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Primordial diets
I started out with the Atkins diet. His theory is that the body's insulin mechanism goes out of order with years of refined foods rich in carbohydrates and sugars. Insulin converts carbs and sugars into fat. Eat proteins instead and you won't get fat, and your insulin mechanism will remain in good condition.
I went on the diet eight months ago along with some exercise (running), a vitamin pill a day, and lots of water. So, far I have lost 10 kilos and feel very good indeed!
There is another way to think about this diet. What kind of food are our bodies used to?
Well, Homo Sapiens appeared in Africa around 200,000 years ago. They remained hunter gatherers for around 190,000 years. About 80,000 years ago they came out of Africa through Yemen and beach combed around the world, populating every continent in the world, including the Americas around 25,000 years ago. What was their lifestyle like?
Here are some guesses.
Wake up at dawn, quick wash and hunt for food. That means running, jumping, climbing and swimming. In the process they would normally find eggs, some fruit (a little, no orchards, remember!), fish, small birds that don't fly well, small animals and insects, some edible leaves and veggies (a little, no farms, remember!). Sometimes, honeycombs and large game. All this to be shared by a tribe of around 200 people. Some snoozing in the afternoon, more hunting in the late afternoon. Sometimes intoxicants in the evening. Music, dance, sex. To bed by sunset.
This, I think, will translate to a meal of a few bites of meat or fish, some eggs and leaves. Maybe a bite of fruit. And as much water as they like.
This is what the human race ate for 190,000 years. In the last 10,000 we invented farming and started eating what is now called "regular" food. Refined carbohydrates in huge amounts. Fruits and vegetables, often processed into juices full of sugar. Drinks with chemicals and sugars. Milk and milk products (imagine trying to milk a wild buffalo!).
10,000 years is too little for a biological sytem to adapt to new nutrients. On the average, genetic changes take 20,000 years to take effect.
The result of "regular" food - strokes, heart attacks, diabetes, obesity. I suspect, barring accidents, they used to live longer than us.
They could move about 5 miles an hour, until horses got tamed. Then they could do 17 miles an hour. In the modern cities of today we move around 15 miles and hour in our expensive cars, but that's another story.
Back to the diet, I think all you need to do is to look at whats on your plate and imagine what it would have taken to get it in pre-agrarian times. If it is easy (like a piece of fowl), eat it freely. If it is difficult (like a piece of beef or a potato), eat very little of it. If it is nearly impossible (sugar, milk, flour, bread) don't touch it.
Run and jump around a bit and drink lots of water. Have lots of sex. You will be surprised how quickly your body will respond to a lifestyle it was designed for since the dawn of our species.


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Post-EU immigration 'will be policed in the workplace, not on the border', experts warn
Employers are fretful of falling foul of the law without clear guidance for hiring foreign workers post-Brexit, economists yesterday warned at a home affairs select committee hearing.
Dr Heather Rolfe, associate research director for employment and social policy at the National Institute of Economic and Social Research, told MPs organisations that were inexperienced in employing workers from outside of the EU were particularly concerned about the changes Brexit could bring to their hiring processes.
"Employers are worried about falling foul of the law, and the reputational damage that could result from [making errors], although they have good intentions to follow good practice," she said.
"There is less cynicism about the immigration system itself, but they recognise that immigration policy will be policed in the workplace, not on the border… Employers will potentially be faced with a whole array of passports and different entitlements to work in the UK."
Matthew Fell, chief UK policy director at the Confederation of British Industry, told the committee that EU migration and access to talent was a top priority for employers, and a post-Brexit migration system must focus on "people rather than numbers".
"There has been a focus on trade and customs in past months, but the reality is that it is people who drive business in the UK," he said. He added that it was crucial that any new post-Brexit migration system was not an extension of the existing Tier 2 visa system for non-EEA workers.
"We must not have a straight [transfer] of the rest-of-the-world model, but a system that absolutely recognises the need to access a range of skills across the spectrum," he said. "This model is not fit for purpose for EU migrants, and some of the worst elements are its simplistic nature, which treats people without a degree as 'unskilled', and its bureaucracy, which many businesses find hard to grapple with."
As Tier 2 visa sponsorship certificate applications for skilled workers breached their limit for the fifth consecutive month in April, Rolfe recommended a new system that would allow employers to identify low and high skills shortages across different sectors in a flexible and responsive way.
Certain sectors, including the agricultural and health and social care industries, are already feeling the impact of Brexit in losses among migrant workers.
However, while the majority of employers want clarity on future policies regarding overseas workers, Rolfe suggested that the priority was for the government to secure a longer transition period over a short-term fix.
"Employers are facing a climate of uncertainty generally around the UK's membership of the EU and trade deals," she said. "While immigration is very important for them, they would be happy with a longer transition period to get new policies and approaches up and running, rather than an urgency for changing policy now."
Fell said businesses may suffer a trade-off in short-term labour by taking time to introduce an entirely new system, but agreed that the majority of employers would prefer a longer implementation phase to a rushed process.
"It's important to have the preparation time for businesses to understand these new systems and how to implement them," he said. "We need clarity by the end of 2018, so that businesses have a good transitional period to be ready to jump into a new system, whatever that may be."

subset: commoncrawl


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With Passion Anew, Johnson Leads Students to The NetherlandsPublished: June 15, 2010
Communication Studies' Ann Johnson is on her way to the Netherlands this month as she leads CSULB students to the city of peace and justice, The Hague.
Her class on Argumentation and Debate runs from June 18-July 18 and focuses on The Hague, home to the International Criminal Court, the UN International Court of Justice and the Special Court for Sierra Leone. Her students will have the opportunity to observe court proceedings, meet with court representatives, visit archives and the Peace Palace as well as take a look at Amsterdam's Dutch Resistance Museum and the International Court Museum.
Travel re-ignited her passion for teaching with her first trip to Amsterdam last year. "I feel I've taken up a new cause," she said. "Travel helps me to make my classes more viable. It is the most exciting thing I've ever done. I can see this becoming a permanent part of my teaching career."
The International Criminal Court (ICC) is where Johnson's class will spend most of its time. The ICC, she explained, is a permanent tribunal to prosecute individuals for genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes and the crime of aggression. The court came into being on July 1, 2002 — the date its founding treaty, the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, entered into force — and it can only prosecute crimes committed on or after that date. As of this March, 111 states are members of the court, and a further 38 countries have signed but not ratified the Rome Statute. However, a number of states, including China, India, Russia and the U.S., are critical of the court and have not joined.
"Students on the trip must participate in at least one debate," explained Johnson, who joined CSULB part-time in 2000 and full-time in 2003. "A typical topic might be whether the U.S. ought to join the ICC. Do we deserve to be exempt from the international laws of war? Debate helps the students to learn."
Johnson recalls some courtroom fireworks from her first visit that were typical of what students can expect. "We watched the trial of Thomas Ubanga, who was accused of recruiting child soldiers in the Democratic Republic of Congo," she recalled. "I remember a mixture of Swahili, English and French that needed translation at the same time Ubanga was objecting to being sketched by a courtroom artist. The translations were piped into head phones much like that of the United Nations General Assembly. It was impressive. The judges were polite and accommodating to the accused. I sensed an urgency to demonstrate fair play."
Students heard about the recruitment of child soldiers and the status of young women taken to military camps. "We listened to a lot of painful testimony," she said.
Feedback from her first visit was positive. "The students had a really good time," she laughed. "They learned a lot about Dutch culture. The fact we were in Holland for four weeks made for a better inter-cultural encounter because we were able to recover from any culture shock. Plus, by being there for a while, the students had enough time to observe the courts. If nothing much was happening at the ICC, they could always visit the International Court of Justice. When UN members have disputes between themselves, they visit the ICJ. Look at pulp mills along rivers in Uruguay. They may not be as interesting as war crime tribunals but they are just as important."
One important goal of student participation is how to present a case. "This is true not only in a legal setting but before a political body," she explained. "The students observe how the lawyers present cases and what are the key claims that need defense? How do they find the proper evidence? Students learn all these things. This is a chance for them to sharpen their communication competencies. I want my students to understand they can advocate without insulting. I want them to learn they can speak their minds with confidence but without offending."
She praises Communication Studies for its support and especially department chair Sharon Downey. "We teach classes in inter-cultural communication and travel plays into that," she said. "My experience helps me to be a better traveler and teacher. My students and I have learned how communication differs from culture to culture. This department is uniquely situated to take students abroad. Whatever the subject, it can be supplemented with this department's interest in inter-cultural communication."
Johnson earned her B.S. from the University of Utah, her M.A. from the University of New Mexico and her Ph.D. from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst in 2000.
Visiting The Hague with her students has had a profound emotional impact on Johnson.
"On one hand, I'm very sad to see these things going on," she said. "It's discouraging to see the slow pace of justice and that humanity has so far to go before it can rid itself of these types of crimes. But on the other hand, I feel hopeful because there are institutions like the International Criminal Court. This is a young institution in a position to evolve and they are hearing their first cases just now. It is discouraging to see how long it will take for humanity to deal with these things but I'm optimistic that these institutions exist, that they work to improve themselves and that maybe someday the U.S. will get on board."


