't list, except for this one: if you want to score a million dollars, don't try stealing it from one guy; instead, find a way to con a million people out of a buck. That was John, the consummate conman.
Our last conversation was a godsend. We must have talked on the phone for nearly two hours. I laughed so hard I couldn't cry anymore. "I finally got your number from Mother, but she still wouldn't give me your address," he said. I laughed. "John, you know I love you. I simply can't afford you." He laughed. Good times. He died of an overdose not long after that call. It was like having a chunk of my heart pulled out. I was sad he was gone and relieved that the danger had passed.
2007 was a monumental year for me. In June of that year, I began a new career in waste management. After nearly twenty years working in the installation and warehousing side of the commercial office furnishings industry, I landed a job managing a materials recovery facility. Essentially, I went from opening cardboard boxes to recycling them. I knew next to nothing about waste hauling and even less about running a processing facility. Fourteen-hour days were not uncommon and the commute simply added to the load. It was about midday on a Thursday when my wife called me with the news. There was no easy way to say it. My brother Timothy had passed away the night before. I have never been a big Halloween fan. His death on October 31, 2007, didn't improve my opinion of the day any.
Classic me, I tried to keep working. I think I was able to function for about an hour and half before I admitted to myself the impossibility of it. I had to go home. Tim was my Irish twin. He was No. 6 to my No. 7, the only other biological child of my father. I should have been prepared for my reaction to the news: shock, sorrow, and ultimately relief. Relief? Yes, relief. Please let me explain.
Timothy wasn't dangerous like John. As far as I know, he never ran a con in his life. He loved his family, cherished our mother, and adored his daughter. He was physically talented and fearless. I see cliffs as something to climb. He climbed cliffs to find higher ground to dive from. I learned to fight for self-preservation. He liked to fight for fun. I had to teach myself how to laugh out loud. His laughter could always shake the room and was more infectious than Ebola. Though some may disagree, I believe my head outweighs my heart. His heart was always bigger than his head.
Timothy taught me to dance, got me hooked on restaurant work, and had a way of talking me into schemes I should have known better to avoid—like driving him and his best friend to a party because mom never said I couldn't take the car, never mind that I was only fourteen and unlicensed. In many ways, ours was a case of classic sibling rivalry. But our conflicts were always tempered with an abiding affection for each other. Being last in line, we experienced the most together. It was a treasure trove of memories none of the other siblings had in common. News of his death was like taking a .45-slug to the chest. The hole is still there.
My last conversation with him was a godsend. I was at work checking on one of our auxiliary warehouses when he called me on my cell phone. He was distraught over many things. He had recently been assaulted at a gas station by a group of thugs who felt he had cut them off on the highway. The experience had left him humbled and profoundly shaken. Our brother Eric, with whom we were both very close, had moved back to Spain. To make matters worse, the Spain we had grown up in no longer existed. Prone to nostalgia, the physical loss of the country he grew up in left his identity somewhat adrift. Last but not least, his little girl was going to be a legal adult and the chances of her deciding to move out to him were slim to none. There was really ever only one salve for our wounds: Jesus.
As I spoke with Timothy, we encouraged one another in our faith. I believe I helped him define his distress and in doing so, brought some relief. If the above leads you to believe that the conversation was sad and somber because of its content, then I can only surmise that the reader hasn't spent much personal time in the company of Larums. That is not our way. There are few traumas that we can't laugh our way through. Aside from the usual jocularity, the joy of this conversation was in the shared hearts of brothers who truly knew each other.
Timothy worked hard and played harder. He died of a heroin overdose. Mother said he must have been shocked to come to and see Jesus. She believed as I do that the high was his aim, not suicide. He was only forty-four years old.
Hard as John was to live with, Mother never fully recovered from his death. Timothy was the only honest-to-goodness mamma's boy among us. I feared she would sink in the sorrow of his passing and never return to us. She proved me wrong. She was always surprising like that. I had been casting about in my mind for how to broach the subject of God's mercy in Timothy's exit with her. She kindly beat me to the punch. "Sad as I am," she said, "I am thankful he went that way. Maybe God allowed it to save us all from something worse. What if he had gotten into an accident drunk behind the wheel and killed someone? He wouldn't have been able to live with that. I think God was merciful to us." That is what I mean by relief.
My earliest memory of Timothy and Michael is the same. Ron and Mike were playing catch with Tim in the living room of our California home. Timothy was the ball and he was having a blast. Having older brothers over six feet tall when you are a toddler is like having your own personal amusement park. If Timothy wasn't an adrenalin junkie at birth, he certainly was one by the age of three.
