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This spring, Harmony is challenging our students to participate in a friendly reading competition across classrooms and other campuses.
Beginning March 3, students are challenged to read books and advance through pre-determined advancement levels in order to earn rewards at each stage.
With Spring Break coming up, we urge parents to help encourage their children to take advantage of this time to read books they are excited about.
You can find challenges for each grade level by clicking the link to our Spring Reading Challenge PDF below.
Please Click on the Link to Take the Survey:
Thank You!
Harmony Public Schools Houston South & West district has several upcoming Job Fairs.
To see a list of Houston South & West district job fairs and register please Click Here
To find the list of all upcoming job fairs across the state, point your browser to harmonytx.org/job-fairs.php and check if your region/metro area has a fair coming up.
Life's short. Do work that matters!
The deadline for application for open enrollment for the 2020-2021 school year at Harmony Public Schools is almost here. If you are a current Harmony family that would like to change campuses next year, or would like to apply to become a first-time Harmony student in 2020-2021 here's s everything you need to know about how to apply for next year.
Every child isn't the same. So why should every school be?
Harmony Public Schools believes each student can achieve their own unique, full potential through a caring and collaborative academic environment that emphasizes personalized learning and innovative instructional methods.
Engaging Education: Our project-based learning engages critical thinking skills and makes learning fun with hands-on activities that educate and excite.
Skills for Tomorrow: Our curriculum has been recognized by the TEA & others for providing students the STEM skills they need for the in-demand jobs of the future.
College Ready: Harmony has a 100% college acceptance rate, and almost two-thirds of our students are the first in their families ever to attend college.
Does Harmony Public Schools charge tuition to attend?
Absolutely not. Harmony is a tuition-free, Texas public charter school. We believe every student deserves the opportunity to attend a high-quality public school that fits their individual needs regardless of income.
Who is eligible to attend Harmony Public Schools?
All children residing in a Harmony school's geographic boundary who meet registration requirements are eligible to attend. Unlike most other schools, though, Harmony's geographic boundaries are much wider and generally include the entire community in which the school resides, meaning that all students in the area – regardless of neighborhood or family income level – have the same opportunity to attend a high-quality Harmony school.
What documents do I need to apply?
No documents are needed just to apply. However, if your child is selected for enrollment during the lottery process, you will need to provide a few basic documents that verify your child's identity and home address.
I have a child in Harmony already, and would like to enroll their sibling for the first time. Do I still need to apply?
Yes. Siblings of current Harmony students still need to apply, but are given priority status if a campus lottery is needed.
February 10
Open Enrollment for 2020-2021 Application Deadline
February 11-25
Campus Lotteries Held (if needed)
Harmony Public Schools is now accepting applications for Open Enrollment for the 2020-2021 school year.
Please Click Here for a Clearer Copy of the Parent Letter
Harmony School of Exploration announces its first STEM Festival on Saturday, February 29th.
Keeping Our Tiger Cubs Safe- A.L.I.C.E. Training on Friday, January 10th
About ALICE Training Institute
The ALICE Training Institute is changing how schools, universities and businesses respond to armed intruders. ALICE (Alert, Lock-down, Inform, Counter, and Evacuate), developed after Columbine, teaches strategies to survive a life-threatening event. Supported by educators and law enforcement organizations, ALICE is quickly becoming the new standard of care across the nation. For more information about ALICE Training Institute, visit www.alicetraining.com.
Please Click Here to Enjoy More Details on Our Facebook Page
Exploration's ESL Partnership with Houston Public Library Makes Reading FUNdamental!
Media & Public Relations
For media requests, please send an email to firstname.lastname@example.com with details of the request.
For more information, please visit our Media & Public Relations page.
Website Accessibility
Harmony Public Schools ("Harmony") is committed to making the information on its website accessible to individuals with disabilities in compliance with the requirements of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.
If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader, eye tracking device, voice recognition software, etc.) and have difficulty accessing information on the Harmony website, please contact HPS Webmaster by email at email@example.com . Please include the following when communicating with Harmony regarding accessibility issues:
A description of your accessibility concern.
The format in which you prefer to receive the materials.
The web page address of the requested material(s).
The best way to contact you (email address or phone number, or both).
Harmony will make appropriate accommodations to facilitate access to any website content.
Complaints regarding website accessibility may be submitted through the Public Complaint process outlined in Board Policy PG-1.12 (Public Complaints).
Please note that some pages on the Harmony website contain links to third-party sites, which are not within Harmony's control. If you notify Harmony of problems with accessing a third-party site that is necessary to participate in one of Harmony's programs or activities, we will make the material or information available in an accessible format.
Report Bullying
If you are experiencing a problem with bullying at Harmony, or have other discipline-related concerns regarding one of our schools, please fill out the form at the link below for the Dean of Students.
HPS Child Find Policy
It is the policy of the Harmony Public Schools to ensure that
- All children with disabilities enrolled in the charter school regardless of the severity of their disability, and who are in need of special education and related services, are identified, located, and evaluated; and
- A practical method is developed and implemented to determine which children are currently receiving needed special education and related services.
These requirements apply to:
- Homeless children;
- Children who are wards of the state;
- Highly mobile children (including migrant children); and
- Children who are suspected of being in need of special education but who are advancing from grade to grade.
20 U.S.C. 1412(a)(3)(A); 34 CFR 300.111(a)(1)(i), (c).
Title IX
As required by Title IX, Harmony Public Schools does not (and is required not to) discriminate on the basis of sex in its educational programs or activities. This non-discrimination requirement applies to admission to and employment with Harmony Public Schools. Inquiries into issues related to Title IX may be referred to Harmony's Title IX Coordinator(s) (identified below), to the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights of the Department of Education, or both.
Harmony's Title IX Coordinator is:
Charles Lambert
Director of Internal Investigations
9321 W Sam Houston Pkwy S.
Houston, Texas 77099
713-343-3333 x1104
Non-discrimination Statement as Part of the School's Admission Policy
It is the policy of HPS not to discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, age, or disability in its programs, services, or activities as required by Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended; Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972; and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended. For inquiries regarding non-discrimination policies, please contact Section 504/ADA Coordinator at (713) 343-3333 located at 9321 W. Sam Houston Pkwy S. Houston, TX 77099.
Non-discrimination Statement in Career and Technical Education Programs
HARMONY PUBLIC SCHOOLS offers support to school district for career and technical education programs in Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources; Architecture and Construction; Arts, Audio/Video Technology, and Communications; Business Management and Administration; Education and Training; Finance; Government and Public Administration; Health Science; Hospitality and Tourism; Human Services; Information Technology; Law, Public Safety, Corrections, and Security; Manufacturing; Marketing; Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics; Transportation, Distribution, and Logistics. Admission to these programs is based on enrollment in HARMONY PUBLIC SCHOOLS secondary schools.
It is the policy of HARMONY PUBLIC SCHOOLS not to discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex or handicap in its CTE programs, services or activities as required by Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended; Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972; and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended.
It is the policy of HARMONY PUBLIC SCHOOLS not to discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, handicap, or age in its employment practices as required by Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended; Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972; the Age Discrimination Act of 1975, as amended; and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended.
HARMONY PUBLIC SCHOOLS will take steps to assure that lack of English language skills will not be a barrier to admission and participation in all educational and CTE programs.
For information about your rights or grievance procedures, contact the Title IX Coordinator, CHARLES LAMBERT, and/or the Section 504 Coordinator, IHSAN KARA, at 9321 W. Sam Houston Pkwy S. Houston, TX 77099, Phone: (713) 343-3333.
Aviso de No discriminación en los Programas de Educación Profesional y
Las Escuelas Públicas Harmony ofrecen programas vocacionales en Agricultura, Alimentación y Recursos Naturales; Arquitectura y Construcción; Artes, Tecnología de Audio / Video y Comunicaciones; Administración de Negocios y Administración; Educación y Entrenamiento; Finanzas; Gobierno y Administración Pública; Ciencias de la salud; Hospitalidad y Turismo; Recursos Humanos; Tecnología de la Información; Derecho; Seguridad Pública, Correccionales y Seguridad; Manufactura; Mercadeo; Ciencias, Tecnología, Ingeniería y Matemáticas; Transporte, Distribución y Logística. La admisión a estos programas se basa en el número de estudiantes de secundaria registrados en las Escuelas Públicas Harmony.
Es norma de las Escuelas Públicas Harmony no discriminar por motivos de raza, color, origen nacional, sexo o impedimento, en sus programas, servicios o actividades de CTE, tal como lo requieren el Título VI de la Ley de Derechos Civiles de 1964, según enmienda; el Título IX de las Enmiendas en la Educación, de 1972, y la Sección 504 de la Ley de Rehabilitación de 1973, según enmienda.
Es norma de las Escuelas Públicas Harmony no discriminar por motivos de raza, color, origen nacional, sexo, impedimento o edad, en sus procedimientos de empleo, tal como lo requieren el Título VI de la Ley de Derechos Civiles de 1964, según enmienda; el Título IX de las Enmiendas en la Educación, de 1972, la ley de Discriminación por Edad, de 1975, según enmienda, y la Sección 504 de la Ley de Rehabilitación de 1973, según enmienda.
Las Escuelas Públicas Harmony tomarán las medidas necesarias para asegurar que la falta de habilidad en el uso del inglés no sea un obstáculo para la admisión y participación en todos los programas educativos y CTE.
Para información sobre sus derechos o procedimientos para quejas, comuníquese con el Coordinador del Título IX, CHARLES LAMBERT, y/o el Coordinador de la Sección 504, IHSAN KARA, a la siguiente dirección: 9321 W. Sam Houston Pkwy S. Houston, TX 77099, Teléfono: (713) 343-3333.
TX Transition and Employment Guide
The Texas Transition and Employment Guide provides youth, young adults, parents and professionals with secondary transition resources to facilitate a young person's progress towards post-secondary goals to education, employment, and community living.
Access the guide — in English and Spanish — at the Texas Transition Website.