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CiT KB-2106 USB/PS2 Combo Keyboard – Black
The CiT KB-2106C USB/PS2 is a wired Keyboard which is light weight and slim. This is a wireless keyboard that occupies only a fraction of your precious desk space, without any annoying cords. It has comfortable keys, a matte finish and low-profile keys ensure a smooth and quiet typing. Your most-used shortcuts, multimedia and other operations start at the touch of a button making it easy to operate.
With a plug-and-play cable, no driver needed makes this keyboard easy to take this keyboard anywhere. The laser-carved characters, non-slip design, splash proof and durable make this keyboard last longer.
The user-friendly, ergonomic design makes this keyboard very comfortable to operate. Quick control can also be achieved via the multimedia shortcut key operations.
Supports operating systems from Windows 2000 / 2003 / XP / Vista / 7 / 8 / 10 / Mac OS.
Key Features
- Interface – USB and PS/2 combo
- Number Of Keys – 104 Keys
- Keyboard Weight – 400 ± 20g
- Key Pitch – 19.0mm
- Cable Length – 1500mm
- Key Switch Life – Test conditions: Full travel 150g force): 5 Million life cycle times Minimum
- MTBF – (Mean time between failure) in life test 8 million life cycles
- Working Voltage – 4.5V to 5.5V
- Working Current – 35mA
- Operation Temperature Range – 0~60°C, 0~ 95% RH
- Storage Temperature Range – -20~60°C, 0~90% RH


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I just finished reading Same Kind of Different As Me by Ron Hall and Denver Moore. The book cover reads "New York Times Bestseller and Amazing True Story", and I must say it is truly amazing! This is the best book I have read in some time.
Same Kind of Different As Me is an inspirational true story about two men (Ron and Denver) from two different worlds…one an art dealer, the other a homeless drifter who grew up in virtual slavery…and the woman who brought them together (Ron's wife Deborah).
The story is written by both men. Ron tells his parts of the story in a chapter, then Denver tells his. I love the way the reader gets to see each man's perspective. I also love how Denver's story is written just as he would speak it. The book grabs your attention quickly keeps you turning pages, wanting to see what will happen next.
As I read this story many emotions surfaced. I laughed, got mad, and cried (more than once). It is an incredibly gripping story of faith, trust and friendship like I have never seen before. The unlikely friendship that forms between these two men is truly amazing. I was inspired and deeply moved by the devotion and love shown between these friends, who become more like brothers.
I never thought I could learn so much wisdom from an uneducated, homeless man, but Denver Moore has left me with some deep thoughts. A couple of quotes from Denver stand out in my mind.
When you is precious to God, you become important to Satan.
Our limitation is God's opportunity.
This is an absolutely wonderful book! I highly recommend everyone pick up a copy and read it…maybe twice.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com <http://BookSneeze.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."


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In the winter of 1998, I was wading through the grass towards the gymnasium to attend the El Nino Dance-o. The ground under my feet was like pudding as my three-inch crocodile heels sunk two-and-a-half inches into the mud. The gym itself threatened to make a wobbly descent into the swamp. No downpour at that particular instant, but it was hard to tell since everything was perpetually drenched. It had been raining relentlessly for months, and by the time of the dance-o I mistakenly thought that we were nearing the end...the ground was saturated. There was not a dry spot in existence. Soggy people were wringing themselves out, submerged in gloom. It didn't seem there was room for any more water and there wasn't. But it kept on pouring, spilling over and flooding, gushing through streets and living rooms. We were to have 230%more rainfall than average before the very green spring arrived. It felt as though we were awaiting the rescue of that very green spring for a very long time.
Last week, when we had our first (and premature) rainstorm, an unnoticed (and suddenly very apparent) hole in my boots revealed how LA makes rain a distant memory. I was struck with fearful anticipation of saying a long farewell to the sun as I braced myself for drowning in darkness again. The old familiar rainy-day cravings returned after so many years of winter palm trees and flip-flops: tomato soup and grilled cheese, hot cocoa and buttered popcorn, dark bread and dark beer, building a fortress, holing up, folding in, and attempting to trust that the sun will eventually return to suck up the puddles. Of course, as soon as I made this bread it's been 70° -80° and sunny here.
Real pumpernickel or dark rye is made with coarse grain (suggesting an interesting etymology) and a sourdough starter. It's baked slowly in a special tin, achieving its darkness from caramelization of sugars and proteins. This is an American (i.e. easy) version. The color comes from cocoa, coffee and molasses, the ingredients are available and digestible, and you don't need a covered tin. I went with the wet dough technique from Artisan Bread in 5 Minutes a Day to make this an extremely easy loaf. It is sweet, aromatic and dense. It's excellent with lox, or as I've discovered, apples and sharp cheddar. I like the taste of whole grain, but you can sub regular flour for the whole wheat for a lighter loaf. I added orange zest for brightness and I'm heavy-handed with the caraway but you can opt out of these flavors, of course. I like to start with a sponge as a compromise for being too busy to deal with sourdough. Don't be put off by the sponge step--it adds complexity to the flavor and hardly takes any work.
Dark Rye Bread
Makes two 1-lb loaves (or one 2-lb loaf)
- 1.5 C lukewarm water
- 1 packet yeast
- 1/2 C bread flour
- 2 1/4 tsp salt
- 2 T molasses
- 1 T cocoa powder
- 1 tsp instant coffee powder
- 1 C rye flour
- 1.5 C bread flour
- 3/4 C whole wheat flour
- 1 T caraway seeds
- 1 tsp (give or take) orange zest
Make a sponge: Mix yeast, 1/2 C bread flour, and water in a large bowl. Let stand uncovered 15 min. to 1 hour. This gives you enough time to organize your ingredients and collect your thoughts.
Whisk the salt, molasses, cocoa, and coffee powder into the sponge. In another bowl, mix the flours together. Without kneading, add all of the flour, caraway, and zest to the sponge, and mix with a wooden spoon. You might have to use your hands at the end. The dough should look pretty slack. Cover and let rest in a draft free place for two hours.
You can use the dough now or refrigerate the dough at this point and use it within the next week or so. The flavor improves after a night in the fridge. Sprinkle cornmeal or wheat bran on a pizza peel (if you don't have a pizza peel, a flexible cutting board or lined piece of cardboard works). Pull off half the dough and reserve the rest for later. Wet your hands and quickly shape the dough into a ball by stretching the top down and tucking it under, working around the ball by turning it---this should take a matter of seconds.
Place the ball on the pizza peel, loosely cover, and let rise for 1 -2 hrs (if the dough was in the fridge it will take longer).
About half an hour before baking time, place a heavy covered pot (cast iron, enamel, ceramic) in the oven and preheat to 450 °. Alternately, you can use a pizza stone and pour a cup of boiling water in the broiler tray or a baking dish placed in the oven as soon as you put the bread in. Sprinkle the loaf with some more cornmeal or bran, slash it if you want to, then slide the loaf into the preheated covered pot. Reduce the oven to 400° and bake for 25 minutes covered (disregard this if you're using a stone--just let it bake for 35-40 min). Remove the lid and bake for another 10-20 minutes. Remove from oven. Let cool on a rack.


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Zee Stories, you must update them!
Have some after the break.
Story: An Eccentric Trespasser (Update Part 5+6!)
[Adventure] [Sci-Fi]
Author: Tales
Description: A mysterious brown Earth pony sneaks into Canterlot Castle, only to be caught by Princess Celestia herself. Curiously, Celestia is intrigued by the seemingly endless stream of nonsense this pony seems wont to speak. Luna soon joins them, and the group heads into the very depths of the castle, where something has been lurking for far too long...An Eccentric Trespasser
Labels: Adventure, Author: Tales, Celestia, Doctor Whoof, Incomplete, Luna, Sci-Fi, Star-5, Story
Story: Rorschach in Equestria (Update Part 13-15!)
Author: Ex-Nihilos
Description: Instead of being killed in the cold Antarctic by Dr. Manhattan, Rorschach finds himself rematerialized in a strange new, pony filled world. He finds himself drawn into the lives of the ponies of Ponyville but some ponies fear that this sociopath will bring danger and darkness to an otherwise peaceful existence. Will the mane 6 help Walter Kovac find peace within himself or will he bring them all down with him in his cold views of reality and existence?Rorschach in Equestria
Labels: Author: Ex-Nihilos, Celestia, Crossover, Everypony, Grimdark, Human, Incomplete, Star-5, Story
Story: Of Hoof and Paw (Update Part 2!)[Adventure] [Dark]
Author: Damsus Rhee
Description: When legend becomes reality, all of Equestria must face forgotten horrors. Seven dark creatures begin to stir from an imprisonment long before Celestia's rule. New loyalties, friendship, even the very Elements of Harmony will be tested. The world must face its greatest challenge, or fall into oblivion.Of Hoof and Paw
Labels: Author: Damsus Rhee, Celestia, Everypony, Incomplete, Luna, Star-5, Story
Story: Anthropology (Update Part 18!)
Author: JasonTheHuman
Description: The story of Lyra's lifelong search for the truth about humansAnthropology
Labels: Adventure, Author: JasonTheHuman, Bonbon, comedy, Incomplete, Lyra, Slice of Life, Star-6, Story
Story: Silence is Bittersweet (Update Part 4!)
[Normal] [Shipping]
Author: Truehearted
Description: The story of a mute musician trying to make her way in a new city. Can she make friends? And can those friends take the time to learn her language... only Celestia knows.Silence is Bittersweet
Labels: Author: Truehearted, Incomplete, Normal, OC Ponies, Shipping, Star-4, Story
Story: The Reaper's Game (Update Part 13+Interlude!)[Crossover][Dark-Death] The World Ends With You crossover time!
Author: SIaanme
Description: Twilight Sparkle wakes up on the streets of Manehatten with no idea how she got there. Things take a turn for the strange when a scroll appears in front of her, threatening erasure and signed by "The Reapers". Just what is this game that Twilight has gotten herself into, and can she survive for seven days?The Reaper's Game
Labels: Applejack, Author: Slaanme, Crossover, Fluttershy, Grimdark, Incomplete, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Star-4, Story, Twilight Sparkle
Story: The Flight of the Alicorn (New Part 15!)
[Adventure] This sounds really epic.
Author: Ponydora Prancypants
Description: Rarity's exploits in "Sweet and Elite" set in motion a chain of events that finds the unicorn dressmaker the victim of a plot against Equestria, and shipwrecked in a dangerous wilderness far from home with her least favorite stallion, the boorish Prince Blueblood. Rarity will learn of dreadful treachery at home and abroad, and she will have to find out whether there is any substance beneath Blueblood's obnoxious veneer in order to save not only herself, but her entire nation.The Flight of the Alicorn
Labels: Adventure, Fancy Pants, Incomplete, Prince Blueblood, Rarity, Shipping, Star-5, Story
Story: This Platinum Crown (Update Part 8!)[Action][Intrigue]
Author: Capn Chryssalid
Description: After the time-looped events of The Best Night Ever, Rarity's relationship with Prince Blueblood seemed to be a fairy tale come true. Perhaps so, but it was a fairy tale soon cut short. Her dreams and future position quickly earn her the attention of powerful enemies. Only one mare can bear the Platinum Crown of the Duchy of Canterlot and be heiress to it's secrets and magics. The future of Equestria may well depend on that one mare being Rarity Unicorn.This Platinum Crown
Labels: Adventure, Author: Capn Chryssalid, Incomplete, OC Ponies, Other, Rarity, Star-5, Story, Twilight Sparkle


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Grid Stability Plan Attacked As Unneeded Subsidy For Coal, Nukes
CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- A federal proposal to boost the reliability of the power grid would cost billions and do little to make the grid more stable, according to research.
The Department of Energy is proposing a subsidy for coal and nuclear plants that stockpile 90 days of fuel to ensure electricity in an emergency. But a recent nonpartisan study showed the plan would cost taxpayers more than $10 billion a year. And in fact, fuel supply was not the issue when coal plants failed during the 2014 polar vortex and Hurricane Harvey earlier this year.
David Schlissel, director of resource planning analysis at the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis, said power lines are much more vulnerable than, say, renewable energy farms on the Gulf Coast.
"Most outages that people experience in their homes or businesses are caused by the transmission or distribution system," Schlissel said. "Hurricane Harvey hit in Texas, where there's 5,000 megawatts of wind. None of the turbines fell. They weren't damaged."
Comments on the proposal from the Union Of Concerned Scientists and others pointed out it was fossil fuel and nuclear plants that went offline during Superstorm Sandy in 2012.
Schlissel said the big historical blackouts on the East Coast were caused by failures in the transmission and distribution system. He said renewables can be more decentralized and much less dependent on those power lines.
Critics describe the plan as a thinly veiled, multi-billion-dollar subsidy for the fossil fuel and nuclear power industries.
According to the DOE, more than 500 coal-generating units have closed since 2002, and eight nuclear reactors announced they were closing last year. Schlissel said with cheap natural gas, wind and solar now on the market, those plants just can't compete.
"Plants that are not economic to continue operating will be subsidized," he said. "And that's what this proposal by the administration intends to do is put a thumb on the scale."
He said at a time when there is plenty of electricity available for the grids, the DOE proposal as an expensive solution in search of a problem.


