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The One After is a new feature that will see Modern Vinyl writers taking on the album AFTER the peak. In other words, what did a band do to follow up their greatest record? How do you follow up "Blonde On Blonde?" What about "London Calling?" Did the artist build off their success, recoil from it, or land somewhere in between?
It's an honor to take on the first entry in Modern Vinyl's newest feature, but also a challenge. There were several directions I could have gone based on the prompt I was given for this feature: "What did a band follow up their greatest record with?"
It's a loaded question — not least because "greatest" is almost always in the eye of the beholder. As I scrolled through my iTunes, trying to find the right album to write about, I considered numerous definitions of "greatest." In terms of quality and influence, few would argue, for instance, that Bruce Springsteen's Born to Run is his greatest record. However, Born in the U.S.A. was his most commercially successful. Either album could feasibly be labeled the Boss's peak, which means that both Darkness on the Edge of Town and Tunnel of Love would have been fair game for this feature. And that's all without even considering subjectivity! What if I thought Magic was Bruce's best record? (Spoiler: I don't.) Would it be reasonable for me to write about Working on a Dream as "The One After"? (Spoiler: It wouldn't.)
Rather than incite any arguments, I tried to settle on a fairly uncontroversial choice for the inaugural entry of "The One After." I looked for albums that were the unquestionable peaks in the careers of their respective artists. I wanted to find an instance where my favorite album from an artist was also 1) their consensus "best" record, according to fans and critics alike, and 2) their obvious commercial zenith. Then, I wanted to turn around and look at the album that came next.
This search led me to The Wallflowers.
There's probably no one on this planet who's going to try to tell you that anything other than 1996's Bringing Down the Horse is The Wallflowers' greatest record. Commercially, it was a behemoth. This record went quadruple platinum, scored multiple Grammy nominations, and spawned four sizable hits, two of which ("One Headlight" and "6th Avenue Heartache") you undoubtedly know by heart if you were old enough to listen to the radio in the 1990s. It also made Jakob Dylan (son of Bob) into a superstar and even got the band a performance slot with none other than Bruce Springsteen at the 1997 MTV Video Music Awards.
Bringing Down the Horse is also unquestionably the band's best record, stacked with classic deep cuts like "Angel on My Bike," "Josephine," and "God Don't Make Lonely Girls." Unless you're a die-hard Wallflowers fan like myself, Horse is the only one of their albums you know at all (though you might have still bought the 2xLP reissue of it from last year). I'd wager there are a decent number of people who don't even know The Wallflowers have other records. Plus, I've been a fan of the band for three-quarters of my life and I've never seen anyone make an argument for anything other than Horse as their peak.
All these factors make The Wallflowers the perfect band to put front and center here. Not only is no one going to argue with Bringing Down the Horse as the band's best record, but there are also a lot of interesting questions to be explored when discussing their "One After," 2000's Breach.
Let's start with the most important question: What the hell happened? From 1996 through 1998, these guys were on top of the world. They scored three top 40 hits! "One Headlight" went to number 2! They won both "Best Rock Song" and "Best Rock Performance" at the 1998 Grammys (both for "Headlight"). They jammed with Bruce fucking Springsteen! If they'd dropped a follow-up in 1998, there's a chance they'd be Foo Fighters-level famous today.
But they took their sweet time. Bringing Down the Horse dropped on May 21st, 1996 and proceeded to light up the radio airwaves for the next two years. Even after airplay started to peter out, though, The Wallflowers still took another two years to release their third record. (Contrary to common belief, Bringing Down the Horse is not The Wallflowers' debut album. The actual debut is a self-titled record from 1992, which is forgotten in part because it isn't very good.) Breach, the long-awaited follow-up to Horse arrived on October 10th, 2000 — nearly four and a half years after the record that made Jakob Dylan and company into stars. They took so long that their "long-awaited" new album became something that neither listeners nor the radio were interested in anymore.
Quite fairly, Breach was regarded as a commercial failure. The album peaked at 13 on the Billboard charts, spawned zero successful singles, and started a law of diminishing returns for The Wallflowers that continued until their as-of-now final record, 2012's Glad All Over. While Breach didn't move the needle in terms of commercial performance, or broader cultural influence, though, it was hardly a failure from an artistic standpoint. For good reason, the album received more than a few stellar reviews, including a four-star Rolling Stone write-up, which favorable compared Dylan's songwriting to that of his old man, and a rave All Music Guide review, which proclaimed it "the finest straight-ahead rock album of 2000."
Breach has never been my favorite Wallflowers record. Bringing Down the Horse was one of the first albums I ever loved as a kid ("One Headlight" was the first tune I ever labeled as "my favorite song") and has continued to influence my tendencies as both a listener and a songwriter ever since. Of the post-fame Wallflowers albums, meanwhile, Breach is not nearly as solid as 2006's Brendan O'Brien-produced Rebel, Sweetheart. (Sweetheart is a true, unheralded masterpiece that I recommend to everyone reading.) However, it wouldn't be unreasonable to call Breach the most honest album that Jakob Dylan ever wrote.
When I found this album in a bargain bin in 2004, I was astounded to lay eyes on it. I, like many of you, had also lost track of The Wallflowers after the '90s. I was equally astounded when I put the album in my CD player and started reading through some of the bitter musings that Dylan was putting forth in the songs. Before this album, Dylan had always refused to write about his father. He couldn't control the fact that people were going to compare him to good old Bob, but he always tried to be his own man and his own artist when he could. (There's probably a reason that Jakob waited 12 years after his band's breakthrough to make a solo record.)
On Breach, though, Dylan broke his own rule. "You won't ever amount to much/You won't be anyone/Now tell me what you were thinking of/How could you think you would be enough?" Those bitter words come from "Hand Me Down," the album's finest moment and also its most cutting. When I first heard the song, I thought that Dylan was taking the pissed off breakup song thing a little too far. What could a woman possibly have done to this guy to deserve such foul, unfettered insults? Eventually, though, I came to realize that Dylan isn't talking to a girl in this song. He's talking to himself. "You feel good and you look like you should/But you will never make us proud," he sings in the chorus. The song is a reflection of growing up in the shadow of a legend and feeling like you'll never be able to accomplish something of your own. It sets the mood for the dark and dusty Breach.
There are other songs on this record that seem to be about Bob Dylan, too. First single, "Sleepwalker," starts with the line, "Maybe I could be the one they adore/That could be my reputation," while the cryptic "I've Been Delivered" describes a near-Biblical exodus from home. The funereal march of "Mourning Train" even sounds a little bit like a Bob Dylan tune. While timing was always going to be Breach's biggest problem, the moodiness of the lyrics also probably had something to do with The Wallflowers' downfall as a mainstream draw. Sure, the songs on Bringing Down the Horse weren't exactly straightforward. To this day, I'm not certain if I hear "One Headlight" more as a song about the death of a relationship or the death of a person. (Jakob Dylan has said the song is about "the death of ideas," which does not clarify things much.) However, a lot of Bringing Down the Horse was about love or heartbreak, and those ideas resonated with radio listeners in the mid-1990s. In comparison, Breach is more ponderous, more meditative, and way less relatable.
Personally, I'd say the songs here were still catchy enough to be on the radio. The zippy, Eagles-flavored guitar work in "Hand Me Down" is dynamic and interesting, while the hook in "Sleepwalker" (complete with a Sam Cooke allusion) is a genuine earworm. But even if "Letters From The Wasteland" and "Some Flowers Bloom Dead" sounded like Petty-style anthems on the surface, they were filled with darkness, doubt, and bitterness — characteristics that weren't exactly in vogue during a year when the top two songs on the radio were Faith Hill's "Breathe" and the still-inescapable Santana-Rob Thomas collaboration, "Smooth." The sound of the album also didn't "pop" quite like Bringing Down the Horse did, a product of Horse producer T. Bone Burnett not returning for another round behind the boards. These factors, combined with the long wait time between albums, meant that Breach failed where its predecessor succeeded. But even if Breach will forever be a "One After" in the annals of pop music, it's still a damn fine record, filled with classic-leaning, well-played roots rock. Nowadays, it would probably be classified as a country record. Back then, it was the last gasp of the folk-rock resurgence of the 1990s. Either way, it's an underrated, overlooked gem that deserves a listen — especially if you've never delved into The Wallflowers past their big mid-90s breakthrough.


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The narwhal: a serious case of nerves
October 27, 2010 1 Comment
Timeline, 2006: The narwhal has a history as striking as the animal itself. Vikings kept the narwhal a secret for centuries even as they peddled its "horn" as that of a unicorn. Narwhal tusks were so prized that monarchs paid the equivalent of the cost of a castle just to have one. They were thought to have magic powers, render poison ineffective, cure all manner of diseases, and foil assassins.
A tooth and nothing but a tooth
As it turns out, the horn is really just a tooth, an extremely long, odd, tooth. The narwhal tusk, which usually grows only on males from their left upper jaw, can reach lengths of six feet or more. Sometimes, males will grow two tusks, one on each side. The tooth turns like a corkscrew as it grows, stick straight, from the narwhal's head. They are such an odd sight that scientists have been trying to figure out for centuries exactly what that tusk might be doing there.
Some have posited that the narwhal uses the tusks in epic battles with other male narwhals. Others have fancifully suggested that the animal might use the long tooth to break through the ice, ram the sides of ships (nevermind the disconnect between when the tusk arose and when ships entered the scene), or to skewer prey—although no one seems to have addressed how the narwhal would then get the prey to its mouth.
Gentle tusk rubbing
The facts are that the narwhal rarely, if ever, appears to duel with other narwhals. Its primary use of the tusk appears to be for tusking other males, in which the animals gently rub tusks with one another. They also may be used in mating or other activities, although that has not yet been demonstrated. But what has been discovered is that the narwhal ought to be suffering from a severe case of permanent toothache.
Arctic cold strikes a narwhal nerve
Anyone who has ever had exposed nerves around their teeth knows that when cold hits those nerves, the pain usually sends us running for the dentist. Now imagine that your tooth is six feet long, has millions of completely exposed nerve endings, and is constantly plunged in the icy waters of the Arctic. You've just imagined being a narwhal.
Dentist on ice
A clinical instructor at the Harvard School of Dental Medicine who thinks of nothing but teeth made this discovery about the narwhal. The instructor, Martin Nweeia, can wax rhapsodic about teeth and how central they are to our health and the stories they can tell even about how we lived and died. He has carried his tooth obsession beyond his own species, however; his passion led him to spend days on Arctic ice floes, watching for the elusive narwhal, or at least one of the tusks, to emerge from the deadly cold water. He also befriended the local Inuit, who rely on the narwhal as a source of food and fuel oil.
His fascination and rapport with the Inuit people ended with his viewing several specimens of narwhal tusks. What he and his colleagues discovered astonished them. The tusks appeared to consist of open tubules that led straight to what appear to be millions of exposed nerve endings. In humans, nerve tubules are never open in healthy teeth. But in the narwhal tusk, which is an incredible example of sexual dimorphism and the only spiral tooth known in nature today, these open tubules were the norm.
Sensory tooth
The researchers speculated that the animals may use this enormous number of naked nerves as a finely sensitive sensory organ. In addition, it is possible that the teeth transmit voltage through a process called the piezo effect, in which crystals generate voltage when a mechanical force rattles them. In the case of the narwhal, who swim quickly through the water, water pressure might provide the force. Because narwhals are among the most vocal of whales, the tusks could also be sound sensors.
Why would dentists be so interested in the tusks of a whale? Examinations of the narwhal tusks have revealed that they are incredibly flexible, unlike our teeth, which are strong but also rigid and comparatively brittle. It is possible that understanding the narwhal tusk might have clinical applications for developing flexible dental materials for restoring pearly whites in people.

