text:
Originally from Jackson, Mississippi, attorney Alicia Faucette is a graduate of The University of Mississippi School of Law. Ms. Faucette received her undergraduate degree in English from the University of Mississippi as well. Ms. Faucette has numerous honors as a public speaker. As an undergraduate, she was a member of the University Speech Team, winning over 30 regional top speaker awards. Ms. Faucette was also a national qualifier in the debate competitions held by the American Forensics Association.
After graduating from law school, Ms. Faucette worked as an assistant district attorney at the Douglas County District Attorney's Office, where she prosecuted numerous felony cases. Ms. Faucette later left the District Attorney's Office and began working as a bankruptcy attorney for one of the largest bankruptcy filers in Atlanta, Georgia, where she gained invaluable experience handling thousands of Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 bankruptcy cases.
Armed with criminal and bankruptcy law expertise, as well as extensive trial experience, Ms. Faucette decided to establish The Faucette Law Firm to provide clients not only with excellent legal representation, but also superior customer service. Ms. Faucette not only has developed a reputation for providing aggressive trial representation to her clients, but she is also known for her unwavering dedication and accessibility to her clients. Ms. Faucette strives to provide her clients with the representation they need and the service they deserve.
The information on this website is for general information purposes only. Nothing on this site should be taken as legal advice for any individual case or situation. This information is not intended to create, and receipt or viewing does not constitute, an attorney-client relationship.


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As we approached the half-year mark, I recognized that I needed to regroup with my internal stakeholders to make adjustments around what we would be delivering for the second half of the year.
You could argue that the half-way point through a calendar year is a somewhat arbitrary juncture, but nevertheless it provided me with a good checkpoint opportunity. Since the beginning of the year, my team had planned, built, tested and delivered product updates through several releases. Before we commenced with the next cycle, I wanted to revisit our priorities and review any significant changes in the business that would require some course correction in the product roadmap.
What drove this decision
I was confident that the Product team had been addressing the full range of demands and that we would continue to balance stakeholders' priorities as we were all committed to satisfying our end customers' needs.
We had already begun to carve out big plans for the next 6-9 months and some of them would require significant investment. I knew we were aligned with individual departments but over time, the various department heads had lost sight of what was most urgent for their peers. It would be more difficult for me to deliver and promote an updated product roadmap without some preliminary group consensus at the topmost level.
The decision: Organize and facilitate a product strategy summit with all the department leaders to revisit and rebalance priorities.
I will be the first to admit that the word "summit" sounds a bit lofty (pun intended) but I assure you this was not some trumped up, off site boondoggle - I'm saving that for my big end of year 1st Annual Product Strategy Retreat.
My goal was simply to get all the department VPs and some key Directors in the same room and run through a formal, Product-focused agenda. I wanted to use the time to review the roadmap choices we had made over the last 6 months (some good, some bad) and continue to push the company to pursue sound product investment decisions.
Balancing 3 related concerns: curb appeal, interior living space, and structural foundation
In the many discussions I had been having with the different departments leading up to this summit, it became increasingly clear that there was a lack of mutual appreciation, if not basic understanding of what was driving the other departments' priorities. A number of the stakeholders were out of touch.
I wanted to share this insight with the invitees but in a way that didn't offend or alienate a particular group. In the summit invite, I offered the following apartment building metaphor to help explain the different, but complementary perspectives of each group:
- Sales wants the building to have massive curb appeal, to look good from the outside so as to increase the chances of attracting new customers.
- Customer Success wants all our new tenants to have a smooth move-in experience and to enjoy living in their new home for many years.
- Operations wants to make sure the building itself can safely support all the tenants and their various housing needs.
And of course everyone in the organization should be focused on increasing customer satisfaction as it will lead to renewals and referrals!
Plan of attack
Setting proper expectations: everybody wins! everyone loses!
I started the meeting by setting expectations for the group - which largely meant telling them that no one was going to get everything they wanted. The summit was an exercise rooted in compromise. I told them that it was equally important for them to defend their own priorities as it was to become more aware of what the other departments were struggling with.
The bulk of our time in the summit was spent prioritizing a lengthy list of wish list items. To kick things off, though, I offered an assessment of the past six months to remind everyone why we built the things we did and to get some feedback.
Review the roadmap themes for the year
I first presented the product strategy I had introduced at the beginning of the year that outlined how I would be making decisions for the next 12 months. Specifically, I highlighted the roadmap themes that were established back then and verified with the group that we were still confident in those decision-making guidelines.
Review 1st six months
Building on the initial validation from the group, I proceeded to show how the recent product decisions we had made were in line with the roadmap themes. This brief, high level review of the advancements we had made in our product portfolio over the past 6 months provided an ideal opportunity to explore queries such as:
- How accurate was the original plan and how close did we come to hitting our targets/metrics?
- Are the major initiatives still on track or have there been new insights that require us to adjust our course?
- What have we learned about estimating work, about dependencies, about our ability to accurately respond to customer demand?
I was certainly pleased to hear the group confirm that the first half of the year was largely productive and that we had been made solid product investment decisions.
First pass at prioritization
From the Trello board I created to capture individual wish lists for the different departments, I pulled the top 30-40 cards to start the prioritization exercise. The first step was to bucket the items into either one of only two lists: High Priority or Low Priority.
This first pass proved to be relatively easy for the group. I was pleased to see the Low Priority list ultimately accumulate many more cards which meant the final pass would be that much easier.
Overall, it was a constructive discussion. None of the participants were particularly unreasonable and did not fight excessively for their own items. I did occasionally use the following prompt when we seemed to be getting stuck: "Can we get through the second half of the year without spending any time on this item?" That was often the only nudging that was required to properly bucket the topic.
Crash course on product constraints
I had prepared a break in the summit schedule in case we needed a cooling off period - and intentionally scheduled the catered lunch to arrive during the break. It turned out there hadn't been that much contention so I instead used the break to revisit some of our constraints and to remind the group about why the next half of the exercise was going to be frustrating for all. Specifically, I talked briefly about the following topics:
- Our true development capacity - what we should really expect from the current size and skill level of our Engineering teams. Read more about setting expectations around Engineering capacity here.
- Software's total cost of ownership - how each line of code we add requires more of our company's resources from Product, Engineering and QA all the way through documentation, support, and training.
- Opportunity costs - each time we agree to start building something new, we must recognize how that will limit our ability to respond to the next "must have" requirement (yeah Sales, I'm talking to you!)
I can't be sure if all the messages landed on point with the entire group but it was my meeting and I was going to take advantage of this ideal product soapbox opportunity.
Final pass at prioritization
In the home stretch, the group now turned its attention to reviewing the much shorter High Priority list (14 items, down from 40). One by one, I went around the table to get individual input. I guided the group by having each of them select 1 primary item and 1-2 backup items.
When we had finished the final pass, we had arrived at a prioritization list that had mutual support from all departments. And I had a clear indication of how I would be adjusting the Product Roadmap for the second half of the year.
The impact
Not only did we finish the full exercise (on time no less) with a shared prioritization list but I was told afterwards by the group members that it was one of the more amicable and productive meetings around product direction in which they had participated in recent memory.
I made it clear to the group that the summit was not designed to immediately produce a new or updated roadmap. It would take me more time to work through the items on the High Priority list and factor everything into the Product Roadmap for the second half of the year. Still, I would like to believe the outcome of the summit extended beyond achieving consensus around particular product priorities. I think it represented a milestone for advancing inter-departmental agreement. Maybe next time, I'll refer to it as a Product Peace Accord.
Look for more reports from theProductPath around feature prioritization, product strategy, and managing stakeholders here on PM Decisions.

subset: commoncrawl


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It is surprising how many foods that we do not find magic really have super powers. Some of them could be found in your fridge even now! What is it exactly that makes some certain foods so special?
Obviously, all foods that are rich in vitamins, minerals, important fatty acids, antioxidants and other nutrients can definitely be considered magic. These superfoods can protect your organism from various diseases. Eating them regularly can lower the level of cholesterol, wash out toxins, improve metabolism and solve many other problems. The foods you are going to read about are not exotic and can be easily found in your local store. Include them in your diet to stay healthy longer!
1. Eggs
Egg whites are pure protein. This product is the champion of superfoods that provide us with all necessary nutrients. Eating eggs can improve the quality of your blood. They are also recommended as a source of vitamin B12, vitamin A and folate. Besides, the above mentioned nutrients, eggs contain about 11 other essential vitamins and minerals.