My next memory of Michael was of him working on our mother's car. It was an Opel coupe. I recall coming out of the house and walking down the driveway just in time to see him reach under the hood, pick the engine up, and set it down on the ground. Did I mention that Michael was big? Some people don't believe in giants. I grew up with them.
An imposing six-and-a-half feet tall, Michael was a gearhead and a consummate prankster. When Charles Manson was going helter-skelter, Michael was knocking on the neighbors' doors and keeling over with a toy knife protruding from his chest, his white t-shirt smeared with ketchup. I don't know if he ever encountered an engine he didn't think needed to come apart. He worked as a lumberjack, married young, had two children, and ultimately found his way to being employed by IBM. My grease monkey, lumberjack, giant of a brother wound up being an executive in a high-tech computer company. Folks who may consider me to be loud and perhaps a bit obnoxious have little appreciation for the din of brilliance I grew up under. As the baby, I had to be persistent to be heard. If that didn't work, I got louder.
Our last conversation was a godsend. Michael suffered a catastrophic stroke early in 2012. We were unsure at the time if he would survive it. He did, but not entirely. Strokes have a way of removing restraint on certain aspects of personality. Certain aspects of Michael's personality were in continual need of restraint. His wife and children were heroic in his care, but not without a price. Eventually, my nephew Matthew had to set Michael's phone to receive only. I had not called him in some time. My sister Barbara reached out to me to let me know Michael really wanted to hear from me. Were it not for her, I would have missed the opportunity.
I am ashamed to say that I never ventured out to California to see him in the nursing home. At first I was dealing with enough fires on the home front. But ultimately, it boiled down to plain selfishness. Selfishness and fear. I had made my way through cancer. I was weary of digging holes. I didn't possess the courage to see him that way. I kept my distance. I'm the baby, gotta love me.
I called Michael and we had a beautiful talk. He reminisced about his last visit to Virginia. I had taken my two oldest boys, Nikolai and Gavin, to play disc golf with my brother Eric. While we were chatting in the park, an old geezer who looked like a slightly run over Mark Twain shuffled his way to us and started talking to the boys. It was all I could do to keep a straight face. Michael had them going a good while before he stood up to his imposing full height and removed his Billy Bob teeth to reveal himself. We still laugh about it. The kids were so impressed that my wife bought Billy Bob teeth for all to wear when they met the new dentist. The gag worked great. Thanks, Michael!
We talked about that epic day in the park, about the time he came to my church, about the grace of God, about the love of family. In his bed, paralyzed from the waist down and a good chunk of his brain missing, Michael talked with me as a loving, older brother. He asked about my life, about my kids, about my plans. How does someone love like that? Here I was, almost put out to call him. There he was, laid low in a nursing home loving on his baby brother. It leaves me undone.
He wrestled with survival, unsure of whether he wanted to stay or go. When the news came, the feelings were familiar: sorrow and relief. His suffering was over. His time had come. Mom had a party in heaven, I am sure.
I know our times are in His hands. I believe in the imminent return of Jesus Christ and hope to experience having my mortality swallowed up by life. But if that doesn't happen in my lifetime, I know that my corruption will put on incorruption. All that being said, if I go before He comes the only one I want feeling any relief is the Devil. I want to be full of years and in a good old age. I want to be in the same shape as Moses, whose eye wasn't dim nor his natural force abated.
Rest in peace, my brothers. The days of our reunion will by far outweigh the days of our lives.


text:
2019 Update: HasOffers has rebranded to TUNE! TUNE is the same great technology behind HasOffers, now enhanced with new tools and features for affiliate networks and performance advertisers. Check out our new network features page, compare network pricing plans, or read the rebrand announcement.
The most common question we get asked at conferences and shows is whether HasOffers is an affiliate network. This is a very valid question, and we do understand the confusion. For starters, our name itself seems to imply that we "have offers." Additionally, we will often be mistakenly listed as "great networks to work with" on various lists. That being said, HasOffers is not a network. We've kept the name because we've had strong brand association in the performance marketing world since 2009.
Ad Networks Defined
So, what is a network? A network supports and manages business relationships on both sides of ad space supply and demand. Networks broker ad deals between advertisers and publishers or affiliates. In the typical network space, advertisers pay networks on a per conversion basis for an offer (like an app install, form signup, or product sale, for example). Then, the networks will broker off the offer to their affiliates and publishers and give them a cut of the per conversion payment. Thus, networks make the difference between the revenue that the advertiser pays them and the cost that they pay their affiliates. This difference is also known as profit.
