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Bottom Line
Product not yet reviewed by PC Mag Editors.
A step higher on the ladder than the E320VA ($449.99 direct)in more than just size and price, the 42-inch E420VO ($663.99 direct) from Vizio can certainly put out a better image than its predecessor. However, not much else has changed from the previous model aside from bigger numbers. Either way, Vizio claims that the E420VO will make "the clarity and detail of your picture razor sharp."
Design and Features
This LCD display is encased in a heavily angular black bezel. Supporting the thick frame is a wide and sturdy stand that also maintains the blocky design. The built-in speakers inside the E420VO make use of Extreme Vizio Technology with SRS True Volume, which reduces the volume inconsistencies between TV programs. And thanks to SRS TruSurround HD, Vizio promises that this LCD TV can deliver immersive, virtual high definition surround sound. On the back end are two HDMI ports, one component and one standard AV set of inputs, a PC port and RF connector to make use of the built-in NTSC/ATSC/QAM tuner. On its left side rest the controls along with a USB port.
The E420VO supports true 1,080p HD video with a 1,920x1,080 resolution and 16:9 aspect ratio. While this model still holds an 8 millisecond response time, it packs a 100,000:1 contrast ratio. Also included is a 60Hz refresh rate, but this LCD TV has some more practical features as well.
Vizio claims that the E420VO exceeds current Energy STAR guidelines. Using the same ambient lighting sensor found in most displays of this size, this HDTV will automatically change its brightness to match the current lighting in the room. Vizio promises that, for under $700, the E420VO "delivers superior picture and audio quality at an amazing value."
More HDTV reviews:
Hisense 65H9F
LG Signature OLED88Z9PUA


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Dr. Marci Skemp, PT
Marci received her undergraduate degree in Exercise and Sport Science from St. Catherine University and also completed her Doctorate in Physical Therapy from St. Catherine University. Marci has five years experience as a physical therapist, working two years in Kirksville, MO and three years in Bradenton, FL.
While in Florida, Marci became specialized in vestibular rehabilitation and treating all types of dizziness disorders. Marci provides treatment with evidence based protocols to reduce and eliminate dizziness symptoms and to restore balance. Marci also received a certification in concussion management and treatment from the American Institute of Balance.
Marci provides a comprehensive patient centered treatment, always aimed at reaching patient goals. Marci also has a special interest in women's health and pelvic floor dysfunction.

subset: commoncrawl


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Undergrad Advising
About Advising
Academic advisement is the key to graduating in a timely manner; it is very important for students to have regular contact with their academic advisors.In addition to focusing on University Core Curriculum and major requirements, advisement can also be the beginning of an important professional mentoring relationship, assisting students in learning more about their chosen career field.
It is the responsibility of current Geography Majors to contact their assigned advisor (see Faculty page for contact information). New or soon to be Geography Majors should contact Prof. Kate Berry to schedule an advising appointment.
Students have access to the Academic Advising Reporting System via MyNevada. This report confirms a students' progress toward graduation in their declared major.
When it becomes available it is recommended that students bring a copy of this report to advisement appointments in order to make sure that they are on track toward graduation.Projected course offerings in the Department of Geography [PDF] For an overview of the recommended courses and schedule check the University's General Catalog.
Freshmen, Sophomores & Incoming Transfers
Jennifer O'Neil provides advising for all continuing freshmen, sophomores, and incoming transfer students with majors in the Mackay School of Earth Sciences & Engineering (MSESE).
Jennifer O'Neil
Academic Advisor (Freshmen, Sophomores and new Transfer Students)
LME 301 (Laxalt Mineral Engineering; Through the door to the right of the vending machines)
(775) 682-8747
Junior & Senior Advising
Department of Geography
- Margo Grubic | email@example.com | (775) 784-8056


text:
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Projects galore on 5 acres
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Work in progress
If variety is the spice of life, then Rich and Wendy Tobiasz's Evergreen Oasis Farm certainly appeals to the taste buds. The Tobiaszes use every square inch of their 5 acres near Spring Grove, Illinois, packing in more gardens, birds, insects, and animals than peppers in a mill.
They describe their property as "wonderfully imperfect" and admit it does not look like a manicured golf course. It is a work in progress, complete with an orchard, flower and vegetable gardens, and livestock.Date Published: March 2, 2018Date Updated: March 6, 2018
Acreage oasis
They built their home in 1988 and added on in 2004. The land was a hayfield with only two white pine trees. Today it has over 300 trees, with more than 50 species represented, some already over 20 feet tall. They call their homestead Evergreen Oasis Farm, because to them it feels like they're in an oasis surrounded by subdivisions.Date Published: March 2, 2018Date Updated: March 6, 2018
Casual gardeners
As Wendy says, "We really do appreciate beautifully tended gardens, and I go out of my way driving to work just to look at them. But our style is a bit more casual. That works for us."
Rich is the Spring Grove fire chief and Wendy is a registered nurse at a local hospital. Both are busy professionals, and to hear Wendy tell it, "We like it that way!" Their place has been featured on the McHenry County Master Gardener Tour. Many home-schooled children and 4-H groups have visited to learn about sustainable gardening.Date Published: March 2, 2018Date Updated: March 6, 2018
Acres of diversity
Their gardens include a Japanese-style dry garden, an English cottage garden, a combined culinary-medicinal-fragrance herb garden, and new gardens for shade perennials and bulbs that feature canna, calla lilies, gladiolus, and dahlias.
Their half-plus acre of vegetables means lots of canning (Rich completed the University of Illinois Extension Master Preserver course). Annually they grow enough produce for a year's supply of tomato sauce, corn, asparagus, carrots, beets, green beans, pickles, pears, and jam. Some items are frozen; crops such as potatoes, onions, and squash are stored in the cool crawl space.Date Published: March 2, 2018Date Updated: March 6, 2018
Delicious variety
Their salad bed (a raised above-ground bed near the house) flourishes with spinach, endive, radish, arugula, purslane, scallions, and swiss chard. Parsley and dill, some running wild, punctuate the bed. They plant every couple of weeks to ensure a readily available fresh salad nearly year-round.
With some season-extending techniques, they have fooled Mother Nature and managed to have fresh salad greens at Christmas. Nearby grows a 60×60-foot herb garden with more than 80 different types of herbs. While many herbs are used throughout the growing season, the couple dries several varieties for off-season use.Date Published: March 2, 2018Date Updated: March 6, 2018
All kinds of animals
Kristy, a Shetland sheepdog, has the run of the place and keeps tabs on the herds of goats and sheep, the pens of chickens and turkeys, and the visiting classrooms of children.
Wendy spins hand-shorn wool from their Rambouillet, Icelandic, Shetland, and Jacob sheep into skeins of yarn. Some of the herbs will provide natural dye for the fine white wool. Wendy grows indigo for the beautiful blue it creates. She spends a good part of the winter by the fireplace making wool socks, scarves, and sweaters with her homespun textiles.Date Published: March 2, 2018Date Updated: March 6, 2018
Gifts from Home
Their goats are Alpines. Rich and Wendy drink the goat milk and use it to produce chevre, cheddar, Parmesan, Colby, and ricotta cheeses. Excess goat milk is fed to the chickens.
Three beehives line up on the north side of the property, and the honey is used in breads, cereal, and tea. Much like the jams and jellies, Wendy and Rich give family and friends jars of honey each year. "The satisfaction in what we do comes from being able to share products with friends and coworkers," Wendy says.Date Published: March 2, 2018Date Updated: March 6, 2018
Chicken tractors
Rich teaches classes for the University of Illinois Extension Master Gardener program, and he shares not only plant lore, but also experiences with animals.
The chicken tractors (shown here) he and Wendy utilize are a prime example. Laying hens spend spring, summer, and fall wheeled around in ground cages that are moved daily. The chickens feed on grass and bugs while they scratch up the soil and fertilize it. "Studies indicate that free-range chickens have better beta carotene, vitamins A, E, and B12, folic acid, and omega or fatty acids," Rich says, "probably because they are on fresh pasture." The tractors keep the chickens housed and protect the flock from predators.Date Published: March 2, 2018Date Updated: March 6, 2018
Healthy growing
Rich and Wendy believe the vegetable and fruits produced on their acreage benefit their own general nutrition like nothing else can. "We grow without commercial fertilizers and pesticides," says Rich. Animal and green manures provide the fertilizer. Mulching conserves water. Beneficial insects are encouraged to control pests.
"We are trying to be as organic and as sustainable as possible," he says. He adds, "We think we've been the motivation for lots of people to get into organic gardening. It's been so much fun to have children come and taste fresh peas from the garden, hold a chicken for the first time, or touch a turkey."Date Published: March 2, 2018Date Updated: March 6, 2018
Loving life
"Most kids never get to experience these kinds of things in the city, and that's part of why we do what we do here," says Wendy. "It's an active lifestyle. It takes an average of three to four hours per day -- maybe more during the growing season. There's no time for TV, but that's OK. There is so much more that's interesting out on the farm."Date Published: March 2, 2018Date Updated: March 6, 2018
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text:
Professor Virginia Berridge
BA PhD FRHistS FAcSS Hon FFPH Hon FRCP
of History
15-17 Tavistock Place
United Kingdom
Social historian with a first degree and a PhD in history, both from the University of London. I have worked in historical and non-historical settings, at the Addiction Research Unit,(National Addiction Centre) Institute of Psychiatry and the Institute of Historical Research, University of London. I was scientific secretary to the cross department and research council Drug Addiction Research Initiative. I joined the School in 1988 as Co-Director of the AIDS Social History Programme The current School History Centre has developed from that initial programme.
My personal research interest is in the changes in post World War Two public health policy. Topic based research includes smoking policy;drug policy (illicit); alcohol policy; the role of the media; HIV/AIDS policy; and the relationship between evidence, incuding history, and policy. My book -Demons. Our changing attitudes to alcohol, tobacco and drugs (OUP, 2013) and Public Health. A Very Short Introduction (OUP, 2016) are the most recent books published.
I was work package leader for an EU framework 7 programme ALICE-RAP on addiction and lifestyles which ended in March 2016.We researched addiction through the ages, specifically cross national differences in the terminology of addiction from the mid nineteenth century ;and the role of international agencies such as WHO and EMCDDA in establishing core concepts. A book has been published based on this research.
Hellman, Berridge Duke and Mold, Concepts of Addictive substances across time and place (OUP, 2016)
I have recently taken part in the Wellcome Trust funded programme of research on 'Prisoners, Medical Care and Entitlement to Health in England and Ireland, 1850-2000' led by Professor Hilary Marland of the University of Warwick and Dr Catherine Cox of University College Dublin. The LSHTM research,which I supervised, examined the recent history of HIV/AIDS in prisons in England and Ireland. A witness seminar based on this research has taken place.
I am now leading Wellcome Trust funded research on electronic cigarettes: history evidence and policy with collaborators in Australia and the US and acting as historical consultant on an AHRC funded project on AMR and history