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Get Started
Course Description
General Ethics for CPAs
This general ethics course provides an overview of ethical thought as well as the core values of the CPA profession and the application of these values to ethical reasoning. The reformatted AICPA Code of Professional Conduct is used as a basis for ethical conduct for CPAs and case studies are used to reinforce concepts. Additionally, the ethical requirements of CPA tax practitioners under Treasury Department Circular No. 230 are also covered in the course materials.
This General Ethics course qualifies for 4 hours of ethics CPE in states that do not require a state-
specific ethics course. More about state ethice CPE requirements


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So last week my sister, my mum and I decided to take ourselves off there for a good old fashioned girls day out. Luckily it was one of the only days where we had no rain so managed to get some good shots of the town and thought I'd share with you all what the 'other St Ives'' looks like.
It may not have the stunning seaside views of it's Cornish sister but it does have the Great River Ouse running through it and a very beautiful old bridge that crosses it.
When you get to the other side of the bridge you are greeted by the view of this beautiful old building which houses the quaintest english tea room with views onto the river.Once in to the main part of the town you will find little narrow streets like this.
Where you can find some unique boutiques that sell cute little frocks like these, very CK but without the price tag!
Or an old english pub to quench your thirst.
Lots of painted narrowboats travel up and down the river providing lovely eye candy whilst you sit with your afternoon cream tea.
And the other great thing about our St Ives is they have 9, yes 9, different Charity Shops. What more can I say! xx


text:
Chat online trough your cell phone and send instant message to your friends or colleagues. Keep in touch even when you're on the go and away from home. Chat free with friends, and see social updates using Slick on your mobile phone.
Install Slick on your phone and keep the conversation going for as long as you want for free. Connect to ICQ, Yahoo, Facebook chat, AIM, Windows Live Messenger, Google Talk, Jabber chat networks all at once.
Slick instant messenger is available for Symbian, Windows Mobile and Android smart phones. Mobile Internet connection through GSM or Wifi is necessary.
* Supported protocols: ICQ, Yahoo, Facebook chat, AIM, MSN, Google Talk, Jabber
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Like new, POND VIEW, fully furnished and air conditioned condo unit. Move in ready, first floor, two bedroom, one bath that is an open, warm concept design and paint colors, bright lighting and modern flooring throughout. Wood shaker cabinets with soft close door and drawers and granite counter tops. Linoleum flooring in kitchen, bathroom and entry and carpet in living room and bedrooms. This unit is 15 minutes to Century Park, 15 minutes to Airport, 5 minutes to Anthony Henday Drive, ETS bus stop across the street as well as on James Mowatt Trail, and public school within walking distance. Heritage Valley Town Centre shopping with Real Canadian Superstore and Shoppers Drug Mart, plus more, one block south. A fire station is 5 minutes to the west as well as the proposed new hospital on 127th Street. This unit also has one outdoor parking stall with plug-in.
Heritage Valley Town Centre Area
Laundry-In-Suite, No Smoking Home, Parking-Visitor
Dishwasher-Built-In, Dryer, Microwave Hood Cover, Refrigerator, Stove-Electric, Washer, Window Coverings
Landscaped, Schools, Shopping Nearby
Courtesy Of Kaylie Cole Of Purplebricks
Courtesy Of Kaylie Cole Of Purplebricks.
Listing information last updated on November 14th, 2019 at 1:31am MST.


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A Wonderful Fall Craft Using Toilet Paper Rolls
This DIY tutorial is a great way to get yourself in the mood for this Fall. As the days start getting colder, indoor crafts can be quite tempting. With only … Read More
This DIY tutorial is a great way to get yourself in the mood for this Fall. As the days start getting colder, indoor crafts can be quite tempting. With only … Read More
Less mess, less waste and less hassle…these are just a few benefits of these ingenious hacks. From speed peeling potatoes to opening a bottle of cola (or beer) without a … Read More
These are some of the most incredible vertical vegetable gardening ideas you will ever see. If you have an odd shaped garden, lack of planting space, or just want to … Read More
Master the kitchen with these 45 ingenious hacks that everyone should know. From keeping your cookies perfectly moist and scrumptious to peeling a whole head of garlic in just a … Read More
Sometimes knowing exactly what you want can be tougher than actually doing it… but this guy knew exactly what he wanted to do with his empty yard. The result is … Read More
These Anthropologie inspired glasses ooze style and class but without the hefty price tag. Not to mention you can create a color pallet personally to suit your tastes and décor. … Read More
Mason jars are used in so many crafty projects these days, we just love the DIY's that people come up with. We think this DIY in particular is amazing, not … Read More
Women everywhere will find these 11 life hacks extremely helpful! Not only will they save you time and money, they are also pretty neat, so don't forget to tell your … Read More
The dollar store can be the most expensive store going, as soon as you're in there you'll see plenty of items you want to buy. Make sure you're buying the … Read More
Cleaning up the yard for the last time, tidying all the kids toys away and putting the cover on the BBQ isn't all you should be doing when Fall comes … Read More


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Systima's capability to provide quick turnaround and full service engineering, prototyping, development, testing, and production is unmatched. Our engineering and production process, combined with in-house manufacturing, assembly and test facilities, allows us to assure our customers first rate quality service and products on time, every time.
Industry leading solutions for systems requiring the highest level of quality, testing and documentation. Proven production processes applied to the production of satellite components, human rated spacecraft components, aircraft structures and aircraft electromechanical systems. These systems are validated with high level in-house Lot Acceptance Testing.
Our quick-turn, comprehensive engineering services include extensive analysis and simulation allowing for design validation prior to fabricating. This approach reduces development time, costs and risk, while assuring a top quality product.