subset: commoncrawl


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We needed to get some bread, mllk powder and green tea.
So off I went with Kenny, one of the local Bangla men in the school. He is taller than Me, Peter, with a big smile!. At the bottom of the 6th flight of stairs we met the security man at the door, said, "Hi", and went out through the iron grill gate of our appartment block on the narrow street.
It was hot and humid, but then it has been like that everday so far. The street is only just wide enought to allow two cars to pass with a liitle gap on each side. There is no footpath. The road is the foot path. It is made of bricks , so as you can imagine there are bumps and hollows all along the road.
Kenny said we were going through the mosque to the next street.I was worried, :will we offend them?:."No", says Kenny. So off we went. About 30 metres down the road Keny suddenly darts off to the right down an alley way between two buildings. It is dark. Then my right hand side, through the unglassed windows I saw the mosque. We were walking along side it.The was no one inside.
Then at other end iof the allet it opened out on to the next street. Just like the one we live on. There across the street was the shop. Lots of items inside, with a counterat the front door. Kenny asked for our items, but no green tea! Kenny paid it. As we turned to go a street vendor arrived with a wide flat basket on his head. In it were several dozen little chicken, alive, with their legs tied together (so I am told) peering over side at me. They looked very cute Kenny explained that they were for eating, not breeding….
We set off back the way we came across the road, down the ally way. Half way down an olderman in white appeared. Shook Kenny's hand then mine. He then touched his heart with his right hand and on we went.
Iasked Kenny what it all meant. He said he knew the man and when he touch his heart after shaking hands it meant that he was welcoming me from his heart. Happily I had responded likewise, even though I din't understand everything. I sensed it was the right thing to do. PTL
The rest of the day was taken up with a seminar in R & C's place leadby a man, Simon …., from the UK. But that is another story. (It was very good!)
Peter, Wendy &anne


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We are inundated with requests to speak at our events. We typically book 2-3 months out so we can stay topical and timely. We focus on thought leaders who can discuss and educate about important community issues. We don't accept offers to speak about or pitch organizations. Cafe con Tampa is
If you have a topic you think would be interesting, please email it to us.


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Sadly, she already has her own compter. I have found that if I stare blankly at the wall no one bothers me. As soon as I do anything even remotely interesting everyone comes in.
Disconnecter Punishment Plan Questions
Posted 29 June 2015 - 02:47 PM
- TheOptician likes this
Posted 29 June 2015 - 08:26 PM
People don't you understand that its more painful to wait 6.5min of setting up or 5min buffer when someone is loosing then just 2.5min of disconnection.
Because of 6.5min of setting up I quit after 1min and my score is lo, I dont care, just game begins to be sooooo boring.
Those two problems are much bigger and painful.
Why don you introduce personal black list, so when someone fulls me I put them on black list and server will never connect me with them.
That's the solution for all problems, at the end disconnecting losers will not have opponent to play against, that's what they deserve.
If you want to solve only disconnecting problem, do that like www.chess.com did. You must admit that they are much bigger, older and more experienced website.
For the beginning ask them how they did it.
After that you can just improve you regulations.
Posted 29 June 2015 - 09:52 PM
I vote for personal black list.
- Alister777 likes this
Posted 30 June 2015 - 01:22 AM
that's what they deserve.
No what we deserve is a complete working game. But hey I guess since that's what you have screw those who don't. Nothing will EVER happen to people who disconnect until EVERYONE HAS A "SURRENDER" BUTTON
Posted 30 June 2015 - 11:22 AM
No what we deserve is a complete working game. But hey I guess since that's what you have screw those who don't. Nothing will EVER happen to people who disconnect until EVERYONE HAS A "SURRENDER" BUTTON
personal black list
Posted 01 July 2015 - 02:36 PM
Well go get yourself a paper and pen. Let me know how that works out for ya
personal black list
Posted 01 July 2015 - 03:38 PM
gHosT.ol3a I sad that moderators need to introduce personal black list so just one click and you are on my personal black list and I'll never play with you again.
Before you write something read carefully what I wrote.
Posted 01 July 2015 - 08:28 PM
Before you write something read carefully what I wrote.[/quote]
Oh I did read it carefully, and like I said before. They won't recode the game so everybody can access the surrender button, but you think they will recode it for you to have a black list?
So like I said start writing names down yourself
Posted 02 July 2015 - 06:38 PM
I like the personal blacklist i dea. Or at least give us the opportunity to decline a game. I hate LOTTO players more than someone who disconnects. I would love to be able to just decline against known lotto players.
- Mr. Smith likes this
Posted 02 July 2015 - 09:16 PM
ITSA Trap, while the idea of of having the chance to decline games vs people you suspect to be quitters sounds like a good idea, it will lead towards rating abuse. This will allow people to pick and choice who they get to play even if the person isn't a quitter and facing only people they wish to face or beat.
It's up to the site to implement a way to punish the cheaters without you the players or we the Moderator having to deal with the issue. The poll we created here is just for us to get a feel what should be done if anything. If something should be done, then the Moderator Team will examine what can we do to deter quitters.
Right now from what I'm gathering in our poll, there is no clear answer what should be done. However, once we get enough feedback we'll discuss the results.
- Alister777 likes this
Posted 02 July 2015 - 09:22 PM
If moderators wont introduce personal black list I'll make post "black list" so everyone can know who the diconnecters and lotto players are.
personal black list or game becomes sooooo boring, you'll lose players.
Posted 02 July 2015 - 09:28 PM
ITSA Trap, while the idea of of having the chance to decline games vs people you suspect to be quitters sounds like a good idea, it will lead towards rating abuse. This will allow people to pick and choice who they get to play even if the person isn't a quitter and facing only people they wish to face or beat.
If you introduce personal black list there wont be rating abuse because you connect players with similar rating, if someone put all players with similar rating in PBL the wouldn't have players to play against.
At the end we. players, deserve PBL since you, stratego.com, exist because we exist, its not opposite.
Lets vote.
We just want smooth, fast game, not waiting 6.5min for begginers to set up, 5min of buffer and 2.5min disconnection = 14min wasted. Why should we waste 14min??????????
Do you, moderators, have 14min to waste every time you play a game or do something?????
Please lets make this game more FAIR PLAY PLAYERS friendly.
Posted 02 July 2015 - 10:38 PM
Well you are talking about timers now Jugoslav. We have a poll that goes over timers and what is the fair time per game and setup time. You can give your vote and option on that matter on this link here... http://forum.strateg...in-strategocom/ Sorry to say also, when I play a game I expect a game to last 20-30 minutes avg. Not everyone is going to be fast or play super aggressive. Some games you must take your time and make careful maneuvers and plan your attack accordingly.
Now backing to quitters: A couple years ago we had people who were cheating on our site and some were known cheaters who kept coming on other names after the site deleted their screen names. We had discussed if it is fair to decline those matches vs these cheaters? The majority of the people said "no" because it would lead to abuse by hand picking who they wish to face. I used to play on onlinestratego.com the site this one took over, and we had players who had over 200 or more games had a 95% win record because they just played only weak or new players. The same would happen here, if you allow people to decline matches.
Again it's up to the programmers and the site owners to fix this issue. We the Moderators are just volunteers who have no say in the matter what will be done with this site. We can only offer our recommendations from what we read in our forum. We offer to help take care of player issues because believe it or not, some of the workers of this site don't know how to play the game or only known the basics. Since we haven't heard of any updates or future implementations of a way to stop cheaters, The Moderator Team has decided to see if anything we could do. Our first step again is this poll.
However, if you wish to create such a poll about being able to decline matches Jugoslav you are more than welcomed.
Posted 03 July 2015 - 12:25 AM
Thanks Midnightguy,
I just want as fast as possible games, and as fair play as possible.
Why for each (similar) question you have separate poll.
Fair play, setup, move time, buffer, disconnecters, for me are very similar questions to discuss on 5 different polls.
They are so much connected.
If moderators cannot do something concretely, please let me know how to communicate with programmers and owners of the site so the game could be more fair play friendly.
Posted 03 July 2015 - 12:42 AM
one more time and last time, only for ordinary, non tournament games.
I'll write everything here and if you (moderators) want it separately by polls, separate it by yourself if you think its important, if not i'll go play chess or hearts, there are no time wasting things.
I do this, it takes my time, only because I want this site and game to be BETTER:
introduce personal black list, and connect players with most 50 points (could be discussed) difference in rank and 200-300 (could be discussed) difference in played games (all problems you mention are solved, no one can play only with weak and new players).
move time 15-20s, who needs more please go to chess.com play chess where 1 move can last up to 10min.
setup time 1min, force new players to save those 2 free setups, make video or manual how to do that so they can just chose 1 or 2, no need every time before the game to make setup, make it before game, save it and load it before the game.
buffer time, why the hell we need buffer time, and if we need it it could be 1min max. Or lets calculate. In one ordinary game suppose we have 100 moves, 5min.buffer / 100 moves = 6s, add 6s to move time and its solved. I never saw any game on internet with buffer time.
when will you do something concrete with point 1 to 4, I just want to know when?
Please tell me what and why you disagree with each point 1-4.
Posted 03 July 2015 - 03:01 AM
Since we haven't heard of any updates or future implementations
That says it all right there. Customer service said the same thing to me during a 2 week long email battle
Posted 03 July 2015 - 05:19 AM
I appreciate that Jugoslav has taken the time to make suggestions, however I see no point in debating whether the changes proposed are good or bad unless and until the admins are willing to take action to improve the site.
Posted 03 July 2015 - 10:59 PM
I can appreciate that there would be abuses with almost any scenario. As I have said disconnecters don't bother me at all. It gives me time to do my evil laugh. That said, it's the LOTTO players I hate. I had a guy the other day that rammed his marshal into a front row bomb on the 4th move of the game. Then got mad at me for having a bomb on the front row. A few moves later I took his general and he disconnected. I did my evil laugh, it felt good.
Posted 03 July 2015 - 11:17 PM
There is no lotto.
Spartan Warriors
KING of the Battlefield!!!!!!
Posted 06 July 2015 - 09:25 AM
punish 1 week seems good
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Brighten up your interior with the fresh contemporary good looks of the Bayern collection. Beautifully hand crafted and finished in a chic white washed Oak veneer this range will look great set against a wide range of design themes.
Featuring pedestal style bases along with brushed metal footplates and accessories this range features a number of complimentary pieces for the living and dining areas of your home.


