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Did you know that an estimated 90% of used cars being sold in Kenya have their odometers (mileage meter) tampered with?
Well, these statistics are not scientific. I obtained them from representatives of two separate car dealers in Nairobi. They both surmised that 90% of used cars are tampered with before being sold off to unsuspecting motorists.
If you are plotting to buy a used car in the near future, please read on. You, too, if you already bought a car.
By law, a used car being imported is supposed to be inspected based upon documents from the country of origin. This documentation is usually accurate and reliable.
Upon being inspected by contracted agents such as the ever reliable JEVIC, the car's general condition is ascertained and published. The car's make, chassis number, odometer reading, etc. are also logged and registered with KEBS. This is a condition not just for…
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Lavender Tea With Lemon French Macarons
This recipe was inspired by Kelly's Tea Party for a Cause. "Electrolux and Kelly Ripa are proud to support the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund whose mission is to fund research to find a method of early detection and ultimately a cure for Ovarian Cancer. Electrolux has committed to donate $750,000 to this worthy cause." (From Kelly Confidential website).
Ovarian cancer is a tricky one for us ladies. The symptoms are mild and often mask as other non-cancer related issues. There is no effective screening test. And while science and early detection are improving the survival rate, this form of cancer is still a real and dangerous threat: "…ovarian cancer is the leading cause of death from gynecologic cancers in the United States and is the fifth leading cause of cancer death among American women. The National Cancer Institute estimates 21,850 women will be diagnosed with ovarian cancer in the United States in 2010 and about 13,580 women will die from the disease."
I've had a blast playing with recipes for this event, and when my fifth batch of French Macarons came together, I knew I wanted this to be my submission. Laced with subtle lavender and tart lemon, these are the perfect little delicate treats to balance on dainty fingers and follow with a cup of tea. And they're naturally gluten-free and dairy free (depending on the filling), so they're a treat for those of us with food intolerance.
Now macarons are tricky. This was my fifth and most successful try. Check out my blog posts on A Cup of Macaron and French Macarons Take One for tips on what did not work and what improved dramatically. What I'll stress here is to let your egg-whites sit for at least 24 hours, covered with a paper towel, at room temperature. This will help some of the water evaporate and the protein build. Also, when whipping egg whites, start on low and increase the speed, and do not overwhip. You want stiff peaks but a glossy batter.

subset: commoncrawl


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Oracle Database 12c: Database Administration Certification (OCA / OCP DBA)
This course provides an exhaustive coverage of SQL, Database Administration and Database Backup & Recovery.
152 Hrs.
Selection Procedure
- Oracle DBA Certification course is valuable for Database Administrators, database designers, data warehouse administrators and support engineers.
- Knowledge of Computer fundamentals and Linux Operating System is desired. Familiarity with basic programming concepts and experience with DBMS like Dbase or FoxPro is an added advantage.
Take Away: Can appear for Oracle DBA Certification Exams
- Oracle DBA Certification course is valuable for Database Administrators, database designers, data warehouse administrators and support engineers.
Objectives : You will learn to
- Oracle Database 12c: Introduction to SQL training will help you to write sub-queries, combine data from multiple tables using joins and set operators, generate report containing aggregated data using group functions through hands-on labs.
- Oracle Database 12c: Administration Workshop will help you to understand the Oracle database architecture and processes, manage an Oracle database instance, configure the Oracle network configurations, create and manage storage structures, move data, create and manage users, manage database performance. You will acquire set of skills that are required for working as an expert DBA through hands-on labs.
- Oracle Database 12c R2: Backup and Recovery Workshop will help you to develop appropriate backup and recovery procedures to address your business needs, configure backup and recovery settings and perform backup operations using RMAN, implement database recovery procedures to recover from media and other failures, diagnose and repair data failures, use Flashback Technologies and database duplication for effective backup and recovery procedures, ensure maximum availability of your database with the help of appropriate backup and recovery strategies. You will acquire set of skills that are required to protect database against various failures and recovery of database as an expert DBA through hands-on labs.
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- Organize – All your stuff, when you want it. Order, label, find, and view your photos your way.
- Edit – Amazing photos-no experience needed. Make quick edits, add artistic touches like a pro, or transform your photos to show your vision. Photoshop Elements can guide you through or do it for you.
- Create – Be the creative one in the family. Make photo books, scrapbooks, and cards to share lasting memories.
- Share – Share a photo album right to a web gallery for friends and family everywhere to enjoy. And be social-share to Facebook, YouTube, Vimeo, Twitter, and more.
- Go – Sync your mobile photos with Elements and your Elements photos with your mobile devices, so you can access any memory anywhere.
Adobe Photoshop Elements 13 EN Retail 1U 65237742 Software Utilities Software


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Quick Links
A-Z | Portals | Course Login | Webmail
Hegel's notion of Dialectic
Various Examples of Dialectic
The Example of the Family, Civil Society, and State
Marx's version of the Family, Civil Society, and the State in Capitalism
Hegel noticed that many things develop, not linearly, but in a certain complex pattern. As babies grow, they don't just continuously add weight, height, and vocabulary (say, 5 pounds, 4 inches, a hundred words, and 5% of adult self-consciousness and self-discipline per year). And it's not just that it occurs in spurts.
Instead, children develop some of their most important characteristics by stages of reorganization. (Biologists agree. In fetal development and in the first few years, neurons and neuronal connections multiply rapidly. But then many of the connections are "pruned," and some of the remaining connections are strengthened, as the brain sculpts itself according to its own experiences! Incidentally, this is one reason why simplistic genetic determinism just won't work.)
Psychologically, children develop in interactions with others. Paradoxically, children achieve individuality and freedom not by being isolated, but by interacting with other people in progressively more complex and mature ways.
Hegel thought of this in terms of a series of stages ( or "moments") of conflict and resolution, conflict and resolution. Here's the abstract version:
....................2. Antithesis
1. Thesis...................
Hegel saw this pattern, the dialectic, in many things: in organisms' growth and development, in psychological growth, in political history, in art history . . . Once you look at some examples, it'll come to life, and you'll sense why so many people have found it such a useful idea.
A) Emotional development in early childhood:
Thesis: The baby is spontaneously hungry, or curious, or uncomfortable, or empathetic, etc.. She lives in a kind of instinctive connectedness with everything around her. She isn't self-conscious, yet. Nor is she yet capable of real autonomy, real initiative. To achieve these, she must develop a sense of separateness as well as a sense of connectedness.
Antithesis: That sense of separateness usually starts developing around the second birthday, hence "the terrible twos." This phase has been aptly described as "the no-saying phase." The child must discover that she can refuse to obey her parents; she can decline proferred food, gifts, and so on; she can surprise her parents by violating their expectations. This stage is highly inconvenient for the poor parents, but it is necessary for the child to get a sense of herself as distinct from her environment, of herself as capable of acting on that environment and making conscious choices about it. Notice that as the child grew, tendencies that didn't fit into her previous habits of behavior and thought began to emerge. Her previous way of experiencing things was not fully adequate. Its own felt lack of balance caused the opposing tendencies to show themselves. The tensions within this old way of experiencing things (its "inherent internal contradictions") propelled her into this "no-saying" stage in order to achieve a resolution of those tensions.
Synthesis: Eventually, she'll combine both the sense of connectedness and the sense of separateness, to form a more complex, more articulated self. She'll be able to distinguish herself and her mother, say, and be able to achieve a real closeness with her. In fact, paradoxically, the two people might become even closer. Now the child can begin to appreciate her mother as a separate individual, and this allows for greater and more mature love and intimacy.
(A similar dialectic of rebellion and resolution occurs later, of course, during adolescence.)
B) Kitten instead, they are focused towards food, etc..
Sweet but sort of boring, to tell the truth.
Antithesis: At about 4 weeks old, they start to play, to play-fight, to play- stalk. Sometimes they get carried away with play-fighting. (In fact, we have one rather abnormal cat who excelled at this stage as a tiny kitten and then never grew out of it. We suspect that the evil Binky is part Siamese, or possibly part Pit Bull.)
Synthesis: both options, cuddly companion and competing predator, are now available depending on the circumstances. There's a new level of choice. (Except for poor demented Binky.)
C) Compassion (I owe this example to James Kimble, Ph.D., professor emeritus of the University of Colorado at Boulder):
One here is addressing suffering, but one must keep respect for victim's dignity clearly in mind, so as not to slip over into a demeaning pity. (Note: this is not a balance or medium between poles of extremes, but a genuine conflict.)
Thesis: empathy, which can degenerate into disrespect.
Antithesis; respect, distance.
Synthesis: compassion and respect, acknowledging difference.
D) Human freedom
Thesis: Merely "negative" freedom is the rather empty freedom of a despot to follow his whims with no external control. It is arbitrary and irrational, immature.
Antithesis: Tyranny: the situation of the despot's subjects: simply a lack of any say in one's life, being determined by someone else.
Synthesis: "Positive" freedom, or self-determination, e.g. (according to Hegel) emerging in the Athenian democracy, and in 18th and 19th century Europe. Here individualism is highly valued, and is simultaneously part of the state. The individual has a say in the rational laws of the land; thus, in obeying the state's laws, one is obeying oneself, is self-determined, free in a much richer sense than the despot's empty, infantile freedom.
The Example of the Family, Civil Society/Work, and State
Family (kinship, solidarity)
Civil Society/Work (individualism, competition)
State (both solidarity and individualism)
Family: Here, one is loved and accepted for one's kinship. "Your family will always love you." One achieves a basic self-consciousness as an individual while still identifying with the family.
(Historically, Hegel cites the ancient Homeric society based on kinship.)
Civil society/work (Die Burgerliche Gesellschaft): Here, in work, commerce, the market, the individual can distinguish him or herself in a new way, not just by kinship, but in work achievements, or in competition with others. More individuality is possible.
(Historically, classical Athenian democracy, i.e. a society based on individual citizens supporting the ruler. Classical Athens felt the conflict between family and civil society, and e.g. Sophocles expressed this conflict in his "Antigone," Hegel's favorite play. )
The state (as in nation or country, Der Staat): Here we have a sense of loyalty and belonging, identification, patriotism -- similar to belonging to a family. But we also simultaneously have the independence and autonomy characteristic of how we develop in civil society. (After all, we vote in private booths.) This synthesis allows us the freedom and self-discipline to evaluate our government's policies, and to participate in setting those policies. (Notice that this is more than just a collection of diverse individuals, who might well feel no need to abide by the law, the will of the majority. It involves patriotism and solidarity, as well as individualism.)
(Historically, Hegel believes this synthesis is only achieved with the 18th- 19th century European constitutional monarchy nation-state.)
Here the subject of history, the thing that is propelling all this forward, is not a single organism but human Geist, or Spirit, evolving towards maturity in different cultures. When we speak of humanity as growing or advancing, we are intuiting the same thing. What Hegel would call the evolving Spirit is implied in every bit of optimistic science fiction, from "Star Trek" on.
Marx agrees with Hegel that human history tends to proceed along dialectical patterns.
However, he thinks that it is propelled not by an evolving Spirit of humanity, but simply by economic forces. And the conflicts in this particular dialectic aren't really between ideas or aspects of culture, solidarity versus individualism, or anything so airy or theoretical. The conflicts are the plain, sometimes violent conflicts of opposing economic groups, of different classes, and the conflict is created by any economic group exploiting or oppressing another economic group (which is inevitable if there are different economic groups, according to Marx):
Slaves versus slave owners,
Commoners versus aristocracy,
Landless peasants versus landowners,
Working class versus consuming class.
Marx also rejects Hegel's analysis of three levels of society: In capitalism, these are not genuine. They are a fraud, a mere misleading ideology aimed at giving the status quo an appearance of legitimacy. Instead, if we look carefully, it's "civil society," i.e. the economy, that is really behind the other two categories.
The economy determines what form the family will take (more than one wife? a household of many servants and retainers?).
The economy is also the real power behind the apparently representative state, as long as economic power is not also held democratically. Laws made even by legislators acting in the best of faith will inevitably tend to support the interests of those in economic power.
So power isn't really vested in elected officials. Power is really vested in the most wealthy, in their civil-society role as self-seeking plutocrats. The appeal to patriotism is merely an ideological smokescreen.
"State" (the government protecting the interests of the most wealthy)
Civil $ociety
The Most Powerful in the Economy
"Family" (rich households include servants; poorer households are determined by the economy, directly or indirectly)
Now, each of these different economic groups or classes may develop their own ideologies, which then seem to compete with each other as if in a war of ideas. The opposing ideas are mere symptoms of the real opposition, though, which occurs at the level of real economic power. (Feuerbach was another follower of Hegel, along with Marx, but Feuerbach tended to focus on the ideas alone. This is why Marx is so harsh in criticizing Feuerbach as an example of the worst of the overly theoretical "German Ideology.")
The economic conflicts do behave according the rules of the dialectic, according to Marx. Thus, each new ruling class will "sow the seeds of its own destruction" by triggering its own antithesis. Here's a quick example. Marx thought that business owners would aim to get their workers more educated, since the workers would then be more productive. However, a more educated workforce is dangerous to capitalistic interests, since the workers will then be in a better position to recognize that they are being exploited and to take action to stop it. By acting according to their own self-interest in the classic Adam Smithian way, these business owners are in the long run unwittingly destroying the subservience that allows their status to continue.
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Accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. All trademarks are registered property of the University. Used by permission only.


