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What the law says
Industry Specific Requirements
When you receive a complaint you should know in advance what is required in your industry. In addition, there are other legal matters to consider and some of the most important are listed below.
There are some matters that you are required by law to do when you make arrangements about goods and services and you cannot make an agreement not to do them.
Sometimes, the law will only apply if the person or organisation who obtains the goods and services is a 'consumer'.
Some of the most relevant legislation in this area is The Australian Consumer Law, 2011 (ACL) which aims to protect consumers and ensure fair trading across Australia. You may need to consider and comply with the duties in the ACL.
To be kept informed about competition and consumer law updates which relate to small businesses you can subscribe to the ACCC's Small Business Information Network (SBIN) which is a free information service. Simply email your name and business details to email@example.com
Make sure you are aware of your legal obligations, if any, which might apply specifically to your business. Make sure your agreements are well written and clear – get some advice about drafting agreements if you need to.
Legal Framework: Consumer Law
(Please note that most content has been sourced from Australian Consumer Law, Consumer Guarantees: A Guide for Businesses and Legal Practitioners (ACL, 2010)
Consumer Guarantees
When a business makes an agreement about goods and services the agreement will usually set out the cost, time frames and the nature of the services. A well written agreement can assist to ensure that everyone understands what is required and can reduce complaints. There are some matters that you are required by law to do when you make arrangements about goods and services and you cannot make an agreement not to do them. Sometimes, the law will only apply if the person or organisation who obtains the goods and services is a 'consumer'. The main areas of law that can apply in relation to complaints are set out below:
The Australian Consumer Law
The Australian Consumer Law, 2011 (ACL) aims to protect consumers and ensure fair trading across Australia. Business owners must consider the ACL and the duties it confers.
What constitutes Goods and Services?
All goods that are sold in trade and commerce and bought by a consumer are covered by the ACL. However there are some exceptions. This includes second-hand, leased or hired goods but does not include goods bought before the 1st of January 2011, from one-off sales from private sellers, at auctions where the auctioneer is an agent for the owner, when the good costs in excess of $40,000 and is normally purchased for business purposes, for on-sell or re-supply, or is used as part of a business to produce something else or repair other goods or fixtures. Furthermore, goods are not "goods" for the purposes of the ACL if the buyer is not considered a "consumer" as per the ACL definitions.
The ACL covers all forms of service up to the cost of $40,000 and in excess of $40,000 if it is normally acquired for non-commercial use. If the service is used for commercial purposes and costs more than $40,000, or was purchased before 1 January 2011, or is an insurance contract or transportation or storage of goods for a consumer's business, trade profession or occupation then the service is not covered by the ACL.
'Goods' under the ACL
All goods sold in trade or commerce and bought by a consumer
|Goods bought after the 1st January 2011
|Goods bought before the 1st January 2011
|Second hand goods
|Bought from private, one-off sellers (for example, from a garage sale)
|Leased goods
|Bought at an auction where the auctioneer is acting as an agent for the owner
|Costing more than $40,000 but normally used for personal or domestic use (for example, car or landscaping)
|Costing more than $40,000 when it would normally be purchased for business use (for example, machinery or farming equipment)
|Where a 'consumer' is someone who buys goods up to $40,000 (for example, a fridge, photocopier,...)
|Goods that are bought by a person to on-sell or re-sell
|A 'consumer' who buys a vehicle or trailer (no matter the cost) which is predominantly used to transport goods
|If the buyer of the goods is not considered a 'consumer' under the definitions of the ACL
|Hired goods
|Goods used to produce something else or repair other goods or fixtures
"Services" under the ACL
All services sold in trade or commerce
|Services bought after the 1st of January 2011
|Services bought before the 1st of January 2011
|All forms of services up to $40,000
|Services that cost more than $40,000 and used for commercial purposes
|Services in excess of $40,000 if normally acquired for non-commercial use
|Insurance contract
|Transportation or storage of goods for a consumer's business, trade profession or occupation
The Nine Guarantees – A checklist
|Goods are an acceptable quality when sold to the consumer
|Goods are reasonably fit for any purpose that was specified by either the consumer or the supplier
|Description of goods is accurate
|Goods will match any demonstration, model or description provided
|Any express warranties or extra promises made about the goods will be satisfied
|Clear title, unless the supplier alerted the consumer to the limited title
|Undisturbed possession
|Goods will remain (unless in certain circumstances) free from any securities or charges, and
|The manufacturer or importers will take reasonable steps to provide spare parts and repair the goods for a reasonable time after the purchase
Services: Consumer Guarantees
Services must be provided with due care and skill (avoiding loss or damage) and must be completed within a reasonable time (which depends on the type of service and applies when there is no time set). Also, just as goods must be fit for purpose (see above), so too must services. This means the service must be reasonably fit for any purpose or achieving the result specified by the consumer, and any product resulting from the service is also fit for purpose. Note, this does not apply to architects and engineers.
Breach of a Consumer Guarantee
Goods and services a business owner sells must meet consumer guarantees (see listed above).
If the goods or services do not meet these guarantees the supplier has the choice of providing either a repair, replacement or refund. If there is a major failure the consumer may reject the goods and chose a refund, replacement or compensation for any drop in value if applicable.
Guarantee Signs
Guarantees stipulated under the ACL cannot be excluded by a supplier or contracted out of. Business owners must not display 'no refunds' signs. This includes 'no refund on sale items' or 'exchange or credit note only for return of sale items' signs. It is permissible though to have a sign that reads, 'no refunds will be given if you have simply changed your mind'. Civil and criminal penalties may apply.
Tip: Remember "The Three R's" – Repair, Replace, Refund
Tip: Remember "The Three R's" – Repair, Replace, Refund
Goods and services that are not for personal, domestic or household purposes can be subject to limited guarantees. This means a supplier may limit remedies for faulty goods or services.
Recreational Service Providers and Excluding Guarantees
If the business provides recreational service they may limit their liability for death and personal injury but not property loss.
Compensation for Consequential Loss
Consequential loss is often financial but can also include loss of time or productivity along with other things. If a consumer suffers consequential loss due to problems with a service or goods, the consumer may claim for this loss from the supplier. The compensation should put the consumer in the place they would have been if there had not been a problem with the goods or services. The loss must be 'reasonably foreseeable'.
Manufacturers: Problems with Goods and Services
For a brief overview please see the section on the ACL above (paragraph 1). If the small business manufactures goods meaning:
- Putting goods together or making them,
- Has their name on the goods, or
- Imports the goods from an overseas maker that does not have an office in Australia,
… then the business may still be required to fix some problems with the goods as per Division 2 of Part 5-4 the ACL 2011. The manufacturer will be required to fix a problem/supply a remedy when the goods are not of an acceptable quality, do not match the description or require repairs and spare parts. Manufacturers must honour any additional express warranties they made about the goods, for example a one year manufacturer's warranty. However with or without an express warranty the manufacturer must act in accordance to the consumer guarantees.
Note that when a manufacturer sells directly to consumers they are acting as suppliers in this context and not manufacturers.BACK - Complaint Outcomes & Record Keeping NEXT- Templates & Tools