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|Texas Tech University football
|Current season
|First season
|Athletic director
|Gerald Myers
|Head coach
|Tommy Tuberville
|1 year, 0–0 (–)
|Home stadium
|Jones AT&T Stadium
|Stadium capacity
|Stadium surface
|Lubbock, Texas
|Big 12
|All-time record
|505–391–32 (.561)
|Postseason bowl record
|Conference titles
|Division titles
|Consensus All-Americans
|Current uniform
|Scarlet and Black
|Fight song
|Fight, Raiders, Fight
|The Masked
Rider /
Raider Red
|Marching band
|Goin' Band from Raiderland
|Texas A&M football rivalry
|Texas Tech Red Raiders
Texas Tech Red Raiders football program is a college football team that represents Texas Tech University (variously "Tech" or "TTU"). The team is currently a member of the Big 12 Conference, which is a Division I Bowl Subdivision (formerly Division I-A) of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). The program began in 1925 and has an overall winning record, including a total of eleven conference titles. On January 10, 2010, Tommy Tuberville became the team's head coach, replacing Mike Leach. Home games are played at Jones AT&T Stadium in Lubbock, Texas.[2]
Texas Tech played its first intercollegiate football game on October 3, 1925. The contest, against McMurry University, ended in a controversial 0–0 tie. Tech's Elson Archibald seemed to have kicked a game-winning 20-yard field goal but the referee ruled that the clock had run out before the score. It was later reported that the referee made the call to get revenge because he wanted to be the team's first head coach but the job was instead given to Ewing Y. Freeland.[3]
Over his four years, Freeland coached the team, known at the time as the Matadors, to 21–10–6 before handing the reins to Grady Higginbotham. Higgenbotham coached for one year, 1929, which saw only one win and two ties to seven losses. His winning percentage of .200 is the worst of any Texas Tech football coach. Pete W. Cawthon replaced Higginbotham in 1930 and led the team for the next eleven seasons. His winning percentage of .693 has not been surpassed at Texas Tech.[2][4]
For its first seven years, the program was independent, not belonging to an athletic conference. It was during Cawthon's service—in 1932—that Tech first joined a conference, the Border Intercollegiate Athletic Association, which included five other schools at the time. Several other firsts occurred during Cawthon's tenure. In 1934, the team was first referred to as the "Red Raiders".[5] Three years later, the 1937 squad became the first team in college football to fly to a game.[6] Later that year, they received their first postseason invite—to the 1937 Sun Bowl, where they were defeated by West Virginia, 7–6. The following year, Cawthon led the team, which is the only one in the program's history to have an undefeated regular season, to the Cotton Bowl Classic where they lost to St. Mary's, 20–13.[7] Cawthon's 1939 team set a still-unbroken NCAA record for most punts during a single game. Playing in a driving rainstorm, Texas Tech punted 39 times, while their opponent, Centenary punted 38 times. The combined punt total of 77 is also an unbroken NCAA record.[8]
The next two coaches after Cawthon each held the position for a decade. Dell Morgan started in 1941, garnering a 55–49–3 record which included three bowl appearances that ended in losses. In 1951, DeWitt T. Weaver started his run. At the end of it, he held a record of 49–51–5. During his time, Weaver coached the Red Raiders to their initial bowl victories. The first came against Pacific in 1951 Sun Bowl. The next came two years later in the Gator Bowl. The 1953 Gator Bowl, a 35–13 win over Auburn, is most memorable for the first official public appearance of The Masked Rider:
|According to reports from those present at the 1954 Gator Bowl, the crowd sat in stunned silence as they watched [student Joe Kirk] Fulton and Blackie rush onto the football field, followed by the team. After a few moments of stunned disbelief, the silent crowd burst into cheers. Ed Danforth, a writer for the Atlanta Journal and a press box spectator later wrote, "No team in any bowl game ever made a more sensational entrance."[9]
Texas Tech withdrew from the Border Intercollegiate Athletic Association in 1956 and was independent for the ensuing three years. The school had tried eight times to gain admittance to the Southwest Conference and had been denied. After the 1952 rejection, many Tech fans cut up their Neiman Marcus charge cards and mailed them back to the Dallas-based retailer. Legend holds that, in response, Stanley Marcus helped sway SMU's vote in Tech's favor.[3][10]
J. T. King became the coach of the Red Raiders in 1961. In his nine years, he fared no better nor worse than the man he replaced. With 44 wins, 45 losses, and three ties, his winning percentage of .495 was very close to Weaver's .490. One of the wins under King was on September 18, 1965, when the Red Raiders beat Kansas, 26–7, in the first intercollegiate football game to use instant video replay.[11] King led the team to two bowl games but they were both losses.
The win column saw an upswing under coach Jim Carlen (1970–1974) who finished his five years with a winning record of .644. Steve Sloan (1975–1977) did slightly better with .657. The team's second postseason win came under Carlen when Tech beat Tennessee in the 1973 Gator Bowl. The only bowl tie in the program's history came the following year in the Peach Bowl, 6–6 vs. Vanderbilt. The Red Raiders were not invited to a bowl in 1975 but returned to postseason play in 1976, losing to Nebraska by three in the Bluebonnet Bowl. Tech's appearance in 1977 Tangerine Bowl, where they lost 40–17 to Florida State, was to be the last time the team saw postseason play for nearly a decade.
With the arrival of Rex Dockery, the program would, for the second time in its history, enter into a period of two successive coaches who would return overall losing records. In three years, Dockery coached the Red Raiders to 15–16–2. Jerry Moore took the position in 1981. During his five years, he posted the second-worst record of any Texas Tech football coach, only .309. The final tally, though, only tells part of the story since many of the losses came in close games. In 1982, #1 Washington, playing at home, beat the Red Raiders by only a single touchdown. Later in the season, #2 SMU was also only able to squeak by on a single touchdown. In Moore's final season, four of Tech's seven losses were by a combined six points.[12]
Upon Moore's release, the job was given to David McWilliams. In spite of not even staying an entire season, he was able to garner a record of .636 and return the team to postseason play. McWilliams departed to become the head coach at Texas, and Spike Dykes took over at Tech just before the 1986 Independence Bowl where the Red Raiders were edged out, 20–17, by Ole Miss.
Dykes bowl game and the 13 complete seasons that followed set a record as the longest stay for any Texas Tech football coach. Although tallying 67 losses and a tie, his 82 wins also set a record as the most victories for a single Tech football coach.
It was in 1996, during Dykes's tenure, that Texas Tech joined the Big 12 Conference. The team has the distinction of being the only one in the Big 12 to have a winning season each year since the conference was created.[13]
When Dykes departed in 2000, Texas Tech hired Mike Leach, who eventually became the winningest coach in school history. He is also the school's all-time winningest coach in postseason play, competing in a bowl game each year during his stay and garnering a 5–3 record. Behind only the Texas Longhorns, the Red Raiders are second in the Big 12 for postseason wins since 2000, having won six of their last ten bowl games. In the 2006 Insight Bowl, the team defeated the Minnesota Golden Gophers, overcoming a 31-point deficit in the third quarter to beat their opponent by three in overtime.[14] This made NCAA Division I FBS (formerly I-A) history as the largest come-from-behind bowl victory ever recorded.
Each year since 2001, the American Football Coaches Association has recognized Texas Tech for having a team graduation rate of at least 70 percent. The Graduation Success Rate figures released by the NCAA in October 2008 showed that Tech graduated 79% of its players during the period from 1998 to 2001. This placed it third among the 25 teams ranked in the USA Today Coaches' Poll at the time the data was released. Only No. 23 Vanderbilt and No. 19 Wake Forest ranked higher. It also placed Texas Tech at the top of the Big 12, followed by Nebraska (78%), Baylor (78%), Colorado (75%), Kansas State (67%), Oklahoma State (62%), Missouri (59%), Texas A&M (56%), Iowa State (55%), Kansas (53%), Texas (50%), and Oklahoma (46%).[15]
In July 2007, ESPN ranked all 119 FBS (formerly 1-A) football programs on performance from 1997 to 2006 and placed Texas Tech at number 32.[16] Also, with 13, the Red Raiders rank fourth nationally in consecutive winning seasons, trailing only Florida State (30), Florida (19), and Virginia Tech (14).[17]
Described as a program on the rise, the Red Raiders earned 56 wins from the 2000 season through the 2006 season. During the same period, only three other Big 12 teams had more victories—Oklahoma, Texas, and Nebraska.[18]
The Red Raiders, with returning quarterback Graham Harrell and redshirt freshman wide receiver Michael Crabtree opened the 2007 season in Dallas on September 3, 2007, with a televised game against SMU.[19] Texas Tech defeated the Mustangs, 49–9.[20] After a 45–49 loss to the Oklahoma State Cowboys in the fourth game of the season, defensive coordinator Lyle Setencich resigned and was replaced by Ruffin McNeill, who took the position on an interim basis.[21] The season ended with a 34–27 upset of the #3 Oklahoma Sooners, an 8–4 record, and an invitation to the Gator Bowl, where Tech defeated the Virginia Cavaliers, 31–28, on an Alex Trlica field goal with seven seconds remaining.
Prior to the 2008 season, Ruffin McNeill was made the Red Raider's full-time defensive coordinator. The team remained undefeated for the first X games of the season and, on November 1, 2008, the Red Raiders (ranked #5 in the Coaches' Poll, #6 in the AP Poll, and #7 in the BCS Rankings defeated the #1 (in all polls) Texas Longhorns.[22][22] A pass from Graham Harrell to All-American wide receiver Michael Crabtree with 8 seconds remaining in the game led Tech to a 39–33 victory. This marked the 500th win in program history and the first win over a #1 ranked team. Billed as the most significant game in Texas Tech history, the game was broadcast nationwide on ABC. It was the fifth-most viewed telecast of any regular-season game in ABC history, drawing a 7.5 rating, meaning an average of 8,590,000 households tuned in to the contest during each measurable segment.[23] It also attracted the largest home crowd in school history.[24][25] The win also catapulted the Red Raiders to the number-two spot in both major polls, as well as the BCS rankings (and as high as number one in some computer rankings). They also became the second Red Raider team to win eleven games in the regular season. However, Tech would go on to lose two games—a conference matchup at Oklahoma and the Cotton Bowl Classic versus Ole Miss.
A March 2009 announcement stated that Texas Tech and Baylor would move their next two games to the Dallas metropolitan area. The schools played November 28, 2009, at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington and will play again on October 9, 2010, at the Cotton Bowl Stadium during the State Fair of Texas.[26] There is also an option to extend the arrangement for an additional two years.[27]
On December 30, 2009, Texas Tech fired head coach Mike Leach for allegedly mistreating Adam James, an injured player.[28] Leach's record at Tech stands at 84–43. Following Leach's departure, Defensive Coordinator Ruffin McNeill was named the interim head coach and led the team to a 41–31 victory over the Michigan State Spartans at the 2010 Alamo Bowl. Texas Tech finished the 2009 season ranked #21 in the AP poll, and #23 in the USA Today poll.[29] On January 9, 2010, former Auburn University head football coach Tommy Tuberville was named the new head coach for the Red Raiders.[30] On January 12, 2009, Neal Brown, from Troy was selected as the new offensive coordinator.[31]
The Red Raiders football uniform consists of any combination of the red, black, or white jersey with red, black, or white pants.
The football team has been affiliated with the following conferences:
Divisional championships (1)


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THE ROOMMATE: When Just a Little Weird Equals Predictable DSM Psycho
Still, the roommate dorm experience has a pressure cooker dilemma too, especially if you have nothing in common and/or your lifestyles, morality and philosophies differ. Pair a morning person with a night person and its early morning and late night lightning and thunder.
When small town design student Sara ( Minka Kelly) moves into the University of L.A. dorm , she's the first to enter the twin room. Her roommate Rebecca (Leighton Meester) turns up as a stealth surprise, after a little clubbing with another couple of gals, including blonde babe and snob, Alyson Michalka. No prob, the twin bed partner appear nice, as in Ugly Betty without the glasses.
At first, Meester's sins appear muddled benefit of the doubt issues, such as gazing too long , 'worrying' about a non- calling roommate late night, choosing a sentimental necklace not a glamorous hot dress and some expensive red heels , a clandestine bit of nickname dialogue (prefer "Reba," "Becky," "no, I like Rebecca") or expressing her disdain for a verbally shared near intimate tryst with a naughty professor.
You could roll the paranoia dice on the creepiness claims platter. Still, Meester has an angry, suspicious, even fearful, mob of ex-gf's, but they are all alive, have no physical scars, possess all appendages, and could be a lapse of screenwriting or an unfair isolation chamber. Since both women have talents leaning on visual artistry, there's room for exploring character development, yet, after lots of bait (which becomes I told you so) the production succumbs to overhead "she's off her meds" dialogue and a quick mutual BF and GF visit to a computer for googling the named prescription.
It's a quick way to explain remove the paranoid thought and insert a stereotypical screenwriting shortcut. An offensive mental health cliché? Yes and no. No multiple personality disorders yet schizophrenia equals 'psycho' and those words make the dialogue buzz list. Director Christian E. Christiansen stretches out what could be subtle clues, then, forsakes the head game for full time predictability. Couldn't she just be a little introverted and try a little too hard in making significant friendships? In other words, not EVERY individual who is a little too interested, too helpful, or too touchy feely is a potential serious DSM III case.
Having played the merciless 'psycho' card in full, the agenda heads for splatter city as our product of relatively non-dysfunctional parents races through Miss Midwest's personal boundaries who now has a BF (OMG) and an opportunity to move to an off-campus apartment. Predictable turns "SWF" and "Fatal Attraction," just insert different names, ages, genders and situations (SPOILER: One scene modified and shaken could easily have come from "Basic Instinct." )
"Roommate," which some say is no thriller but a reminder for high school and college age girls about the perils of GF's pushing the edge teases (a little) by slow and easy unbalanced personality discoveries. You know what's coming , but hope for an untainted destination. It doesn't occur. Instead, this one flows from 'she's got a problem' and 'watch out' to an all too familiar RUN command
Wasted, not literally, an ex named Jason calling cross country at patterned intervals subject to caller ID giveaway.


