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originally posted to my Google+ account – reposting here for posterity
Today I registered for the TechCrunch Disrupt Hackathon here in SF in September and I've started thinking about what I want to build. One thought is an application that builds upon what I started my first company, JigZaw (with a Z not the sell other people business cards company) to build – namely a really smart calendar.
But with a twist.
Instead of being a calendar – or even an online schedule/list of upcoming events (of which there are both lots and frankly nothing very great) this would be focused on a related problem – but with a very different UI and solution.
The core idea (which I'm posting here as I usually post ideas – I would be interested in building this and am planning on possibly pursing this, if someone else wants to build it do so though I ask for at a minimum some acknowledgement and would be interested in being involved, but I'm not claiming any kinda of IP on ideas) is:
Countdowns and Deadlines.
Countdowns are descending reminders about when something will start (such as 100 hours to the 2012 Olympics – though the units can be days, weeks or even years instead of hours or minutes). Mostly countdowns for an event would actually be a SET of related countdowns – for example "countdown to when SXSW panel submissions are open" along with "countdown to hotel registration opening", "countdown to registration opening" and "countdown to conference starting…."
Countdowns are for events that haven't yet happened/started
in contrast:
Deadlines are for an event/happening that has started and will end/stop at a specific time
Often a countdown will end and a related deadline will start (i.e. "Deadline for SXSW panel submissions")
The idea for this application is that individuals could select countdowns and related deadlines to pay attention to / be reminded about in the app from countdowns and deadlines setup by other users (and/or by the company or corporate partners). These could be in LOTS of categories – release dates for movies or books, ticket sales for touring bands, festivals, sporting events, school related dates, sales at favorite stores (online or offline) and much much more.
Most countdowns and deadlines would be default PUBLIC though the option would be there for you to also track personal, private deadlines (work deadlines for example)
Alongside your view of pending deadlines and active countdowns you might also overlap reoccurring activities/goals/to-do's (walk 10,000 steps each day etc) but this last feature is one that I think is optional and we might leave out in the first version.
Individuals would be able to add and share new countdowns.
Each countdown or deadline would be associated with both a description and a link to an related resource – ideally one that would reflect any future CHANGES to that event (i.e. extension of a deadline or postponement/cancelation of an event being counted down to)
Once you have selected a number of things to track and pay attention to this service would then be able to offer at least two compelling additional services:
1) Show you related countdowns/deadlines which you might want to also track – i.e. next year's conference if you are tracking this year's or the same conference/show offered in a different region. Over time this might get refined to learn which categories you care so much about that you want to know every instance of that event (PAX & PAX East for example) vs. more common events you might not care about every instance of (every hockey game played in the NFL for example vs the home games of your favorite team)
2) Show you PEOPLE you might want to meet/connect with due to shared interests. This might start with leveraging the Facebook social graph to show you shared interests across your existing friends (assuming you and your friends are both using this service) but eventually this might also help you discover others with many common interests nearby.
This service would likely list a LOT of events from sites such as Meetup which would be a really rich data source.
In terms of the business model(s) for this service I see many different options. One simplistic one is that non-humans wanting to have accounts (to create events) would pay for that right. (i.e. event organizers, companies running sales, film studios etc). This professional fee would scale in some dimension and would offer them a rich suite of tools and functionality. It would be available to "human" users as well at a reduced price assuming these features are of value to some individuals as well (i.e. folks who run a number of personal events for example – a musician for instance)
Other options: some affiliate fees on sales driven by this service – either links to online (or offline) sales or links that are to ticket/event sales directly. (in many cases however these would have to individually negotiated and aren't all that high in many cases)
Direct sales of the mobile apps (debatable – a free app may drive more user growth and still result in greater revenues particularly if the professional/corporate layer was an optional in-app subscription purchase)
This type of application and web service won't change the world – nor will it be a billion+ business but I can see how this could be a very nice profitable standalone business OR a rich addition to an existing web business. I also see how to build this affordably and in a way that should scale to quite large numbers.
(and I have many many years worth of past research and development that should allow me to build some really powerful and rich tools to power this service – to check links for relevancy, to automate the updates when data changes and eventually to also discover and search out related or new countdowns/deadlines)
So who is interested in helping me build this – either as developers or investors?


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There are only a few days to go until the Great Northern Contemporary Craft Fair where I will be launching my new creation into the big wide world. I am full of nervous excitement.
I hope you will be able to come and share this momentous occasion with me.
You're all invited! x

subset: commoncrawl


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The Swedish army is perhaps best known for its flamboyant displays during the Stockholm gay parade, but even non-homophobic NATO allies will be raising their eyebrows at the Scandinavians' latest military antics.
Sweden has become the first country in history to introduce a firearms ban on serving military personnel. This means that their soldiers posted in Afghanistan will not be allowed to carry a weapon - all fourteen of them. The logic behind the decision is that the weapons are dangerous and could be used to kill.
Chief of the Swedish Army Per Abbasson explained further. "Ja, our böys in armed conflicts around the world are putting their pretty little ärses in danger and we don't want them to härm themselves any more than is necessary. I remember when I was a young cadet, I was always breaking my nails trying to handle my översized bayonet."
Anti-gun campaigners are attempting to get other countries to follow the Swedish example, but with little success. The US Secretary of Defense said, "We don't care much for these weak liberal European attitudes."


text: A common phrase when working in the field of self-improvement is, "Where did my customers go?". Believe it or not, this is a good sign! Many times when people start working on themselves, things come up in their lives that need to be taken care of before moving forward. Here is Blair to further explain:


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For example, the author put forth the image of Mary being the gold setting that the diamond of Jesus Christ sets in. Or imagine an image of Mary with the face of Jesus shining forth where her heart should be. Beautiful imagery, to be sure.
Today's meditation was about the dignity of motherhood. Here is what Rev. Toth had to say:
"Today we need nothing so much as mothers who fulfill their tasks in an ideal family life. I would almost say: They will be the type of future feminine saintliness, because we have the greatest need of them. The holy women of the primitive Church came from the ranks of the martyrs, because at that time the Church had the greatest need of them: she needed the open declaration of their young Christian faith. Later the holy women came from the ranks of the virgins, because their voluntary renunciation was needed in opposition to the dissolute life of the world. And today? What is our greatest need today? Which Christian treasure is threatened with the most dreadful danger? Married life, Christian family life. Therefore in the mother who fulfills her marital duties ideally, we have the new type of holy woman for whom mankind, standing on the brink of destruction, so yearningly longs."I was very moved to think about what a profound opportunity God is giving to us Christian mothers today. The author goes on to say, "Our need is for mothers whose pride it is to see well brought-up children, whose joy it is to bring a smile to the faces of their husbands returning home from work, and whose reward is the eternal blessing of the all-knowing God."
How far we are away from that ideal today, but how true his words are. Again, something for us all to strive for - the saintliness of Christian motherhood as exemplified by the Blessed Mother. Not too high a goal now, is it??


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In Exeter at the moment, there is a veritable plethora of opportunities for home educated children. Choir, yoga, athletics, veterinary classes, theatre trips, craft sessions, nature groups, science workshops, Forest School, trampolining…the list goes on and on. Although I am obviously thrilled by the opportunities on offer for the kids, at the same time I've been finding myself getting a bit panicked every time a new post goes up advertising another group or activity. After talking to a friend, she suggested I may be suffering from FOMO, a Fear Of Missing Out. Not an acronym I was familiar with but when she said it, I immediately identified with the 'syndrome'!
Without a time machine and an unlimited supply of funds, it is simply impossible to do everything. But although in my heart of hearts I know this, every time I turn down an opportunity I find myself worrying that I'm doing the kids a disservice. What if there is a future Olympic gymnast in one them and they never realise that potential because I didn't take them to the relevant classes? What if one of them has an unrecognised passion for singing but they never actualise it? I do know that I'm being a bit ridiculous and that these are extreme examples. But still, that fear (of missing out) remains!
And it doesn't just stop with their education. I have a tendency to try and make sure that we can accept every party invitation, that every time the sun shines we maximise the opportunity to do something exciting outside, that we fit in as much as possible as a family. However, having pondered the matter somewhat, I had a bit of an epiphany. Namely that actually, the kids (and Dan) aren't bothered about doing everything. They are all perfectly happy having a day at home, playing board games, hanging out with the guinea pig, building lego spaceships, watching a bit of TV and generally chilling out. In fact, if it follows a busy few days, it is their activity of choice when asked what they fancy doing on a rare free day.
I realised that I've been focused on making happy memories for our family that I've been getting caught up in doing big, amazing things whereas it doesn't really matter what the content of the memory is, what we'll remember is how we felt whilst doing that. So dragging them all onto Dartmoor when they're tired and just want to chill won't be a day to treasure, it's more likely to be something we have to endure before heading home to relax. Likewise, if I want to ensure they have a full, rounded education, that doesn't necessarily mean dipping superficially into everything physically and financially possible but following their needs and interests to develop their knowledge and skillset to a deeper (and therefore, more useful) level. No need to fear missing out, what we've got is pretty good already!