subset: commoncrawl


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Call of Duty Black Ops II Xbox 360
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Call of Duty Black Ops II Description
Pushing the boundaries of what fans have come to expect from the record-setting entertainment franchise, Call of Duty Black Ops II propels players into a near future, 21st Century Cold War, where technology and weapons have converged to create a new generation of warfare.
Call of Duty: Black Ops II Gamescom Accolades
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Call of Duty Black Ops II Product Details
Rating: Mature
Region: US and North America (NTSC)
Call of Duty Black Ops II Reviews
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Frequently Asked Questions
What payment types does JJGames.com accept?
JJGames.com accepts payments via credit card, Bitcoin and PayPal.
How much does shipping cost?
USA: Shipping is free for all shipments within the USA if you choose economy shipping.
The cost for faster delivery methods is based upon the weight of the items in your order.
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International: Shipping is a flat $4 if the order weights less than 2 pounds (1 kg). The cost of shipping orders over 2 pounds is based upon the weight of the items in your order.
All customs and taxes are the responsibility of the buyer. They are not included in the cost of shipping on our site.
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Can I Return My Order After Placing It?
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In the run up to Christmas, many of us are on the lookout for gift ideas for friends, family, piano teachers, students and piano lovers everywhere. I hope this fairly substantial selection will inspire a host of piano related shopping. As usual, there's something to interest all levels. I've made a few exciting composer discoveries (which is always fun); today's list features a historical novel, a new piano method, a practice notebook, a Children's piano concerto, and new compilations, as well as publications from our favourite publishers. Enjoy!
Piano Junior
This new method published by Schott Music consists of a series of books (8 books in total) and has been written by German pedagogue and composer, Hans-Günter Heumann. I was a consultant on this method, and it has been exciting to see the finished product. PJ is a robot who is the main 'character' (he has a friend called 'Mozart' the dog too!) in this tutor series for youngsters (age 6 and above). Piano Junior is designed as a 'fun and interactive' piano method, starting with black notes, employing innovative, user-friendly graphic notation before introducing white notes, traditional staves, clefs and time signatures. In addition to each book, there is also extra material on the website, which includes videos, audio demos and play-alongs for all the pieces, as well as downloadable rhythm checks, workouts, sight-reading exercises and other resources. Find out much more here.
My Practice Palette
Written by British teacher Roberta Wolff, this book can be enjoyed in paperback or e-book version and is designed to assist students and teachers in their quest for effective practising. My Practice Palette is essentially a notebook which aims to educate parents, teaches, and students about how to practise while eliminating the need for teachers to write practice notes. This is done by teaching practice methodology and metacognition. Roberta recommends using My Practice Palette from grades 1-5. Teachers can also work through the Practice Palette during lesson time. The benefits of this are, no extra time is required for planning, and teachers can be spontaneous yet easily keep track of a student's progress. It's certainly a colourful volume and would no doubt encourage those who might otherwise find practising dull. Find out more and get your copy here.
14 Easy Pieces for Piano
American composer Richard Lane (1933 – 2014) has written a group of charming little pieces for those of around Grade 1 level (ABRSM). I discovered Richard's music through the ABRSM list C pieces (for 2017/8), whilst writing the Piano Notes series (due to be published by Rhinegold in January). These works, which are published by Swiss publisher BIM Editions, are tuneful, attractive and all feature particular technical elements (important for teaching repertoire). Duets, an arrangement and original pieces all feature in this volume. Find out more and purchase here.
Piano Star
This is a new series published by the British examination board, ABRSM, for beginners (or for those up to prep test level). There are three books in the series, each containing new arrangements and original pieces written by a host of different composers and teachers, all associated with the popular British exam board. The volumes include solo pieces and duets, offer a mix of styles, plus fun extension activities and plenty of illustrations. There are 74 pieces in total, written by 20 composers including Christopher Norton, Paul Harris, Mark Tanner and Mike Cornick, and children will love the tuneful simplicity of the pieces; this is certainly useful teaching material. Find out more and purchase here.
Piano Concerto No. 1 For Children
An interesting discovery, written in 1993 by Russian composer Ilia Chkolnik and published by BIM Editions, in their Junior Series. Piano concertos written solely for children are becoming increasingly popular, with many, particularly Russian composers, highlighting this potential gap in the market. This score has an orchestral reduction (or second piano part), and at first glance, could be mistaken for advanced level. However, it consists of idiomatic, essentially tonal writing and lasts just 11 minutes. There are three movements, two fast outer sections, and a beautiful slow movement, which reminds me of Shostakovich's Second Concerto in F major Op. 102. Teachers looking for varied contemporary repertoire will enjoy this piece. To hear, find out more and purchase, click here.
Intermediate to Advanced
My First Chopin
A new publication from Schott Music, compiled by German pianist and pedagogue, Wilhelm Ohman. This collection of 20 pieces lies well within the capabilities of the advanced player, and contains some of Chopin's best-loved works including a group of Preludes, Waltzes, Mazurkas and Nocturnes. These genres are popular amongst students, and with the Raindrop Prelude Op. 28 No. 15, Prelude in B minor Op. 28 No. 6, Waltz in B minor Op. posth. 69 No. 2, Mazurka in B flat major Op. 7 No. 1, Nocturne in C sharp minor No. 20 Op. posth., Funeral March (from Sonata No. 2 in B flat minor Op. 35), to name a few favourites. An excellent addition to any student's library. Find out more and purchase here.
The Piano Playlist
A large selection of 50 popular classical pieces arranged by British arranger and editor Barrie Carson Turner, and published by Schott Music. Arrangements have always been a favourite with pianists, and this offers a comprehensive list of music across several centuries, all transcribed for intermediate up to advanced players. From opera arias (Habanera from Carmen by Bizet, Nessun Dorma from Turandot, and O Mio Babbino Caro from Gianni Schicchi both by Puccini), to ballet numbers, famous gems from orchestral works (Ode to Joy (Beethoven), The Swan (Saint-Saëns), Adagietto (Mahler's 4th Symphony)), to piano concertos, instrumental music and arrangements of piano pieces. My choice piece is When I am Laid in Earth from Dido and Aeneas by Purcell. This is a beneficial volume for those wanting to discover some of the best-loved works in the Classical repertoire. It would also serve as excellent sight-reading material. Find out more and purchase here.
The Ultimate Easy Piano Songlist
A new publication from Faber Music. Containing 45 arrangements of best selling songs, this will please those who enjoy a wide variety of pop and easy listening music. Numbers from artists such as Adele, Cilla Black, Cole Porter, Ella Fitzgerald, Chris Rea, Michael Buble, Eagles, One Direction, Wham!, Nina Simone, Muse, Vera Lynn, David Bowie, Justin Beiber, Jamie Cullum, and Radiohead, to name a few. This is designated 'Easy Piano' but few elementary pianists will manage these arrangements; I would suggest intermediate level as minimum. Complete with lyrics and chord indications, this is a lovely volume, and would make a perfect stocking filler! Find out more and purchase here.
Flowkey is a piano learning-app geared for all levels, whether beginner or advanced. It's also a useful music education tool for parents, teachers, and adult learners, as it's easy to get started. A wide spectrum of music is covered, from classical music to pop songs. You can apparently practice interactively and receive instant feedback; progress can be tracked and piano lessons are also on offer, in the form of various courses. Flowkey is partnered with Yamaha, and can be easily connected to digital pianos. Find out much more here.
Ghost Variations
This is the latest novel by British author, writer, and critic Jessica Duchen. Whilst not strictly focused on the piano, it is a very interesting musical tale. Jessica tells the true story of Hungarian-born violinist Jelly D'Aranyi's quest to recover Robert Schumann's forgotten violin concerto. It's also the story of an aging woman in a world which is becoming progressively more hostile. Jelly negotiates her way through the changing world of 1930s London. War is ever-present, and the heroine has to come to terms with her fading powers and upcoming young stars such as Yehudi Menuhin. As a woman, she faces the ultimate decision, choosing between music or love. Find out more here and buy your copy here.
My publications:
For much more information about how to practice piano repertoire, take a look at my piano course, Play it again: PIANO (published by Schott Music). Covering a huge array of styles and genres, the course features a large collection of progressive, graded piano repertoire from approximately Grade 1 to advanced diploma level, with copious practice tips for every piece. A convenient and beneficial course for students of any age, with or without a teacher, and it can also be used alongside piano examination syllabuses too.
You can find out more about my other piano publications and compositions here.


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Perfect for families, our Frontenac model is a very well laid-out 2-storey home with a lot of storage space. On the ground floor, the entrance is equipped with a French door to allow the light into the inside. The kitchen's modern features will delight you, as it has an extra-wide window, a central island, a stylish range hood and spacious cupboards that go all the way up to the ceiling.
The plan for this 3-bedroom home includes a very large walk-in closet in the master bedroom and a bathroom with a freestanding bathtub. This 1450 sq. ft. single family home was designed to meet your needs!
Main features of the Frontenac single-family home
- Three bedrooms
- Modern kitchen
- A double pane 8-foot patio door
- Choose from 4 flooring options
- Ability to add an attached garage
- Air exchanger with heat recovery
- Central vacuum ready
- Finished front lawn with a tree
- The GCR new home warranty
Are you interested in the Frontenac model? Contact our team to arrange a personalized visit!


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How would you like to reduce your initial SAN costs and expenditure and change it to a montly ongoing cost , Microsoft if giving customers its Azure StorSimple 1200 for FREE
|StorSimple Virtual Array
|Installation requirements
|Uses virtualization infrastructure (Hyper-V or VMware)
|Single node
|Total capacity (including cloud)
|Up to 64 TB usable capacity per virtual array
|Local capacity
|390 GB to 6.4 TB usable capacity per virtual array (need to provision 500 GB to 8 TB of disk space)
|Native protocols
|iSCSI or SMB
|Recovery time objective (RTO)
|iSCSI: less than 2 minutes regardless of size
|Recovery point objective (RPO)
|Daily backups and on-demand backups
|Storage tiering
|Uses heat mapping to determine what data should be tiered in or out
|Virtualization infrastructure supported by the supplier
|Varies depending on underlying infrastructure
|Data mobility
|Can restore to the same device or do item-level recovery (file server)
|Storage tiers
|Local hypervisor storage and cloud
|Share size
|Tiered: up to 20 TB; locally pinned: up to 2 TB
|Volume size
|Tiered: 500 GB to 5 TB; locally pinned: 50 GB to 500 GB
|Volume size
|Tiered: up to 5 TB; locally pinned: up to 500 GB
|Crash consistent
|Item-level recovery
|Yes; users can restore from shares
- StorSimple Cloud Appliance 1200 monthly subscription = £94.96
- You will also need to pay for your storage in Azure Blob
The tiering engine is now based on a heat map. Frequently accessed blocks are kept locally. Colder blocks are deduped, compressed, encrypted and sent to an Azure storage account, which can be cool blob storage (ultra cheap disk).
StorSimple is available as a virtual appliance, with up to 64 TB (hot + cold, with between 500 GB and 8 TB of that kept locally) per appliance.
Other Benefits
Auto backups with 13 years of retention.
DR Situation you receieve a new unit and can start to use data in 2 minutes of installation
- Requires 5 Mbps data per virtual appliance for normal usage.
- Archive: You need to store a lot of data that is not accessed very frequently. E.g. CCTV , old customer information, financial data and huge Medical Scans.
- File storage: You can use a StorSimple appliance as a file server, instead of a classic Windows Server. The shares are the same – the appliance runs Windows Server – and you manage share permissions the same way. This is ideal for small businesses and branch offices.
- Backup: Veeam supports StorSimple as a backup target. You get the benefit of automatically storing backups in the cloud with lots of long term retention.
- Virtual Appliance can be setup with ready made VHDX/VHD or VMDK Applicancies , attach the disk, configure networking, provision shares/LUNs from the Azure Portal, and just use the storage.