text: BUSINESS Meredith Buys TV Stations in Phoenix, St. Louis for $407.5 Million 7:32 AM PST 12/23/2013 by Eriq Gardner FACEBOOK TWITTER EMAIL ME The seller is Gannett Co., which is satisfying one of the conditions for its purchase of Belo Corp. Meredith Corp. has announced it is buying TV stations from Gannett Co. and Sander Media. The $407.5 million acquisition includes KASW, a CW affiliate in Phoenix, and KMOV, the CBS affiliate in St. Louis. The deal will need to gain approval from FCC regulators examining local television ownership rules. Meredith is also purchasing KTVK, an independent station in Phoenix, but flipping it in a separate deal to SagamoreHill. "These are high-performing stations and will add to our already strong cash flow," said Meredith CEO Stephen Lacy. "We will increase our presence in the large and growing Phoenix market, where we own KPHO, the CBS affiliate. KMOV (CBS) in St. Louis adds another Top 25 market to our portfolio, and when combined with KCTV (CBS) in Kansas City, gives us powerful local brands in two of the Midwest's top news and sports markets." The deal is expected to close sometime in the first half of 2014. According to Meredith, the stations are expected to generate combined revenues of $105 million to $115 million in the year after closing the deal. Gannett got KMOV as part of its $1.5 billion deal to acquire Belo Corp. but agreed to sell it as part of a consent decree reached with the U.S. Department of Justice. Late last week, the FCC approved the Gannett/Belo deal. In a statement announcing the Meredith deal, Gannett highlights the reward. Gracia Martore, chief executive of Gannett, said, "These sales will significantly lower the effective purchase price for Belo while reducing only minimally the expected synergies associated with the Belo transaction, which we expect to close promptly." FACEBOOK TWITTER EMAIL ME Eriq Gardner email@example.com eriqgardner


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Create & Buy a Custom Product of Your Own!
Our porcelain ornaments are unique and adorable keepsakes and gifts, perfect for holiday seasons. The images are imprinted into tile surface using a heat sublimation technique that creates a permanent imprint that won't rub or wear off. The ornament measures 3.25" in height, including a red ribbon hanger.


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The On Stage Productions performance of Yes, Virginia The Musical offers plenty of heartfelt holiday spirit. Drawn from an animated television special, the stage musical (with music by Wesley Whatley, lyrics by William Schermerhorn, and book adapted by William Schermerhorn from the animated special and storybook by Chris Plehal) has been developed by Macy's as a performance opportunity for young people.
Based on a true story, the action unfolds during the year 1897 in New York City. Eight-year-old Virginia O'Hanlon questions whether Santa Claus is real. The search for truth takes her to the library as well as through the holiday bustle in the city, where Virginia encounters a bell-ringing "scraggly Santa" who reveals gifts for friendship and wisdom. Since she has been told "If you see it in The Sun, it's so," Virginia writes a letter to The New York Sun, asking "Please tell me the truth; is there a Santa Claus?" While the answer to her query is well known, the journey to that answer provokes curiosity.
Highlights of the performance feature the lovely singing voice of Liberty Broussard as Virginia, the clever timing of Rachael Sprankle as the whimsical Librarian, and the dynamic exuberance of Olivia Lesniak as Virginia's best friend. Zach Tenney as Scraggly Santa exudes strong stage presence and communicates believable character development. JoJo Wallace conveys the mean girl role of Charlotte with vigorous energy, supported by her snooty cat Mrs. Whiskers (Mia Coats). Sincerity and sweetness emanate from the entire cast, particularly in the closing reprise of the title song. Additional cast members include Ella Johnson, Grace Beasley, Emma Cathryn Eubanks, Pierce Mejias, Perry Raines, Zavery Johnson, Paul Woodard, Heyward Moak, Cameron Eubanks, Turner Carson, and Major McCarty. The capable and dedicated production team includes Robert Harrelson (Director), Ryan Rogers (Youth Director), Rebekah Cheatham (Youth Choreographer),
Michelle Cheatham (Choreographer Coordinator), Debi Young (Rehearsal Music Coach), Brandon Moore (Stage Manager), and Tony Vaccaro (Stage Design and Props). April Wallace and Gina Moak Cotton designed costumes, Harrelson and Rogers planned lighting and sound, and Jill Larkin and Niane Szalwinski shared producer responsibilities. Production design establishes numerous locations effectively, such as Virginia's home, the Sun office, the library, and the streets of New York City. Projections of images featuring different Santas from around the world emerge in the library sequence. Younger viewers will benefit from front row seats, as the audience arrangement can obstruct the view of little ones. The intimate performance space creates a cozy and welcoming environment; carol-singing and piano-playing plus a hot chocolate "bar" (and the delectable dessert offerings for sale) make intermission feel like a friendly holiday party.
The focus on youth engagement at On Stage Productions is commendable, as evidenced by inclusion of the student directing intern in the opening remarks, and the production's involvement of an eleven-year-old choreographer. The young actors appear comfortable and confident on stage. The audience's enjoyment of the performance is buoyed by the children's delight in performing. (My six-year-old daughter confided after the first act, "Mommy, this seems like a GREAT place to be in a play!") The earnest ensemble entreats in song: "Believe in joy. Believe in love. Believe your whole life through. Keep bright the light of childhood." The light of childhood shines brightly at On Stage Productions this holiday season.
Want to learn more about the script and score? The website yesvirginiathemusical.com provides production resources which will delight young theatre artists. Interested in attending the On Stage performance? Visit www.onstagesc.com for tickets and further information. Yes, Virginia The Musical will be presented at the On Stage Performance Center (680 Cherokee Lane in West Columbia) at 7:30 pm on December 7, 12, 13, and 14, and at 2:30 pm on December 7, 8, 14, and 15.
~ Melissa Swick Ellington


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Latest News
Courtney Broadnax
High school: Crawford County High School
MySpace/Facebook: http://www.myspace.com/babygurlluzya
Yahoo IM: Courtney3125
Activities and achievements: Well SENIOR year was full of many memories. All the times I had with my friends and everything. All the parties that went on and the fun times at the football games. I'm going to miss high school. I have almost achieved my dreams, now I'm going to go to college to become a nurse! I only had one class my Senior year, so I sent most of my time helping out with the school and such not.
My Last Will and Testament: I, Courtney Danielle Broadnax, being of well mind and pure body do hereby leave the following. I leave my love to all my friends that I am leaving this year. To all the teachers thanks for everything. If it wasn't for the teachers at CCHS I wouldn't have made it to finish school. Thanks for everything! To my mama, I leave my Diploma that I am receiving. To the upcoming Seniors I wish y'all the Best of Luck in everything that you do. I hope that you choose the right decision and accomplish your dreams!


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Ceiling Fan Rotation
How to Reverse Ceiling Fan Direction in Summer and Winter to Save Money on Heating and Cooling
In any season, running a ceiling fan in your room can add an extra level of comfort to your indoor climate. What's more, it can substantially reduce the amount of money you spend on heating and cooling costs throughout the year. But in order to achieve that extra benefit, it's important to ensure that your ceiling fan rotation is correct.
Did you know that most ceiling fans have a switch that allows them to reverse direction? This is because reversing the ceiling fan rotation redirects the air flow in the room, top to bottom or bottom to top. Depending on the time of the year, and whether you are trying to cool off or warm up, it's useful to know how to manage your ceiling fan rotation for optimal effect.
Summer Ceiling Fan Rotation
It's not hard to appreciate the effect of a ceiling fan in summer. When you stand beneath those spinning blades, you immediately feel cooled and refreshed by the breeze. Ceiling fans don't actually cool the air, of course. But they make you feel cooler by blowing the hot air away from your body. It's just like the effect of wind chill in the winter. Plus, if you're sweating, the ceiling fan speeds up evaporation which cools your body even faster.
But to fully appreciate these effects, you need to make sure your ceiling fan direction is set to blow air down from above. For most fans, the ceiling fan's direction should be counter-clockwise. Since manufacturers vary, however, check the angle of the fan blades to ensure your ceiling fan rotation is correct. As it rotates, the leading edge of the fan blade should be pointed up towards the ceiling. This way, air will blow down on anyone standing or sitting beneath the fan.
When you cool your body with a ceiling fan in the summer, you'll find you don't need to set the thermostat on your air conditioner quite so low to keep cool. This can lead up to substantial savings on your energy bills. If you consider that every degree below 78 degrees Fahrenheit can increase energy costs by 3 - 4%, even a few degrees difference can result in a noticeable reduction in your costs.
Winter Ceiling Fan Rotation
The cooling effects of a ceiling fan in the summer are easy to appreciate. But did you know that a ceiling fan can help keep you warm in the winter? The trick, of course, is to remember to reverse the ceiling fan rotation so that, instead of blowing air down onto to the people below, the fan is pulling air up towards the ceiling.
If you think back to your high school physics class, you will doubtless remember one of the fundamental principles of thermodynamics: heat always rises. This means that when you heat your home in the winter, the hot air rises to the ceiling. It doesn't do anybody much good up there, which is where your ceiling fan comes into play. By reversing your ceiling fan direction in winter, you can force hot air away from the ceiling and distribute it more evenly throughout the room.
In most cases, ceiling fan rotation should be clockwise in the winter. But because manufacturers vary, you can check to make sure your ceiling fan direction is correct by looking at the angle of the fan blades. For the winter, you want the leading edge of the fan blades to be tilted down towards the floor. This has the effect of pulling air up towards the ceiling, where it disperses the hot air collected there and bounces it over to the walls and back down to the floor.
By better distributing the heated air already in the room, you'll find you can lower the temperature on your thermostat and still stay warm and comfortable. Just remember to keep your ceiling fan on the lowest setting in the winter to avoid creating a wind chill effect when you don't want it.
How to Change Ceiling Fan Rotation
Changing a ceiling fan's direction is a very simple procedure.
First, turn off the fan and make sure it has stopped spinning completely - reversing the fan's direction while it's rotating could damage the motor, not to mention you! Somewhere on the body of the fan, between the light and blades, you will find a small unmarked switch going up and down or side to side. Check your owner's guide if you have trouble finding it. Just flip the switch to reverse the ceiling fan rotation and turn the fan back on.
Of course, many contemporary ceiling fans make it even easier to switch ceiling fan rotation by including a button on a remote control or wall switch! Just make sure you stop the fan completely before switching the ceiling fan's direction or you could damage the motor.
Some Exceptions for Ceiling Fan Direction
There are a couple of exceptions for these basic guidelines for ceiling fan rotation.
If your ceiling fan is a room with very high ceilings, it might be too high overhead to provide any noticeable wind chill effect even when it's set on high speed. In this case, even in the summer you're better off leaving your ceiling fan in the reverse (winter) direction so it can help circulate the air in the room.
You'll also want to leave your ceiling fan in the reverse direction if it's hanging directly over a dining table, desk or other work surface. Keep it on high or medium to create an indirect wind chill effect without scattering your papers, or cooling off your dinner before you have a chance to eat.
Energy Savings with Ceiling Fans
At any time of year, a ceiling fan can provide significant reductions to your heating and cooling expenses. Even running 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, a ceiling fan can cost as little as $100 a year to operate (depending on your electricity rates) and can save you up to 40% on summer cooling costs, and 10% on winter heating costs.
Now that you know the savings you can earn by using proper ceiling fan rotation, doesn't it make sense to install a ceiling fan or two in your own home? Check out our offerings today, and start saving tomorrow!
Window Exhaust Fans as a Natural Sleep Aid
Which is Greener: AC or Fans?