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Michael Campbell, Senior Consultant, SecureITsource, Inc.
Automation is quickly taking over the network and infrastructure pieces of enterprise environments. Software is deployed at the click of a button and applications are communicating and working with other applications, not people. While we still need people to manage applications, we are not machines and we cannot work as quickly, efficiently or as powerfully as them. We still find ourselves working inside of these applications, making manual configuration changes and repeating ourselves over and over again. Thankfully there are ways we can utilize automation tools to do our jobs for us!
In this article I am going to be describing techniques for automating various parts of the administration of CyberArk, a software suite I use frequently and which requires the continuous onboarding of users, accounts, applications and configuration changes. Many of these techniques apply across the spectrum of applications but some are specific to CyberArk. The general message of this post is to work smarter, not harder. With a rudimentary knowledge of scripting, you can decrease the amount of time you spend on laborious manual work and increase the time you spend solving complex problems. If you are tasked with doing something more than once, script it!
The CyberArk Vault Command Line Interface (PACLI) is the old-school interface for interacting with the CyberArk Vault. You can use it for user management, such as adding and deleting Vault users without logging into the otherwise cumbersome PrivateArk client. You can also manage safes, network areas, requests and more. PACLI is limited as far as what it can accomplish but I find it useful for performing quick Vault-level functions in a pinch as it is directly integrated with the Vault.
You can use the command line directly to harness PACLI or package a set of commands in a batch file. PACLI has its own syntax and while it works, I find iterating through lists of objects to act upon in batch files to be clunky. I have found PACLI to be most useful in cases where I can't or don't want to perform an action I should be able to in PrivateArk. For example, while setting up RADIUS authentication for a customer, we couldn't switch a user's authentication mechanism from LDAP for an unknown reason. It worked using PACLI. Now imagine having to do this for 100 user accounts. It's a lot simpler to retrieve a list of all users and perform the same authentication change command across all their accounts using PACLI.
Whereas I mentioned PACLI being old-school, REST is the new-school. Representational State Transfer, or REST, APIs are sets of rules that allow different services to interact. REST APIs are heavily used over the web and allow clients to perform actions on resources on a server. Most cloud services nowadays make a REST API available. REST calls are stateless and thus contain all information required to perform the action in the call. REST handles authentication, access tokens and create, read, update and delete (CRUD) commands through HTTP URIs. Most of the time, REST calls send and return a JSON response, which is easier to understand and parse than most other data structures, for example XML.
CyberArk makes their own REST API available and it is miles ahead of their PACLI program. It can do all the vault-level functions that PACLI can (plus more) as well as management for accounts, applications, platforms, and is a main component of CyberArk's Central Credential Provider, which can retrieve application credentials at runtime in place of storing hardcoded credentials on a server. Most scripting and programming languages support REST making it the standard of choice for interacting with web services.
I've seen myself how small scripts can be inserted into the workflow of applications to interact with other applications to synchronize attributes across the two. For example, an infrastructure automation tool such as Ansible can make REST calls to CyberArk to onboard a newly created server's privileged credentials to the Vault and create an application ID to prepare it for a Credential Provider installation. Ansible and CyberArk have a couple of official modules available on Ansible Galaxy that utilize the REST API to perform a myriad of neat functions including deploying an entire application credential provider environment.
As we can see, machines and software are using REST to get things done, why shouldn't we? The level of automation you decide to use depends largely on what you're working on, and it can be quite simple, but powerful, in many cases. For example, I have a script to create a safe and add a group of users with certain permissions. It can read in a list of safe names from the command line, a file, a previous REST call, or an array in the script itself. What used to take 10 minutes to an hour (depending on how many safes) now takes 30 seconds. I also use a script to create an application ID, set the authentication mechanisms, and add it to a safe. What used to take 5 minutes per application now takes 30 seconds. You can see how this can save a lot of time and clicking over time. I've also used scripts to migrate an entire environment including platforms, safes, applications, accounts and passwords.
My scripting language of choice is Powershell but the same can be accomplished with Python, Java, or any language really. I like Powershell because it has great community support. Instead of making web service calls directly, I prefer to use the psPAS module built by pspete. It turns every REST command into a function that can be called within Powershell. I find it to be easier to iterate over lists of resources I want to modify this way and it is simply a great library.
Below is an example of the script I mentioned above, which creates an application in the Vault with authentication methods and then adds it to a safe.
# Provide credentials
$Credentials = Get-Credential
# Create CyberArk Web Services Session
$token = New-PASSession -Credential $Credentials -BaseURI PVWAADDRESS -type RADIUS
# Import CSV of application and safe names and iterate over it
Import-Csv C:\cyberark\scripts\data\create_app_with_auth_in_safe.csv | Foreach-Object {
# Create application
$token | Add-PASApplication -AppID $_.Application -Location "\Applications"
# Add application authentication methods
$token | Add-PASApplicationAuthenticationMethod -AppID $_.Application `
-AuthType certificateserialnumber -AuthValue CERTSERIALVALUE
$token | Add-PASApplicationAuthenticationMethod -AppID $_.Application `
-AuthType osUser -AuthValue DOMAIN\USER
$token | Add-PASApplicationAuthenticationMethod -AppID $_.Application `
-AuthType machineAddress -AuthValue ADDRESS
# Add newly created application to safe
$token | Add-PASSafeMember -SafeName $_.Safe -MemberName $_.Application `
-SearchIn Vault `
-ListAccounts $true `
-RetrieveAccounts $true
# Close CyberArk Web Services Session
$token | Close-PASSession
The create_app_with_auth_in_safe.csv file is a simple comma separated list of applications and the safe they should be added to, like this:
In the above script, the $token variable is used to maintain the session across calls. After establishing the session, we import a list of applications and safes, and it iterates through each one, creating the application, adding the authentication methods, and then adding it to a safe. It could be modified easily to handle account onboarding. I'll normally have a couple switches that are specified at run time to decide if it will perform certain actions, such as creating the safe if it doesn't already exist. This could all be accomplished using Powershell Invoke-RestMethod cmdlets but pspete has spent so much time building out this toolset that it would be a waste of time (remember, we are trying to NOT waste time) not to use it.
System for Cross-domain Identity Management, or SCIM, is a newer development built over REST, that was created specifically for automating the exchange of Identity information across systems. SCIM is very standardized and systems that support it can exchange information easily. It is used mostly by companies to provide user information to cloud-based applications. Since these applications are no longer in the same environment as a company's applications, using internal tools like Active Directory and network shares no longer allow the exchange of identity information in a fast, secure and free of error manner.
CyberArk provides their own SCIM server which can be used to accept SCIM web service calls and uses PACLI and the Application Identity Manager to make the necessary changes in the Vault. This is a vital part of CyberArk's PAM integration with Identity Provider tools such as SailPoint IdentityIQ. Since CyberArk supports SCIM (almost) out of the box, and the normal REST API handles everything I would want to accomplish, I haven't needed to use SCIM for administration tasks, though I'm confident I could establish SCIM calls that list, add and remove users from CyberArk. What is more important however, is understanding how it works so that you can be prepared for integrating different identity systems, which you'll now have time to do when you're not bogged down manually administering privileged access!
This is great resource. Thanks for writing. Any other material or resources that I can use to get myself acquainted with REST? Please help.


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Centre College students who study abroad—as more than 85 percent of them do—are not the only people who speak highly of the College's international studies program. Recently, the Institute of International Education's 2010 Open Doors Report named Centre the No. 2 undergraduate school in the nation for the percentage of students who study abroad. (Goucher College, which was ranked No. 1, requires its students to study abroad.)
The Institute of International Education is the leading not-for-profit educational and cultural exchange organization in the United States. The IIE has conducted the Open Doors Report (an annual statistical survey of the international students in the United States) since 1949, and with support from the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs since the early 1970s.
Each year, the data presented in the Open Doors Report is obtained through surveys sent to approximately 3,000 accredited U.S. higher education institutions who report on the international students enrolled at their campuses.
Last year, the Open Doors Report listed Centre as No. 4 in the nation for percentage of students who study abroad.
Unlike most schools offering study abroad options, Centre completely runs and staffs three full-term, residential abroad programs. Held in London, England; Strasbourg, France; and Merida, Mexico, these offerings allow students to immerse themselves in foreign culture while being taught and directed by Centre professors.
"At most other schools, students who study abroad are thrown into a large university system where they don't know anyone," says Elizabeth Trollinger '11, who studied abroad in London in 2009. "Being led by teachers who you've at least seen around campus is a real comfort when you're abroad."
She adds that "it's amazing that Centre students are in such small groups in each program. The College promises 'personal education,' and Centre doesn't abandon that promise just because students are thousands of miles away."
In addition, Centre offers full-term exchange programs in China, Japan, Northern Ireland and Spain. More than 140 Centre students each year spend a term at one of these locations.
Shorter trips also offer opportunities to experience foreign life. Many professors lead trips abroad during the College's CentreTerm, taking students around the world for three weeks in January. During recent CentreTerm trips, students have studied volcanoes in New Zealand; primates in Barbados; religion and politics in India; the sacred arts in Bali; political history in Vietnam; post-revolutionary life in Nicaragua; anthropology in Peru; the cultural history of Central Europe; and the diverse religious heritage of Spain.
For several years, students have also had the option to study in Strasbourg for a three-week session in early summer. As the study abroad program continues to improve, Centre now offers a similar summer term in Merida; the first group of students in this program will travel to Mexico next summer.
And, thanks to the Centre's Your Passport program that was initiated this fall, the College provides a passport for every incoming Centre student who does not already own one—a tangible example of Centre's commitment to global citizenship.
With study abroad being such a way of life at Centre, every student who returns to campus from an international study experience agree with Trollinger when she says that she'd "always heard other Centre students say that their study abroad experience was the most transformative experience of their lives, but I never put too much stock in that. Now I'm one of those students—I'm not only dying to get back to London, but I'm also ready to go see the rest of the world."


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Six-year-old Toby from Chandlers Ford in Hampshire was born prematurely at just 25 weeks and 6 days. Toby suffers from severe cerebral palsy and lung disease as well as bilateral hearing loss and is short-sighted. Despite the challenges he faces, Toby is a very happy boy who lives life to the full.
Toby's favourite Disney character is Tigger, from Winnie the Pooh and it has always been his dream to meet his hero! Starlight arranged a magical trip for him and his parents in Disneyland, during which he had a very special meeting with Tigger! For the full story, click here.