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By Farayi Machamire
Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (Zacc) yesterday arrested Harare City Council director of housing and social development Edmore Nhekairo, Mutare town clerk Joshua Maligwa and Rusape Town Council Housing director Lawrence Mushayabasa over allegations of corruption.
Nhekairo is alleged to have defrauded Marondera Town Council of cash, residential and commercial stands amounting to thousands of dollars.
He is also accused of fraudulently selling gumtrees in the Hunyani Farm and converting all proceeds to his personal use.
Nhekairo duly appeared before Harare magistrates Rumbidzai Mugwagwa yesterday and was granted $300 bail along with stringent bail conditions.
As for Maligwa, he was arrested for alleged fraud committed in 2015 when he was Rusape Town Council secretary.
He is alleged to have committed the offence in connivance with Mushayabasa.
Zacc spokesperson Phyllis Chikundura confirmed the arrests to the Daily News yesterday.
She said more individuals and companies that are under investigation will be hauled before the courts in due course.
"Maligwa and Mashayabasa are currently in Rusape and will appear in a court in Rusape tomorrow (today). They are accused of acting in connivance and subdividing three industrial stands one measuring 10 000 square metres, another 3 500 and 4 500 square metres belonging to Opleves Company.
They sold the land to unsuspecting members of the public and they also allocated themselves space," Chikundura said.
Zacc has been widening its dragnet to include the private sector and local authorities where the anti-graft body is investigating tender scams which might have prejudiced government of tens of millions of dollars. DailyNews


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A former bartender of San Diego, California, Liz Clark, 34, started cruising around the world given that 2006 using her Cal 40 sailboat, and recording her experiences. A 6-month old kittycat called Amelia, which she rescued onboard, became her unfailing , sailing buddy, taking pleasure in cruising, fishing, hiking and strolling on the beach. Now, making the yacht called Swell her home , the feline feels guaranteed of her security getting acclimatized with the regimens. Till now, they both have covered the western Mexican coast, Central America, and circling the South Pacific. Some images illustrating their friendship cover the cat calmly and hopefully sitting next to Clark in the boat, and the feline peeping over the boat at the ocean while sailing .
So check out sail funny video you always needed. If you are exploring for sail across the world, you have actually come on the remarkable web page.
More Info: swellvoyage.com | Instagram | Facebook | BoredPanda
Liz Clark has been sailing around the world since 2006 when she quit her job as a bartender
Clark was given a Cal 40 sailboat on the condition that she would document her adventures around the world
In 2013, she welcomed a 6-month-old kitten that she rescued aboard and named her Amelia
The feral kitten was skinny and hungry but Clark saw a "commanding lioness air and carefree bravado" in her
"She has adapted to living surrounded by water"
"She has to go out of a cat comfort zone often"
"But I think she now understands that I will keep her safe and she will have a lot of fun in the end"
Amelia also loves hiking with Clark!
As well as enjoying the pleasures of SPA together…
She sure has a similar thirst for adventure as her human!
"It was petrifying to leave the safety and security of the dock and my friends and family"
"I didn't know if I would be capable of captaining a boat this big and managing all that goes into a trip where you're off the grid…"
"…but I knew I had to try or I'd always regret it"
"When I left I didn't know how I'd make money, and I don't come from a wealthy family or anything, like many people assume"
"I sleep on a pool mat under the stars"
"But I feel rich when I look up at that night sky and breath the fresh ocean air and leap into the sea each morning"
"She makes Swell [the yacht] feel much more like a home"
Here is a short video about Amelia:
More Amazing Topics!


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3D UNIVERSAL ENGLISH INSTITUTE INC. is a language school based in the Central Business District (CBD) area of Cebu City, Philippines. We specialize in the practical English as a Second Language (ESL) training courses, TOEIC, IELTS, TOEFL and Business English courses. We provide a full range of programs to train the students' communication skills using English. We have courses specifically designed for students from Beginners to Advance English level. Our students come from all over the world, including Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Mainland China, Russia, Middle East countries, Jordan, Germany, France, and Spain. We provide full accommodation and meals during the students' stay with the school. 3D UNIVERSAL ENGLISH INSTITUTE INC. was established in April 2002. It was the second language school that had gotten the accreditation from the Philippine government. Since 2002, we had nurtured over 7,000 international students. During the 10 years anniversary (2012), the name of the school," MTM JY" was changed to"3D UNIVERSAL ENGLISH INSTITUTE INC." to reflect the more progressive and multifaceted branding strategy of the school in the next decade.
3D represents 3-dimensional development. The Ds' stand for
"Discover", "Do", and "Develop".
The practical approach for our English as a second language (ESL) program constantly separates us from other schools. We continuously encourage students to "Learn English through daily conversations". We are fully committed to the students' growth and diversified learning path through various industrial collaborations. We aim to be globally competitive and strive to be the best ESL center for students from different parts of the world.
School Vision
❛❛Towards the Global 3D ACADEMY❜❜ Our vision is to develop 3D ESL into a global brand. The leader of 3D is a young entrepreneur, with business across Japan, Singapore, and the Philippines. Despite being a successful businessman, he still relentlessly devotes his time to studying. He is currently enrolled in the EMBA program of the University of Chicago Booth, one of the top MBA institutes in the world. Under his leadership, 3D aims to strive towards excellence and to spread our network to every part of the world.
School Mission
❛❛We are all about your future!!❜❜ In 3D, we believe that English is the most important tool to expand students' horizons and to cultivate their international perspectives. We believe that a good command of English will offer students endless opportunities as the globalization trend continues. Hence, we are devoted to lay down the most solid foundation in your English learning journey towards a better future!
School Practice
❛❛Nothing works better than practice❜❜ The most difficult part of learning English (Or any other language) is that it is not a subject or discipline where you could basically sail through with hard work and memorization. It is all about PRACTICE! To speak English fluently, you have to be able to express your thinking naturally with this language, as if you are speaking your mother tongue. In 3D, we believe that the most effective way of learning English is by immersing yourself in a total English environment. We have developed a range of methods by integrating the daily entertainment and syllabus into your 1:1 class to help to harness your English communication skills.
Competitive Advantages of 3D
More than a decade of experience
3D ACADEMY (MTM JY) was established in April 2002. It is the second oldest ESL school with government-accredited in the Philippines. With over 10 years of experience, we have the confidence to offer the best ESL course and service in town! Best Location in town
3D is the only ESL school located in the commercial building in downtown Cebu City, with 24 hours security. It is ideally located beside JY Mall, adjacent to supermarkets, fast-food restaurants, McDonald's, CBD (IT Park), and all other exotic restaurants, foot Massage, and SPA centers. Convenience and Accessible
Our classrooms, restaurants, and dormitory are all located in the same building. Imagine going to class and meals at no sweat? This is how good it can be! Teaching Quality
We provide daily 1:1 ESL training and small class discussions with the best quality teachers that we hand-selected from hundreds of candidates. All with one goal – To improve your English Proficiency! Vibrant School Life
"Free" Dance Classes, Monthly volunteering activities in cooperation with the Philippine government, occasional weekend trips! Fastest Internet Speed
We cannot stand low-speed WIFI for waiting costs time which is important in your life. So our solution is to launch high-speed 3D WIFI. Now everyone can be satisfied! Maximum Respect for the students in terms of course options
We provide an optional two hours classes in addition to the seven hours of regular class time. "Casual Discussion" is a class that allows students from all walks of life to gather casually in our 'English ONLY Zone' and discuss some reality and in-depth issues. "Review Class" is a self-study class with the support of a skilled teacher by providing input for the student's vocabulary, grammar and reading skills. Students have the options to attend any of these two depending on the teachers' availability and their own timetable. Attention! Native Speakers in the house!
As good as we hand-selected every teacher with the highest teaching quality in town we could find, we also provide you an option to have group class with our native teachers from USA and UK who can provide you the American/British accent training.
School Overview
Cebu City
JY Square, Lahug
6000 Cebu City, Central Visayas, Philippines


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I am in two bible studies right now that happen (although there is no such thing as coincidence in my book) to both be on the fruits of the spirit. Do you think God is trying to tell me something? One is a Beth Moore study called "Living Beyond Yourself" and the other has a little booklet for each "fruit" – this week's was on Patience. These studies have helped me to look at things from a more spiritual point of view.
Here are the 9 fruits of the Holy Spirit listed one right after the other in a bullet point format:
- Love
- Joy
- Peace
- Patience
- Kindness
- Goodness
- Faithfulness
- Gentleness
- Self-control
Now here is the specific verse from Scripture where these 9 fruits are being given to us by the Lord:
"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control." (Galatians 5:22)
So far in my study we have seen that:
· Love never fails
· Joy commeth
· Peace rules
· Patience waits.
Patience is a sorely needed quality in the fast paced world in which we live in today. I found that after doing my studying today, one of the people that I lose patience with quickly is my daughter. There are two Greek words used to describe patience in the bible. They are makrothumia and hupomone. The first means to be long suffering in relation to people (inspired by mercy) and the second means to persevere, remain under, circumstances or succumb under trial – in relation to circumstances (inspired by hope). I am sorely in need of makrothumia when dealing with my kids! Just look at how people treat each other today. Not with love and patience, but quite the opposite.
The words in this bible passage are so relevant to us today. Who doesn't want the fruits of the spirit to rule their behavior – their lives? Only through the Holy Spirit can we continually live our lives in the Fruits of the Spririt!