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Updated on June 5, 2019
3 Important Criteria To Follow Before You Start A Vineyard
Most people who love horticulture and growing fruit turn their love towards starting a vineyard eventually, while others simply want to make their own wines. Regardless of the reason behind starting your own vineyard, it is important to start off on the right footing. In essence, you have to prepare the land, family, finances and start growing your grapes after careful selection of the best ones. While this may sound simple and easy, there is a lot more work and effort that will go in for the first time grape growers. This article will help you figure out some of the key areas that you will need to look in to in order to harvest a ripe and fruitful vineyard.
Learn about the process
First and foremost, it is imperative to know the processes involved in growing grapes. You must know exactly what is required of you and what you are getting in to. Whether you are doing it as a hobby or as a potential income source to supply to the best restaurants in the locality, you will have to understand the work and time involved. It is unlikely that you will see good fruit production in the first year and this year is also the time that vines are most prone to diseases, fungi and other pests. It involves a huge time investment and you can consider some training and experience working at a local vineyard to get more knowledge and understanding of the process. Visit this link https://smudgeeats.com/directory/city-centre-cbd-sydney/restaurants/ for more info on best restaurants Sydney CBD.
Potential for the vineyard
As mentioned the motivation for growing grapes can vary from person to person. You need to know what your goals are before embarking on starting the vineyard. Some want to produce grapes to make their own blend of wines to be sold, while others would want to sell to a local wine producer. The best orange wineries for example, use their harvest to retail at the local supermarket chains and restaurants. Determining your goals will help you make decisions such as how many grapes to grow and how much money you will need to invest in order to get started.
Selection of the grape variety
Furthermore, this will help you select the type of grapes you want to grow. Typically, most grapes do well in climates with warm summers and mild winters without any chances of spring frost or freezing winters. However, there is a variety of grapes that you can choose from to fit with the climate of your region. It is also best to get recommendations from other vineyard owners or anyone with expertise in growing grapes in the type of climate your area falls under.


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DISCLAIMER: The events in this RPG are to be considered absolutely non-canon to the stories of Wulfgard. In fact, certain quests and events will directly contradict the main storyline and other storylines. This will both avoid any potential spoilers and give players the opportunity to influence the world, and its characters, in ways they never could during a truly canon RPG.
Nothing in this RPG should be considered true to the official novels, comics, and other stories of Wulfgard.
This topic is for DMs wanting to start their own custom Errant campaign. Anyone who wants to participate as a player can sign up for an existing campaign or else just sign up for Errant in general via a sign-up thread.
Here's how this works:
To propose a campaign, start a new topic with your campaign title and a blurb describing your campaign, to advertise it to potential players and get them interested. You will be the DM of this campaign. It's your job to specify what players can play as, what the story of your campaign is, where you start out, etc., and you can provide descriptions and opening scenes.
Remember, players can also join as a pre-existing character you have played as before, and in fact this is encouraged, if possible, but they'll be using the character sheet in the character creation board, if you are creating a new character for the campaign - and you'll have to also make a new character thread.
Alternatively, if you do not want to DM a campaign and instead just want to suggest one, you can still start a thread and then see if anyone else is interested in running it. I'm always open for running types of campaigns suggested by players, so I might snatch up a few if no one else wants to do them. For instance, someone could simply suggest that they would like to see a pirate-based campaign, but they'd rather participate as a player than as a DM. If that's the case, another member can step up to volunteer to DM it, or I can do it myself.
By "campaign" I'm essentially using a catch-all term for "quest" and "group." A campaign is a quest that a specific group will undertake. Groups don't have to disband after they finish a campaign; they can easily continue adventuring together and go on more campaigns as a group. In fact, I would prefer if groups stuck together, rather than people making new characters all the time. Obviously there's nothing wrong with creating new characters, but it'd be fun to see lots of development for existing ones, too.
Here's the info a DM's campaign thread should include:
- A description of the quest, as long or as short as you want it to be. You can make it long, cinematic, and elaborate, or very simple; it's up to you
- The starting zone of the RP (you do not have to specify what other zones might be covered over the course of the quest; you can leave that as a surprise, of course)
- A list of the restrictions, if any, on player races in accordance with the nature of your campaign
You don't always have to request a new player group - in fact, I encourage prospective DMs to pick a group they like and then request to lead them on their next quest (if that group doesn't have a quest already). If there's a group you like, whether you're personally in it or not, you can suggest a quest to run for them. If you're in the group, you can request me to make a quest for you to go on, if you want some specific genre of quest next. Just be sure to check whether or not that group already has a new quest pending, in which case your quest would come next in line.
You can use this formatting to post your own custom campaign ideas and see if any other players are interested in joining. Note that I prefer for campaigns to be discussed with me, as well (though this isn't strictly required). I promise I'm gentle.
tl;dr: If you want to start your own campaign in Errant, do this:
- Start a new topic describing your campaign. Include race restrictions, if any.
- PM me to discuss the nature of your campaign, at least in brief, if you want - I would prefer if you do this, but I am not strictly requiring it. I'm not going to be too restrictive; I just want to make sure people aren't trying to do something totally wacky that would potentially destroy the entire world and all the players everywhere.
- Direct players to the character sheet thread in the character creation board, and/or the getting started HELP thread in that same board, so they know how to make their characters.
- Direct players to post the name of their character in your campaign thread, with a link to their character topic, NOT to re-post their entire character sheet
- Wait for people to sign up!
I will note, however, that campaigns are meant to be adventures, not huge, sweeping epic battles of insane proportions where dragons and gods clash and the mortal men can only watch. Events such as those are saved for "World Events," which are something else entirely.


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Ski Resorts Eye Insurance Policies
Denver, CO, June 12 (AP by Robert Weller)--This year's annual Colorado Ski Country meeting could be a prime hunting ground for insurance salesmen.
Final Colorado ski season figures, to be released Monday, will show the second straight major decline in the numbers of skiers and snowboarders who hit the slopes in the nation's No. 1 ski state, officials said.
Resorts in many other states also fared poorly.
Now Aspen and other resorts are thinking of joining Vail, Crested Butte and Telluride in buying an insurance policy to soften the blow of no-show skiiers in no-snow years.
``It takes the crystal ball out of running a resort,'' said Joe McNasby, whose MDM Group Associates Inc. pioneered the policies. This year the group, based in Steamboat Springs, will pay out more than $20 million to resorts from California to New England.
Eighteen resorts around the nation have bought the coverage from MDM Group, McNasby said, and French and Australian ski areas now are considering similar policies.
A $6.2 million payout in the quarter ended April 30 helped Vail Resorts post a 42-percent increase in income during, from $30.2 million last year to $42.8 million this year, the company reported last week. MDM Group paid a total of $10.6 million to Vail for the season.
Vail Resorts spokesman Paul Witt said the company ``definitely is thinking about'' renewing its coverage for the 2000-2001 season. The Aspen Skiing Co., after deciding against the insurance last fall, is reconsidering, said spokeswoman Rose Abello.
Vail signed up after a disastrous 1998-99 season, when skier days on Vail Mountain dropped 16 percent. The snow came late that year, and a popular mountain restaurant was closed by a fire allegedly set by eco-terrorists opposing an expansion of the area into terrain they wanted protected as habitat for the rare Canada lynx.
McNasby said the policy is much more than ``weather insurance,'' though weather is probably the culprit up to 85 percent of the time. ``It's an all-risk type coverage, anything that causes a reduction'' in the number of skiers and snowboarders, he said.
This past season, for example, fears of Y2K chaos likely contributed to lower numbers at some major destination resorts.
``It's not up to the resorts to show why the numbers dropped, just that they did,'' McNasby said.
American Skiing Co.'s Steamboat Springs resort, which like Aspen decided against the insurance last year, will ``look at it again for next season,'' said Dennis Baker, Steamboat's vice president for finance.
``We plan to discuss it and see if other resorts have had good experience with it,'' he said. ``It's an intriguing idea.''
Copyright (c) 2000 The Associated Press