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Making a packaged set of services offered is not only profitable, it doubles as a way to improve marketing.
The intangibility and inefficiency of providing services confined within the billable hour model has challenged professional service firms for decades.
But within the challenge is a profound solution—develop packaged service offerings of the firm's proprietary services. When done thoughtfully, packaged services improve a firm's marketing, aligns cost, price and value, and maximizes profitability.
Improve Marketing of Services
Building packaged services begins by addressing a specific challenge or set of related challenges that are experienced within the market. Mining the account management and business development teams will uncover a trove of useful insight on common challenges and frustrations prospects and clients are facing.
Using this insight, develop the narrative and define the set of services, brand it, and pilot with a strategic account that is open to innovative ideas. After two or three successful executions, begin promoting to the broader market leveraging the pilots for referrals, testimonials and case studies.
Bonus: This is a great opportunity to leverage paid social ads as a lead generation tool. Create a landing page for the package on the company website and test out Facebook, LinkedIn, or Twitter ads targeting the potential buyer.
Aligning Cost, Price and Value
Ensuring that the service package follows a prescriptive approach and can be accomplished within a finite timeframe will allow for a fixed price with a built-in margin. The scope of work must be specific and create the necessary boundaries to keep the project contained.
Because the outcome and deliverables are defined, clear and proven, prospects and clients will be better equipped to determine the value of the delivery and able to move deliberately through their decision making.
Based on the urgency and significance of their challenge, some organizations will only be willing to pay the lowest price a firm is able to deliver while others will find the offering far more valuable and be willing to pay a premium.
Maximizing Profitability
Good business developers understand how to generate revenue; exceptional ones know how to create revenue that generates the most profit.
Streamlining the go-to market phase allows a firm to reallocate resources building the necessary internal capability to reduce overhead associated with ramp up time, project planning and account management during execution.
Marketing Materials—Crafting clear, concise marketing materials that define the specific deliverables and outcomes will foster clarity, quicker buy-in and will shorten sales cycles. Add a signature line and position as a proposal for even quicker turnaround.
Templates—Developing templates upfront reduces the time needed on each execution. Agendas, strategy documents and reports should already be formatted and familiar. Time is spent on delivering the service—nothing else.
Staffing—Ensuring the same team or lead works on these projects will create even more efficiency. As increased expertise and competency reduces time to delivery, profit margin is maximized.
In the end, the entire process goes like this:Identify or develop a set of services that can be delivered, that are in relatively high-demand, and that target a common challenge. Define a standard, repeatable process for delivering the services. Identify specific prospects and business development targets. Market the service offering. Deliver, learn and improve.
Don't be afraid to play with the pricing model – either to become more profitable or to make packages more accessible to a broader market.
Tyler Durbin is Director of Business Strategy for Geben Communication. He takes a lead role in building relationships, facilitating conversations and connecting dots between people and opportunities that give back to the communities Geben serves, while also growing the business.


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There is no doubt that many plants are useful medicinally, just as there is equal certainty that many of them are poisonous. The problem is that these are often the same plants. The vast array of widely available herbal supplements and the equally huge assortment of books on herbal healing reinforce a general sense that natural products are safer than manufactured ones. But the truth is a resounding "sometimes yes and sometimes no." Herbal medicine is a huge and complicated subject, well worth investigating but by no means something to plunge into incautiously. Things to bear in mind:
- Very few scientifically rigorous studies have been done, largely because almost all such studies are underwritten by drug companies, and herbs, which cannot be patented, could never return the investment involved.
- There is no way for the home gardener to standardize dosage: plants produce different amounts of active chemical agents depending on how and where they are grown, when they are harvested, and the variety characteristics of the particular plant.
- Herbs may interact badly with other drugs, rendering them less effective or more toxic, in unpredictable ways.
- Like other drugs, many herbal toxins are cumulative. Small doses may produce no adverse symptoms but become dangerous in the aggregate.
The don't-mess-with-in list. A sampling of herbs that have historic reputations as medicinals but are potentially deadly: aconite (Aconitum napellus), deadly nightshade (Atropa belladonna), foxglove (Digitalis purpurea), lily-of-the-valley (Convallaria majalis), lobelia (Lobelia inflata), May apple (Podophyllum peltatum), and pennyroyal (Hedeoma pulegioides and Mentha pulegium both go by this common name, and the oils of both are toxic). Note: for an interesting literary exploration of some of these poisonous plants, check out our upcoming August 9, 2016 blogpost on the natural poisons found in Agatha Christie's books.
In addition, many well-known herbs appear to be carcinogenic (sassafras, coltsfoot, and comfrey); cause abnormal heart rhythms and/or violent gastrointestinal symptoms (tansy, broom, and blood root); or have other downsides that make freelance experimentation unwise.
The give-it-a-whirl list. A sampling of herbs that are very unlikely to hurt you and may well do some good, assuming you use only small amounts: agrimony (Agrimonia eupatoria), catnip (Nepeta cataria), chamomile (Matricaria recutita and Chamaemelum nobile), echinacea (Echinacea angustifolia), fennel (Foeniculum vulgare), feverfew (Chrysanthemum parthenium), garlic (Allium sativum), hops (Humulus lupulus), peppermint (Mentha x piperita), and valerian (Valeriana officinalis). Be careful with Borage as it absolutely deserves its reputation as a natural laxative; a few leaves go a long way!
In addition, there are herbs that emphatically should NOT be ingested but do have strong healing properties when used externally. First and foremost is aloe, most commonly Aloe vera, which deserves its high reputation as a healer of burns. [Personal side note: I incurred a really, really bad sunburn on my lips in late June of this year — I'm talking second degree burns. Since I have a lovely pot of Aloe growing in my house, I thought I'd smear a little on my lips to make them heal. I have NEVER tasted anything worse in my whole life!! I couldn't wipe it off fast enough and it took forever for the taste to go away.]
Another healing herb to be used externally is arnica (Arnica montana) which is right up there as an easer of aching muscles, and comfrey (Symphytum officinale) does seem to promote the healing of wounds when applied as a poultice.


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Isn't it breathtaking?
It's cream and gold. It's divine!
She added a banquette and built-ins.
Her amazing accessories have a perfect spot.
A breakfront filled with light...
The cabinetry on the island is a dark walnut stain with brass accents and Carrara marble tops.
While the rest of the cabinetry is a yummy cream with a chocolate glaze.
And my absolute favorite part.... a brick floor laid in a herringbone pattern. It is soft to the foot (I know because I took my shoes off) and it is warm and inviting. Pretty great huh?
Happy Monday,
Bye bye birdie,


text: A new Request for Comments is now available in online RFC libraries. RFC 5381 Title: Experience of Implementing NETCONF over SOAP Author: T. Iijima, Y. Atarashi, H. Kimura, M. Kitani, H. Okita Status: Informational Date: October 2008 Mailbox: tomoyuki.iijima at alaxala.com, atarashi at alaxala.net, h-kimura at alaxala.net, makoto.kitani at alaxala.com, hideki.okita.pf at hitachi.com Pages: 22 Characters: 47724 Updates/Obsoletes/SeeAlso: None I-D Tag: draft-iijima-netconf-soap-implementation-10.txt URL: http://www.rfc-editor.org/rfc/rfc5381.txt This document describes how the authors developed a SOAP (Simple Object Access Protocol)-based NETCONF (Network Configuration Protocol) client and server. It describes an alternative SOAP binding for NETCONF that does not interoperate with an RFC 4743 conformant implementation making use of cookies on top of the persistent transport connections of HTTP. When SOAP is used as a transport protocol for NETCONF, various kinds of development tools are available. By making full use of these tools, developers can significantly reduce their workload. The authors developed an NMS (Network Management System) and network equipment that can deal with NETCONF messages sent over SOAP. This document aims to provide NETCONF development guidelines gained from the experience of implementing a SOAP-based NETCONF client and server. This memo provides information for the Internet community. INFORMATIONAL: This memo provides information for the Internet community. It does not specify an Internet standard of any kind. Distribution of this memo is unlimited. This announcement is sent to the IETF-Announce and rfc-dist lists. To subscribe or unsubscribe, see http://www.ietf.org/mailman/listinfo/ietf-announce http://mailman.rfc-editor.org/mailman/listinfo/rfc-dist For searching the RFC series, see http://www.rfc-editor.org/rfcsearch.html. For downloading RFCs, see http://www.rfc-editor.org/rfc.html. Requests for special distribution should be addressed to either the author of the RFC in question, or to rfc-editor at rfc-editor.org. Unless specifically noted otherwise on the RFC itself, all RFCs are for unlimited distribution. The RFC Editor Team USC/Information Sciences Institute


text:
Pollen, dust, ragweed, and bacteria can easily collect inside of your air ducts. By selecting a qualified professional to come and clean your ducts, you can greatly reduce the amount of airborne particles that are circulating throughout your home.
Do you have dirty ducts?
While the simple, everyday use of a home will inevitably lead to buildup throughout your air ducts, many factors can significantly expedite the process. The presence of pets, cigar or cigarette smoke, water damage, and home renovation projects will all cause the buildup process to proceed at a more rapid rate.
Homeowners should periodically check their air ducts for buildup. To check the ducts in your home, remove a register from both the wall and the floor with a screwdriver, and use a small mirror and a flashlight to inspect for dust, dirt, or debris. Alternatively, you can use a digital camera to take a picture of the inside of the duct. You will want to check each register in the home to make sure you get a thorough sense of the state of your system.
To learn more about us and the areas we service, please click here, or feel free to contact us. Our customer service Help Desk would be happy to answer any questions that you might have.