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My education includes training in medicine, public health, clinical research, biostatistics and health response in complex emergency. I have more than seven years of experiences in health research (Survey, Case control studies, Randomised Controlled Trials (RCT), Health Policy and Systems Research). My areas of expertise also include the project management particularly in health sector. I have also experience of working in health emergency in large population in disaster setting.
Major publications
1. Devkota S, Dhungana R, Pandey AR, Bista B, Panthi S, Thakur KK and Gajurel RM (2016). Barriers to treatment and control of hypertension among hypertensive participants: A community based cross-sectional mixed method study in municipalities of Kathmandu, Nepal. Front. Cardiovasc. Med. 3:26. doi: 10.3389/fcvm.2016.00026
2. Dhungana, R. R., Pandey, A. R., Bista, B., Joshi, S., & Devkota, S. (2016). Prevalence and Associated Factors of Hypertension: A Community-Based Cross-Sectional Study in Municipalities of Kathmandu, Nepal. International Journal of Hypertension, 2016.
3. Dhungana, R. R., Devkota, S., Khanal, M. K., Gurung, Y., Giri, R. K., Parajuli, R. K., . . . Shayami, A. (2014). Prevalence of cardiovascular health risk behaviors in a remote rural community of Sindhuli district, Nepal. BMC Cardiovasc Disord, 14, 92. doi: 10.1186/1471-2261-14-92
4. Dhungana, R. R., Khanal, M. K., Pandey, A. R., Thapa, P., Devkota, S., Mumu, S. J., . . . Ali, L. (2015). Assessment of Short Term Cardiovascular Risk Among 40 Years and Above Population in a Selected Community of Kathmandu, Nepal. J Nepal Health Res Counc, 13(29), 66-72.
5. Joshi, S., Dhungana, R. R., & Subba, U. K. (2015). Illness Perception and Depressive Symptoms among Persons with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: An Analytical Cross-Sectional Study in Clinical Settings in Nepal. J Diabetes Res, 2015, 908374. doi: 10.1155/2015/908374
6. Khanal, J., Poudyal, R. R., Devkota, S., Thapa, S., & Dhungana, R. R. (2015). Clinical Profile and Early Complications after Single and Dual Chamber Permanent Pacemaker Implantation at Manmohan Cardiothoracic Vascular and Transplant Centre, Kathmandu, Nepal. J Nepal Health Res Counc, 13(30), 138-143.
7. Dhungana, Raja Ram, M. K. Khanal, and A. Baniya. "Prevalence Of Current Tobacco Use Among Secondary Students In Nepal: A Meta-Analysis." Journal of Chitwan Medical College 3.4 (2014): 1-5.
8. Thapa, P., Mishra, S. R., Bista, B., Dhungana, R. R., Adhikari, N., Soti, L., . . . Aryal, K. K. (2015). Social Consequences of Alcohol Use among Urban Poor: A Cross-sectional Study in Kathmandu Valley. J Nepal Health Res Counc, 13(29), 54-58.
9. Thapa, P., Pandey, A. R., Dhungana, R. R., Bista, B., Thapa, B., & Mishra, S. R. (2016). Risk of ARI among Non-exclusively Breastfed Under-Five Passive Smoker Children: A Hospital-Based Cross-sectional Study of Nepal. Front Public Health, 4, 23. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2016.00023
10. Dhungan RR, et al (2014). EFFECTIVENESS OF PICHU IN TENSION NECK SYNDROME A PILOT STUDY.IAMJ, 5 (6).


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You would expect to see a lipstick kiss mark on someone's cheek or on a love letter, but someone spotted the mark somewhere that has people grossed out and questioning how it got there.
It was in a toilet.
Twitter user @ClawedHumour posted the image with the caption "Stranger Things - 2018" and now everyone is trying to figure out if someone with red lipstick on actually kissed the inside of a toilet bowl.
Others just made jokes.
No one knows the real reason the lipstick mark is there so it might be a mystery that goes unsolved forever.
Photo Credit: Getty


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In A Land…
Where The People Do Not Trust Their Government.
And The Government Does Not Care About The 99 Percent.
Where The Elders Are Pessimistic Of The Juvenile.
And The Youths Are Weary Of The Senile.
Where Religious Institutions Are Bedevilled With Things Immoral.
And Schools Turn Out Many A Rascal.
Where Bad News Meet Our Eyes Every Single Day.
And Poor Lives Are Lost In The Most Preposterous Ways.
…I Find Myself Asking, Where Does Our Hope Lie ? 😦
[Just stumbled across this piece while going through my note. I've written it several months back. Hope you benefitted from it?]


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Dr. Art Cara is President/CEO/Proprietor of a nation-wide, corporate outplacement company called Outplacement Consulting Services (OCS). He founded, then served as Lead Consultant and Managing Director at the multi-state, Birmingham, Alabama office of Drake Beam Morin,1989-2005. While employed at this first U.S. national and first global corporate outplacement company, Dr. Cara coached corporate executives and their leadership teams; oversaw the career transition sales/operations of a multi-state region; and purchased/interpreted career/personality assessments. Dr. Cara is a former Rotary International club president, and remains a much sought after speaker frequently addressing topics such as violence in the workplace, job-related stress, corporate outplacement, change management, and executive leadership assessment & coaching.
Prior to becoming a Corporate Change Management Consultant, Dr. Cara was Alabama State Director of Medical Social Services at First American Home Health Care. He served on several undergraduate/graduate university faculties, authored workplace articles, and launched a career advice/mental health column called Job Fare for the Birmingham Business Journal. Dr. Cara is a frequent guest commentator on Clear Channel (WERC Radio 960 AM) and Citadel Broadcasting (107.7 HOTS FM) addressing topics such as workplace violence, stress management, executive assessment, and career transition.
Dr. Cara holds three graduate degrees from three different ground universities. A licensed mental health professional, he was awarded a Ph.D. in Social and Behavioral Science from The Ohio State University, and earned masters degrees from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and the University of Alabama at Tuscaloosa. Dr. Cara's undergraduate degree was conferred cum laude by the University of Dayton.


text:
Ever have a day where everything goes awry, one damn thing after another? Where if you were smart, you'd go back to bed, but you're washing the bedding because the cat puked in it, so you can't?
Today is one of those days for me. I woke up at 7:00 which isn't so bad since I've been lately sleep deprived, but it's not so good, either, since our Y moved the time of my water aerobics class up by half an hour to 8:30. At the time I should be taking a shower, 8:00, I haven't even eaten breakfast which I must do because I took my prescribed medication an hour ago. The medication requires eating an hour later. Because I was late arising, I am late breakfasting.
So, I place my coffee, banana, and zucchini bread on the—WHAT?
Well, what did YOU have for breakfast, Mr. Ding-Dong and Tootsie Pop? At least MY breakfast had a vegetable in it.
Anyway, I place my coffee and zucchini bread on the side table and reach for my iPad, multi-tasker that I am. Oops. I also lack depth perception and hand-eye coordination. The iPad collides with the very full, giant-sized coffee cup which tumbles as fast as it takes me to shout my favorite curse word, the one containing "sh" and "t," and the cup shatters the cat food treat dish on the floor. All across the living room floor in a five-foot radius, arranged like a modern art installation, lie splattered coffee and cat dish shards. The coffee cup, resilient to droppage like all of Wal-Mart's finest china, remains intact.
The zucchini bread sits untouched and inviting. I contemplate leaving the entire mess right where it is and dealing with it when I return home after my workout, if I ever do, knowing what I have to clean up. I could stop to clean up the mess and be late to my class or not clean up and be less late. The shower I need is moot by now. Ain't gonna happen.
I think of my cat, who is now hiding under the couch, hissing, and how even though she's been unpleasant this morning, I don't want her hurt by walking on glass fragments.
Guilt sends me to the laundry room where I tug on several towels from the rag shelf in the cupboard, and they all fall on the floor. Those I leave where they lie for later. No cat's ever been killed by a pile of towels, I reason.
I sop and mop. Transporting towels dripping cold coffee all the way into the kitchen, I open the garbage can lid and shake the shards into it and throw the towels into the laundry basket.
I am only ten minutes late to class. Without a shower. My hair sticks out at odd angles all over my head. My head resembles a porcupine's do had it lain on only one side all night long. No one says a word about my rebellious hair during class. That's how you know people love you. Or have no words for what they see, one or the other.
After getting the mail, I race home to pick kale in my garden, enough for a friend and for the new recipe I plan to try, a Mexican vegetable strata which incorporates both kale and zucchini of which our garden has an overabundance.
I change clothes first because I don't have a good track record keeping my clothes clean when I garden or cook. Or eat breakfast in my living room chair, apparently. I think people who do are abnormal and suspect.
Wearing one of my previously stained tee shirts, the nicest one in my vast collection, I begin the recipe assemblage, like a shorter Julia Child with a lower humming voice, cutting, chopping, and sautéing. Whipping the naughty eggs.
I slice a couple of potatoes and zucchinis I grew this summer, and some sweet potatoes I didn't. I chop kale and onion from our garden. Fry up the chicken sausage. Layer after layer I arrange, and then I discover—no enchilada sauce. The dish wouldn't be right without it. It's called Mexican Vegetable Strata, right?
I change my clothes, again, and head for the store for green enchilada sauce. Three cans of green enchilada sauce and four bags of tomato sauce, paste, and puree later, (I like my larder stocked!)I arrive back home.
I forgot to take my personal grocery bags into the store, so the cans are heaped in bags made of that flimsy grocery sack plastic that can be slashed by anything sharp, like an orange, for example. Of course, the clerk had not double-bagged to compensate for the can weight, and one of the bags splits and cans tumble out when I open the car door. I joyfully chase rolling cans all over the driveway and under the car, exhausting the catalog of my cursing repertoire, employing those soothing fricatives and plosives that serve us so well in the midst of frustration. See, multi-tasking, once again.
Tin can roundup complete, once inside the house, I change into my cooking and slopping clothes yet again.
Now it is 2:30 and way past lunch. Time to stop to have my second meal of the day, zucchini bread.
WHAT? Well, what did YOU have for lunch, Ms. half-a-wienie and three M&M's you found in your sweater pocket? Did I mention my meal has a veggie in it, and raisins, nuts, grain and eggs? That makes five food groups!
In a wise act of self-preservation, I eat without electronic devices anywhere near me, a most uneventful lunch, then finish assembling the strata. I turn on the oven to preheat as I sprinkle on the Tillamook Mexican cheese.
I carry the pans to the stove, but I feel no heat. Oops, forgot to push the start button. Ovens these days are so picky, so touchy, so demanding.
Ten minutes later, the Strata is in the oven. Whew! This quick and easy recipe has taken four hours and an entire retinue of curse words to assemble.
While the Strata bakes, I take a break to gird my loins in anticipation of what else this day might have to offer. I shudder to think of possible events, so I won't. If all goes well, I'll reach dinner time unscathed. What can go wrong lying on a couch?
Don't tell me. After my day, I don't want to know.
Some days aft gang awry. But that gives us pause to be grateful for the days when all flows smoothly, doesn't it?
And for the succor of zucchini bread.