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Guthrie and Ghani in Birmingham hosts a range of expert craft and sewing workshops for all levels of learners. Sewing Bee finalist and owner, Lauren Guthrie, needed a range of images to use in printed and online marketing.
It was a pleasure to snap such a lovely group of women as they were tutored in the art of bunting making by Lauren.
iF YOU WOULD LIKE FURTHER INFORMATION ON MY PORTRAIT SHOOT PACKAGES, PLEASE EMAIL email@example.com


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Our May 2016 Books & Brews featured journalist and visiting senior research scholar at the University of Richmond, Stephen Nash. Nash is also the author of Virginia Climate Fever: How Global Warming Will Transform our Cities, Shorelines and Forests, a very readable book that brings the timely subject of global warming home to our own Virginia backyards. He explored both the science and the economics of climate change in our state, as well as introducing us to the people actively involved in formulating the discussion about it.
In his conversation with Martha Woodroof, Stephen Nash said he decided to do this book because, after thirty years of living in Virginia and reporting on the environment, "it had become the biggest science story and the biggest environmental story and the biggest political story on the horizon for our generation and many generations to come." It had become, he said, the story he just couldn't look around.
Stephen Nash was ensconced on the, "author's stool," for WMRA's May 2016 Books & Brews. And as always, it happened at Pale Fire Brewing Company in Harrisonburg. Barnes and Noble was also on hand selling copies of Virginia Climate Fever during the event.
All WMRA members were able to present their WMRA MemberCard to receive a certificate for a complimentary beer.
One last thing: Stephen Nash was recently awarded the 2015 AIP Science Writing Award for Books, which you can read about here.


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Gateway: Living
Gig Harbor couple makes film celebrating Bangladeshi artist
The documentary "Threads" tells the story of Surayia Rahman, an artist in Bangladesh who practices and teachers an ancient style of embroidery called kantha. In teaching the style, she provided work for hundreds of poor women.
Her story and the stories of the other women will be screened at Agnes Dei Lutheran Church of Gig Harbor beginning at 7 p.m. Nov. 5. Admission is free, but donations are welcomed.
The money raised will help the filmmakers fund the dubbing of the film into the Bangla language so it can be shown in Rahman's country.
"Threads" screened at festivals in North America and Europe and is now coming to the peninsula, the place the filmmakers call home. It was the audience choice documentary at the 2014 Gig Harbor Film Festival and also earned selections at the Chicago South Asian, Seattle South Asian and Friday Harbor film festivals.
The Gig Harbor screening will include a discussion with husband-and-wife filmmakers Leonard Hill and Cathy Stevulak, who live in Gig Harbor. The couple spent the years 2001 to 2003 in Bangladesh, where they met Rahman and purchased some of her art.
"It was only a number of years later that the idea of making a film occurred," Hill said.
With some of Rahman's art on display, an art professor in Canada talked to Stevulak and Hill about Rahman's story. They felt it needed to be told, and that's how the idea of a film came about.
"We just felt absolutely compelled to find a way to make a film about these women," Stevulak said.
For Stevulak and Hill, it's fitting that the film is returning to Gig Harbor for a screening. It's a thank you to the community for its support of the film.
Rahman herself was able to see a version of the film about 18 months ago, Stevulak said. These days, the elderly Rahman is confined to her bed, her health failing.
"We were very, very fortunate that we started the film when we did," Stevulak said.
Bringing the film, dubbed, back to Bangladesh is a top priority for Stevulak and Hill. That's why Agnes Dei signed on to help raise money. The goal is to show the women making the kantha art how appreciated they are. Their embroidery work is renowned, and pieces by Rahman are even included in the United Kingdon's Royal Collection.
Agnes Dei Lutheran Church is located at 10511 Peacock Hill Ave., Gig Harbor.
Karen Miller: 253-358-4155


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I was out taking some shots tonight scouting for an upcoming shoot and was having a good time playing nature photographer. It's fun to take the time and play with another discipline of photography and use some different techniques. You really get an appreciation for the people who can do that style well, and make it look easy.
Taking a hike (and taking a few pictures)
in Sharing


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Technology research topics of interest to Varian include, but are not limited to, the following; contacts are listed below:
Knowledge-Based Planning
- How to simplify and partially or fully automate the model generation process.
- Development of knowledge-based decision support. For example, use of DVH estimation to determine is IMRT justified for this patient, or do I need to adapt today's treatment?
- Development of knowledge-based continuous quality improvement. We propose that a model is a representation of a practice at a given point in time. Could models created at different times be used to assess effectiveness of quality improvement measures?
- Can sharing of models facilitate the adoption of best practices?
- Can models be used to achieve greater plan consistency in clinical studies? Can models be used to perform quality assurance of plans in clinical studies?
Distributed Learning
- How to create a distributed learning system that learns from all patients and updates itself regularly.
- Development of ontologies for oncology to enable data comparisons and improve data quality.
- How to maintain data quality in a distributed learning environment.
- Application of a distributed learning system to answer clinical questions, such as:
- Which SBRT dose schema is best for a particular patient?
- What is the probability of dyspnea/dysphagia in a particular lung cancer patient?
- Based on radiomics features, should a particular patient's plan be adapted?
- Development of predictive analytics in oncology, including use of imaging for predictive analytics
- How to enhance cyber security on premise in the clinic, in the cloud, and in hybrid systems.
- How to leverage new 'big data' sources, such as genomics.
Advanced Treatment Planning
- How to implement online adaptive planning; what are the clinical cases that will benefit the most from online adaptive planning.
- Development of new treatment techniques that improve dose compactness and conformality.
- Development of new and innovative image segmentation algorithms, such as probabilistic-based models that factor in shape, texture, etc.
- Development of MR only planning.
- Development of new optimization engines, in particular to improve plan conformity and robustness.
- How to raise the level of abstraction for the Eclipse API. How to make the API easier to use and make it possible to solve problems with less code.
- How to improve intrafraction imaging of soft tissues.
- How to use prior knowledge to improve CBCT image quality.
- How to accurately identify implanted fiducials >99.9% of the time in kV and MV images.
- How to identify 3D location of implanted fiducials using a single 2D image.
- Development of markerless tumor tracking.
- Development of techniques for planar and volumetric intra-fraction imaging at non-zero couch angles.
- Development of digital tomosynthesis.
- What is the future of in room ultrasound?
- What is the future of in room functional imaging?
- How to use radiomics in standard workflow to assess response during treatment and possibly adjust therapy
- Development of image-based tumor analytics.
- How to enhance visualization techniques in bioinformatics.
Quality Assurance and Safety
- How to analyze machine log files to predict failures before they occur.
- How to simplify and automate routine QA processes.
- How to improve safety throughout the radiotherapy process.
- How to use biosensors and wearable devices in the management of oncology patients.
- How to use gamification and other techniques to increase patient engagement, e.g., to improve compliance to treatment regimens during treatment, to increase engagement with educational materials and survivorship, and to increase participation in long term follow up.
Scott Johnson, PhD
Sr Director, Academic Relations
Telephone: +1-773-490-4721
Anthony Lujan, PhD
Sr Manager, Global Research Collaborations
Region: Northeast North America
Telephone: +1-312-391-1976
Timo Berkus, PhD
Sr Manager, Research Collaborations
Region: Europe and India
Telephone: +49-151-1135-8407
Michael Davis, MS, JD
Sr Manager, Research Collaborations
Region: Central and Western North America, Central and South America
Telephone: +1-713-397-4403
Camille Noel, MSCI, PhD
Manager, Research Collaborations
Region: Northeast, Southeast, Central North America
Telephone: +1-650-272-7712
Johnny Cheng
Manager, Research Collaborations
Region: Asia and Australia
Telephone: +852-2722-8130