text: Andreas, There are also a lot of places between the Bay Area of California and Vancouver BC. If you plan on driving the I-5 highway north, consider taking a "rest" stop in Medford, Oregon (just over the Cali/Oregon border) even if you don't stop to play. I'd be glad to meet a fellow looper and extend a little hospitality. Write back (off list of course) anytime if you're interested. Best regards, tEd ® kiLLiAn http://www.pfmentum.com/flux.html http://www.CDbaby.com/cd/tedkillian http://www.guitar9.com/fluxaeterna.html http://www.garageband.com/artist/ArsOcarina http://www.netmusic.com/web/album.aspx?a_id=CBNM_17314 http://www.indiejazz.com/ProductDetailsView.aspx?ProductID=193


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Chablis Wine Washed Soft Cheese 200g
Made by: Gaugry
Sold by: Harvey & Brockless
Country of Origin: France
Made by: Gaugry
Sold by: Harvey & Brockless
Country of Origin: France
Soft cow's milk cheese washed with Chablis wine. This 16th century recipe from Burgundy is giving us a subtle sweet flavour and the sticky orange exterior covers a rich, creamy paste.
Based on authentic craft know-how in accordance with tradition, the maturing of this cheese with white Chablis gives it its subtle flavour.
Milk Type: Cow
Cheese Type: Soft washed rind cheese
Pasteurised/Unpasteurised: Unpasteurised
Suitable for Vegetarians: No
Rind Type: Washed rind with Chablis white wine
Country of Origin: France
Region: Burgundy
Producer: Gaugry
Produced by: Gaugry
Chablis Gaugry originated in the Auxerois region in the heart of Burgundy and was created in the 16th century by a religious community based in the village of Epoisses (Cistercian monks). These monks gave the complex knowledge of how to produce this washed rind soft cheese to the women of the region, which is why writings on the subject refer to "fermières" (lady farmers). The secret to producing this cheese was handed down from generation to generation, and now forms part of the French Burgundian heritage.
Today the Fromagerie Gaugry still specialises in the production of washed rind soft cheeses, and its successors perpetuate the familial and regional cheese making tradition while at the same time expanding and modernising production. Thus the Fromagerie Gaugry promotes one of the most flavoursome Burgundian cheeses thanks to their perfectly mastered know-how.
We aim to complete all orders received before 9am for a next day delivery unless you have requested a different delivery date. Orders received after 9am will be prepared and dispatch the following day for a delivery the day after.
Because most of our goods are perishable, your order will be packed in an insulated cardboard box filled with ice packs. We send goods by overnight carrier to destinations on the GB mainland only for a delivery by 16.00. We can deliver to your home or place of work, and to the home or work-place of your relatives, friends or colleagues. We must have a complete post code and telephone number for every delivery address. We can deliver on, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays ONLY.
Because most of our products are perishable, we highly recommend that you provide us with an alternative delivery instruction for any private address; such as "leave in porch/on step/with a neighbour/behind the bins". Please take great care when stipulating delivery locations, addresses and dates, because once these have been entered and you have received a confirmation email for your order, they cannot be changed.
Please make sure your order is stored in refrigerated storage/fridge as soon as it has been delivered.
Made from cow's milk.
|Typical value
|Per serving (200g)
|Per 100g
|Energy Content (kj)
|Energy Content (kcal)
|Fat (g)
|- of which saturates (g)
|- of which mono-unsaturates (g)
|- of which polyunsaturates (g)


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Fix iPhone Stuck on Verifying Update during iOS 10 Upgrade
by Jenefey Aaron Updated on 2019-07-25 / Update for iOS 10
"I was updating my iPhone to iOS 10, but it failed verification and now my phone is stuck on "verifying updates" on the lock screen. I can't even shut it off completely because it will not let me slide the power off button. I even connected into my macbook air, but nothing happened. Any help is appreciated to fix this issue. Thank You! "
As the iOS 10 newly releases, iPhone always keeps prompting us to upgrade. We follow (Setting >> General >> Software update) and try to install iOS 10, but sometimes iPhone just stuck on verifying update continuously as some users have reported the issue to me. The problem is common for iPhone X/8/7 (Plus)/SE/6s (Plus)/6 (Plus)/5s/5/4s/4.
How to fix verifying update stuck on lock screen? Here I have sorted out two useful solutions to relieve your worries. Read on and find the answer!
- Method1. Fix iPhone Stuck on Verifying Update iOS 10 with Hard Reset
- Method2. Fix iOS 10 Stuck on Verifying Update with Tenorshare iCareFone
Method1. Fix iPhone Stuck on Verifying Update iOS 10 with Hard Reset
1. Hold down the "Home" button and "Sleep/Wake" button simultaneously.
2. Keep holding on these buttons until the screen turned off. Then release the buttons once apple logo shows up.
3. Wait and iPhone would boot up back to the main screen.
This is the most common way to fix iPhone stuck on verifying update iOS 10.3/10.2/10.1/10/9.3/8.3/8.1/8. When it's done, go to Settings > General > About to check whether you are on iOS 10. If not, repeat the upgrade process. Also, you can download and install the update package with iTunes to your computer. Some people might worry about the security of information in hard reboot, generally speaking it does not erase your data, and to back up your phone usually (through iCloud or other third party tools) would be a good habit.
Method2. Fix iOS 10 Stuck on Verifying Update with Tenorshare iCareFone
If the method above does not work or you worry about whether it would do any damage to your iPhone, I recommend you to try on Tenorshare iCareFone, the all-in-one tool to fix verifying stuck and iPhone/iPad stuck at apple logo/endless reboot/recovery mode/DFU mode when installing an iOS update. Here is how it works.
Step1. Connect your iPhone to your computer >> launch Tenorshare iCareFone >> Go to "Fix iOS Stuck" section on the interface.
Step2. Click "Enter Recovery Mode" to put your iPhone into recovery mode.
Step3. Once you see your iPhone display the classic USB to iTunes logo, you've successfully enter the recovery mode. Then hit the button "Exit Recovery Mode" to reboot your device to normal state.
It is done. Also there are more functions in Tenorshare iCareFone for you to explore, for you can manage 9 types of files FREE, optimize your iDevice, backup & restore your device, remove Ads and repair operating system all in this tool. Try on this fascinating software and it won't let you down. Thank you for your reading.


