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One thing that I have heard on some news segments as well as in some articles online is that these are the 2024 games. That's so far away that we don't need to be worrying about it now. But we do. That's 9 years away, which is not very long. This is exactly with the IOC is selecting a city to host it this year. You need all that time to prepare.
Another thing I see a lot of complaining about is the transparency of the process. I don't really care about that. The US Olympic Committee is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. The only way it can exist is through significant donations. These organizations are not eligible for direct government funding. Private donations and grants are the key to a non-profit organization's survival.
Because hosting the Olympics is a very expensive proposition, it makes sense that the proposals are on the order of billions of dollars and there are not many people that can do that. So you need the backing with a lot of money to make a proposal to host. Fine. So how it usually works is developers (and I mean the term in the broadest definition here.....builders, producers, marketing people, salesmen.....really anything) collaborate to put together a proposal. The US Olympic Committee then has a few rounds of voting and the short list is produced for a final vote.
The short list for the 2024 Olympics had Boston, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Washington (DC). Boston was selected.
The vast majority of things needed to host the Olympics would be paid for through private investors. A concern I see in the news is that the tax payers will have to be writing checks to build stadiums. It doesn't really work that way. It's complicated, yes, but you won't be getting a bill for your part of a stadium construction cost.
There are infrastructure improvement projects that have to be taken in to account as well. Transportation is always something that cities have to consider and that may mean more transit stops or widening of roads or things like that. While the money to pay for it comes from complicated sources and directly from taxes, it does require the involvement of the government to oversee and coordinate the work, which takes away from other projects that might be scheduled or needed.
Basically, hosting the Olympics is like asking to cut in line with your giant infrastructure improvement projects.
That's just part of the problem to me. The other problem is the disruption to everything it will cause for years and for years after. I went through this for the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta. Yes, everyone was very excited that Atlanta won the bid and a huge multiyear long set of constructions projects began. And construction (and destruction) continues after the Olympics. It's very annoying.
Which brings me to my list. I've seen lots of lists posted about why Boston should not host the 2024 Olympics. I agree, and here's my list:
- It will cost the Greater Boston area a lot of money. Money we don't need to spend for an event that takes place over a few weeks. Businesses and governments will either directly or indirectly pay for hosting the Olympics and there will be no return on it except to say that Boston got to host the 2024 Olympics. WOW! COOL! Can you tell me who hosted the 1988 games1? Or the 1956 games2? Maybe? Who cares? It's a pointless claim to fame.
- It will build structures we don't need. Stadiums that are used for the opening and closing ceremonies. A velodrome? An aquatics center?
- No matter what Boston does to host the Olympics, the city will be the punchline of jokes for years to come. It always happens. Does Boston really want to sign up for that? It gets old and tiring. Do you think residents of Sochi still get amused at people asking if their hotels have working plumbing (when, in actuality, it was likely just a few reporters who got some shitty rooms)?
- The Greater Boston transit infrastructure will be pushed to its limits and and it will fail. The Green Line, especially. Sorry, I love the Green Line and I think the MBTA does a great job keeping it running, but it will not be able to handle Olympic throughput.
- Security costs. The 1996 Olympics had a bombing and the Boston Marathon was bombed two years ago. It follows that security for the Olympics would be above and beyond whatever is usually done for any existing Boston events. And we will pay for that.
|1996 Olympic Venue
|Current Status
|Centennial Olympic Stadium
|Immediately altered after the games concluded, became the new home of the Atlanta Braves. The Atlanta Braves are in the process of constructing a new venue outside of the city of Atlanta. Plans for this venue are up in the air, but it will likely be demolished.
|Georgia Tech Aquatic Center
|Built next to the existing Student Athletic Complex, it became part of that after the Olympics. Underwent major renovation in 2001, then again in 2003, and continues to be part of the current Campus Recreation Center at Georgia Tech, though much less in its Olympic form.
|The Omni Coliseum
|This was not built for the Olympics. It was an old Atlanta venue and was where the Atlanta Hawks played. It hosted volleyball for the Olympics, but it really should have been demolished before the games. It was demolished in 1999 to build Phillips Arena where the Hawks and the Thrashers played (until the Thrashers moved to Canada).
|Stone Mountain Tennis Center
|Turned over to the Stone Mountain Park after the games and used for tennis by guests. Not maintained and basically started falling apart so they closed it in 2007. Plans to renovate it exists, though it hasn't happened yet.
|Velodrome and Archery Range
|Built at Stone Mountain Park, these were demolished in 2003 to turn it back in to a park.
|Centennial Olympic Park
|Hosted all kinds of events and activities for visitors. Immediately vacated and returned to undesirable part of city after the games. Area changing in the past ten years. The Georgia Aquarium and The World of Coca Cola have moved to this area. Phillips Arena and the CNN Center are also here. And some hotels. You can buy a Coke on every corner.