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I have a dear friend who is the living definition of a free spirit. Her heart is filled with wanderlust, fierce creativity, and openness to all modes of connection – platonic, romantic, and everything in between. She dreams of traveling to Myanmar, dates men she meets rollerblading down the street, and hosts concerts in her living room.
When my friend began a career in a hospital, she was surrounded by other folks who – at the ripe, old ages of 24 and 25 – were getting married, having children, buying houses, and settling down. Though my friend knew that she had ample time to find these staples of a traditional life, her workplace community spawned in her a sense of anxiety. She felt incomplete – like she should have found a husband, bought a house, and had kids yesterday. The more she was exposed to her colleagues' standards, the more those standards became her own.
The same phenomenon takes place throughout our lives. When you spend enough time with a close friend, you begin to adopt her idiosyncrasies. You begin to "speak the same language" – and that sameness applies not only to your words, but your values and perceptions of reality. Parents encourage their children to befriend "good influences." Teachers caution students not to succumb to the power of peer pressure.
Our communities influence our values and behavior dramatically. If your New Year's Resolution is to change an old habit, adopt a new mindset, or embrace a new lifestyle, make it stick by surrounding yourself with people who already live that way.
As you plan to enact your New Year's Resolution, take a moment to consider the people in your orbit: the colleagues you go out with after work; the friends you party with on Friday night; the acquaintances you meet for coffee. Do they actively embody the values you aspire to? If not, it might be time to entrench yourself in a new community.
In 2012, MIT Economist Esther Duflo released a study that captured the impact of elected female officials on young women's aspirations for political office. She coined it The Role Model Effect: "Seeing women in charge persuaded parents and teens that women can run things, and increased their ambitions. Changing perceptions and giving hope can have an impact on reality" (emphasis added).
If people in positions of power expand your sense of what is possible, imagine what might happen when you steep yourself in an entire community of people who live the way you want to live. Imagine what might happen when your desired habits are not exceptions to the rule, but the rule, among your peers.
Like-minded communities are especially impactful for folks who buck the social standard. As a non-drinker in an alcohol-happy society, I know that having a non-drinking community is critical to my sobriety. When I'm out to dinner with my drinking peers, I lick my lips at the thought of a glass of red wine – but when I'm out to dinner with my sober friends, the thought doesn't cross my mind. It's not that I have to resist the impulse to drink – the impulse is, quite literally, not there at all. Being around these friends – with whom I share a similar story and vision – perceptibly shifts not only my values, but my lived experience in the moment.
Knowing that the standards of our communities become our own is an incredible tool for life design. It gives us the power to extricate ourselves from social groups that imbue us with unwanted standards, and embed ourselves in social groups that model our ideals.
What if you intentionally participated in new communities as a method of constructing the life you want? With the New Year and its requisite resolutions right around the corner, now is a fantastic time to consider how an aligned community might support your desire to change:
- Want to get become more assertive? Surround yourself with powerful leaders who speak their mind.
- Want to become more comfortable in your identity as poly, kinky, or a member of the LGBTQ* community? Relax into the company of folks who have been walking the path for years.
- Want to make progress on your book, mural, or dance routine? Develop friendships with fellow creatives.
- Want to improve your relationship with your partner or spouse? Create opportunities to spend quality time with other loving and compassionate couples.
- Want to enhance your spiritual practice? Gather with like-minded folks who drink tea and discuss philosophy late into the night.
- Want to develop a healthier work/life balance? Surround yourself with folks who value and make time for play, like creatives, recreational athletes, or children.
Being part of a community does more than banish loneliness and warm your heart. It tangibly shapes your mindset, your values, and sense of what is possible – and helps you feel supported when it really counts.
How might you make community part of your New Year's resolution? Leave your plan in the comments below!

subset: commoncrawl


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The In_Sight day is about experiencing the University College Twente. You will not only work together with other like-minded prospective students, but also exchange views with current ATLAS students and tutors. Participating in an In_Sight day with staff and students will help you to evaluate if ATLAS programme and our educational approach fits you the best.
Time: 10:30 - 16:00
Location: Enschede, campus of the University of Twente
Target audience:
- Netherlands: class 5 and 6 Voorbereidend Wetenschappelijk Onderwijs (VWO);
- Germany: class 11-13 Zeugnis der allgemeinen Hochschulreife (Abitur);
- Other: last two classes before finishing foreign secondary school or International Baccalaureate Programme


text: It has occurred to me that a number of people in this forum agree on the same thing: that Kate's essay was unfairly graded. She was following her instructor's instructions to a T but still received a poor grade along with some rude comments. Thus, we have a problem. Do teachers want essays, or facsimiles? I have mentioned before the importance of a student writing against the standard norms. I have also voiced my opposition to the outline, a practice which I feel can stifle rather than assist. I have also written at length about the flaws of the 5 paragraph essay model. These concepts look good on paper, but they have rarely produced anything above mediocre. Good intentions are sometimes behind the most heinous of acts. The poor grade Kate received from her incompetent teacher is far from heinous, but it is still a perfect example of the biggest flaw in primary school writing practices: form and function trumping content. What the teacher should have realized is that their "guidelines", or rather rules, were counter-intuitive to the student and the assignment. Instead of criticizing the student, the teacher should have criticized themselves. If the student follows your rules perfectly, and those rules cause a substantial decrease in quality, then it is on you to reevaluate both your assignment and yourself. The teacher should ponder why the student failed to meet their expectations while also meeting them. Thus the counter-intuition. You cannot have a student both meet and fall short of guidelines. But this still raises a problem: how can an instructor fix this problem? I do not have an answer to this problem that is universal; I only have my answer, and that answer is to completely abolish the assignment and create a new one. In my classroom, I would give students my preferences for certain aspects of the paper (format, citations etc.), but otherwise they would have complete control over the assignment. I do not want a facsimile. I want something completely unique and distinguishable. Just as my own writing has a "Pantaleonian" feel to it, I want my students to inject some of their personality into their writings as well.


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It is our vision that our graduates should have good command of written Chinese and English, and can speak fluent Cantonese, Putonghua and English. We seek to create a motivating language learning environment through organizing a rich array of English / Putonghua related activities and promoting reading. The Language Across Curriculum Committee actively promotes learning in English and creates a language rich environment through cross-curriculum collaboration.
To achieve the aims of education for the 21st Century, our priorities accord to enabling our students to enjoy learning, enhance their effectiveness in communication, and develop their creativity and sense of commitment.
In S.1-2, we have included drama as part of the language curriculum and have strengthened the development of gifted education in Mathematics and science subjects to fully explore and develop the potentials of students. Meanwhile, we pay equal attention to the development of other subjects and are willing to invest resources on the curriculum reform of those subjects. In recent years, we will keep on perfecting our teaching strategies and launching diversified teaching such as cooperative learning and self-directed learning.
In our school timetable, there is a "Reflection Period" designed to boost the active learning of the students. A wide range of co-curricular activities are also provided to broaden the horizons of our students; for instance, the Drama Festival, Music Festival, Dance Festival, Culture Day, Joint-school Liberal Studies Forum, Life-wide Learning Day, Outbound Cultural Exchange
We provide a broad and balanced curriculum covering eight key learning areas, and with more emphasis on Chinese, English and Mathematics. We also put emphasis on interface between Senior and Junior Secondary levels. By which, we try to match our students' interests, abilities and career plans. We also take into consideration their learning preferences and strength in different subjects. In the New Senior Secondary School Curriculum, besides core subjects, there are about eleven others available as elective subjects, from which students can choose according to their aptitude.
Our school applies Information Technology in all aspects to promote interactive learning, students' searching for information purposefully outside classroom, understanding in course content and integrated skills. Subject teachers make use of different e-learning platforms for students to conduct self-directed learning, submit completed homework and have interactive discussion.
To encourage students to read, we have set up an Extensive Reading Reward Scheme, we have allotted time in class schedule as "Reading Session", to develop an individual reading interest and a regular reading habit.
We keep small class size in teaching the four core subjects, Chinese, English, Mathematics and Liberal Studies, and offer tuitions after school to help those with different learning needs. School-based curriculums are designed according to students' abilities and needs.
We put strong emphasis on the quality and quantity of homework and effective marking by our teachers. Homework guideline is provided for each subject. Assignment inspections will be conducted every school year to evaluate students' learning progress and standards, which also allow teachers to develop and employ more effective teaching strategies in class.