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Forget what the calendar says: Like many of you, I'm already thinking about spring. The fall spectacle is over, I have almost everything cut down, and there's a whole box of seeds holding treasures for the upcoming growing season. In a "normal" year (whatever that is), we'd have likely been stuck inside for weeks by now, dealing with below-freezing temperatures and spells of snow and ice as well. This year, however, the seasons have been turned upside down: Our temperatures have been well above average for the last six weeks, feeling more like April and May than December. It was tempting to call this a Bloom Day post, but I don't have any open blooms to share at the moment. There are still some nice-looking things, though. Continue reading
Archive for the 'In the Garden' Category
15 Dec
Mid-December Miscellany
1 Nov
Mid-Autumn Miscellany
Apart from two light frosts in October, the weather has been mostly quite mild here in southeastern Pennsylvania, but we're getting a taste of Novembery chill today. Knowing that the bad weather was coming, I took advantage of lingering blooms and fall-colored leaves a few days ago to have fun with some scans. But first, some odds and ends.
31 Jan
Picture This – Changing Places
It's frigid and snow-covered here in
the Arctic Pennsylvania, and the new growing season seems very far away, so it's a good time to dip back into my photo archives and hunt for examples of different ways to keep a visual record of the garden. In the previous post–On the Spot–I discussed the idea of choosing set places to stand and reference points you could use to capture similar views at different times. But it's just too cold to stand around right now, so let's think about moving around a bit.
(As usual, you should be able to see plant ID info by hovering your cursor over each image. If you'd prefer that I use proper captions from now on, feel free to speak up. And FYI, I tried a new way to handle the photos this time, instead of letting Windows Live Writer upload them automatically. They're still not full size, but I think they're much clearer this way, and if you click on them, you can see larger versions. I hope you enjoy the better quality. I just ask that if you pin any of the images to Pinterest, you do it from here–at hayefield.com–and not from the enlarged versions at hayefield.files.wordpress.com; thanks. Now, back to the point.)
13 Jan
Picture This – On the Spot
I've been a professional writer for nearly 24 years now, and a garden blogger for more than 6, so when I come up with a topic for an article or post, I usually have a pretty good idea of how long it's going to take me to tackle it. I have to admit that this one tackled me, though, and it's had me down for a pretty long count. It seemed like a good idea last summer, when I thought it would be interesting to see how many different ways and reasons I could come up with to photograph a garden and put them together for a winter post. But after weeks of going through my archives and picking out many hundreds of images, I finally decided that this was going to have to be a series instead of a single post—if I wanted to get something done before next January, at least. So, here's the first installment of a rather elaborate, non-Bloom Day excuse for presenting pretty garden pictures.
1 Oct
Old Friends, New Favorites
Is it too early to start looking back on this growing season, when we haven't even had frost yet? Well, maybe, but I think we're far enough along to have fully enjoyed the performance of some dependable favorites, as well as to fairly judge some new additions. I have a second purpose for this post, too: providing a preview for some of the seeds I hope to share in my November giveaway. (I won't have all of these available, but many of them.)
31 Jul
Midsummer Highlights
As promised, a follow-up to this month's Bloom Day, but this time focusing on the meadow, garden shots, and combinations over the last six weeks.
While lilies have been a key theme of this summer in the garden, there are two stars in the meadow.
1 Feb
Death Becomes Them
Misspelled words are usually either annoying or embarrassing, depending on whether you're reading them or creating them. But every once in a while, they inspire a whole new line of thought. When I recently ran across "necrofilia" (never mind where, but really, it was nothing horrible), I read it as "necrofolia," and suddenly, there was the perfect term for an entire horticultural subculture.


text: Dr. Armstrong has been a Hoosier all of his life. He graduated from Hebron High School in Porter County, and the Indiana University School of Optometry in 1976. Randy had a practice in Carroll County from 1982 until 1995. He has had an office in White County since 1989. The practice originally was started by Dr. George Bastion, and Dr. Armstrong acquired the practice from Dr. Jay Pass in 1989. Dr. Armstrong lives at Breezy Point, on Lake Freeman. He enjoys reading and having a mocha latte on his patio, as he watches the boats go by.


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Free admission! Open to the public Wednesdays through Sundays, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in events hall at Commonweal Theatre. Opening ceremony and ribbon cutting 7:30pm on Saturday, January 7th.
From above, Earth appears as a water planet with more than 71 percent of its surface covered with this vital resource for life. Water impacts climate, agriculture, transportation, industry and more. It inspires art and music. The newest traveling exhibition from the Smithsonian's Museum on Main Street (MoMS) program, Water/Ways, examines water as an environmental necessity and an important cultural element.
Water/Ways reveals the central nature of water on our lives by exploring how Americans use water, how water unites communities, how water affects every element of life, and how Americans care for our water and protect this valuable resource.
All of the water currently on the planet is all that there will ever be. Through the water cycle it is in endless motion on Earth's surface, below ground and in the atmosphere. Water/Ways explores this cycle, water's effect on landscape, settlement and migration, and its impact on culture and spirituality. It looks at how political and economic planning have long been affected by access to water and control of water resources. Human creativity and resourcefulness provide new ways of protecting water resources and renewing respect for the natural environment.
A 700 sq ft exhibition designed specifically for small-town museums, libraries and cultural organizations, Water/Ways aims to serve as a community meeting place to convene conversations about water's impact on American culture. Water/Ways is part of the Smithsonian's Think Water Initiative to raise awareness of water as a critical resource for life through exhibitions, educational resources and public programs. The public can participated in the conversation on social media at #thinkWater.
The Smithsonian Institute's Traveling Exhibition Service (SITES) has been sharing the wealth of Smithsonian collections and research programs with millions of people outside Washington, D.C., for 65 years. SITES connects Americans to their shared cultural heritage through a wide range of exhibitions about art, science and history, which are shown wherever people live, work and play.
Interested in bringing a school group? Interested in volunteering as a docent or tour guide? Please contact Lissie Harter to schedule your group or learn more about volunteering at firstname.lastname@example.com
Please contact the Commonweal Theatre directly at 800.657.7025 for questions related to their facilities. The Commonweal Theatre is handicap accessible.