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May 15, 2012
Guest Blogger-John Tomeny from Sassafras Software
[Note: After a few comments & questions on this blog about Sassafras Software KeyServer support with CS6, we have asked John Tomeny, VP of Business Development at Sassafras Software to make a guest appearance.]
Following are some notes to address the many questions here around the use of K2-KeyServer to manage either concurrent use, ELA, or per-device licensing.
Adobe continues to offer concurrent use licensing for CS6 products. As with previous product versions, a concurrent license specifies various terms and conditions, including the requirement of an effective method to ensure license limits are not exceeded. Here are a some relevant links on the Adobe site (revised April 20, 2012) :
The new activation requirement for CS6 ensures that every installation will only run in trial mode until explicitly activated for each installed instance. Copying or cloning components from an activated installation to another computer will cause the copy to revert to trial mode – an activation process must be run on each new computer installation. This activation requirement simply converts the software from trial (expiring) to fully operable without performing any checks on licensing restrictions.
Adobe provides three methods for executing the activation process. Standard retail purchases include an install code much like previous product versions. But with CS6, the AAMEE deployment tool provides two additional methods for creating fully activated installations. Login to the AAMEE tool using your Adobe account credentials, then, based on your purchase records, you can create a custom installer that will silently install and activate a specific CS6 product configuration. Alternately, AAMEE can create an activation tool, again using your Adobe account credentials and purchase records. The activation tool is then used on each computer where an unactivated installation has been deployed by some other method (trial installation, copied, or cloned installation, etc.) in order to activate full functionality.
For more about AAMEE 3.0 and deployment of CS6 see:
License compliance for activated installations must still be managed according to the terms and conditions specified in your purchase. For example, if you have purchased a concurrent license, in addition to the activation step on various computers that may "potentially" use the product, the concurrent limit must be enforced on computers while "actually" using the product. If you have purchased a per-device license, careful management of which computers are activated may accomplish license compliance but it may be more feasible to audit and enforce a node-locked license policy using a license management tool that is able to disable the product on unlicensed computers.
K2-KeyServer can be used to enforce whichever CS6 license model you have acquired: either Concurrent use licensing, ELA Enterprise Licensing, or TLP/CLP per-device ("node Locked") licensing rights. For more information about Adobe Volume Licensing see:
As always, the responsibility rests with the license administrator to understand both the licensing restrictions, and the licensing rights that have been purchased (e.g. suite vs. point product, concurrent vs. node locked metric, perpetual vs. expiring).
John Tomeny | VP, Business Development | Sassafras Software Inc
I've been wanting to present Sassafras as a solution for one of our multimedia clients. This blog post is just the ticket. Kudos!
You folks did it better with CS 5.5 and "the honor system". We use KeyServer to manage our concurrent use license for faculty/computer labs. Now, with CS 6, we have yet another hurdle thrown in our way for mass deployments. "No problem, use our AAMEE tool! No big deal!" Well, when seemingly every vendor has their own "no problem!" tool, you end up with a fairly gigantic ball of yarn to keep track of for your mass deployments. In my opinion, you're all so scared of piracy, you've taken the tact that all of your customers are thieves. We actively look for open source replacements now just so we don't have to deal with these activation schemes.
First it was crappy updaters, then it was crappy code database files, now it's crappy activation process. What's next? You want only Adobe installed on a computer that uses Adobe products? This is INSANE! If you buy concurrent licensing, you shouldn't be forced to go activate every copy. You're using concurrent licensing in an enterprise to make life easier. With this new process Adobe is announcing, you're losing a lot of that ease-of-use and moving into pain-in-the-rear.
Hi kirank, thanks for replying! You are and you are not simplifying things. As an example, for our Mac deployments, the pkg created cannot be installed from a network volume. So, using a tool like Deploy Studio, and can run the pkg, but it needs to push that multigigabyte installer across the network to every workstation, then wait for the system to install it. Yikes. We have close to 200 machines.
Previously, we built in CS as our base image along with the OS and other "core" apps like Office. But, that image is cloned to the drives with DeployStudio which will trigger your activation scheme if we do that.
Why don't you just work with the Sassafras folks to use their KeyServer solution to it's fullest? We also deploy Finale. It "just works" with their provided keyfile for KeyServer. It's effortless. (Yes, we LOVE those guys, thanks for guest blogging with them!)
If AAMEE 3.0 is installed on Windows 7 x64 can we create either CS6 Install Package for Mac or a CS6 Serialization File for Mac? I've read most of the install guide but it is vague about how to create a Mac Install Folder as a source if you are running AAMEE 3.0 from Windows. I have tried using the DVD media and the DMG file and also trying to copy the contents of the DMG from a MAC to a shared folder but it doesn't work. It seems you have to have two computers to run AAMEE 3.0 – one Mac and One Windows. Is that correct?
Oops! (bad link). I noticed that one of the embedded links above redirects to the wrong page.
For more about AAMEE 3.0 and deployment of CS6 see:
Adobe, what have you done? I was looking forward to CS6 this summer, now I have another headache to deal with. It's already in our lab image, and to much surprise – this new licensing/activation scheme, completely different than CS5. So your great options:
1.) Use the AAMEE to make a licensed multi-GB package for deployment post imaging? Remember, you have enterprise, university, K-12 – different sizes and environments, different deployment tools and practices, and different expertise levels. Many institutions just do imaging with a basic product like Ghost and may not have advanced deployment tools like KACE, Microsoft deployment tools, or Symantec Deployment Suite for such post imaging deployment steps.
2.) Use the AAMEE to make a serialization file. Great, we can touch each machine and run this installer, or yes, just burden your customer with utilizing a deployment solution to push this out to each machine (assuming that they have a deployment solution).
3.) Go to each imaged computer, launch CS 6, enter my adobe credentials, enter serial #. Just a few hundred computers, no biggie.
I'm sure our students are downloading cracked torrents of CS6 over the summer with more ease than we're having after spending thousands to legally purchase the products for the institution. I can't tell you how much I'd like to insert a few spiteful comments in here about Adobe at this moment. Thank you from all of the over-worked, under staffed system admins and IT departments who are feeling the pain of adjusting to your paranoid, counter-productive piracy prevention attempts.
Quark was really into licensing management. I think that is why everybody switched to Adobe.


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The Oaks of Pasadena
2954 E Del Mar Blvd Pasadena CA 91107
for a local A Place for Mom advisor
The Oaks of Pasadena is an independent living community, located in Pasadena, California. Pasadena, which is part of Los Angeles County, is famous for its annual Tournament of Roses Parade, which is held on January 1st of each year. It is also famous for the Rose Bowl, a National Historic Landmark, which hosts one of the most famous college football games.
The caring staff at The Oaks of Pasadena will plan monthly activities for residents. There is 24 hour staffing to assist residents if they are having any problems. Residents room's are cleaned weekly by the courteous staff, and linen service is provided. Also, there is a maintenance staff on hand should residents need any repairs in the apartments.
There are a variety of amenities available at the Oaks of Pasadena, designed to make resident's lives easier and more comfortable. Some of these amenities include:
Nutritious, gourmet meals prepared by an on site chef, served in an elegant dining room
Daily complementary breakfast and flexible meal plans
Fitness room with classes taught by licensed personal trainers
Community TV room and lounges for socializing, reading, and playing games
Reserved parking in covered garages
Scheduled transportation for shopping, medical appointments, and days out in Pasadena
Pets are welcome
Tranquil landscaped gardens with outdoor sitting areas
If you are looking for a beautiful place to live in a lovely setting, The Oaks of Pasadena is the place for you.
Pricing at The Oaks of Pasadena
By clicking Unlock All Pricing , you agree to our Terms of Use. You also consent that we or our customer communities may reach out to you using a system that can auto-dial; however, you do not need to consent to this to use our service. Our Privacy Policy describes information collection and use.
*Prices quoted are monthly rental charges and are provided by the communities themselves. Actual prices may differ due to one-time fees, timing and care services required. Speak with your Senior Living Advisor to learn more.
Reviews of The Oaks of Pasadena
Community Details at The Oaks of Pasadena
Senior Housing Types Provided at The Oaks of Pasadena
The features and amenities that are displayed on this page contain marketing information provided by the community. A Place for Mom has not confirmed the completeness of the provided information, and cannot guarantee its accuracy.
To conduct a complete investigation, seniors and their families should:
- Tour any listed location to confirm the accuracy of the community description;
- Confirm that the community offers services that are required for the senior's specific needs and budget; and
- Check additional licensing and state audit information.
If you become aware of any information that should be updated or noted, please contact A Place for Mom.


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Featured Categories:
We carry an exceptional array of tailored suits, sports jackets and tuxedos from the world's leading menswear designers.
Browse the new collections before you come in to shop or buy online. However, we still believe that it's better for our on-site tailors to make any alterations to your garment, and we recommend that you pick up your purchase in-store and allow one of our Clothing Advisors to help you take advantage of this service.