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Apple's macOS 10.13 High Sierra is now available for download. The new macOS comes with a new Apple File System (APFS) as well as support for the next generation of Apple's graphics engine, called Metal 2, along with virtual reality support and more. There is alos improvements for Photos and Safari browser. Check out more features below.
Apple macOS 10.13 High Sierra features
A new file system
Last year, Apple announced a new Apple File System (APFS) for iOS with the iOS 10.3 update. Now, the new file system is also coming to the Mac with High Sierra.
The new default file system brings an advanced 64-bit architecture and a responsive design to cut down on the time it takes to do common tasks. APFS also brings some heavy-duty security, including built‑in encryption, crash‑safe protections, and simplified data backup on the go.
Better Photos
Photos app includes a better organization, looped Live Photos, and new Memories categories. It'll also be easier to identify who's in your photos with more accurate People identification and cross-device syncing for albums.
But the coolest feature may be a set of new built-in editing tools like a curves palette for fine-tuning color and contrast, a selective color dropper to home in a specific hue, and new filters that will make your photos fit for an art gallery.
Speedier, smarter Safari
Safari in Sierra tells you which tab is playing audio, in High Sierra, it will shut the video down before it can start. Autoplay blocking will detect which sites are delivering unwanted videos, and then press the pause button for you. See how it works.
A new system of intelligent tracking will use machine learning to identify prying advertising trackers that track your online behavior and remove the cross-site tracking data they leave behind.
Smoother video
High Sierra a High-Efficiencyciency Video Coding (H.265). The new system compresses video up to 40 percent more the H.264. Under the new codec, videos will stream smoother and take up less space, both of which will make experience much more pleasant.
Next-level Metal
Metal 2 will bring 10 times the draw call throughput that Metal delivered, enabling graphics that are far more robust while adding external GPU support for hard-core gamers.
But Metal 2 also brings support for virtual reality. High Sierra lets developers create interactive and immersive virtual reality experience on the Mac for the very first time that will work with the HTC Vive and Unreal Engine for VR.
Other features
- In Notes, you can better organize your information by using a formatted table. Got note you need to access frequently and quickly? Now you can pin it.
- Siri has a more natural voice that sounds more like a person rather than a machine.
- Spotlight will provide flight information, and can show multiple Wikipedia results when there's more than one answer to your question.
- Get a sneak peek at the new emoji coming to macOS.
- In Mail, Search will now use Spotlight to quickly identify top hits, and you'll be able to split your inbox and your compose window when in full-screen view. Also, Mail has been optimized so it uses less space on your storage device.
- When you're in a FaceTime call, you'll be able to easily turn a special moment into a Live Photo so you can remember it forever.
- There are a bunch of improvements that IT professionals will appreciate, too.
What Macs are compatible with macOS High Sierra?
- MacBook Pro (2010 and later)
- MacBook (Late 2009 and later)
- MacBook Air (2010 and later)
- Mac Pro (2010 and later)
- iMac (Late 2009 and later)
- Mac mini (2010 and later)


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Doers. Belong. Here.
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This is what happens to sink drains and floor drains not regularly treated with a simple do-it-yourself enzyme maintainer. Puro Azul 039660 Ravage Drain Enzymes Bio-Enzymatic Digestant is a commercial-grade, natural enzyme cleaner and maintainer for: drains, grease traps, septic tanks, RVs, etc.
Avoid huge $$$ plumbing repair & replacement costs & hassles of clogged drains & pipes when you use Ravage maintenance program. Natural & biodegradable drain cleaner, deodorizer & maintainer. Multipurpose neutral cleaning formula leaves a fresh scent.
For restrooms, kitchens, carpets, floors, drains & pipes. Kind to people, planet and pets. Non-toxic.
Neutral pH: 7.0 - 7.5. No harmful solvents or acids. Ravage is Mother Nature's first assistant on helping to digest and degrade grease, oil and fats in the entire waste system. Permanently clobbers odors. Fresh clean fragrance lets everyone know you've been cleaning hard. This bioenzymatic cleaner and digester contains a selection of specialized bacterial strains and chemical cleaners specifically designed to make your toilets, sinks, showers and pipes sparkle and stay clear. Great deodorizer to save you big $$$.
Maintenance Schedule: 1/3 quarter 1x each month. More frequently for commercial kitchens, manufacturing plants, RVs, Boats, Locker-rooms, Showers, etc.
12 quarts per case. Terrific Fresh Outdoor scent.
When you need it done right . . . and fast . . . the first time.


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|Contact Info
Edinboro University Police
For Emergencies: (814) 732-2911
Angela Vincent
The Edinboro University Police Department promotes safety, security and a positive community environment for everyone at the University. As a fully commissioned police force, it works collaboratively with other law enforcement and public safety agencies as needed. Our Officers maintain high visibility while performing their duties and maintain active involvement in student life by providing safety and prevention programs. Police patrols and programs complement the efforts of various Student Affairs resources to ensure that a safe and secure learning environment is maintained at all times.
This page provides details on University policies and programs required by the College and University Security Information Act and the Crime Awareness and/Campus Security Act. Crime statistics for the previous three years are distributed to all students and employees each year, as well as to all prospective students and employees. Our daily crime log is accessible and open to public inspection upon request during regular business hours.
This information will assure you that the Edinboro experience—in the classroom, residence hall and throughout the campus—will continue to be one that provides a sense of personal safety and one that is rich academically, culturally and socially.


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TNS (The National Sentenial
Sanity: The Trump administration is considering rolling back special protections for transgender students by implementing a rule that properly defines a person's gender as that which he or she was born with.
A report in The New York Times said that the Department of Health and Human Services may be preparing to establish a legal definition of gender under Title IX which would be premised on a person's birth gender, according to a memo leaked to the paper.
Title IX is the statute that bars discrimination in primary and secondary education programs that get federal funding.
The memo said that HHS would define a person's gender as "a biological basis that is clear, grounded in science, objective and administrable."
That definition could not be legally altered and if there are disputes they would require genetic testing to resolve, the paper reported.
"Sex means a person's status as male or female based on immutable biological traits identifiable by or before birth," the memo said, according to the Times. "The sex listed on a person's birth certificate, as originally issued, shall constitute definitive proof of a person's sex unless rebutted by reliable genetic evidence."
The proposed language change would essentially remove what many believe are unfair, unnecessary protections for about 1.4 million Americans who claim they are a different gender, Fox News reported.
"It would also do away with a series of contentions by the Obama administration that people can be any gender they choose," The Blaze noted.
In practical terms, it would mean that biological boys would have to use the boy's bathroom and locker rooms, and biological girls would be restricted to their specific facilities.
You know, as it had always been before the insanity of the Obama regime.


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After the success of our Cup to Crop Outreach event in Bukeye, we decided to hold another event in Bujumbura, the capital of Burundi. As a partner of USAID, the Burundi Agribusiness Project (BAP/PAIR), and the International Women in Coffee Alliance (IWCA) Burundi Chapter, C2C is not only invested in the development of the Coffee Sector in Burundi, but the growth of a coffee culture in Burundi. Currently there are very few roasters in Bujumbura, and even fewer that are producing quality roasted beans. Our goal with this event was to share quality NY roasted Burundian beans with those in the capital city in an effort to raise the bar on Burundian coffee consumed in-country.
We showed up to Le Cafeier , a specialty coffee shop in Bujumbura, not knowing what to expect. We were delighted to see not only a beautiful café but French presses, an espresso machine and a nice burr grinder. The manager; Moses, and head barista; Francois, are coffee people. Although the coffee shop is somewhat hidden in a new mall, it is well worth the investigation.
We broke out our Clever Coffee Driver, which has proved the best for travel, and started brewing up some clean coffee while we got to know the GEM espresso machine. Turned out the French Presses were just shelf pieces for aesthetics, so we did a walk-through on how to brew a tasty press-pot. Thanks to the accommodating staff at Cafeier, we were able to keep brewing coffee with the same 8 press-pots until we had enough coffee for the 40 people who came. Our most eager, and first customer was the U.S Ambassador to Burundi, Pamela J. H. Slutz. With the full backing of the United States, and television crews rolling from Burundi national television, Crop to Cup President Taylor Mork addressed the issues facing Burundian farmers today and the steps C2C is taking to help. Former Prime Minister of Burundi, Coffee Guru, current President of Intercafe (The Coffee Interprofessional Association of Burundi) and C2C brother in arms, Adrien Sibomana spoke to the efforts of BAP, Sogestal, and the Burundian coffee movement at large.
The response? "Where can I get coffee like this in Bujumbura?" seemed to be the most common response to the tasting. Our goal was to have roasters taste what the beans can achieve when roasted and brewed properly. Thanks to Intercafe's local coffee promotion and upcoming barista training/roasting programs, Bujumbura coffee is well on its way. Thanks to all who helped make the event possible.


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Growth mindset is a current buzz phrase in education circles, but don't let that sour you on its meaning. While measuring what students know via tests remains important, it's also important to measure, and honor, how far they've come in a year (or any time frame) - thus, growth mindset. In essence, how much progress are students making in what they are learning?
So the leadership team at Van Buren Elementary, led by Principal Helmuth, decided to create a fun way to encourage students to be excited about growth. At the beginning of the year, students learned that Mr. Helmuth was going to grow a beard (much to his wife's dismay), and towards the end of the year, there would be a school-wide celebration to honor students who met their growth goals. And those who met their goals would be entered in a drawing to take part in the "Shave the Beard" event.
One student from each grade had their name drawn and were treated to a special time with Mr. Helmuth and Mr. Tharp, his long-time barber from Plainfield's Silver Shears.
With a great sense of calm and skill, Mr. Tharp took each child's hand and guided them in shaving the portion of the beard that they selected. Mr. Helmuth, ever the jokester, teased them along the way, asking one student if he was keeping his eyes open.
And never wanting to pass up an opportunity to think about future careers, Mr. Helmuth asked Mr. Tharp to talk about choosing to be a barber and why he loved his job.
While shaving the beard was the purpose, it was clear the students loved the chance to be recognized and honored for their hard work. And they loved the gentle teasing and needling that Mr. Helmuth gave them when they picked up the tools of the barber trade.
Plainfield schools will always strive to carry on our high performing, honored and successful traditions, but there is an awareness that learning should be fun, first and foremost. And the students at Van Buren, through their own approach to a growth mindset, have proven that fun and learning can go hand-in-hand.