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Help to Buy North East, Yorkshire & Humberside
Contact Us
Help to Buy Schemes
Help to Buy Equity Loan
Shared Ownership
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Other Ownership Options
Bought through a previous scheme?
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Affordability Calculator
Case Studies
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Developer Page
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Accessibility and Disability
Case Studies
"Shared Ownership is a fantastic way to get on to the property ladder!"
"Shared Ownership is a fantastic way to get on to the property ladder!"
Kirsty Saynor
As it is Shared Ownership week, we want to shout about how amazing and underrated this scheme is.
We think that the best way to tell you about Shared Ownership is showing you real people and tell you about their journey!
We spoke to Kirsty from Wakefield to find out how the scheme has helped her.
"My name is Kirsty, I'm 25 years old and I'm a sports journalist currently working for a production house as a Production Editor, producing programmes for football and rugby clubs."
"I first heard about the scheme when a colleague of mine bought his house through a similar scheme. I wanted to get on the property ladder myself so did some research and started looking in to options available to me."
Many people just don't know what the process involves, or thinks that it may be difficult to apply, but Kirsty didn't think so!
"The process was straightforward, the only thing that got slightly more complicated was when my solicitor became involved but I was kept well informed."
"I was renting a one-bedroom flat in Easingwold before I decided to take the next step with Shared Ownership. I was surprised to find out that I'm paying the same amount for my mortgage and rent than I was on my rent just for the one-bedroom flat!"
"I had already seen some properties with Wakefield District Housing that I was interested in before I applied for the scheme so after I had enquired I applied for the scheme with Help to Buy NEYH."
"Shared Ownership is a great way to get on the property ladder and I can't believe it's not publicised widely! It was really easy to apply with Help to Buy NEYH and the process began quite quickly after I'd been approved."
"I bought a 50% share of my home, which cost £58,500. I had to put down a £2,925 deposit, which was much more manageable than buying without this scheme."
Kirsty bought a brand new 2 bedroom mid-terrace property on the Silkwood Gate development in Wakefield.
"My moving day was great, I had the keys by about 11am! Things went through very quickly on the day. My only advice is to make sure you ask everything you want to when you get your keys to make sure you know about everything in the house but the handover pack I received was very helpful though."
"Shared Ownership is a fantastic way to get on to the property ladder and breaking out of the renting cycle. I'd recommend it to anyone!"
If you want to find out if Shared Ownership is for you, read our
Shared Ownership Guide
More Happy Buyers


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Ra'ed Bahou is regional director at CNEWA's office in Amman.
The past few months have been very busy for the CNEWA community center in Amman. It continues to be an important venue for a wide array of people — locals, some foreigners and Iraqi refugees who are taking English language courses.
After the spring evaluation of the English lessons, the staff decided to hold the classes on Mondays and Wednesdays to have more time for library operational work and to help the locals. Classes serve all ages — from four-years-old to over 70. The staff organized families so they could learn together — grandparents, mothers, fathers, and grandchildren, all in one class; this is to accommodate the older people who have no experience of the English language at all.
The work with the Iraqis is very challenging; they come to the community center with all their problems, difficulties, physical and emotional struggles and anxieties. Despite this, though, they have a deep and solid faith that God is with them in their journey and they still maintain their joy and goodwill. The staff affirms and helps the refugees, giving counseling and support as they face their daily challenges.
The other activities are for the foreign-born children who took catechism lessons from the Teresian staff for their First Communion. Also the children's catechism and junior choir continue to practice for the Mass; three young members of the choir are taking guitar lessons in order to be prepared to play in the Friday and Sunday Masses of the English language parish. And seven members of the junior choir are taking classes to prepare for the Sacrament of Confirmation.
To learn how you can help support CNEWA's work in Jordan, please visit this page.
Recently, Jordan received a large number of Iraqi refugees, especially from Nineveh plain. Through our encounters with them, we have learned more about their difficulties and sufferings, because they have been forced to leave their homes and their country. Now, they are facing significant challenges at various levels: financially, physically and psychologically.
Their enormous needs are difficult to meet; therefore, this situation invites us to reflect on Christ's attitude toward the vulnerable and marginalized, the sick and wounded; it also invites us to feel solidarity with all our brothers and sisters who are suffering due to what happened to them. It invites us to go towards them, to participate and support them in their dignity. The church in Jordan, along with several humanitarian organizations, seeks to support and aid everyone according to their needs and abilities.
CNEWA in Amman would like to share with you a day we spent recently with our brothers and sisters, Iraqis with special needs. CNEWA, with the coordination of the Franciscan Missionaries of Mary, worked and prepared for this event for more than a month. The attendees were 31 people of different ages and disabilities. They were accompanied by the same number of parents.
This event was a huge success.
Four buses traveled from Amman to Madaba to the Sermig monastery, named "Gathering House — Bait Al-Liqa'."
On arrival, they watched a short movie about the facility; it daily receives more than 100 children with special needs. The facility offers education and rehabilitation, and provides physical and speech therapy. After the movie, participants were divided into three groups to visit with the volunteers, who explained the different activities carried out by the house according to their needs. We were all really astonished, and were deeply moved when we saw the children's handiworks of paintings, sewing, rosaries, and mosaics.
Later on, the groups participated in activities such as gardening, coloring and making flowers; another group helped in the kitchen. Everyone was happy and enjoyed the activities. They experienced the joy of being useful, and saw that even doing something simple can have great importance and value.
Bishop Salim Sayegh, who happily responded to our invitation, concluded the morning with the celebration of the Holy Mass. In his talk, he sent a message to all attendees, a message of joy in Christ, by saying: the Easter message is to rejoice! The young and innocent children need the adults' joy, they need to nourish on the joy of Christ. "Your innocent children," he said, "are unaware of the problems and worries you face, so they should always have the happy image of Christ in their lives!"
We then shared lunch in a spirit of joy and love.
During the evaluation of this day, participants expressed their joy, and expressed that they are not a burden on society, but they have a lot to offer and wish that there be more attention to their situation and that such events and activities to be repeated.
This was a very emotional event for all participants; they learned from each other, they learned to trust more in God and to be more patient and persistent.
It also allowed us to meet Jesus Christ through them. We can only hope they also met him through us.
In spite of the lack of resources, Jordanians are still receiving Iraqi Christian refugees. Our team in Amman has visited the many parish centers housing these families. Here is what we have learned:
CNEWA has responded to these needs with an initial disbursement of $72,500 in funds to five parish centers. Among other things, the funds are providing water, electricity, food, clothing, health care and psychological treatment to refugees.
The need remains great. Please visit our giving page to learn how you can help these refugees.
Fleeing for their lives, Iraqi Christian refugees have started to arrive in Jordan from northern Iraq.
The first wave arrived on 13 August, and every day since then more continue to arrive at the rate of 30 to 40 a day; by mid-September, the total is expected to reach 1,000 people.
The government is granting visas for those refugees upon their arrival; transportation is arranged to take them to local churches and convents.
Five churches received the first waves of refugees. They are: Our Lady of Peace on the Airport Road (100 people), the Latin Church in Marka (45 people), the Roman Catholic Church in Marj Al Hamam (70 people), St. Charbel's Parish (64 people), the Syrian Orthodox Church of St. Aphram in Al-Ashrafiyeh (50 people). Other news arrivals are staying with their relatives until they manage to rent a house.
To respond to this crisis, CNEWA's office in Jordan is coordinating with our partners — church leaders, clergy, religious women and others — to analyze the situation and draw a plan for the essential needs that may change from one day to another.
In order for the refugees to receive adequate assistance, our immediate support will be given directly to the hosting churches accommodating the refugees and providing them with water, electricity, fuel, furniture, etc. Consequently, this will increase the financial burden on those churches. Additional support will be be directed to the families themselves, as most who arrived in Jordan lack even the most fundamental personal needs, such as clothes, underwear, toothpaste, shampoo, soup, and other hygiene items.
Therefore, it is very important to provide each family with a small amount of cash so they can purchase what they need.
Medicine and healthcare treatment are essential; many require immediate attention, as there are a number of elderly people, handicapped, children and pregnant women. According to the Italian Hospital, most of the health programs of other organizations have been out of operation since July 2014. CNEWA is now carrying the burden of helping both Jordanians and refugees (Iraqis, Syrians and Palestinians) through the Italian hospitals in Amman and Kerak and in other hospitals as needed.
In addition to physical needs, there are psychological ones. Even though some refugees feel more secure, many are still in shock. They do not accept the reality of being displaced from their homes. The children are often terrified. For example, a three-year-old Iraqi girl who recently arrived with her family is suffering frequent panic attacks. Many of these people will need psychological treatment and support. We will be continuying our coordination with the Franciscan Sisters and a psychological specialist. We will also be supporting catechetical programs and psychosocial treatment sessions designed to help these vulnerable families.
There are many questions still to be answered. How long will the refugees be able to stay in the church halls? How long will the churches themselves be able to host them? How long they will stay in Jordan before their resettlement papers are ready? How long will the organizations be able to provide support? From our experience, after a short period, each will start step back due to lack of financial support,leaving the vulnerable people hopeless and helpless.
CNEWA will be supporting churches and helping to bear some of the cost of hosting these Iraqis by providing funds for food, housing, basic furniture, blankets and other necessities, along with medical treatment and psychological support for families who have been so severely traumatized by ISIS. Can you help us help them? Visit our special Iraq giving page to learn how you can support our suffering brothers and sisters during this moment of crisis. And please keep them in your prayers!
The Teresian Association celebrated its centennial in Amman last Sunday, 13 November, with a thanksgiving Mass attended by around 550 people, many of them friends, supporters and benefactors of the Teresians. Since the first members arrived here in 1985, these supporters have journeyed with them, through thick and thin, and made their evangelizing presence grace-filled and meaningful.
The presider for the Mass at St. John Baptist de la Salle Church was His Beatitude Archbishop Fouad Twal, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem. Among the seven concelebrants were Bishop Selim Sayegh, patriarchal vicar for Jordan and a long time friend and spiritual father of the Teresians here in Amman; the pastor of the parish in Jabal Hussein, Father Rifat Bader; and Father Paul Mankowski, S.J., who celebrates Masses in English at several churches in Amman.
The highlight of the Mass was the inspiring and challenging talk of Patriarch Twal, who began by explaining the theme of this centennial, "From Grateful Memory to Renewed Commitment," quoting the present president of the Teresians, Dr. Loreto Ballester, who said that the centenary not only makes members look back at the past with gratitude, but also commit for the future. Furthermore, he noted that the charism of the Teresians is not meant to be kept, but is meant to be given in service to others.
The patriarch underlined three points: the vision that St. Pedro Poveda, the association's founder, had received about the role of the laity in the church and in society 50 years before Vatican II; the importance of education for social transformation; and the lives of the early Christians as our role models. In line with the ideals of Pedro Poveda, he saw that to be modern today is to go back 2000 years and learn how these first Christians loved one another — how they were united and shared their material goods.
When talking of the "New Evangelization" called for by Pope Benedict XVI, he said that "new" refers to the context in which we live today. We live side by side with people from many races, cultures and religions, and this new scenario challenges us to be strong in our faith and to have a greater sense of belonging to the church and to this land. Finally, he reiterated his gratitude for what the Teresians do in Amman, Jerusalem and in the Holy Land as a whole.
The whole liturgy — animated by the wonderful performance of the Sacred Heart English Language Parish Choir — made this event a memorable day. To learn more about the community, visit their website. Or read about their work in the Holy Land feeding mind and spirit.
Tags: Patriarch Fouad Twal Amman Teresian Association