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Systems PlanShannon HenricksAxia CollegeFitness Center Information Systems PlanProposal to Open an On-site Fitness Center for Texas Instruments through Health Fitness CorporationTexas Instruments, Incorporated has been a leader in offering the latest and highest quality technologies since 1930. Among the many contributions to the success of Texas Instruments is its involvement in providing the United States with the equipment to remain the most technologically advanced nation. Success like this is a result of hard work on the part of the management as well as the employees.
With the rapid advancement of technology, however, America lost track of a few more important aspects of living such as health. The year 2004 has presented itself with a bang. More and more Americans are coming to the realization that good health is the key to living "the good life". A great deal of significance is being placed on the health and wellbeing of our country as a whole. In order to maintain a healthy, hardworking staff, Texas Instruments must ensure that each employee is performing to the best of their ability.
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Healthy employees have been proven to be more productive and efficient to the company for which they work. With this knowledge, various companies, including Texas Instruments' competitor, Casio, have built on-site health centers for employees. After doing so, Casio experienced steady growth and increased employee satisfaction. Texas Instruments is missing out on this opportunity for growth and extended employee relationships. By simply investing in a health center, Texas Instruments will increase recruiting, employee retention, and overall company expansion.
The following proposal will elaborate on the remunerations of opening an on-site health center for the Texas Instruments location in Dallas and on the benefits of doing this project through Health Fitness Corporation. Included is an overview of Texas Instruments' current status, an explanation of the benefits to both the employees and the corporation of Texas Instruments, and a timeline of how quickly and easily this project may be executed. There is also a brief description of the success Health Fitness Corporation has delivered to other companies, followed by financial information about the gains Texas Instruments can expect to see upon
completion of this project. Company officials are just becoming aware of the benefits exercise has for the company. While having a healthier body may help each individual employee, the benefits to the company are numerous as well. With today's fast-paced workplace, the demand for sharp employees is greaterthan ever. In a study by Purdue University it was shown that people on moderate exercise programs have the ability to solve problems 25% faster with 25% greater accuracy. In the workplace, this translates to large gains in productivity. Exercising also reduces stress.
Employees that are under less stress are more likely to have a larger output. Healthier employees are also less likely to need regular visits to their doctor. This means that in the long run company health care costs will be reduced. For centuries people have known that exercise leads to a more healthy body. People that exercise have lower heart rates. Because the heart has been exercised, it is more efficient and can pump more blood resulting in better blood circulation (BUPA). People who exercise have a lesser risk of heart disease because of this. In addition to the heart, all of the body's other muscles are being used as well.
The benefits of working your muscles during exercise include greater flexibility; stronger, more healthy bones; long-term strengthening of immune system; and an overall sense of a greater well being (GSU Health and Fitness). As previous mentioned in the introduction, Casio has recently put into service an on-site fitness center for their employees. After doing so, Casio recognized a 5% increase in recruiting and a 10% increase in employee retention. This means that after investing in the health center, 90% of the employees from the previous year chose to renew their contracts and continue to work for Casio.
Just one year before the center was built, only 80% of employees renewed their contracts. One of Health Fitness Corporation's current clients is Best Buy. Health Fitness Center opened an on-site fitness center for the Minneapolis, Minnesota location, offering state of the art equipments, classes, massages, and personal training. Best Buy has seen a dramatic improvement in the wellness status of employees and has realized a positive return on their investment through reduced health care costs. A poll that was taken before the onsite fitness canter was built showed that only 10% of employees worked out regularly.
After the center opened in May 2003, this percentage jumped to 50% and has remained at that level for the past year. Our relationship with Federal Express has been entirely positive. By following a timeline of four execution phases, Health Fitness Corporation was able to successfully open a fitness center for Federal Express. "We have found the people with HFC to be very qualified, competent, and professional. They were able to recruit an outstanding manager for our facility, who in turn recruited a very qualified and competent staff. "Allan Freeman, Director, Wilton P.
Herbert Health and Wellness CenterHealth Fitness Corporation's RecognitionHealth Fitness Corporation is the proud recipient of the following as well as various other awards:•The Club IndustryBest of the Best Award•C. Everett Koop National Health AwardClient Awards (three time winner)•Wellness Councils of America (WELCOA)Gold Well Workplace AwardThis recognition is well deserved, and Health Fitness Corporation continues to work hard to ensure that only the best products and services are offered to clients. All Health Fitness Corporation's centers offer the best equipment and facilities available.
Health Fitness Corporation supplies state-of-the-art fitness machines. The facility is also convenient for employees. There are oversized lockers to hang suits and dresses; and individual showers to serve the dressing needs of the employees after working out. No fitness center is complete without a guide to healthy eating. Protein shakes, vitamins, and vitamin snacks are available for sale so that the employee on the run can still have all the nutrients necessary to have them in prime condition to work. Health Fitness Corporation supplies clients with a trained staff of personal
trainers, dieticians, and management. Each employee is certified to create a workouts, goals, and eating plans for clients. They are knowledgeable about all machines and have a sole purpose to assist those working out. For a more structured atmosphere, Health Fitness Corporation prides itself upon offering the best physical fitness classes available. Classes include everything from Cardio Aerobics and Tae Bo to Karate and Cardio Jams classes. In order to meet the fitness needs of each client, Health Fitness Corporation has designed a database with a profile about each client.
This is comprised of various pieces of information such as the current weight, measurements, and exercise habits of clients. Based on their progress, this information is updated. End-user functional requirements;Internal control and information security requirements;Operating, database, and backup system requirements (type, capacity, performance);Connectivity requirements (stand-alone, Local Area Network, Wide Area Network, external);Network support requirements (number of potential users; type, volume, and frequency of data transfers); andInterface requirements (internal or external applications).
To make exercising in our facility convenient, Health Fitness Corporation equips all centers with internet and telephone access. Employees will not miss an important phone call or email message while squeezing in a daily workout. In an attempt to make visits to the center most pleasant for clients, Health Fitness Corporation conducts various drawing and contests. These incentives to exercise include a frequent flyer miles drawing and most improved client contest. This entire project can be implemented in four simple phases, totaling up to about one year.
Each phase will put Texas Instruments one step closer to a successful on-site fitness center. Health Fitness Corporation will meet with employees of Texas Instruments to discuss their needs and wants for an on-site custom health center. Specific issues that need to be discussed are size, accessibility, accommodations, and location. Also, more personal issues like what Texas Instruments can do to ensure that employees are using the service and fully benefiting from it will be addressed.
At this time, with the help of Health Fitness Corporation, Texas Instruments will launch an internal media campaign encouraging employees to be physically active and letting them in on the information about construction. The purpose behind this campaign is to build anticipation and "hype" before the construction of the center even begins. In order to ensure the lowest possible costs, Health Fitness Corporation will seek bids from outside contractors for all parts of production. During this time, bids will be accepted, the lowest will be chosen, and production will begin.
By the end of the two months, the structural frame of the center will be built. During this time, the interior of the center will be completed. This includes adding lighting and air-conditioning, painting, installation of equipment, and housekeeping duties. At the end of the two month period, Health Fitness Corporation will send a team of staff to "try-out" the facility by using it like the Texas Instruments employees will on a typical day. This way Health Fitness Corporation is able to detect and correct any problems before the opening of the center.
For the duration of the trial period, Health Fitness Corporation will staff the center concurrently with Texas Instruments employees. They will train the employees on how to use equipment and run the center effectively. This will include introduction to software and assistance in scheduling and recruitment for employment within the center. This transition period is one of Health Fitness Corporation's unique and most effective services offered. An informed Health Fitness Corporation staff will be on-site to deal with any questions or problems.
If Texas Instruments discovers that they need to change something in the center within this first month, Health Fitness Corporation will begin the development of the project. Also during this time, there will be another big marketing push for Texas Instruments employees to introduce them to the facility and their new, healthier lifestyles, thanks to Texas Instruments. As the income statements demonstrate, Plan B offers the greater gross profit while Plan A offers lower implementation cost to Texas Instruments.
Based on the wishes of Texas Instruments, Health Fitness Corporation is equipped to put either of these options into action. Upon completion of a company analysis for Texas Instruments, Health Fitness Corporation has found that Plan B best fits the needs of Texas Instruments. Not only will this investment improve the financial status of Texas Instruments, but it will also develop stronger employee relationships. A company analysis of Texas Instruments shows that the total investment in new capital is approximately $842,000,000.
In order to recognize the greatest return on investments, Texas Instruments need only spend 0. 39% of this on an on-site fitness center. Please refer to Figure 4 for a graphical representation of these numbers. As America's desire for a healthier, more convenient lifestyle continues to gain importance, many forward-thinking companies are offering on-site fitness centers for their employees. This trend has quickly expanded and is becoming much more than mere fitness centers, but major sources of revenue for companies as well.
Health Fitness Corporation has assisted many companies in increasing both recruitment and employee retention. In today's fast-paced, competitive business world, companies who do not innovate are left behind. Texas Instruments cannot allow these other corporations to gain a competitive advantage. Health Fitness Corporation can provide Texas Instruments with a facility that will not only compete with other companies, but will also offer special programs, products, and training that will separate Texas Instruments from the competition.
Health Fitness Corporation looks forward to the commencement of this project and a long and rewarding relationship with Texas Instruments. British United Providence Association [online]. Available:hcd2. bupa. co. uk/fact_sheets/html/exercise. html [2004, April 22]Georgia State University Exercise and Physical Fitness Page [online]. Available:www. gsu. edu/~wwwfit/benefits. html [2004 April, 24]Hoover's The Business Information Authority [online]. Available:www. hoovers. com [2004 April, 18]


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Kellie Wells
Age 28
United States
Distance to London: 3,761 miles
The United States 100 metres hurdles champion is willing to talk about how, growing up in Virginia, her stepfather would hit her mother; how attending track practice was as much about avoiding going home as pursuing her love of running; and how, after years of sustained sexual abuse, he eventually raped her at the age of 16.
Talking is good, says Wells. So good, in fact, that she wants to use her rising profile as an athlete to encourage other victims of sexual and physical abuse to share their stories.
She also plans to open a foundation for battered women and abused children, and has already appointed a business manager to put her ideas in motion. "I would love to have placement homes for families that need to get away from abusive situations, and have girls and boys being able to tell their stories and actually be listened to," she said.
"I've heard the line so many times: 'I told but nobody listened. Nobody believed me.' I think that is so tragic when a child has the courage to tell and then they are not listened to.
"The foundation is going to be about empowerment and education, teaching women and children the right and wrong of how you should be touched, how you should be thought of."
Wells' own story has a tragic twist. The day after she was raped, she told her mother what had happened but was greeted mainly by silence, so she decided to move out of the family home.
Then, just a few weeks later, she was out driving with a friend when she saw the aftermath of an horrific car crash. The following day she learned that her stepfather had been the driver and her mother a passenger. Both were dead.
Wells says that not a day goes by when she does not miss her mother, but the abuse is something she has managed to come to terms with and put aside. Her goal now, as an athlete who could be one of the stars of London 2012, is to be a role model for people in similar situations.
"I know my story is very common to a lot of people, and it's swept under the rug a lot," she said. "If I can help at least one person and show you don't have to be a product of your environment, you don't have to keep secrets, and you don't have to hide, that would be amazing."
A year ago, Wells took the decision to go public with her life story in a blog on her personal website, though she did not mention the rape. Following her victory at the US trials last month, she gave an interview to the Yahoo sports website, and this time she revealed all.
"It took a lot of courage," she said. "I know some people follow my blog, but the interview was something completely different. I knew it would have a big impact but I just thought of the 'little me'. There are a lot of 'little mes' that look up to me now."
She says the feedback was mixed, with some people accusing her of being too honest, but there was no way she was going to sugar-coat the facts. The reaction of her fellow athletes, she says, has been overwhelmingly positive.
Her dreams for the foundation and her dreams on the track in London are things that go hand in hand, Wells says, because the more she can achieve as an athlete, the greater the impact she can have.
"I want to do well for my family and for the people who love and support me, but it also gives me a platform to talk about the things I want to talk about and have people listen," she said.
"People don't listen to the girl in fifth or sixth place who is not making teams. They listen to the person who is successful, and if I'm successful it means I can share my story with girls and boys and women who will look up to me. Your past doesn't have to dictate your future, and that's an important thing I want to stress to people. Just because something bad happened to you, that doesn't mean that is who you are."
As if Wells has not had enough to deal with in her 28-year-old life, a serious injury ruled her out of the Beijing Olympics and threatened to cut short her running career.
As she crossed the finish line in her hurdles semi-final at the 2008 US trials in a personal best of 12.58 sec, she felt a searing pain in her hamstring. A grade-three tear, the worst possible, was diagnosed, and it was a year before she could run again. Doctors warned that her days as an elite athlete could be over.
The recovery has been difficult and painful, but on the same Oregon track where she came to grief in 2008, she posted a new lifetime best of 12.50 sec to win the US trials last month and book her place at next month's World Championships in South Korea. "I felt like I had got my revenge on the track," she said.
She will have to return to Eugene next year to race for a place at the Olympics, but firmly believes that London is where her life is heading.
"I haven't given myself a choice or a plan B if I don't make the team," she said. "I am going to make the Olympic team. It's such an honour to be an Olympian, but to be a medallist is the most elite thing of all. No one can ever take that away from you."
Driving her towards the finish line will be the knowledge that the podium will be her platform, though whatever happens she will not be deflected from her life's mission.
"A medal will help but if I don't win, it's not going to break me and I will still pursue this," she said.
It takes more than a hurdles race to break Kellie Wells.


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