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What is the best and quicker way to deploy and customize a number of newly arrived iMacs (say 10 or more) using an already configured iMac, a DHCP/DNS server, a LAN and Remote Desktop installed on the configured machine ?
The main tasks to be performed are accounts creation (1 account per machine of course), system settings customization, security, filevault, firewall and other minor tasks.
If needed I can think about a PXE/bootp netboot, serving an install image via tftp or similar (sorry, i'm new to MAC, but I'm pretty expert on linux/unix and I'm used to configure RHEL5 servers via cobbler+puppet... so please don't hesitate to be geek ;)
Thanks in advance


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Clue card, front and back for "Done in out of Prescott Junction". While I am busy promoting this web site and my future Kickstarter campaign, I am also busy developing the final art for the murder mystery games that I will be marketing.
I have here the front and back of a clue card. The idea was to make the cards look like old fashioned railroad tickets.


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The lessons learnt presented here are commonalities that have been found running through the GAIA project and its four cities' teams. They are condensed out of interviews, observation and participation at workshops and have been iterated by all project teams. The lessons primarily concern the multi-stakeholder processes and the facilitation of those.
1. Create a (1) sense of ownership
Creating a sense of ownership is central in a multi-stakeholder process. This does not refer to a hierarchical meaning but that stakeholders and actors are engaged and have a capacity and will to implement. A sense of ownership is important for action to take place. And the ownership grows out of creating the project from the reality of people's needs and interest, or at an organisational level, from their targets and mission. Creating ownership is about meeting people where they are at, and from that creating the project, thereby it is owned by the organisations and individuals that take part. Ownership is important both at the organisational and the individual level.
One example is how one city started their core group by contracting consultants. The consultants conditions where that their involvement required payment for each activity or meeting. After some time and reflection the city restructured the core group by engaging stakeholders whose goals where aligned with GAIA and who where already doing activities along those lines. This change of the core group enabled more joint work and activities to take place. It enabled a pooling of resources.
2. Balance between 2 poles
It is not either or but to find the balance along those lines. Depending on scale and context the balance might vary.
The process – result refers to the balance within the project at large between tangible measurable results and the process of getting there. As we talk about multi-stakeholder processes for learning, the process in itself is a large portion of the project and therefore a part of the result. On the other hand – to feel that the process is worthwhile participants need to feel that things move forward. This balance is also about how open-ended the process is expected to be, are the expected results already clear from the start or will the results develop along the way.
In the GAIA project, the participants experienced a tension between the open-ended and exploratory characteristics of the process on the one hand, and the need for structured planning and clear objectives expected from for example local authorities and EU on the other. The GAIA method is based partly on experiential learning theory where reflection and planning is followed by experimental action on the ground. This provides possibilities to combine an organic development of the process with linear planning towards well-defined objectives related to the actions. Also, at the end of the GAIA project several cities stated that the action component of the method helped the teams to see the long-term direction of their work more clearly.
The innovate – institutionalise refers to the balance in the project at large between doing new things and to bring things done into the structures of the organisations or other platforms or arenas in the community. Projects on sustainability often hit boundaries of structural realities. But lessons learnt within a project scope can be used to instigate structural changes.
The balance between intuition and structure refers to the facilitator's role. A learning process with stakeholders need to be based on a structure that is planned beforehand, yet it still should have room for adaption, as things might unfold in a way that requires change, and allowance to trust intuition to build on what occurs. The facilitator have to do more than just rigidly follow procedures and methods (structure), she or he has to practice reflectively, reading between the lines (intuition), finding ways to adapt to meet the demands, challenges or opportunities arising within a process. That means to carefully prepare and plan the work, which later enables improvisation and adjustment to new circumstances.
The balance between develop projects and work within existing project/structures refers to that a stakeholder process like this has a lot of possibilities to build on existing projects but also that there is room for bringing on new ideas. Neither is good or bad – it is about finding a balance that fits the context (see nb 4).
In GAIA several city teams worked with what came to be coined "Gaiafication". As the city teams consisted of people from different organisations and networks there was an instant contact to projects and events that where already on going or planned. Through the inquiries cities found that building on and contributing to those projects was a possible way to fulfil the goals of GAIA. However, at times it can be important, or desired, to make an imprint, to be able to say – "This is a GAIA activity."
3. Zooming in and zooming out – acknowledge scales
A recurrent challenge in sustainability work is the difficulties to link activities on the scale of the individual with changes on higher scales of a system. Therefore, efforts to bridge between scales are crucial. For meeting this challenge we used the metaphor of zooming in and zooming out in GAIA. When zooming in we focused on concrete work on the ground and when zooming out we sought to understand the linkages between the concrete work and possibilities and limitations for systemic changes at higher scales.
One city representative reflects on the scales like this:
"It is not only helpful thinking of scales but I think there is a need to a certain degree to shield the local actors / local groups from higher scales. Help local actors / local groups to get the broader picture in which their actions fit. But beware that the actions they plan are concrete enough and are focussed enough.
A few sayings / truisms:
'Learn to walk before you can run'
'To get at your destination you have to take one step at the time.' And from time to time someone has to look at the course."
4. Four cities – four different contexts
The context is always crucial to understand and adapt to. Following are some aspects to build an understanding around in each specific context:
- Institutions: What are the rules? What is the culture? What resources are available? Rules relate to both formal regulations as well as informal practices among organisations and individuals involved.
- Problem: What is the problem? Is there a shared understanding? Is it complex? Is it prioritized, and by whom?
- Actors or stakeholders: What is their history of collaboration? What relations do they have; how does the power dynamics/structures look like? What knowledge do they have? What resources and decision-making capacity?
The conditions for a multi-stakeholder collaboration are created through the interaction between these three levels: institutions, the problem and its stakeholders. The interaction is dynamic, meaning it changes over time. Depending on the context, certain preconditions will facilitate collaboration while others complicate it. Understanding this interaction is essential in a multi-stakeholder participatory project. For example, it may be appropriate to seek to create a common understanding of the problem. It is important that the conditions are analysed together with the stakeholder group.
In GAIA different contexts was reflected in how the cities' core groups worked. For example, stakeholders' previous experience of working in open-ended, iterative processes was reflected in the collaboration.
5. Diversity
A project that is multi-stakeholder and participatory will need to both foster and manage diversity of various kinds:
- Diversity in methods: nudge, think, create exhibitions, network and a lots of others
- Diversity in stakeholders: the need and challenge to enable and gather broad participation despite unequal opportunities.
The importance of diversity correlates with context. As there are many differing contexts, we need a diversity of methods. And with a diversity of stakeholders we want to interact in a diversity of ways as groups and we different individuals can be reached in a diversity of ways.
Finding key people and partnerships is crucial. It is not always obvious who the key people are. Related to this is that it is very important to look at marginalised groups and demographics and find the groups to include, to find a relevant starting point for the community.
One key lesson here is to be brave, to talk about things from new angels. To dare to act out of the box, to act out of the ordinary.
One example is how a project in a challenged neighbourhood reached kids with music. A community centre has a studio which creates a meeting place, that lays the base for a deeper collaboration leading to discussions about recycling, leading to a feeling of ownership and responsibility for their environment. The back-lanes in the area that used to be trash-dumps transformed into a place to hang-out, play, ride bikes and meet.
6. Iteration
Collaborative processes and learning for behavioural change will include iteration. There is not a fixed goal as the contexts are evolving; stakeholders change and lessons are learnt. Iteration also symbolizes the learning that occurs from failure. A failure is also a result that allows learning that can influence next step, next iteration.
In the GAIA project a lot of trial and error has occurred. The project has involved a "reflective practice" that has grown into the organisations. The iteration is needed and also occurs on several scales as discussed under nb 3.
GAIA is dealing with complex issues on sustainability and change. Working with small steps in an iterative process allows for trial and error. To build in iterations is to build in learning into the process. There is no pre-determined end but through dialogue between stakeholders knowledge is gained and built up.
Σ – Boundaries for reporting
Σ the sigma-sign is a symbol of sum and represents therefore lesson nb 7 .
As a EU-project there are certain requirements for reporting results. This is important to enable evaluation which in turn can contribute to learning at the EU-level. To report thouroghly helps answering questions about: What are feasible actions? Have the money been well spent? What can be improved?
However there are some challenges around 'system boundaries' when it comes to this kind of project. A project should report about its activities and results, but in a collaborative multistakeholder process it is not always clear or obvious. The challenges have two dimensions:
- Time scale – A successful learning project will not have its main results manifested within the 3 year project period.
- System boundary: what can and should be attributed to this project? If the "multi"part (of multi-stakeholder) has been successful it is not easy to define what is belonging to this project or other projects. A protectionistic approach is not compatible with deep collaboration and trying to thruthfully describe who's project is who's will not be appropriate. In order to capture certain outcomes of organic projects, such as unexpected "side effects" and qualitative outcomes that are difficult to measure, it is important to acknowledge personal stories.
A spirit of collaboration, generosity and joint trust is the foundation for this kind of work.
One important distinction that is clarifying in this context is one between hard and soft system as exemplified in the table below. The GAIA project is focussing on a soft system perspective while the format for reporting to the European Commission is based on a hard system perspective.
From: Winter, M. and P. Checkland. 2003. Soft Systems: A Fresh Perspective for Project Management. Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers – Civil Engineering. Vol 156, Issue 4, Pp. 187-192


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11 Feb2016
Participatory approaches to gender in agricultural development.
When designing and implementing agricultural development projects, it is difficult to ensure that they are responsive to gender dynamics. For Mulunesh Tsegaye, a gender specialist attached to two projects working on the areas of nutrition and mechanization in Ethiopia, participatory approaches are the best way forward.
"I have lived and worked with communities. If you want to help a community, they know best how to do things for themselves. There are also issues of sustainability when you are not there forever. You need to make communities own what has been done in an effective participatory approach," she said.


