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VC 17m Extra is a high strength hard performance antifouling with a fluoro microadditive that gives your hull a slick low friction surface for maximum speed and efficiency, making it the ideal choice for racing yachts, powerboats and active craft.
* Self-levels to a smooth even finish without the need to sand
* Dries fast allowing you to paint and launch on the same day
* Forms only a thin film so ther is minimal paint build up over time
* Suitable for use (with recommended primers) on GRP, steel and lead surfaces
Colour YBA762: Graphite
Finish: Matt
Specific Gravity: 1.11
Volume Solids 11%
Converter/Curing Agent YBA634 - 750 ml; YBA674 - 2 lt
Typical Shelf Life: 2 yrs
VOC (As Supplied) 771 g/lt
Unit Size: 750 ml 2.0 Lt
Immersion 30 mins 25 mins 20 mins 20 mins
Touch Dry 15 mins 15 mins 10 mins 5 mins
Pot Life: 2 hrs 2 hrs 2 hrs 2 hrs
Note: Max. Immersion times are as follows: 5-35°C/40-95°F - 3 mths
Substrate Temperature
Overcoated By Min Max Min Max Min Max Min Max
VC 17m Extra - Graphite 30 mins ext 25 mins ext 20 mins ext 20 mins ext
Preparation: OLD VC 17m - Wash thoroughly with freshwater.
OTHER ANTIFOULINGS: Remove eroding/copolymer types; or sand hard antifoulings with 240 grit paper.
NATURAL GRP: Use VC General Thinner to clean and fully degrease the surface. Lightly sand with 240 grade paper. Rinse with freshwater and allow to dry. Use VC Tar2 to prime and protect against osmosis.
STEEL Prime with VC Tar2 to prevent corrosion.
LEAD Prime with VC Tar2.
Method: Apply 2-3 coats per season on the area to be coated. In very high fouling conditions, the more paint applied, the better the performance.
Useful Tips: Mixing: The paint MUST be applied within 2 hours of mixing. Shake base well prior to stirring in the dry ingredients. Pour the dry ingredients (stored under the plastic cap) into the can. Stir or shake thoroughly. The can is large enough to allow easy stirring. Ensure paint is stirred regularly to avoid settling in the bottom.
Thinner YTA600 VC General Thinner.
Thinning VC 17m Extra - Graphite dries very quickly - small additions of VC General Thinner may be used to ease application.
Cleaner YTA600 VC General Thinner. VC General Thinner can be used to remove splashes of VC 17m Extra - Graphite from the topsides.
Roller: Apply with a 4inch/100mm short mohair or foam roller.
Other: True colour will develop after immersion. It is important to apply the product quantity calculated on the basis of the spreading rate, if necessary with an extra coat. It is also important to respect the thicknesses as advised to obtain the best results. To prevent poor result and performance, ensure the correct amount of paint is applied using the coverage as a guide (see spreading rate). The temperature of the product should be between a minimum of 5°C/41°F and a maximum of 35°C/95°F. The ambient temperature should be between a minimum of 5°C/41°F and a maximum of 35°C/95°F. The surface temperature should be a minimum of 1°C above dew point and a maximum of 35°C.
Care should be taken to ensure that any metal based parts of the hull are suitably primed prior to application of VC 17m Extra - Graphite.
Direct contact with VC 17m Extra - Graphite may result in corrosion or premature failure of the antifouling.
Compatibility/Substrates: Suitable for use (with recommended primers) on GRP, steel, wood and lead surfaces. Not suitable for use over aluminium/alloy substrates.
Number of Coats: 2-3
Coverage/spreadig rate (Theoretical) - 11.0 m²/lt
Application Methods Roller, DO NOT SPRAY
Exposure to air and extremes of temperature should be avoided. For full shelf life of VC 17m Extra - Graphite, ensure that the container is firmly closed between uses and the temperature is between 5°C/41°F and 35°C/95°F.
Keep out of direct sunlight.
VC 17m Extra - Graphite should be kept in securely closed containers during transport and storage.
Safety GENERAL: Contains biocides. Antifoulings should only be wet sanded. Never dry sand or burn-off old antifoulings. Read the label safety section for Health and Safety Information, also available from our Technical Help Line.
Do not discard tins or pour paint into water courses, use the facilities provided. It is best to allow paints to harden before disposal.
Remainders of VC 17m Extra - Graphite cannot be disposed of through the municipal waste route or dumped without permit. Disposal of remainders must be arranged for with local authorities.
IMPORTANT NOTES The information given in this sheet is not intended to be exhaustive. Any person using the product without first making further enquiries as to the suitability of the product for the intended purpose does so at his own risk.


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Starting a enterprise may be an exciting however daunting proposition. The city council and its partners have quite a few programmes designed to support your new enterprise.
I educate entrepreneurs tips on how to begin a profitable facet business. I constructed my final business to over $a hundred and sixty,000 in 1 12 months while working a full-time job, and I'll present you easy methods to do it too. To indicate you how this works, I want to show you three examples of real businesses our college students built following this method.
Describe the industry sector that you're addressing. Buyers will wish to know if it is an area that they find out about and should invest into, or one that they've no real interest in. Give the scale of the addressable market that you are aiming for. Investors like to see if it will likely be large enough to make the effort worthwhile. Quote your sources, in case you give a number say the place it got here from.
Is that this something I am able to doing? This question is important on two ranges. Firstly, after all it is necessary that when you're organising a manicuring enterprise, you understand how to do a manicure. Secondly, even when you can do one thing, if you do not have enough perception or confidence in your self, you'll battle to persuade prospective customers.
Explain you routes to market, gatekeepers, influencers and strategic partners – the opposite organizations/people you will work with to develop your market, together with 'what's in it for them', commissions, endorsements, accreditations, approvals, licenses, etc. Under are a number of the best opportunities available to start out right away. Remember many opportunities aren't at first what they appear, particularly for on-line or web-based businesses. You too can contact the native employment companies to help recruit permanent or short-term staff although there will be a cost for this. Most contestants on the Dragons' Den are hopelessly unrealistic about their future enterprise plans. It is best to research the market thoroughly, analyse the competition, and put in place some contingency measures.
Your bank will be capable of recommendation on business bank accounts and finance available for new businesses. They will even have components of their website devoted to online sources equivalent to marketing strategy templates and access to assist by way of regional occasions or extra. Your management staff and personnel – your credentials and the individuals you plan to recruit to work with you.
There are lots of solution to strategy recruitment; as a start-up it is less expensive to recruit straight moderately than use recruitment agencies. When crafting job adverts, it's essential to keep away from utilizing words or descriptions that might indicate discrimination, so only point out those attributes particularly required for the job. Match the media you use to the vacancy you may have so that you faucet into the largest pool of potential candidates and do not forget that the persona of the particular person and their match with your tradition and values is as necessary as their abilities and experience.

subset: commoncrawl


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Delphiniums mean June!
Let's keep the color coming as we dream of spring and summer flowers, and give the nod for today's Fleur du Jour to our wonderful Delphinium. From soft, light blue, to royal blue, to deep, rich dark-as-night blue our many colors of Delphinium add gorgeous color to complement or strike a contrasting note with other flowers. Let's not forget that we also have access to white and lavender Delphinium as well. Last year's first Delphinium cuts were taken on June 3rd and we had beautiful blue blooms the whole month through for a total of 354 stems. What's fun about Delphinium is that every year I always get some late summer and fall blooms to clip and add to our strong late season colors.