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[LvL Updates] Four! (sort of)12 06 17 - 12:26
Four releases have been add to ..::LvL - Two of the releases are modified versions of the same authors earlier work. Another one of the levels is a very old test map that the author has decided to release.
* Dreamscape - Extended by sst13
* The Black Realm - HD by sst13
* The Basin by Martinus
* Sudden Death (2) by CZghost
Videos and panoramas for all.


text:
Amanda Sage is a visionary artist using her painting as a tool for spiritual and planetary growth and transformation. She has been instrumental in the founding of the Vienna Academy of Visionary Art that opened its doors in the fall of 2013. Read more about Amanda here.
Anderson Debernardi is one of the founding students of the Usko-Ayar Amazonian School of Painting, which was established in 1988 in the city of Pucallpa by Pablo Amaringo and Luis Eduardo Luna. Read more about Anderson here.
Chris Dyer's exploration of inner worlds and ability to juggle mediums, styles and themes has made him stand out in the different art movements. Because of his unique voice, and high productivity, Chris has become a leading figure in North American Visionary Art. Read more about Chris here.
Coe Kitten, is the Mother of a sacred arts seed bank called METAsyn Art. This art is collaborative by design and is for the purpose of allowing awareness of the Spirit within. Read more about Coe here.
Dave Zaboski is a visionary artist and Alchemical Creativity Coach. He has co-created numerous internationally published children's books and worked as a senior animator with Disney, Sony and Warner Bros. See more about Dave here.
See more about David "Slocum" Hewson here.
Emma Lucy Shaw became a visionary artist in late 2012 after a life changing experience with the plants of the Peruvian Amazon. Read more about Emma here.
Graciela Arias Salazar is a visionary artist from Pucullpa, Peru. She studied at the Escuela Superior de Formación Artística "Eduardo Meza Saravia" in Pucallpa. Read more about Graciela here.
Jessica Perlstein is a visual artist who grew up in Petaluma, CA and is now based in San Francisco. She attended art school at the Academy of Art University where she earned her BFA in Illustration in 2006. Read more about Jessica here.
Jheferson Saldaña Valera is an artist and shaman born in the city of Pucallpa, Peru. At the age of twelve he began his interest in art, and, as the grandson of a traditional healer, he felt called by the sacred plant medicine of his ancestors. Read more about Jheferson here.
Juan Carlos Taminchi is a Peruvian artist from the Andean and Amazonian cultures. He attended the Pucallpa School of Arts, where he became an Art Professor. Read more about Juan here.
Liba was born to American parents but grew up in South East Asia. She moved to the USA in her teenage years and currently lives in Paris France. Liba's art has exhibited in both galleries and museums in Europe, South America, Asia and the USA. Read more about Liba here.
Luis Tamani is an artist from the Amazonian rainforest of Peru. Born in 1983, he grew up on the banks of the Ucayali River in Pucallpa. His imagination was fed by landscapes full of rivers, trees, lianas, animals, birds and the verdant lushness of the rainforest. Read more about Luis here.
Martina Hoffmann's visionary realism art depicts a very unique iconography inspired by the dream state and other non-ordinary states of consciousness, with a deep connection to the sacred feminine. Read more about Martina here.
Mauro Reategui Perez studied with Pablo Amaringo at his Usko-Ayar Amazonian School of Painting, graduating in 1995. Read more about Mauro here.
Michael is at the forefront of a resurgent creative wave that draws it's inspiration not just from art theory and intellectual ideas but also from the basic principles of what it is to lead a healthy and vibrant life. His work is as much inspired by Futurism, Impressionism, and Abstract Artists as it is by the Surrealists and the Fantastic Realists and today's modern Visionary Art movement. Read more about Michael here.
Miguel Vilca Vargas is a visionary artist from Pucullpa, Peru. Visit him on Facebook.
Radhika Hersey grew up in the artist counter culture of Los Angeles where she fell in love with painting at a young age. After graduating with a BFA at California College of the Arts in San Francisco, she returned to Los Angeles. Read more about Radhika here.
Rai wëni earned his degree in painting at the "Accademia di Belle Arti" in Urbino, Italy. After completing his degree he went to the Peruvian Amazon Rain Forest to further his art studies and to heal. This experience was a huge turning point in his creative and personal life. Read more about Rai wëni here.
From childhood, UK based artist Solara Aerie had a strong curiosity for the spirit world and held drawing and creating art close to her heart. With an introduction to technique and colour from friend and artist Luis Tamani, she decided to paint. Read more about Solara here.
Stuart Griggs is a painter and digital artist from the U.K. Stuart has a B.A. of fine arts and has widely exhibited across the globe. Stuart's work is an exploration into the nexus of drawing and digital art, synthesizing the two approaches into an idiosyncratic visual language. Read more about Stuart here.
Through his art, Vajra shares his philosophy and also the knowledge he has gleaned through his research and exploration of everything from the ancient origins of civilization to space-time geometry and free energy. Read more about Vajra here.


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|Click HERE if you like evil space Dorfs and things that brillig in the slithy toves. Gyring and gymboling optional.
There was a rumour going around that the location of old Scruffy's Big Stash had slipped out. Little Jemmy spilt the beans to a gang of trash runners called the Ah-Ah Sisters and turned up slit from neck to nuts. Word was they were headed out to the ruins of Downtown Truro, and word spreads quick amongst runners...
|Cooties is a real and present threat in the wastelands of the future. No way are the boys going to go near those girls.
There was a gutteral noise behind the pair, and Gus turned to see their third man, Lajon, checking his automatic and pulling a long blade from his boot sheath.
"Stay cool man," whispered Gus harshly, but Lajon was not a patient man.
"We don't act, they walk with the stash" Lajon whispered back, and he crouched low, advancing up to the porta-barrier next to Gus. "I'ma give 'em some lead, see if they don't run. Sisters are all talk, they won't do shit." Gus shook his head, but it was too late.
|"This looks like a fine spot for a dirt nap."
Gus moved up closer, trying to catch a glimpse of where Lajon was lying in a pool of his own blood. He poked the barrel of his own machinegun through the rusty porta-barrier and fired half a clip at the fleeting sight of the blue-haired slayer, but his shots ricocheted harmlessly off the old ruins. He squinted hard and fired again, and this time was rewarded by the sight of the Sister clutching at her guts and ducking down low - he had landed a few shots, but not enough to take her down. Terry moved up to support him but wasn't able to get a clear line of sight to any of the Sisters.
Angelica winced, her side burning where the bullets had clipped her. She hunkered down, fumbling for another clip to reload her weapon. Behind her, Ramona, leader of the Ah-Ah Sisters, crept closer to scope out the clearing in the ruins. The stash had to be there, somewhere in the mess of busted up crates and boxes. There was signs of a fresh dig, which worried her. They had come too far and risked too much to go home empty handed. She waited for her moment to move.
Angelica rammed a fresh clip into the EK-84 and took aim at the runner she had downed. She wanted to make sure he stayed down for good. Easy... easy.... she fired off a burst of shots which tore into the prone body, the head coming apart like an overripe fruit. He wasn't getting up again.
|Games of Marco Polo have high stakes in Outland.
|Radioactive green gloop is the bubblewrap of the future. Try some today!
Fatima tip-toed through the ruined bank, her gun held at the ready, moving so quietly that noone had noticed her. She reached a ruined window, unaware of the runner worming his way on his belly behind her. She hauled herself up onto the sturdy stone sill, and peeked around to see Gus unloading his weapon at the fleeing Ramona. Pulling out her knife, Fatima jumped and slid down a pile of rubble and skree, ready to gut the filthy runner or die trying to save her leader. She ran forward, taking the filth by surprise. Gus grunted as she slashed at him, dodging each thrust and flick. He pulled out his own brutal axe and swung it hard, breaking through her defence and hurling the shrieking girl backwards. Terry, hearing the scuffle and seeing few alternatives, hurried back to see what the hell was going on.
|Recycling is tiring business.
Terry rounded the corner and saw a pink-haired girl curled up with pain on the ground, a knife in one hand, an automatic in the other. He raised his shotgun and hit her with a blast at close range. She stopped moving.
"Wait!" yelled Gus, as Terry aimed at the girl's head, intending to avenge Lajon, "Don't kill her. We'll take her to town and sell her to the Green Man."
"They killed Lajon... we should kill her now!"
"Hold... your... FIRE!"
Terry lowered his shotgun with a sullen gaze.
In the distance, Ramona and Angelica retreated, carrying the lump of wood between them. "We have to go back Ramona!" screamed Angelica, looking over her shoulder.
Ramona eyes were hard as steel. She said nothing, but kept on running till the clearing and the runner trash were far behind them...
New Penryn barely qualified as a town, it was more of an outpost, but it was significant enough to warrant the protection of the Enforcers, who had a garrison on the main strip. They policed it rigorously, under the watchful eye of Chief Warner, who fancied himself a paragon of justice and morality in a morally bankrupt world. Ironic though it was, New Penryn had a reputation for being a smuggler's rest and a hotbed for the slaver's racket, and business lately had been good...
|Witness the bustling Metropolis of New Penryn.
|The Enforcers have a strict dress code, which includes highly polished body armour. REALLY highly polished. GLEAMING in fact.
Up the main street of New Penryn, several shops and an Enforcer station were the only real intact structures. A lanky scavenger with a long rifle skulked against a wall. More officers patrolled the other end of the street. From somewhere, a strange sea shanty seemed to be echoing about the streets.
|Benny the Pirate and Smooth Stenbore chill in the ruins, drinking rum and singing bawdy songs. They will not appear again in this story.
|There are a lot of pirates and short people in this town. Must be something in the water. Something piratey.
|Pictured: The makings of the greatest street party of all time.
"Allo love," sneered Hookbeard, sizing up the two girls. "Show us some coin or hand over the guns, simple aye?"
|Open manhole covers are a sign of terrible OH&S practises. Someone should call the Enforcers!
"Ere lads, look at this one eh?" leered Hookbeard, sensing an easy target in Terry. Rodney sniggered. Gary made a sort of groaning gurgling noise. Gary doesn't talk much.
|We will rock you.
Events happened very quickly. Gary the Ghoul hit Terry with a rock, sending him flying backwards with the force. A shot rang out from the rooftop of the shattered apartment, and Gary was knocked to the floor by the impact of the scavenger's sniper shot. The Enforcers on the corner, alerted by the noise of the gunshot, span around to see what the hell was going on. The closest Enforcer ran forwards, combat shotgun at the ready, and shoved it into Hookbeard's face.
|The long arm of the law is pointing at the blue building, for some reason.
Content that their distraction was well underway, the two Ah-Ah Sisters made their way through the back lanes of the town to find themselves emerging onto the main street just over the road from the merchant's store, where the local Enforcers were scrambling to get to the affray at the end of the block. There they spotted Gus hiding in the alley, and with him was their lost Sister, Fatima. Seeing them, and all the Enforcers running to and fro, gave Fatima all the courage she needed to attempt an escape. She wrenched free from Gus, who could only look on in horror at what was transpiring, and the captured girl ran across the street to her comrades, who were utterly shocked and elated to find her still alive. Gus cursed. This was not going to plan at all.
|The boys all assume the position. Except Gary. He assumes nothing, because assumptions make an ass out of you, and umption.
The arrival of two more Enforcers to the scene takes the wind out of Hookbeard's sails considerably. Forced to the ground along with Rodney, he is cuffed and read his rights, with the occasional boot laid in for good measure. Noone notices Gary the Ghoul rising from the gutter, his beady eyes watching his friends get beat up. Gary like friends. Gary no like Enforcers...
|"Yo yo every body get down and... actually, just get down."
|Gary scored a touchdown in the last few minutes. The crowd goes wild.
The other two Enforcers, seeing the prone body of their fellow officer flying past them, turn and blast Gary at point-blank range with their shotguns, ending his sad, misunderstood life (Gary just wanted to be loved).
|Transparent roofs are all the rage in the dystopian future.
Seeing his chance to avenge his friend, Terry chased the fleeing Fatima as she ran through a techno-artisan's workshop. Lining her up through the door, he gave her both barrels right in the back, knocking the girl to the floor unconscious.
|"You have the right to remain... dead."
Seeing the man gun down an unarmed woman in cold blood, the remaining Enforcers decided to make do without due process and gunned Terry down from behind with two shotgun blasts. Terry died instantly, his blood seeping into the rough floor of the artisan's hut.
|The ladies tell the merchant where to go. Out back, apparently.
The Ah-Ah Sisters managed to find the merchant after all that trouble, and bartered a good deal for the wood, stocking up on supplies and gaining an important new contact.
|The enigmatic Green Man never did get his slave. But the Green Man is patient.