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Book Reviews
Lately I have been reading, A LOT. I always love to read peoples reviews, to help me decide what to read next. SO, here is the list of books I have read lately.
While I was home, I saw Nicole Wallace interviewed on a morning show. She really intrigued me, so I started looking into her books. I was not disappointed. Nicolle worked in the White House under George W. Bush so had some insights behind the scenes. I love mystery, suspenseful, high energy books, but can not read murder books anymore, I am home alone way too much. This trilogy was perfect. I caught myself wanting to ride the bus to work, just so I could read my book.
The books are about the first female President. All the high ranking positions in her government is women. It has topics that have been thrown at male counterparts, but I found it really interesting how I looked at the situations different when a female was making the decisions. A great read with a great mix of genres.
This was a good read, because they give you details on both extremes. I thought it was neat to read about the same events from a husband and wife perspective. Chris' is a lot like the movie, with the normal twists to make the movie better. The start of Taya's book was amazing, and the middle is how she dealt with the week Chris died. The rest reads more like her notes from her counselor and how she has continued living. I enjoyed reading them, but it was a completely different style of writing.
This book is The Notebook, meets The Help, meets forbidden love mixed with some twists. I could not put this book down, the author draws you in quickly and the main characters become your best friends really quick. She does a great job really making you feel a part of their life. I absolutely could not put this book down. I read it in two days. A great read for anyone!
This would be a great beach read. A wonderful just feel good story. This book is all about "how we survive the hurts in our life that brings us strength and gives us our beauty." The author tells a great story of a young girl that had many struggles in her life, but came out stronger. Also, how reading books took her out of bad situations, which I loved. She learned many lessons throughout the way, that many of us should learn.
Now, this book has great reviews, is going to be a movie, and is at the top of Amazon sales for this year. This book even made it on the Oprah book list. It was a good lesson book about how choices really can matter to others. I think the lesson is a great lesson, BUT I really couldn't not get into this book. I actually stopped reading it about half way though, and then read the last two chapters. I am not sure if the fact that the library only had large print available or the actual plot was what did not excite me. There was too much death for me, I like a light-hearted read, this was not it. A good book to remind everyone, don't take everyone's word, read it for yourself. Also, it is ok to abandon.
This was a light hearted good read. Think Sheldon from The Big Bang Theory. When I read this book, I heard Sheldon every time the main character Don, was speaking. Don had to learn that science can not predict true love. He also had to learn it is ok to not to stick to the schedule, a lesson which is always good for me to be reminded of.
What are some good ones you can recommend?
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April 2018


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Indira Ekadashi : Mon 18th Sep, 2006
Yudhisthira Maharaja said, "O Madhusudana, O killer of the Madhu demon,
what is the name of the Ekadasi. that occurs during the dark fortnight
of the month of Asvina [September-October]? Please describe its glories
to me."
The Supreme Lord, Sri Krsna, replied, "This holy day is called Indira
Ekadasi. If a person fasts on this day, all his sins are eradicated and
his forefathers who have fallen into hell are liberated. O best of
kings, one who simply hears about this Ekadasi. achieves the great merit
earned by performing a horse sacrifice."
In the Satya-yuga there lived a king named Indrasena, who was so
powerful that he destroyed all his enemies. His kingdom was called
Mahismati-puri. The glorious and highly religious King Indrasena took
good care of his subjects, and therefore he was rich in gold, grains,
sons, and grandsons. He was greatly devoted to Sri Visnu as well. He
especially enjoyed chanting My name, calling out 'Govinda! Govinda!' In
this way King Indrasena systematically dedicated himself to pure
spiritual life and spent much time meditating on the Absolute Truth.
One day, as King Indrasena happily and peacefully presided over his
assembly, the perfect orator, Narada Muni, was seen descending from the
sky. The king offered Devarsi Narada, the saint among the demigods,
great respect by greeting him with joined palms, inviting him into the
palace, offering him a comfortable seat, washing his feet, and speaking
sweet words of welcome. Then Narada Muni said to Maharaja Indrasena, 'O
king, are the seven limbs of your kingdom prospering?' Is your mind
absorbed in thinking of how you can properly perform your occupational
duty? Are you becoming more and more devoted to the Supreme Lord, Sri
The king replied, 'By your kind grace, O greatest of sages, everything
is quite well. Today, just by your presence all the sacrifices in my
kingdom are successful! Please show me mercy and explain the reason for
your visit here.'
Sri Narada, the sage among the demigods, then said, 'O lion among kings,
listen to my astonishing words. When I descended from Brahmaloka to
Yamaloka, Lord Yamaraja praised me very graciously and offered me an
excellent seat. As I glorified his truthfulness and wonderful service to
the Supreme Lord, I noticed your father in Yamaraja's assembly. Though
he had been very religious, because he broke an Ekadasi fast
prematurely, he had to go to Yamaloka. Your father gave me a message for
you. He said, "In Mahismati lives a king named Indrasena. Please tell
him about my situation here-that because of my past sinful deeds I have
somehow been forced to reside in Yamaraja's kingdom. Please give him
this message from me: 'O son, kindly observe Indira Ekadasi and give
much in charity so I can go upward to heaven.'
Narada continued, 'Just to deliver this message, O king, have I come to
you. You should help your father by observing the fast of Indira
Ekadasi. By the merit you gain, your father will go to heaven.'
King Indrasena asked, 'O great Naradaji, please be merciful and tell me
specifically how to observe a fast on Indira Ekadasi, and also tell me
during what month and on what day it occurs.'
Narada Muni replied, 'O king, please listen as I describe to you the
full process of observing Indira Ekadasi. This Ekadasi. occurs during
the dark fortnight of the month of Asvina. On Dasami, the day before
Ekadasi. rise early in the morning, bathe, and then do some service for
God with full faith. At noon, bathe again in running water and then
offer oblations to your forefathers with faith and devotion. Be sure not
to eat more than once on this day, and at night sleep on the floor.
"'When you awaken on Ekadasi morning, cleanse your mouth and teeth
thoroughly and then with deep devotion for the Lord take this sacred
vow: "Today I shall fast completely and give up all kinds of sense
enjoyment. O lotus-eyed Supreme Personality of Godhead, O infallible
one, please give me shelter at Your lotus feet." At noon, stand before
Sri Salagrama-sila and worship Him faithfully, following all the rules
and regulations; then offer oblations to your forefathers. Next, feed
qualified brahmanas and offer them some charity according to your means.
Now take the food you offered to your forefathers, smell it, and then
offer it to a cow. Next, worship Lord Hrsikesa with incense and flowers,
and finally, remain awake all night near the Deity of Sri Kesava.
Early in the morning of the next day, Dvadasi, worship Sri Hari with
great devotion and invite brahmanas to a sumptuous feast. Then feed your
relatives, and finally take your meal in silence. O king, if you
strictly observe a fast on Indira Ekadasi in this way, with controlled
senses, your father will surely be elevated to the abode of Lord Visnu.'
After saying this, Devarsi Narada immediately disappeared.
King Indrasena followed the great saint's instructions perfectly,
observing the fast in the association of his relatives and servants. As
he broke his fast on Dvadasi, flowers fell from the sky. The merit
Indrasena earned by observing this fast released his father from the
kingdom of Yamaraja and caused him to attain a completely spiritual
body. Indeed, Indrasena saw him rising to the abode of Lord Hari on the
back of Garuda. Indrasena himself was able to rule his kingdom without
any obstacles, and in time he handed over the kingdom to his son and
also went to Vaikuntha.
O Yudhisthira, these are the glories of Indira Ekadasi, which occurs
during the dark fortnight of the month of Asvina Whoever hears or reads
this narration certainly enjoys life in this world, is freed of all his
past sins, and at death returns home, back to Godhead, where he lives