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Bond Trading: The Importance of the Bond Trade Explained
Bond trading has a lower profile than stock trading but it is more important. Bond dealers and bond investors alter their portfolios in light of changing market conditions to make a profit and/or maximize the return on their portfolios. The overall effect of all this bond market activity is the prevailing level of interest rates in an economy, which affects almost all types of credit and lending.
Trading Bonds: Low Profile but Very Important
An understanding of the bond market and bond trading is essential to proper investing. Bonds and trading bonds in the bond market are confusing to most people but they are very important to the economy and the prevailing level of interest rates.
Importance of Trading Bonds
Trading bonds happens many thousands times a day and is an important part of global economic markets. The bond market is far bigger than the stock market and central banks conduct monetary policy in the bond markets. When buyers and sellers are trading their bonds, they dictate the yields of the various types of bonds they are trading. This in turn sets the price of credit in the economy.
Joe and Suzy Q Public might not understand bond trading but the yields in the bond market yield set the interest rates on their mortgages, GICs, car loans and other types of consumer loans.
Bonds trade anywhere that a buyer and seller can strike a deal. Unlike publicly-traded stocks, theres no central place or exchange for bond trading. The bond market is an "over-the-counter " market or OTC market, rather than on a formal exchange. Convertible bonds, some bond futures and bond options are traded on exchanges.
Trading Bonds: Dealers and Investors
Bond Dealers
While investors can trade marketable bonds among themselves, trading is usually done through bond dealers, or more specifically, the bond trading desks of major investment dealers.
Related Article
These dealers are at the center of a vast network of telephone and computer links that connect all the interested players. They also have traders responsible for knowing all about a group of bonds and quoting a price to buy or sell them, or "making a market" for bonds.
Dealers provide "liquidity" for bond investors so that those investors can buy and sell bonds more easily and with a limited concession on the price, but dealers can also buy and sell amongst themselves, either directly or anonymously through bond brokers.
In all bond trading, the goal is to take a spread between the price the bonds are bought at and the price they are sold at. That spread is how bond dealers make (or lose) money.
Bond trading became very lucrative before the credit crisis, when investment dealers used their banking capital to fund huge inventories of bonds and do mostly proprietary trading. This didnt end very well, as bond prices fell during the crisis and dealers took huge losses on their inventories. Many banks had to be bailed out by governments and this is why banking regulators now severely restrict proprietary trading activities.
Bond Investors
Trading bonds also involves financial institutions, pension funds, mutual funds and governments from around the world.
These bond investors, along with the dealers, make up the "institutional market," where large blocks of bonds are traded. A trade involving $1 million worth of bonds would be considered a small ticket in the institutional market. Theres no size limit in this market, where trades worth $500 million or $1 billion at a time can take place.
Theres also no size restriction in the "retail market," where individual investors buy and sell bonds with the bond trading desks of investment dealers, but the size of those trades is usually under $1 million.
Why Trade Bonds?
A bond trader at an investment dealer seeks to make a profit on his "trading book". The more money he makes, the greater his bonus. That is why traders have high transactions volumes because the more they trade, the more money they will make.
A hedge fund trader will trade similarly to an investment dealer but use more "leverage," or borrow money against the bonds the fund owns. Hedge fund traders also make many trades to maximize their profits.
A "Buy Side" bond trader usually holds her bonds for longer periods, given the long-term nature of their portfolios. Insurance companies and pension funds have very long-term liabilities and need to always hold bonds.
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3DMark is a popular gaming performance benchmark that includes everything you need to benchmark your PC whether you're gaming on a desktop PC, laptop, notebook, or a tablet. 3DMark includes seven benchmark tests and we'll be running 'Sky Diver' that is aimed at gaming laptops and mid-range PCs.
CINEBENCH is a real-world cross platform test suite that evaluates your computer's performance capabilities. CINEBENCH is based on MAXON's award-winning animation software Cinema 4D, which is used extensively by studios and production houses worldwide for 3D content creation. MAXON software has been used in blockbuster movies such as Iron Man 3, Oblivion, Life of Pi or Prometheus and many more.
3DMark and Cinebench Benchmarks Results Summary: The Intel Core i9-7900X performs well in 3DMark Fire Strike and has the Physics score that we have ever seen at 23,642! In Cinebench we got got the highest multi-CPU score we have ever gotten as well at over 2,200! The Intel Core i9-7900X looks strong in these popular benchmarks.


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Court filings in the three-year old copyright infringement suit between Viacom (s VIA) and YouTube (s GOOG) have finally been made public, which should make some interesting reading and take over the rest of my afternoon. But in the meantime, YouTube Chief Counsel Zahavah Levine has written a pretty damning post on the YouTube blog, condemning Viacom for having its employees pose as normal users to upload promotional content to the video-sharing site.
Asking for a summary judgment in the case, YouTube argues that it should be protected by safe harbor provisions in the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA), which state that Internet hosts should not be found liable for content that is uploaded to their sites, so long as they respond to takedown notices issued by copyright owners within a reasonable period of time. In the blog post, Levine writes that the DMCA "recognizes that content owners, not service providers like YouTube, are in the best position to know whether a specific video is authorized to be on an Internet hosting service."
Viacom might believe otherwise, arguing that YouTube should have done a better job of keeping copyrighted material off the site. But Levine argues that even if YouTube were tasked with doing so, Viacom's actions would have made policing its content impossible. YouTube accuses Viacom of uploading its own content, and doing so in a way that made it difficult for YouTube to distinguish between its employees and common users. If true, the accusation is pretty damning. Levine writes:
"Viacom continuously and secretly uploaded its content to YouTube, even while publicly complaining about its presence there. It hired no fewer than 18 different marketing agencies to upload its content to the site. It deliberately "roughed up" the videos to make them look stolen or leaked. It opened YouTube accounts using phony email addresses. It even sent employees to Kinko's to upload clips from computers that couldn't be traced to Viacom. And in an effort to promote its own shows, as a matter of company policy Viacom routinely left up clips from shows that had been uploaded to YouTube by ordinary users.
The results were so effective, Levin writes, that Viacom couldn't tell if a piece of content was uploaded by its employees or not, which resulted in Viacom demanding that some clips be taken down — and then later asking for them to be reinstated. "Given Viacom's own actions," Levine writes, "there is no way YouTube could ever have known which Viacom content was and was not authorized to be on the site."
Related content on GigaOM Pro:
Will Automated Rights Management Take Down Fair Use? (subscription required)


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At Givens Givens Sparks, PLLC, we handle family law related matters in Brandon. Our attorneys understand the complexity of a family law matter, and we are here to help you.
We are located 10 miles away from Brandon, and you can click here for driving directions from Brandon to our office.
Contact us today or visit our website to schedule a consultation.


text:
two blocks from the 100-year-old Naples' Pier and steps away from Palm
Cottage, Naples' oldest home, Olde Naples is undoubtedly the most
historic spot in all of Collier County, Florida. It is also the most
picturesque, treating visitors to postcard vistas that include
Mediterranean-style arched entries and breezeways covered with cascading
bougainvillea and cozy courtyards bubbling with fountains containing
bronze sculptures that evoke images of Florence and Rome. Best of all,
the region is also home to high-end clothing stores, trendy boutiques,
sumptuous gourmet dining and sophisticated world-class art galleries.
In just three square blocks, art lovers will discover eleven
extraordinary art galleries, a fine art auction house and an antique
shop specializing in antique china, porcelains, crystal, silver, fine
antique furnishings and decorative accessories.
Most visitors enter Olde Naples via Broad Avenue South, and that's where
art lovers will find four of Naples' most prestigious art galleries,
DeBruyne Fine Art, Galerie du Soleil, Gardner Colby Gallery and Marianne
Friedland Gallery. Together, these "Gallery Row" stalwarts offer an
impressive collection of antique art from the 19th and 20th century as
well as work from many of the leading contemporary painters and
sculptors in the world today.
Third Street South serves as the other portal into Olde Naples, and
that's where Antinori Gallery, HW Gallery, The Artwork Shop, The Davish
Collection, Inc. Gallery of Fine Art and The Englishman are located.
Leslie Hindman Auctioneers and Provenance can also be found nestled
among Third Street's fountains, clothing stores, outdoor cafes and fine
dining establishments, with Four Winds Gallery and Peter Garon Studio
just around the corner on Thirteenth.
Most people make Olde Naples a day-trip destination that ends at one of
the area's imaginative restaurants. In addition to lavish indoor
settings, each area eatery offers patio and curbside seating, adding to
the district's ambiance at nightfall, when quaint old-world lampposts
bathe streets and alleys with soft, flickering illumination and the
mouthwatering aroma of garlic, grilled vegetables and roasting meats
wafts through the night air. Dining choices include Campiello (with
Tuscany-inspired cuisine), Handsome Harry's (known for steak and seafood
served in a Glamour Era setting), Jane's Restaurant on Third (nestled
between two courtyards), Le Lafayette (celebrating gourmet French
classics), Old Naples Pub (a favorite of locals for 25 years), Ridgeway
Bar & Grill (known for its fine wine list), Sea Salt (featuring
Venetian-inspired seafood specialties) and Tommy Bahama (with its island
bar and cuisine).
People worldwide come to southwest Florida just to visit Olde Naples,
Gallery Row and its Third Street South shopping district.
SWFL art content provided by
Thomas Hall of
Contact Us: | © Southwest Florida
Traveler 2020