text: Welcome to Shadow Lake Estates! Where there's active recreation for the entire family! The variety of lake activities include not only water skiing and wake boarding, but also fishing and swimming. The lake has been stocked with over 10,000 fish including bass, bluegill, catfish and sunfish. Windsurfing and sport sailing is allowed on windy days. This lot includes a private boat dock, electric boat lift and boat launch.


text:
In what BusinessWeek is describing as "his first extensive interview on the subject," Phil Schiller, everyone's favorite Senior Vice President of Worldwide Product Marketing for Apple (s aapl), has defended Apple's application approval process.
I've read through it a few times, and I'd hardly call it "extensive." I think it's more accurately described as "PR spin" more than anything else. Schiller's opening salvo is actually an advertisement.
We've built a store for the most part that people can trust. You and your family and friends can download applications from the store, and for the most part they do what you'd expect, and they get onto your phone, and you get billed appropriately, and it all just works.
It's obviously going to transmit good vibes to the majority of BusinessWeek readers (who likely weren't even aware of an application approval process in the first place, never mind a problem with it) but it's unlikely to smooth the feathers of frustrated, angry developers. See, Mr. Schiller not only defended the approval process, but said that developers actually like it.
Most [apps] are approved and some are sent back to the developer. In about 90% of those cases, Apple requests technical fixes—usually for bugs in the software or because something doesn't work as expected. Developers are generally glad to have this safety net because usually Apple's review process finds problems they actually want to fix.
Here's what TechCrunch's Jason Kincaid had to say about that:
This is a laughable statement. Developers may like the concept of having an external QA safety net that helps catch bugs, but not one that's incredibly inconsistent and penalizes them with extended delays and notoriously bad communication.
Schiller does manage to admit that Apple has made mistakes. Sadly, he doesn't say it loudly enough. In a Social Networking era when transparency is not only beneficial to a company but almost essential to maintaining a happy customer base, Apple still can't manage genuine "openness" where it most counts. I'm sure Misters Jobs and Schiller grudgingly decided this interview was a necessary (if bitter-tasting) step in damage-control. But it's dripping with convoluted and downright unfriendly corporate-speak.
Here are Schiller's comments on the matter of Apple's recent inconsistent approach to trademark protection (brief recap; Rogue Amoeba's Airfoil Speakers app displayed a tiny icon of the remote computer to which the app was connected — Apple initially approved the app, and it proved very successful. Then someone noticed the icons were of Macs, and Apple pulled it for trademark violation).
[Schiller] says Apple is trying to make trademark guidelines more sophisticated. "We need to delineate something that might confuse the customer and be an inappropriate use of a trademark from something that's just referring to a product for the sake of compatibility," he says. "We're trying to learn and expand the rules to make it fair for everyone."
In a twist I didn't see coming, BusinessWeek's Arik Hesseldahl adds that Rogue Amoeba "…will soon submit a version of the app with the Apple images intact." That's good to know, since it was almost universally agreed (except perhaps by the most fundamental fanbois) that Apple's actions were not only inconsistent and hypocritical — they were just plain stupid.
Kincaid summarises:
Schiller's interview highlights how badly Apple is underestimating the negative impact the App Store is having on its reputation in the developer community… Apple may not care about losing a handful of developers to Android, but their shortsighted strategy of answering developer complaints with PR spin rather than transparency and action may hurt them in the long run.
I'll give Apple this; it's learning. Slowly, painfully slowly, continental-drift-slowly, but remember that the iPhone is not yet three years old, the application store even younger. In a sense, Apple is making this up as it goes, and it's bound to take some wrong turns along the winding path toward approval process nirvana. Developers don't expect Apple to be perfect; they will tolerate and forgive occasional missteps, but only if the channel of discourse between them significantly improves beyond where it stands today; which, so far as I can see, is a slightly updated status page on the Apple Dev Center website and, when developers get rowdy enough, the occasional intervention by Phil Schiller.
Do we need Apple to act, as Joe Hewitt put it, as Gatekeepers? Apple doesn't vet the quality and functionality of applications built for the Macintosh; though, I wonder — were the Mac to be invented today, would Apple insist on an Application Store for the desktop Mac OS X? If so, would it offer the same reasoning for its draconian regulation of its software ecosystem?
Everyone has an opinion on how best to solve the problem; I suspect it's all about balance. An approval process is fine so long as Apple's rules are fair, practical and consistently applied across all apps, all the time. And if or when it screws up, Apple should admit it instantly and correct its error. So, riddle me this… if it's so easy for the community to offer reasonable solutions, why is it proving so hard for Apple?


text:
I have finally spent a weekend getting into the studio. This little pin & earrings were sent to RVQuilter,
as well as this flower pin. I am sorry for being so late!!
Remember the Round Robin? Here is what it looked like after making all the rounds & coming back to me.
I felt the original light square that I had printed looked like a big bright hole, & was reading too heavy with the darkness in the top & right. I carefully removed the black lace applique' (which Mary G told me it was OK to do- she had just basted it in place), as well as the copper leaf, & set them aside to be put back on after cutting the top apart. I was careful in how cut the light green gauze area too, because I didn't want to undo any of the hand beading in that area.
Here is how it looks now, after I've quilted & started to embellish. I replaced Mary's leaf & turned the lace into a rose, & put it on the upper left.
I have started the embellishing by using some of the special buttons I have collected over the years, just waiting for the right place to use them. I love this Raku button. It's a little work of art all on it's own.
The bee is enamel.
The triangle are polymer clay.
This hand is ceramic.
Here's a close up of Mary's leaf & the rose.
I will continue to do hand embellishing on this until it feels done. Next I think I'll do some embroidery stitches. I may wish I'd waited on the buttons, but oh well, I'll manage somehow!
Thanks Nina Marie for inviting me to be a part of your circle! Sounds inspiring!