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U-S-A! Top Cars with the Most North American Parts Content
When it comes to American cars, the Dodge Avenger is about as pure as you can get, as a 2014 report by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports the sedan sources 76 percent of its parts content from the U.S. and Canada. Below, we've compiled the top 10 cars with the most North American parts content.
There's no surprise the list is dominated by General Motors, Chrysler, and Ford cars, but some may be surprised to discover that some Honda and Toyota cars have as many North American-made parts as cars from the Detroit three. For example, the Avalon and Camry are listed as having 75 percent parts content from the U.S. and Canada, the same amount as the SRT Viper, Chevrolet Corvette, and Impala fleet car. Also worth noting is the fact that parts content percentage can vary within a single model range. For example, the Chrysler 200 sedan's parts content totals 74 percent, while its drop-top counterpart totals 73 percent. Extra goodies that come with different trim levels can also bump down the parts content total. The CTS is listed as having 70 percent, but the CTS Premium drops it down to 65 percent.
Those with fewer than 5 percent North American parts content include several Porsches, Audis, Volkswagens, and Volvos, while it appears you won't find even one American-made part in the Mercedes-Benz lineup.
The list comes from data automakers are required by law to submit, thanks to the American Automobile Labeling Act, and parts content percentages change from one year to the next. Last year, for example, the Toyota Avalon had 80 percent of its content derived from the U.S. and Canada, up 5 percent compared to the 2014 report. Keep in mind that this list only includes cars. Be sure to check back for a separate post on trucks, SUVs, and vans with the most North American parts content.
1. Dodge Avenger - 76%
2. SRT Viper, Chevrolet Corvette, Chevrolet Impala (fleet), Toyota Avalon, Toyota Camry - 75%
3. Chrylser 200 Convertible - 74%
4. Chrylser 200 Sedan - 73%
5. Dodge Charger - 71%
6. Chrylser 300, Cadillac CTS, Chevrolet Camaro, Honda Accord - 70%
7. Dodge Challenger - 69%
8. Buick LaCrosse, Buick Regal, Chevrolet Impala, Chevrolet Malibu - 66%
9. Ford Mustang, Ford Taurus, Cadillac ATS, Cadillac CTS (Premium), Honda Civic - 65%
10. Dodge Dart -62%
Source: NHTSA


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Walking through Las Ramblas is a must activity for any tourist visiting Barcelona. During the tour you can find many curious things to see and find many picturesque places, Here's the most interesting thing you can do during your tour of this street and why it is so visited.
Plaça Catalunya
We recommend start your journey along the promenade from the famous square of Las Ramblas, Barcelona as it is very easy to reach this place using any public transport in Barcelona. In addition to relax and admire the square a moment you will find popular shopping centers among which the English Court and the Apple Store (both are located around the square).
Posts Sales and Tourist Information
Once you leave the Plaza Catalunya and start your tour of La Rambla you will find many stalls selling of various items to tourists as souvenirs, books, flowers, maps and postcards of the city. Along La Rambla there any tourist information offices located in strategic areas.
Street Artists
Definitely a major attraction of Las Ramblas is the street performers that are located along this popular route and offer at tourists a moment of entertainment with their original costumes. You can find other kind, are street artists who sell their works to the public and even offered to draw a portrait in minutes.
Sights that can be found along La Rambla
During his tour of Rambla you will find many attractions like the Boqueria Market is well known for being the oldest market in Barcelona and where you can find many typical Spanish products at great prices. Another point of interest is that you can find the viewpoint de La Plaza Colón where you can quickly go to the Port of Barcelona, the Maremagnum shopping center and the attractive Barcelona Aquarium.
During his tour of Las Ramblas you will see and do many interesting things. Although the hotel offers of accommodation near La Rambla are relatively more expensive than elsewhere in Barcelona it's worth staying in this area for the various attractions and places of interest that can be found just minutes from the hotel.
Would you like to visit this destination? At ebooking.com you'll find the best deals on hotels in Barcelona.


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The Twisted Series by L.L. Collins:
Twisted Souls (Twisted #1) Releasing March 3, 2015
Twisted Paths (Twisted #2) Releasing April 7, 2015
Cover Designs by Marisa-rose Shor with Cover Me, Darling
What if your soul is so intertwined with someone else's that it's impossible to imagine yourself without them?
Blake McIntyre and Liane Kelly's families have spent their vacations together on Sanibel Island their entire lives, and the two have always been the best of friends. But as they get ready to go to college, they admit that friendship isn't enough for them anymore and spend a whirlwind two weeks daring to dream of their future together.But building sandcastles and lazy beach walks filled with moonlight kisses isn't the same as real life, and soon they are faced with a new reality. Can their hope of forever survive past their summer, or does fate have its own twisted plan?
Add Twisted Souls to Goodreads
***NOT A STANDALONE. THIS IS MEANT TO BE READ AFTER BOOK #1, TWISTED SOULS***Life is a series of choices, and every one we make sends us down a different path… It is easy to look back at your life and see the mistakes you've made and wonder how it all could've been different. But when the path you thought would last forever comes to an end and you have to choose a new one, do you follow the route that looks the straightest and easiest? Or do you follow your heart and choose the one that might have more twists and turns but could lead you to the happiest tomorrows?
Add Twisted Paths to Goodreads
Author Bio
LL Collins is a teacher who loves spending her days in the Florida sun with her husband and boys, reading, and writing. Her love of writing has found a home in the self-publishing world. The Bestselling Living Again series: Living Again, Reaching Rachel, Guarding Hearts, Finding Forever, and Breaking Free: A Living Again Novella are available now in both eBook and paperback, and her new two book series, The Twisted Series, will be releasing in Spring 2015. LL has been writing since she was old enough to write. Always a story in her head, she finally decided to let the characters out and start writing and try to make her lifelong dreams of becoming an author come true. She has been a teacher for over ten years, a wife for 15, and a mom to two boys, 12 and 10.


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WooCommerce Inventory Management
WooCommerce Inventory Management Software For Your Growing Business
Allow Finale Inventory to easily track of inventory stock levels so you can focus on the other aspects of your business
Finale's WooCommerce Inventory management solution has the ability to manage your inventory from your WooCommerce orders in two common configurations. The first configuration allows for a direct connection between your WooCommerce store(s) and Finale. WooCommerce orders are automatically synced to Finale where it will make the proper stock adjustments and keep your inventory up-to-date.
Any quantity changes resulting from a stock operation (e.g. positive adjustments from a PO shipment or a negative adjustment to a sales shipment) will be updated to WooCommerce within five minutes to mitigate overselling.
Integration with WooCommerce takes seconds to connect WooCommerce and Finale Inventory. There are no changes required to your current WooCommerce account to immediately start syncing orders to Finale Inventory and effectively managing your inventory.
If you are leveraging ShipStation for your fulfillment needs, Finale Inventory's ShipStation integration makes both inventory management and shipping easier than ever.
A common pattern for e-commerce companies using ShipStation is to accept orders from several marketplaces like your WooCommerce store, eBay, and Amazon and to manage the warehouse shipment process of those orders using ShipStation, marking the orders as shipped when done. Nowhere in this process, however, is a record kept of how many items a company has on hand at any given time.
If your company has this shipping process, you can add Finale Inventory to keep track of your stock on hand without changing anything about your existing backend process. Using ShipStation's API, Finale communicates with ShipStation behind the scenes to manage your inventory as orders are being shipped in ShipStation and will subsequently auto update stock levels on your WooCommerce store.
Integration with Finale literally takes seconds to set-up. The only thing required is your ShipStation login credentials. There are NO changes required to your current ShipStation configuration to immediately start syncing orders to Finale Inventory and effectively managing your inventory.
Benefits Using Finale's WooCommerce Inventory Management Solution
There are many benefits to using the software as your WooCommerce Inventory Management solution.
Auto Updating your WooCommerce store
Finale will manage customer orders from WooCommerce store and other channels. Finale will keep track of all stock levels and will auto-update stock levels back to stock quantities to WooCommerce store and across your other online channels every five minutes to prevent overselling.
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Multiple Marketplace Support. Effectively manage your inventory from multiple marketplaces (e.g. Etsy, eBay, Amazon, and WooCommerce) via ShipStation. We support every marketplace ShipStation supports. When ShipStation adds a new marketplace, we will automatically support it.
Support allowing multiple SKUs for a unique Product ID. When you are selling products in different marketplaces (e.g. Amazon and Walmart), you may be forced to have different SKUs for the same product. Many customers manage this unnecessary complexity with Excel worksheets. Finale Inventory handles this with a couple mouse clicks and properly keeps tracks on your inventory.
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Product Kitting. Present more selling options to your prospective customers by setting up kits or bundles from your existing products.
Avoid Stock Outs. Keep your business humming along by creating product count thresholds to know what needs to be reordered to avoid costly stock-outs.
Status Change Automation. When products are back ordered, orders containing those products are typically marked as "On Hold" in ShipStation. When those products are received in your warehouse and recorded in Finale, Finale is able to push a status change and quickly change the orders from "On Hold" to "Waiting" in ShipStation with a single mouse click.