text:
Supply chain source confirms 12MP rear camera for the Apple iPhone 6s and Apple iPhone 6s Plus
The supply chain source says that Apple has ordered five element lenses for the new iPhone models. The component is said to now be in mass production. Considering that Apple is reportedly going to unveil the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus on September 9th, it is a good thing that the part is being produced at this stage.
Each element is similar to a stand-alone lens. When melded together, they allow the camera to capture information in more detail. They are actually made of plastic, and cost only $1 each. Of course, Apple protects the lens with a sapphire glass cover to guard against scratches. But the five element camera lens is actually behind the rear cameras with six element lenses being churned out by some Android producers. The OnePlus 2, for example, has a 6 element lens on its 13MP rear camera. This allows more light to come into the camera for sharper and clearer images. It also allows the camera to take better pictures under low-light conditions.
For iPhone users, there is some good news. Apple is said to be considering producing a six-element camera lens for the 2016 Apple iPhone 7 models.
source: BusinessInsider


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Welcome to Perfect Water Technologies, Inc. We are an American manufacturing company specializing in creating innovative water purification products and water filter systems. In 2002 we brought you the Tap Master Series reverse osmosis system which uses modular filters for improved durability and a Fast Flow RO! Kit™ for increased water flow rate. Not long afterwards we introduced the Tap Master Artesian so that you could have Mineral Water on Tap®. Recently Perfect Water Technologies, Inc. was awarded the patent for the Full Contact® Artesian Alkaline Water Remineralization System which delivers The purity you need, with the minerals that you want™.
Please browse through our selection of Home Master® Whole House Water Filters where pressure performance is the goal. If you live in an apartment consider a Home Master Jr. countertop water filter and some shower filters.
Want The Perfect Water, but do not know where to begin? Click on Common Question #1 I'm new to this where do I begin? Found on the right side of the website. Please refer back to the common questions box as other questions arise while you shop for The Perfect Water.
Purified alkaline water from restored natural minerals removed with most reverse osmosis systems. Clean, pure alkaline water. Advanced system.
Customized water treatment with Home Master carbon water filter. Pick stages and filters, we build the system for you. Pure water everywhere in your home.
Grow hydroponics with advanced water purification system removes 98% of chemicals. Simple how to hydroponics installation instructions. Ships assembled. Best prices.


text:
The Senate adopted last May 22 two resolutions commending eight outstanding Filipino scientists for their exemplary work in science, technology, and a doctor for bagging...
Vivo dislodges Samsung as top smartphone vendor in PH for Q2: report
DICT opens 6 Tech4ED Centers in Pangasinan, activates Wi-Fi hotspots in Baguio
SEC launches webinar series on doing business, investor protection
NPC refutes Año, says data privacy law not hindrance in contact tracing
Pinoy app addressing pandemic impact wins NASA's Space Apps Covid-19 Challenge
Poe says whole-of-gov't backing should hasten cell site roll-out
ABS-CBN says public 'excited' over digital shift with 'Kapamilya Online Live'
LGUs can use Sped fund to print learning modules, subsidize Internet access: solon
Kodak Alaris taps VST ECS to distribute document scanning solutions in PH
Analyst: 5G will fundamentally modernize global healthcare system
Benguet electric coop to offer broadband services of Converge ICT
New BPI mobile app offers real-time, hassle-free transactions
DICT, NPC say number portability law a game-changer; will help craft IRR
Google commemorates Puerto Princesa Subterranean River in latest Doodle
Kaspersky Lab adds MSI-ECS as PH distributor to boost B2B market
Want to remove something online? A PH firm can do that for you
Most firms still unprepared for cybersecurity attack, says report
Philippine Innovation Act gets bicam nod, seen boosting MSMEs
Cagayan ecozone's shift as 'crypto hub' sends revenues soaring
Study: PH optimistic about AI but lacks traits needed for adoption
NPC conducting probe on 48 online lending apps due to client harassment
BPO firms say they followed safety procedures during earthquake
We strive to bring to local readers all the ICT news and product information relevant to the Philippines. We seek to cover the whole ICT spectrum — from consumer to the enterprise. READ MORE ABOUT NEWSBYTES.PH
Copyright © 2019 Newsbytes Philippines


text:
In particular, all previous information theoretic PIR schemes required multiple replications of the database into separate entities which are not allowed to communicate with each other; and in all previous schemes (including ones which do not achieve information theoretic security), the amount of computation performed by the database on-line for every query is at least linear in the size of the database. In contrast, in our solutions the database does not give away its contents to any other entity; and after the initial setup stage, which costs at most O(n log n) in computation, the database needs to perform only O(1) amount of computation to answer questions of users on-line. All the extra on-line computation is done by the auxiliary random servers.
Category / Keywords: Private Information Retrieval, Information Theoretic Privacy, database replication, security servers, multi-party computation. Publication Info: Appeared in the THEORY OF CRYPTOGRAPHY LIBRARY and has been included in the ePrint Archive. Date: received April 30th, 1998. Contact author: ygertner at saul cis upenn edu Available format(s): Postscript (PS) | Compressed Postscript (PS.GZ) | BibTeX Citation Short URL: ia.cr/1998/013


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Art & Archaeology
Building the Countryside: Rural Architecture and Settlement in the Tripolitanian Countryside [Paperback]
Nichole Sheldrick (Author)£40.00ISBN: 9781900971775
Published by : Society for Libyan Studies
This volume brings together data collected from both previously published surveys and new data collected using satellite imagery on the architecture and construction of over 2,400 rural structures in nine different regions of Tripolitania and dati... .... Learn More
Early Symbolic Culture and the Evolution of Behavioral Modernity [Hardback]
Nicholas J. Conard (Editor); Ewa Dutkiewicz (Editor)£46.00ISBN: 9783935751315
Published by : Kerns Verlag
Series: Tübingen Publications in Prehistory
Not yet published - available for pre-order
Publication of results from the conference on early symbolic culture and the evolution of behavioral modernity, held as part of the Hugo Obermaier Meeting in Heidenheim, Germany. .... Learn More
A Stranger in the House - The Crossroads III: Proceedings of an International Conference on Foreigners in Ancient Egyptian and Near Eastern Societies of the Bronze Age held in Prague, September 10-13, 2018 [Hardback]
Jana Mynářová (Editor); Marwan Kilani (Editor); Sergio Alivernini (Editor)£66.80ISBN: 9788073089283
Published by : Czech Institute of Egyptology
The main objective of the conference was to enhance our understanding of "foreignness" in ancient societies between the end of the Chalcolithic period and the end of the Late Bronze Age. This book collects some of the twenty most significant contr... .... Learn More
Rural Settlement and Economic Activity: Olive oil, wine and amphorae production on the Tarhuna plateau during the Roman period [Paperback]
Muftah Ahmed (Author)£40.00ISBN: 9781900971553
Published by : Society for Libyan Studies
Rural Settlement and Economic Activity is a key new addition to literature on the rural economy of Tripolitania during Antiquity. The chapters explore the geography and climate of the area and present the results of the author's archaeological sur... .... Learn More
Classical Antiquities of Algeria: A Selective Guide [Paperback]
Jean-Marie Blas de Roblès (Author); Claude Sintes (Author); Philip Kenrick (Author)£20.00ISBN: 9781900971546
Published by : Society for Libyan Studies
Algeria is a large country, rich in visual remains of its long and complex history. The monuments of the Roman period are particularly impressive. This is partly because they are well-preserved, but also because the French, who colonised the regio... .... Learn More
The Archaeology of Western Sahara: A Synthesis of Fieldwork, 2002 to 2009 [Hardback]
Joanne Clarke (Author); Nick Brooks (Author)£55.00Click here for ebook buying options
Published by : Oxbow Books
Contrary to much perceived wisdom, the Sahara is a rich and varied tapestry of diverse environments that sustain an array of ecosystems. Throughout its history, the Sahara has been a stage for human evolution, with human habitation, movement and l... .... Learn More
Abusir and Saqqara in the Year 2015 [Hardback]
Miroslav Bárta (Editor); Filip Coppens (Editor); Jaromír Krejčí (Editor)£168.00ISBN: 9788073087586
Published by : Czech Institute of Egyptology
The Czech Institute of Egyptology of the Charles University in Prague has since the start of the third millennium established the tradition of organising on a regular basis a platform for scholars, active in the pyramid fields and the cemeteries o... .... Learn More
African Pottery Roulettes Past and Present: Techniques, Identification and Distribution [Paperback]
Anne Haour (Author); K. Manning (Author); N. Arazi (Author); O. Gosselain (Author)£34.00Click here for ebook buying options
Published by : Oxbow Books
African Pottery Roulettes Past and Present considers ethnographic, museological and archaeological approaches to pottery-decorating tools called roulettes, that is to say, short lengths of fibre or wood that are rolled over the surface of a vess... .... Learn More
The Ancient Red Sea Port of Adulis, Eritrea Report of the Etritro-British Expedition, 2004-5 [Paperback]
D. P. S. Peacock (Author); Evan Peacock (Author); Lucy Blue (Author)£36.00Click here for ebook buying options
Published by : Oxbow Books
The port of Adulis was one of greatest significance in Antiquity. It is best known for its role in Aksumite trade during the fourth - seventh centuries AD. However it is also a major port of the Periplus of the Erythraean Sea , a sailors' hand... .... Learn More
Les mosquées ibadites du djebel Nafūsa: Architecture, histoire et religions du nort-ouest de la Libye (VIIe-XIIIe siècle) [Paperback]
Virginie Prevost (Author)£30.00Click here for ebook buying options
Published by : Society for Libyan Studies
Series: Society for Libyan Studies Monograph
Volume: 10
The mosques of the Djebel Nafūsa, little known and under threat, personify the continuity of traditions and faith of the Ibadites, who have retained their grip over the centuries on this rugged landscape, despite their many trials and tribulations... .... Learn More


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Can you move this feature to other place of the our monitor? Some times it's hard to buy items in shop because of this spam that very useles, can we have option to disabe this function or move it in bottom of our monitor near inventory where free space for it. Why this informtation about teammate items that they already buy created to annoying me.
When i need to buy items i need wait until this spam is gone and lose last hit creeps on lane, it's wasting my time.