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As discussed in Wednesday's post, our home budget has been a real focus for me as we kick off this new year and I shared a few of the tips and tricks I'm currently using to keep better track of our finances. For us, health insurance was one thing we couldn't cut back completely given J's therapy needs, but I really believe in trying to get the best bang for your health insurance buck – so the nice folks at Health Insurance Comparison have penned this guest post on ways you can save money on your health insurance costs. Belinda xx
If you're looking to cut back on your outgoings, you may be wondering what kind of health insurance you can get for your money. While it's true that you won't be able to afford top level health insurance on a budget, there are ways to make your cover go as far as possible.
Buy As Soon As You Can Afford To
The Australian Government's Lifetime Health Cover (LHC) initiative means that when you buy private hospital cover affects the amount that you'll pay for it. For every year that you delayed beyond the age of 30, a 2 per cent loading fee is added to your premiums. Waiting until you are 4o will mean that you ultimately pay 20 per cent more for your health insurance compared to someone who bought their cover before the age of 30.
Review Your Cover Regularly
As your family's situation changes, your health insurance needs will also be affected. This can be a good time to downgrade your policy to get rid of services that are no longer important but you may also need to look at upgrading your cover to avoid out-of-pocket costs for hospital and/or Extras services that are now needed.
At a bare minimum, you should assess your policy at least once per year to check that it's still covering the most appropriate services for your needs. Where possible, it pays to try to second guess which services your family may need in the coming year to avoid being caught out by waiting periods. Major Dental and Orthodontics are two areas of Extras cover that typically have a 12-month waiting period, for example.
Downgrade Your Cover
If you've already got health insurance, you may be paying for services that you don't need. This is often the case with top level health insurance policies, which may have been bought for obstetrics. Once you're at the stage whereby you no longer require obstetrics services, you may be able to switch to a lesser level of cover without compromising on the services that you do need.
Top level cover will also include a range of age-related services such as joint replacement surgery, cardiac services and cataract surgery; all of which become more likely as you get older. Downgrading to a mid or basic level policy that does not need include these services is another opportunity to save on your premiums without affecting your cover.
Pay By Direct Debit
Some health funds will offer a slight discount on your premiums if you agree to pay them by Direct Debit. This is typically around the 4 per cent mark.
Is Budget Health Insurance Worth It?
Even if you're not particularly bothered about having hospital cover to skip the queues, the financial benefits may appeal. An eligible hospital policy will exempt you from paying the Medicare Levy Surcharge, if your household income means that you will otherwise have to pay it. An 'eligible' hospital policy is one that has an excess of $500 or less for singles and $1000 or less for couples and families.
Bear in mind that Medicare does not cover many out-of-hospital services, including dental and optical (except for eye tests performed by qualified optical specialists), many forms of therapy and emergency ambulance (in some states). Some degree of Extras cover is therefore advisable to avoid out-of-pocket costs if your family needs to access services that are not available through Medicare. Basic Extras policies will have relatively low annual limits for services, which can lead to out-of-pocket costs if you go beyond them.
At HealthInsuranceComparison.com.au, we're all about helping you to understand health insurance so that you can find the best cover for your needs and budget. Whether you're just trying to get a feel for the type of policies that are out there or you've already got a good idea of what you want, we'll help you to get the best value for money.


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The Sharp Firm Areas of Practice | Sharp & Focused Attorneys Fighting for You
At The Sharp Firm, we offer high-quality accident and personal injury legal services to all our clients. This is a large and diverse area of law, which requires extensive training and experience in order to excel. With over two decades of work in this area, we are the ideal option for anyone who has experienced serious injuries in Texas.
We offer legal help in each of the following areas:
Auto Accident & Personal Injury
Our team represents those who have suffered an injury in accidents where someone else was at fault. This includes clients who were a driver in that accident, a passenger, or a pedestrian. We also represent people who have experienced other types of serious injuries due to another party. Learn more about our auto accident & personal injury practice.
Wrongful Death
At The Sharp Firm, we represent the families of those who have lost loved ones due to the negligence of another party. We can help recover financial damages and guide our clients through the legal process with integrity and compassion. Learn more about our wrongful death practice.
Brain Injury and Closed Head Injury
Brain injury can cause so many changes in lifestyle for the victim and his or her family and friends. Physical, cognitive, social, and vocational changes are extremely common. Recovery can be a lifelong process of adjustments and accommodations. Appropriate treatment of a brain injury may be extremely complicated, involving diagnostic testing, drugs, surgery, and rehabilitation. Full treatment including rehabilitation can be extremely expensive and involve a team of medical caregivers. It is not uncommon for an injured individual to see a neurologist, neurosurgeon, psychiatrist, neuropsychiatrist, a vocational expert, life-care planner, neuro-psychologist, and physical, occupational and speech therapists.
Securing proper medical care alone can be a full-time pursuit of an injured individual and his or her family and friends. We can work on your behalf to ensure the party responsible for these injuries, or the insurance company covering them, compensates you for all damages. Learn more about our brain injury and closed head injury practice.
Wills & Probate Litigation
When representing probate and trust litigation clients, whether fiduciaries or beneficiaries, we seek a prompt resolution of disputes. Most importantly we seek to protect and advance our client's interests and rights. The combination of experience and expertise enhances the likelihood of success for our clients. Learn more about our wills & probate litigation practice.
Bicycle Accidents
Bicycling has become an increasingly popular pastime and form of exercise. Traffic laws are in place to minimize the risk of accidents between motorists and bicyclists, but that isn't always enough. Bicycle accidents often result in severe injury to the rider. With far less physical protection, the bicyclist is typically at much greater risk than the driver of the motor vehicle. If a bicyclist is injured due to the negligence of a driver or other individual, they may be entitled to compensation. Learn more about our bicycle accident practice.
Motorcycle Accidents
Even motorcyclists obeying traffic laws and wearing protective gear are at a huge disadvantage in a collision with a car, truck, van, or another motor vehicle. Injuries often include brain damage, paralysis, back injury, and amputation of limbs; as well as fractures, severe burns, or "road rash." When these major injuries occur, we consult with medical experts to determine the future — even lifelong — medical needs such as reconstructive surgery, vocational rehabilitation, medical equipment, and medications. We'll provide you with the best representation to help ensure you get what you are entitled to. Learn more about our motorcycle accidents practice.
Insurance Disputes
Compelling insurance companies to make good on insurance policies is a special interest of the attorneys at the Sharp Firm. If you have been unfairly treated by your health, auto, home, disability, life, or other insurance company, you should seek advice from a knowledgeable lawyer experienced in handling insurance disputes. At the Sharp Firm, we have experience aggressively representing people in disputes with their insurance companies. Learn more about our insurance disputes practice.
Truck Accidents
Nationwide, there are over 3,500 fatalities and 60,000 injuries each year from passenger vehicle collisions with heavy-duty trucks. Truck accidents are one of the leading causes of death and serious injuries involving vehicles. In many cases, the truck driver is responsible for the accidents that caused the injury. When this is the case, the attorneys at The Sharp Firm can help. Learn more about our truck accidents practice.
Medical Malpractice
The vast majority of interactions with doctors and other medical professionals go very well, and the profession, in general, is responsible for dramatically improving the quality of life for millions. When a doctor makes a mistake, however, it can cause serious consequences for the patients, which is why there are medical malpractice laws on the books. If you believe a doctor is responsible for missing a diagnosis they should have caught, prescribed the wrong medication, made a mistake in surgery, or had some other serious injury that is causing you or a loved one problems, we are here to help. Learn more about our medical malpractice practice.
Dental Malpractice
Dentists today are responsible for helping to ensure the overall health of people's teeth, gums, and mouth in general. This can include routine work as well as more complicated things like surgery, tooth extraction, root canals, and much more. If a dentist makes a mistake it can cause serious injury, and serious expenses to repair. Just like medical doctors are responsible for their mistakes, so are dentists. Learn more about our dental malpractice practice.
Construction Accidents
Construction crews are working around the clock to build or repair buildings, roads, homes, and other things throughout Austin and all of Texas. While they typically complete each job without a problem, occasionally they are responsible for some type of accident that causes serious injury or property damage. Whether you are an employee at a construction company or not, you may be entitled to compensation if you were a victim of a construction accident. We can help. Learn more about our construction accidents practice.
Nonsubscriber Injuries
In the state of Texas, employers are not legally required to hold workers' compensation insurance. While most companies have this type of policy in place, an estimated 100,000 do not. If you work for a company without workers' compensation insurance and you sustain a serious injury, it is considered a nonsubscriber injury, and you may be entitled to compensation under the law. We can fight for your rights to ensure your expenses are covered, income is replaced, and much more. Learn more about our nonsubscriber injuries practice.
Complex Regional Pain Syndrome
After a serious accident or injury, some people develop a condition known as complex regional pain syndrome or CRPS. This condition can be extremely painful, and even debilitating. If you have been diagnosed with CRPS after an accident or injury, you may be entitled to compensation for your medical expenses, lost salary, pain and suffering, and more. Our firm has helped many people with this condition, and we can help you too. Learn more about our complex regional pain syndrome practice.
Drunk Driver
Drunk drivers are responsible for thousands of accidents, injuries, and fatalities every year. If you or a loved one is a victim of a drunk driver, you are likely entitled to just compensation under the law. We are passionate about helping victims of these irresponsible drivers, and will fight aggressively on your behalf. Learn more about our drunk driver practice.
Defective Products
When you purchase a product there is an assumption that the product will work as it is designed. When there is a defect, you are typically just entitled to getting a replacement product or your money back. If that defect leads to serious injury or other issues, however, the creator of that product may be held accountable for the results. We can help you get the compensation you need if you or a loved one has been injured due to defective products. Learn more about our defective products practice.