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Valley Voices
Home for the holidays: Our houses tell stories of their own
It had been a long meeting, an excruciatingly long day, and I was ready to go home. When the meter finally flashed "go" for my lane, I stepped on the gas, grasped the steering wheel and, luckily, made the transition from one freeway to the other. My shoulders dropped three inches, finally starting to relax, when I turned onto Butler Avenue.
As I tossed my purse onto the counter, the corner of my eye caught the phone's flashing light. Nothing important – just another offer for seniors to install solar panels. Delete key pressed, I walked down the hallway to my closet, anxiously wanting to free my feet from the uncomfortable shoes and put on my tattered bathrobe.
Holding a glass of wine, I collapsed into the recliner. It was national news time, but I resisted the temptation to click the "on" button. I wanted, as well as needed, some quiet time.
I found myself reflecting on how time slips by so gradually that one barely notices as days and weeks pass into history. I have walked through this house hundreds of times, but always busy and headed somewhere to do something, most of the time oblivious to the sights, sounds and scents.
I hadn't taken time to sit quietly and do as a meditation guru once instructed me: "Shirley, you need to inhale and then watch your breath as you exhale."
As the sun began its descent, I took a deep breath and looked around the room where I was surrounded by mementos, each one sparking a treasured memory.
The soft glow of the reading light was shining on my favorite picture – a small painting of lilies in a wood frame – purchased for $25 from a street vendor in San Francisco. I vividly remembered focusing on it while I rested and recovered from breast cancer surgery.
When we moved to Sunnyside, I had insisted it be hung where it could be easily seen and is now proudly displayed on the wall next to the fireplace. It might not have the monetary value of other paintings, but it played an important role at a critical time in my life.
A few feet away, on the hearth, there is an object that brings a tear to my eye. I discovered it two years ago while cleaning out my mother's home, preparing to list it for sale. My siblings and I agreed we would make decisions about what each wanted to keep as our remembrances – all else would be turned over to the auction planner.
Mother was a passionately private person and I regretted invading her home, searching through closets, drawers, and even beneath beds. One humid and hot afternoon, we tackled the area under the stairwell. It was full of grocery bags filled with newspaper clippings, pictures and greeting cards.
Way back in the corner, I found an old kerosene lantern, still intact with its handle, glass and wick. UPS delivered it to my home in California a few weeks later.
During the years our mother lived in an assisted care facility, I listened to her memories surviving the Great Depression, trying to make a living farming a few acres of rented land. A favorite story was about shelling ear corn, by the light of the lantern, using the proceeds to purchase radio batteries.
Although those were tough times, I suspect they were also some of the best. Looking at the lantern, imagining the light, it reminds me of many things about growing up in Nebraska, including the hard work ethic my parents instilled in me and attending a one-room school.
Tonight, the room overflows with memories. Pieces of pottery, acquired from other countries, stand guard on the coffee table; original artwork, crafted by my granddaughters, is a constant reminder of their special place in my heart. And there, on an adjacent wall, is another of my favorites – two beautifully sketched pictures of wild animals encountered up close and personal while on an unforgettable African safari vacation.
Walking toward the kitchen to switch on lights, I promised myself to do this more often – slow down the pulse of life, relive cherished moments, and reflect on the varied roads and adventures of life.
Shirley A. Bruegman is retired vice chancellor of State Center Community College District. She can be reached at firstname.lastname@example.com.


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Open Any File With This Free Software
Downloading different software to open files with different extensions can be a tough job. Especially when you are having less storage on your device. Downloading different software can cost you a lot of internet data and slow down your device over time or instantly. So, here in this article, I share with you a software that can open any file.
Free Opener
Free opener is a free softwre that can help you open files with different extensions. It can open upto 75+ file extensions. Isn't that great? A single free software opening almost all the file extensions that you use in your day to day life!
Though the Software's official site is not available, you can download the software from cnet.
1. OS Supported: Windows 98/Me/NT/2000/XP/2003/Vista/Server 2008/7
2. Storage: 20.38MB
Extensions Supported:
Open Microsoft Office documents, Adobe PDF Files, and many other images, movie, and music file types. No specialty software is required to open any of these file formats. With Free Opener, once you download the software, you no longer have to worry about opening files again. Opens 75+ file types on Windows including PDF, DOC, AVI, DOCX, ZIP, JAR, XML, HTML, SWF, 7Z, PHP, XLSX, MKV, FLV, XLS, JPEG, TXT, PSD, WMV, CR2, CRW, GIF, MSG, NEF, TIFF, JPG, MOV, MP4, LOG, PNG, CS, INI, MPEG, MPG, CSS, MP3, CFG, HTM, BMP, JS, XLSM, WA, ICO, REG, DNG, ARW, MID, ORF, RAF, PEF, RESX, CF2, ERF, MEF, MRW, SR2, X3F.
- It lets you open 75+ file extensions
Works on older windows operating systems
Opens multipe file types
Crashes Often
Uses more RAM
Final word:
If you are looking for a one-stop solution to open all the different file formats, then this is a must have.


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Cacao Bliss Balls
1.5 cup medjool dates
1 cup almonds (I use raw natural almonds)
1/2 cup cashews
1/3 cup coconut oil
1/3 cup cacao powder
1.5 tablespoons of chia seeds
2 tablespoons of maca powder (optional)
1/2 cup shredded coconut
Throw all the ingredients into your food processor and blend. Once it is all combined roll into balls. Roll the balls into some extra shredded coconut if you desire. Let them harden in the fridge for about an hour and then enjoy! They can be stored in an air tight container for a week in the fridge. Recipe will make about 12-15 Bliss Balls.


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Half-Orc Paladin.
Tamar of Kaltes Land
In the northwestern-most corner of Ur-Delth, was located a large region of mixed tundra and boreal forest known simply as Kaltes Land. Scattered throughout this vast area were various bands of peoples, including those of Orcs. In one such orcish tribe, known as the Horde, Tamar Draenok, half-orc, was born. Individuals from mixed human and orc parentage were not common, but not exceptional, either. At the time in the years before Tamar's birth, a marriage alliance had been made with one of the neighboring human tribes, resulting in a handful of those in the Horde whose blood had mingled with that of humans. That included Tamar.
The orcs were a nomadic people, roaming endlessly, staying in one place no more than six months at a time. Tamar learned the skills of hunting and marauding, as did most orcs. The orcs of the Horde lived by one precept –take what you want – and especially reveled in ambushing other humanoid settlements, not only to steal, but to cruelly put to death those they could. Perhaps it was because of her human half, or simply her demeanor, but Tamar did not take pleasure from the deaths of other beings. She had killed her fair share of humans, dwarves, and goblins, but preferred doing so quickly and without the fanfare of torture.
Once, Tamar went on a hunting excursion with some of her peers. She preferred to work alone, and broke off from the group to stalk deer. After a long while, she heard from far off the sounds of orcish whooping and the roars of some kind of large animal. Breaking into a run, Tamar approached the scene of her peers poking at a white bear with their spears. It was wounded and bleeding in a dozen places, and backed against a wall of rock. Each time an orc got a jab in, they would laugh and dare the next orc to do the same. Irritated, Tamar pulled her javelin forth and hurled it toward the bear, striking the beast cleanly in the heart. It promptly fell, and the young orcs turned to see Tamar behind them.
"That was our bear! We found it first, who do you think you are?," one of the females shouted at Tamar.
Feeling her cheeks getting hot, Tamar replied, "Bears are for food and clothing. They are not playthings."
"Oh, what's this," another spoke up, "now you feel sorry for the beasts? Must be that weak human blood of yours, Tamar."
The others joined in, taunting her, until she approached the male orc who had made the accusation. She moved so quickly he had not the time to reach for a weapon, and punched him in the head so hard his jaw cracked and he went unconscious. The others, infuriated, threw their spears at Tamar and began to pursue her into the wood. One on one, she knew she could take each of them in combat, but as a group, they had the advantage. On and on she ran, until she could run no more, and she collapsed on the forest floor. It was almost dusk, but as she looked up, the tops of the trees appeared to be on fire. Suddenly, an inferno engulfed all of the half-orc's surroundings, yet nothing seemed to be burning. Tamar's head spun, and in that moment she found she was unable to move. Then, a voice from the flames spoke deep and clear:
"Let your sword now belong to the path of righteous wrath, to smite evil in all its forms. Such is your destiny, and shall be your reawakening. I have spoken."
Whatever had gripped her was now released, and the light disappeared, leaving the forest dimly lit. What had just happened? Did she just have an encounter with a clever wizard or sorcerer? What did they care about justice? Or was it a trick of her peers? No, it couldn't be. As she stood, Tamar was a bit dizzy and disoriented. But there was something else—she felt different somehow. There was evil nearby, that much she knew. Tamar neither saw nor heard, nor even smelled anyone or anything, but somehow she knew her pursuers were close. Strangely, Tamar found herself drawing nearer to them almost instinctively, until finally she discovered the group of orcs in a clearing setting up camp for the night.
With a confidence she never before knew, Tamar strode into the camp suddenly and attacked the orcs without warning. Though they fought back all at once, Tamar's fluid movements eluded their swords, spears, and fists. As though in a trance, Tamar slew each one, a scattering of heads and blood littered the forest floor. A surge of heat coursed through her body, and Tamar indeed felt as though her heart was on fire. And then she knew. This was a gift from a god.
All desire to return to the Horde had now been extinguished, and Tamar set out on a new course. As she crossed the marches of southernmost Kaltes Land into the heart of Ur-Delth, she worried not about what the next day would bring or how she would survive. The fire of her god would sustain her on her holy quest to punish evil, wherever she would find it.


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The Islamic World Studies Certificate allows students to focus their elective and distribution requirements around the interdisciplinary study of the languages, cultures, religions, history, and politics of the Islamic world. It provides an excellent foundation for students anticipating international work or service, graduate school, or just graduating into an increasingly "global" world. The focus of this program is the Islamic world from late antiquity to the present, across the Middle East and Africa to South and Southeast Asia to Muslim minorities in Europe and the Americas.
The IWS Certificate has two requirement areas: content courses and Arabic language.
Content courses. The Certificate requires the completion of six IWS-qualified "content" courses. Two of these are required "gateway" courses: HIST 309-Rise of Islam and ANTH 310-Islam in the Modern World. (Beginning Fall 2016 students may substitute HIST 308A-Modern Middle East for ANTH 310). Students choose a further four courses from the IWS-qualified offerings in SAS, the School of Theology & Religious Studies, and the School of Philosophy. Students may count up to two qualified courses in their majors toward the IWS Certificate.
Arabic language. In addition to content courses, the IWS Certificate requires Arabic-language study through the advanced intermediate level. Usually, this means completing the first six semesters of Arabic offered at CUA: ARAB 101-104 and 203-204. Equivalent Arabic offerings are available in various accredited study abroad programs.
For detailed program policies, see below.
No. IWS-qualified courses in Islamic philosophy and religion, for example, are the same ones that meet those CUA distribution requirements. Likewise, IWS-qualified courses in literature, humanities, and social sciences satisfy distribution requirements in those areas. Completing the IWS Arabic curriculum also satisfies the general SAS foreign language requirement. Basically, for an IWS Certificate, a student would choose courses for distribution requirements and free electives that also count for IWS. The Certificate is a way to organize your distribution requirements around a central theme: the study of the Islamic world.
A Politics major could complete the IWS Certificate by taking the following courses: HIST 309 and ANTH 310 (IWS requirements and general education distributions), POLI 326 and 327 (major electives), PHIL 334 (Philosophy distribution requirement), and TRS 395 or 398 (Theology & Religious Studies distribution requirement). Plus Arabic, of course, which also satisfies the Foreign Language requirement.
The big difference between the IWS Certificate and Minor is that Arabic language courses are optional, not required, for the Minor.
No problem. All IWS courses will fill some slot in the distribution requirements. An English (or Physics!) major would select ANTH 310 for a social science requirement and then POLI 326 or 327 for another, HIST 309 for a humanities requirement and then one of the FREN, SPAN, or SEM literature courses for another, PHIL 334 for a Philosophy requirement, and TRS 398 for a Religion requirement. The Certificate provides a frame for choosing free elective and distribution courses, so long as these come from at least three departments and/or schools.
Students planning to study abroad, particularly in Europe where universities have been adding courses on the Muslim world, should contact the Program Director to identify appropriate language and optional courses for the IWS Certificate in proposed host institutions. Since 2011, CUA is affiliated with the AMIDEAST program, which offers Arabic language and culture courses in Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt, Jordan, and Oman that transfer to CUA. And the Department of Modern Languages can advise about additional programs abroad offering Arabic language instruction.