And that's just the few I can remember. The 1996 games were held all over. Alabama, Florida, but not Tennessee (sorry, Tennessee). I have no idea what happened with venues in those locations. They also built a lot of stuff along the Ocoee River in North Georgia and some stuff at Lake Lanier for events held there, but I don't know what happened to any of it.
None of the things above had a lasting impact on the economy. Maybe the stadium which became the new home for the Braves and perhaps boosted sales. But the Braves were already doing better before the Olympics having had their "worst to first" years in the Atlanta-Fulton County Municipal Stadium.
Boston will end up with junk like this. We don't need speciality venues. I have read in some articles that the idea of temporary venues could be a possibility. I'm not opposed to that, but I'm not sure how temporary a venue can be. It's more like you're just planning to tear it down immediately after construction.
What about transporation overhaul? Comparing to the 1996 Olympic games, Atlanta added 2000 buses just for the Olympics. MARTA expanded the rail system with Buckhead, Medical Center, and Dunwoody stations creating their North Line. That opened just before the Olympics (I think, it's been a long time). They operated over 200 rail cars 24 hours a day for the entire Olympics. That's pretty common for cities that host, but can the MBTA hold up to that. Again, I'm thinking the Green Line.
I hope that Boston is ultimately passed over by the IOC. The region does not need to host the Olympics. It's a huge financial commitment and the money can be better spent on other things.
Hey, I found this: www.nobostonolympics.org
1 Seoul, South Korea (which I did actually know because a friend in elementary school was from South Korea and they went back for the games and brought us back a gift)
2 Melbourne, Victoria, Australia


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Here at Server Observer we recently became converted tech-evangelicals for the Genesis / Studiopress theme framework and tweaked the innards out of one of the themes for out latest look. We like the simplicity and ease of the Genesis Simple Hooks plugin which allows us to 'hook' all manner if code and addons to the page framework – releasing u8s from the restrictions of more pedestrian themes.
If you have ever created an APP of Facebook before then your task to install a Facebook Like Box using Genesis and Simple hooks is, well … SIMPLE:
- Log in to Facebook and go to this URL: https://developers.facebook.com/docs/plugins/like-box-for-pages
- Fill in your Facebook Page URL, the width, height, colour scheme and options for your box and lick on Get Code.
- You will be presented with a number of options – for the purposes of this exercise we selected iFrame.
- Copy the iFrame Code and open up your WordPress Admin.
- If you haven't installed Genesis Simple Hooks, NOW would be a good time to do so by searching for Genesis Simple Hooks in the WP Plugin Repository.
Here at Server Observer we installed the Facebook Like Box just above the Footer as we wanted to take full advantage of the maximum container space of 1400 pixels across.
To do as we did go to Genesis Simple Hooks and do the following:
- Determine the container width of your theme (look in your CSS or use a browser add-on like Meaure-It.)
- Scroll down to Footer Hooks —-> genesis_before_footer and paste your Facebook Like Box code in there.
- You may have to div center align the box.
- Save Changes
- Tweak and play to your satisfaction.
Don't forget to add your face to those that like Server Observer in the Like Box below.

subset: commoncrawl


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I was told (by my yoga teacher) this latest full moon was a "new moon…in Aquarius". It means new beginnings and like the song said, "when the mooooon is in the 7th house, and jupiter aligns with mars, then peace will guide the planet and love will steer the stars, this is the dawning of the age of Aquarius". Anyway, I'm an Aquarian and I always think that song is about me (I know, I'm so vain, from another 70's hit).
It's a new year, a new beginning, a new moon, a new pair of boots (slate gray suede, with a chunky heal) and a new decade as I enter my 50's. Yes I said it, FIFTY. And I'm going to celebrate this new decade with grace, beauty, largesse and positivity (sprinkled here and there with a few days of peri-menpausal crankiness). Oh, and intense exercise because let's face it the body is going south and not in a good way like south to a beach in Mexico, I mean like south to Antartica.