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Taiwan's two leading companies in the light-emitting diodes (LEDs) sector are expected to maintain growth momentum in the second half of this year on steady global demand for LED lighting products, analysts said last week.
Analysts said that is because the growing demand for general lighting products and mobile device backlighting applications is strong enough to offset the potential pullback in TV backlighting shipments, allowing both Epistar Corp (晶元光電) and Everlight Electronics Co (億光電子) to continue their growth through next year.
"Our thesis of two-engine growth [general lighting and backlight] remains unchanged, despite recent uncertainty in LCD TV demand," HSBC Securities Taiwan Ltd analyst Jerry Tsai said in a note on Friday.
The increasing use of LEDs in general lighting applications and a steady demand of power-saving LED backlight units in computers and LCD TVs have been seen as the most important drivers for the Taiwanese LED sector in recent years.
As demand for backlights, and especially those used in TVs, has slowed down due to the expiration of subsidies in China and weakness in end demand for notebook computers and monitors, companies have responded with product mix adjustments, Tsai said.
He said growth in global large-sized LCD panel demand in terms of square meters, known as area demand, remained larger than the pace of decline in TV shipments in terms of units and hence could give support to overall LED demand.
"We expect the two companies [Epistar and Everlight] to play a larger role in global LED backlight in 2014, due to innovative designs that offer competitive cost savings to customers," he said.
Tsai's remarks came after Epistar, the nation's largest LED chipmaker, last week said it swung into profit in the second quarter with earnings per share (EPS) of NT$0.38, compared with net losses per share of NT$0.27 in the previous quarter. Meanwhile, Epistar's once-struggling subsidiary, the unlisted Huga Optotech Inc (廣鎵光電), also saw it break even last quarter following three consecutive quarters of losses.
In the April-to-June period, Epistar's gross margin increased 9.6 percentage points to 15.9 percent from the previous quarter, while operating margin rose to 6.4 percent from minus-7.1 percent in the January-to-March period.
Everlight, the nation's top LED chip packager, said on Thursday its EPS reached NT$0.92 last quarter, up from NT$0.53 in the previous quarter, with gross margin rising to 26.37 percent from 22.49 percent and operating margin improving to 9.77 percent from 6.69 percent over the same period.
In the first seven months of the year, Epistar's consolidated revenue increased 5.08 percent to NT$12.31 billion (US$411 million) and Everlight's cumulative revenue rose 24.11 percent to NT$13.11 billion, the companies said in their filings to the Taiwan Stock Exchange.
Analysts forecast the two companies would see revenues stay flat or increase slightly this quarter from last quarter due to tepid backlight demand. However, their profit margins could see continued sequential improvement on rising utilization rates and cost controls, they said.
For the whole of this year, HSBC forecast Epistar to report EPS of NT$1.76 this year and NT$3.13 for next year, while Everlight is forecast to see EPS of NT$3.17 this year and NT$3.67 next year.


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1970's D-45 Owned by Ian Tyson
1970's D-45 Owned by Ian Tyson
24,950.00 29,000.00
This early 70's Martin D-45 was previously owned by the legendary Ian Tyson, and it includes a letter of authenticity that suggests that Ian wrote some of his hits on this very guitar. It features diamond inlay in the fretboard on the 15th fret, and a rich and robust sound. This guitar can be seen in the following You Tube link (notice the diamond flickering in the lights):
Please give us a call for more information on the condition of this guitar.
Add To Cart


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Yes, I'm a big fat liar. I swore off challenges, and yet now I seem to have signed myself up for a second challenge this year. Sue me.
This one, hosted by Bibliobabe, has some of the most awesome prizes out there and its in honor of Read, Remember, Recommend by Rachelle Knight. Post below are the snazzy and utterly enticing details of the challenge. I'm going to aim for the "Library of Congress Calls Me Daddy" challenge level of 20 books. =)
Wish me luck! Leave a comment if you plan on signing up as well. Maybe we can combine forces to win the whole shebang!
You can sign-up here.
Read, Remember, Recommend Fiction Reading Challenge In celebration of the April 1st, 2010 release date of the Read, Remember, Recommend reading journal, Bibliobabe is hosting a new reading challenge. Dates: April 1st, 2010 to April 1st, 2011 Details:
- Check out all the amazing books (thousands!) mentioned in Read, Remember, Recommend and plan your attack. Books do not need to be decided upon in advance. All books must be mentioned in the journal lists.
- Write a challenge sign-up post on your blog. In that post provide a link to the Read, Remember, Recommend Fiction Reading Challenge post. Please feel free to use the Read, Remember, Recommend Fiction Reading Challenge button in your post. If you do not have a blog, introduce yourself in a comment below.
- Add your name and the direct link to the sign-up post in the Mister Linky list below.
- Each time you read and review a book as part of this challenge, share this with other challenge participants by adding a direct link to your book review to the list in a comment at this post. If you do not have a blog, leave your review as a comment.
- Read as many books from the Read, Remember, Recommend reading journal as you can in one year. Books read before April 1st, 2010 do not count. Overlaps with other challenges (including the Read, Remember, Recommend Teen Reading Challenge) are acceptable – and encouraged!
- Rereading doesn't count – have fun exploring new authors, awards and books!
- Audio, print, and e-books are all acceptable.
- Post your review or link to your review in a comment below.
- You can change your commitment level at anytime.
- Notable Newbie – 5 books
- Armchair Librarian – 10 books
- The Library of Congress Calls Me Daddy – 20 books
- A Book Intervention is Needed – 30 books
- The Grand Prize is an Ereader of your choice (Kindle 2, Nook, Sony Ereader, COOL-ER – $260 value)! There will be one grand prize drawing between both Read, Remember, Recommend Reading Challenges. Each review post comment will count as an entry into the drawing.
- The first place prize is a "Reading is Sexy" messenger bag filled with 5 books from the Read, Remember Recommend reading journal.
- The second place prize for each challenge is a $20 gift card to the bookstore of your choice.


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Thursday, September 22, 2011
Dreaming Up... Ideas
3 comments:
I've actually woken myself up out of a dream to write it down. So, imagine a dream me screaming at a sleeping me to wake up. Yeah, very weird.ReplyDelete
Haha Great image, Tina! Cracked me up. :)ReplyDelete
I'm totally the same way! I dream like crazy - most of the time there is no depth to it. :) But this summer, the title for Windchaser actually came to me in a dream - I had ALL the other titles worked out in the 8-book series, except for the first one. We were operating under the title Windmaker at the present time, but I was still unsure about it. Then I was dreaming one night and I came out of it with ONE word on my brain - Windchaser. Wrote it down in the notes on my phone and went back to sleep. Didn't remember it until I checked the notes later that day and saw the new word in it! And that was IT. That was THE TITLE. Haha. So I totally get what you're talking about!!ReplyDelete


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Check out our new resource, "Social Insurance is a Better Model for Business." It's a short and sweet factsheet on why the the social insurance model of the Universal Paid Leave Act (UPLA) is better than the "employer mandate" model proposed in all other alternative bills.
Here is a sneak-peek (spoiler alert!): Social insurance is a tested model. It is comprehensive; predictable; relieves businesses from administering the benefit; sets a level playing field between big and small businesses; evens out variations between businesses in leave usage; and enhances business growth.
UPLA is the best model for DC, and it's the one we already chose!


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Easy ordering Choose your delivery date
Photo of your bouquet taken just before dispatch
Optimum freshness Your bouquet travels with its stems in water
Personalise your order Add a printed photo for free
Track your delivery in your account
Your bouquet travels in comfort
Aquarelle takes good care of your bouquet. It will be wrapped in protective paper and will travel with its stems in water in our special transport vase. It will arrive at its destination in a pretty kraft box.


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Amelia Love Johnson Library Media Center
The Library Media Center supports the Alabama State Course of Study, the basis of our school curriculum program, and the Information Literacy Skills published by the American Association of School Librarians and the American Library Association.
"Our library is committed to providing quality print and electronic resources while fostering information literacy skills through effective research and retrieval as well as developing a lifelong love of reading."
Amelia Love Johnson Library Media Center provides open access for all students. The Library Media Center uses Surpass as its automated management system.
Teachers may send students to the LMC at any time during the school day to check out books. Research time is arranged for all students. Because collaborative planning between the classroom teacher and the Library Media Specialist is important to the learning process for all students, the Library Media Center is an extension of the classroom. Through collaborative planning, students have the chance to experience knowledge through varied learning opportunities. Students and teachers have access to the Alabama Virtual Library for projects and research.
Books are checked out for 7 days for k-6th and 2 weeks for high school (or other arrangements made with the staff). No books will be checked out to students who have overdue books.
Copyright © 2019 Amelia Love Johnson High School


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Improbable Athenaeum will present The Story Brought by Brigit: A Passion Play in the fellowship hall at St. Catherine's Episcopal Church, 502 Druid Hills Road, Temple Terrace, FL, 33617, at 8 pm on Friday, March 23, 2 pm on Saturday, March 24, and 8 pm on Saturday, March 24.
Admission is pay-what-you-will at the door. Reservations can be made at https://storybroughtbybrigit.eventbrite.com
The Story Brought by Brigit, by noted Irish Literary Revival playwright Lady Gregory, is a lovely, lyrical, folklore-tinged telling of the events between Palm Sunday and the Crucifixion. Reviews of its 1924 premiere called it "moving and wonderful" and "a very human, very sympathetic, and very reverent conception." Improbable Athenaeum is delighted to partner with St. Catherine's to present this rare treat, performed by local professional actors including Nicole Jeannine Smith as St. Brigit and Lynne Locher as the holy mother Mary.
2nd Woman: You did well coming here to see him with your own eyes. For this is a story will have seven shapes put on it.
1st Woman: Indeed it is a heart-broken story you will have to bring back to Ireland.
St. Brigit: No; but a great story and a great praise I will bring with me. I have heard him myself, and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world.
The Story Brought by Brigit continues Improbable Athenaeum's acclaimed series of plays, poetry readings, and performance events.
More information about Improbable Athenaeum is available at https://www.facebook.com/ImprobableAthenaeum
Photo Credit: Improbable Athenaeum.