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Match corresponding to the 23rd round of the Gibraltarian Premier Division and played on Saturday 22nd April 2017 at 16:30. This match report is brought to you courtesy of Turicum Private Bank
Gibraltar United Football Club 1 – 1 Lynx Football Club
Gibraltar United Football Club
1 Kyle 'Chino' Goldwin
3 Ashley Perez
19 Brad Power
15 Aymen Mouelhi
21 Erin Barnett
8 Andrew 'Pishu' Hernandez
9 Evan Green
24 Jamie Bosio
26 Ashley Rodriguez
6 Dexter Panzavechia
7 Robert Montovio (C)
Paul Podesta on for Evan Green
Anthony Hernandez on for Ashley Rodriguez
Kaylan Rumbo on for Robert Montovio
Following on from the morale boosting point against St Jospeh's last time our United's players were seeking to capitalise on a Lynx FC that had seemed very out of sorts in their last game out against Lions. Manolo welcomed back Robert and Ashley back into the first eleven. The former was back after a short injury lay off and the latter was back in midfield due to Aymen having to drop back into defence to cover the loss of Jason Pusey through injury. Paul Podesta also made a berth on the bench for the first time in 6 weeks after recovering from injury.
Blustery levanter conditions faced all the 22 players at kick off with Lynx FC having the benefit of playing with the winds at their backs. It wasn't long however before they were able to gain a more significant advantage. With United seeking to dominate the ball and get some passing game going Erin uncharacteristically dithered on the ball just outside our area. Lynx's pacey forward, Kamara, was quick to spot this and rapidly closed down on Erin. Whether nerves or the fact that the game was only two minutes old, Erin was caught flat footed, lost possession and Kamara had rifled Lynx into a lead. United players and supporters were shell shocked at such an early set back but despite some dominance from the Yellows United soon took command of the match.
Dexter and Jamie Bosio were starting to impose themselves on the left side of midfield and gradually we began to push the Yellow and Black lines back. Dexter in particular was getting the best of the right back and began to put in some telling crosses. In one particular action Evan Green cut in front of Mosquera to latch onto a cross ball but tamely struck it with his weaker foot into the hands of a grateful Tellez in goal. Indeed special mention must go to man mountain Mosquera who was by far and away Lynx's man of the match as he headed and batted away any ball we crossed into the box. As Mr Canepa called time on the first half United's players could go into the dressing room happy that they could look forward to a second half with the wind at our backs and in our sails after a commanding fight back.
Manolo made two changes at half time that were to have a massive impact on the game. Podesta was introduced to combat the immense Mosquera and Anthony was brought on to bring his skill and poise to our attack. United dominated the half from the kick off with an effective pressing on Lynx's rear guard players that forced them into a lot of unforced errors. Podesta was starting to win the physical battle with Mosquera and Robert was starting to feed on the second balls as a result. Yet it was from corners that United were going to be the most dangerous. Perez floated one in from the right that had Tellez flapping all over his goal and a resulting Hernandez corner from the left brought the equaliser.
Anthony floated in a peach of ball that almost drifted driectly into the goal. With Tellez struggling to get to the ball he was barley able to palm it out. Credit to the keeper to getting to it but the ball fell to Jamie Bosio who cannoned the ball into the back of the net for his third goal of the season and a deserved equaliser for a United team that were giving their all for the three points. Supporter, Vanessa Correa, was able to get the goal on video from the stands.
United continued to press after the restart with Lynx clearly affected by the goal. Another clear chance went begging when Anthony elected to try his luck from distance when he had free runners on either wing. Another chance went by the wayside when Lynx centre half, Hall, almost headed a Perez corner into his own net. Yet Lynx, with Mosquera at the fulcrum, weathered wave after wave of Red and White attacks (not a phrase we have used often this season!). Indeed Chino was largely a spectator for most for the second 45.
The game ultimately petered out as energy levels dropped on both sides. Having battled the elements and each other for 95 minutes both teams left the field with a point but United players knew they could have won all three. Attention now turns to Lions FC and perhaps the biggest game of the season next week. Kick off Saturday afternoon at 16:30!


text: Arnold Rosner was born in New York city in 1945. He earned a doctorate from the State University of New York at Buffalo in 1971, during an era when the postatonal avant-garde was in full swing. Despite this Rosner pursued a conservative but highly individual style, and his works have been widely performed, recorded, and reviewed. He composed two operas, six symphonies, five string quartets, and numerous other orchestral, chamber, vocal, and choral works, including three a cappella settings of the Roman Catholic Mass. Critic Steven Schwartz commented on classical.net: "[Rosner's] music packs a huge emotional wallop and it's meticulously well-written besides. He writes gorgeous, powerful, long-breathed tunes. The craft serves the message to the point where it effaces itself almost completely. Listening to a Rosner work is like hearing the music of Orpheus." Rosner served on the faculty of Kingsborough Community College in Brooklyn, New York. He also worked in broadcasting and, as an avid bridge player, was a tournament champion. He died on 8 November 2013.


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You don't need much equipment to get a good workout at home. If you are looking to get a good sweat while burning calories and building toned muscles, kettlebells are a great investment to make. Start by selecting the weight of your choice. It's always better to start low (between 8 and 12kg for women), keep good form, and build your way up.
So ready? Here are the 5 best kettlebell moves to get you started.
Two-handed Kettlebell Swing
If only one kettlebell exercise, then the kettlebell swing would be the one. On top of being an excellent fat burner, this exercise also targets multiple muscle groups including the hips, glutes and shoulders.
Here's how to do it: Start in a standing position, feet shoulder-width apart, toes pointed out. Keep your knees soft without bending them too much while holding your kettlebell between your legs with an overhand grip. Set your shoulders then in an explosive motion, drive the hips forward while swinging the kettlebell up to chest level.
Remember: the movement should not come from the arms or the back. This can cause back injury. Instead, use your glutes and hamstrings to hinge your hips.
Lower the weight back down as you bend your hips between the legs ; aim for for 12 to 15 reps.
Kettlebell Deadlifts
Kettlebell deadlifts are a great alternative to the barbell deadlift. Do it right, and you'll get a great legs and glutes workout.
Here's how to do it: Feet shoulders-width part with toes pointed out, squat down and grab the kettlebell with both hands, arms extended. Keep your core engaged, back flat, looking forward, then press through the floor and stand up. Repeat and aim for 12 to 15 reps.
Kettlebell Triceps Dips
If you are looking for a different way to work out your triceps while working your grip strength and your core, then this one is for you.
How to do it: Place two kettlebells of the same size aside your body, about shoulder-width apart. Sit between them and place your hands on the bells, keeping your wrist straight.
To do the dip, lower your hips straight toward the floor with your knees bent, elbows behind you and arms close to your ribcage then press back up. To make it harder, extend your legs away from you. Make sure to keep your back as close as possible to the kettlebell. Aim for 8 to 12 reps.
Kettlebell Leg lifts
Who says you need to do crunches to get a six pack? The leg lift is one the best exercise to strengthen you core without put any pressure on your lower back.
How to do it: Sit tall between the kettlebells, back as close as possible to them and legs straight. Engage your core as you lift one leg up. Switch leg and aim for 8 to 12 reps on each leg.
Kettlebell Lunge Press
Here's a great to make those lunges more challenging while working your core, arms shoulder and legs.
How to do it: Stand tall while holding the kettlebell close to your chest, palm facing down. Then as you lunge forward, raise the kettlebell overhead, arm straight. Go for 6 to 12 reps and switch side.
Repeat these 5 exercises for another 2 sets with 30s to 60s between each exercise. You will feel it!


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TRAINEES - GEOPHYSICIST in Lagos, Nigeria
Job Vacancy at Blueslip Limited
- Industry
- Oil & Gas / Mining
- Specialization
- Oil & Gas / Mining / Energy
- Minimum Qualification
- Bachelor's Degree
- Required Experience
- Entry Level
- Employment Type
- Full Time
- Gender
- Male or Female
Job Description
The ideal person will assist the Senior Geophysicist in all geophysical acquisitions and evaluations. He will be responsible for Map production, geodetic referencing and Data Management functions.
• Collate, organize, index, and archive all exploration data into a Database.
• Continually update the database with new data/information.
• Manage all data search and retrieval procedures within the department.
• Produce, edit, format maps using the ArcGIS software for purposes of referencing and presentations.
• Minimum of a 2nd Class Honours University degree in Geology or Geophysics.
• Ability to use the ArcGIS software.
• Ability to work with minimum supervision and produce independent work.
• Good (verbal & written) communication skills and the ability to work in a team.
• Good organizational skills with attention to detail.
• Good interpersonal and problem solving skills.
• Good presentation skills.
• Teachable and willing to share knowledge as well.
• Conversant with the use of Microsoft Office Tools, especially Powerpoint, PDF and MS Project


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Explorations in Monetary History: A Survey of the Literature
NBER Working Paper No. 1821 (Also Reprint No. r0914)
Explorationsin Monetary History: A Survey of the Literature Monetary economists have long been interested in economic history asa laboratory for the testing of theory. This paper surveys recent work in monetary history within the context of the modern quantity theory of money and the new classical macroeconomics. Topics surveyed include: the development of historical monetary statistics and the determinants of money supply and money demand; historical uses of Granger-Sims causality tests of the relationships between money, prices, and output; historical studies of the secular behavior of velocity; the Great Depression; financial crises; historical evidence for the long-run and short-run neutrality of money; the domestic and international aspects of monetary standards. The paper concludes with an evaluation and an agenda for future research.
Machine-readable bibliographic record - MARC, RIS, BibTeX
Document Object Identifier (DOI): 10.3386/w1821
Published: Bordo, Michael. "Explorations in Monetary History: A Survey of the Literature," Explorations in Economic History, Vol. 23, No. 4, October 1986. citation courtesy of
Users who downloaded this paper also downloaded* these:
Contact Us


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New Developer Roadmaps for Outlook, Visio, and Excel
Are you interested in learning to develop solutions for Outlook? The Outlook Developer Roadmap puts the the building blocks in clearer perspective. The Outlook Developer Roadmap is the latest in a series of Office developer roadmaps to help developers learn about available APIs and technologies supported by an Office application. Use the Outlook Developer Roadmap to explore one or more of its development technologies: Primary Interop Assembly, object model, MAPI, Auxiliary API, Outlook Social Connector provider extensibility, and Office Mobile Service.
Interested in seeing the available APIs for Excel or Visio? Visit the Excel Developer Roadmap and Visio Developer Roadmap as well!