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Sensory stimulation is when information about our world is sent to our brain via:
We learn about, and make sense of our world, through information sent to our brain via our senses.
The importance of sensory stimulation in your young child's life cannot be understated.
Sensory stimulation provides young ones with practise at receiving sensory information, to learn about different sensations, and to develop an abililty to integrate sensory information.
To a young child, all round things are balls until a child's brain is sent more information via sensory input. A child will know an orange is not a ball only when a child sees, feels, smells and tastes an orange; and has heard someone call it an orange.
Research demonstrates that as children actively use their senses in conjunction with one another, this helps to build pathways between nerves within the brain essential for cognitive growth, language development, gross and fine motor skills and much more.
The critical period for sensory stimulation is the beginning years of brain development.
As your child experiences the world with you, encourage your child to see, feel, listen, smell and taste - if applicable!
Showing your child a picture of a cat will give your child a limited understanding of cats.
Giving your child the opportunity to see a cat, watch it move, feel its fur, smell its odour, listen to its purring sounds when stroked will give your child a deeper understanding of cats.
Sensory sensations and benefits for your child from this activity:
Sensory sensations and benefits for your child from this activity:
- see different coloured grains; watch grains as they fall though a funnel or bounce off a tin pail
- feel the textures of the grains; and the weight of containers filled with different amounts of grain
- listen for different sounds.....grains sprinkled into a plastic container, poured into glass jar or swished around in a tin pail
- hear new words as you talk and play with your child
- smell the grains
- practise balance, movement and body position sense as arms, hands and fingers are used to scoop grains with utensils; and to hold, move and tip containers of grain.


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Are you coming to Thailand with the glum knowledge that you're a walking mosquito magnet?
Mosquitoes in Thailand are a big question if you're new to the tropics or coming with children. Protecting yourself is easy, once you know a few local tricks (and what to bring with you). Let's make sure Thailand's mosquitoes are firmly uninvited from your holiday. Here's what you need to know…
(Some links below include affiliates)
Mosquitoes in Thailand: 12 tips and tricks for total warfare
Are there mosquitoes in Thailand? Oh you bet there are. It's the tropics! Your experiences with mosquitoes in Thailand will vary, depending (A) where you're coming from, and, (B) where in Thailand you plan to spend your time. If you're used to the tropics and/or mosquitoes – there's nothing unusual about the number and ferocity of Thai mozzies. However, if you can usually eat dinner outside without mosquito interruption, then they'll seem a greater nuisance. In addition to using quality mosquito repellent, there are lots of ways to prevent mozzie bites. Here are 12 ways to enjoy Thailand mosquito-free:
1. The easiest, laziest way to protect yourself
Absolutely the best trick in the book – put mosquito protection 'up your sleeve'! All three of the mosquito-repelling bracelets and wristbands pictured are totally natural, and DEET-free.
waterproof bracelets + invisaband microfibre wristbands
Your choice here is only aesthetic – the braided bracelets are most popular and blend into the background of any outfit. The microfiber wristbands are really soft, and a good idea for kids, babies and sensitive-skin wussies. Their protective magic lasts between 10-15 days.
2. Go 'Incognito' against Thai mosquitoes
My favourite: Incognito Anti-Mosquito Spray
Do you need mosquito repellent in Thailand? As a piece of fresh meat, yes. YES. Left to cavort as they like, even one mosquito can inflict a dotty red mess on your legs. The few seconds it takes to apply some bug spray will ensure your trip is so much more enjoyable.
How to prevent mosquito bites in Thailand? As when escaping a crocodile on foot… you don't need to out-run him, you just need to out-run someone else. As such, my first recommendation is to go 'Incognito' against Thai mosquitoes.
Incognito, in my opinion, is THE best mosquito repellent for Thailand, by a wide mile. I absolutely swear by this stuff – it's DEET-free, and, in my ongoing, 2+ year Incognito
love affair test phase, I've found it works perfectly against Thai mosquitoes *and* house flies.
(FYI – I'm not sponsored, paid or perked in any way to promote this, or any product, – I "discovered" Incognito on Amazon and buy the stuff in boat-loads as a normal customer turned raving fan).
Not only does the stuff work – REALLY work – but they're a totally ethical company, too – no animal testing, solar-powered offices, electric vehicles, 10% of profits to environmental charities and on and on. Seriously the good guys!
Other mosquito repellent options:
Beat IT! All Natural Insect Repellent + Sawyer Products Insect Repellent
A U.S. equivalent that's also natural (and has similarly rave reviews), is Beat IT! All Natural DEET-Free Insect Repellent. Incognito insists it offers clinically proven malaria protection, while Beat IT! promises to work against even Florida's mosquitoes. If you can't be swayed to the Whole Foods netherworld, Sawyer Products Premium Insect Repellent has stronger chemicals (20% Picaridin), but no DEET. Of any 'middle ground' (not-totally-natural, but DEET-free) mosquito repellent – this one is most popular with my readers, though I haven't used it myself.
Get in the habit of applying bug spray when you go outside – especially around your ankles and knees. Double up on your insect repellant when heading away from civilisation or towards adventure: any hiking, zip-lining, bike tours, etc. Experience has taught us to nearly empty the bottle on any exposed skin before taking a Bangkok canal tour – it might be the most mosquito-bitey part of Thailand.
3. Lather your loofah …
Incognito Luxury Anti-Insect Organic Loofah Soap
This one's weird – but it one thousand percent works! Start your mosquito war before you leave for Thailand: hit the shower, and lather up a loofah. Exfoliate your skin with one of these beauties – a loofah with a citronella, mosquito-repelling bar of soap inside. Again, it's from Incognito – so it's 100% natural.
4. Apply your armour (or just wear some clothes)
Is there any special clothing for avoiding mosquitoes in Thailand? For your day-to-day beach resort holiday, there's no reason to adjust what you'll wear in Thailand (though light colours are said to be less appealing to a mosquito selection panel). In a quick list, see:
Do you need long sleeves or trousers? For a beach or city holiday, don't pack them especially as mosquito combat. It's not necessary and you'll be truly uncomfortable. The exception: if you're heading off towards "nature" all exploratory, in which case balance the added mosquito protection against the need to stay cool. If you have light-weight 'outdoorsy' gear that will keep your arms and legs covered, by all means! At this point, you'll want to add socks and closed-toed shoes, as well.
5. Safeguard your space (and your sleep)
Incognito Room Refresher + Mosqui-Go Duo (fits Thai plugs)
There's nothing worse than waking up to the sound of a mosquito near your head. Especially when you're jet-lagged. If you'd like a repellant to work in your hotel room overnight, Incognito offers a room refresher that lasts 6 weeks. The highly reviewed Mosqui-Go-Duo is travel plug-in that fits Thai plugs and is the right voltage. It's extremely popular with blog readers (I haven't tried it myself). As well, leave your fan circulating, and the air-conditioning on while you sleep at night.
6. To DEET or not to DEET?
You'll hear people swearing by full-strength DEET for avoiding mosquitoes in Thailand – isn't it best? After DEET bleached our clothes (and a pair of black flip-flops), I myself am terrified of the stuff. My (totally non-medical opinion) is that if it bleaches clothes on contact… what toxic things does it do to you? The DEET choice is up to you and might depend on where in Thailand you're headed (a few parts of Thailand have malaria, mostly along the Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia and Malaysian borders – though not in main tourist destinations like Bangkok, Phuket and Koh Samui).
Repel Sportsmen 30% DEET Wipes
If you want to persevere with DEET, without melting your flip-flops, look for a lower percentage (10-30%). These repelling wipes would be preferable, as you'll have greater control in application versus a spray.
Citronella Patches + Natrapel Wipes
Alternatively, get the convenience of 'wipe-on warfare' without the DEET, in either of these options – one is totally natural with citronella oil (the patches attach to your clothes), and the second is a "little of column A//little of column B" with 20% Picaridin.
7. Get squeaky clean (but don't add scent)
Incognito Natural Crystal Deodorant
Don't smell so nice! Avoid aftershave or perfume to better avoid mosquitoes. Instead, use unscented soap and deodorant.
Incognito Luxury Citronella Soap + Incognito Hair & Body Wash
Again, Incognito to the rescue with an anti-mosquito citronella soap and a mosquito-repelling hair and body wash. Once you're squeaky clean, consider a triple-threat combo with Incognito's repellent deodorant.
8. Mosquito coils?
Incognito Citronella Incense Sticks
Restaurants and bars in Thailand often burn mosquito coils at ground level, especially in the evening. If you'd like to use coils on your hotel balcony, you could ask housekeeping for a few (if they're not already provided), or buy your own at any 7-Eleven. They're definitely not 'natural' but they do work. To stick with the holier-than-thou zero-toxicity, no animal-cruelty theme, try Incognito's easily packable citronella incense sticks.
9. Choose your hotel wisely
Mosquitoes in Thailand love still water and humid, airless environments. On the contrary, they can't fly in a breeze. This often makes the beach twice as nice. Many hotels in Thailand spray for mosquitoes, so you'll find them much less a problem in your hotel than 'out in the real world'. Some eco resorts use only natural methods, while others regularly blast every square inch with a repellent fog.
Coghlan's Travellers Mosquito Net
You shouldn't find mosquito nets necessary – unless you're staying in an extremely basic bungalow (thatched walls or roofs) or are otherwise open to the elements. If you're winging your itinerary and want to know you're covered for any circumstance, this travel mosquito net packs to about the size of a dinner plate or frisbee.
10. Handle mosquito bites like a pro
1. Zapper Click Mosquito Bite Relief
2. Benadryl Anti-Itch Gel
3. On the Go Stick Bug Bite/Itch Relief
Should the unthinkable happen – and you get bitten, these are favourite methods for stopping any discomfort. (If you do get bitten after taking all of the above precautions? 10:1 it happened on a Bangkok canal tour – battleground zero for mosquito warfare!)
What are mosquito bites like in Thailand? In my experience, Thai mosquito bites don't itch as much as North American mosquito bites but turn into fairly significant red dots that can last for a week or more. On very rare occasions (just a few times in 14 years), I've either had a bad reaction to a bite (or have been bitten by a meaner insect than a mosquito) and developed a large red welt. Using a tip I gleaned from 'tinternet', I applied a paste of water and bicarb/baking soda to the bite and found it was significantly reduced by the time the paste had dried. To do the same, please buy your bicarb/baking soda locally (don't bring a bag of random white powder into Thailand!). Any of the above would make a neater and certainly more convenient solution.
How to treat mosquito bites in Thailand? While it looks like a toy, the Zap-It Bite Relief device gets consistent five-star reviews. I was scared to try it – expecting self-inflicted electrocution. I can vouch that it's 100% painless, very effective, and weirdly compulsive.
11. Get a bat, go to battle
For another chemical-free option, older kids (and man-boys) might love a mosquito bat – a masochistic sport you may or may not want to encourage. Available at most shops, including Tesco, it dispatches a mosquito with a – I admit – very satisfying pop. Extra points if it sparks.
Electric mosquito rackets are banned in both carry-on and checked luggage on Bangkok Airways (and presumably other airlines as well). Use the one on Amazon for practice at home, and plan to leave any Thailand racketry behind when you leave.
12. Eat more B vitamins
Folklore (not actual science) suggests that Marmite and Vegemite (or any increase in B vitamins), as well as eating local ingredients (curries, etc) make you less appetising. To start topping up in advance, I can recommend the following unlikely combinations: Marmite + marmalade, or Marmite + avocado.
Mosquitoes in Thailand: Your FAQs
Is there malaria / dengue fever in Thailand?
Yes, malaria is known in parts of Thailand, particularly rural northern areas and border regions (see map). Dengue fever occurs across a wider region. Take greater precaution if headed to Thailand's 'back and beyond' as mosquitoes in such parts of Thailand can carry malaria, dengue fever and other diseases you definitely don't want. For the best precautions specific to your travel plans, I recommend checking with your country's health authority for their current (and expert) advice. Here's World Nomads on the subject:
For some good news, many popular Thai tourist destinations (including Phuket and Koh Samui) are malaria-free. Much is being done to reduce the incidence of dengue fever. I stress that the chances of getting dengue on Koh Samui, or elsewhere in Thailand, remain small. However, always tend with caution, use bug spray religiously and make sure you've got good travel insurance before your departure.
Is there malaria / dengue fever on Koh Samui? Koh Samui does not have malaria. There are reported cases each year of dengue fever, or "dengue-lite" with similar symptoms of headaches, fever and fatigue. While it's a rare occurrence (your experience is a million-to-one likely to be just a few red or itchy bites), you still wear your seatbelt as a precaution, right?
What's the situation with Zika in Thailand?
I'm a totally not a doctor and this totally isn't medical advice, but here's what the CDC currently has to say about Zika virus in Thailand.
When is mosquito season in Thailand?
There's either no mosquito season in Thailand, or it's always mosquito season. The temperature, humidity and availability of fresh tourist meat is quite to their liking all year round. They might amp up their numbers in rainy season but who's counting?
When to wear mosquito repellent in Thailand?
The mosquito that carries dengue, the Aedes Mozzie (rhymes with Hades), does fly during the day but is more likely to bite in the early morning and evening. Mosquitoes tend to be most active at everyone's favourite time – sunset. It's so pretty you remain blissfully unaware of the chomp-chomp-chomp happening at ankle level. Going out for the evening? Sunset cocktails? Mozzie spray as you walk out the door.
Where to buy DEET / mosquito repellent in Thailand?
Though local lemongrass formulas and 'Off!' brand sprays are available across Thailand (including every 7-Eleven and corner shop), I really recommend that you bring at least some repellent from home so you're ready right away (especially if you're staying more than a short walk from a chemist/pharmacy). Do you have sensitive skin and/or will be coming to Thailand with children? If so, pack your own preferred brand of repellant that you know to be suitable. You'll always be able to find some mosquito repellent in Thailand, though the selection is far greater in Western countries. It's often cheaper, too.