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BRENTWOOD, MO (KTVI) – There were flashing flooding fears in Brentwood early Tuesday night.
Residents said it was creating dangerous conditions.
But they didn't blame the storms.
City officials have issued issued citations against the owner of the suddenly flood prone corner of York and Middlesex in the York Village neighborhood.
As News11 first reported in January, the property owner leveled the little forest that was there, taking out dozens of trees.
"When I walked down and actually looked at it, what was here. I've seen tornados, what nature does. I've never seen something like this before. It makes me feel sad," resident Anne Keely said in January.
The little creek alongside had been flooding ever since, residents said.
Part of the pavement had also collapsed into a sink hole in the middle of the street.
The flood water was backed-up storm water rushing over the road and over the top of an apparently clogged drain pipe.
Storm water also rose from the sink hole and rushed over the pavement instead of below it.
"We have a sink hole now. That was never there either. So, that's all new," resident Kevin Bailey said. "It's ironic, it didn't have a problem until they cleared the trees…I've been here now 12 years. We've never flooded, not even the simplest form of flood. Now, we get these downpours, its obvious what's happening. We're getting a dangerous situation across the street."
The property seems too small for a house. Neighborhood by-laws also prohibit additional dwellings in York Village. There was no development plan submitted to the city.
Property owner, Boris Bukhstaber, faces fines of up to $500 per citation, Brentwood City Attorney Mike Shelton said.
He was due in court Monday night but the case was continued until next month.
He told News11 he was in the process of working things out with the city but otherwise had no comment.
Previous Coverage:
Residents upset after neighborhood forest chopped down without warning
Follow Andy Banker on Twitter and Facebook:
Email: email@example.com


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The video for lead single 'Curious' is where my love affair with Hayley Kiyoko began. Its queer, it's loud and it's proud. Just like Kiyoko and her debut album Expectations.
Her feelings are all over this record. Whether it's relationship anxiety on 'Wanna Be Missed', depression on 'Mercy-Gatekeeper' or a whole bundle of over-emoting on the aptly titled 'Feelings' she's opening up her every inner battle here.
Sure, there are plenty of queer songs on show; 'Curious' and 'He'll Never Love You (HNLY)' among the most blatant with the thrillingly adolescent throwback line "I left a mark on your neck", but that's not necessarily the point. These are love songs. The point isn't to focus on the pronouns, it's to realise they don't matter.
As a queer woman who's been fan-girling over Tegan and Sara for the past 15 years this record isn't completely surprising. It's not a revelation. What it is, is about damn time. It's polished, well produced, and, most of all, it's a hell of a lot of fun. This is the kind of record that made Carly Rae-Jepson both a fan and critic favourite. There's the enigmatic art tracks like 'Mercy-Gatekeeper' and thumping ballads like 'Molecules' interspersed with the smooth radio-ready sound that dominates the playlist. After a few listens you'll find yourself singing along to nearly every track found here.
Kiyoko is one of precious few openly gay artists signed to a major label and that's surely a lot of pressure to live up to. But the summery steel drum beats of tracks like 'He'll Never Love You (HNLY)' ensure is that this is radio gold. Together with lyrics like "I only want a girl who ain't afraid to love me, not a metaphor of what we really could be" the bouncy synth filled 'What I Need' could give a voice to a whole generation.
It's the ability to see your identify reflected in art and the world around you that gives you some sense of validation, it gives you something to relate to and helps you to express yourself. Hayley Kiyoko isn't the first to do this, but she is the first unabashedly queer female normalising this in the mainstream on such a transparent, visible level; through her lyrics and her videos. One day, hopefully, we'll be able to just talk about how great her music is because Expectations surpasses any you might have had.


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Here are some general tips to help with making your Japan Trip the best and easiest it can be! Always remember if you need advice, contact your local JNTO office!
Getting Yen before you leave - Check with your bank, some offer exchange services with no fees, some have high fees. Also many major cities and international airports have exchange service locations for a small fee.
Getting Yen in Japan - There are exchange services in airports and major train stations. You can also you're your international ATM card to get cash directly from your bank account at these locations. Be sure to let your bank know you will be out of the country and check with them about transaction fees. Find our international ATM list here!
Credit Cards - Japan in many places still rely heavily on cash, however in large cities and international hubs you can use your international credit cards freely. See a recent JNTO article about credit card use here! However, be sure to check with your card provider about fees and to let them know you will be in a foreign country!
Internet and Phone access:
Use your phone - Check with your carrier about data programs they offer! Most US carriers offer reasonable international data packages from $25 or less (one carrier is free!) You don't need to use phone minutes if you use programs like Skype or Line to keep in contact with people. Another benefit is you can use mapping programs or your favorite apps to help navigate Japan.
Rent a pocket Wi-Fi hotspot - If you are going with a group this is your best option. You can get a good unlimited data; use anywhere mobile hotspot starting around $13 a day. If multiple people split the price it can end up being a great deal.
Free Wi-Fi spots & Services - Many areas of Japan are making an effort to expand free Wi-Fi services for foreign visitors. For example see our Internet Access page for more information.
There are many other options but these are usually the most economical and convenient.
Basic Travel Information
Affordable Japan Tips
Practical Information for Japan Travel
Fantastic insight into Japan's diverse history.
Satisfy the most discerning of palettes, as well as the strictest of budgets.
Explore everything Japanese pop culture has to offer.
Visualize Japan's treasured heritage and its cutting-edge future.
A diamond in the rough for ski enthusiasts and families worldwide.
Breathtaking cruises around Japan.
Make a trip to Japan enjoyable and affordable.
Tour Package
A Journey Through Japan's Deep North
Explore the undiscovered region in 7 days.
Discover the wild charms of Japan's northern frontier.
Explore Japan's Iconic Destinations.


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Find the best selection of Hot Toys Star Wars figures at Sideshow Collectibles from most anticipated film of the year, Star Wars: The Force Awakens!
Check out more Star Wars figures and collectibles on our main Star Wars page.
Subscribe and never miss out on Hot Toys Star Wars: The Force Awakens collectibles!


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About Us
Transition 101
Transition Towns
Knowledge Hub
In this Issue:
Transition in the Huffington Post
Transition Initiative Projects
Trainings & Webinars
Books & Films
Ingredients of Transition
300 Years of Fossil Fuels
Upcoming Events
Training for Transition (T4T)
Monthly Transition Salon
Stay tuned for a Heart and Soul series beginning in January!
See online trainings archive for recordings of past webinars.
Show You Support
Follow us on Twitter
On Twitter? Get your Transition Twibbon.
Top banner image by monado/flickr (cc)
Transition US :: November 2010 e-newsletter
In the News
The "Transition Town"
Also, listen to Transition US founder Raven Gray interviewed on West Marin Community Radio.
Transition Initiatives are continuing to emerge in communities around the world. This month, we welcome Transition Palo Alto in California and Transition Newton in New Jersey. Browse the initiatives map and learn more about becoming an Official Transition Initiative.
Transition Initiative Projects
Work parties - Transition Initiatives are living out the saying "Many hands make light work" in so many ways! From gathering in-kind donations to tearing out sod and turning lawns into bio-diverse gardens. Gardening to live music? With friends? Sounds lovely. Thanks to Laura Sellens of Transition Whatcom, WA, for sharing this report with us! (full story)
Where does our trash go? - With centralized garbage collection in most urban centres, most of our trash stays 'out of sight, out of mind' and it's easy to forget how much we accumulate. There are many programs, like curb-side recycling, composting to home greywater treatment that go part of the way to slowing down the heaps of trash on landfill sites, but not all communities have these programs in place. Have you ever visited your local landfill or regional recycling depot? (full story)
Regional Transition EDAP - Transition Initiatives are starting to look more closely at developing comprehensive EDAPs (Energy Descent Action Plans) that integrate their vision for the future and the practical steps needed to get there. Thanks to Jim Buckley of Transition Town Montpelier in Vermont for posting this recap of the first regional Vermont Transition EDAP meeting. (full story)
Books & Films
(that Transition folk are reading and screening)
The Harmony Movie
Mycelium Running:
Global Village Construction Set
This November, they went on a tour in California to present their vision and progress to several Transition Town initiatives. They are 100% crowd-funded by supporters and are looking for your support to continue their work. For more information, visit their blog: http://openfarmtech.org/weblog
Ingredients of Transition
As included in the Transition Network Newsletter:
The ideas around Transition are constantly being updated and refined as we go along. (Read more about the ideas behind the 'pattern' approach here http://www.transitionnetwork.org/patterns)
These are some of the topics below that have recently been updated by Rob Hopkins and that are looking for your input:
Also huge congrats to Rob Hopkins for completing his PhD thesis "Localisation and Resilience at the Local Level: The Case of Transition Town Totnes," which you can get your hands on here!
300 Years of Fossil Fuels
Transition US Partner | visit www.postcarbon.org for more articles, reports and news
It's been a busy month. We released our new animated video 300 Years of Fossil Fuels in 300 Seconds which has already been viewed more than 80,000 times. If you missed it catch it here.
Post Carbon Institute has been making the news this month following PCI Fellows Richard Heinberg and David Fridley's highly acclaimed article on peak coal in journal Nature. The article is behind a paywall, but you can listen to interviews with Richard about it here.
...and don't forget to check or the latest downloads from the Post Carbon Reader.


text: New submission from Eric V. Smith <eric at trueblade.com>: http://docs.python.org/library/decimal.html In 9.4.2, "Decimal objects", some of the methods mention the first and second parameters, when really it should be "self" and the argument, usually named "other" and sometimes something more specific. These include: compare_total copy_sign next_toward quantize (argument is exp) rotate scaleb shift It looks this is left over from where the same-named functions are described in the "Context objects" section. ---------- assignee: docs at python components: Documentation messages: 136947 nosy: docs at python, eric.smith priority: normal severity: normal status: open title: Decimal documentation lists "first" and "second" arguments, should be "self" and "other" versions: Python 2.7 _______________________________________ Python tracker <report at bugs.python.org> <http://bugs.python.org/issue12185> _______________________________________


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Over the past few days, I have read many inspiring posts from the Compassion Bloggers while they were all traveling in Nicaragua.
Did you have a chance to read any of the posts? I sure hope you did! But if not, here is a chance for you to hop over to read some of their posts:
- the easiest way to find all of the posts is right on the Compassion Bloggers site
- or you can visit Christy
- or visit Edie
- or visit Kelly
- or visit Traci
- or visit Shaun
- or visit Keely
- and let's not forget Brianne!
Question for you: if you took the time to read some of the posts from the trip, which one(s) spoke to you most? And if you decided to sponsor a child because of the posts that you read, I would love for you to share about that!