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MercyCare Health Plans shares your goal of lower health care costs and believes healthy workers are the most productive. We feel this is best accomplished with on-site wellness programs that not only focus on managing employees with known illnesses, but also screening and preventing common illnesses. View the links below to find out how we can partner with your company to help you live well.
Health Risk Assessment (HRA)
MercyCare Health Plans HRA program is available online for easier access. An HRA is a short, confidential survey designed to assess your health status through a "wellness score" and "health age" that reflects lifestyle habits and current health. See below for a link to a sample member report with survey questions.
Our HRA reports help businesses understand the health status and productivity of their employees. Businesses do not receive individual employee data. The following reports are available at no cost when you have 20 or more employees/spouses enrolled in MercyCare Health Plans who complete the HRA:
Executive summary-Prioritizes risk factors and recommendations for health improvement programs based on the needs of the group. Sample Report
Economic impact report-Determines your average medical claims cost per employee and compares those costs to the goals you have set.
Group summary-Provides graphical representation for nearly every risk factor, allowing you to easily view and fine-tune your wellness efforts. Sample Report
Progress/trend report-Illustrates the impact of your wellness efforts by showing changes and improvements from the previous testing periods.
How can you increase the effectiveness of your HRA?
Click here to see how to establish a healthy corporate culture.
Please call (608) 758-7711 for more information on getting a group report.
Using incentives
The more employees who take the HRA, the more accurately the report represents your workforce. We highly encourage employers to offer incentives to their employees who complete the assessment. There are many types of incentives ranging from drawings to health premium reduction. Examples: Incentive flyer
Health and wellness consultation
MercyCare Health Plans works with our insured companies to promote health and wellness in the workplace. We would like to partner with you to plan workplace wellness activities! Please contact our sales team at (800) 895-2421 for more information.
Helpful resources
Wellness Council of America
A resource for worksite wellness, the Wellness Council of America is dedicated to helping organizations of all kinds build and sustain results-oriented wellness programs.
Wisconsin Wellness Council
The Wellness Council is the only nonprofit organization in Wisconsin dedicated exclusively to helping employers design results-oriented wellness programs to maximize the health and productivity of their most valuable asset-their employees.
Wisconsin's Governor's Challenge
The Wisconsin Governor's Challenge was introduced to motivate kids and adults, individuals and groups such as worksites, to have fun while staying active. This program uses a paper log for individuals to track their activity.
President's Challenge
The President's Challenge is a program that encourages all Americans to make being active part of their everyday lives. Individuals can sign up as a group or individual. Points are earned using and Internet based log.


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Note: I know I read a poem ages ago about levitating phone booths, and I cannot for the life of me find it anywhere online - the book's in my hometown. So, apologies to the poet whose name I can't remember - this is a fond tribute, not a rip-off because I have very fond memories of that particular poem.
The secret lives of phone booths are complicated.
They stand, solitary street confessionals
Inviting telephone confidences.
Unwilling eavesdroppers of conversation
Each graffiti mark has its tale:
Marz luvs Joolz. Call Me xx-xxx
U sounded like coordin8s 2 avoid were an invitation 2 bed
Down with taxes! right next to Have more sex, it's free.
Phone booths hold the weight of the world
Within their cramped, four-walled confines.
Close, heavy air laden with secrets
Claustrophobic with anxiety and sweat
The rank odour of dead dreams and stale food
An insistent, insidious permeation.
Such gravity is hard to carry.
Last night I heard a phone booth whispering to another
Through the telephone line:
A soft, dull patter like the rustle of directory pages.
They stopped politely when I made my call
Coins dropping through the slot like cheap marbles.
When I finished, I heard them resume
Before I put the receiver down.
When I exited, I swear I saw my phone booth float
Two inches off the ground, then lift off quietly
Into the air where another phone booth waited
A silhouette against the crescent moon.
But in the morning, it was back in its place
Solid, unmoving, a perfectly ordinary phone boothOn a perfectly ordinary day.


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Written By: WAC Media Relations
DENVER, CO - The Western Athletic Conference has announced the bracket for the 2017 WAC Volleyball Tournament Nov. 16-18 at the UTRGV Fieldhouse in Edinburg, Texas.
NM State is the top seed after winning its third straight WAC regular-season title. The Aggies are led by Kassandra Tohm, who leads the conference in WAC matches in kills per set (3.98) and points per set (4.20), and Tatyana Battle, who ranks seventh in the WAC in kills per set (3.40) and fifth in points per set (3.95). Libero Ariadnne Sierra ranks third in WAC matches with 5.08 digs per set.
Host UT Rio Grande Valley is the No. 2 seed after earning a sweep at Grand Canyon on Saturday. Junior Ragni Steen Knudsen leads the Vaqueros with 3.68 kills per set in WAC matches, while Bojana Mitrovic had a WAC-best 10 double-doubles in league play.
The third seed goes to Utah Valley, which earned a 3-1 win over Chicago State on Saturday. The Wolverines lead the nation in total blocks and are led in blocking by Madison Dennison, who averages 1.77 per set in WAC matches. Dennison also leads the WAC in hitting percentage (.329).
CSU Bakersfield earned the No. 4 seed. The 'Runners are led by Haylee Roberts, who ranks third in the WAC in hitting percentage (.302) in WAC play, while libero Emily Lopes ranks second in the league in digs per set (5.18).
Seattle U made the tournament as the fifth seed after sweeping Kansas City Saturday. The Redhawks are led offensively by Katarina Marinkovic, who averages 3.52 kills per set, and defensively by Maja Stojanovic, who ranks third in the WAC with 1.30 blocks per set.
Kansas City is the sixth seed. The Roos are led by Alicia Harrington, who averages 3.64 kills and 3.00 digs per set.
The tournament begins on Thursday, Nov. 16, with the first match at 4:30 p.m. local time. All matches will be shown live on the WAC Digital Network at www.wacsports.com/watch as well as Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, Android TV and Roku devices.
Thursday, Nov. 16
Match One: No. 4 CSU Bakersfield vs. No. 5 Seattle U, 4:30 p.m.
Match Two: No. 3 Utah Valley vs. No. 6 Kansas City, 7 p.m.
Friday, Nov. 17
Match Three: Winner Match One vs. No. 1 NM State, 4:30 p.m.
Match Four: Winner Match 2 at No. UT Rio Grande Valley, 7 p.m.
Saturday, Nov. 18
Match Five: Winner Match Three vs. Winner Match Four, 7 p.m.


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by Brian Freedman, ICCI intern
Last Tuesday, the Interreligious Coordinating Council in Israel (ICCI) and Konrad Adenauer Stiftung (KAS) co-sponsored an interreligious event for Iftar, the daily breaking of the fast during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan. Religious leaders from across Israel gathered at the Konrad Adenauer Conference Center in Mishkenot Sha'ananim to celebrate Ramadan and participate in a discussion about the role of charity and social justice in the three Abrahamic faiths.
The featured speaker was an Islamic court judge, qadi in Arabic, from the Israeli-Arab town of Baqa al-Gharbiyye. Qadi Muhammad Abu Obeid, a graduate from Essex University Law School in England, emphasized the communal nature of Islam and the responsibility Muslims have to care for the well-being of the less fortunate members of their communities. He noted that many ills in society emanate from the desperation of the miserable and poverty-stricken. The duty of Muslims, therefore, is to supply sadaqah and zakaat, two different forms of almsgiving in Islam, which "can help the poor and make a more balanced, peaceful and loving society." Islam frees people from their selfish proclivities and puts them on a path toward altruism and "human justice," he added.
Filed under: English, ICCI Events, Islam in Israel, Religious Holidays, Theology and Philosophy | 1 Comment »


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Rent my 2 bed Flat during Commonwealth GamesEast Glasgow, United kingdom
The flat is situated just in the East End of the City Centre of Glasgow. There are two double bedrooms, two bathrooms, a kitchen and a living room. There is a pullout couch in the living room, which can act as a third bedroom. The flat is fully furnished and equipped with a dishwasher and washing machine. The price will include wireless internet, electricity & heating. Price – the price will be dependent on the length of stay so the price in the advert is only a guide. Parking – secure car park underneath building. No – smoking or pets Deposit – 20% deposit required upon booking and will be returned at the end of stay. Getting around: Airport – 10 mins by car/taxi or 15 mins by bus Queen St Train Station – 10 mins walk Glasgow Central Train Station – 10 mins walk Buchanan Bus Station – 10 mins walk Celtic Park & Velodrome – 10 mins walk Ibrox Stadium – short underground away Hampden – 10-15 mins by car/taxi/train SSE Hydro – 5 mins by car/taxi, 20 mins walk
Joined December 16, 2013


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Premature baby survives in a dumpster overnight still attached to placenta…
Todd Ferring climbed into the trash bin behind El Maguey Mexican restaurant in the 1100 block of Duchesne near West Clay in St. Charles. He reached down and pulled up the tiny baby, the placenta and umbilical cord still attached. He assumed the girl was stillborn as he gave her to fellow emergency medical technician Matt Schafer.
That's when the men saw her take a breath, then utter a faint cry.
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Paramedics were shocked to find the baby alive!
The baby was found in the dumpster at 10 AM this morning after the baby survived in the dumpster overnight:
St. Charles, Missouri police have confirmed that a newborn girl was found in a dumpster in St. Charles.
TRENDING: RUMORS SWIRLING: President Trump's Recent Actions Indicate Something HUGE Is About to Drop
The girl was found in a dumpster at West Clay and S. Duschene Drive, next to an El Maguey restaurant.
The girl was found alive, and appears to be 30 weeks along in gestation, and is in critical condition. Full-term for newborns is considered to be 40 weeks.
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A nurse at a hospital called police to tell them there may be a baby in the dumpster. Police and paramedics rushed to the scene. There, they found the girl alive.
"It's something you don't ever want to have to see. You train for it, but you don't want to have to see it," said Matt Schafer, a paramedic who responded at the scene. "When we first saw her, it almost made you drop to your knees."
Schafer was handed the baby by his partner, Todd Ferring, who had climbed into the dumpster to find the infant. Both were surprised by what they found. "It wasn't at all what we thought we were going to," said Ferring. "We were told it was a miscarriage. We weren't expecting a child with ten fingers and ten toes."