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Admissions FAQ
- What is the statistical information for this year's entering class?
- Must I use the Law School Admission Council's Letter of Recommendation Service?
- What are the application deadlines?
- What is the early decision application process?
- May I submit an addendum to my application?
- What is the earliest date I can submit my application?
- When do you begin reviewing files?
- When will I be notified of your decision?
- How are applicants notified of the decision?
- When are scholarships awarded?
- Are you a rolling admission school?
- Who is on the Admissions Committee? How does it work?
- If I have previously applied, do I need to re-register with Credential Assembly Service?
- How are multiple LSAT scores treated?
- How long should my personal statement be? What should it contain?
- What undergraduate course of study is best?
- How long is my LSAT score valid?
- Do you offer a part-time or evening program?
- Do you offer any dual degree programs?
- How can I set up a visit to the law school?
- What if English is not my Native Language?
What is the statistical information for the Class of 2022* (current entering class)?
The median undergraduate GPA for the Class of 2022 is 3.60 with the 25th and 75th percentile distribution between 3.42 and 3.80, respectively. The median LSAT for the class is 160 with the 25th and 75th percentile distribution between 157 and 162, respectively.
*Current as of September 3, 2019
Must I use the Law School Admission Council's (LSAC) Letter of Recommendation service?
The Office of Admission prefers that candidates use the LSAC Letter of Recommendation service, but it is not required. If candidates use the service, please use the forms provided by the Law School Admission Council. If a recommender submits the letter directly to us, we request that they use the S.J. Quinney College of Law letter of recommendation form.
What is the earliest date candidates can submit applications?
Candidates may submit their application as early as September 1.
What are the application deadlines?
To meet the deadlines, candidates must submit the application form, the application requirements, and the $60 application fee through the Law School Admission Council website. Applications submitted to LSAC for transmission to this law school will be considered post-marked on the day they are electronically submitted.
Applications may be submitted beginning on September 1 (the date our law school application opens). The J.D. program has three (3) application deadlines:
2020 – 2021
- Early Decision application deadline: October 20, 2020
*The early decision application is a binding process; thus, if a candidate applies, and is subsequently admitted, he/she commits to enrolling at and attending the University of Utah S.J. Quinney College of Law. If a candidate submits his/her completed early decision application by October 20, he/she will be notified of their application status by November 10.
2020 – 2021
- Regular Admission process recommended application deadline: January 15, 2021
- Regular Admission process final application deadline for the: March 10, 2021
We recommend that candidates complete their file by January 15. All applications submitted and completed by March 10 will be reviewed during the regular admission process.
To meet the deadlines, candidates must submit the application form and the $60 application fee through the Law School Admission Council website. Applications submitted to LSAC for transmission to this law school will be considered post-marked on the day they are electronically submitted.
What is the Early Decision Application process?
The Early Decision Program (EDP) is designed for law school applicants who have determined that the S.J. Quinney College of Law is their first-choice law school. This decision—establishing the S.J. Quinney College of Law as one's first-choice law school—should be the result of fully researching law school options. If after investigating law schools and determining that S.J. Quinney College of Law is your first-choice law school, you may then wish to apply through the EDP. NOTE: The EDP is a binding application program. This means that applicants applying through this program during the 2020-21 admission cycle, commit to enrolling at S.J. Quinney College of Law for 2021 Fall semester if admitted. You may read more about the EDP by clicking here.
May I submit an addendum to my application?
Yes. You can electronically submit any information you think will be helpful in the evaluation process. For example, you may submit abstracts, published papers or articles, statements, or essays, etc.
When does the S.J. Quinney College of Law begin reviewing files?
The committee begins reviewing files in early November.
When will applicants be notified of the admission decision?
After the committee begins reviewing files (in early November), decisions are generally made six (6) to eight (8) weeks after the date the applicant completes and submits the application. NOTE: If an applicant completes and submits his/her application before the admission committee begins reviewing applications, a decision on the file will not be made until six (6) to eight (8) weeks after early November.
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How are applicants notified of the admission decision?
Applicants are notified of a decision by mail. The Office of Admission will not email decisions or give them over the phone.
When are scholarships awarded?
In the regular admissions process, merit scholarships are awarded beginning in late January. NOTE: Scholarships notifications are sent separately from the admissions decision. All accepted candidates are considered for merit scholarships on the basis of their applications. Need-based scholarships require a separate application form that is made available to all admitted students. Need-based scholarships are typically awarded in late spring. For information on average awards for merit and need-based scholarships, please click here. There are also a number of privately-funded merit-based scholarships, fellowships and stipend programs available to second- and third-year students.
Are you a rolling admission school?
Yes, applications are reviewed on a rolling basis between early November and March.
Who is on the Admissions Committee? How does it work?
The Admissions Committee is composed of rotating law faculty and the Associate Dean for Admissions. All files are reviewed in their entirety. There are no automatic "admit" or "deny" categories based on LSAT scores or undergraduate GPA. While there is an emphasis on a candidate's academic record, the S.J. College of Law employs a holistic review of all applicant files, evaluating a multitude of factors beyond the LSAT and undergraduate GPA. Each committee member reviews applications individually; the committee does not meet as a body to discuss applicants.
If I have previously applied, do I need to re-register with the Credential Assembly Service?
All applicants must have an active CAS subscription. The CAS subscription is good for five (5) years. If your CAS subscription has lapsed, you will need to register again at www.lsac.org.
How are multiple LSAT scores treated?
In situations where a candidate has multiple LSAT scores, the S.J. College of Law will presumptively use the highest score. The reviewer, however, may use the average score if information in the file indicates that the average score is the most appropriate measure of the candidate's skills.
How long should my personal statement be? What should it contain?
There is no page limit. Most statements, however, are generally two-to-three typed double-spaced pages. An applicant should not feel confined to just two or three pages if he/she feels more space is needed to convey the information necessary to fully inform the reviewer. Candidates should use good judgement in determining the appropriate length of their statement. We leave the information to include up to the candidate. It can take any form he/she chooses. We use the personal statement to evaluate a candidate's writing skill. The candidate should include anything he/she wishes to tell the admission committee about him or herself beyond test scores and grade point averages. Candidates should let the admissions committee know who the candidates are— unique strengths, talents, experiences, motivations, and aspirations. It's the candidate's opportunity to tell the admissions committee why, beyond his/her academic qualifications, the admission committee should admit him/her. Candidates should be creative and spend adequate time on their statement. If the candidate is very accomplished and has an extensive work background, he/she should not try to cram all of it in. Instead, he/she should expand on a few experiences or facts in detail.
What undergraduate course of study is best?
There is no pre-law curriculum, no magic formula. It is, however, vital that law students have a mastery of the English language. We look closely at the candidate's transcript. Candidates should undertake an undergraduate program that develops their ability to speak and write about concepts clearly; their capacity to read complex material with precise understanding and attention to detail; and the power to reason, weigh facts, and solve problems. Candidates should choose courses that are challenging and are taught by instructors who insist on high standards of intellectual performance. In the humanities, it might be a major in English, political science, philosophy, or history. In the sciences, it might be physics, mathematics, biology, or chemistry. In engineering, it might be computing, materials science, or civil engineering. The curriculum the candidates choose (as well as the other activities they are involved in) should expose them to broad cultural experiences and a critical understanding of human values and institutions.
How long is my LSAT score valid?
For five years. For example, for candidates applying for the 2019 Fall semester, valid test scores are not considered farther back than those dated September 2014.
Do you offer a part-time or evening program?
No. Our program is a full-time day-only program. The program begins during the Fall semester.
Do you offer any dual degree programs?
Yes. We offer six (6) dual-degree programs: JD/MBA, JD/MPP, JD/MPA, JD/MRED, JD/MCMP and JD/MSW. For more information on these programs, please click here.
How can I set up a visit to the law school?
We offer class visits and tours for prospective students during the regular school year. Information on how to set up a visit can be found on the Visit link.
What if English is not my Native Language?
Applicants whose native language is not English must submit official test results from the TOEFL exam. The exam must have been administered 12 months from the time of the law school application. Candidates must contact the Educational Testing Service (ETS) and request that their TOEFL score be sent to LSAC to be incorporated into their Credential Assembly Service (CAS) report. TOEFL scores will be included in the International Credential Evaluation Document. LSAC's TOEFL code for the CAS is 8395. NOTE: Candidates are not required to submit a TOEFL score if they have received a baccalaureate or graduate degree from an accredited U.S. college or university.


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Commercial Concrete in Dallas, Texas and Metroplex
ACT Concrete is commited to providing excellent customer service to all our general contractors or business owner. We have worked for some of the following major corporations: Circuit City, Hancock Fabrics, Tuesday Mornings, Sams Wholesale, Don Miguel Foods, McDonalds, Labatt Foods, Golf Courses and many others. Below is a list of some of the commercial concrete projects we have worked on.
|Paint Striping
|Golf Course Flumes and Drainage systems
|Golf Course Concrete Work
|Parking Lots
|ADA Handicap Ramps
|Concrete Cleaning
|Concrete Sealing
|Indoor Cut-outs and Fill
|Ball Field Fence Curbing
|Concrete Demolition


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Status: Closed
Know more about this business than we do? Cool! Please submit any corrections or missing details you may have.Help us make it right
Be the first OregonLive.com user to add photos or videos of Clip IT & Co Barber Shop & Hair Salon
Clip IT & Co Barber Shop & Hair Salon is located at 9225 SE Clackamas Rd, Clackamas, OR. This location is in the Clackamas neighborhood. This business specializes in Barbers.