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Inktober 2017-10-06: Sword
on October 6, 2017 at 12:00 am
Chapter: Inktober
Characters: Stathaniel "Stan" Ouro
Jeremy says: Okay, the Disney streak has broken, cleaved by a mighty Sword. I wanted to draw a picture of a very famous sword (to me), and have Stan rocking it… like an axe. This one I inked entirely with[…]↓ Read the rest of this entry…


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Safiih, Muhamad and Triana, Yaya Sudarya (2011) FUZZY PARAMETRIC SAMPLE SELECTION MODELS OF MARRIED WOMEN FOR NON-PARTICIPATION BY MLE : CASE STUDY THE MPFS-1994. Media Statistika, 4 (2). pp. 87-94. ISSN 1979-3693
Models with sample-selection biases are widely used in various fields of economics such as labour economics (see Maddala, Amemiya, and Mroz). The models are usually estimated by Heckman's two-step estimator. However, Heckman's two-step estimator often performs poorly (see Wales and Woodland, Nelson, Paarsch, and Nawata). The data used in this study originated from the survey was conducted by the National Population and Family Development Board of Malaysia under the Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development of Malaysia, called the Malaysian Population and Family Survey 1994 (MPFS, 1994). The survey was conducted through a questionnaire, were randomly and specifically for married women. The data set focus on married women which provides information on wages, educational attainment, household composition and other socioeconomic characteristic. The Original sample data based on Mroz (1987), there are 4444 records married women. It is necessary to use the maximum likelihood method to estimate the models in such cases. For solving uncertainty data of a parametric sample selection model, in this paper needs to consider the models estimation using fuzzy modeling approach, called Fuzzy Parametric Sample Selection Model (FPSSM). Fuzzy Parametric sample selection model (FPSSM) is builds as a hybrid to the conventional parametric sample selection model. Finally, the result showed, FPSSM by Maximum Likelihood Estimator (MLE) estimates of the mean, Standard Deviation (SD).
|Item Type:
|Uncontrolled Keywords:
|Econometrics, Fuzzy Number, Heckman Two-Step Estimator, Married Women, MLE, Non-participation, Sample Selection Model.
|Q Science > Q Science (General)
|Faculty of Science and Mathematics > Department of Statistics
|ID Code:
|Deposited By:
|Mr Hasbi Yasin
|Deposited On:
|22 Feb 2012 12:17
|Last Modified:
|22 Feb 2012 12:17
Repository Staff Only: item control page


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our interest and perspective on what we do.
articles from our e-newsletters.
Avoid the drama and fever of Change
All too often we find companies who refuse to avoid the drama and fever of change. Our experience has taught us to embrace evolution, adjustment and patience. Do dedication and the work and success will come.
Everything is in The Bag
We package everything now. Holidays have ceased to be an adventure. Hotels urge us to 'purchase the package'. Has the quality become irrelevant?
The Influence of Content
The influence of Content is stronger than ever and is now the buoyant currency of customer communication. In our way of thinking, it always has been.
What's in Your Name
Your name, whether it be company or brand, should tell the story. It holds the majority of the value of your brand, due to its omnipresence, so it is the most critical of all brand elements. It's inherent meaning will evolve, dependent on how your brand is received. Conversely, the name will shape that reception.
Your voice, your journey
Finding your business Voice is not about shouting. It begins with listening to your higher self and clarifying who you are, where you stand and what you say; finding the confidence of your unique identity. You are your business and your great idea, at the core of your product. Your Voice will tell the benefits of your brand and the narrative of your Journey.
We say it like it is
If there are characteristics which define the performance of any design company, they are the ability to decipher what clients want and map the journey to what they need. At PresentImage® we give that honesty to our clients, in the knowledge that at all points of our strategic relationship, we act not only on their behalf, but we say it like it is.
Steady Evolution and Patience
At PresentImage we believe in steady evolution, with a focus on patience. From the outset, we develop clarity of thought, vision and action, to create the root and path for our clients, to grow and expand towards business longevity.
Finding The Poem of Your Business
Words and images solicit, yes, but strategy is the road map to find the poem of your business. We create new ways to hear and see your story, while at the same time, refining the words and syntax, emphasis and focus; adjustments to clarify who we wish you to be heard by.
The role of design has evolved
The role of design has evolved and with it, our landscape of expectations. Design now encompasses deeper and more far reaching matters than the simple function and form considerations of the past. However, the fusion of Identity, branding, marketing, analysis and the traditional visual role of design is not a particularly new combination, even if the intentions and outcomes have changed.
Our Integrated Approach to Visibility
Presentimage is first and foremost a design company. We developing ideas, identities and strategiesto gain business visibility for our[...]
You are the brand
Corporate, product or service, if it represents your effort at its core, then you are the brand. Presentimage will help you establish your business voice.
Putting Christmas back in Balance
It's carnival time for consumerism again. Black Friday now lasts all month and online purchases outstrip store sales; it's the pinnacle[...]
Staying on Point
With only days to go before the United States Presidential Election it is all too apparent that we have forever said goodbye to a rich democratic process, steeped in tradition, which was once the envy of the world. That, and an inability to stay on Point.
My identity is not this Tattoo, it's my singular personality…
Your uniqueness is not your logo, your uniform, or even your tattoo. These are characteristics and components. Your identity, is all that you say, how you look, what you do and do for others, your opinion and your perspective.
unfinished business, identity and Rio
This is a story about unfinished business, identity, branding and feeling satisfied. It has its heroes, no focus on villains and plays out in Paradise.
Verisimilitude. Keeping it Real.
It is no mistake that the symbols, colours and words must be in concord to project a strong identity. But there are other factors at work, which need to be expressed. Your identity is your culture and your culture is a living, breathing, in-the-now thing. It's about verisimilitude. The appearance of being true and real.
Reinvention: new now. new future.
PresentImage was built on creating optimistic and positive identities and trading enthusiasm. We have reinvented and adjusted businesses to suit not only the aspirations of our clients, but the aspirations of their markets. We develop an evolution strategy, where what is new now, becomes the new future, open ended and easily repurposed.
Where Have I Landed?
Ever felt compelled to continue reading? Wanting more? Wanting to find out how the story ends? The radio soap operas and later, TV's Days of Our Lives, et al tapped into those natural impulses. Then came the internet and the mobile phone. New devices to suit old habits. So in the middle of all of this bumper bundle of consumer frenzy, how can a business 'get noticed'?
Speaking and Being Heard
Whether you are on the back of a van in East Lane Market, on Fifth Avenue, your own website or mobile phone, if it's business, you wish to communicate. Make sure you are speaking and being heard. Then the more you feed, the more your audience wish to eat.
A Good Team is A Great Start
There is no magic formula for your image, brand, identity and product success in business, but a good team is a great start.


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Bi-Weekly Market Update Series
- This event has passed.
July 24 @ 10:30 am - 11:00 am CDT
An event every month that begins at 10:30 am on day Second of the month, repeating until December 23, 2019
An event every month that begins at 10:30 am on day Fourth of the month, repeating until December 23, 2019
One event on May 29, 2019 at 10:30 am
An informational webinar that offers valuable insights and helps interpret changing market conditions. Updates cover topics such as:
- Economic and market conditions
- Sector performance and recommendations
- Macro factor risk analysis
- Other special topics
These brief webinars will be scheduled at 10:30 a.m. CDT every 2nd and 4th Wednesday of the month, and will generally last for 15-20 minutes.
If you have any questions, please contact Madi Wright at 214.451-2399 or [email protected]


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Flute and Piano Duo at Lord of the Mountains Lutheran Church in Dillon/
This summer, our flute and piano duo enjoyed playing for this beautiful wedding ceremony at Lord of the Mountains Lutheran Church in Dillon, Colorado. This bride loves sunshine and has a sunny personality to match, so she chose the appropriate "Sunshine on my Shoulders" to walk down the aisle to. The church was situated on a hill overlooking a panoramic mountain view, and the weather was perfect and sunny. The piano in the church sanctuary was a very fine instrument with an amazing sound that we enjoyed. The bride told her family and friends that there would be music and everyone was so excited to hear the music that they all arrived 45 minutes before the ceremony, so we began our prelude early and gave them a little concert of hymns and sacred songs.
Selected Prelude Music:
Sunshine in My Soul, One Eagle's Wings, Great is Thy Faithfulness, How Great Thou Art, Your Grace Still Amazes Me, All Creatures of Our God and King, As the Deer
Wedding Ceremony Music:
Processional ~ Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring
Bride ~ Sunshine on my Shoulders (John Denver)
Unity Candle ~ Be Thou my Vision
Recessional ~ Wedding March (Mendelssohn)
Photographer: Studio Kiva - Thank you for the photo of me playing the flute and the photos of the dancing bride!
Ceremony Musicians: Flute and Strings by Christen Stephens - Flute and Piano Duo


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Meet Amanda. She reached out to share her story of how she was accepted into PA school this year with a low GPA. This is such a common concern with Pre-PA students, and it can be done! You still have to meet the minimums and make sure your application shines in as many ways as possible, but a few bad grades (or a lot) won't completely disqualify you.
Make sure to follow Amanda as she starts PA school on Instagram by following @thisPAadventure
Undergraduate education: Central Washington University, BS: Paramedicine
Overall GPA: 3.17
Science GPA: 3.38
GRE: 309 (Verbal:157 Quantitative: 152 Writing:5)
Total HCE hours: 520 hours
Total PCE hours: 8,000+ hours (Paramedic, EMT, ER Tech)
Shadowing hours: 30 hours (Emergency and family practice)
Other volunteer hours: 215 hours (Homeless and at-risk youth)
LORs: Chief of Emergency MD, Emergency PA, Paramedic preceptor
How many times did you apply?: First time
Age: 27
Gender: Female
How many programs did you apply to? 17
How many programs did you interview with and what were the outcomes? 2 interview offers, accepted after my first interview and declined the other interview. Withdrew all my other applications.
Any red flags on your application? Low GPA, academically disqualified from my first University, 7 F's and a few W's
Anything you found surprising about interviews? The school that I interviewed at, and was accepted to, was incredibly welcoming and made an effort to put the candidates feel at ease. I practiced hundreds of potential questions; but, when it came time for the interview, I didn't use my rehearsed answers and just went with genuine gut feeling answers.
Were there any helpful resources (books, websites, apps) you used to get through prerequisite courses, the application or interview process? The PA Platform, YouTube, Physician Assistant Forum, Facebook groups: The Pre-PA Club and pre-pa rockstars. Book: How to "Ace" the Physician Assistant Interview, by: Andrew Rodican. (Amazon Affiliate Link)
Any other advice for other pre-PA students? Don't be discouraged if you have a LOW GPA or some bad grades. Make your application shine in other ways with stellar patient care hours or an amazing personal statement. Be true to yourself and show your passion. Remember, it only takes one!
Where can we find you? Instagram @thisPAadventure
If you've been accepted to PA school and would like to share your story in an Accepted! post, send an email to firstname.lastname@example.com or use this link to contact us at The PA Platform now.