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The Best Cigars/
General (and later president) Ulysses S. Grant fought and held command in numerous wars and battles over his career in the military. The zenith of his time in the forces was defeating the Confederate military and effectively ending the Civil war. We can only hope that after all of that, he got to enjoy one of those "best cigars" seemed to appreciate so much.


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We wondered about this one, in fact this is the first time on the Happy City blog that we've linked to a sermon from the pope! But you don't have... read more →
It is great to see the brilliant the self-styled 'renegade economist' Kate Raworth's work being showcased at the World Economic Forum. There is so much in common between... read more →
A recent survey of prominent economists across Europe (conducted by the Centre for Macroeconomics in partnership with the Centre for Economic Policy Research (CEPR)) asked if Wellbeing analysis should play an... read more →


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The first couple attended a much-promoted fundraiser in Manhattan Thursday night at the home of actress Sarah Jessica Parker. So how did that go? Did the combined star power crash the West Village power grid? Did President Obama raise (tasteful) basketsful of cash? Did first lady Michelle Obama steal the show?
No, yes, and yes. That's what it seems from the report of pool journalists who accompanied the president, in any case. We can't write from personal experience because due to a postal glitch our personal invite went to Meryl Streep instead.
First of all, very famous people did attend the $40,000-per-person event. The aforementioned Ms. Streep was there, for instance. Co-host Anna Wintour, Vogue editor, helped preside over the event.
But George Clooney, Tom Hanks, Eddie Murphy, and the ghosts of Marilyn Monroe and Cary Grant weren't there. Bravo's Andy Cohen was. In other words, there weren't lots of people so famous that average voters would be able to identify them on sight.
The pool reporter, who probably does not read Vogue as if it were Mike Allen's Playbook (that's an inside reporter joke), was not sure who many of the people seated at the two long tables in Ms. Parker's brownstone were.
"There were many attractive people seated at the tables, but your pooler sadly did not recognize them," they wrote.
Still, 50 guests at $40,000 each can produce a lot of cash, even if they haven't all done "Today Show" guest spots. Do the math, and you get a sum of ... worth the Obamas' time.
But reading between the lines of the pool report, it seems to us that the real star of the evening was Mrs. Obama.
Here's how the actress who played Carrie Bradshaw welcomed her. "It is a great, a rare, a very special and I'm assuming a singular treat to welcome you into our home – our radiant, our extraordinary first lady," said Ms. Parker, gesturing toward Mrs. Obama, who was seated next to her.
Only then did she turn to Mrs. Obama's husband, calling him the "beloved current and future president of the United States."
Of course, the whole setup was tilted in Mrs. Obama's favor – one co-host edits a fashion magazine, the other plays a character who loves shoes. That's not an NBA playoff-watching demographic.
Parker noted that her husband, Matthew Broderick, was absent, for instance, saying he had to perform in a show. As if. We'd wager that he and Joe Biden were in the basement man cave playing darts and watching the Mets.
Anyway, Republicans have been criticizing this event, saying that it shows how out of touch Obama is. He's acting all celebrity-in-chief at a time when the US needs a chief-executive-in-chief. Or something like that.
Conservatives made fun of the president for talking about his plans for the middle class ("Still a lot of people hurting out there," said Obama) in front of a group of folks who mingle with the middle class only when it's serving them dinner.
"While rubbing elbows with New York's rich and famous Obama paused to remember the Americans suffering under his economy, how sweet," noted a poster on the conservative Twitchy entertainment website.


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Training for the 2018 challenge yet?
Annual EWB Challenge Ride
The EWB Challenge features a 60 mile parcours that tours the local hills in North Orange County along with local riders of all abilities. We will roll at 8am from the shop in downtown Fullerton and will arrive back between 11am - 12pm. Food will be served, compliments of Big J's BBQ until 4pm.
see the 2017 gallery
This was our biggest community event so far. Get a taste for what's in store for next year.
to anyone who wants to ride or race
More than anything else, we want to see you out there enjoying yourself. Whether you're getting back into it after a 20-year break or are a Professional, we are here to help you achieve your goals.
Come hang out at the shop or catch us at a local race. We love talking bikes, beer and if Gilbert can take all 5 monuments before he retires.
Any Bike
road, tri, cyclocross, mountain & Commute
East West Bikes can help you with your bike, components, supplements and fitting for any type of riding. If you decide to bunny hop, carry, or just ride your bike — we'll help you do it faster.


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Join us by filling the membership form:
Our Mission
To promote the development of roads and road networks that enable access and sustainable mobility for all
Our Vision
A world of safe, sustainable, and efficient roads and road networks
Our Values
Commitment to safe, smart & sustainable roads
Networking is undoubtedly one of IRF's key services. Enabling
people from different parts of the road industry to come together to
discuss challenges in different parts of the world is very important.
But beyond this, IRF offers its members a range of other services to
help them do better business worldwide."
Brian Harris CEOVIDRIFA, USA
We originally joined in 1994 to learn about country standards and
to reinforce our leadership and commitment to the international highway
industry. Since then we have gained great benefit and market exposure
from the many international conferences held by the IRF. We have also
pursued joint ventures with fellow members and used the networking and
business development services offered by the two program centres to
gain access to new markets. We think that the key benefits of IRF
membership flow from such business networking activities and we plan to
expand them in the future."
Jim Paton Managing DirectorINTRASOFT, UK
The reason I became involved with IRF in the first place, and
stayed with it throughout my career as a consulting engineer, was that
I found it an invaluable marketing and business-development resource.
Through IRF contacts and activities I was able to build personal and
professional relationships with potential clients and associates
throughout the world and across the full spectrum of road related
business interests, to learn about upcoming projects, and to stay
abreast of developments in road-related technology and business
Dana Low Chairman EmeritusTAMS Consultants, Inc., USA
Roads, the common cause of the IRF and its members, remain the No.
1 mobility carrier. In its commitment to promote the safety of road
infrastructure, the IRF is the prominent voice of pro-road activities.
SWARCO appreciates and supports the IRFs worldwide networking function
in the fields of road development, road user education, and generation
of business contacts."
Manfred Swarovski Chairman of the Supervisory Board, SWARCO, Austria
"As one of its first members, 3M has proudly been affiliated with
the International Road Federation for almost 50 years. Membership in
IRF presents its members many opportunities and allows our people to
participate in national road associations around the world, providing
3M with valuable information, services and personal contacts that help
us improve our productivity and expand our business."
Donn R. Osmon Group Vice President, 3M Company, USA
IRF Terms & Conditions I
IRF Data and Privacy Policy
Copyright © 2019 - International Road Federation. All rights reserved.


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Virtual reality (VR) and 360 video is about to take over the industry and change our video viewing experience as we know it. VR is a complete game changer, and here at Eventstream we're on the leading edge of what's just arrived.
With 360 video we're able to capture your event in all directions all the time. This allows your online attendees to directly interact with your events and 'look around' in all directions. The sensation with this technology simulates them actually being at your event in person.
The great news is that your viewers don't need any special equipment to view your video in 360 degrees. YouTube now supports 360 live streaming and we have our own whitelabled player that can play back live 360 video on your website or through our webcasting platform. In addition to web and mobile players, your video can also be viewed on head mounted displays (HMD) like the Samsung Gear, Google Cardboard, and Oculus Rift.
This is an exciting time for VR and the dawn of a new era. It's your chance to be on the forefront of technology and be the first event to reveal this new technology to your attendees. Contact us today to find out how we can stream your event in this new 360 degree interactive format.
Here's an example of some 360 footage commissioned by the Royal Opera House to give you an idea of what it looks like. Make sure you watch it in 360 capable browser like Chrome or Firefox or on your mobile device in the native YouTube App. You can pan the camera around on your screen by clicking your mouse on the video, holding it, and moving it around. On mobile, move your phone around the room and you'll see the angle change.