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Credible Salem Law Firm Helps People with Estate Planning Strategies
The untimely passing of Hollywood actor Paul Walker in late November 2013 left a significant impact on the entertainment industry, especially among those he worked with in the Fast and the Furious movie franchise. It also posed some issues with passing down his estate to his family, according to Forbes contributors Andy and Danielle Mayoras. Both authors noted some cues are worth accounting for when preparing your estate.
Nobody can't deny that mistakes in estate disposition can plant the seeds of a civil war in the family long after a loved one is gone. Consider enlisting the services of a reputable Salem law firm such as The Law Office of Matthew T. Schotmiller, PLLC in your estate planning.
"I So Will That…"
Salem attorneys can never emphasize enough the value of writing down a last will and testament. Discussions with your lawyer will flesh out provisions on how your estate will be apportioned and whether to name legal guardians for any minor children you have. Naming a guardian early on may be critical if the child's surviving parent is somehow incapable of raising him or her; in Walker's case, he nominated his own mother, Cheryl Ann, to look after his daughter Meadow, instead of the child's birth mother Rebecca Soteros.
Assembling Materials
A good way to firm up your estate is to start putting together all relevant materials, which may be later parceled out under a possible executor. These will include details of all your holdings, such as your current properties, bank deposits, and even any corporate interests like stocks, against which the total net worth will be estimated. Don't forget to update your estate's asset listings, especially in case your net worth increased in the years since.
Living trusts are other components of the estate planning process that are actually effective in the long run. You can have all your assets covered under the trust that you set up, but must be continually supplanted as long as you're still alive and earning an income. Some legal specialists state that putting everything under a trust keeps their details under wraps and will help avoid disposition by probate court.
You don't want to see loved ones undergo hard times when the time comes. When you have a knowledgeable legal consultant like Atty. Schottmiller by your side, you can muster the willpower and courage to give your loved ones the peace of mind they deserve. Consult your lawyer today to get started.
(Source: Five Estate Planning Lessons from The Paul Walker Estate, Forbes)
1 Comment
I was involved in a difficult estate planning issue. Schottmiller law gave me sound advice and helped me resolve the issue quickly. I will definitely contact him again for legal matters if the need arises.


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Selden Scorpion Mast Cumulus
Availability: Contact Us
Selden's Cumulus section, which was developed as a lightweight (0.9kg/m) section specifically for non-trapeze boats, is now available. This section combines light weight with a 'dynamic' gust response for performance through the range of conditions.
The rig was used to immediate success by David Wade to win the 2004 National Championships, combining the Cumulus/P&B rig package to best effect.
Standard mast includes tenon heel plug, exit slots for halyards, Tee backplates for shrouds, tee backplate for forestay, with jib box supplied but not fitted for 2:1 jib halyard option. Spreaders are fully adjustable. Pole lift is fixed eye and spinnaker sheave is ball bearing. Mast is supplied with draw lines fitted for rapid attachment of rigging.
Dinghy Section
|Sectional Weight
|0.95 kg/m
|Dimension - fore/ aft
|69 mm
|Dimension - athw
|58 mm
|Stiffness - fore/aft
|19.5 cm4
|Stiffness - athw
|14 cm4


text: After months of design, building and testing the team is finally ready to start showing off what we've created! With an amazing Videography and production team QSET has begun filming promotional videos and presentations for both the European Rover Challenge(ERC) and University Rover Challenge (URC). Check out our URC presentation video!


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You could use most any fruit or none at all. These are a real easy treat. If you got a hours time then you can make these delicate treats. Substituted applesauce for the oil or add shredded coconut, peaches, apples or fresh mangoes instead of pineapple. Hum tasty, if you are not a big pineapple fan. They are so easy-to-make & not a sinful. A guilt-free treat! Both recipes are easy & a joy to make.
- 1 cup flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 pinch salt
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup vegetable oil
- 1 egg
- 1/2 cup low-fat milk
- 1 cup drained pineapple chunk, cut in 8ths
SERVES 12 , 12 cupcakes. Bake 35 min / 10 min prep time. Total 45 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350°F Line muffin pan with paper liners.
In a small bowl, mix together flour, baking powder and salt.
In a large bowl, whisk together sugar, oil and egg until smooth. Alternately whisk in flour mixture and milk, making three additions of flour mixture and two of milk, beating until smooth. Stir in pineapple.
Scoop batter into prepared pan. Bake in preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes or until tops of cupcakes spring back when lightly touched. Let cool in pan on rack for 10 minutes. Remove from pan and let cool completely on rack. Top cooled cupcakes with frosting, if desired.
Tip: I used fresh pineapple, microwaved it three min, to take some juice out, and added dried cranberries. All this goodness under 200 calories a cupcake. If you do not think your children will eat them you can use pre-made icing or candy to decorate them. Then the cupcakes maybe more appealing. Have fun.
For a sinful cupcakes you may add glaze such as this cream cheese frosting.
Cream Cheese Glaze Ingredients
- 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
- 1/4 cup butter, softened
- 3 cups confectioners' sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Beat cream cheese and butter in large mixer bowl at high speed until fluffy, about 1 minute.
Beat in Confectioner's sugar, 1 cup at a time, then continue beating until smooth.
Beat in vanilla. Chill bowl of frosting in refrigerator, stirring often, until good spreading consistency.
Makes about 2 2/3 cups – 25 min -25 min prep .
Filed under: Food receipes | Tagged: homemade fresh pineapple cupcakes | Leave a comment »


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Today in 1984: American veterans of the Vietnam War reach a $180-million out-of-court settlement with seven chemical companies in a class-action suit relating to use of the herbicide Agent Orange in Vietnam.
The veterans charged they had suffered injury and illness from exposure to the defoliant used widely in the war to eliminate jungle cover for Vietnamese forces opposing the U.S. military presence.
It's today's Action Calendar!
Make an impact on the life of a senior adult! Assist a senior to remain independent and living in their own home. Volunteers are matched with a senior adult and help with light housekeeping or other tasks once a week or bi-weekly. Help with indoor or outdoor chores, and maintain a rewarding friendship. To get involved in this flexible program, please contact Laura with the Madison Coalitions of Older Adults at 608-243-5252 or email email@example.com.
The second season of Gardening for Good begins this month. It offers opportunities to Northside adults with developmental disabilities to learn to garden and be part of the community at Troy Community Gardens. This is Thursdays from 6 to 7:30, May 30th through August 15th. For people with disabilities that are interested in participating, contact your support broker for assistance in signing up. Gardeners and other community members who would like to participate, email firstname.lastname@example.com. For ideas of ways you can volunteer, visit gardeningforgoodmadison.com.


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The oldest residential building in Pécs now serves as the home of the Zsolnay ceramics collection.
The building at 2 Káptalan Street was first documented in 1324. In 1476, the first public library in Hungary was set up in this building by Zsigmond Hampó. During the Turkish occupation, it was the official residence of the Turkish chief imam. The restoration works carried out between 1954 and 1955 revealed several mediaeval building sections.
The ornamental dishes made in the ceramics factory were peerless in their artistic detail and the production techniques. The Zsolnay garnered international renown with the specially glazed ceramics that they named eosin, from the Greek for 'dawn'. The factory was set up in 1853 by Pécs trader Miklós Zsolnay, but it was his son, Vilmos Zsolnay, who made it famous during his years at the helm of the manufactory until his death in 1900. He was responsible for a number of the technological innovations that made Zsolnay products renowned around the world, including porcelain faience, which received the Gold Medal at the Paris World Expo, pyrogranite, which adorns many public and private buildings, and eosin. Every member of the family worked hard to contribute to the success of their brand: Vilmos Zsolnay's two daughters worked in product design, and his son-in-law headed the manufacturing of architectural ceramics. His son, Miklós, helped the factory by working in sales. The period around 1900 was the golden age of artistic ornamental dishes. A new artistic style, art nouveau, was born between 1890 and 1910, characterised by natural forms, stylised and decorative lines, and the two-dimensional depiction of objects. The Zsolnay ceramics produced in the art nouveau style, many of them murals, are breath-taking. It was also at this time, that the production of architectural ceramics gained prominence, and many young and talented applied artists worked at the manufactory at the time. During World War I and the difficult times that followed, the emphasis was laid on making everyday dishes and industrial porcelain.
The Zsolnay Factory Museum was opened in 1928, on the 100th anniversary of Vilmos Zsolnay's birth. The exhibition was organised and compiled by Vilmos Zsolnay's daughter, Teréz, and his grand-daughter, Margit Mattyasovszky-Zsolnay. The museum consists of six rooms, and displays various examples of industrial ceramics, high-fire glazing, and eosin. One of the rooms is dedicated to the ceramics collected by Vilmos Zsolnay in Persia and Egypt.
The current exhibition builds on the collection of the former factory museum, and provides a chronological overview of the ornamental products made at the Zsolnay Ceramics Factory.