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Jewish group threatens to take north London coroner to court in row over priority for religious burials
PUBLISHED: 12:00 30 December 2017
A religious group is threatening to take the north London coroner to court in a row about prioritising Jewish and Muslim burials.
Stamford Hill's Adath Ysroel Synagogue and Burial Society says it will lodge a judicial review against inner north London senior coroner Mary Hassell's decision last month to withdraw a special arrangement struck three years ago.
Ms Hassell agreed in January 2015 that most Jewish people who die at home in north London could be immediately sent to the Carmel Funeral Home in Stamford Hill instead of going to a public mortuary as is standard. The rule was brought in because Jewish and Islamic religious laws mean a body should be buried as soon as possible after death, while Jewish custom means a body should be watched over at all times until it is buried.
But the arrangement was cancelled in October after a row broke out about delays dealing with a man who had died of natural causes.
Ms Hassell claimed the society made persistent requests to one of her officers for a post mortem to be carried out the next working day, but that staffing issues meant this could not happen.
Adath Ysroel did not respond to allegations it had left the coroner's officer feeling "persecuted" with its repeated phone calls and e-mails, or that she had ended up delaying other important work so she could deal with the man's case despite the staff shortage.
The argument is even more fraught because, in Jewish custom, grieving cannot begin until a body has been buried. Campaigners are now saying Ms Hassell's actions are stopping families mourning properly.
Stamford Hill Rabbi Avrohom Pinter, a member of the London Jewish Forum, said his community was so sensitive to the issue that people were moving out of the area just to avoid dying in Ms Hassell's jurisdiction.
"If people know they are dying they are moving outside of the area," he said. "That is the perception in the community.
"If people are having a life threatening operation done, they are trying to have it in a place where their body will be respected."
Dr Asher Gratt, 63, who volunteers for Adath Yisroel, said Ms Hassell's attitude was inconsiderate.
"It's patently clear that this is her disregard for the beliefs of Jews and Muslims," he said.
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Sydney Vital and Eisai would like to invite you to attend Sydney/ NSW Thyroid Cancer Interest Group: A Case Discussion Meeting on Tuesday 28th May, at The Urban Hotel, Sydney, we hope you will be able to join us to share your knowledge and experience at this event.
A live-streaming webcast will also be available (More Details to be Advised).
Could guests who wish to present a case study please notify Prof Diana Learoyd by 17th May via email: [email protected]
Why Attend the Thyroid Cancer Interest Group?
Thyroid cancer is the commonest malignancy of the endocrine glands.
This event will highlight new approaches to managing thyroid cancer, adopting a highly personalized approach tailored to a patient's specific risk.
Who Can Attend?
Endocrinologists, Endocrine Surgeons, Radiation Oncologist, Registrars, Fellows, Nuclear Medicine Physicians and other health care professionals with a specific interest in Thyroid Cancer and its treatment.
Catering Menu
(Click to enlarge the image)
*$10 parking available


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Brief History of All Cannings, Wiltshire
The earliest settlement was on the downs above the village with the Neolithic enclosure at Rybury Camp. This was also used as a camp in the Iron Age. There is also evidence of Bronze Age settlement between Rybury Camp and the current village, and also of Roman settlement in the same area.
A village probably existed on the current site in the Vale by the 10th Century - the invading Danes referred to Canning Marsh (probably the area to the north and west of the village, still known as the 'moor') in 1010. The name All Cannings derives from Old Canning.
There was a church from the early 13th Century - the earliest features in the current All Saints' church are late Norman. By the 14th Century the village had grown to a considerable size, relative to the area, and there was a significant mill running on the Moor Brook. This had gone by the 18th Century.
The Kennet & Avon Canal (now just a leisure amenity) was built to carry goods between Bristol and London from 1796-1810. It is just north of the village.
Its population peaked around 1841 when the census showed 663 inhabitants. It is only just getting back to that level thanks to recent housing development.
More detail and colour on All Cannings' history can be found at Wiltshire County Council's: Wiltshire: A History of its Landscape and People


text: AWARDS 'The Lobster' Leads British Independent Film Awards Nominations 2:00 AM PST 11/3/2015 by Alex Ritman FACEBOOK TWITTER EMAIL ME 'The Lobster' Marion Cotillard, Alicia Vikander, Helena Bonham Carter, Tom Hardy, Tom Hiddleston, Michael Fassbender and Colin Farrell are among the nominees in the acting categories. Just weeks after launching across U.K. cinemas and getting its British premiere at the BFI London Film Festival, Yorgos Lanthimos' comedy-romance The Lobster has picked up the biggest haul of nominations for this year's British Independent Film Awards. The nominations were announced Tuesday. The Lobster – which first bowed in Cannes – earned seven nominations, including in the categories best British independent film, best director, best screenplay and producer of the year, with Colin Farrell up for best actor and Olivia Colman and Ben Whishaw for their supporting roles. Elsewhere, Berlinale winner 45 Years earned six nominations, the same amount as Macbeth. Asif Kapadia's Amy Winehouse documentary Amy – already the most successful British doc of all time – picked up five nominations alongside Alex Garland's sci-fi movie Ex Machina and Brooklyn. Last year saw father and son acting duo Timothy Spall and Rafe Spall pick up nominations in the best actor and best supporting actor categories. The 2015 nominations have gone one further in the family stakes, with Brendan Gleeson and son Domnhall Gleeson both in the running for the best supporting actor award. The British Independent Film Awards ceremony will take place on Dec. 6. Here are the nominations in key categories: Best British independent film 45 Years Amy Ex Machina The Lobster Macbeth Best director Andrew Haigh (45 Years) Asif Kapadia (Amy) Alex Garland (Ex Machina) Yorgos Lanthimos (The Lobster) Justin Kurzel (Macbeth) Best actress Marion Cotillard (Macbeth) Carey Mulligan (Suffragette) Charlotte Rampling (45 Years) Saoirse Ronan (Brooklyn) Alicia Vikander (The Danish Girl) Best actor Tom Courtenay (45 Years) Colin Farrell (The Lobster) Michael Fassbender (Macbeth) Tom Hardy (Legend) Tom Hiddleston (High-Rise) Best supporting actress Helena Bonham Carter (Suffragette) Olivia Colman (The Lobster) Anne-Marie Duff (Suffragette) Sienna Miller (High-Rise) Julie Walters (Brooklyn) Best supporting actor Luke Evans (High-Rise) Brendan Gleeson (Suffragette) Domnhall Gleeson (Brooklyn) Sean Harris (Macbeth) Ben Whishaw (The Lobster) Best international independent film Carol Force Majeure Girlhood Room Son of Saul FACEBOOK TWITTER EMAIL ME Alex Ritman email@example.com @alexritman


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Although Rye's volleyball team is off to a slow start — they fell 3-0 to Carmel September 14 and were swept again by Ossining two days later — the inexperienced Garnets have shown promise and continue to gain confidence game by game.
"I thought we played much better against Ossining than the previous game," said new head coach Jason Friesen. "We took a step forward, as we hope to do every time we take the floor. The girls are a bit tentative at times, but I think that goes with the lack of experience. Overall, I was very happy with their performance."


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TERRO® Reward Points
How do Reward Points work?
With TERRO Reward Points we enable you to get money off of purchases by rewarding you for your interactions with our site! Below you will find out how to gain points, spend points and how to access your point statement.
When points are available in your account, the balance will show as an available payment method when you checkout on TERRO.com. Please note that Reward Points will not be applied if using a Paypal checkout method.
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- Earning points from completing orders will be available for use after the order has been shipped. Your order subtotal (less any discounts or other virtual payments applied) will be converted to the nearest integer and the conversion rate applied to calculate your earned rewards.
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I have shopped on this site before - why didn't I get any Reward Points?
If you have shopped using guest checkout you will not have earned any points, since points can only be assigned to an account.
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Checking My Balance
Once you have created a TERRO account, each time your Reward Points balance updates, you will see the updated activity in your account. Simply login and navigate to 'My Reward Points'.
In My Account, you also have the ability to set up balance update and point expiration warning alerts. If you check these options, you will receive email updates each time your Reward Point balance updates, or if your points are about to expire. If you no longer wish to receive these updates, simply uncheck the notification box on the 'My Reward Points' page of your account.
Redeeming Your Rewards
1 Reward Point equals $0.01
When points are available to be used for your account, you will have an additional payment method available while in checkout. To apply, simply check this option on the Shipping and Payment Methods step when completing your next order.
If additional balance remains in your order, you will be required to provide an additional payment method to complete your order.
The entire balance in your account will be applied to the order if you choose to apply your Reward Points. There is not a way to only use partial points. If you have more points than required to pay for your order, you will be able to process your order for $0.00 and all remaining points will show in the balance of your account.
All Reward Points do have an expiration date. Currently, all points will expire 2 years after they are earned. This is subject to change.
In My Account, you have the ability to set up point expiration warning alerts. If you check this option, you will receive an email alert right before your points are due to expire. If you no longer wish to receive these updates, simply uncheck the notification box on the 'My Reward Points' page of your account.
What is Store Credit?
Store Credit is a discount against future purchases on the website. It has no intrinsic cash value.
Store Credit can be redeemed as a payment method. It is shown as one of the payment options available and by selecting it, it will reduce the total balance needed for payment.
Please note that this is not the same as Reward Points, but instead a credit that can only be provided to you by our Consumer Relations Department for customer satisfaction.