HasOffers Provides Unbiased Tracking for Networks
So if we don't have offers, what do we have? HasOffers is a cloud-based, white-labeled SaaS company providing a platform to brands, agencies, and affiliate networks that enables them to track their performance marketing campaigns. We provide the back-end tracking to your affiliate program or network, but we don't have either ourselves! We intentionally made the decision not to have a network, or even a marketplace, in order to stay 100% unbiased in the industry.
Can you imagine if we had both a network AND a tracking solution that gave us access to all our competitors' network's data and conversion rates? What we've decided to do is remove ourselves from the services aspect of the industry, and focus on the solutions aspect. HasOffers is your solution for a quality, trustworthy technology for partners to manage their own affiliate program, but the key phrase here is "manage their own." Advertisers, agencies, and networks manage their affiliate programs, while HasOffers provides the backbone behind the programs- the technology, tracking, and industry best practices on how to use our platform.
Send Invoices Easily, and Other Benefits
The fee structure of a typical network and the HasOffers fee structure is another thing that differentiates our platform from an affiliate network. Though our platform does make it very simple for networks or advertisers to send invoices and payments to their partners, HasOffers does not take a cut of the payout. As a SaaS product, we charge a monthly fee for the technology we provide. This helps insure we will continue to provide unbiased tracking and allows us to focus on giving our clients the best possible solution out there. Most of our clients find this to be a huge cost savings to the traditional cut of payouts model, and are able to invest the savings in more marketing channels and technology.
HasOffers is a technology platform that scales with affiliate networks, providing a robust API that allows our clients to build on top of our software. Not only that, our solution is 100% white-labeled, so often networks (like Tyroo, or Crobo) will be powered by HasOffers but there's no way to tell. In those ways, HasOffers functions like an in-house system without having to spend the resources to build it yourself.
So remember, HasOffers is not an affiliate network; HasOffers does not "have offers." HasOffers powers networks, and our networks have offers!
Try HasOffers for free for 30 days.
Emily is an Account Manager at HasOffers. She received her bachelor's degree in Marketing from Western Washington University. In her spare time you can find her reading, hiking, running, and/or sipping on a gin martini.


text:
A pretty slow Wednesday evening musically, but at least there's a nice triple-bill of up-and-comers at Andy's for anyone who wants to head to Denton. And, if you're feeling sentimental, you can head to the arts district and catch a Peter Cetera-less Chicago playing with the DSO...
Lovesick Mary, The Young Maths and The Truth About Movie Stars at Andy's Bar in Denton
Headlining tonight's nifty triple bill at Andy's is Denton's own Lovesick Mary. The poppy quintet is fronted by Beth Lutz and sounds a bit like a less salacious version of Garbage. A bit more interesting is one of the opening acts: McAllen's The Young Maths. These guys play jagged indie rock that defies easy comparisons. The band has a couple of good EPs under its belt and is working on a full length. Songs such as "Sheets," "Gay Bars" and "Fingered on the Dance Floor" remind me of Kaiser Chiefs on crystal meth. Lastly, starting things off tonight will be Dallas' own The Truth About Movie Stars, an emo-ish quartet that recently released its debut full-length. Led by Kylan Savage and Tanner Evans, TTAMS is certainly worth getting to the venue a bit early for, as well. All in all, not a bad way to spend a hump day evening.
We Believe Local Journalism is Critical to the Life of a City
Engaging with our readers is essential to the Observer's mission. Make a financial contribution or sign up for a newsletter, and help us keep telling Dallas's stories with no paywalls.
Support Our Journalism
Chicago with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra at the Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center
The cheapest seats in the house for this event will run you 50 bones. The most expensive will run you $175. And this is all for a band that's performing without its iconic frontman, Peter Cetera, who left the band in the mid-'80s. Still, they're something of an inspiration.


text:
White Printed Kurta
Delivery may take from 5-7 days depending on your order and pin code.
Zola delivery partners will make a maximum of three attempts to deliver your order. In case the customer is not reachable or does not accept delivery of products in these attempts Zola reserves the right to cancel the order(s) at its discretion.
An estimated delivery time is displayed on the order confirmation page. On placing your order, you will receive an email containing a summary of the order and the estimated delivery time to your location.
Sometimes, delivery may take longer due to:
- Bad weather
- Flight delays
- Political disruptions
- Act of God like flood, earthquake, Tsunami etc
- Other unforeseen circumstances
In such cases, we will proactively reach out to you. Please check your emails and SMS regularly for such updates.
Also, we will not be able to compensate for any mental agony caused due to delay in delivery.
We may charge you with a shipping charge (inclusive of tax) in some cases. The communication shall be available to you at the time of placing the order.
In case of refund of the product, the refund of the shipping charges will be done as per the refund policy.