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Silk's Post #159 — If you want to learn to be a good writer, you could do worse than read Stephen King. The guy is a legend, but let's check his credentials anyway:
- Published 54 novels, 6 non-fiction books, nearly 200 short stories. Yes, he's been busy.
- Sold more than 350 million copies of his novels. That's certainly impressive.
- Won too many awards to list, including Hugo Award, Bram Stoker Award, World Fantasy Award, Nebula Award, Awards from the Mystery Writers of America and the National Book Foundation, National Medal of Arts … Oh, you get the idea.
- Written 39 stories that have been turned into movies, including 5 Oscar nominees. Nice sideline, eh?
- Is reported to be worth 400 million dollars. That should impress anyone who likes to measure success in dollars and cents.
If you're a writer, though, one particular book nestled in this vast body of work was written just for you: Stephen King On Writing – A Memoir of the Craft. As the huge horde of hungry, not-yet-published writers like me know very well, there's no shortage of books on writing and publishing written "just for us." Your shelves, like mine, may be groaning with them. In fact, there's a whole industry built around selling advice and support to "emerging" writers.
A lot of the books on writing are useful (although prescriptions ought not necessarily be taken as directed), but you probably never heard of most of their authors before you aspired to become a published writer yourself. You can count on your fingers the books "for writers" penned by that super elite level of authors, the bestselling superstars.
Besides King, the ones that immediately come to mind are Ray Bradbury (Zen in the Art of Writing: Essays on Creativity), Elmore Leonard (10 Rules of Writing), Janet Evanovich (How I Write), Elizabeth George (Write Away), P. D. James (Talking About Detective Fiction), Walter Mosley (This Year You Write Your Novel), Annie Dillard (The Writing Life), and the prolific Margaret Atwood, who has written three books on writing, writers and the writing life (Negotiating with the Dead – a Writer on Writing; Moving Targets – Writing with Intent 1982-2004; and In Other Worlds: SF and the Human Imagination). A few of these books are in the "how to" or coaching category, while others lean toward memoir, but they're all valuable and often quoted.
Yet the one that stands out most for me is Stephen King's On Writing. I must admit that King had me at the epigraph, where he set the tone with a pair of quotes:
Honesty's the best policy.
— Miguel de Cervantes
Liars prosper.
— Anonymous
And the book only gets more circular and thought-provoking from there on, as it spirals deep into the organic heart of King's writing life. It begins with 100 pages of memoir, called "C.V." I call it confessions of a congenital writer. This section is larded with gut-wrenching real-life moments. Life is messy and mysterious, it tells us.
We then get to a tiny section titled "What Writing Is," only to discover that it, too, is messy and mysterious. He opens this section with an answer to its title: "Telepathy, of course."
Then King proceeds to demonstrate by drawing us into an imaginary scene where writer and reader experience a "meeting of the minds." That's the telepathy part, styled as a magic act. It's a story about storytelling that reminded me of the famous scene in the 1976 movie The Last Tycoon, brilliantly acted by Robert De Niro, with the punchline "the nickel was for the movies." (You can see it here on You Tube)
King then completely shifts gears, diving into a short how-to section called "Toolbox," in which he reads us the usual creative writing teacher's riot act in an entertaining story form. (King was, in fact, a high school English teacher at one time.) He begins with the holy trinity: vocabulary, grammar, style. These are not optional. He steers us to Strunk and White's The Elements of Style as our bible. He warns that hell awaits writers who use adverbs.
Then, happily, class is dismissed and he launches into the section we were waiting for: "On Writing." Surely this is where the magic is revealed, where King will give up his secrets and teach us how we, too, can become bestselling authors in X number of steps.
At this point, if you're reading the book, I recommend you go back to the second of King's three forewords, which begins, "This is a short book because most books about writing are filled with bullshit." This is a good reality check.
I won't elaborate on what's in this section of the book. You should read it yourself. But I will tell you some things I learned from it. There's nothing pedantic or even very structured in this book because King is, first and foremost, a storyteller, not a how-to list maker. What I took from On Writing are more like illuminations – ideas that lit up in some brain cell for me as a result of going along for the ride, of reading a non-fiction book written by a great fiction writer.
These are my own interpretations, not a literal list from Stephen King:
The joy of writing: Writing should be a joy. If you love it, you do it. You build your life around it, not the other way around. And that includes omnivorous reading.
The fear factor: Writing is emotionally and intellectually challenging as well as demanding of your time, and taking criticism can be bruising. So you need to have lots of that joy on tap, lose your fear of failure, and just keep writing.
Nature + nurture: Writing your head off is bound to make you a better writer, but you also have to have some native talent to become a really, really good one. Conversely, native talent will not make you a really, really good writer unless you write your head off.
Writing and storytelling: Good writing is a commandment, but storytelling is the holy grail. Writing = the craft; storytelling = the magic. You can learn a craft; magic rises intuitively from the inside out. Craft has rules; magic does not. Writing is a skill; storytelling is a talent.
Storytelling and plotting: These are not, not, NOT the same thing. A story is a tale with a life of its own. A plot is a plan, a map of how to sequence and structure the telling of the story.
OPs vs. NOPs: Forget the binary debate between outlining vs. organic styles of writing (outline people vs. non-outline people, or plotters vs. pantsers). There is no "right way." Do what feels right. Your first draft will fall somewhere on the spectrum of imperfection no matter how you approach it. At best it will need cosmetic surgery, at worst it will be a Frankenstein that needs errant body parts re-attached in the right place. The story rules. Serve the story, not the process.
Characters drive story: Without characters, there is no story. Without characters who are real, dimensional and engaging – characters worth caring about – there are no readers.
Use your imagination: "Write what you know" isn't a restriction, it's an invitation. What you know – or can find out – are the answers to a constant stream of "what if?" questions you must pose. Those answers can come from your own experience, your probing imagination, or your research. Push your intuition and logic. Truth isn't an average of likelihoods.
Use your senses: All of them. See, feel, hear, smell settings. Listen to dialogue. Pay attention to body language, micro-expressions, conflicts hidden under the surface. Taste foods, air, water, sweat from effort, sweat from fear. Do it every day, wherever you are. Recreate it in writing so that readers sense it too.
Making it matter: Some stories arise from a theme. Some themes emerge organically from a story. Either way works and can be enhanced in rewrite. Themes are a way to give a story more layers, deepen readers' connection, make it matter to them, make it memorable. You can write a good novel with no theme, but why would you leave out this dimension?
Does all this seem familiar? Probably. Pick up any book on writing and you'll find these topics covered somewhere, often prescriptively. Funny how you can "know" something – read about it, understand it intellectually – and yet not really experience that "aha!" moment at a deep, intuitive level until someone or something causes you to look at it through different eyes.
That's what Stephen King's On Writing did for me. I think it was because of his ability to create a story about story, to personalize it through the memoir material woven through the book. It was a hard book for him to write, every word "a kind of torture," he admits. He began it in 1997, got half way through it, and put it in the drawer. Eighteen months later, in June of 1999, he "decided to spend the summer finishing the damn writing book."
Two days later, he was fighting for his life after a horrendous accident in which he was hit by a van while walking down a country lane in Maine. It shattered his leg and hip, broke his ribs, chipped his spine. His story of this personal trauma in a section titled "On Living: A Postscript," is a dramatic denouement to On Writing. The shock of it lit up the entire text of the book for me, like a bolt of fork lightning.
Five weeks after his accident, King picked up his half-finished manuscript of "the damn writing book" and began to write again:
That first writing session lasted an hour and forty minutes, by far the longest period I'd spent sitting upright since being struck by Smith's van. When it was over, I was dripping with sweat and almost too exhausted to sit up straight in my wheelchair. The pain in my hip was just short of apocalyptic. And the first 500 words were uniquely terrifying – it was as if I'd never written anything before them in my life. All my old tricks seemed to have deserted me. I stepped from one word to the next like a very old man finding his way across a stream on a zigzag line of wet stones. There was no inspiration that first afternoon, only a kind of stubborn determination and the hope that things would get better if I kept at it.
And, of course, things did get better. Exponentially better.
If the story of this book does not touch you as a writer, it's time to take up something else. It certainly touched me. While I've always acknowledged his great talent and loved a number of his novels – which are mostly outside my genre comfort zone – I've never aspired to write like Stephen King. I still don't.
But what On Writing has inspired me to do is to be more like him. Hence, my new compass point: What would Stephen King do? I'm pretty sure I know what the answer will be nine times out of ten: just keep writing.
This is the first in an occasional series I'm planning to do on the 5Writers blog of reviews/discussions of books on writing. Stephen King seemed a good place to start. After all he is, well, the King.