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Director of Communications
(615) 741-9010
Public Relations Media Manager
(615) 741-9069
Communications Content Manager
(615) 532-7822
"It's a Great Day in the Smokies" Documents a Four-Day Family Vacation
in Real Time for Travelers in the Greater Atlanta Market
The campaign, entitled, "It's a Great Day in the Smokies," jump starts the spring and summer travel season for Sevier County, showcasing the Smokies are open for business and dispelling perceptions to the contrary. SEVIER COUNTY, Tenn. – The Tennessee Department of Tourist Development this week embarks on a first-of-its-kind campaign to capture and promote a Smoky Mountain family vacation to travelers in Atlanta, East Tennessee's largest feeder market.
Atlanta-based celebrity journalist and blogger Anna Liesemeyer, her husband Gabe and their five small children embarked on a four-day adventure at well-known Sevier County destinations and attractions including Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge, Sevierville and Great Smoky Mountains National Park. A film crew is documenting the family vacation and editing a series of 60 and 30-second television commercials to air each evening on Atlanta ABC-TV affiliate station WSB.
The Liesemeyer's family vacation videos and special behind-the-scenes footage will also appear on Tennessee Tourism's Facebook and Instagram pages, as well as on Liesemeyer's In Honor of Design blog and her own Facebook and Instagram pages.
"Sevier County and the Great Smoky Mountains are a fantastic destination for a family vacation and we want folks in Atlanta and around the country to know that the hospitality of our "mountain tough" Sevier Countians is unmatched anywhere in the world," said Commissioner Kevin Triplett, Tennessee Department of Tourist Development. "This innovative approach to present vacation footage in nearly real-time, it is clear that every day is a great day in the Smokies, and there's never been a better time to enjoy all the Tennessee Smoky Mountains have to offer."
CLICK HERE for :60 Spot
CLICK HERE for B-Roll
# # #
About the Tennessee Department of Tourist Development
The mission of the Tennessee Department of Tourist Development is to motivate travel to and within Tennessee by inspiring enjoyment, creating memories, producing a desire to return, and establishing key, long-term relationships that result in visitors becoming residents. The promise of Tennessee—the birthplace of the blues, bluegrass, country, gospel, soul, rockabilly, and rock 'n' roll—is to be the global music destination of choice. To deliver an unparalleled experience of beauty, history, and family adventure, infused with music that creates a vacation that is the "Soundtrack of America. Made in Tennessee."
Explore more at tnvacation.com and join other Tennessee travelers by following "TNVacation" on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram and YouTube, and "Tennessee" on Snapchat.
Director of Communications
(615) 741-9010
Public Relations Media Manager
(615) 741-9069
Communications Content Manager
(615) 532-7822


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It seems like every tenth house we see in our neighborhood is going up for sale these days, with the "Sale Pending" sign up within a week afterwards. But in reading this month's issue of Kiplinger's Personal Finance, I read an opinion that closely reflects my own future predictions (not that I'm Miss Cleo or anything). Economist Mark Zandi describes a scenario that mortgage rates will rise by 1 to 1.5 points of the next year, and that home prices will flatten but not fall. However, due to the large amount of interest-only and adjustable-rate mortgages out there, and "…in 2006 and early 2007, we'll be in the middle of a massive loan adjustment." Thus, there will be a high number of foreclosures and delinquencies, with bargains to be found.
It's a little dark to be hoping to pick up a foreclosure or pre-foreclosure house from somebody else in financial trouble, but people are taking undue risks these days and overextending themselves. The article notes that about "17% of mortgages originated in the second half of 2004 were interest-only."
In the meantime, I'll be saving up my money and looking to learn about how to find and approach homeowners in pre-foreclosure status and perhaps get a great deal while helping them avoid a foreclosure. Or find out ways to find and negotiate good foreclosure deals from banks.
Text Link Ad – Mobile Home Loan – Loan Consolidation


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Ilford Galerie Textured Cotton Rag 310GSM 25 Sheets A4
The new GALERIE Prestige 100% Cotton fourdriner-made rag papers lead the way within the range in meeting the needs of professional fine art printers. Photographers and print-makers alike can rely on these new papers to produce the highest quality images they have come to know and love from ILFORD.
With no optical brighteners and the longevity, image stability and a clean matt surface required for the very best in fine art printing, Smooth Cotton Rag is offered as the perfect choice for crisp detail, while the Textured Cotton range features a contoured surface for enhanced creative expression.
GALERIE Prestige Smooth Textured Rag is available in sheets and rolls and is compatible with pigment based printers.
- 100% cotton rag
- Smooth textured surface
- No optical brighteners
- High color consistency and gamut
- Water resistance
The Ilford Galerie Textured Cotton Rag 310GSM 25 Sheets A4 comes with a full Australian warranty from Ilford Australia.
Cameras Direct since 2003. Pop into our Gold Coast camera store & warehouse or order online. We look forward to helping you take a better photo soon. Thank you.
|Ilford Galerie