I still got it though, just yesterday I was walking over to Saks Fifth Avenue to look at things I can't buy (and get looked down upon by snooty sales girls who also can't buy anything) and who gave me a side-eye on the sidewalk for like 3.5 seconds? Elliot Spitzer, I swear to god. People I know it's creepy but this soon-to-be-50yr-old will take a once-over where she can get it, in a NY minute.
And in another New York minute…


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High Point: Ice storm cleanup to cost $4.6M
The city will incur total costs of about $4.6 million to clean up debris, restore power and repair infrastructure damaged in the wake of the March 7 ice storm.
City Manager Strib Boynton provided the estimate and a breakdown of the costs to members of the City Council earlier this week.
"To date, we've spent $1.6 million to cut and clear downed trees and limbs so power could be restored, and to actually replace transformers, poles and lines necessary to restore power to those who lost power," Boynton said.
To complete the cleanup, based on Federal Emergency Management Agency formulas, the city will need about another $3 million.
Boynton said he hopes the city will qualify for some level of aid to cover a substantial portion of the costs. Gov. Pat McCrory earlier this month issued a state of emergency declaration because of the storm.
"There may be some FEMA reimbursement, perhaps as much as 75 percent, at some point in the future. However, there is no guarantee of any FEMA reimbursement," Boynton said.
The March 7 storm struck as city officials prepare for detailed deliberations about the upcoming city budget. The 2014-15 fiscal year begins July 1.
Boynton said the "storm costs will impact the 2014-15 budget. However, this is exactly why we, and other cities, wisely and deliberately set money aside in strong fund balances and do not spend money needlessly on every idea or wish that happens to come along."
Tuesday's less-severe ice storm, which didn't cause any widespread power outages or topple large numbers of trees, shouldn't add significantly to the city's cleanup costs.


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La La Land sweeps Golden Globes but Meryl Streep steals the show with anti-Trump speech
The 21st century Singing in The Rain, La La Land won all seven awards it was nominated for at the Golden Globes, beating the previous shared record of six wins by Midnight Express and One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest.
The host for the night may have been Tonight Show's Jimmy Fallon, but with the Golden Globe Cecil B. DeMille Award in her hand, 'newcomer' Meryl Streep stole the night by eviscerating President-Elect Donald Trump near the end of her speech without even directly naming him.
This, even after beginning her speech with an apologetic "I love you all but you'll have to forgive me. I've lost my voice in screaming and lamentation..."
Full video of Streep. Worth watching: pic.twitter.com/ItQkoJLnxG— Judd Legum (@JuddLegum) January 9, 2017
Jimmy's opening glitch
Jimmy Fallon was almost robbed of his moment in the sun when technical glitches marred his opening monologue. It was a glitch of colossal proportions as Fallon was left to improvise thanks to a malfunctioning teleprompter.
#GoldenGlobes: Watch Jimmy Fallon ad-lib his opening monologue after the teleprompter malfunctions https://t.co/6xAQpyikLp pic.twitter.com/Gk3Q048kKA— Hollywood Reporter (@THR) January 9, 2017
"I can think of something," he nervously said. "Cut to Justin Timberlake please." As the issues continued, Fallon trudged on, "I'll make up this monologue... We're here. This is what happens at the Golden Globes. Already you have your Golden Globes moment". Eventually the issues were resolved and Fallon got to make his jokes about Donald Trump. "One of the few places left where America still honors the popular vote," Fallon said.
There ain't no Hidden Fences
"All movies with black people don't sound alike," tweeted Robin Thede. Considering the awards shows for many a year have been criticised for being white, this incorrect reference didn't go down well.
The Founder star Michael Keaton referred to Fox's Hidden Figures, featuring Octavia Spencer, as "Hidden Fences". He confused it with Fences, a drama starring eventual winner Viola Davis.
Wait... #HiddenFences ...again?— Gabrielle Union (@itsgabrielleu) January 9, 2017
It's real wack that people are messing up #HiddenFigures movie title at the #GoldenGLobes tho. Every mention & piece of marketing counts.— Matthew A. Cherry (@MatthewACherry) January 9, 2017
That wasn't the first mistake of the night. NBC's Jenna Bush Hager also made a hash of things when she meant to ask Pharrell Williams about his best original score nomination for Hidden Figures but incorrectly said Fences.
"you're nominated for Hidden Fences" pic.twitter.com/7My6dtEkbG— Dave Itzkoff (@ditzkoff) January 9, 2017
Pharrell's reaction, though, was classy as ever.