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Anton Vladyka received his B.Sc. degree in Applied Physics from Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, Ukraine, in 2010 and M.Sc. degree in 2012 (thesis work "Transport and noise characteristics of individual biomolecules in mechanically controllable break-junctions" performed in the Forschungszentrum Jülich, Germany).
Joined the group in November 2012 under the project "SyMoNe".
Office: 0.23
Phone: +41(0)61 26 73780
E-mail: anton.vladyka(at)unibas.ch
molecular junctions; nanoparticles arrays; hybrid graphene-NP devices
micro- and nanofabrication; soft lithography; Matlab, R, Python, Julia programming; POV-ray
List of publications
- Unsupervised classification of single-molecule data with autoencoders and transfer learning
Anton Vladyka and Tim Albrecht.
Machine Learning: Science and Technology, 2020 [Abstract]
Datasets from single-molecule experiments often reflect a large variety of molecular behaviour. The exploration of such datasets can be challenging, especially if knowledge about the data is limited and a priori assumptions about expected data characteristics are to be avoided. Indeed, searching for pre-defined signal characteristics is sometimes useful, but it can also lead to information loss and the introduction of expectation bias. Here, we demonstrate how Transfer Learning- enhanced dimensionality reduction can be employed to identify and quantify hidden features in single-molecule charge transport data, in an unsupervised manner. Taking advantage of open-access neural networks trained on millions of seemingly unrelated image data, our results also show how Deep Learning methodologies can readily be employed, even if the amount of problem-specific, 'own' data is limited.
- In-situ formation of one-dimensional coordination polymers in molecular junctions
Anton Vladyka, Mickael L. Perrin, Jan Overbeck, Rubén R. Ferradás, Víctor García-Suárez, Markus Gantenbein, Jan Brunner, Marcel Mayor, Jaime Ferrer, and Michel Calame.
Nature Communications, 10(1), 262, 2019
- Ordered nanoparticles arrays interconnected by molecular wires: electronic and optoelectronic properties
J. Liao, S. Blok, S. J. van der Molen, S. Diefenbach, A. Holleitner, C. Schönenberger, A. Vladyka, and M. Calame.
Chem. Soc. Rev., 44 (4), 999-1014, 2015 [Abstract]
Arrays of metal nanoparticles in an organic matrix have attracted a lot of interest due to their diverse electronic and optoelectronic properties. Recent work demonstrates that nanoparticle arrays can be utilized as a template structure to incorporate single molecules. In this arrangement{,} the nanoparticles act as electronic contacts to the molecules. By varying parameters such as the nanoparticle material{,} the matrix material{,} the nanoparticle size{,} and the interparticle distance{,} the electronic behavior of the nanoparticle arrays can be substantially tuned and controlled. Furthermore{,} via the excitation of surface plasmon polaritons{,} the nanoparticles can be optically excited and electronically read-out. The versatility and possible applications of well-ordered nanoparticle arrays has been demonstrated by the realization of switching devices triggered optically or chemically and by the demonstration of chemical and mechanical sensing. Interestingly{,} hexagonal nanoparticle arrays may also become a useful platform to study the physics of collective plasmon resonances that can be described as Dirac-like bosonic excitations.
- Interplay Between Mechanical and Electronic Degrees of Freedom in pi-Stacked Molecular Junctions: From Single Molecules to Mesoscopic Nanoparticle Networks
Tahereh Ghane, Daijiro Nozaki, Arezoo Dianat, Anton Vladyka, Rafael Gutierrez, Jugun Prakash Chinta, Shlomo Yitzchaik, Michel Calame, and Gianaurelio Cuniberti.
J. Phys. Chem. C, 119 (11), 6344-6355, 2015 [Abstract]
Functionalized nanoparticle networks offer a model system for the study of charge transport in low-dimensional systems as well as a potential platform to implement and test electronic functionalities. The electrical response of a nanoparticle network is expected to sensitively depend on the molecular inter-connects, i.e. on the linker chemistry. If these linkers have complex charge transport properties, then phenomenological models addressing the large scale properties of the network need to be complemented with microscopic calculations of the network building blocks. In this study we focus on the interplay between conformational fluctuations and electronic $\pi$-stacking in single molecule junctions and use the obtained microscopic information on their electrical transport properties to parametrize transition rates describing charge diffusion in mesoscopic nanoparticle networks. Our results point out at the strong influence of mechanical degrees of freedom on the electronic transport signatures of the studied molecules. This is then reflected in the varying charge diffusion at the network level. The modeling studies are complemented with first charge transport measurements at the single-molecule level of $\pi$-stacked molecular dimers using state of the art mechanically controllable break junction techniques in a liquid environment.
- Noise and transport characterization of single molecular break junctions with individual molecule
V. A. Sydoruk, D. Xiang, S. A. Vitusevich, M. V. Petrychuk, Anton Vladyka, Yi Zhang, A. Offenhäusser, V. A. Kochelap, A. E. Belyaev, and D. Mayer.
J. Appl. Phys., 112(1), 14908, 2012
List of talks
- Controlled formation of organometallic molecular junctions in liquid environment.
Anton Vladyka, J. Brunner, M.Gantenbein, M.Mayor, R. R. Ferradás, J.Ferrer, and Michel Calame. In 8th International Conference on Molecular Electronics "Elecmol-2016", Paris, France, Aug 2016.
- Self-assembled nanoparticle arrays with graphene contacts.
Anton Vladyka, Y. Viero, D. Vuillaume, and Michel Calame. In 2016 European Material Research Society Spring Meeting, Lille, France, May 2016.
- Transport properties characterization of individual molecule device using noise spectroscopy: A new approach.
Anton Vladyka, Viktor Sydoruk, Svetlana Vitusevich, Mykhailo Petrychuk, Dong Xiang, Andreas Offenhäusser, Vyacheslav Kochelap, Alexander Belyaev, and Dirk Mayer. In ICPS 2012 Zürich, volume 401, pages 401-402, 2013. [Abstract]
We studied the noise properties of break junction devices with and without a single 1,4-benzeneditiol molecule. Two noise components were registered in all noise spectra: thermal noise and flicker noise. In addition, a Lorentzian-shape (1/f 2) noise component was revealed for the molecular junctions only. The characteristic frequency of the Lorentzian-shape noise depends linearly on current through the molecular junction. These results are in good agreement with the proposed phenomenological model.


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The Kawai CS11 WHG is a high-quality 88-note digital piano with a Grand Feel II wooden-key action keyboard and Ebony & Ivory touch-key surfaces. In fact, the Grand Feel II keys are longer than those in any other digital piano, the pivot point distance identical to that of a Kawai grand piano. The CS11 also features among its on-board sounds 3x world-class grand pianos; the Shigeru Kawai EX, the EX and the Shigeru Kawai SK-5, all regarded as exemplary examples of pristine tonal clarity. In addition to these sonically accurate pianos the CS11 includes other instruments, such as electric pianos, strings, church organs and so on.
The appearance of the CS11 is traditionally luxurious, polished surfaces and silver hardware creating an inspirational instrument that is a joy to play. The Grand Feel II keyboard is equipped with a pressure point simulation, which ensures perfect control of the pianissimo. "Spatial-Headphone-Sound" (SHS) technology provides an exceptional monitoring experience via the professional headphone amplifier, whilst the USB-to-Device function can store your songs on an external storage device or play back MIDI files. The CS-11 W can also play songs in MP3 or WAV format directly.
The main features of the Kawai CS11 WHG include:


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From: Mohan Natarajan < >
To: All the anti-Vedic Media and TOI
Dear Sir:
YOU (still) CONTINUE YOUR ANTI-RSS, ANTI-BJP AND ANTI-HINDU STANCE
I am surprised, you are making a mountain out of a mole hill. Bhagvat said that Teresa did social service with an eye on conversion. CAN YOU OR CHRISTIANS SAY HONESTLY THAT THEY ARE DOING SOCIAL SERVICE WITHOUT DOING CONVERSION?
Rev. Couto himself has not said in the interview THAT CHRISTIANS ARE NOT DOING CONVERSION. How Peter Wagner, the Christian expert can say that the present Christian population is around 25%. The real figure is NOT REVEALED because the converts retain their Hindu names to enjoy the benefit of reservation.
Your paper must conduct a similar interview with Bhagvat to know his side of the story. WILL YOU DO IT?
See how the media hates Modi and Hindus. The Christian and Muslim NGOs prostrated before US to deny visa to Modi. The same media made fun of Modi's suit – 10 lacs, 10 lacs. The same media made fun of Modi's 56 inches chest. But the same media is very reverential towards Mother, without telling the other side of the story. You can publish extracts from Hitches book so that Rev. Couto may know the true picture.
See Modi's magnanimity:
He invited Obama twice. He broke protocol to receive and see off BARRACK HUSSAIN OBAMA. How Obama responded? He BACKSTABBED AND FRON-STABBED MODI.
For a change, I am appending a posting from another group – a post that is refreshing to Modi followers/lovers:
Two events happened to me recently about which I want to share my experiences. My dad passed away about 5 months ago at the ripe old age of 94. He had retired in 1975 as Supdt. Engr in CPWD in Delhi and was getting the central gov't pension from 1975 to 2014 (about 40,000/-per month). In the year 2010 he wrote to the ministry of pensions asking to include my mother's name Sharadha, now 89 yrs, as the family pensioner
In the year 2012, due to his failing eyesight I reminded them by email as well as by phone to Delhi. I was told they are processing it and will send the revised papers "soon".2014 came and my dad had still not rec'd confirmation of my mom's name as family pensioner. He passed away assuming his wife will not be the recipient of around 25,000/-PM as her pension.
When I went to the bank after my dad's death with all papers they said what I was expecting them to say that my mom's name was not in the pension payment order. Frustrated, I sent a copy of the earlier correspondence of 2010 to the pension ministry.
Within 4 days I got an email from some clerk saying the papers will be ready within a week (not a vague "soon.") On the 5th day I got a phone call from a person who introduced himself as Dr. Jitendra Singh, and he said the papers with my mom's details have been sent to the bank that very day.
I hung up thanking him. When I checked their web site Dr. Jitendra Singh was the minister of state for pensions and personnel grievances, reporting to the cabinet minister who was Modi himself. When I called back to thank the minister himself again, he modestly said it was the PM's directive that no woman who has lost her husband recently should be further traumatized by delayed paperwork on pensions.
(What Manmohan did not do in 4 years, Modi did in 4 days.)
And last month when my mom had to give her life certificate to the bank a bank officer came home to get her signature due to her old age. (Last year I took my 93 years old dad to the bank with great difficulty). The bank also confirmed it was Finance ministry directive to treat Sr. Citizens with extra sensitivity!!
(Skanda's answer:
When TOI's owner/controller is pro-Vedic and pro-raashtra; or when the Vedics stop buying/supporting TOI.)
Thanking you,
Yours sincerely
N Mohan