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Cardiotrophin 1 shows promising results for treatment of obesity and metabolic syndrome
Scientists from the Center for Applied Medical Research (CIMA) of the University of Navarra (Spain) have discovered that cardiotrophin 1, a protein synthesized by muscle cells and adipose tissue, has a marked effect on fat and glucose metabolism. "These new findings add to those we already know on this compound such the anti-ischemic and cytoprotective effects showed in acute liver damage and solid organ transplants gives CT-1 great possibilities to be developed in various serious conditions", commented Pablo Ortiz, CEO of Digna Biotech.
The study was published in the August issue of Cell Metabolism, most prestigious journal in Metabolism and further details were described in the 25th August of SciBX, the Biocentury/Nature publication. The researchers found that the administration of cardiotrophin 1 accelerates the elimination of fat from the adipose tissue and increases the rate at which fat is burnt in muscles. Treatment of obese and diabetic mice with cardiotrophin 1 increases energy expenditure, reduces food intake and corrects obesity and diabetes. Investigators noticed that, in addition to its effects on fat metabolism, cardiotrophin 1 promotes the entrance of glucose into the cells and increases the sensitivity to insulin. The investigation has been led by M. Bustos, J. Prieto and MJ Moreno-Aliaga at CIMA.
Cardiotrophin 1 is co-developed for its use in organ transplantation and tissue regeneration by Digna Biotech and Biotecnol (The Consortium). Both of the companies signed an Exclusive License and Option Agreement with Genentech, Inc (a fully owned subsidiary of the Roche group) on September 2009.
Pablo Ortiz remarked: "Cardiotrophin 1 showed a very interesting effect on fat metabolism which deserves to be explored in a clinical setting. We are ready to recruit healthy volunteers in the Phase I trial before the end of the year. Phase II in liver resection is scheduled for the second quarter of 2012. We are also confident that these new applications and the progress on the clinical development will allow us to forge partnerships with other biopharmaceutical companies to reach the patients as soon as possible". According to Pedro de Noronha Pissarra, CEO of Biotecnol: "expanding the use of such a promising molecule to other fields of use, where unmet needs exist, will build additional value to the current work. Its clear from the current findings on the mechanism of action of Cardiotrophin 1 in fat metabolism, that clinical work should be pursued and potentially new partnerships in order to expand such work can now be equated".
Pre-clinicial and clinical development of cardiotrophin 1 was funded by private and public Spanish entities: ClaveSuan, the Center for Industrial and Technological Development (CDTI), and the Government of Navarra. Only in liver resection and transplantation, cardiotrophin 1 may generate revenues of 350 millions of euros per year.
About Cardiotrophin 1 (CT-1)
Cardiotrophin 1 is a member of the interleukin-6 cytokine family. Recently, investigators from the Centre for Applied Medical Research (CIMA) have discovered that this protein is able to stimulate hepatic regeneration as well as to protect hepatocytes during clinical situations of acute hepatic damage. This means that CT-1 may be beneficial for those patients who undergo liver transplantation or extensive hepatic resection. The use of CT-1 in liver transplantation has already been granted Orphan Drug Status by both the FDA and the EMEA. In addition, cardiotrophin 1 has recently been shown to prevent graft injury and inflammatory response and prolong survival in animal kidney transplant model, and acute liver failure.
About Digna Biotech
Digna Biotech, a biotechnological company, is a spin-off of the University of Navarra (Pamplona, Spain) and is funded by a group of investors representing some of Spain's major corporations and financial institutions. It is committed to develop new drugs based on the IP generated by the Center for Applied Medical Research (CIMA) and to forge partnerships with pharmaceutical industry to ensure complete clinical development and commercial launch. Its extensive pipeline reflects the four major avenues of research pursued by CIMA: Cardiovascular, Gene Therapy, Hepatology and Oncology. Inspired by similar university-industry collaboration projects in USA, Digna Biotech presents a pioneering business model in Spain.. In cooperation with CIMA, CIFA (Center For Applied Pharmacobiology Research), a number of Schools of the University of Navarra (especially the School of Pharmacy and its Galenic Department), and the Clínica Universidad de Navarra, Digna Biotech is carrying out a range of activities to ensure the clinical trial development of the products. As a direct result of the company's commitment to translational research and focus on delivering meaningful health outcomes, and thanks to the effort made by the staff of Digna Biotech and CIMA, three products are now in the clinical phase. The company plans to enter a new product every year in clinical trials to reach the patient with innovative products for unmet medical needs. More information. http://www.dignabiotech.com and http://www.cima.es
About Biotecnol
Biotecnol is a biotechnology company developing biopharmaceutical products, and has a special focus on the development of novel antibody-based therapeutics to treat life-threatening diseases such as cancer. Biotecnol has a proprietary antibody format, which allows to develop multi-specific antibodies against various cancer targets. These formats are called Tribodies™. Biotecnol is committed in building value by developing a diverse pipeline of antibody products to address unmet healthcare needs. Through its facilities in Portugal, Biotecnol leverages its business income by establishing in-house partner-led or collaborative programmes, which provide Biotecnol a strong client-based activity and an established track record. Biotecnol uses its proprietary expression technology, cell line development capabilities, upstream and downstream processing, analytics and QC experience for delivering therapeutic recombinant protein product and processes to support all stages of product development through early research and preclinical activities to GMP/GLP compliant processes for biomanufacturing of clinical and ultimately commercial products.
Contact: Nuria Safont
Digna Biotech S.L


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Wiburn, Perceval (DNB00)
WIBURN or WYBURN, PERCEVAL (1533?–1606?), puritan divine, born about 1533, was admitted a scholar of St. John's College, Cambridge, on Cardinal Morton's foundation, on 11 Nov. 1546, and was matriculated as a pensioner in the same month. He proceeded B.A, in 1551, and on 8 April 1552 he was elected and admitted a fellow of his college. A man of strong protestant opinions, he sympathised with the reforming tendencies of Edward VI's government, and after the accession of Mary he judged it prudent to leave England. In May 1557 he joined the English congregation at Geneva (Livre des Anglois, ed. Burn, 1831, p. 10). On the accession of Elizabeth he returned to England; in 1558 he proceeded M.A., and in the same year was appointed junior dean and philosophy lecturer in his college. On 25 Jan. 1559-60 he was ordained deacon by Edmund Grindal [q. v.], bishop of London, and on 27 March 1560 he received priest's orders from Richard Davies (d. 1581) [q. v.], bishop of St. Asaph (Strype, Life of Grindal, 1821, pp. 54, 58). On 24 Feb. 1560-1 he was installed a prebendary of Norwich, and on 6 April 1561 was admitted a senior fellow of St. John's College. In 1561 he occurs as holding the second prebendal stall in the cathedral of Rochester, which he still possessed in 1589 but which he had resigned before 1592 (cf. Strype, Annals of the Reformation, 1824, i. 488, 502). On 23 Nov. 1561 he was installed a canon of Westminster.
Wiburn took part, as proctor of the clergy of Rochester, in the convocation of 1562, and subscribed the revised articles. On 8 March1563-4 he was instituted to the vicarage of St. Sepulchre's, Holborn. In the same year however, he was sequestered on refusing subscription, and in order to maintain his family employed himself in husbandry. He was not, however, hardly dealt with, the ecclesiastical authorities conniving at his keeping his prebends and at his preaching in public (Strype, Life of Grindal, pp. 145, 146; Life of Parker, 1821, i. 483). In 1566 he visited Theodore Beza at Geneva and Heinrich Bullinger at Zurich to represent the evil condition of the English church, and to solicit assistance from the Swiss reformers. It was probably at this time that Wiburn wrote his description of the 'State of the Church of England,' which is preserved in the Zurich archives. He was suspected by the English ecclesiastics of calumniating the church, an accusation which he indignantly repelled, and which in a letter dated 25 Feb. 1566-7 he besought Bullinger to contradict. In June 1571 Wiburn was cited for nonconformity before Archbishop Parker, together with Christopher Goodman [q. v.], Thomas Lever [q. v.], Thomas Sampson [q. v.], and some others, and in 1573 he was examined by the council concerning his opinion on the 'Admonition to the Parliament,' sometimes erroneously attributed to Thomas Cartwright (1535-1603) [q. v.], which had appeared in the preceding year [see Wilcox, Thomas]. Wiburn declared that the opinions expressed in the 'Admonition ' were not lawful, but he was, notwithstanding, forbidden to preach until further orders (Strype, Life of Parker, ii. 66, 239-41; Life of Grindal, p. 252; Parker, Corresp., Parker Soc. p. 342; Grindal, Remains, Parker Soc. p. 348). He was afterwards restored to the ministry, and was preacher at Rochester. In 1581 he was one of the divines chosen for their learning and theological attainments to dispute with the papists. In the same year he published a reply to Robert Parsons (1546-1610) [q. v.], who under the name of John Howlet had ventured to dedicate his 'Brief Discourse ' to Queen Elizabeth. Wiburn's treatise was entitled 'A Checke or Reproofe of M. Howlets vntimely shreeching in her Majesties eares,' London, 4to. His zeal against the Jesuits, however, did not prevent him from being suspended from preaching in 1583 by Archbishop Whitgift [q. v.] (Strype, Life of Whitgift, 1822, i. 245, 249, 271, 550). He continued under suspension for at least five years. Towards the close of his life he preached at Battersea, near London, and, being disabled for a time from the public duties of his ministry by breaking his leg, he was assisted by Richard Sedgwick. He died about 1606 at an advanced age. He was married.
[Cooper's Athenae Cantabr. ii. 449; Brook's Lives of the Puritans, 1813, ii. 169-71; Baker's Hist, of St. John's Coll. ed. Mayor, i. 148, 286, 291, 325; Lives appended to Clarke's Engl. Martyrologie, 1677, p. 158; Newcourt's Repert. Eccles. Lond. 1708, i. 534; Shindler's Reg. Rochester Cathedral, 1892; Hennessy's Novum Repertorium, 1898.]