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Looking back at 10 years of FACE
The learning curve was steep when the Fulton Association for Community Enrichment (FACE) was first established in Fulton, Illinois, in 2006. Originally an idea by the local Chamber of Commerce, the purpose and role of community foundations was relatively unknown in Fulton, said Connie Koehn, who was called to be on a committee that would study the feasibility of a foundation.
"Many of us didn't know what community foundations did," said Koehn, who went on to serve as executive director for a decade. The foundation is a geographic affiliate fund of the Quad Cities Community Foundation.
"I believe in giving back to the community with your time, talent and resources," she said. "There's such tremendous potential for the impact a community foundation can make."
There have been many firsts in the past 10 years, she said, including a recent inclusion in the longtime event Birdies for Charity that coincides with the annual John Deere Classic PGA Tournament held in the Quad Cities every summer. For years, local charities have sent out fliers, asking for pledges according to the number of birdies scored in the tournament. Oftentimes, that number exceeds 2,000 during the weekend. "It's a fun and tremendous way for philanthropic entities to receive additional funds," she said.
The event is a great example of how people of all financial backgrounds can give, even if it's just a little. "Whatever their financial situation is, small donations add up," Koehn said.
The community continues to be generous in other ways too, she added. At the end of last year, the FACE hosted a holiday challenge. Two donors provided $7,000 for the foundation, but asked that the community match it. A total of $7,010 was given by the final day.
"It was amazing," Koehn said. "Every dollar got doubled. What was $7,000 ended up being $14,020."
It reminds her of why it was such a good idea to start the community foundation in Fulton in the first place. "It's very gratifying," Koehn said.
They were told in the beginning that it oftentimes takes years for a community to really understanding what a community foundation does and start to include it in estate planning and consistent giving. "We were told it's going to take the better part of 10 years for us to hit a tipping point," she said. "Efforts like the holiday challenge and Birdies for Charity have immediate results and it helps people better understand the community foundation."
Koehn said she is optimistic about the future. "I hope the seeds have been planted and we can continue to water and fertilize them so we can see more results," she said.
The Quad Cities Community Foundation has been very supportive, she said. "If we weren't affiliated, we wouldn't exist," she said. "It was what we struggled with in 2006. The more we learned about how to run a foundation and the accounting, legal, investment expertise and responsibility, we thought, 'How can we do this in Fulton?'"
She's hoping that, with the Community Foundation support, and the momentum that has been created in the community, there will be continued growth in the future. "I believe in philanthropy and making it local," she said. "In such a short time, we've made a difference. It's just the tip of the iceberg."


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Video Production
Video Production
Kristofer Yee, a Vanderbilt Graduate of film school will help you with any video needs such as: Events, personal videos, music videos, short films, commercials, etc. His contact information is listed below. For examples of his work, go to kristoferyee.com.
Depending on the needs of the project, prices vary.
Email email@example.com or call (702) 501-2855 for consultation.
Add To Cart


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By joining together, and taking responsibility for interrupting the cycle of violence with our words and actions, we can realize a better future.
Enjoy these helpful Public Service Announcements that will give you more information about simple strategies you can use every day to help prevent sexual violence.
More Information
This article Rape culture isn't a myth. It's real, and it's dangerous. runs through the basics about rape culture, and its effects on our society.


text: Tue, Sep 20, 2016 My testimony : Saved By Grace I wrote this testimony in 2013, and God has continued to do amazing things in my life. I just wanted to share it with you guys, so that you can understand the a little bit more of the heartbeat of The Hipster Housewife.Stay tuned for the updated version! "I was raised catholic, church every Sunday, CCD, from baptism all the way to conformation. At face value we were a "good catholic family" but I never really got the feeling that my parents were particularly religious. As a child it was just something I had to do, it was boring and never really meant anything to me. By the time I was a teenager I completely hated it. Around 16 years old I became very rebellious and flat out refused to go. I hated everything I thought my religion stood for - all the persecution done in the name of the church throughout history, the help-meet role of women, and the idea of original sin. I wanted nothing to do with the cookie cutter type of religious conformity and assumed perfection I saw at church. During this period in my life I started to do all of the typical rebellious teenager stuff, experimenting with drugs, defying my parents, skipping school, but for me it didn't come from a typical place I guess you could say. I've always felt somehow broken, or flawed, and it just seemed to get worse in high school. I began seeing what became a long string of different therapists, was a diagnosed with a number of different mental health issues, and given any number of different psych meds to 'fix' me. Of course nothing did fix me and it just made everything so much worse. I tried to end my life and was put in the hospital. Then I would get better for a little while, spiral downward again, and it would start all over. After years of this type of behavior I was a mess. I managed to keep my life together to a certain degree but I was never really ok in my own skin. I ran around like a crazy woman in my early twenties, and my drug abuse continued to escalate. I was constantly searching for that thing that would make me ok, that elusive thing that would fill the gaping hole in my chest that I walked around with everyday. I would stuff whatever I could into that hole to make myself feel better, and sometimes it would work for a little while, but it always came back bigger than before.This entire time I knew I was on the wrong path but I just didn't care, the pain I felt overrode all that. I just wanted the pain to stop. I just wanted to feel like a regular person. I started reading about all different kinds of pagan spirituality in kind of an obsessive manner, searching for an answer. I thought I had some kind of a relationship with god, like I could be in the woods and this sense of peace would come over me and I knew it was him, but it wasn't enough for me. I wanted answers to unanswerable questions. I just wanted something, anything, to really satisfy me. And then I found heroin. And I thought it was my answer. It satisfied me... until it didn't anymore. This drug completely destroyed my life, it took everything from me. It turned me into something I could no longer recognize. I did horrible things and had horrible things done to me. In the course of my addiction I actually died several times, no breath, no heartbeat, and was brought back and it didn't even scare me. All rational thought was just gone. My existence revolved around using. My best friend from the time I was 5 years old overdosed and died. It didn't stop me. Nothing could stop me. I was in and out of detox and rehab, in any number of programs. I was considered a hopeless case, the lowest of the low, living in a constant state of desperation. On Easter Sunday three years ago I was in a program. They brought us to church every Sunday and for the first time I actually enjoyed myself in a church. It was unlike any I had ever been to, full of life and music and joy, much like this one. I wanted to learn more and while I was there I did. I wish I could say I got out of that program and stayed clean and life was great but it didn't happen like that. I got out and stayed clean for a little while, but eventually that little voice started back up in my head again 'come on you are doing so good, you can handle it, you deserve it, it will make you feel better'. This time out was much worse. I ended up homeless and in jail. Being in jail was my hitting rock bottom. My dad made me stay in there for a few days to teach me a lesson before bailing me out and it was the scariest, most degrading thing I've ever been through.I got home and I was just not ok, serious major depression. I again tried to take my own life. My dog is actually the one who saved me, he alerted my parents by barking by my door. My father still call him his hero dog. I was in the hospital for almost three weeks. I came home and I stayed clean, but I was very depressed. I started to work with a great therapist and began to get marginally better. Then my aunt Lisa asked me to come to new hope christian chapel with her to see the teen challenge women speak. It was like the church I visited when I was in the program, but better, my family was there and people reached out to me. I didn't realize it then, but god was calling me. I kept coming back and my life was changed forever. It sounds dramatic, and I guess it is, but it's also true.God has taken me from a broken, ashamed, hopeless drug addict and has turned me into a whole, happy, loving woman with a beautiful family. When I gave my life to Christ the desire to use drugs was literally lifted from my body, it's just gone, that in and of itself is a miracle, but he has done and continues to do so much more for me. I am not even remotely the same person I was two years ago, or even one year ago. When I first started coming to church I walked around thinking - what if these people find out out about me? What if they find out that I'm not like them, that I'm actually a bad person? The shame I felt, I can't begin to put into words. And yet here I am today standing in front of you all sharing my story.Jesus did that for me, he took that shame away. I am forgiven. I could never truly explain to you what those three words mean to me. But they are true. I am forgiven, I am washed clean, made new. Second Corinthians 5:17 says "therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: the old has gone, the new is here!" These are not just words from an old book. This happened to me. I am a completely new person. I don't have to walk around with that pain and shame anymore. That hole in my chest is gone. I'm free.The satisfaction that I was constantly searching for has been found in jesus christ. To be free from the slavery that is addiction is a blessing beyond measure. Because that is what I was - a slave in very real chains. It truly is for freedom that Christ has set us free. You hear the words "Jesus saves" or "being saved" so often that they just become words. But Jesus literally, actually saved my life in a very concrete, factual way. I was a walking dead person and Jesus raised me to life.And he continues to do amazing things in my life. You know that therapist I told you about? Turns out she's a Christian and even though its way against the rules we pray together and talk about the bible during our sessions. My mental health issues have become completely manageable without any kind of medication, and they continue to improve everyday. I have a beautiful family that I love with all of my heart. I know that god brought my husband Drew and I together, there is no doubt in my mind about that. He truly does work through people, Drew has played no small role in my recovery. I know I went through everything I did so I could be here today, with my fiancé and our kids, surrounded by people I love, sharing gods glory.I know I'm worth something today, that my life is a gift from god. And I am so blessed to be here living it." So that's it. Praise God.Please try not to judge another before you've walked a mile in their shoes. The saying is beyond cliché, but it also couldn't be more true.