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Writer Robert L. Washington III, who with Dwayne McDuffie and John Paul Leon introduced Static in 1993, passed away Wednesday at Mount Sinai Queens in New York City after suffering multiple heart attacks. He was 47.
Although perhaps best known for co-writing the first 18 issue of Static, he also worked on Shadow Cabinet for Milestone Comics, Extreme Justice for DC Comics, Timewalker for Valiant, and Ninjak for Acclaim.
However, Washington, like many other creators, had difficulty finding work in the industry following the mid-1990s comics implosion. He'd lately been employed sporadically by a call center and catalog warehouse.
Washington had been homeless a few times, and had received assistance from The Hero Initiative with rent and food, which he recounted in his final work -- a one-page autobiographical strip he contributed to Hero Comics 2012 (below), the charity comic released last week to help raise money for the group.


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As a Principal with AES, I approach each day as an opportunity to work as part of a team to help create a difference in our community by completing a project to the highest standards possible and seeing those projects through to completion.
With over 25 years in the field, I've worked on numerous types of projects, including residential, recreational, commercial, industrial, and institutional facilities. My responsibilities include design of all phases of our projects. A particularly interesting project, Sayward Hill Redevelopment, required us to be involved in the redevelopment of 37 acres of old municipal gravel extraction facility and turn it into a thriving residential community with over 200 units comprised of Condominium Buildings, Townhouses, and Golf Course.