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Queen of baking Mary Berry show how to make homemade strawberry jam to serve with scones and for many other treats throughout the day.
Mary says: "You don't want the strawberries too ripe because you won't' get a good set. It is best to have them slightly under ripe."
Mary's ingredients for her jam consist of: strawberries, lemon juice and jam sugar.
See how Mary make her Strawberry Jam in this video:


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Prompt Obedience
Psalm 119:59 When I think of your ways,
I turn my feet to your decrees;
60 I hurry and do not delay
to keep your commandments.
The Psalmist's prayer reveals spiritual growth. Prompt obedience was not always a way of life but now a new obedience was developing in the heart and life of the one who spent time in the presence of God. No longer is time spent in the sinful pleasures of this world, but the desire to follow God is immediate. Hearing and learning from God's heart means a desire to hurry up and following the Lord's leading in all things.
We don't always want to respond to God's leading in a prompt way. Mulling things over and taking time to try and decide whether God's leading is a good thing — is never a good thing. The Psalmist would never have known how to promptly obey had he not spent time in the presence of God. When we do not act promptly, it may be that we unsure if we are hearing the voice of God. Responding promptly to the voice of God comes when we are familiar with the Lord's voice.
I'll admit it's a little tough having my time with the Lord this morning. I'm writing this as my 19 month old granddaughter is next to me watching a little video with sing-a-long songs. This devotional comes with "The Wheels on the Bus." At the same time she is fascinated by pictures she sees on my computer. Whenever she sees a picture of my husband she calls out "Pa!" While she hasn't spent tons of time with him, she knows who grandpa is. She has become familiar with him and gets excited when she simply sees his picture.
Just as a little child learns to know the voices and faces of family members that they can trust, so we must have this kind of relationship with our heavenly Father. Then, when we hear God's voice of leading we will know that it is from God. It takes no time to decide whether to follow, but we do it promptly and immediately. To delay would mean more pain and struggle in our own lives. This is not what God wants for us. Our loving "Pa!" wants to lead us away from sin and its devastating effects in our lives. This may be a new obedience for us, but we follow with hearts overflowing with love for the one who loves us.
Obedience comes from knowing the heart of the one who is ready and willing to lead. Prompt obedience will be life-changing.
Lord, please help me to listen to your heart and follow you today. Amen.


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The American DJ Mini Dekker LED Effect Light is a professional standard and highly affordable LED effect featuring powerful RGBW LED's. This versatile light can be controlled via DMX 512 and comes complete with a sturdy hanging bracket.
Offering impressive coverage thanks to its 48 lenses, the Mini Dekker is an inventive LED fixture that produces RGBW-coloured effects that shoot out in every direction to create a moving galaxy of ultra-bright beams. With a powerful light source consisting of two 10W quad-colour LEDs, the beams generated by the Mini Dekker are powerful and varied in colour, creating a lightshow that leaves audiences awestruck and venues radiating pure lighting excitement.
Users have five operational modes to choose from: Sound Active, Static Colour, DMX-Controlled, Colour Change and Colour Fade (both with and without strobe). With an 8-channel DMX mode, users can also get more creative with the Mini Dekker, programming its strobe effects and multi-colour beams to add increased energy to their displays. Weighing just 4 lbs. (1.7kg), the Mini Dekker, much like the other Startec Series fixtures, is ideal for taking on the road as part of a more extensive setup, making it particularly well-suited to mobile DJs and touring bands as well as small venues.
The main features of the American DJ Mini Dekker LED Effect Light include:


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#EatDrinkBeMerry Gluten Free Christmas
There is magic in the air as the dawning of Christmas Day approaches. Smiles abound and Santa is not the only one with a twinkle in his eye. Udi's Gluten Free certainly is in the Christmas spirit. Scroll down to see how you can win LOTS of prizes from the famed seller of scrumptious gluten free goodies. Udi's Gluten Free also gifted this Ninja Baker with two big boxes of fantabulous yummies. (After years of only nibbles of bread, I'm now consuming Udi's Gluten Free Millet Chia every other morning!) Here are a few suggestions to inspire and infuse your Christmas day with the spirit of good cheer.


text: The exterior of Camp Delta at the US Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay [Reuters] I hear the war in Afghanistan is over. This war was supposedly the reason I remained trapped, rotting in this endless horror at Guantanamo Bay. I write this letter today to ask, if this war has ended, why am I still here? Why has nothing changed? Talk to Al Jazeera - Michael Lehnert: 'Close Guantanamo' Amid falling bombs and mass hysteria, I fled Afghanistan for safety when the US launched its military operations in 2001. I was abducted despite never fighting against the United States, was sold into US military custody, and then imprisoned, tortured, and abused at Guantanamo since 2002 without ever being charged with a single crime. I protest this injustice by hunger striking, refusing food and sometimes water. One of Guantanamo's long-term hunger strikers, I am a frail man now, weighing only 96 pounds (44kg) at 5'5" (1.68m). Recently, my latest strike surpassed its second year. My health is deteriorating rapidly, but my intention to continue my strike is steadfast. I do not want to kill myself. My religion prohibits suicide. But despite daily bouts of violent vomiting and sharp pain, I will not eat or drink to peacefully protest against the injustice of this place. My protest is the one form of control I have of my own life and I vow to continue it until I am free. I remain on lockdown alone in my cell 22 hours a day. Despite my condition, prison authorities unleash an entire riot squad of six giant guards to forcibly extract me from my cell, restrain me onto a chair and brutally force-feed me daily. They push a thick tube down my nose until I bleed, after which I vomit. This gruesome procedure may not be written about so much any more, but it remains my everyday reality. It is painful. And it is bewildering. How can I possibly resist anyone, let alone these men? Hunger striking is a form of peaceful and civil disobedience. It is not a crime. So why am I being punished? Why not humanely tube-feed me instead? I wonder now if the US follows any rule of law at all: the Geneva Conventions or even its own Constitution. My time here has been ridden with unanswered questions. Two years ago, as I attempted to pray, a sudden raid was ordered and a guard deliberately shot me without warning or provocation. Once again, I was not resisting. So why did he shoot? My clothes, torn, were soaked in my own blood. I want the government to ask the guard who shot me to account for his actions. I began to wonder if shooting without any provocation is legal in the US. But now I realise that US police officers get away with ruthlessly killing black people all the time. I wonder now if the US follows any rule of law at all: the Geneva Conventions or even its own Constitution. Where is the freedom and justice for all that it so proudly boasts to the world? For us at Guantanamo, this place is not fit for any living, breathing, human being. The US seems to want to smother us, to kill us slowly as we are left in a vacuum of uncertainty wondering if we will ever be free. I have lived the past 13 years in this despair, at the cost of my dignity, paying the price for the US government's political theatre. Meanwhile, little has changed for the 122 men remaining at Guantanamo. The world may turn a blind eye and find this number small. But for each of us here, the cost of our indefinite and unfair imprisonment is beyond immeasurable. Our families have lost fathers, brothers, husbands, and sons to this hell on earth. Many of us have unnecessarily lost over a decade of our already short time in this world, yearning to be free again. Moath al-Alwi is a Yemeni national who has been in US custody since 2002. He was one of the very first prisoners moved to Guantanamo, where the US military assigned him the Internment Serial Number 028. The views expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeera's editorial policy. SOURCE: Al Jazeera ABOUT THE AUTHOR Moath al-AlwiMoath al-Alwi is a Yemeni national who has been in US custody since 2002. He was one of the very first prisoners moved to Guantanamo, where the US military assigned him the Internment Serial Number 028. Politics Human Rights Guantanamo Bay Afghanistan


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Pole Buildings
Minor's Construction Services LLC also specializes in the construction of Pole Buildings (or Pole Barns). These are large agricultural buildings with high ceilings and wide open spaces. Whether your needs are on a commercial or residential scale regarding larger facilities, Pole Barn construction offers flexibility and durability which ultimately triumphs over stick-frame (also referred to as stud wall) used in traditional residential home design.
Pole Building structures use wood posts as the main vertical framing element, with these posts buried 4 to 6 feet deep to provide support. Stick-frame structures, on the other hand, are often built over a crawlspace or basement. Choosing a Pole Building over stick-frame construction may cut down on concrete foundation costs, adapt to varying site locations usually without overly extensive excavation, or large wall openings for windows and doors, and make it easier to add on exterior porches and overhangs, all the while offering speedier and safer construction.