Ryan Gosling
Ryan Gosling winning best actor in a comedy film wasn't so surprising. What was surprising was his acceptance speech. He started off on an all too familiar train of thought, "You don't get to be up here without standing on the shoulders of a mountain of people."
Then he went to one woman. Eva Mendes, his wife. "While I was singing and dancing and playing piano and having one of the best experiences I ever had on a film, my lady was raising our daughter, pregnant with our second, and trying to help her brother fight his battle with cancer," said Gosling. "If she hadn't taken all that on so that I could have this experience, there would surely be someone else up here other than me today. So sweetheart, thank you."
La La Land
With Fallon and several other actors stuck in various cars on the red carpet on their way to the Globes, the suspense was slowly killed what the show was about. Unpredictability. Using La La Land as the mainstay of the opening number, there was no way it would be losing Best Film and Best Director awards.
Take a look here:
It was Damien Chazelle's night as his movie swept the Globes with a record breaking seven trophies by the end of the night. The movie completely dominated the 'comedy or musical' section. Some were surprises, like La La Land winning best screenplay and Emma Stone (albeit very good) beating out Jackie's Natalie Portman (Even though we totally called it!).
Mixed bag
The rest of the awards were split. There was no love for Game of Thrones (six seasons and counting) and even Toni Erdmann, the front-runner for Oscar foreign language, lost out. Freshman shows like The Crown and Atlanta won big.
The sexual harassment allegations against Casey Affleck didn't deny him a win at the Globes while Isabelle Huppert took home Best Performance by an Actress for Elle. The movie also won Best Foreign Language Film. Moonlight beat out Manchester By The Sea for Best Motion Picture, Drama.
There were many people angry about Moonlight repeatedly lost out to La La Land. #JusticeForMoonlight was trending throughou.t the night.
Ugh #LaLaLand #Bloated #JusticeForMoonlight— Colleen Granberg (@colleengranberg) January 9, 2017
Sucks when a best picture win feels like a consolation prize. These results made no sense. #JusticeForMoonlight— Tamara Khandaker (@anima_tk) January 9, 2017
Aaron Taylor-Johnson from Nocturnal Animals beat out favourite Mahershala Ali from Moonlight. That Moonlight won just one award was also a complete surprise.
Of divorce and dead pets
On a largely unfunny night - an unfortunate thing for an awards show - the best moment came from Kristen Wiig and Steve Carrell.
Not much else happened in the show unfortunately.
India's one-hour delay
For those of us watching in India, there was an inexcusable one-hour delay on the television. Those waking up at 7:30 AM had missed Fallon's opening monologue and Gosling's speech, but luckily hadn't missed Streep's. With the Oscar's coming around next month, the same better not happen then.
Full list of winners
For those who just want to know who won on the night, here's a complete list (winners in bold):
1. Best Motion Picture, Drama
Manchester by the Sea
Hacksaw Ridge
Hell or High Water
2. Best Motion Picture, Musical or Comedy
La La Land
20th Century Women
Sing Street
Florence Foster Jenkins
3. Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture, Drama
Isabelle Huppert, Elle
Natalie Portman, Jackie
Ruth Negga, Loving
Amy Adams, Arrival
Jessica Chastain, Miss Sloane
4. Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture, Musical or Comedy
Emma Stone, La La Land
Annette Bening, 20th Century Women
Lily Collins, Rules Don't Apply
Meryl Streep, Florence Foster Jenkins
Hailee Steinfeld, The Edge of Seventeen
5.Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture, Drama
Casey Affleck, Manchester by the Sea
Denzel Washington, Fences
Joel Edgerton, Loving
Andrew Garfield, Hacksaw Ridge
Viggo Mortensen, Captain Fantastic
6. Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture
Mahershala Ali, Moonlight
Jeff Bridges, Hell or High Water
Dev Patel, Lion
Simon Helberg, Florence Foster Jenkins
Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Nocturnal Animals
7. Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture
Michelle Williams, Manchester by the Sea
Viola Davis, Fences
Naomie Harris, Moonlight
Nicole Kidman, Lion
Octavia Spencer, Hidden Figures
8. Best Director, Motion Picture
Damien Chazelle, La La Land
Kenneth Lonergan, Manchester by the Sea
Barry Jenkins, Moonlight
Mel Gibson, Hacksaw Ridge
Tom Ford, Nocturnal Animals
9. Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture, Musical or Comedy
Ryan Gosling, La La Land
Ryan Reynolds, Deadpool
Colin Farrell, The Lobster