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The Dispossessed
21st Century
Our 21st Century society is filled with both opportunities and challenges. Great advancements in engineering, communications technology, science and medicine have paved the way for improved infrastructure, lifestyle, health, employment etc.
But despite increased possibilities for resourceful and innovative people to become wealthy and successful, there are also those unfortunate human beings who fall through the cracks. Sometimes their predicament may be from making poor decisions, or simply being born into a life of poverty. It may also be through no fault of their own such as retrenchment, illness, or disability. Whatever the reason, there will always be this group of people I choose to call… The Dispossessed.
The Dispossessed
Record economic growth
And technological boom,
Often masks the dispossessed
Who live a life of gloom.
≈ ∞ ≈ ∞ ≈ ∞ ≈ ∞ ≈
CEOs make millions,
Young executives wear suits.
The dispossessed count pennies
For a worn out pair of boots.
≈ ∞ ≈ ∞ ≈ ∞ ≈ ∞ ≈
Wall Street's stocks are rising,
Shareholders clap with glee.
The dispossessed beg on the streets
For enough to buy a feed.
≈ ∞ ≈ ∞ ≈ ∞ ≈ ∞ ≈
The banks make repossessions
Of average families' homes.
Unable to make payments,
No further hope of loans.
≈ ∞ ≈ ∞ ≈ ∞ ≈ ∞ ≈
Rents are always rising
While wages stay the same.
More and more are dispossessed,
The Financial Crisis game.
≈ ∞ ≈ ∞ ≈ ∞ ≈ ∞ ≈
Remember when the land was new
And people moved out west,
To make themselves a better life
And not be dispossessed?
≈ ∞ ≈ ∞ ≈ ∞ ≈ ∞ ≈
Why can't the same thing happen now,
Raise ghost towns from the sand,
Send waggon trains of dispossessed
To find the promised land?
≈ ∞ ≈ ∞ ≈ ∞ ≈ ∞ ≈
Make land freely available
To first to make a claim.
Have squatters' rights just like before,
A new wild frontier to tame.
≈ ∞ ≈ ∞ ≈ ∞ ≈ ∞ ≈
Settlers need to plant some crops,
And learn to work the land,
Raise sheep and pigs and cattle.
Together make a stand.
≈ ∞ ≈ ∞ ≈ ∞ ≈ ∞ ≈
They say, "Build it and they will come,"
That saying's very true,
Rebuild all the dying towns,
And people will come too.
≈ ∞ ≈ ∞ ≈ ∞ ≈ ∞ ≈
No longer feeling worthless,
They'll work hard to succeed.
New industries will rise again
Away from city greed.
≈ ∞ ≈ ∞ ≈ ∞ ≈ ∞ ≈
The problems of society
Are not easily expressed,
But please do not ignore the ones
I call the dispossessed.
Australia My Country
In my own country, Australia, we have approximately 90% of the population situated along, or close to, the coastline. Australia is one of the world's most urbanised countries
As of 15 January 2016, the population of Australia is estimated to be 23,969,900. Relatively speaking this may sound like a small population for such a large country with fewer than three persons per square kilometre of total land area, however, Australia is the world's driest continent and much of our land mass is desert. Australia is only the 52nd most populous country in the world but our population is expected to exceed 28 million by 2030.
A recent rapid population growth is largely due to the influx of immigrants from mainly Asia and the Middle East. This has resulted in major city populations (especially along the east coast) to increase at unsustainable levels. As our urban services, infrastructure and water supplies were not planned with such a large population increase in mind this is greatly adding to the problem of dispossession.
Meanwhile our rural and outback country towns across Australia have been gradually dying and losing much-needed services such as doctors, hospitals, schools and banks due to decreasing jobs in agriculture and the farming sector and support services.
There is an urgent need to look at redistributing the population towards the rural and regional areas to ensure these necessary services and amenities are retained and the towns reinvigorated. This, in turn, will help to take the pressure off the larger cities and aid in reducing the poverty crisis. The government needs to decentralise industries and move a significant number to the rural and remote areas to boost employment opportunities and inject new life-blood into those communities.
With the increasing population, as well as the end of the mining boom and reduction of coal reliance around the world, more emphasis needs to be placed on returning agriculture and food production as this country's major resource. This will also create more jobs in country areas.
Future immigrants should only be accepted if they are willing to settle in rural and outback Australia, and the homeless and long-term unemployed should also be encouraged and given incentives to relocate. Housing, for instance, is much more affordable in the country. There is no reason that new towns or even cities cannot be built even in remote desert areas. Take Las Vegas, Nevada as an example.
by John Hansen © 2016
John Hansen
After a lot of procrastinating I have finally self-published my first eBooks of poetry "I Laughed a Smile" and "On the Wings of Eagles" at Lulu.com.Now I find myself branching out and experimenting with short fiction.
I have also been fortunate to have two poems chosen to be made into songs and recorded. The first "On the Road to Kingdom Come" by Al Wordlaw, and the second, "If I Could Write a Love Poem" by award-winning Israeli/British singer Tally Koren.
I am also finding my services increasingly in demand as a freelance writer and I have ghost-written the text for a number of children's books and educational tutorials.
It has taken me many years of searching and restlessness to realise that my life's passion is to write. It saddens me that I wasted so many years not devoting to that, but thinking positively, the experiences gained over those years is now wonderful material for my stories and poems.
I want to try to bring a new focus on poetry and try to make it appealing to a new generation of young people and those who thought they never liked or understood it before.
Latest posts by John Hansen (see all)
- Micro-Poem Collection - November 19, 2019
- The Alpha Male, a Short Story for Halloween - October 19, 2019
- We, Three Scary Monsters (or Let's be Ghouls Tonight) - September 30, 2019