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Filed under: In English, strawbale building | Tags: alternative energy, eco, electronics, Finland, low technology, low-impact, strawbale building, sustainable development, vernacular architecture, woodworking
When having electrics in a straw bale home, one will need to know how to install it, as it might might be so that electricians will not necessarily have earlier experience with straw bale structures.
All of the wiring is to be hidden behind the plastered wall, or made to run in required places behind a special panel, so it is better to get it done right the first time. The panel solution also makes it easier to fix faulty wiring, if the need arises.
The wiring can also be placed to run in a tube which makes the installation easier.
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Filed under: In English, strawbale building, suomeksi | Tags: alternative energy, architecture, eco, energy saving, Finland, low technology, low-impact, strawbale building, sustainable development, woodworking
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Filed under: Chinese, In English, suomeksi | Tags: adventure, architecture, cob building, crafts, culture, DIY, eco, low technology, nature, woodworking
The video posted here is one of our sources of inspiration:
- created through ones own labor, a truly cost-effective and decent form of housing.
- learning through labor to create satisfactory solutions, even under very hard conditions.
This video is really worthwhile to see!
Clip: Dick Proenneke, building his house in arctic conditions, in Alaska.
Klippi: Dick Proenneke, rakentaa taloaan arktisissa olosuhteissa Alaskassa.
短影片: 低棵普揉呢可 (Dick Proenneke) ,在北极区条件中搞他的一坐木头房子。
Oheinen video on eräs inspiraatiomme lähde:
- omalla työllä luotu, erittäin edullinen ja asianmukainen asumus.
- oppiminen työn kautta luomaan tyydyttäviä ratkaisuja, kovissakin olosuhteissa.
Video on todellakin katsomisen arvoinen!
- 通过自己的努力造成一坐特便宜适当的建筑。
- 通过工作学习建成适当的解决方式, 包括在猛烈的气候情况中。
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Filed under: In English, strawbale building | Tags: alternative energy, architecture, eco, energy saving, Finland, low technology, low-impact, strawbale building, sustainable development, woodworking
A job well planned and prepared is a job half done. A quality plaster job starts before the plaster is brought to the site. The condition of the substrate, or the base surface to be worked with, is very important – as the plaster can only be as strong as the substrate it is attached to. Straw generally makes a great substrate for a plaster, as so does a mesh – if any mesh is to be used.
The transition points of bale to wood must also be detailed, because they have their own rate of expansion. Because these two materials expand and contract at a varying rate, many cracks will appear if the transition points are not properly detailed with a plaster lath.
One method is to cover all wood with roofing felt to isolate the wood from the plaster. One can also use a plaster lath to give the plaster something to hang on to. The plaster should always have some surface to hang onto, and hang on its own without any structural support. This is even more important around doors and windows as well as at the intersections with the ceiling.
On exterior surfaces, all wood needs to be covered as described above and any large gaps need to be filled.
Materials used for doing the filling are cob, light straw clay, burlap, spray foam (PU-foam) or other suitable materials.
When the plaster is to be applied, the walls should be tight and solid. All wooden parts should be covered and the mesh should be attached firmly to the wood structures and/or sewn through the straw bale walls.
All holes and gaps should be filled firmly so that no deflation occurs. It is also good to keep the site clean of straw and other debris, so one can walk safely around the structure.
The floors should also be covered so that dropped plaster will not have the possibility to mar it.
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Filed under: In English | Tags: ancient traditions, bath, building, Finland, history, low technology, sauna, stone age, vernacular architecture, woodworking
The pictures are of a reconstruction of a stone-age sauna, re-built according to archeological findings.
The method of bathing in a sauna, such as pictured here, was presumably the following:
– A wooden frame was made to a size of taking in a couple of people.
– The frame was then covered with animal hides to keep in the hot steam.
– Stones were then heated up gleaming hot in a fire outside this 'sauna', after which they were placed inside this tent and only then could the bathing have begun.
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Filed under: In English, strawbale building | Tags: alternative energy, architecture, eco, energy saving, Finland, low technology, low-impact, strawbale building, sustainable development, woodworking
As an addition to the previous post: The nooks and niches in the walls can be made into various forms and for various purposes.
In this case too, only the imagination sets the limit.
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Filed under: In English, strawbale building | Tags: alternative energy, architecture, eco, energy saving, Finland, low technology, low-impact, strawbale building, sustainable development, woodworking
A straw bale house is commonly equipped with soft curves. The advantage of having softer curves around the windows is that they allow more direct light to filter into the rooms while also acting as reflectors for indirect light. These curves are easy to make and have an additional effect on the aesthetics of the house.
When a mesh is used for the engineering of a building, the creation of curves becomes quite easy. The mesh provides a form for the straw. The desired shape is created when the loose straw is placed behind the mesh, which is then nailed to the framing. For some shapes, such as curve around a window or door, additional plaster may be needed.
When using a metal mesh however, there is always the risk of creating a Faraday's cage.
Niches and nooks
The characteristic of the walls being relatively thick makes it possible to create niches and/or nooks, if one desires. The spaces can be carved into the walls after the bales of straw have been stacked. They act as a decorative addition to on the walls, and can also be used to highlight an item in your home. These nooks can also be made into an ideal feature if a light fixture is attached to them.
These are a number of different options available as for the mesh – welded wire mesh, plastic mesh, chicken wire. It is worthwhile to experiment with various methods regarding to various usages.
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Filed under: In English, strawbale building | Tags: alternative energy, architecture, eco, energy saving, Finland, low technology, low-impact, strawbale building, sustainable development, woodworking
A lot of custom trimmed bales are required in any straw bale home. The areas with windows serve as good examples. The task is to make a rectangular bale to fit. During the process one needs to know how to cut and retie bales, and how to notch and shape them.
Cutting the bales is not as easy as one would think. A bale of straw cannot be worked on as one would work wood. The bales have a tendency of breaking apart if not worked on in the correct manner. When working with bales one has to mark the bale where one wants a cut to be made and then proceed cutting the bale while incorporating a tool called a baling needle to retie the bale in parts where one will not be cutting the bale.
With a good baling needle you can retie a bale and create two custom bales from one in a short amount of time. The most important knot to know here is the Miller's knot.
Notching and shaping
Notching and shaping require the use of a chainsaw and a can of spray paint to make the markings of where you need to cut. Notches might be needed to fit the posts and other framing components. A time-saving method is to slightly over-cut the needed part for the posts and then stuff the space with straw if needed. Be careful not to cut the string of the bales while notching. Some notches can be more intricate than others.
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Filed under: In English, strawbale building | Tags: carbon footprint, DIY, eco-tourism, energy saving, Finland, low technology, low-impact, strawbale, sustainable development
Post and beam systems
Straw bale building are not the same as conventional buildings. This is an advantage and precisely the reason why some people incline to building straw bale houses. The best thing to do is to use framing systems which are adaptable to the bales found for your build. For most non-bearing systems, the framing is a post and beam or a modified post and beam frame.
In a non load-bearing construction the whole strength of the home is in the construction itself. This provides a load path for the roof and floor systems. It also acts with the shear strength for the building. This system holds the house up.
A similar value can also be given to the bales and the sorts, even though the frame is often regarded as the actual structural system.
Special considerations
Usually a conventional frame is to be changed for straw bale purposes in a number of ways. First, there needs to be enough room for the adequate nailing of the lateral shear mesh around the doors and windows. For making this, an additional trimmer may be required depending of the inclusion of the exterior trim. There also has to be enough nailing surfaces along the base of the wall system for a possible mesh to be used.
Framing layout
Unlike conventional construction, the framing does not land on four foot centres and in four foot modules to accommodate plywood sheets. Instead, the layout of framing is designed to fit the size of the bales and support the calculated loads. The more accurate you are with framing to the bales sizes, the less you will have to do during the baling stage. It is also important to pay attention to the header and plate height around the house. The goal is to fit the bales tightly under the top plates to help squeeze the bales and strengthen the wall. The windows and door header heights should be lined up so that numerous layers of stuffing are not required to continue the running bond of the bales.
Roof design
Roof designs do not change that much to the conventional roof. When making a gable roof, more custom made bales have to be used, and some designs require more work to be adapted to a straw bale home. As an example: In a gable roof design, more custom-made bales have to be made, as one builds more towards the roof line.
A roof design can also help diminish the darkness sometimes created by the thick straw bale wall. By making an open roof design or dormers, more natural light can reach the room, thus brightening a room that may otherwise seem dark due to window size and orientation. The roof overhangs are should be quite remarkable in order to protect the construction from rain and/or snow.
Toe ups
The creation of toe ups is a part of the framing process. In a straw bale construction, toe ups are a necessary part of the straw bale construction. They provide adequate nailing surface for the possible wire mesh and separate the bales from the concrete and create a so-called moisture break. Should there occur a water break, the toe ups keep the bales dry and protected. The toe ups can be constructed using pressure treated 4×4 material, gravel and tar paper. They also provide a foundation or base for the bale anchors, which are required by code in various countries. The bales are attached to the toe ups, and the toe ups are attached to the concrete. In this way, the entire system is anchored to the foundation.
Some code books require the use of re-bar impalers for the system, but some nails applied to the toe ups have also been accepted in certain areas. The nails create a much stronger connection for the bales and do not interrupt the separation of the bales from concrete the way a rebar sections buried in the concrete does. Many building departments have easily accepted this kind of change in the construction.
Straw bales stacked on toe ups in a construction
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Empower every voice.
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Tesco wine boss Dan Jago questions Prowein's value
Tesco's recently reinstated global wine boss, Dan Jago, has questioned the commercial value of Germany's Prowein trade show and urged producers to focus on more innovation.
He told OLN: "It is brilliant to have every producer from around the world at Prowein laying out their wares. But if I added up all the costs of coming, you must question how visitors get value for money. You have to work really hard to get some kind of commercial advantage to being here.
"You have thousands of products here and they are all in the same packaging. Is this really all the wine trade can do? Maybe the trade is shy about showing off its new kit, and maybe exhibitors are keeping all the good stuff under their counters."
He added that the London Wine Fair, which takes place at Olympia from May 18-20, could regain its position as the most relevant show.
He said: "In many ways, when you compare Prowein to London maybe London might turn out to be the better fair because it is more focused."
But several independents visiting Prowein for the first time, including owner of the Corks Out chain Ruth Yates, were more complimentary. Yates said she was "very impressed" by the breadth of wines and found it more worthwhile to her business than the London Wine Fair.
"I think the show is great. There are so many producers here and I've been able to get around and find lots of interesting wines. For me, coming to Prowein has been much more useful than visiting the London Wine Fair."
Visitor numbers to Prowein hit a record high of 52,000 – up 7% on last year – with 47% coming from international markets. Nearly 6,000 exhibitors took part from 50 countries.


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On-site Acoustical Testing
A representative from Haverstick Designs will travel to your location to measure the acoustical properties of the room. Having real-world data allows us to pinpoint specific anomalies that your room is exhibiting. Defining the unique problems not only helps with our analysis and recommendation process, but also allows us to specify exactly what you need to solve the issues in the most efficient and cost-effective way. Acoustical models of the space will be created and the results will be compared and correlated with the on-site measurements. Subjective listening tests will also be performed. A report summarizing our findings will be developed along with detailed acoustical recommendations.
Remote Acoustical Assessment
Working from the information you provide (room dimensions, surface materials, digital photos, etc.), Haverstick Designs will create acoustical models of your room in order to predict the problems that you are facing. If you have access to an omni-directional measurement microphone and the ability to playback and record a WAV file, this will allow us to obtain invaluable information about your room (Frequency Response, Impulse Response and Waterfall Plots) without the added cost of travel.
Room Design/Space Planning
The planning stage is the best time to obtain the services of a qualified acoustical consultant. If you are in the process of building or renovating a space, Haverstick Designs can assist with room layout in order to optimize room dimensions, surface materials, wall/ceiling angles and other details.
Sound Isolation Review
Haverstick Designs will review the construction details of your room to determine the level of sound isolation you should expect. We can provide recommendations to obtain the appropriate sound isolation needed for your specific application by utilizing software that can model practically any wall, ceiling or floor system in order to predict Transmission Loss (TL) values.
Also, check out our Sound Isolation Simulator to see a comparison of ten unique wall structures for their effectiveness at blocking sound. This simulator provides you with an understanding of the cost benefit of implementation.
Training Seminars and Articles
Haverstick Designs has years of experience conducting training and seminars across the country focusing on all aspects of acoustics, design and testing. Gavin Haverstick has been a guest lecturer at Purdue University, Indiana University, Butler University, Ball State University, Webster University and University of Saint Francis. Gavin has also been a featured writer in numerous industry magazines including Mix, Luxury CE, InAVate, Sound & Communications, Technologies for Worship, Performing Songwriter, EQ, among others.