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Arizona Educators Brace For Cuts In Federal Head Start Funds
Arizona educators who depend on federal Head Start funds for low-income preschool students are bracing for a cash crunch. Some schools are turning kids away and sending layoff notices to teachers as Congress cuts spending.
Most of the state's schools and charities offering Head Start programs for infants through 5-year-olds will see a 6 percent cut in federal funds in the new school year.
Larry Campbell is Director of Catholic Charities West Side Head Start based in Surprise. He said Congress' sequestration measures mean his agency will be forced to reduce enrollment by 128 students.
"At Head Start we are serving at-risk families living at poverty level or below. So, these are families that really need the program, they're already behind, there's already a large learning gap and the longer that gap goes without intervention the harder it is to catch up," Campbell said.
He said he also has to eliminate ten teaching positions. Campbell said if the sequester continues to cut Head Start funds at the same pace over the next decade, his agency will no longer be able to provide students the specialized learning services they'll need to enter kindergarten.


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Before the holiday break, the House of Representatives passed a bill that will change export regulations for defense and aerospace companies.
"For years, we have watched the U.S. lose ground against global competitors because of the largely unintentional consequences of onerous regulations on space technology for export," said Elliot Pulham, CEO of the Space Foundation. "Now, thanks to the hard work of a number of individuals – most especially Sen. Micheal Bennett and Sen. Mark Udall – our nation may soon be able to once again vigorously compete in an industry we helped invent."
The language in the FY 2013 National Defense Authorization Act gives the Obama administration discretion to transfer certain less sensitive satellites and satellite components from the restrictive United States Munitions List to the less restrict Commerce Control List, essentially allowing U.S. space business to sell more space products and services outside the United States.
"While this achievement has been a long time coming, important steps remain in order to implement this change. We look forward to working with the administration in 2013 to ensure American Space competitiveness is maximized while keeping sensitive tecnologies out of the wrong hands," said Pulham.
The Defense Authorization Act now needs to be passed by the Senate and signed into law by the President.


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"Grant's list of presidential achievements is rather meager for being depicted on such a notable piece of currency. His greatest claim to fame was being President Lincoln's selection to lead the Union army in the Civil War. But even in that instance, he wasn't Lincoln's first choice. Lincoln first requested Robert E. Lee's services, before Lee committed his loyalty to the Confederacy. In his two terms, Grant oversaw the end of the South's Reconstruction, and the Transcontinental Railroad was completed on his watch. However, Grant's presidency was also riddled with scandal.... Grant was notorious for his lifelong battle with alcoholism and his presidency has been consistently ranked in the bottom third of all U.S. presidents by bipartisan coalitions of scholars"— The JournalThe writer is, of course, scoring political points. I couldn't care less who goes on the $50 bill but Grant won the civil war. He saved the Union. And he did so while consuming enough bourbon to fell a small herd of buffalo. He was the civil war's answer to Robert Shaw's shark hunter in Jaws, Burton to Lincoln's Taylor. The fact that the beetle-browed hero of the civil rights movement turned out to be a boozy rogue is one of those ironies surely too good for Hollywood to pass up. He is the one American president most sorely in need of Liam Neeson Biopic, complete with the most famous I'll-have-what-he's-having exchange of dialogue in the history of the republic:
"Grant is a drunkard," a senior politician told Lincoln. " He is not himself half the time. He cannot be relied upon. It is a shame to have such a man in charge of the army"Actually scratch Neeson. It's comeback vehicle for Mel Gibson.
"So Grant gets drunk does he?" asked Lincoln.
"Yes he does and I can prove it."
"Just find out what brand of whiskey he drinks because I want to send a barrel of it to each one of my generals."