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Monthly Archives: July 2011
Friday Photo; Barvas Cattle Show
Today is the day of the Westside Agricultural Show, which means cakes, cows, chickens, crafts and ceilidhs are all to be found on Barvas machair from 12 noon. The above photo is of previous prize winning cattle enjoying their moment of … Continue reading
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Friday Photo; Native American Links
This coming Wednesday (July 27th) North Tolsta Historical Society will be holding an event led by Joan Hogg (née Mackay) who will give a presentation of her visit to Canada, where she researched her links with the Métis people. Joan … Continue reading
Sgeama luchd ceumnachaidh Comunn na Gàidhlig
A' gluasad bho cùisean Thasglann airson mionaid, cuimhnichibh, ma tha sibh air crìoch a chur air ur cùrsa Gàidhlig san oilthigh no colaiste am bliadhna 's, tha Comunn na Gàidhlig a' ruith an sgeama luchd ceumnachaidh aca a-rithist far am … Continue reading
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Friday photo and song; Berneray Week
With the Tall Ships and the Hebridean Celtic Festival flooding the town in Stornoway, it's easy to forget that there is plenty going on across the Western Isles! Kicking off down South today is Berneray Week, with dance lessons at … Continue reading
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New display!!
Next time you venture to the Library here in Stornoway, make sure and have a look at Tasglann nan Eilean Siar's new display boards that have taken pride of place in the display cabinets. They give some great information on … Continue reading
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Friday photo; Eye in the sky
Tomorrow the ninth Point Agricultural Show will be held at Aird School, showing off the best that the Eye Peninsular has to offer. Above is a aerial photograph of Portvoller taken in the 1960s-1970s, showing Loch an Tiumpan. Look closer, … Continue reading
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Dusty fun!
This week, I cleared out the two display cabinets that are near the front door of the Library. Previously, there was a display telling the story of the early days of the Library and a very interesting story it is too but … Continue reading
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Friday photo; Happy Birthday Canada!
Today is Canada Day, a country where many emigrants of the Western Isles settled. In particular, a large number of Lewis folk emigrated and settled in the province in Quebec, where small towns and streets still bear the namesakes of … Continue reading
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text:
Lowongan PT Penjaminan Infrastruktur Indonesia (Persero) April 2017
Sejak Tahun 2014, Ujian CPNS dilaksanakan secara online dengan sistem Computer Assisted Test (CAT).
Apakah Anda sudah mengenal ujian dengan sistem CAT..?
Pelajari Info lengkapnya ...
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Lowongan BUMN PII – PT Penjaminan Infrastruktur Indonesia (Persero) – PT PII or Indonesia Infrastucture Guarantee Fund (IIGF) is a reputable state-owned company in Indonesia with the major business of providing services to infrastructure in Indonesia. The Company was established in 30 December 2009 and operates under the Ministry of Finance. The Company is based in Jakarta and its head office is situated in Sampoerna Strategic Square, North Tower, 14th Floor – Jl Jenderal Sudirman Kav 45-46 Jakarta 12930. Based on PT Penjaminan Infrastruktur Indonesia (Persero) Annual Report 2011, the Company sucessfully maintained profitability. IIGF recorded total comprehensive income of Rp157.65 billion, or a growth of 238.34% of revenues in 2010 amounting to Rp. 2574.61 Billion.
PT Penjaminan Infrastruktur Indonesia (Persero) are now seeking a dynamic and self motivated professionals for the following :
Tax Manager
Requirements :
- Min Bachelor's Degree, Master's Degree in Economics/Finance/Accountancy/Banking or equivalent.
- Min4 Year(s) of working experience in tax area.
- Have a good knowledge of Income Tax Law, VAT Law, Double Taxation Law, International Tax, Tax Compliance and etc.
- Having Tax Brevet A & B Certification is an advantage
- Outstanding analytical skills and strategic thinking with high attention to details.
External Relations Manager
Requirements :
- A Bachelor's degree or Master's degree in Public Relations/Communications or equivalent
- A least 5 years experience in Government Relations or related field.
- Proven ability to engage with key stakeholders/government agencies.
- Experience in event planning and management media relations and stakeholder management.
- Ability to create a solid internal and external network to ensure successful execution of events and other activities.
- Exceptional oral and written communication skills.
- Ability to prioritise and manage multiple projects with conflicting time frames.
- Advanced networking and interpersonal skills, ability to work within a multi-cultural environment, and proven ability to work both independently and as a member of a team.
- High degree of organization and attention to detail.
- Fluent in English.
Secretary to Board of Directors
Requirements :
- A Bachelor's Degree in Administration/Management, Secretarial or equivalent.
- Min3 Year(s) of working experience as Executive Secretary.
- Excellent organizational and time management skills.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills. Speak, read, and comprehend English.
- Demonstrate flexibility, initiative, pro-activity, diplomacy, dynamism and enthusiasm.
- Able to work under pressure and tight deadlines.
- Fluent in English is a must.
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office.
AVP Project Appraisal
Requirements :
- Min Bachelor's Degree, Master's Degree in Engineering (Civil), Economics, Finance/Accountancy/Banking or equivalent.
- A minimum of 8 Year(s) of working experience in the related field is required for this position.
- Preferably have a good understanding of Public Private Partnership (PPP).
- Preferably have a good knowledge of Project Risk, Project Finance, Corporate Finance, Financial Modelling and Risk Management.
- Proven ability to engage with key stakeholders or governement agencies.
- Outstanding analytical skills and strategic thinking.
- Fluent in english.
Business Development Manager
Requirements :
- Min Bachelor's Degree, Master's Degree/Post Graduate Degree in any field.
- 5 or more years of relevant industry experience Previous experience working as Relationship Manager or a track record of managing client relationships.
- Have a good understanding of infrastructure project in Indonesia.
- Proven ability to engage with key stakeholders/governement agencies.
- Excellent presentation, consultative sales and negotiation skills in interacting with senior level executives.
- Ability to develop and expand business relationships.
- Ability to explain complex information clearly and simply.
- Ability to effectively manage time and multi-task with attention to detail is critical for this role.
- Willingness to travel.
How to apply
For interested, please your application & resume must be sent directly through IIGF – Jobstreet at :


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Today I saw my son for the first time as "growing up". Yes, he's going to be four next week, but it's got me thinking about the man he's going to be. Already he's got a smart mouth – "I'm not doing it!" What the heck is he going to be like when he's 13! How am I going to raise this kid to be respectful without threatening him within an inch of his life or sending him off to military school? So far I'm just letting it go for now, I mean maybe he's just acting out because we have a new baby in the house. I'm hoping this is just a phase. Please be a phase so I don't have to resort to calling Nanny 911. I plan on spending some "special" time with him when I can get a chance, maybe when the baby is sleeping… right.
It occurred to me what will he be like when he's older? When he's married? When he's elderly? Who will care for him like I do? This thought has led me to look at my own relationships with others. I'd like to be a better wife, one I would want my son to find, modeling this behavior now will help him in the future. It also lets me see my mother in law in a whole new light. I have a better respect for her knowing she's had to let her son, go. I'd rather not think of that right now.
Who will care for my son when he's elderly? It occurred to me tonight as I was rubbing his back, who will comfort him? No one comforts the elderly like they comfort children. I'm having a hard time with that right now. Maybe it's because I have lost my parents and I know one day he will lose us. I also think about my grandparents living and deceased. How are they /were they comforted? I guess I can't do anything about the future. I can just love my boys while I can. I'm realizing life is so short.


text: With one hour left until sunset, we had a last minute skate session with the homies. Binh broke out the gimbal and got shots of us trying to hit some tricks, falling, then getting right back up and trying all over again. The dope evening got even better when we decided to stop for tacos on the way home! Never forget these warm breezy nights.


text:
both girls and dogs over the weekend so we
could take the Harley down to eureka springs with
two other couples for a little adult trip.
two weekends out of town, which is normally
not my style but this sounded so fun, we couldn't pass it up.
i had never been, but ronnie had, and he's literally
been talking about going down there for years.
his friend invited us and at first, ronnie
didn't think we should go, but i'm glad i talked
him into taking some time away.
it was very pretty,
perfect weather and
such a neat little town.
it kind of reminds me a little bit
of estes park and branson.
it's tucked in the trees and the hills
which makes it a fun ride on a motorcycle.
we shopped around, did a little day drinking
and i was in bed by 10:30.
the next day we headed out to branson, where
we stopped for lunch and hit up the outlet mall.
(i forgot i was traveling on a harley and bought
a huge bag which had to travel on our friend's bike - whoops.)
i was definitely tired when i got home, but
it was fun to get away and have a short weekend
without the kids.
i guess i can consider this an early birthday gift.
we've already decided that we need to schedule
another trip to the smokey mountains or nashville.
i love traveling.
i can't wait until the girls are a little older so we
can go on fun family vacations that don't require


text:
Showing Up
Woody Allen once said that "Showing up is 80% of life."
Feel free to take exception with Allen's choice of sex partners, as I do, but I can't help but admire this statement. What does it even mean? It sounds easy at first, like all you have to do is show up and not even lift a finger after that.
But actually, showing up consistently is really hard. How many times have I woken up after a horrible night's sleep, maybe due to some disagreement with my husband or maybe because I'm in a panic about a loved one's medical issues. Or maybe it's because I'm overly anxious about a song I've written that I'm going to play at a recital or for critique. Regardless of the reason, some mornings I feel like a hot mess and don't want to show my face to the world; I don't want to show up. But I do, and I'm always glad I did; it makes me feel better to have shown my fraught little face to the world and not run away from my day's commitments. It makes me feel proud of myself, rather than still more ashamed and more avoidant.
When in doubt, show up. It gets easier over time.