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The best way to keep warm is with something cozy! Accessorize with our extremely soft and silky scarf that can also be worn as a stole during the wintery and Spring weather. Light and luscious, but warm and hardy, this piece is designed and crafted to enhance any outfit with its trendy stripes linearly placed so they are visible no matter how you tie your scarf.
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Next Tuesday, September 21 many Austin restaurants will donate a portion of their proceeds and musicians will donate their time and talent for the Health Alliance for Austin Musicians. It's the annual HAAM Benefit Day.
"HAAM Benefit Day is a uniquely Austin event where businesses donate 5% of the day's proceeds to HAAM to support musicians' health. Musicians, most of whom are HAAM members, perform throughout the day at retail stores, outside stages, City Hall and more. The event runs from 6am to well past midnight and community members are invited to shop, eat out, listen to great live music and enjoy! See this year's music schedule." - (From myhaam.org)
I attempt to make it out and support this every year. The first year I was able to sit on the Gibson bus as it stopped at several great restaurants to see some awesome bands. Last year I hit up several live performances and eat at one of the supporting businesses. This year I'm planning on spending my lunch hour watching either Dave Madden at Romeo's at 12:30 or Reckless Kelley at Whole Foods (12:00). If you're a one location person.. the morning seems to be hoppin' at Whole Foods and the evening shows are going to be awesome at both Threadgill's and Headhunters (depending on your chosen style of music).
If you're looking for a few "to sees" don't worry... I've waded through the 141 live performances and listed some of the ones I'd recommend. I've even put links to some of the CD Reviews/Interviews/Video I've taken of some of these artists.
To see a full schedule click here.
To see a full schedule click here.
8:00a - Dan Dyer - Whole Foods (525 N. Lamar)
9:00a - Sara Hickman - Whole Foods
11:30a - Paul Finley - Time Warner Cable (730 W. Stassney) (YouTube Video)
12:00n - Reckless Kelly - Whole Foods
12:30p - Dave Madden - Romeo's (1500 Barton Springs Rd) (CD Review)
1:00p - Bruce James - Neiman Marcus (The Domain)
1:00p - Ray Wylie Hubbard - Whole Foods (2010 Interview / CD Review)
4:30p - Guy Forsyth - GSD&M Idea City (828 W. 6th) (2004 Interview / CD Review)
4:45p - Colin Gilmore - Phil's Icehouse (5620 Burnet Road) (CD Review)
5:00p - Deadman - Waterloo Records (600 N. Lamar) (CD Review)
5:00p - Slim Richey - Lambert's Downtown Barbeque (401 W. 2nd)
5:30p - Malford Milligan & Jeff Plankenhorn - Whole Foods
5:45p - Nakia - Romeo's - 1500 Barton Springs Road
6:00p - Shapes Have Fangs - Antone's Record Shop (2928 Guadalupe)
6:00p - Brennen Leigh - Evangeline Café (8106 Brodie)
7:00p - David Garza, Ruby Jane, and Arum Rae - Hotel San Jose (1300 S. Congress)
7:00p - Rosie Flores, Bob Livingston, Greezy Wheels and more - Threadgill's South (301 Riverside)
7:15 - Michael Fracasso - Romeo's (video)
7:30 - Nathan Hamilton - Gueros (1412 S. Congress)
7:45 - Redd Volkaert - Romeo's
8:00 - Subrosa Union - Encore Records (1745 W. Anderson)
8:30 - Adrian and the Sickness - Headhunters (720 Red River) (CD Review)
9:00 - Honky - Headhunters
10:00p - Killa Maul - Headhunters
11:00p - Milkdrive - Continental Club (1315 S. Congress)
12:30 - Street Light Suzie - Headhunters
Here are some photos I took at last year's event:
Billy Dee at the Time Warner Cable office
Uncle Lucius at GSD&M Idea City
Patricia Vonne at Whole Foods
A "HAAMbassador" poses with Graham Weber at Thundercloud Subs
Here's Patricia Vonne performing "Guitars and Castanets" at Whole Foods during the 2009 HAAM Benefit Day.


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TWR Women of Hope brings hope in Jesus to women around the world and across generations. We seek to educate, encourage, and equip women to pray, listen, learn, grow, and give through media, small-group interaction, and leadership development.
One of our greatest strengths is our 60,000 prayer warriors who every month pray through a prayer calendar translated into more than 90 languages and dialects. Women who pray in small groups receive discipleship, mentoring, and leadership development.
Our namesake radio program, Women of Hope, introduces women to the gospel and teaches practical skills and spiritual truth in 73 languages. Other radio programs address specific issues like human trafficking.
In 20 years of ministry, we have seen God do incredible work in the hearts of women. We hope to raise $550,000 this next fiscal year so that more women will find their hope in Jesus. Would you consider being a supporter or a prayer partner?
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Ellipse Trumpet Base Table
Product DescriptionA distinctive range of wooden seating that has a multitude of uses; bistros, cafés and break-out areas. A wood veneer circular table with a chrome trumpet base.
Available in walnut, beech and white, with a chrome base
Matching chairs also available
2 year guarantee
Table top dimensions: 800 x 800 mm


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Petroleum Index continues positive as 2014 begins
Commodity prices and activity levels remained positive as 2014 began, according to the Texas Permian Basin Petroleum Index.
Karr Ingham, the Amarillo economist who prepares the index, said January's index was 6.9 percent above January 2013 levels. The index, he was, was updated to accommodate revised employment data from the Texas Workforce Commission and a revamped regional oil and gas stocks index.
Oil and gas employment, Ingham said, was revised slightly upward by about 1,100 jobs. Employment in January averaged 30,830, up 7.2 percent from last January's 28,750. "The growth rate remains steady and strong, even though the pace of job growth has cooled compared to the extraordinary rates of industry job growth in 2011-2012," Ingham said.
Crude prices remained virtually flat, with the January average of $91.32 up a scant 0.2 percent higher than the $91.15 averaged last January. Those prices helped fuel a 13.4 percent increase in the value of crude production, which was $3.13 billion, up from $2.76 billion last January.
Natural gas prices continued their recovery, with the January average of $4.31 per Mcf at 31.4 percent higher than the $3.28 reported a year earlier. The value of that natural gas production rose 34.2 percent to $432 million from $322 million a year ago.
The rig count was flat with the 380 rigs averaged in January unchanged from the previous January.
There was a sharp drop in the number of drilling permits issued by the Railroad Commission in January, with producers receiving 848 permits, down 15.2 percent from 1,012 last January.
The number of oil completions reported by operators soared to 2,442 in January, up 260.2 percent from 678 in January 2013. Operators reported nine gas completions, unchanged from the nine reported last January.
High levels of activity continued to fuel a turnaround in Permian Basin production, with January crude volumes up 13.2 percent compared to the previous January and natural gas volumes up 2.1 percent compared to the previous January.
The stock index, which is now comprised of Concho Resources, Clayton Williams Energy, Dawson Geophysical and Patteron-UTI Energy, was up 10 percent compared to a year ago.


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Did you ever consider why public facilities are required to provide access to handicapped persons, or why the manufacturers of automobiles are now required to provide seatbelts and other life-saving safety features to consumers? Why are schools, restrooms, and other public places no longer racially segregated? Why are toys used by our children safer and why are nursing homes providing better care to the old and the sick among us? Why are manufacturers no longer producing asbestos for use in our buildings? Why have tobacco companies been ordered to stop denying that their products kill people?
The answer is that the citizens of our great country, with the help of trial lawyers, judges, court staff, jurors and other persons who work in the American judicial system, have forced these changes to occur, often despite the great personal sacrifice involved. We are committed to promoting safety for our clients and community.
At each step, individuals and their lawyers were challenged by various insurance companies, government officials, industry lawyers and manufacturers who worked at great cost to prevent these wrongs from being corrected. Millions, if not billions of dollars have been spent by various interest groups to limit or prevent ordinary citizens from seeking accountability for unsafe conduct or products. Only in a courtroom do the rules of law say that all of us stand as equals.
For every so-called "frivolous" lawsuit reported in the news, there are thousands of individuals who took on difficult but meritorious causes to seek a safer society. Trial lawyers are committed to promoting changes in the way companies do business so that profits are not elevated over safety. As part of our community, we are committed to preserving justice for all, regardless of wealth, age, or class.
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3905 Clear Creek Rd: 254-833-5004
Save big on a tasty lunch stop, indulge in our homemade Menudo, or relax for a casual dinner. Any time is the best time for Meno's Mexican Grill! Don't forget about our famous Mexican Favorites!
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I woke up this morning to an interesting article on NBCnews.com that mentioned a new study that shows that the methane hydrates located off the East coast are destabilizing at an alarming rate. So what does this mean? Well, basically, it appears that this is caused by a change in the Gulf Stream, or the natural convection cycle where warm waters are transported north and east from Florida towards the Arctic and Europe where the water is cooled and begins its southern journey back down. However, climate change inspired temperature changes are throwing off the natural cycle and destabilizing the methane hydrates on the sea floor.
Why should we care? Aside from the fact that the Gulf Stream is responsible for the weather patters on both sides of the Atlantic, as well as the nutrients in the water that sustain our fish, this new discovery represents a something of a turning point in climate change. Methane, or (CH4) to all my chemistry nerds out there, is a potent greenhouse gas that currently accounts for 16% of GHG emissions. While less abundant than carbon dioxide, methane is 23x more potent than CO2. The fear is that we have now reached a tipping point where increased global temps actually bring on unwanted effects of their own. And believe it or not, we have a lot of methane hidden in a frozen state in the permafrost on our northern locations.
I mention this study not to be an alarmist (well, maybe), but because I believe that many of us think that climate change will be easy to solve once all parties come together to take action. This is not true. It is going to take plenty of work to solve this problem. There is definitely a tipping point where the Earth enters into a reinforcing cycle of warming – the question is: did we just pass it? If not, can we take corrective action before we reach that point.