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This week on SuperChat with SuperCFO, we are delighted to present a tete – a – tete with Vikas Chadha, who is the Chief Financial Officer at Berggruen Hotels Pvt. Ltd. specifically Keys Hotels, a brand of Berggruen Hotels Pvt. Ltd, a New York based hospitality chain. Vikas is a Chartered Accountant, having completed his Bachelor of Commerce from Mumbai University, India. Vikas has a prolific professional experience of over 15 years in organizations of repute like Mahindra & Mahindra, Tata Tea Limited, Thomas Cook. In this freewheeling chat, Vikas delves on his 3 favorite companies, and why he admires Steve Jobs. He admits that he is a gizmo freak; iPAD 3 and Wii being his favorites. For more on the SuperChat, please read on……
Education: Bachelor in Commerce (B.Com.), Chartered Accountant (I.C.A.I.)
Companies Worked with: Mahindra & Mahindra, Tata Tea Limited, Thomas Cook, Bharti Airtel Limited, Marico, Rochem Separation Systems India Pvt. Ltd. Berggruen Hotels Pvt. Ltd.
SuperCFO: What particular skills or talents are most essential to be effective in your job apart from formal training?
Vikas Chadha: Patience , perseverance, and hard-work are the most important attributes that a CFO must possess and exhibit. Also all modern day CFOs have to be extremely comfortable with the use of IT and should leverage the same to improve systems and processes.
I feel the CFO is the one with the complete view of the business and should be involved indepth in the running of the business.
SuperCFO: Who is your role model and why?
Vikas Chadha: My role model would be Steve Jobs for his unconventional intelligence and his persistence for innovation and quality. These two features differentiate his company and have been the pillars of growth and hold true for all new startups.
SuperCFO: What has been your biggest achievement professionally?
Vikas Chadha:
1. I have been able to drive businesses and make them profitable.
2. I have in my previous stints also worked with startups, which I have grown from Zero base to nearly US $ 100 Million in valuation
3. I have been strong on process implementations and streamlining operations and getting work done in the most efficient manner.
SuperCFO: Who are the 3 Corporate Honchos you admire a lot and why?
Vikas Chadha:
1. Narayan Murthy – everyone knows his strory and how he created Infosys
2. Ratan Tata – for his tenacity, leadership, and vision
3. Anand Mahindra – For creating a multinational conglomerate of a typically Indian company and brand.
SuperCFO: Which are the 3 companies you admire a lot and why?
Vikas Chadha:
1. HDFC bank – Tremendous growth and high thought leadership.
2. Marico Ltd – Innovative thinking.
3. Indian Hotels Ltd. – Taj – for the world wide image and branding that it has created for the company as well as the country.
SuperCFO: Assume that you are indulging in role play. If you were given the position of the Finance Minister of your country, what would your top priority agenda items be?
Vikas Chadha:
1. Interest rate reductions to enable industrial growth.
2. Enhancing employment opportunities.
3. Reduce inflation and make India self sufficient on necessities.
SuperCFO: What would you advise aspiring CFOs on dos and don'ts to become a successful CFO?
Vikas Chadha:
1. Follow your instincts.
2. Always do what is right for your organization.
3. Stand up for the cause and be counted.
4. Its important to have your opinion.
SuperCFO: What are your 3 "Must Ask" questions in an interview?
Vikas Chadha:
1. What is your Key Driver to change?
2. What is your long term vision?
3. Have you been a contributor in the past – what are the key contibutions to your business so far in your career?
SuperCFO: Which is one accounting software that has impressed you and why?
Vikas Chadha:
1. SAP – Highly process driven.
2. A CFO's delight once implemented though SAP requires a lot of preparation and time and effort to chart out the individual process.
3. It is an investment and will pay rich dividends in long term.
SuperCFO: How do you manage talent within your team?
Vikas Chadha:
1. Job Rotation
2. Learning opportunities
3. Cross functional learning opportunities
4. Creating project teams with finite targets and rewards linked to achievements
5. Showing how their efforts are impacting the organization and it's growth.
SuperCFO: Are you a gizmo freak? What is your favorite gadget?
Vikas Chadha:
Ya sure, I own an iPad Retina Display and simply love it.
I also love gaming consoles like Wii, and PlayStation.
SuperCFO: What is your favorite piece of literature?
Vikas Chadha:
Autobiographies; as they are real. Loved the one on Mahatma Gandhi.
SuperCFO: Any sport that you are passionate about?
Vikas Chadha:
1. Tennis
2. Soccer
Love to play and watch both of them
SuperCFO: Describe some of the activities that you undertake to de stress yourself?
Vikas Chadha: Love listening to light music; really works everytime.
SuperCFO: What has been your favorite vacation destination and why?
Vikas Chadha: Loved my trip to Macau, stayed at Venetian and then spent a few days at Disneyland at Hongkong. Was the most favourite as my son enjoyed the experience a lot and he still fondly remembers the family time spent together by us..


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Sunday Practice & ATA Big 50
July 28, 2019 @ 10:00 am - 3:00 pm
|Recurring Event (See all)
An event every week that begins at 10:00 am on Sunday, repeating until October 27, 2019
Every Sunday join us for practice & ATA Big 50's.
ATA (Singles, Handicap, Doubles)
Practice (Singles, Handicap, Doubles, Wobble)
Lessons available most Sundays. Visit the reservation page to view opportunities


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Any advice for Tric on publishing?
Okay, deep breath.
It's not easy to write this without a glass of wine in me but I'm going to (and hope I then press publish). Over a year ago a blog buddy of mine, Duncan,from Madhatters, suggested I put some of my posts together and publish a small ebook for Christmas. He said he would buy it, so that's one sold anyway. At the time I felt it was way out of my depth and I did nothing.
However a year or more has passed and I'm beginning to wonder if I could. My reasons for doing so are: 1. To learn about the process of self publishing, without putting a precious book I may write some day into the future at risk, and 2. The enjoyment of editing old posts and gathering them together under different titles; possibly parenting, humour, inspiration and stories.
My problem is… where do…
View original post 241 more words