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Thursday, November 1, 2007 Edition: #3646
Ahhhh, Your Daily Bovine Colonic!
The casting director for the next 'James Bond' movie is reportedly looking for a lovely Latina to play the 'Bond girl' in the next instalment, and is currently on the hunt in Mexico City (you need look no further than Salma Hayek) . . . Former 'James Bond' actor Pierce Brosnan is under investigation by the LA County Sheriff's Department for allegedly battering a man in a Malibu mall, a paparazzo who reacted by kicking Brosnan in the stomach (there's the makings of a potentially really hot reality show here!) . . . "House" star Hugh Laurie admits he's battling minor depression because he misses his family in England whom he never expected to be away from for so long (season 4 and counting) . . . Paul McCartney's estranged wife Heather Mills has revealed on a UK TV talk show that she considered killing herself following the breakdown of their marriage (but then she remembered the magic word 'billion') . . . Actor Josh Hartnett ("30 Days of Night") says he hates his appearance because he doesn't look like a rock star, more like 'a Midwestern kid who's corn fed' with 'very small eyes that are difficult to emote with' (how difficult to execute one's craft with such burdens!) . . . Movie hunk Matthew McConaughey is selling his Texas Longhorns National Championship tribute motorcycle in an effort to raise funds for his charity foundation which helps provide enrichment programs for kids (maybe George Clooney should look into this?) . . . Actress Halle Berry's unborn baby has been made an official alumni of NYC's Pace University by dean James Lipton when Berry taped his TV show "Inside the Actors Studio" (the kid won't even be eligible to attend for like 18 years) . . . Actress Jane Seymour, who's down with food poisoning, reveals she was reluctant to even compete on "Dancing With the Stars" (ABC) because she suffered a miscarriage live on TV while hosting the 1993 "Tournament of Roses Parade" – but nobody caught on at the time (now THAT'S acting!).
• Alison Krauss – She's the latest artist added to the performance schedule for the "CMA Awards" in Nashville NOVEMBER 7th. She's also nominated for 4 awards.
• Big & Rich – John Rich has apologized for his recent controversial comments on gay marriage, insisting his views were not properly clarified. The country singer caused a bit of tension earlier this month when he dismissed same-sex unions as 'pretty unsavory'.
• Ciara – She's midway through 7 separate parties celebrating her 22nd birthday, saying she's making up for not having a 21st birthday bash. The actual big day was OCTOBER 25th.
• Coldplay – Chris Martin & actress-wife Gwyneth Paltrow are denying rumors they're on the verge of splitting. The couple, who are notoriously private, have become the subject of speculation after not stepping out together in public for months.
• Fall Out Boy – Pete Wentz says his foot is the size of a small car after he broke the bone that connects to his shin while jumping around at the "Voodoo Music Experience" in New Orleans this past weekend. And the guy's so thoughtful that he actually posted pics of his swollen & bruised appendage online so we can all share in his pain.
• Lenny Kravitz – He'll make his feature film debut playing a nurse alongside Mo'Nique and Paula Patton in the bigscreen version of the best-selling novel, "Push", by Sapphire (Ramona Lofton).
• LeAnn Rimes – She performs on the "Tonight Show With Jay Leno" (NBC).
• "MTV Europe Music Awards" (MuchMusic) – The 14th annual are handed out in Munich, Germany. Justin Timberlake leads the field of nominees with 4. Amy Winehouse, Avril Lavigne, Beyoncé, Fall Out Boy, Linkin Park, My Chemical Romance, Nelly Furtado, and Rihanna have 3 apiece.
• Ryan Adams – A new clean 'n sober version guests on "Late Show With David Letterman" (CBS).
• Spice Girls – Melanie Brown appears at Toronto's Eaton Centre during a world record attempt for the most cellphones playing the same ringtone at the same time. The current record is 254. It's a promotion organized by Virgin Mobile Canada. Mel B also appears on "MTV Live" (MTV Canada).
• Velvet Revolver – Guitarist Slash is on "Late Night With Conan O' Brien" (NBC).
A BS selection of movies in the making …
• "Angels & Demons" – The prequel to "The Da Vinci Code" starts production in FEBRUARY, with Ron Howard returning to direct and Tom Hanks reprising his role as Harvard professor 'Robert Langdon'. "The Da Vinci Code" grossed a whopping $758 million worldwide.
• "GI Joe" – Word has it George Clooney has walked away from a role in director Joe Carnahan's film "White Jazz" in favor of appearing in this movie adaptation of the comic book. Buzz is that Clooney has been offered the role of a character named 'Duke'. For the purposes of the movie, 'GI Joe' stands for 'Global Integrated Joint Operating Entity', a European-based military unit. The flick's scheduled for a 2009 release.
• "Pinkville" – 36-year-old actor Woody Harrelson is set to reunite with director Oliver Stone for this Vietnam War drama based on the infamous 'My Lai Massacre' in which US soldiers killed over 500 civilians. They worked together on 1994's "Natural Born Killers". Harrelson will play a colonel alongside Bruce Willis in the drama, which goes into production NEXT YEAR.
• "Radio Free Albemuth" – Singer Alanis Morissette has joined the cast for the bigscreen adaptation of sci-fi author Philip K Dick's semi-autobiographical 1976 novel. She'll play a woman who shows up in a record label executive's vision of a glamorous singer. The film's now shooting in and around Los Angeles.
• "Shutter Island" – Director Martin Scorsese & actor Leonardo DiCaprio will work together for the 4th time in this story of a US Marshal's search for a psychopathic murderess who's on the run from an insane asylum. Production will begin in MARCH.
Kids a little wired this morning after pigging out on wads of Halloween candy last night? Chicago nutritionist Linaya Hahn, director of Hahn Holistic Health Centers, says that's due to a yeast called 'candida' which feeds on sugar and produces toxins in the body which can cause a kid to suffer everything from hyperactivity to a runny nose. And the effects could last through the weekend unless you find an antidote. Hahn recommends yogurt or garlic which contain 'acidophilus', an ingredient that displaces the evil candida. (Quiet or stinky? Which is worse?)
• 67% of breakfasters eat cereal, 36% toast, 9% scarf down pancakes, sausages or waffles.
• Given a choice, 59% of children surveyed would prefer eggs to be blue.
• Over 25% of adults now skip breakfast, up from 14% forty-five years ago. People with more education and higher incomes are more likely to eat breakfast. (Cuz they're not rushing to get anywhere.)
– NPD Group/Egg Marketing Board
British research shows that each day we are bombarded by about 4,000 instructions, ads, and rules. Just on the way to work we face some 150 new messages, from road signs to ads on public transit. A trip to the mall involves 1,600 instructions. Researchers have concluded that consumers now have to weed out the info they want … and ignore the rest. (On the way to work this morning I saw a "Stay Off the Grass" sign in the middle of a yard … so how'd it get there?)
– Reuters
After surveying 10,000 adults, Penn State University researchers have found that college grads only make love an average of 52 times a year, compared to 61 bedroom romps a year for non-college grads. (And about 52 times A WEEK for college students.)
Highlights of a survey on hotel guest habits from the Novotel hotel chain …
• Men are more likely to sleep through wake-up calls, use laundry services, lock themselves out of their rooms, and complain about a no-smoking policy. They also tip better than women and drink more beer from the mini-bar.
• Women are messier, more light-fingered when it comes to taking things out of a hotel room, drink more wine from the mini-bar, and are involved in 69% of hotel parking accidents. Women are starting to catch up to men in watching adult movies, maybe part of the reason they make more noise during lovemaking.
– iol.co.za
Dogs get more leg room on airplanes than we do. Strict international guidelines stipulate that dogs must be transported in containers twice their width, enabling them to stretch, turn around, and ensure circulation. By contrast, the minimum space required for humans is 26 inches from the back of the seat cushion to the seat in front … BEFORE the person ahead reclines the seat. (We hear dogs get better meals, too.)
'Tennessee Mud', 'Economic Crunch', and 'Peanut Butter & Jelly' are among the ice cream flavors Ben & Jerry's has dispatched to its 'Flavor Graveyard'. If that really has you steamed, you can fill out a 'Resurrect Your Favorite Flavor' form.
NET: http://www.benjerry.com/
1942 [65] Larry Flynt, Salyersville KY, magazine publisher ("Hustler")/video producer ("Barely Legal")
1962 [45] Anthony Kiedis, Grand Rapids MI, rock singer (Red Hot Chili Peppers-"Snow [Hey Oh]", "Dani California")
1963 [44] 'Big' Kenny (Alphin), Culpeper VA, country singer (Big & Rich-"Lost In This Moment", "Save a Horse [Ride a Cowboy]")
1963 [44] Rick Allen (Cyril), Sheffield UK, one-armed rock drummer (Def Leppard-"Photograph")
1969 [38] Tie (Tahir) Domi, Windsor ON, retired 16-year NHL veteran (Toronto Maple Leafs)/former bf of politician Belinda Stronach
1972 [35] Jenny McCarthy, Chicago IL, movie actress ("Scary Movie 3", "Scream 3")/1994 "Playboy" 'Playmate of the Year'/movie actor Jim Carrey's girlfriend
1972 [35] Toni Collette, Sydney, Australia, movie actress ("Little Miss Sunshine", "The Hours")
1973 [34] Aishwarya Rai, Mangalore, India, Bollywood movie star ("The Last Legion", "Bride & Prejudice")
• "All Hallows" or "All Saints' Day" (begun in 835 AD), a Roman Catholic 'Holy Day of Obligation' (aren't they all?). It's a national holiday in the Philippines, when families gather to honor the dead … but it sometimes gets out of control. Filipino police have been cracking down on drunkenness, gambling and kidnapping … in graveyards.
• "Dia de los Muertos" ("Day of the Dead") in Mexico. Actually the observance covers 2 days – TODAY, "All Saints Day", is set aside for remembrance of deceased infants and children ('angelitos'). TOMORROW, "All Soul's Day", is for those who died as adults. For a memorial observance it's pretty festive, with colorful adornments, lively reunions at family burial plots, fireworks, and special foods. Departed souls are remembered with 'Dead Men's Bread' which is decorated with sugar skulls. ("Please Mom, can I have the eye socket?")
• "Family Literacy Day", the 14th annual showcasing family literacy programs across the country.
NET: http://www.famlit.org
• "Men Make Dinner Day", the 1 guaranteed meal cooked by the man-of-the-house each year. Sure millions of guys make dinner for their families on a regular basis, but this day is for the last remaining neanderthal homes where they don't.
NET: http://www.menmakedinnerday.com/
• "National Authors Day" in America, observed since 1929. It's the 'write' time to appreciate the great minds who touch lives with the color of words.
• "Vegan World Day", an international focal point for celebrating veganism, a term invented by Donald Watson in 1944. This is the 63rd anniversary of 'The Vegan Society', whose members do not eat meat, fish, dairy products, eggs, or any other animal product; they are sometimes called 'strict vegetarians'. In fact, true vegans do not use ANY products derived from animals, such as fur or leather. (Hey, nice plastic shoes, dude!)
NET: http://www.worldveganday.org/
1939 [68] The poem (and later song) "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" 1st appears in a promotional pamphlet for Chicago's Montgomery Ward department store
1969 [38] Elvis Presley hits #1 on the "Billboard" magazine 'Hot 100′ chart for the final time (during his life) with "Suspicious Minds"
1924 [83] 1st US-based NHL franchise is founded (Boston Bruins)
1946 [61] 1st 'Basketball Association of America' (later changed to NBA) game as NY Knickerbockers defeat Toronto Huskies 68-66 (seats go for 75 cents … a tad less than what the Raptors now charge)
1952 [55] 1st English TV play-by-play of NHL (Foster Hewitt announces Boston @ Toronto)
1959 [48] 1st NHL goaltender to wear a 'Goalie Mask' (Jacques Plante-Montréal Canadiens)
1913 [94] 1st 'Forward Pass' in football (Knute Rochne's Notre Dame Fighting Irish use it to beat Army 35-13)
1914 [93] 1st 'Modern Bra' invented by Mary Jacob of NYC
1966 [41] NFL awards New Orleans Saints a franchise on "All Saints Day"
[Fri] Plan Your Epitaph Day
[Fri] Zero Tasking Day
[Fri] "American Gangster"; "Bee Movie"; "Martian Child" open in movie theaters
[Sat] Housewives' Day
[Sun] New York City Marathon
[Sun] Daylight Saving Time ends (2 am)
[Sun] "The Amazing Race 12" debuts
This Week Is … World Communication Week
This Month Is … Celebrate Empty Nester Month
• Britney Spears … nothing, this isn't a day when kids are allowed at her house.
• Jay Leno … résumés.
• Alec Baldwin … a damn good scolding for those thoughtless little pigs!
• Nicole Richie … food, never used.
• Heather Mills … more of Paul's money.
• Orlando Bloom … the keys to his car.
• Kate Hudson … Chris Robinson's possessions.
• Marilyn Manson …wasn't home, took his girlfriend trick-or-treating.
• Do vegans eat animal crackers?
• Why are they called 'stands' when they're made for sitting?
• Can you have just one 'phernalia' or does it only come in pairs?
• Is there reserved parking for non-disabled people at the 'Special Olympics'?
• If 75% of all accidents happen within 5 miles of home, why not move 10 miles away?
• How come the kids got the most candy last night at the dentist's house down the block?
I found a really cheap little winery off the beaten path. They make wine out of raisins so you don't have to wait for it to age.
Today's Question: Hey guys, if you want your woman to do more of THIS, marry her don't just live with her.
Answer to Give Out Next Show: Housework.
The world is divided into haves and have nots … those who have a sense of humor and those who do not.


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Holiday Cheer in Toronto—The City's Architectural Boom
Over the past five years, Toronto has enjoyed an architectural renaissance, with Daniel Libeskind's bold addition to the block-long stone and brick Royal Ontario Museum, Frank Gehry's tasteful redesign of the Art Gallery of Ontario, and hometown favorite, Jack Diamond's acoustically perfect opera house, the Four Seasons Centre. Outside the ROM, shards of aluminum and ribbons of glass jut out onto the sidewalk with knife-like precision, without care or need for right angles. Libeskind's whimsy lends itself well to the child-like intrigue that one can't help but muster when visiting the mind-boggling collection of wares inside the ROM. More than a mere natural history museum with requisite brontosaurus skeleton, the ROM has a vast collection of gems and treasures from ancient Egypt, Greece, and China. On display until January 6, 2013, is the exhibition "Ultimate Dinosaurs: Giants from Gondwana." The show displays bizarre dinosaurs, virtually unknown to North Americans, before they were discovered in South American and Africa.
Highlights of Frank Gehry's new addition at the Art Gallery of Ontario include a stairwell that extends outside the blue titanium back wall to reward guests with vistas over Grange Park. And Galleria Italia on the second floor, a large lounge where ribs of soft Douglas fir curve upward, as if you've just entered the inverted hull of a ship. A spacious gallery devoted to the sculptures of Henry Moore and landscapes by the Group of Seven, highly regarded Canadian painters from the 1920s, are a small sampling of the impressive works found at the AGO. But I'll be headed there this morning to view the latest blockbuster exhibition, "Frida & Diego: Passion, Politics, and Painting." This rare showcase of 155 works by and about the artists Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera was created primarily from the collection of Mexico's Museo Dolores Olmeda. It's only on view through January 20, 2013, so find a way to get to Toronto soon.