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Positive Third Space
Kwakha Indvodza's Positive Third Space
KI indorses a positive and achievable masculinity, while promoting long-lasting behaviour change and healthy lifestyle choices. This is achieved through the construction of a Positive Third Space, which forms the core of all Kwakha Indvodza's implementation. Adapting recognised sociological theory, as first conceptualized by Ray Oldenberg (1989) into the sub-Saharan and gender/youth development contexts, Kwakha Indvodza's Positive Third Space serves a key gap in the psycho-social support and social development of Eswatini's youth.
Kwakha Indvodza's community-based initiatives form a positive space, away from the often negative, troubled or instable 'space' of the home and the sometimes threatening, overcrowded, utilitarian space of the school or workplace. As such, KI serves the community through providing supervised and constructive alternatives to more typical distractions which might lead a young man into making negative lifestyle choices.
This position is also often occupied by the Church or place of worship within a community, but these various structures are often divisive, can promote myths and misconceptions and do not offer the specific male-focussed support provided by Kwakha Indvodza, under the three pillars of our implementation: financial independence, male health and social responsibility.
In order to successfully create a Positive Third Space for boys and young men, there are ten tenants which are followed by our Chapter Coordinators and their staff. These are developed through sociological study, community research and data collection and the active implementation over the four years of KI's operations.
KI's Positive Third Space must:
· Be created by people not places
A positive third space can be made on the side of the road, around a fire or under a tree. The physical space, whilst an asset is not necessary to engage the youth. What is crucial, however, is that the right people create the space. They must be positive male role models, enthusiastic, financially independent men and free from excessive bad habits. A variety of professions, ethnicity, backgrounds and views is ideal in promoting ideas of justice, transparency, and democracy, whilst destabilising stereotypes and exposing participants to various iamges of masculinity.
· Be disassociated from the home and the school/workplace
The space must be distinct in its separation from the first (home) and second (school/workplace) space of a young man. In many southern African contexts, these spaces often are adult-centred, implement negative discipline, and reinforce the hegemonic views and practices of a patriarchal society.
· Be a male-oriented space
The dynamic of any space, especially an adolescent one, changes significantly when it is mixed-gender, resulting in awkwardness, contests of dominance and the construction and re-enforcement of social taboo. In order for our emajaha to feel safe and comfortable enough to speak and act freely, this space must be male-orientated, if not male-only during more sensitive sessions.
· Be safe and free from threat
Similarly, in order to gain the trust of any vulnerable young man, and to encourage similar values, the space must be free from all types of threat or negativity, as these environments do not reinforce true teaching moments.
· Be regular, reliable and carefully constructed
Vulnerable young men need structure to develop. They also take time to trust, and suffer disappointments severely, so the space must reflect these needs.
· Promote independent consequential-based decision making
Prescriptive education in adolescents is rarely effective and evidence suggests that imperative messages, however common-sensical, are often ignored, even by adults. Instead, the positive third space must encourage personal moral development, through a consideration of the possible consequences of an action or behaviour. This process encourages empowerment, self-awareness and a sense of accomplishment once a decision has been reached, making learning more effective and increasing the chances that a positive behaviour change will be adopted and maintained.
· Be free from doctrine, be it religious, political or social
Doctrinal teaching denies self-reflection, the development of reason and a strong personal moral code. Kwakha Indvodza's activities, therefore, do not actively insist on one doctrine over another but instead encourage a process of reasoned and personal reflection before reaching a conclusion.
· Create a sense of ownership, achievement and responsibility
The space should foster a strong sense of ownership, identity and sense of affiliation amongst the emajaha, many of who do not experience these positive affirmations elsewhere.
· Challenge patriarchal stereotypes and taboo
Patriarchy, like all hegemonic social practices, relies on the belief in stereotypes and stereotypical behaviour and the circumvention of social taboos in remaining unchallenged. Young men use these role models in constructing their own identity. The third space must therefore be a space that works to disassemble these oppressive social practices.
· Encourage values of respect, dignity and purpose, and the individual interpretation thereof
These values promote strong and lasting behaviour change, especially in adolescents and young men and especially when the participants are encouraged to interpret these ideals into their own words and situations.
Achieving the 'Teaching Moment'
Once a regular Positive Third Space has been established with a participant or group of participants, then the objective turns towards achieving maximum positive behaviour change within that space. This is achieved in a variety of ways and at a variety of different speeds; there is not one magic formula and each participant might respond differently (see KI's Behaviour Change Theory). The most profound and rewarding result or success-marker of our interventions could be called a 'Teaching Moment'. A Teaching Moment is a moment of genuine connection, a moment when real understanding or insight is achieved, or a moment when a participant finally voices the issues troubling them, and is willing to be counselled about it. These moments are uncommon, come at their own pace and cannot be forced. They are the eventual result of the patience and hard work of the mentor, as well as the trust, sense of belonging, identity and achievement created in the Positive Third Space.
Once the participant realises that this space is a democratic, non-judgemental and non-threatening space, where the social conventions he is used to may not apply.


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These last two weeks we have been delving into Affirmative Action. Let's assume your company is a federal contractor — or sub-contractor–and is therefore subject to Affirmative Action requirements. (Click here and here to review those definitions.) You must then solicit race, ethnicity and gender data from all "applicants" for employment. There is no specific time at or by which the contractor must do so, however. You may even voluntarily solicit the same data from job seekers who are not applicants, but may only use such information for your affirmative action and equal employment opportunity programs. But who and what is an "applicant"? What if any difference is there between a "job seeker" and an "applicant"? Let's get some answers, after the jump…
(image from money.cnn.com)
Before 2006, federal contractors had little help in answering that question. The Uniform Guidelines on Employment and Selection Procedures (UGESP) was the sole resource and it essentially defined an "applicant" as "a person who has indicated an interest in being considered for hiring, promotion, or other employment opportunities. " The UGESP further stated that one could express interest in a job either orally or by filling out a job application, "depending on the employer's practice". In 2006, however, the OFCCP stepped in and promulgating its own rules, and definition, which lists the following criteria:
- S/he submits an expression of interest in employment through the internet or related electronic data technologies;
- S/he is considered by the contractor for a position;
- His/her expression of interest indicates s/he has the basic objective qualifications for the position;
- S/he at no point in the contractor's selection process prior to receiving a job offer removes him/herself from the consideration process or indicates that s/he is no longer interested in the position.
This rule, of course, assumes that the person applies through the internet or some other electronic means. In fact, this rule is known as the "Internet Applicant Rule". What if someone expresses interest in a job, but does not use the internet or related electronic data technology? Does your company consider expressions of interest through traditional means as well as the internet? If so, then the above definition will apply to both types of submissions. If not, then you do not have to include someone expressing interest through non-electronic means as an applicant. Theoretically, a company might not consider expressions of interest via the internet or related electronic means. The OFCCP's rule would therefore be of no help. If for any reason that is your company, you will have to be very clear on defining who are your "applicants", but make sure your criteria are objectively reasonable. (In this day and age it seems pretty unlikely that a company would never use the internet "or related electronic means", in which case, the OFCCP's rule will probably apply.)
Let's assume, then, that if you are a federal contractor, the "Internet Applicant Rule" does apply to your company. Now what? Well, let's break it all down.
What does it mean to "consider" a candidate? Generally, a contractor has "considered" a job-seeker for a job when it reviews whether the job-seeker meets any of the criteria. That said, you do not have to consider any and all expressions of interest you receive, regardless of the manner or nature of the expression of interest–even if the job seeker has the basic qualifications for the job. If you have established a standard procedure that job-seekers must follow in order to express an interest in employment, you do not have to consider job-seekers who do not follow those procedures. For example, you can refuse to accept unsolicited resumes, or refuse to accept resumes that are not submitted in connection with a particular position. You could also accept only a random sampling of "expressions of interest" or otherwise limit the number of expressions of interest accepted. When you narrow the pool of those expressing interest in the job, you also reduce your record keeping and tracking requirements. As long as the exclusions are not based on the job-seekers' qualifications, and as long as an appropriate applicant pool remains, the method will be an acceptable means of narrowing the pool of people "considered". A contractor who receives but does not review a resume based on the types of appropriate management techniques described above, has not "considered" the job seeker and s/he is not an (internet) applicant—as long as those techniques a) are facially neutral; and b) do not produce a disparate impact, based on race, gender or ethnicity.
An "Internet Applicant" can also remove him/herself from consideration for the job. How does one remove oneself from consideration for a job? How does a contractor determine that a job-seeker has done so? A contractor can conclude that a job seeker is no longer interested in a position by either relying on his or her express statement or by his or her passive demonstration of disinterest. The following are examples of "passive demonstration of disinterest":
- Declining an invitation for a job interview;
- Declining a job offer;
- Repeatedly failing to respond to a contractor's telephone inquiries or emails asking about his or her interest in the job. (The OFCCP has stated that two or more non-responses to contractor inquiries is sufficient for the contractor to conclude that the candidate is not interested in the position).
You can also presume a job seeker's lack of continuing interest based on a review of his or her interest. Here are some examples: a) statements pertaining to the individual's interest in the specific position or type of position at issue; b) statements pertaining to the location of the work; c) statements pertaining to salary requirements—as long as the contractor has a uniformly and consistently applied policy or procedure of not considering similarly situated job seekers. A word of caution here: Even if an applicant withdraws him/herself from consideration for a particular position, you must still retain any record of the person's expression of interest if s/he qualifies as an internet applicant. Similarly, you must still retain other required records, such as statements of withdrawal, demographic data previously solicited from the candidate, and test results. You do not however need to solicit demographic data from the candidate if you did not do so prior to him/her withdrawing from consideration.
You see where this is going, right? If someone is an applicant, you may have to collect demographic data, and you will have to track what happens with the candidate and keep records.
OK, one last question: What are "basic job qualifications"? They are qualifications you advertise or establish in advance. They must include non-comparative features, such as three years' experience, rather than "the top five" candidates in a particular field, must be objective (e.g. a Bachelors' Degree) and relevant to the performance of a particular job. For example, you search an external job base with 50,000 job seekers for 3 basic qualifications for a bi-lingual emergency room nursing supervisor: 4-year nursing degree, state RN certification, fluency in English and Spanish. In the initial screen you narrow the pool to 10,000. You now add a fourth qualification, 3 years E.R. nursing experience. Now you've narrowed the pool to 1,000. You then add 2 years of supervisory experience as a fifth qualification, narrowing the pool to 75. Under the Internet Applicant Rule, only those 75 job seekers meeting all 5 qualifications are Internet Applicants (assuming the other 3 prongs are met) and your tracking and record keeping requirements only apply to those 75 job seekers. While you need not include basic qualifications in job descriptions, you do need to advertise them to job applicants, or, if you don't advertise, you must establish them in advance and create and maintain records of such qualifications.
OK, I think we have a decent handle on who is an "applicant" for affirmative action purposes. Let's stop here for now. See you next week.
Contents of this post are for educational/informational purposes only, are not legal advice, and do not create an attorney-client relationship. Consult with competent employment counsel in the state(s) in which you employ people with your specific questions.
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