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NL Capsules
ST. LOUIS (AP) — Allen Craig homered on a four-hit day that included three RBIs, and Matt Adams hit a three-run homer as the St. Louis Cardinals beat the Milwaukee Brewers 9-3 Wednesday.
Jon Jay had three hits and a walk his first four trips to the plate. The Cardinals avoided a three-game sweep by the team with the best record in the major leagues.
Shelby Miller (3-2) worked around homers to Mark Reynolds and Carlos Gomez, allowing three runs and six hits in six-plus innings.
Milwaukee is 20-8, a franchise record for wins through the season's first full first month.
Matt Garza (1-3) joined the lengthy list of injured Brewers when he was removed in the fourth inning because of a bruised right thumb.
MIAMI (AP) — Nathan Eovaldi pitched seven innings and the Marlins scored nine runs off NL ERA leader Aaron Harang to beat the Braves.
Harang (3-2) gave up 10 hits in 4 2-3 innings, and his ERA rose from 0.85 to 2.97. The Marlins tied a season high with 15 hits, including seven for extra bases.
Marcell Ozuna hit a three-run homer, and Christian Yelich added his first home run of the year.
Miami's 9-0 lead after five innings was a rare luxury for Eovaldi (2-1), who has the lowest career run support among active major league starters.
CINCINNATI (AP) — Nate Schierholtz drove in three runs and Anthony Rizzo hit a two-run homer, rallying the Cubs over the Reds.
Starlin Castro went 3 for 4 with two doubles for the Cubs, who have won two of three following a four-game losing streak.
Brayan Pena hit a solo homer for the Reds, who have lost four of five.
Edwin Jackson (2-2) beat Cincinnati for the second time this year, allowing four runs and five hits in 5 2-3 innings.
With the score 3-3 in the fifth, the Cubs loaded the bases with no outs against reliever Nick Christiani (0-1). Mike Olt hit into an RBI forceout, and Schierholtz followed with a sacrifice fly.
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Tim Hudson and Sergio Romo combined on a five-hitter and the Giants beat the Padres.
Hudson (4-1) struck out six and didn't walk a batter for the fourth time in five starts this season.
The three-time All-Star was one pitch from recording his first shutout in nearly two years before Yasmani Grandal's two-out home run in the ninth.
Brandon Hicks homered and Michael Morse drove in his team-leading 20th RBI for the Giants, who finished 5-1 on their homestand.
PHOENIX (AP) — Miguel Montero hit a leadoff homer in the 10th inning after Martin Prado hit a two-run single in the ninth, helping the Diamondbacks end a four-game losing streak with a win over the Rockies.
Colorado led 4-0 after three innings behind Carlos Gonzalez's two-run homer and pitcher Jordan Lyles' leadoff shot in the third.
Arizona cut into the lead on Paul Goldschmidt's solo homer in the eighth inning. The Diamondbacks then loaded the bases with two outs in the ninth against Rex Brothers, and Prado tied it at 4 with a two-run single up the middle.
Addison Reed (1-2) stranded a runner at third in the 10th inning and Montero ended it with his first career walkoff hit, a towering homer to right off Tommy Kahnle (2-1).
Nolan Arenado extended his majors-best hitting streak to 20 games.


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Changing nature
In 1874 British Columbia began a policy of extinguishing all fires not beyond the available suppression resources (Parminter, 1975). In southeastern BC, this coincides with the onset of mining, timber harvesting, and railway construction, which all contributed to a strengthened fire exclusion effort (Egan, 1998). Prior to this, frequent anthropogenic and natural fire -- with anthropogenic fire playing a critical role -- characterized the fire regime in the low, dry portions of study area (Barrett and Arno, 1982). Frequent low intensity and severity fire maintained open stands or grassland, which in turn provided high quality ungulate graze and other benefits. With fire-exclusion, Douglas fir was able to fill in stands of once-open Ponderosa Pine, and to begin the process of converting grasslands to forests. At the beginning of the restoration project, it was estimated that of 250,000 hectares of grassland within the British Columbian trench, 3,000 hectares per year were being encroached upon by forest (Egan, 1998). Since 1950, approximately half of what was grassland has been converted to forest (Gayton, 2013). Beyond simply creating a more densely forested landscape, altering the natural disturbance cycle creates less frequent but more severe fires, which affects everything from soil structure to the safety of human communities (Agee, 1993).
In addition to the direct implications of increased tree density caused by fire-exclusion, either continued exclusion or ecosystem restoration work might affect the establishment and success of invasive species. This, coupled with climate change forecasted to produce warmer, drier and longer summers (Pacific Climate Information Consortium, n.d.), creates uncertain trends for ecosystems. For example, it is almost certain that the changing climate, combined with the presence of invasive species, will create novel plant community assemblages, as different species adapt to change at different rates. These two drivers, climate change and invasive species, make the onset of novel assemblages of species likely. Invasive species currently present in the area, such as cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum), may increase, while those which are currently at there northern limit in Washington and Oregon species may expand further northward with warmer and drier climate (eg. Taeniatherum caput-medusae, Eremopyrum triticeum, and Bromus madritensis) (Gayton 2013).
Another means of "changing nature" invokes several meanings of the term: restorationists may be prescribing treatments by based on inaccurate or incomplete understandings of the area's biogeoclimatic zones and disturbance regimes. The disturbance regime for valley bottoms in British Columbia's dry interior have long been considered NDT 4, characterized by frequent, low-intensity and low-severity fires which maintain grassland or open forest. However, a growing body of research suggests that mixed-severity regimes would better describe most areas in the region (eg. Heyerdahl et al., 2011; Klenner et al, 2008; Kubian, 2013; Marcoux et al., 2013), with occasional high-severity fires. Current prescriptions focus exclusively on low-severity fire, which may limit the likelihood of achieving historically fidelity with ecosystems that experienced a range of disturbance types.
While the current models for describing ecosystems and their disturbance regimes may not be accurate due to an inadequate understanding of historical ecosystem processes, they may be made even less accurate by a changing climate conditions and an increase in invasive species. The potential for fundamentally altered ecosystems and disturbance regimes, beyond a simple shift from one of the described categories to another (i.e. Ponderosa Pine Biogeoclimatic Zone to Bunchgrass Biogeoclimatic Zone or Natural Disturbance Type 3 to NDT4), is possible. Cheatgrass is an example of an invasive species which has the potential to cause such an alteration. Cheatgrass invasion can shift the fire regime towards more frequent fire (Zouhar, 2003), but it can also alter plant communities by altering microbiota and nutrient availability. For example, nitrogen availability is diminished by the presence of cheatgrass, which can alter plant community structure beyond what cheatgrass directly displaces (Evans et al., 2001). The creation of positive feedbacks, such as the increasing fire frequency/decreasing nitrogen noted in cheatgrass invasions, has the potential to move ecosystems well outside their normal range of variability.
Rocky Mountain Trench Blueprint for Action 2013, retrieved from http://trencher.com/images/uploads/Blueprint2013_summaryweb.pdf


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Book Description:
Published: May 31, 2016
Format: Audio/OverDrive
On a foggy summer night, eleven people–ten privileged, one down-on-his-luck painter–depart Martha's Vineyard headed for New York. Sixteen minutes later, the unthinkable happens: the passengers disappear into the ocean. The only survivors are Scott Burroughs–the painter–and a four-year-old boy, who is now the last remaining member of a wealthy and powerful media mogul's family.
With chapters weaving between the aftermath of the tragedy and the backstories of the passengers and crew members–including a Wall Street titan and his wife, a Texan-born party boy just in from London, a young woman questioning her path in life, and a career pilot–the mystery surrounding the crash heightens. As the passengers' intrigues unravel, odd coincidences point to a conspiracy: Was it merely dumb chance that so many influential people perished? Or was something far more sinister at work? Events soon threaten to spiral out of control in an escalating storm of media outrage and accusations–all while the reader draws closer and closer to uncovering the truth.
Review –
Before The Fall starts off with a private plane being prepared to transport a TV executive, his wife and their two children; a couple who are friends of theirs; an artist the wife has befriended; the crew of the plane, and a private bodyguard employed by the TV executive. They are all flying from Martha's Vineyard to New York. It is a summer night and other than some mild fog, conditions for flying are good. Yet sixteen minutes after takeoff the plane plunges into the sea.
The rest of the book concerns how and why the plane crashed. Various theories are possible and Hawley takes us back into the past to see how and why these suppositions could be right. He holds the reveal of what actually happened to the very end of the book. But until those final moments it is anybody's guess.
Going back and forth to the past and relating detailed back stories on each character bogged things down but I still gave the book FIVE STARS because even through the bog I couldn't help myself and kept on listening.
There are numerous theories as to what or who caused the plane to crash. For awhile, Scott, was himself a suspect. It is not until the end that we find out who is behind the crash and it was so very plausible that I am very glad that I haven't flown in years and now I don't ever plan to do so!
Five Stars *****


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Disclosure: I received this product complimentary in exchange for an honest, and fair review. The thoughts in this blog are my own.
Good afternoon everyone. Hope that all of you are having a terrific Monday. I am having a great day today! Today I shall be reviewing a smart watch from OUMAX. The smart watch is the OUMAX Smart Watch S6. This is latest in OUMAX's smart watch collection.
I love to have the latest tech gadgets. Smart watches are very hot in the tech market. Many of the well known brands are very expensive, and are honestly out of my price range. Luckily there are companies such as OUMAX which are making products that are equal to the name brands.
Have to brag on OUMAX because of how awesome their smart watch is. The OUMAX Smart Watch S6 is amazing. The display is just beautiful, and easy to see. Believe the display size is 1.54inch led display. Resolutions is 240×240 pixels, with a dual core cpu.
While I love new tech gadgets many are difficult to setup, and use. However OUMAX was so easy to get started with. OUMAX Smart Watch S6 can be used with Andriod & IOS devices. After first fully charging the battery on my S6 smart watch had it up in running in about 3 minutes. Yes it was that easy!
Another impressive plus for this smart watch is the battery life. My brother has a very expensive name brand smart watch, and he's constantly charging it. I use my smart watch just as much as he uses his, but mine needs charging about twice a week. Comfort is another important aspect of the OUMAX Smart Watch S6. Can wear this watch all day with no problems.
Often I can keep my phone in my pocket or bag. My OUMAX Smart Watch S6 allows me to send emails, check texts, make calls, and much more. Call quality on this smart watch is crystal clear. It's easy to send, and receive texts. Love how my OUMAX S6 looks it's very modern, crisp, clean & so cool! This smart watch is very well made. All of my friends are impressed by this watch. Below I will place links to directly purchase the watch & to OUMAX homepage.
Buy the OUMAX Smart Watch S6 on Amazon: http://goo.gl/BnQKKD
Visit OUMAX homepage to find out about their other products: http://www.oumax.net/
I just want to thank Raymond from OUMAX for allowing me to test their watch. Plan to invest in one their fitness trackers. Very impressed with the quality of their products. It's so cool that a company such as OUMAX is around so everyone can have affordable, reliable tech products.