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I found this through a TLSP LiveJournal community:
http://www.uncensoredinterview.com/arti ... ets?page=1
Just a selection of super brief interviews with them, but they're fun to watch. My favorite part is probably in "Someone Else's Worry" when Alex's eyes buldge out of his head right at the end... too cute. And the "Could You Say That Again Please?" video is so peculiar that I couldn't help but laugh.


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I have no idea what to make of Shia LaBeouf. The controversy swirling around the young actor continued when on Friday, LaBeouf tweeted that he would forever be retiring from the public eye. Why would such a young up and coming actor/director do such a thing? To catch you up, LaBeouf was accused last month of plagiarism.
LaBeouf "wrote" and directed a short film, called HowardCantour.com, that was later found to be a complete rip-off of the graphic novella Justin M. Damiano by artist Dan Clowes. Apparently there are parts of the film literally lifted out of the novel, leaving very little reason to believe that LaBeouf didn't know he was plagiarizing the work.
When it came to light, at first LaBeouf was reluctant to apologize or to say anything about compensation for Clowes. He merely said he was truly inspired by the work of Clowes, and what's so wrong with that? But inspiration and blatant copycatting are very different. Naturally, Clowes has filed a lawsuit against the actor, which moved the entire story into the public eye. At first LaBeouf didn't say much of much, unless you count his random acts of tweeting as forms of apology, which many people do. (My favorite tweet from this period is #original.) But he did eventually say sorry various times to the artists, again via Twitter, and admit his mistake.
On New Year's Day, LaBeouf took it one step further and hired a skywriting company to write, "I am sorry Daniel Clowes" across the Los Angeles skies.
CLOUD: - vapor floating in the atmosphere - remote servers used to SHARE DATA - to make LESS CLEAR or TRANSPARENT pic.twitter.com/jw9JlEi791
— Shia LaBeouf (@thecampaignbook) January 1, 2014
It might have been nice for Clowes, except he lives in San Francisco. But seemingly skywriting an apology didn't help at all, as one might think it would, and so LaBeouf has folded his cards and told the world that he's done with everyone. He even, once again, expressed his sentiments in skywriting with the phrase #stopcreating splayed across the sky. I wonder if he has some kind of discount club card with a skywriting company.
Quite a few people, some celebrities including Patton Oswalt and Lena Duham, have taken to the interwebs to publicly lambast LeBeouf for his immaturity and bad apology skills. Call me crazy, but I feel slightly bad for him.
The actor got his start on the Disney Channel portraying Louis Stevens on the hit show Even Stevens. Unlike some of his other Disney comrades, he shook the moniker off pretty quickly with a series of film roles. Also unlike some of his Disney colleagues, it never felt like LeBeouf needed to prove that he wasn't Disney anymore; he just wasn't, and he never bashed Disney either. He has always credited his success to the company. His film roles have waxed and waned, from the critically acclaimed Holes to the moneymaking Transformers series to the not that awful Wall Street sequel among others.
This story continues on the next page.
In 2009, LeBeouf teamed up with rapper Cage and directed the music video for "I Never Knew You." The video is haunting and rather well-done, and at the time I recall thinking, "Well that's kind of awesome that Cage and Shia LeBeouf are friends." It gave me a new respect for the actor-turn-director. He went on to do a few other videos with Cage as well as rapper Kid Cudi.
I even enjoyed his role in the 2012 bootlegger movie Lawless, although I might be in the minority. Regardless, I was shocked by this whole LeBeoufgate (It's OK to use the term "gate" for everything now, didn't you get the memo?).
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This incident is not his first offense in plagiarism, however, and perhaps everyone slamming him is right to do so. More than anything, I think Shia LeBeouf has less of a copycat issue and more of a juvenile crisis management issue. Don't get me wrong, taking the work of someone else and slapping your name on it is one of the worst offenses I can think of for a creative person to do. That being said, celebrities do awful, terrible things all the time and for some reason they eventually are forgiven. We keep letting Mel Gibson walk around and his transgressions top the chart.
But how do you get yourself out of this mess now if you are LeBeouf? He said he quit, which again is a rather immature response to spending a few weeks in a negative light.
I think the real issue is LeBeouf's age and that he thought taking someone else's work was no big deal. I would guess that being a child actor has something to do with it --thinking you deserve anything that you want -- but even more than that I think that our current state of popular culture has more to do with his issues. We're at this point where tweeting apologies in 140 characters is deemed a good response to crisis management. The interconnected society loves snark and our modern version of irony; what's snarkier than saying you're sorry via skywriting? It's bound to get attention and maybe even a laugh that leads to a "Oh that Shia! He's a good guy," which I assume was the response he was looking for. Celebrities don't really say sorry, they have people to do that for them.
I hope that LeBeouf learns a valuable lesson from all of this that the world is not yours for the taking without asking permission and that you are not immune to being cast out, but I hope that he after a few months he comes back and does something better -- something that he actually created himself.


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Complex3 Therapy Cream
Complex 3 Therapy Cream™ is a safe topical cream containing scientifically-proven ingredients that have anti-bacterial, antiseptic, anti-oxidant properties. This unique formula approved by Health Canada as a safe, effective, high quality product was given a NPN. It is free from parabens, sulphates, mineral oil, and phthalates. This cream instantly goes to work to soothe, calm and heal skin, and is readily absorbed with no greasy after feel.
Provides relief for minor skin irritations and itching due to rashes, eczema, burns, skin conditions and more…
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- Reduces redness, itching associated with eczema/psoriasis
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Medicinal Ingredient: Colloidal Oatmeal
Non- Medicinal Ingredients: Water, Shea Butter, Calcium Carbonate, Hemp Seed Oil, Caprylyl Glycol, Carbomer, Safflower Seed Oil, Cetearyl Olivate, Grapefruit Peel Oil, lemon Seed Oil, Tangerine Peel Oil, Glycerin, Sunflower Seed Oil, Mango Seed Butter, Phenylpropanol, Propanediol, Rosemary Leaf Extract, Sodium hydroxide, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Sorbitan Olivate, Tocopherol, Grape Seed Oil
Usage: May apply topically as often as needed to affected area
Colloidal Oatmeal: is a natural anti-irritant, that gives a silky smooth feel to the skin. It helps to soothe skin that may be red, itchy, or cracked due to rashes, eczema and more. It also helps soothe sensitive skin due to over exposure to sun.
Calcium: The Calcium is extracted from an organic source from the Atlantic Ocean. Because calcium is fundamental to the cellular health and growth of all living organisms, it is elemental to the health of the largest organ in the human body, our skin.
Hemp Seed Oil: The fats or lipids found in hemp seed oil are similar to those found in the skin, and contain the rare gamma- linolenic acid (GLA) which is very beneficial to skin and acts as a natural anti-inflammatory. Hemp seed oil can also lesson the redness and irritation of acne breakouts. It absorbs quickly and does not block the pores but will actually help the skin balance oil production as in acne-prone skin.
60 ml. / 2 oz.
(Weight is .1 kg.)


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Knock Knock
Things You Do That Really P**** Me Off Checklist
$ 9.00
In the spirit of our bestselling pads "Things You Must Do to Make Me Happy" and "Happier," we thought we'd take a look at the darker side. Even the saintliest among us get pissed off sometimes-what better way to express our peeves to loved ones?
- Check off single items or entire groups of behaviors!
- Recipients will appreciate the feedback and use it to better themselves!


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- About
- Find A Solar Energy Expert
- Join FlaSEIA
- Laws & Licensing
- Policy
- News
- Events
Solar Trek, Inc. has been installing high-quality renewable energy systems since 1981. Starting as a small manufacturer of Solar Thermo-Siphon Water Heaters, Solar Trek, Inc. has evolved as a leader in the renewable energy field with solar pool heating, solar domestic hot water, and solar electric.
Vince Biel, the owner of Solar Trek Inc., has been in the renewable energy field for over 28 years. Supported by wife and co-owner Pat Biel, Solar Trek, Inc. has stood the test of time, as many companies have come and gone. Renewable energy to the Biel's, is a way of life and not a passing fad. Vince has acted as consultant and designer for several manufacturers, because of his knowledge and understanding of the dynamics of solar energy and solar energy systems. Notable installations include the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, the Florida Governor's mansion in 2007, and most recently, representing FlaSEIA, the installation of Tallahassee's first commercial solar electric system. Pat Biel is active in giving back to the community as a volunteer and sponsor of many community projects.