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Garden landscaping
The 3 tips for intelligently landscaping your garden
In spring, nature wakes up! It is time to put the garden in order to organize the first garden party. How? Follow our guide, step by step.
Ventilate without hesitation, you have everything to gain!
BATIBOUW takes place from the 29th of February till the 08h of March 2020.
We will see you there!
BATIBOUW is the biggest Belgian trade fair for Construction, Renovation and Home Improvement for professionals and the general public.
From Saturday 29th February to Sunday 08th March 2020
Opening hours
Week: 12h00 - 20h30
Weekend: 10h00 - 18h30
Late evening on Thursday 05/03: 12h00 till 22h30
Tickets will be available in december 2019
Brussels Expo
Place de Belgique, 1 - 1020 Brussels
Hall 1 (on the same side as the Atomium and the metro)
Hall 2 (via Atomium)
Hall Astrid via the gateway from Parking C
Hall 12 via the Esplanade car park
BATIBOUW puts at your disposal all exhibitors' brochures, classified by category.
Check out the programme of activities taking place during BATIBOUW.
Discover all the BATIBOUW discounts and conditions offered by the exhibitors. Download them and enjoy.


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Bhikkhu Abhinando was born in Hamburg in 1966. He became a Buddhist monk in the Theravada lineage at Chithurst Buddhist Monastery with Ajahn Sumedho as preceptor in 1994. At the moment he lives at Aruna Ratanagiri Monastery at Harnham, Northumberland, in the north of England.
His first collection of poetry, Quando Tutto è Detto (Wenn Alles Gesagt Ist; Italian/German) was published by Vivarium, Milano in 2007. The second, revised, edition of the German/English version (When Everything is Said) is available for free distribution from Aruno Publications. His second collection of poetry, Wolves, Dreams, Transformations (2013) is also available for free distribution from Aruno Publications. Both books can be downloaded from the book page of this website.


text:
Do you like what your hair has to say about you? It sucks, but we all tend you judge people (albeit subconsciously) based on appearances. Here's what your hair is communicating to the outside world:
A) Long Hair
Long hair fits the perceived ideal of feminine beauty. Flowing locks… Rapunzel… Yada, yada, yada… So, naturally, wearing a more "feminine" hairstyle implies that you are less focused and dedicated than someone with short "serious" hair (read: man). The same applies to men's facial hair — it's unprofessional, too laid-back… So where there's hair, there's pretty much no victory! Buzz-cut, anyone?
RELATED: Find Out What Your Sleep Position Says About You
B) Cropped Cut
On the flip side of the long hair backlash, short hair is seen as professional, but less conventionally attractive. Lucky for us, there are a LOT of examples to the contrary: Emma Watson, Lupita N'yongo, Sienna Miller, my neighbor… Keep rockin' the crop, ladies!
RELATED: Find Out What Your Fingernail Shape Says About You
C) Curly/Wavy Hair
Curly hair is to straight hair what long hair is to short. Curly-haired girls are perceived as being exuberant and fun-loving, but less business-minded than their straight-haired counterparts. On the other hand, people with curly hair are less apt to play with their locks, which makes them seem more confident than those who do.
RELATED: What Your Zodiac Sign Says About Your Dating Habits
D) Straight Hair
Short, straight hair is the most professional style one can adopt. This look communicates that you're focused and up for a challenge, but (of course!) fails to promote your image as the SUPER cool and amazing person you are!
RELATED: Find Out What Your Lipstick Shape Says About You
Moral of the story: We are NOT our hair.
Don't forget to check out: Is It Better To Be Too Hot Or Too Cold When You Sleep? and Here's The Secret Ingredient In Gigi Hadid's Award-Winning Burger Recipe
[Photo: Ashley MacDonald]


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What's in a name?
As it happens, quite a lot.
Think about it. Your name is a part of your identity. It's a key piece of how you try to organise the puzzle that is yourself, and it's right at the very beginning of how other people udnerstand who you are. Names, nicknames, pet names, even insults – the things we call ourselves and the things other people call us are important.
A name can tell someone where you're from.
Most names can give a pretty good idea, or at least assumption, of what gender you are.
It can prejudice (favourably or otherwise) people towards you based on their perception of your background and status [consider the last time you or someone else scoffed because you heard that somebody named their child after a pop star].
It was no doubt chosen for you after at least a small amount of deliberation around root, history and meaning – both of the name and to the people bestowing it.
For a trans person this is especially important to be aware of. The name they ask you to call them is a part of the whole person they are, and to be incorrectly named is also to be incorrectly gendered. Doing that, while knowing the name they have asked you to call them, rejects everything that they are.
If you have gone through any of the transitional stages with a trans person, you know that everyone (probably even them) slips. You'll automatically use the wrong pronoun or the wrong name, and thats ok – what's important is acknowleding that you did so, and being willing to correct it.
Think about it, in the simplest of terms. Imagine every day somebody calls you by the wrong name. By the wrong gender. Every day.
Now imagine that happening after you have explained, in every way you can think of, and asked repeatedly that this person starts to learn to new name, and new pronouns. Imagine that this person continues to purposefully and intentionally refuse to do that, and to keep calling you by a name and a gender which you are not.
Imagine knowing that there are people out there who are so unwilling to accept your explanations of who you are, why it's important, why it's something you need, and so uncaring of you that they refuse to accept even the most basic points, much less actually try to understand.
I mean…can you even imagine that? Because it's what trans people deal with all the time. People who refuse to learn a new name. People who insist on using a pronouns they know you've asked them not to use. People who make your identity into a stick to beat you with, because actually working with you would be too much trouble.
Imagine knowing that no matter what you do, there will always be people who refuse who you are.
Imagine knowing that being open about being trans comes with no small potential for being fired, rejected, beaten up, even killed, just for daring to be honest about who you are.
Imagine that those dangers come from people just like those who consciously and with intent refuse to accept who you are – who you're actively telling them you are.
Imagine, on the flip side, the love you might feel for the people who do make the effort, who listen and even if they don't understand the whole thing, are willing to understand enough, and care enough, to learn. You don't have to be an expert in anything trans to get this – you just have to care about the person – the very brave person who has gone through kinda of hell you will probably never understand – in order to be able to tell you who they are.
Consider this – there is a version of your name, a common nickname which people use, but which you really dislike. How would you be feeling if you repeatedly asked people not to call you by that name, but they insisted on doing so anyway, every time they talk to or about you, every email, every message – wrong name. They know you don't like it, they know it doesn't fit you, but they want to call you that so they do, no matter what you say.
Are you wrong in requesting they stop, or are they wrong in their repeated insistence on using that name that simply isn't you?
Every trans person is different, but I'd wager most will be understanding of the problems that come with trying to attach a different name and gender identity to them.
A trans person is not selfish, is not the bad guy, for asking you to accept their reality of who and what they are. In actual fact, they're asking you to be part of their discovery – a discovery which in most cases has come at no small personal struggle and cost.
It is the role of you, the friend or family or colleague or whatever of a trans person, to decide whether the actuality of who they are telling you they are is more important than the idea in your head of who you want them to be.
The most basic starting point:
If I've asked you to call me Lee and refer to me in the singular They – then I've done so knowing it takes some getting used to, especially if you've known me for a long time as something else, and I'm willing to help if I can. I'll understand, I'll explain, I'll teach, I'll correct – whatever. I won't beat you up if you slip – I promise, I do understand. But if I've asked, then you need to be starting to learn.
If your response to that request has been to ignore it or refuse it, then you're making yourself part of the problem, and I already have enough of those. You can keep the version of me that you prefer, if you like but you need to be aware: that version is not actually me. If you really want to cling to that you can, but understand that it doesn't really exist. You get one or the other – the real or the fantasy. You don't get both.
Beyond that there's a lot of fascinating stuff to learn, and a journey I will happily take with you, but that point is the first one you need to understand. Call me who and what I tell you I am, because I've asked it of you – not who and what you want me to be, because it's easier for you.