Impress your peers by wearing this white kurta from Zola. The band collar and the three-fourth sleeves enhance its look. The print makes it an alluring choice. Club it with a pair of leggings and wedges to complete the ensemble.
- Made from cotton fabric
- Band neck with 4 buttoned placket
- Three-quarter sleeves, Side slits
- Suitable for formal wear, ethnic wear
- Wash care: Hand wash


text:
Want to advertise on this website? Create your advert now.
Wood Rd, Tettenhall, Wolverhampton WV6 8LE, UK – 01902 754177
Came to the Nuffield for physiotherapy. My physio was fantastic - really helpful, genuine, didn't talk to me like a child (as I'd experienced in NHS), and had a plan for getting me back on my feet. I'm a professional dancer so I don't have time for injuries - my physio understood this and had me back to work quickly. Would definitely recommend.
The service was very good and efficient and I'm very satisfied with the outcome. The staff I met were friendly and welcoming
Park Rd W, Wolverhampton WV1 4PW, UK – 01902 444000
Very good hospital. My wife was having a treatment here and the staff were realy helpfull. I thank them for the good service.
Spent a month in Neuro Rehabilitation Unit where the staff were hard working & professional. Thank you.
39 Compton Rd W, Wolverhampton WV3 9DW, UK – 01902 774517
This Microportal is built on the 2day Microportals platform which provides you with 3 click access to local and global information crucial both to your personal and working life. The platform provides live local data on transport, what's on, accommodation, eating out, shopping, sport, religion and weather as well as comprehensive reference and resource sections including TV, radio, online shopping, route planning, health, education and more.
We are not responsible for the content of external internet sites to which any 2day supported sites are linked. We do not share any contact information with other providers. We use cookies to make our site work efficiently. More information on privacy and cookies.
Copyright © 2004–2020 2day Microportals, East Quither Farm, Milton Abbot, Tavistock, Devon, PL19 0PZ, UK.


text:
The brief descriptions below are designed to familiarize you with our staff's training, professional credentials and work experience.
David Greenblott, D.P.M.
Haverhill, MA and East Boston, MA Podiatrist
Merrimack Valley Foot Specialists
David Greenblott, D.P.M.
Haverhill, MA and East Boston, MA PodiatristMerrimack Valley Foot Specialists
Dr. Greenblott is a trained podiatric physician and reconstructive foot surgeon with experience treating foot pain and injuries. Combining years of specialized knowledge with a friendly personal manner. Dr. Greenblott provides a high quality compassionate care in the most relaxing setting possible.
- DPM Degree, New York College of Podiatric Medicine, 1993
- BE Degree,Northeastern University, 1986
Residency: Reconstructive foot and ankle surgery
- Wykcoff Heights Medical Center, Brooklyn, NY
- Jamaica Hospital Medical Center, Jamaica, NY
- Board Certified, American Board of Lower Extremity Surgery
Hospital Affiliations:
- Holy Family Hospity - Merrimack Valley, Methuen
- Anna Jaques Hospital
- Cambridge Hospital
- Somerville Hospital
- Whidden Hospital
"Coverage of soft tissue defects around the ankle with a local muscle
Flap" Accepted presentation for American College of foot and Ankle Surgeons Scientific
Seminar, March, 1996, New Orleans, Louisiana.
"The Periles of platforms" November, 1998, Channel 7 (WHDH
"Sports Injuries to the Feet" August, 2005, TV 22 (The Haverhill
Medical Journal)
"Ingrown Toe Nails" September, 2005, TV 22 (The Haverhill Medical
- "Fungal Toe Nails" January, 2006, TV 22 (The Haverhill Medical Journal)
- " Comprehensive Diabetic Foot Exams", 2013 ( Merrimack Valley Hospital- Meet the Expert Seminar)
- "Laser Therapy for Fungal Toe Nails" , 2015 ( Merrimack Valley Hospital - Meet the Expert Seminar)
- American Podiatric Medical Association
- Massachusetts Podiatric Medical Society
- American Academy Podiatric Practice Management
- Whittier IPA
- Steward Health Network
- Cambridge Health Alliance
- Sports Medicine - Dr. Greenblott competed and coached in collegiate athletics ( Soccer, Northeastern University, Suffolk University and St. Johns University) and continues to have a passion for assisting athletes in returning to their chosen sports as quickly as possible. Custom orthotics, aggressive physical therapy and proper foot gear can help athletes solve many foot problems. He remains very active as a team consultant for many athletic teams on the North shore.
- Reconstructive Foot Surgery - Dr. Greenblott completed a surgical residency in reconstructive foot and ankle surgery. He specializes in foot surgery for all ages.