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Pharmacogenetic Tests Have Great Value
Anyone who is suffering from an illness surely wants to experience the proper treatment. Proper treatment through drugs is a possibility. In some cases, a particular prescription may not have the desired result. Switching up to a new medication could solve all troubles. By engaging in pharmacogenetics testing, the ability to improve drug selections becomes a possibility.
What Are Pharmacogenetic Tests?
Basically, pharmacogenetic tests examine the genetic traits of a patient in order to better prescribe medications. Physicians could use these tests prior to issuing the first prescription as opposed to waiting to see if the initial medication works. Each individual doctor's office follows its own unique procedures. At certain offices, a patient may have to request this type of testing. At others, the testing could be routine.
One Potential Benefit to Pharmacogenetic Tests
Pharmacogenetic tests are sometimes done for the purpose of avoiding adverse side effects. Drugs can and do come with side effects. Not everyone may end up suffering from side effects in the same way. Side effects are not even likely to show up in many people who take a particular prescription. Side effects may be a rare result in only a slim percentage of people. That said, no one wants to be the unlucky person who has to suffer from side effects. Genetic testing could cut down on the chances of such things from occurring. Does that not sound better than playing trial and error?
Ordering a Pharmacogenetic Test
Pharmacogenetic tests can be ordered through companies that promote themselves online. Ordering a test and providing the results to a physician may prove helpful. Doing so could end up helping a diagnosis or examination. Consider the effort of ordering a test worthwhile.


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by Calculated Risk on 6/15/2013 08:48:00 PM
Saturday, June 15, 2013
FOMC Projections Preview: Disinflation Watch
The FOMC meets on Tuesday and Wednesday of the coming week. I expect no policy change following the FOMC meeting with the Fed continuing to purchase $85 billion in longer-term Treasury and agency mortgage-backed securities per month. I also expect the forward guidance thresholds will remain unchanged.
In the press conference on Wednesday, I expect Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke to argue we still need to see "substantial improvement" in the labor market, and to note the downside risks to the economy, especially from current fiscal policy. He will probably make it clear that the Fed will not raise rates for a "considerable" time after the end of QE, and it seems likely he will express some concern about the low level of inflation.
Looking at the May 1st FOMC statement, the sentence on inflation will probably be changed:
"Inflation has been running somewhat below the Committee's longer-run objective, apart from temporary variations that largely reflect fluctuations in energy prices. Longer-term inflation expectations have remained stable."This will probably be changed to something like "Measures of underlying inflation have trended lower, and the Committee sees some risk that inflation could persist for a time below rates that best foster economic growth and price stability in the longer term".
The first part of the sentence is from the November 2010 FOMC meeting; the last part of that sentence is from the FOMC's March 2009 statement. Those were key meetings for the FOMC: In 2009, the FOMC expanded QE1, and in November 2010, the FOMC announced QE2.
On the projections, it looks like GDP will be downgraded again, and inflation projections will be reduced. The projections for the unemployment rate will probably be unchanged. Note: December 2012 projections included to show the trend, TBA - To be announced.
The central range for 2012 GDP will probably be closer to the lower end of the March projections.
|GDP projections of Federal Reserve Governors and Reserve Bank presidents
|Change in Real GDP1
|June 2013 Meeting Projections
|Mar 2013 Meeting Projections
|2.3 to 2.8
|2.9 to 3.4
|2.9 to 3.7
|Dec 2012 Meeting Projections
|2.3 to 3.0
|3.0 to 3.5
|3.0 to 3.7
The unemployment rate was at 7.6% in May and the June projections will probably be unchanged.
|Unemployment projections of Federal Reserve Governors and Reserve Bank presidents
|Unemployment Rate2
|June 2013 Meeting Projections
|Mar 2013 Meeting Projections
|7.3 to 7.5
|6.7 to 7.0
|6.0 to 6.5
|Dec 2012 Meeting Projections
|7.4 to 7.7
|6.8 to 7.3
|6.0 to 6.6
Projections for inflation will probably be reduced. Goldman Sachs believes the FOMC will lower the central projection for PCE inflation to 1.25% in 2013, and core PCE to 1.3%. The current concern is that inflation is below the Fed's target.
|Inflation projections of Federal Reserve Governors and Reserve Bank presidents
|PCE Inflation1
|June 2013 Meeting Projections
|Mar 2013 Meeting Projections
|1.3 to 1.7
|1.5 to 2.0
|1.7 to 2.0
|Dec 2012 Meeting Projections
|1.3 to 2.0
|1.5 to 2.0
|1.7 to 2.0
Here is core inflation:
|Core Inflation projections of Federal Reserve Governors and Reserve Bank presidents
|Core Inflation1
|June 2013 Meeting Projections
|Mar 2013 Meeting Projections
|1.5 to 1.6
|1.7 to 2.0
|1.8 to 2.0
|Dec 2012 Meeting Projections
|1.6 to 1.9
|1.6 to 2.0
|1.8 to 2.1
Conclusion: I expect no change to policy at this meeting, but a slight downgrade to the economic projections - and some concern about inflation (but probably not enough to increase the size of QE3 purchases).


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International Opportunities
Opportunités de Franchises
DQ Grill & Chill®
The DQ® Team
The DQ® Story
Why The DQ® Brand?
Corporate Support
Investment Info
Steps To Ownership
Available Markets
Canadian Opportunities
Own a DQ Location
DQ Grill & Chill®
The DQ® Team
The DQ® Story
Why The DQ® Brand?
Corporate Support
Investment Info
Steps To Ownership
Available Markets
Canadian Opportunities
Own A DQ
Franchisee Testimonials
The Dairy Queen brand represents family values and has that nostalgic feeling associated with each location. It was the perfect match for (us) two family members who wanted to go into business together. We opened during one of the coldest weeks on record in Medford and our sales still exceeded all expectations. Three weeks later our sales are still rising. We are very excited for what spring and summer will bring!
Michelle Robey
Dairy Queen of Medford, NY
Investing in something with staying power was very important to us. The DQ system has been around for more than 75 years and appeals to people of all ages. They really live by the 'smile and a story' mentality. People remember their experiences with the DQ brand. From working with everyone at the DQ corporate office, it is clear that the brand has a well-defined identity and is constantly looking forward without losing sight of what the core of the brand is.
Aimee Sims
Dairy Queen of Springdale, AR
From my first meeting with ADQ, through the building of our first store, our experience has been organized, friendly and profitable, I am proud to be a small part!
Tom Smith
Dairy Queen of Farmington, AR
Over the past seven or eight years, the DQ system has gained some credence with its food menu and is really becoming a food-centric player in the industry. That helps a lot as we're launching these first DQ Grill & Chill locations. The brand has always been strong when it came to treats, but processes to support a full food menu continue to grow stronger.
Steve Cowgur
Dairy Queen of Multiple Locations, AZ
Contact Us About Franchise Opportunities
Get Started Today


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I hope everyone is looking forward to a great Thanksgiving with family and friends tomorrow. As I consider this past year since last November, I can think of much pertaining to the railroad we have to be thankful for: donations of new rolling stock, museum artifacts, and shop equipment, progress on our excursion proposal, equipment restoration/reconditioning, annual Handcar Derby and Skagit excursions on the Amador Central/Foothills Railroad for the Ione Railfair, our VIP Skagit ecursions on the start-up segment of our line, and new members jumping in where able to support these endeavors and help make the railroad not just a dream, but a reality!
Here are some photos from one of our two weekend workdays this month courtesy of Mark Spellman. I'd like to thank new members Ray Retalick and Dick Rein along with active members Mark Spellman, Ethan Doty, Philip Rose, and Marcus Ferrill for helping out with work on the line this month. Our next regularly scheduled Saturday Workday will be Dec 12th, so please mark you calendar. More details to come.
For over a decade, FEDS volunteers have been working to preserve this uniquely historic line. Their hard work and dedication, giving of talents and countless hours of time, have made possible this opportunity before us to create a recreational railroad that will be a true asset to our community. Please consider how you can assist us in continuing to move ahead. Obviously, workdays on the weekends or weekdays on the track or in the shop are one way, but there is much more to do including volunteer recruitment, marketing, manning the museum, design and construction of facilities and equipment, etc.
Please join me in giving thanks for what has been accomplished thus far and looking forward to what lay ahead...
Happy Thankgiving and Happy Rails,
(photos courtesy of Mark Spellman)
Eric Olds


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June 16, 2017
Please join us in welcoming Erica Lazo-Diaz to the ArtStarts team as our new Program Coordinator for Booking and Touring!
Welcome, Erica! Please tell us a little about yourself.
I recently completed my degree at Simon Fraser University in International Studies with a concentration in Comparative World Politics, Culture and Society. I'm really passionate about exploring new places and learning about different cultures.
In the past I've worked in the hospitality industry, spa and wellness, and I had the opportunity to spend some time in El Salvador volunteering as an English teacher and participating in an election observation mission. I'm really excited to bring my knowledge and experience to my new role at ArtStarts!
Some of the things I enjoy most are travelling, tasting new cuisines, reading, writing, dancing and picking up new languages.
Why were you interested in joining the ArtStarts team?
As someone who strongly believes in the importance of art in everyone's life, I was really drawn to ArtStarts' vision of a society where the arts are considered an essential part of education. I was really excited by the idea of being part of a team that's working so hard to support young people, artists, teachers and the community through its various programs and resources. I'm so happy to be in a welcoming environment where creativity really flourishes!
Where did art start for you?
Art started at a young age for me, probably when I was first able to pick up crayons, although some of my drawings might have ended up on the wall! I also developed a love for writing stories and later on in high school; I had the opportunity of exploring film and theatre production.
How does creativity play a role in your life today?
I see creativity as playing a role in my life every day because I have opportunities to be creative on a daily basis, whether I'm choosing how to put together an outfit in the morning, trying out a new recipe, solving a problem at work or just being inspired by a song I'm listening to.
You're working with schools to coordinate Artists on Tour visiting schools across BC. In your opinion, what impact do performances in schools have on young audiences?
I think performances in schools have a huge impact on young audiences, firstly because it's a chance for them to experience something outside of the classroom and away from textbooks. Performances create a sense of excitement for young people and it gives them an opportunity to connect and learn in a unique way. When young people witness these performances it also sparks their own creativity and can really inspire young people to pursue and create their own art. The impact on young audiences can really have far reaching effects and it's the reason I'm a huge believer in making art accessible to everyone.
What are you looking forward to you in your new role at ArtStarts?
I'm really looking forward to working with artists and teachers to support the process of bringing art performances into schools across BC. I'm also really excited to learn more about all of our artists, watch some of their performances and hear from young people and schools about their experiences!
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