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For all film makers, young or old, making movies can be stressful. Finding the cast, getting your script ready, props, wardrobes, and all that other hassle can be time consuming. Now don't think this article is going to tell you how to make it in five minutes, because it does take a while, however, these steps should make things easier and more enjoyable in your process.
Part 1 of 4:
Key Code
1Learn some basic terms. These can be helpful during the process. Some are listed below.
- VO = voice over
- OC = off camera
- OS = off screen
- Pre Production = The process of getting things together before the making of the film
- Production = The making of the film
- Post Production = The editing process after the film is complete
- Distribution = The process of distributing your movie into theaters or stores
Part 2 of 4:
Stage One: Pre Production
The term pre production means "the process before the making of a film". Some directors choose to think it through as they go however, most film makers make better films with a pre-production process.
1Begin creating a screenplay (also known as a script). A good (and common) program to use to make a screenplay is Microsoft Word (though you could handwrite it, it would be easier to type). People with high budgets often hire a screen writer to do this part, however, if you have no budget, then it would be good for you to come up with the ideas and have your friends help you out. To create a screenplay, first you want to come up with an idea. Let your imagination run free.
- Make sure to come up with something interesting that still shows what genre you're displaying.
- Create a scene title. An example of a correctly formatted title is: INT. BEDROOM SCENE- EARLY AFTERNOON. "INT." means inside, but you can also use "EXT." which means outside.
- Label the name of your scene. Above, the label was "Bedroom Scene". Add a dash and state what time of day it is. If you want to go even further you can also add a time, by adding another dash and a specific time (such as "INT. BEDROOM SCENE- EARLY AFTERNOON- 1:15").
- Move onto the next line. If your character is performing an action before he/she speaks, type that first.
- A good font to type the character's name, actions, and dialogue in is Courier New at 12 pt.
- Center what you're typing. Type the character's first and last name.
- After you have their name typed in, move down a line and start typing their dialogue, or "what they're supposed to say". If they have an action after that, start a new line, un-center what you're typing, and type the action in. Keep typing character actions and dialogue until you change scenes.
- Repeat the process of writing scenes until you are finished with your screenplay.
- The format for writing scenes is:
- Scene Heading
- Character Name
- Dialogue
- Action or Notes for the scene
2Know all the locations you want to film at. That way, you won't have to think about that on the spot.
3Have a cast, a camera, your screenplay, props, wardrobe, hair and makeup, and a schedule to start your production process. You'll want to be as prepared as you can.Advertisement
Part 3 of 4:
Stage Two: Production
1Know that production might be one of the hardest parts of the film. Sometimes people get tired of the project, things go wrong, or it starts out great but soon people start to forget about it. The cast could be exactly as you pictured, but there could still be some that aren't dedicated enough to do as you ask.
2Once you have everything planned, shoot your film!
3Shoot at multiple angles to make your film more professional. A few of the angles are:
- Wide Shot
- Medium Shot
- Close Up
- Dolly Shot
- Aerial Shot
- Arc Shot
- Dutch Tilt
- Long Shot
- Deep Focus
- For an explanation of the angles, go to: [1]
4Make sure your bring out the story. The cast has to be able to feel what the character is feeling and respond like that particular character would respond. Wardrobe, makeup, and hair may bring out the look of the character but it needs the feelings to get the job done. #* A good exercise for this is to have them act like that character for a day.
5Know the difference between SFX and VFX.
- SFX stands for "special effects". Now this is usually the things done "in camera" meaning if you, for example, put a prosthetic arm on your cast member and have another person rip it off and have blood splatter everywhere, that's SFX. It can be the easier of the two. VFX is done on the editing software on your computer.
Part 4 of 4:
Stage Three: Post Production
Post production is the process of editing and organizing your material. It involves everything after you finish shooting the film until you finish. It is not necessarily a process that can be explained here.
1Try visiting the following links:Advertisement
Community Q&A
QuestionWhat software can I use for VFX?Community AnswerBlender 3D is a completely free and safe internet downloadable 3D rendering and compositing software that is great for visual effects. It may be hard to learn at first, but there are plenty of helpful tutorials on YouTube.
QuestionHow could I get a cast?Community AnswerPut out a casting call. This can be done online through Facebook, Casting Call Pro, or even Kijiji. Put up some flyers. Tell some friends that might be in the industry that you're looking for actors. Actors are everywhere, you just have to let them know you exist.
- Pre-production will make everything easier.
- If you feel like you're movie doesn't sound good, don't quit on it. Keep going and it may surprise you.
- For a more professional look, you should use different types of shots.
- Make sure you get the owner's permission to film in certain locations. Some people may not allow filming on some lots or in some buildings.
- Do not put yourself in danger just for a movie scene.Thanks!


text: Share: Comments Print May 12, 2014 at 1:30 PM New food truck pod near Seattle Center Posted by Rebekah Denn Off the Rez is one of the food trucks that will be serving up lunches at the new pod. Are food trucks hitting hard times and going through a midlife crisis? Not in Seattle, where a new little truck pod opened May 12 at Fifth Avenue and John Street near Seattle Center. Two trucks per day are expected to rotate through the spot, starting out Monday spotlighting Hallava Falafel and Mesob at the Curb, with favorites like Off The Rez and Marination Mobile coming up later in the week. The hangout is organized by the same folks who run the Second and Pike pod, who told us when that began that the truck pods are a way "to try to get more people outdoors and to mingle and have a little more life in the city." If the trucks at the new pod aren't your favorites, a guide to roughly 150 food trucks around the region is online here. Also, don't miss the seasonal pod at the Queen Anne Farmers Market when it opens in June; this year the market features 16 regular vendors and a handful of rotating visitors, from Sam Choy's Poke to the Max to hot cakes on a stick. Comments


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Morro Bay lodger tax increase may go to vote
The Morro Bay City Council is expected to decide tonight whether it wants to put a measure on the June 2010 ballot asking voter approval to increase the city's transient occupancy tax.
The measure would increase the tax to 12 percent from 10 percent and generate an estimated $375,000 in additional revenue a year. The tax is collected on all businesses that rent lodgings for 30 days or less.
Budget shortfalls caused primarily by the national recession are cited as the main reason for the increase. The state is also expected to take more revenue from local governments as a result of its budget crisis.
"Although the fiscal year 2010 budget is currently balanced due to budget reductions, the city must do more to maintain fiscal stability in the future," City Attorney Rob Schultz wrote in his report to the council.
In addition to the city's 10 percent TOT, another 3 percent is collected and goes to the city's business improvement district to be used for promotions for a total of 13 percent. This additional tax will drop to 2 percent on July 1, Schultz said.
If voters approve the June ballot measure, the overall levy would go up to 14 percent. If it fails, it will be 12 percent.
Raising the TOT is a trade-off, Mayor Janice Peters said. The city needs the additional revenue to advertise and compete with other tourist cities, but the increase may discourage some visitors from staying in Morro Bay.
"It's a risk; we know that," she said. "But we have to do whatever we can to help and maintain our businesses."
The TOT accounts for 18 percent of the city's funding and is second only to property taxes as the city's most important source of revenue. Hotels and other businesses that collect the tax pay it monthly to the city.
Morro Bay's TOT is already above the norm in San Luis Obispo County. The TOT is 9 percent for unincorporated areas of the county and 10 percent in San Luis Obispo, Paso Robles, Pismo Beach, Atascadero and Arroyo Grande, said Carrie Head, communications manager with the county Visitors and Conference Bureau.
The money goes into Morro Bay's general fund to be allocated by the council through the budget process, Schultz said. Such a tax increase would require approval of four of the city's five council members as well as a majority of the city's voters.
The measure would go on the June 8 ballot.
Reach David Sneed at 781-7930.


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Friday, September 23, 2011
Missoni for Target
One of my favorite brands, although I usually only buy their items at resale shops, is Missoni. They have finally made an affordable line for Target and I can't wait to stock up on some more items from them. I just love all kinds of things that they make. Besides being well made, they are fun to wear and use.
Photo courtesy of: shefinds.com
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
What professional organizers want you to know : Article
Below is a website courtesy of O Magazine of some of the top things organizers want you to know. As I do agree with much of it, as a professional organizer there is so much more to it as well.
Comment if you have any questions for me.
Photo courtesy of: luxury-idea.com
Labels: organizing
Monday, September 19, 2011
Gallery M Squared
Bryan and I finally found a place to have our wedding reception. It will be at Gallery M Squared. We are both super excited and super relieved that we found a place that we LOVE and that is relatively inexpensive compared to other venues in Downtown Houston. We love how eclectic and fun it is, which totally fits are personalities and styles.
Photo courtesy of: http://houston.culturemap.com/mapdetail/m2-gallery/
Labels: art gallery, venue
Friday, September 16, 2011
Austin City Limits Festival (ACL)
Right now I am in Austin about to attend the Austin City Limits (ACL) Festival (this was a scheduled post). I have been attending this festival for many years. Any one who knows me knows that I LOVE music and going to festivals, concerts, etc. Although many of the artists I have seen before, I am still looking forward to seeing a lot of bands that I haven't seen before like Fitz and the Tantrums, Kayne West, etc. One thing that I do dread about the festival every year is the heat. Since we are in Texas it gets extremely hot with the exception of last year it was a little bit cooler. I will keep you updated on how the festival was.
Photo courtesy of: top40.about.com
Labels: music
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
Top 10 Wackiest Pet Names
Every time I tell people the name of my dog they give me a very puzzled look. His name is Rothko (after Mark Rothko the artist and some character from World of Warcraft that my fiance chose). Here is a top 10 list of the wackiest pet names of 2011 http://www.breedtrust.com/blog/top-10-wackiest-pet-names-2011. Some of these I don't think are too wacky, but are cute.
Photo courtesy of: BreederTrust.com
Monday, September 12, 2011
I use the website Freecycle a lot of times to either get rid of things or to get certain things. You post what you are getting rid or looking for and many of times people will respond. One thing that I like to use it for is getting coupons. I know it is the craze now, but I have been using them since I was on my own and during my college days. Freecycle is a great resource for all kinds of things. It is very similar to Craigslist except the items on there are FREE. You can't beat FREE!
Photo Courstsey of: Freecycle.org
Friday, September 9, 2011
Backing up information
Labels: computer
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
Josie Maran Cosmetics
It took me a long time to find make-up that is environmentally friendly and that I love. I finally found it a while ago called Josie Maran Cosmetics. I am obsessed with this brand and LOVE all the products that I have tried. They do cost a little more than your normal drugstore cosmetics, but completely worth it. I am conscious about what products I put on my body because I do not want a lot of unnecessary chemicals and toxins on my body. I do not where a lot of make-up so am willing to pay more to make sure I am protected in the best ways possible and Josie Maran Cosmetics helps me do that.
Photograph courtesy of: ethicalstyle.com
Posted by Eco Modern Concierge at 11:09 AM No comments:
Labels: eco, online products
Monday, September 5, 2011
Loving Eco
With all the websites I subscribe to that send daily deals, one the I really like among many is www.lovingeco.com . They feature all eco products from clothes to make-up. If you refer friends you also get a discount. Go and check it out and be on your way to switching to more environmentally friendly products.
Posted by Eco Modern Concierge at 10:57 AM No comments:
Labels: eco
Friday, September 2, 2011
Gorgeously Green
Since I run an eco-friendly company there are many eco sites that I love, but I especially love this one when it comes to all things green:www.gorgeouslygreen.com. Sophie Uliano who has wrote several books by the same name is passionate about living a green lifestyle. I have used many products and services that she has recommended and LOVE most of them. I highly encourage you to check out her website.
Posted by Eco Modern Concierge at 10:30 AM No comments:


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Websites have a multitude of uses worldwide. The busy world demands more of advertising, publicity for each and every item available. People nowadays come to know about a certain product or an organisation from internet or the websites, to be precise. There has been a lot of development in technology ever since the creation of computers. Free templates for websites in HTML can be found easily in the internet. This is what an entrepreneur does when he first starts a business. The more rapidly it reaches out people worldwide, the better we come to know about the products or shops or beauty parlours.
Here are five free templates for websites in HTML:-
1) ThermalSpa: This very website offers all facts like price, treatment etc along with photo viewing. This website template helps one to know how to design a website related to spa. From http://www.templatesbox.com/templates/277.htm one can get the free version of this template and download it for ease and can design a website of his own.
2) Shoe Store: This website provides all information about shoes and well designed. A person thinking of opening a new business in shoes will be helpful from this link http://www.wix.com/website-template/view/html/shoestore?utm_campaign=ma_templatesbox.com&experiment_id=ma_templatesbox.com_143shoestore5 as it provides a free demo version to download to know tricks to design and décor such a website.
3) e-shop: It is a website that is consists of technology. It is well designed, compact and stuffed blogs, photo galleries, previews. For a person who is supposed to launch a new website, this is an ideal template to be followed. The demo version of this website can be downloaded at free fromhttp://www.templatesbox.com/templates/275.htm.
4) Car Design: Such a website consists of all details about the car market starting from leading models to price. It is designed with blogs, photo gallery, product previews etc. "Car Design" is one of those. A person thinking of opening a new business in cars will be helpful from this link http://www.templatesbox.com/templates/274.htm that is demo version that can be downloaded at free of cost to get a picture clear idea about how to create such a website.
5) Stylish Jewellery: Websites for jewelleries must look attractive to the viewer and should be designed with smart photo gallery and proper information. It is actually a big deal to make a perfect website for jewelleries. "Stylish Jeweller" is a very good template for idea and a new comer can download free demo version of this from http://www.templatesbox.com/premium-templates/flash-enabled-templates/template25.htm.
Other than the above one can have lot more free templates for websites in HTML in the internet.


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A resolution in literature is the conclusion of the story; the point in the plot at which the conflict comes to an end. In the resolution, questions that arose during the story are generally answered as well.
The resolution comes after the climax and the falling action in the narrative structure and is one of the basic elements of literature. All stories have a resolution, even if the author chooses not to disclose all of it to the reader. In most cases, the resolution satisfies the reader's curiosity about how all the story lines come together. The resolution is also referred to as the "denouement," which is a French word that means "untying."


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Medication using herbal products are getting more popular today. However, there are not many herbal products that have been clinically tested in Indonesia. That's why herbal treatment growth is not as strong as it should be.
According to Deputy of Biological Science at Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI), Professor Dr. Enny Sudarmonowati, there were many scientific studies about herbal plants and their benefits. However, there were only 21 herbal products that were clinically tested. These herbal products are called phytopharmacy. "It's too little," she said after Indonesian Herbal Product Development and Application at Swiss German University (SGU), Alam Sutera, Tangerang, Indonesia, Thursday (26/4/2018).
"Whereas if we see there are tens of thousand plant species in Indonesia, it's very far," she added.
Director of Standardization of Food Products BPOM (Indonesian FDA ), Drs. Tepy Usia, Apr, MPhil, PhD said the same thing. He admitted that there were only 21 phytopharmacy products in Indonesia.
"Phytopharmacy is herbal medicine without chemical material, but has been extracted, fractionated, standardized correctly, has been tested pre clinically, tested clinically and could compete with other chemical drugs," Tepy explained to Health Detik.
Tepy said that there are three categories of herbal products. They are jamu, standardized herbal medicines (OHT) and phytopharmacy. There were more than 8000 jamu. However, there are only 64 jamu products that had been tested pre-clinically and got OHT labels.


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Drones are some of the most awesome gadgets one could own. They are fun to play around with, but they can also allow you to capture high-resolution video and create awesome movies like the ones found on TravelByDrone. Of course, some advanced models can be expensive, but you can still pick up "dumber" models for less.
If you're interested in drones, you can see a few examples of the full range of drones you can pick up right now in our list of the most affordable models. A list which will soon have two new names added to it: the HEXO+ and the AirDog, both of which are now Kickstarter projects, but by the looks of things, they will become very popular.
AirDog: The perfect companion for action sports
AirDog is a Kickstarter project which hopes to add an extra dimension to extreme sports. The device is an autonomous drone which is capable of following its owner around and capture amazing videos from any angle. AirDog was developed with action sports in mind, being designed for speed and stability, it can track the user, hover and catch all the action on its integrated GoPro camera. Here's a quick look at AirDog's specs:
- weather resistant
- 10-20 minutes flight time (depending on flight speed)
- Interchangeable 14.8 V, 4000mAh, LiPo batteries
- Wind resistance up to 28 knots (14 m/s)
- Top speed, 40 mph (software limited)
- AirLeash range up to 1000 feet (300m)
- Operational ceiling, 3000 meters above sea level
- Weight 3.08 lbs (1.4 kg). 3.96 lbs (1.8 kg) with battery
The way the device works is by following the signal sent by a transmitter which the user will strap on his arm or helmet. This AirLeash, as its called, is the key to making the AirDog work, and it is also the way you monitor the drone. Lift-off and landing is done autonomously by the drone, as well as battery monitoring, When AirDog notices the battery running low, it will send a signal to the AirLeash, letting the user know that it has returned to either the end of the track or to the lift-off point.
The camera is also controlled by the drone. Thanks to its talented developers, AirDog runs flight algorithms and focuses the camera perfectly while the user jumps, rolls and makes killer moves. The drone can also be remotely controlled or monitored via its dedicated smartphone app.
The AirLeash offers users not one, but 6 follow modes, each having a different set of instructions:
- Auto-follow – As the name suggests, the AirDog will follow the user and maintain a pre-set altitude and distance
- Relative position – This mode allows the user to set an angle and a height relative to magnet north, thus filming the user from a single angle
- Follow track – The user makes the tour of the track with the AirLeash and then uses the Android or iOS app to customize the trajectory of the drone
- Hover and Aim – AirDog hovers in a fixed position but always directs the camera towards the AirLeash
- Circle – Using the app, the user sets a perimeter and the drone will fly circles at the same altitude and focus the camera on the user
- Look down – Directing the drone to hover over a specific point (a ramp for example) and point the camera directly down
The team promised that they will update the device with more operating modes, but between these 6 and the manual mode, you'll surely have a lot to explore with AirDog. If you're interested in AirDog, head over to their Kickstarter page or their website and make pledge (stating amount is a hefty $995).
HEXO+: Smart, fast and autonomous
In the few days the HEXO+ has been on Kickstarter, the project has managed to reach its goal and surpass it. The company has received just shy of half a million bucks, which makes it obvious that their project will be a smash hit. Similar to AirDog, the HEXO+ is an autonomous drone which was designed to gather stunning aerial footage of action sports. The HEXO+ performs great in all environments, thanks to its carefully tuned specifications:
- Dimensions: 62 x 52 x 12 cm – 24 x 20 x 5 inches
- Weight: 980 g
- Range: up to 50 meters
- Hexacopter design with 30 degree tilt propellers
- Speed: up to 70 km/h
- Battery autonomy: 15 min with 3S battery, gimbal and GoPro attached
The HEXO+ uses a GoPro Hero3+ camera to shoot HD video, but the magic happens when it calculates the perfect angles for the best outcome. The user is completely free of having to deal with any flight calculations, as he only needs to use the dedicated Android or iOS app to tell the drone what to keep its eyes on. Using a 3D interface, you can set the exact point the drone will focus on and the distance it should keep. As soon as you finish, the drone will autonomously take-off and follow your smartphone. Using the app, you can also set up more complex flight patterns if you choose to.
If you really love the idea of the HEXO+, you can head over to their Kickstarter page and pledge $499 for a HEXO+ (GoPro camera not included), or if you want to build your own HEXO+, you can pledge $299 and receive all the 3D files so you can print the device yourself, the flight controller, smartphone app and parts list.
Photo Credits:Kickstarter


text: The Children's Choir is for children in grades six through nine. Rehearsals are Monday evenings from 6:00 to 7:15 p.m. Part-singing skills are emphasized with the introduction of three or more parts. Vocal techniques are stressed and basic sight-reading skills are incorporated. The Children's Choir is directed by Denise Gilliland.


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When you sign your Chrome out and disconnect it from google account, or sign in with a google account, there may be a risk of loosing all your extension data.
In order not to lose your data, there are 2 things that you should be careful with.
In order to purchase Force.com LOGINS extension license, you need to have valid google account with google payment service enabled.
When you click on the "Purchase license ..." button in the extension's option page, it tries to open google payment window with the google account your Chrome (not browser tab but Chrome browser itself) is signed in with.
You can check your Chrome's sign in status at chrome://settings/.
Apparently Google Chrome sometimes mess up the google account that Chrome itself has been signed in at chrome://settings/, and the accounts you signed in with the browser tab.
That could give you an error when you try to purchase the extension license.
This article talks about some simple steps to straighten it up.
However there are several things that might prevent you from purchasing license via google payment so make sure those cases do not apply to you first, before trying those steps.