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Plano — Carey Jane Hardy's play Let It Be Me tells the story of a crisis point for a caretaker living with and through a loved one's Alzheimer's. For its area premiere at Theatre Britain, Sue Birch has directed it with elegance and care.
The action unfolds on a set by Anthonka Ferdinand that is smart, efficient and appealing.
Amy (Octavia Y Thomas) lives with and cares for her Aunt Sylvia (Ivy Opdyke) who is losing her memories more rapidly. Amy's cousin Colin (Christian R. Black) loves Aunt Sylvia, but he doesn't visit often which leaves the primary responsibility for Sylvia's care to Amy. Sylvia cannot be left unattended so Amy does not venture out very often. When she does, her close friend Kate (Marilyn Setu) or neighbor Trixie (Dana Harrison) will sit with Sylvia for her.
While browsing a quaint bookstore on one of those rare excursions, Amy finds three books, one of which appears to have value but she's not certain. Colin refers her to an expert, Gregory (Robert San Juan), who visits to appraise the book. That first meeting develops into a love match for Gregory and Amy. The challenge becomes how to nurture the truest romantic relationship of her life while also providing 24/7 care for her aunt.
Opdyke's portrayal of Sylvia is achingly honest. The small almost imperceptible shifts in and out of lucidity are graceful and lovely to watch. Thomas presents Amy as an empathetic character, but not pitiable. Her Amy simmers with unreleased passion mixed with intense loyalty. She effectively brings to light the dilemma for the caretaker facing an irresolvable challenge. San Juan is effusive and charming as Gregory, moving back and forth between understanding and frustration with palpable tension. While his dialogues with Amy are delightful it is his scene with Sylvia that is difficult to watch yet hard to look away. His face pixelates with the character's discovery.
These three actors handle the heaviness of the characters' story in a way that demonstrates understanding and respect. Setu, Black and Harrison effectively diffuse that heaviness with humor, especially Kate. Through them the effects of Alzheimer's beyond the immediate caretaker is explored and a caretaker's need for assistance, reinforced.
According to the Alzheimer's Association, 35 percent of caregivers report that their health has declined due to their care responsibilities. This is almost double the reported experiences of caretakers for older individuals without dementia. Baby boomers are the second largest (behind millennials) segment of the U.S. population at 74.9 million. Carey Jane Hardy's play differs from others on this topic because it focuses on the selflessness of the caretaker.
Theatre Britain's choice of Let It Be Me for their last season is a timely and perceptive gift of love to their audience.


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The condenser array temperature readings using 12v powered gauges which are probably PT100.
They read to 150*C max. I aim to have the diesel reading higher than the shown reading to drive of volatile fractions down to the petrol condenser. Because I don't require petrol the shown temperature of little more than ambient may have helped power the turk burner with gases.
The turk was able to be powered mainly by gases once it was up to temperature. Continuous run in excess of 2 hours gas was nice.
Full speed for the diesel flow was recorded at 1 liter per minute but that rate couldn't be maintained as any incoming feedstock cooled the retort.
Full story shortly as I find time...


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Protected Planet is the most up to date and complete source of information on protected areas, updated monthly with submissions from governments, non-governmental organizations, landowners and communities. It is managed by the United Nations Environment World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC) with support from IUCN and its World Commission on Protected Areas (WCPA).
It is a publicly available online platform where users can discover terrestrial and marine protected areas, access related statistics and download data from the World Database on Protected Areas (WDPA).
Protected Planet enables a spectrum of users to use existing protected area data for information-based decision making, policy development, and business and conservation planning. Businesses in a range of sectors including mining, oil and gas, and finance can use WDPA data to identify biodiversity risks and opportunities of a given project. Conservation planners can use the information to predict the outcomes of various proposals and focus on initiatives and areas that are most likely to result in positive impacts. The US Agency for International Development (USAID) uses the Millennium Challenge Corporation's (MCC) annual policy performance scorecards to inform decisions on allocations on funds; MCC uses the WDPA in its indicator to measure the effectiveness of policies related to Natural Resource Protection. The goals of Protected Planet are that :
- The Protected Planet Initiative informs decision-making and enhances action;
- The Protected Planet Initiative is the global platform for the communication, exchange, acquisition and analysis of knowledge and data on the status and trends of protected areas;
- The Protected Planet Initiative provides the world's policy-makers with the best possible information on protected areas and their value for conserving biodiversity and ecosystem services, and supporting human communities.
In addition to serving as a business, conservation and aid investment planning tool, Protected Planet provides the basis for monitoring and reporting on progress towards international environmental targets such as the Aichi Biodiversity Targets and the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals. Every two years, UNEP-WCMC releases the Protected Planet Report on the status of the world's protected areas and recommendations on how to meet international goals and targets.
To make the database more accessible and user-friendly, in 2015 and again in 2016 the United Nations Environment World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC) made some improvements to the online platform, including streamlining the download process and making improvements to the search function. Now, users can access statistics and other information on specific countries, and compare between countries. The website improvements have led to an eight-fold increase in the number of dataset downloads from the site, from 6,000 in 2014 to 47,348 in 2015.


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By Cindy Wooden, Catholic News Service
VATICAN CITY (CNS) — In giving priority to Gregorian chant and to classical liturgical music, the Catholic Church is not trying to limit anyone's creativity but is showcasing a tradition of beautiful prayer, Pope Benedict XVI wrote.
Music at Mass should reflect the fact that the liturgy "is primarily the action of God through the church, which has its history, its rich tradition and its creativity," the pope said in a letter marking the 100th anniversary of the Pontifical Institute of Sacred Music.
In the letter, released by the Vatican May 31, the pope wrote that sometimes people have presented Gregorian chant and traditional church music as expressions "to be overcome or disregarded because they limited the freedom and creativity of the individual or community."
But, he said, when people recognize that the liturgy does not belong to an individual or parish as much as it belongs to the church, then they begin to understand how, while some expressions of local culture are appropriate, priority should be given to expressions of the church's universal culture.
He said music used at Mass must convey a "sense of prayer, dignity and beauty," should help the faithful enter into prayer — including through use of music that reflects their culture — and should keep alive the tradition of Gregorian chant and polyphony.
Editor's note: Here is the report of the Vatican Information Service on this letter which was sent in conjunction with the festivities around the 100th anniversary of the Pontifical Institute of Scred Music. — awr


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Elevio is a tool which enables you to bring all of your content and support right into our sidebar, your users will never have to leave your LMS again for help.
This means bringing your knowledge base, support, chat and more, all to the one place. With elevio installed your users can get all the help they need without having to go looking for it, and you can serve support more streamlined than ever before.
Create amazing knowledge base articles for your users, or sync with Zendesk, Freshdesk, Help Scout and User Voice. Users can create and manage their tickets, without leaving your site.
1) Go to elev.io (https://elev.io/) website and create an account.
2) After registration, click on "Do it now" button under option "Install elevio in your website"
3) Expand the "Installation code" tab and copy the CID number as shown below:
4) Login to your LMS and go to "Account & Settings" --> "Extensions". Scroll down and find elev.io integration. Paste the CID number you have copied in the above step and move the slider to 'On' position. Finally, 'Save' your settings.
You will now see the new "HELP" menu on the right side.
You can now create knowledge base articles and enable your modules and integrations at https://app.elev.io/.


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Team USA takes Gold, Silver in Women's Doubles at World Championships
HENDERSON, Nev. - Team USA swept the silver and gold medals in the women's doubles Thursday at the 2013 World Tenpin Bowling Association World Championships.
Stefanie Nation and Shannon O'Keefe defeated teammates Missy Parkin and Kelly Kulick, 482-438, in the gold-medal match at Sunset Station's Strike Zone Bowling Center. Venezuela's Karen Marcano and Alicia Marcano shared the bronze medal with Australia's Ann-Maree Putney and Carol Gianotti.
Nation and O'Keefe built a 30-pin lead in the championship match and secured the win when O'Keefe struck in the final frame. Nation fired a 258 game, while O'Keefe shot 224. Kulick had 245, and Parkin shot 193.
"Obviously you want to win, but when you bowl your teammates it takes a little of the pressure off because you know your country is going to win no matter what," O'Keefe said. "It's hard to describe what it feels like to do what you love and represent your country like this."
Nation threw seven strikes in a row from the second frame to the eighth in the title match and bowled a clean game en route to the gold medal.
"Winning a gold medal for your country is amazing, and this just feels awesome," Nation said. "At the end of the day, we wanted the U.S. to win and that's what happened."
In the semifinals, Kulick fired the first 300 game by a woman in this year's World Championships as she and Parkin defeated the Venezuelans, 483-373. O'Keefe and Nation advanced to the final match by knocking off the Australians, 469-430.
The four teams advanced to the semifinals by virtue of their performances in the six games of qualifying earlier in the day. The Marcano sisters fired a blistering 2,880, a 240 average, to lead the qualifying. The score was just 21 pins short of the World Championships record.
The action shifts to the first round of the men's trios event Friday at the World Championships. All rounds of the World Championships are being broadcast live on BOWL.com's BowlTV.
For more information on the WTBA World Championships, visit BOWL.com/World2013.
United States Bowling Congress
The United States Bowling Congress serves as the national governing body for the sport. USBC is a membership organization that provides standardized rules, regulations and benefits to make bowling fair and fun for everyone.
The interactive home of USBC is BOWL.com. Go to twitter.com/USBC for the fastest USBC headlines.
At Sunset Station's Strike Zone Bowling Center, Henderson, Nev.
Thursday's results
(Winner earns gold, loser gets silver)
Stefanie Nation/Shannon O'Keefe, United States def. Missy Parkin/Kelly Kulick, United States, 482-438
(Winners advance, losers tie for bronze)
Nation/O'Keefe def. Ann-Maree Putney/Carol Gianotti, Australia, 469-430
Parkin/Kulick def. Karen Marcano/Alicia Marcano, Venezuela, 483-373


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10-Day Art Sale!
I have some exciting announcements! One of which is that I'm MOVING TO CALIFORNIA! I am very excited. And I can use your help. I'm having a 10-day Art Sale on my online store. If you've ever wanted to buy some of my art, this is a good time to do it! Everything is 30% off until June 9th! Use CODE: 10day for the discount!