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In today's highly competitive, dynamic and continuously evolving business environment, companies frequently find skill gaps in its workforce. New challenges emerge every now and then. As SAP has a wide range of applications, its implementation pose a number challenges because the client's requirements differ in each case. Newcomers need to be made job-ready and old ones are required to be upgraded to take on new challenges while implementing SAP projects. Online IT Training and ITeS tools and techniques serve as only enablers in such a scenario.
We come in the picture here. We have designed a range of SAP corporate training looking at the challenges of specific domains. Our SAP trainers have decade long experience in their domains. We are a leading corporate training provider and consulting company. Our services are business-driven and competitive. Our clients have been efficiently managing cost and timeline with our support over the years.
When you contact us for upgrading your consultants' skills, our SAP trainers visit your team and carry out training needs analysis (TNA) by discussing the challenges with the consultants working on the project. After detailed discussion with the consultants and the management, they identify the skill gaps and design a training program. The customized training program was then delivered by a SAP specialist having expertise in that particular domain. The trainer remains with your team for the period as decided and conduct the training to address those challenges. Our Online Sap Trainers won't leave your team until your consultants gain a hold on the solutions.
Throughout our history, we have been expanding our SAP corporate training and capitalizing on evolving management trends and upgraded technologies for the benefits of our customers. We are a cutting edge SAP corporate training service provider. We offer a number customized corporate training to clients across the globe. You can count on us for identifying your SAP related challenges and design an appropriate training program for your consultants. Our experts are competent enough to help your consultants to enhance their skills and help your company to move ahead on a growth path. Several of top MNCs have made us a most favored partner for their corporate training programs.
Our SAP training programs address skill gaps in particular domains. As you know IT industry is highly dynamic and continuously evolving in terms technology and market requirements. Hence, there is always a skill gap in the industry. Companies continuously need to upgrade the skills of their workforce. Therefore, we focus on the practical aspect of the topic. Once your employees are through with the training, they find themselves on a higher level. They become ready to work in a team and help the company to achieve its objectives.
This is custom heading element
Look at some of the prime features of our training program.
Our Training Methodology:
- We provide SAP corporate training as per the client's needs.
- We have trained more than 1500+ employees from top MNCs.
- We offer practice sessions along with training to hone the skills.
- We offer technical support even after training completion.
- We also offer a crash course after the completion of training, if required.
- We provide the eminent and dedicated trainers from various niche backgrounds to communicate the professional skills.
- Before aforementioned for the Skill Development, we estimate and evaluate the Technical & Communication Skills.
- We constitute the domain knowledge and good analytical ability acquaintance on their products and services.
- With the appropriate methodology we fulfill your skill development training for the suited candidates. Under competitive environments we also help their career planning.
- Based on the assessment, our team will originate the development programs for those candidates. In the interview process, we build your Personality Development activity to boost your Professionalism.
- Our Vertical limits like corrective assessment, open door policy, good quality, effective time management, flawless utilization of resources, cost effective communication etc.
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Types of Rain Water Tanks
Rainwater harvesting systems are fast becoming popular. More and more people are installing their very own systems in their houses in an attempt to save water and be more environmentally conscious. If you are considering buying one, one of the most important components is the rain water tank or the cistern, an enclosed structure that collects and stores the rain water harvested. The bottom part of these tanks should have a spigot which may or may not be able to connect to a hose.
Selecting the right kind of rain water tank is important. There are many materials that are used to make rain barrels and each one has its own advantages and disadvantages. Before you buy one, you might want to consider reading more about the types of rain water tanks to help you choose the right one.
If you're ready to buy one, here is a list of popular rain barrels being sold at Amazon.com, all at a great price.
The Different Types of Rain Water Tanks
Learn about the types of Rain Water Tanks, Rain Barrels, and Rain Water Collection Systems as well as where to find them for a low price!
Plastic cisterns rank are the cheapest type of rain water tanks and most recommended for households. Plastic is readily available and can be easily purchased from most rainwater harvesting shops. It can also be moved easily from one place to another because of its light weight. But this can also cause instability. Fiberglass is one of the most popular materials used to make plastic cisterns because of its great durability and it can easily be repaired incase of damages. Another popular type is polyethylene, though it must be painted or tinted to prevent sun damage.
- Metal cisterns can store larger amounts of water than plastic tanks. Its capacity can reach up to 2,500 gallons of water and is also commercially available. Most people prefer using steel because it can be altered and be easily moved in case it needs to be relocated. Galvanized steel is often used for such types of tanks. However, steel cisterns tend to rust over time, so people are now dipping the material into hot zinc, which eliminates this problem. The corrosion is usually caused by rain water's acidic properties, sometimes causing untreated steel to rust faster than usual.
- Wooden rain water tanks are the most expensive type of cisterns because it uses special types of wood such as cypress, fir, and redwood. People who usually purchase such tanks are actually more into its aesthetic value, as polished wooden tanks are regarded as visually appealing. Wooden tanks are also very durable, can be moved and even disassembled. The only thing that discourages most buyers is the price.
- Concrete cisterns are also used in some rain water harvesting systems, and obviously, this is not something you can actually buy in a store, but instead have it built in the area. A concrete cistern can be made of stone or concrete block, or it can be a poured-in-place structure. It is immovable, unlike all the other types of rain water tanks. Many experts agree that concrete cisterns may not be a very wise investment because of its tendency to crack, and it is very difficult to maintain.
These are all the major types of water tanks. It is crucial that you know what you can get out of each kind to help you make the right choice. Investing in the right type of rain water tank will most likely eliminate problems you might encounter in the future.
Back To Read More Reviews: Rainwater Collection Systems
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Valentín Estévez, Ph.D.
Managing Director
Valentín Estévez, Ph.D
Managing Director
Valentín Estévez is a Managing Director at the Bryan, Texas and Washington, DC offices of Welch Consulting.
Dr. Estévez has a Ph.D. in Economics from the University of Chicago, where he specialized in Labor Economics and Public Finance. While at the University of Chicago, he taught courses in microeconomics, macroeconomics, and econometrics.
Dr. Estévez performs statistical analyses of claims of discrimination (pay, hiring, promotions, terminations, and other employment actions) and of alleged violations of the FLSA and state wage and hour statutes. He also assists clients in the organization and analysis of large and complex databases and on the application of Big Data and Artificial Intelligence techniques in labor and employment matters.
Dr. Estévez has worked as consultant and testifying expert in class action and single-plaintiff matters. He helps clients proactively assess their compliance with international, federal, and state fair pay/pay equity and wage and hour regulations. In addition, he assists clients in preparing and responding to audits and investigations from government agencies such as the OFCCP and EEOC.
Ph.D., Economics
University of Chicago
Chicago, Illinois
M.A., Economics
University of Chicago
Chicago, Illinois
B.A., Economics
Universidad Autónoma de Chiriquí
Managing Director
Welch Consulting
2018 – Present
Senior Economist
Welch Consulting
2016 – 2018
Welch Consulting
2005 – 2016
Department of Economics
University of Chicago
2004 – 2005
Teaching Assistant
Booth School of Business
University of Chicago
2000 – 2004
Teaching Assistant
Department of Economics
University of Chicago
2000 – 2005
Expert Witness, Wage & Hour: Case involving non-exempt employees at a California Hotel who alleged violations of California's labor regulations due to off-the-clock work, timecard rounding, and missed rest breaks and meal periods.
Consultant, Pay Equity: Assisted a public entity in California in assessing compliance with California's Fair Pay Act. Prepared analyses and discussed results with the entity's leadership.
Consultant, Pay Equity: Assisted a client in the technology industry in complying with the United Kingdom's gender pay gap reporting obligations. In addition, prepared in-depth pay equity analyses of the client's United Kingdom's operation.
Consultant, Wage & Hour: PAGA case involving managers for a retailer who alleged unpaid wages due to the retailer's scheduling system. Evaluated claims and assisted client during mediation.
Consultant, Pay Equity: Assisted a client in the financial services industry in complying with the United Kingdom's gender pay gap reporting obligations. Prepared a similar study for the client's US operations.
Expert Witness, Wage & Hour: Case involving California drivers who alleged unpaid wages due to off-the-clock work and unpaid meal periods and rest breaks. Opined on the statistical calculations and conclusions prepared by Plaintiff's expert.
Consultant, OFCCP Audit: Assisted a government contractor in responding to OFCCP's claims of gender pay discrimination in one of the contractor's sites. Showed that there was no gender pay difference once the analysis accounted for employees' task choices.
Consultant, Pay Equity: Prepared a pay equity study for a client in the legal services industry. The study showed the importance of accounting for prior experience and individual's choices when examining pay equity issues.
Consultant, OFCCP Audit: Assisted a government contractor in the health services industry in the review of their compensation practices prior to submitting their AAP. Collaborated with the client in developing best practices for recording and maintaining their compensation data.
Consultant, Wage & Hour: Case involving non-exempt employees working in an instant oil-change business who alleged several violations of California's labor regulations. Assisted the client with the evaluation of the claims and during mediation.
Consultant, OFCCP & Pay Equity Audit: Assisted a government contractor in the financial services industry in the review of their compensation practices under the OFCCP and Massachusetts' Pay Equity Act guidelines.
Consultant, Wage & Hour: Case involving non-exempt airport ground personnel in California who alleged violations of several of California's labor regulations. Assisted client in evaluating claims, with discovery, and during mediation.
Consultant, OFCCP Audit: Assisted a government contractor in the educational services industry with the analyses of their selections and compensation data. Prepared reports to be included in the AAPs.
Expert Witness, Age Discrimination: Case involving ground personnel in California airports who alleged they were terminated due to their age. Evaluated the claims and found that the Plaintiff's age group terminated at a lower rate than the comparison group.
Consultant, OFCCP Audit: Assisted a government contractor in the health services industry in responding of OFCCP's claims of race discrimination in hiring. Prepared analyses that showed no adverse impact once the analyses accounted for the timing of applications and openings.
Consultant, Wage & Hour: Case involving truck drivers who alleged violations of several of California's labor law regulations. Organized driver logs data and assisted client with discovery and during mediation.
Expert Witness, Wage & Hour: Case involving flight attendants who alleged a series of violations of California's labor code. Prepared an expert report and gave deposition testimony regarding issues with the class-wide damages methodology offered by plaintiffs' expert and the work experience of the plaintiffs.
Consultant, Pay Equity Audit: Conducted a base pay and equity compensation audit for an international software company. Assessed compliance under Title VII, California's Fair Pay Act, and OFCCP analysis guidelines.
Expert Witness, Wage & Hour: Case involving airport agents and ground personnel for a large nationwide airline who alleged violations of California's wage and hour laws. Submitted expert report and gave deposition testimony documenting systemic flaws in plaintiffs' expert data preparation and calculations.
Consultant, Annual Pay and Promotion Reviews: Assisted client with annual compensation reviews by providing fast-turnaround analyses of pay and promotion decisions.
Consultant, Gender Discrimination Arbitration: Prepared pay and promotions analyses in a nationwide gender discrimination case involving salespersons and managers at a large retail firm.
Consultant, OFCCP Audits: Simultaneously audited pay practices in more than 30 sites of a large provider of health services. Prepared individualized reports for each site and assisted the client in the interpretations of the results of the audit.
Consultant, Reorganization: Performed interactive, fast-turn-around adverse impact analysis for a large retailer undergoing a reorganization of its operations.
Consultant, Wage & Hour: Assisted a nationwide drugstore chain in responding to claims that it violated labor laws because supervisors could not leave the premises during their breaks.
Consultant, OFCCP Audits: Assisted a health services provider undergoing OFCCP audits in several facilities regarding the pay of Registered Nurses. Helped the client show that the apparent pay disparity was due to differences in prior experience.
Consultant, Wage & Hour: Helped a large health services provider address claims that its timecard rounding practices were devised to advantage the company. Verified that the rounding rules were applied consistently and found that overall the rules neither advantaged nor disadvantaged our client.
Consultant, Breach of Contract: Organized internal sales and industry data and reviewed financial reports in a matter related to claims of breach of contract against a large firm in the pharmaceutical industry. Replicated and responded to the opposing expert's report.
Consultant, Discrimination: Assisted a large firm in the paper industry in responding to OFCCP's failure to hire charges. Discussed data and methodological issues with OFCCP's statistics expert.
Consultant, Wage & Hour: Class action suits involving the estimation of damages arising from unpaid hours worked and overtime claims against several hospitals in the US.
Consultant, Discrimination: Assisted a firm in the semiconductor industry in responding to claims of age discrimination in a reduction in force.
Consultant, ERISA Litigation: Organized personnel, payroll, and pension records and analyzed the evolution of retirement benefits in a case against a firm in the pharmaceutical industry involving claims of violations of the ADEA and ERISA due to the conversion of its defined benefit plan to a cash balance plan.
Expert Witness, Lost Earnings: Estimated lost wages and benefits suffered by plaintiff due to almost two decades of wrongful incarceration.
Consultant, Wage & Hour: Class action suit involving the estimation of damages arising from unpaid hours worked and overtime claims against a large firm in the networks and communication industry. Assisted client during mediation proceedings.
Consultant, Wage & Hour: Computed damage estimates in a wage and hours case involving piece-rate workers in a large firm in the food industry.
Avoiding Adverse Impact Claims in Times of Crisis by Amy Aukstikalnis and Valentín Estévez, April 13, 2020
Making Wage-and-Hour Discovery Count, by Valentín Estévez, Ph.D., April 1, 2020
American Economic Association
American Statistical Association
Latin American & Caribbean Economic Association
Welch Consulting
1716 Briarcrest Dr., Suite 700
Bryan, TX 77802
1090 Vermont Ave. NW, Suite 900
Washington, DC 20005