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Two convoys left the Ayalon prison on Tuesday night at around 9 pm, carry 26 terrorists who were released as the first part of an Israeli gesture to the Palestinian Authority.
One convoy, carrying 15 terrorists traveled to the Erez junction, near Gaza, where those terrorists were released. The second convoy, carrying 11 terrorists, went to Ofer prison, and then on to the Beitunia checkpoint. The conveys reached their destinations after midnight.
Palestinian Authority Arabs have gathered to greet the terrorists upon their arrival. Over 1000 Arabs have gathered at the Muqata in Ramallah to greet the freed terrorists, and Palestinian Authority leader Mahmoud Abbas will be leading a welcoming ceremony.
Hamas has issued a ban on Fatah (PLO) organized celebrations in Gaza, and instead will be holding their own celebration event later in the week.
Correcting a mistake made in the many previous terrorist releases, Israel decided to use windowless vans to transport the terrorists, so at least within Israel controlled areas, they couldn't make their victory displays to the media. Israel also released the prisoners late at night, in order to minimize attendance at the Palestinian Authority celebration parties.


text:
TITLE: Market Manager
• Job Location: Atlanta area and select surrounding outer markets
• Job Category: Sales
• Full-time
• Pay: Depends on experience
• To apply: Send cover letter and resume in PDF format to firstname.lastname@example.com
Dry County Brewing Company is a fast growing, craft beer manufacturer based in Kennesaw, GA. Dry County believes in pursuing your passion and inspiring others to pursue their own. We are the result of two Georgia natives, and longtime friends, following their passion for making, sharing, and drinking great craft beer. Regardless of what your passion happens to be- Dry County Brewing Company wants you to MAKE YOUR RUN!
The position of Market Manager is responsible for the sales and development of Dry County's beer products in the Atlanta metro area and select outer markets within the state of Georgia.
• Achievement of monthly, quarterly and annual sales and sales related goals
• Build and maintain close working relationships with the top on and off premise accounts
• Execute marketing programs across territory, including use of social media
• Provide weekly, and monthly reports and recap to Dry County Leadership and Distributor Leadership
• Daily account visit reporting through mobile app
• Answer customers' questions about products, prices, availability, product uses, etc
• Consult with customers after sales to resolve problems and to provide ongoing support
• Event planning and overall physical company presentation at various events (festivals, dinners, etc.)
• Serve as lead on festival activations, working with our wholesale partner from planning to execution
• Participate in sales meetings, on-site training, etc; maintain a high level of product and supplier knowledge
• Position is full-time with night and weekend work included.
• College degree with at least three years of beer industry sales experience preferred, but not required (distributor experience is a plus)
• Beer knowledge, from the manufacturing process to proper serving
• Well organized, self-motivated, with the ability to work independently. Flexibility is a must.
• High level of integrity, confidence, and the ability to forge strong professional relationships quickly
• Ability to travel daily within sales region using personal vehicle; opportunity for corporate car determined at 6 month mark.
• Ability to conduct self professionally while consuming alcoholic beverages at accounts, events, festivals.
• Strong desire to continue to grow professionally.
• Good written communication skills. Must possess the ability to develop and provide all necessary written reports, business correspondence and presentations necessary to satisfy job requirements.
• Good oral communication and interpersonal skills. Must have the ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from groups of managers, clients, customers, and the general public.


text:
Lawrence Toppman
Charlotte's most unusual film festival: What happens when a filmmaker gets only 100 words to tell a story? These.
Perhaps you still don't know about Charlotte's most unusual film festival, though it filled McGlohon Theater last year and has begun to attract international attention.
The movies shown there, all of them shorts of varying length, get their world premieres in the Queen City. You can see documentaries, narratives, even animation. And founder Scott Galloway has created a mentor-student program that now turns out free films for nonprofit organizations to use in places as far away as San Francisco and Nashville.
Professional and amateur filmmakers follow only one directive: Audible English-language dialogue in their entries must consist of –
Uh-oh. I'm out of words.
Or would be, if this were the soundtrack to a picture in the 100 Words Film Festival, which returns to Spirit Square Nov. 4-5. Contestants must use no more than 100 words and – this is the tricky part – no less.
"It's been interesting to see how we've had to work around that limit," says Caroline Knight, a senior at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville. "It really put us in a position to get creative and figure out little loopholes, learning to show instead of tell. This forces you to cut it down to essential elements."
Her film, a seven-minute documentary titled "Still Sophie," depicts a musical-comedy performer left with aphasia after a stroke. She struggles to speak, and Knight reveals her to be a person whose brain functions normally but doesn't always send the right words to her lips – except when she sings, in a poignant "Maybe This Time" from "Cabaret."
Knight created her film for the Student/Charity section of the event, where students make movies – not just simple public service announcements – for nonprofits. She did "Sophie" for a Tennessee group, Seriously Awesome Stroke Survivors, and hopes the National Aphasia Association picks it up. This was no vanity project: She's taking a full schedule at UT but drove from Knoxville to Nashville every weekend in August and September to work with her mentor. She majors in cinema studies and now wants to make film a career.
That would suit Galloway, who has his own Charlotte-based company in Susie Films.
"Young filmmakers today see they can have jobs in the industry," he says. "You may not be the next Tarantino, but you can shoot commercials, corporate videos... If you can suit a picture to a word and tell your story with a beginning, middle and end, this festival gives you a calling card to show people. And movies that play here get a credit at IMDB (Internet Movie Data Base), which helps."
Galloway imposed the word limit, which is ticked off by a counter in the lower left corner of the frame, the way an Elizabethan poet might've placed a line limit and rhyme scheme on a sonnet. The results are sometimes a mini-masterwork and sometimes a mess: Two directors submitted movies where 100 words stretched over 80 minutes. ("Lots of shots of people walking through a post-apocalyptic landscape. Lots of shots. We didn't pick those.")
The results can be timeless or as timely as last month's riots after the Keith Lamont Scott shooting: Documentary-maker Kelvin Edwards filmed on the fly, compressing street footage into a five-minute collage of protests, and got "State of Emergency" into the festival.
Filmmakers play with limits in crafty ways. Title cards help, as long as the judges don't think they're used too heavily. Songs and dialogue can drift away as a point is made; only audible sections get tallied. Beverly Penninger and Alyson Young documented their trip to Cuba, where musicians played in untranslated Spanish, without driving that counter down too fast.
At stake are $3,000 in prizes for the pros and $1,000 for the students. The jury chose 20 professional films and 16 by students to compete.
Because Galloway wants to encourage newbies, he links people in the Student/Charity group with mentors. Eric Davis, an executive producer at Susie Films, works with folks from Davidson, Johnson C. Smith and Queens.
"They tell us, 'I want a 5-minute video,' " he says. "I tell them, 'No, you want a video that's as long as it needs to be and stops just before it stops being interesting.' We can help cut giant stories down to the message you want to convey."
He'll link them to professional cinematographers or composers, who "don't change their ideas and treat you as an equal collaborator. An editor will help you pace it the way you want to pace it; you edit it at school, bring it to a pro, and he helps you cut it down further."
Davis gives every new filmmaker five tips:
1) There has to be a story, and every story needs a beginning, middle and end.
2) Let pictures tell that story. Don't overwrite dialogue or underwrite descriptions of images in your script.
3) Whatever camera you have is useless unless you hold it steady with a tripod, record clean audio with an off-camera microphone and light scenes with intent.
4) The most effective 100-word films present a story twist in the last 20 words. (Knight adds one in "Still Sophie" in the final image.)
5) This is a team game. Meeting deadlines with collaborators and accepting feedback are essential skills – "for filmmaking and good living," says Davis.
As Galloway notes, "You will always have limits of some kind in this business, whoever you are. And you will have to know how the dance goes between pictures and words, whatever you do."
He also likes to remind audiences that none of the movies lasts longer than 11 minutes. If one makes you squirm, "wait a few minutes, and we'll give you something else. That's one good thing about holding them to 100 words!"
Toppman: 704-358-5232


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Bariatric Surgery
Weight Loss Surgery
What is Weight Loss Surgery?
Weight loss surgery also called Bariatric surgery – includes a variety of procedures performed on people who have obesity. These surgeries should be done in selected candidates with evaluation of risk and benefits. Even the the surgery is successfully done patient needs a permanent healthy lifestyle including healthy diet and exercise.
What are the types of bariatric surgery?
- Endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty
- Gastric bypass (Roux-en-Y)
- Intragastric balloon
How weight loss is achieved in these procedures?
Weight loss is achieved by reducing the size of the stomach by-
- Gastric band
- Removal of a portion of the stomach (sleeve gastrectomy or biliopancreatic diversion with duodenal switch)
- Resecting and re-routing the small intestine to a small stomach pouch (gastric bypass surgery).
What are the expected benefits in a right candidate where bariatric surgery is done successfully?
Long-term studies show the procedures cause –
- Significant long-term loss of weight
- Recovery from diabetes
- Improvement in cardiovascular risk factors
- Mortality reduction from 40% to 23%.
Who are the right candidates for bariatric surgery?
Bariatric surgery may be done for obese people with
- Body mass index (BMI) of at least 40
- BMI of at least 35 and serious coexisting medical conditions such as diabetes
- Some cases, you may qualify for certain types of weight-loss surgery if your BMI is 30 to 34 and you have serious weight-related health problems.
The recent guidelines suggest that any patient with a BMI of more than 30 with comorbidities is a candidate for bariatric surgery.
What are the risks for bariatric surgery?
Bariatric surgery is a major surgery so it has some risk with it.
Short term Risks-
- Excessive bleeding
- Infection
- Adverse reactions to anesthesia
- Death (rare)
Longer term risks –
- Low blood sugar (hypoglycemia)
- Malnutrition
- Bowel obstruction
- Dumping syndrome, causing diarrhea, nausea or vomiting
- Gallstones
- Hernias
- Death (rare)
What are the benefits of bariatric surgery?
Weight loss is the primary objective in this surgery. This is also associated with many benefits due to weight loss.
- Gastroesophageal reflux disease
- Heart disease
- High blood pressure
- Severe sleep apnea
- Type 2 diabetes
- Stroke
Can the Bariatric surgery fail to work as expected?
weight-loss surgeries don't always work. The surgery may fail. It may not work as expected.
What diet is recommended after bariatric surgery?
- Overeating is restricted because exceeding the capacity of the stomach causes nausea and vomiting.
- Patients may need to take a daily multivitamin pill for life to compensate for reduced absorption of essential nutrients.
- Patients cannot eat a large quantity of food, physicians typically recommend a diet that is relatively high in protein and low in fats.
Is there need for lifestyle change after a successful bariatric surgery?
Patient must follow permanent healthy lifestyle in diet. Regular physical activity and exercise are also important to maintain a healthy weight. If healthy lifestyle is not followed then patient may gain weight even the surgery is successfully done.


text:
Hurricane track forecasts improve; strength still hard to predict
In the world of tropical storm science, and the public reaction to storms, some things never change, even though year after year, forecasts of where storms are going get more accurate.
When a panel of University of Miami scientists and other officials concerned with tropical storm forecasting gave a briefing to reporters last week, many of the messages were familiar:
Despite better forecasts for storm tracks, intensity forecasts have not improved much.
Many people don't understand the uncertainty factor in storm forecasts and the meaning of the "cone of error" in forecast graphics.
Larger coastal populations need more time to evacuate than in previous decades.
At the same time, scholars and government officials are excited by advances in equipment and research programs that could give people more time to prepare and ultimately save lives.
At the University of Miami Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science on Thursday, May 12, Bill Read, director of the National Hurricane Center, and a panel of academic and government researchers talked about ways that hurricane forecasts are improving and how new research could give scientists better understanding of how hurricanes form and where they go.
The panel included John Cangialosi, hurricane specialist at the NHC and Shirley Murillo, field director of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Lab on Virginia Key, and other scientists and forecasters.
Better track accuracy
Read told the audience that he knew nothing about hurricanes when, as a young Navy ensign, he became an aviator on the first hurricane hunter flight into 1972's Hurricane Agnes.
Now he leads the agency that provides hurricane forecasts for the U.S. and other countries whose coasts lie on the Atlantic hurricane basin.
Read said scientists have made big improvements in hurricane forecasts over the years. From the 1960s through 1983, the average error in hurricane forecasts was 400 miles at 72 hours. In other words, predictions of where a storm would be in three days were off by 400 miles on average — sometimes more, sometimes less.
In the years from 2003 to 2008, forecasts had improved so that the average error was down to less than 200 miles at 72 hours, and less than 100 miles at 48 hours.
"If you gave somebody an average error now of 400 miles at 72 hours out, you'd probably be fired," Read said.
According to data Read showed, the NHC track error has gone down 60 percent since 1990. A forecast for five days from now is as accurate as forecasts for three days away were a decade ago.
Meanwhile, forecasters haven't made much improvement in forecasting the intensities of hurricanes in the last 15 to 20 years. "We probably don't do much better forecasting intensity today than we did then," Read said of his early years tracking hurricanes.
In the next decade, Read said, he said, he expects track forecasts for six to seven days will be as accurate as they are today for four to five days ahead.
Although improvements in track forecast accuracy show signs of leveling off in the last few years, "I'm not that worried about the track forecast," Read said. "I think we will gain on that as new improvements come along."
Knowing the cone
Because of improved forecasts, the familiar "error cone" will be smaller this year. The hurricane center adjusts the cone every year. The size is set so that the cone is as wide as two-thirds of the average error on each side of the track, for each forecast period.
This year, the cone is substantially smaller, Read said, partly because the record-setting 2005 hurricane season — which was not a "stellar" year for track forecasts, he noted — is no longer in the five-year error calculation.
Because the error could be to the right or left of the track, the circles that define the cone are twice as wide as the average forecast error.
This year's error cone, based on 2006 through 2010, will be only 72 nautical miles wide at the 12-hour forecast point. At the furthest forecast point, five days (120 hours) away, the cone will be 478 nm wide. That's about 550 statute (land) miles.
But the biggest problem, mentioned by several speakers on the panel, is that people can completely misunderstand what the cone represents.
Even when the cone is carefully explained, it's hard for people to not see it as a kind of picture of the storm — a forecast of how big the storm is, how far out the winds will be or where the storm surge will strike the coast. The cone does not represent any of those things.
Read emphasized that the cone has absolutely nothing to do with a storm's size, or the size of its effects. Even if a forecast is very accurate, and the center of a storm is exactly in the center of the forecast cone, hurricane-force winds or storm surge, or both, can easily affect locations outside the cone.
"A lot of people think if they're outside the cone they don't need to worry," said John Cangialosi, the NHC hurricane specialist. He said in a storm like Hurricane Ike, "the cone tells you nothing about the wind field," and Ike's worst storm surge hit beyond the cone.