Hugh Grant, Florence Foster Jenkins
Jonah Hill, War Dogs
10. Best Screenplay, Motion Picture
Manchester by the Sea
La La Land
Hell or High Water
Nocturnal Animals
11. Best Original Score, Motion Picture
La La Land
Hidden Figures
12. Best Motion Picture, Animated
Kubo and the Two Strings
My Life As a Zucchini
13. Best Original Song, Motion Picture
"Can't Stop the Feeling," Trolls
"City of Stars," La La Land
"Faith," Sing
"Gold," Gold
"How Far I'll Go," Moana
14. Best Motion Picture, Foreign Language
Divines, France
Elle, France
Neruda, Chile
The Salesman, Iran/France
Toni Erdmann, Germany
15. Best Television Series, Drama
The Crown
Game of Thrones
Stranger Things
This Is Us
16. Best Television Series, Musical or Comedy
Mozart in the Jungle
17. Best Television Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television
American Crime
The Dresser
The Night Manager
The Night Of
The People v. O.J. Simpson
18.Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series, Drama
Rami Malek, Mr. Robot
Matthew Rhys, The Americans
Bob Odenkirk, Better Call Saul
Liev Schreiber, Ray Donovan
Billy Bob Thornton, Goliath
19. Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series, Musical, or Comedy
Donald Glover, Atlanta
Jeffrey Tambor, Transparent
Anthony Anderson, Black-ish
Gael Garcia Bernal, Mozart in the Jungle
Nick Nolte, Graves
20. Best Performance by an Actor in a Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television
Riz Ahmed, The Night Of
Bryan Cranston, All The Way
Tom Hiddleston, The Night Manager
John Turturro, The Night Of
Courtney B. Vance, The People v. O.J. Simpson
21. Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Series, Limited Series, or Motion Picture Made for Television
Sterling K. Brown, The People v. O.J. Simpson
Hugh Laurie, The Night Manager
John Travolta, The People v. O.J. Simpson
Christian Slater, Mr. Robot
John Lithgow, The Crown
22. Best Performance by an Actress in a TV Series, Drama
Winona Ryder, Stranger Things
Claire Foy, The Crown
Evan Rachel Wood, Westworld
Catriona Balfe, Outlander
Keri Russell, The Americans
23. Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Limited Series, or Motion Picture Made for Television
Olivia Colman, The Night Manager
Lena Headey, Game of Thrones
Chrissy Metz, This Is Us
Mandy Moore, This Is Us
Thandie Newton, Westworld
24. Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Series, Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television
Sarah Paulson, The People v. O.J. Simpson
Kerry Washington, Confirmation
Felicity Huffman, American Crime
Charlotte Rampling, London Spy'
Riley Keough, The Girlfriend Experience
25. Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series, Musical or Comedy
Rachel Bloom, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend
Sarah Jessica Parker, Divorce
Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Veep
Issa Rae, Insecure
Gina Rodriguez, Jane the Virgin
Tracee Ellis Ross, Black-ish


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Innovate & Lead
Progress for America's Most Creative Region
Provided a pathway to create "generic" versions of biologic drugs which will lower the price of life-saving therapies and foster new medical innovations;
Introduced legislation to designate Coast Dairies a National Monument to permanently protect the coast, watershed and redwood forest;
Promoted better labeling and testing of pharmaceuticals for children;
Ensured that low-income women who are diagnosed with breast and cervical cancer receive treatment, and insurance companies pay for reconstructive surgery for these patients;
Reduced allowable lead content in "lead-free" household pipes from 8% to 0.25%;
Successfully worked to eliminate lifetime caps in insurance policies and to include those with pre-existing conditions in The Affordable Care Act;
Established programs at NIH to prevent the causes of pre-term labor.
Created the use of electronic signatures, making legally binding digital documents possible and allowing online commerce to flourish;
Secured funding for broadband deployment, health information technology, and research and education for mathematics, life sciences, and engineering;
Worked to provide discounts for schools and libraries to increase public Internet access;
Enabled emergency call centers to obtain the necessary technology to locate mobile phone users when they call 911;
Improved energy efficiency of federal computer data centers;
Led the charge in Congress for the most democratic rules possible to preserve Net Neutrality for an open, accessible and free Internet;
$5 million to $50 million to increase access to capital for startups and small businesses.
Advanced legislation to increase the Securities and Exchange Commission's Regulation A offering limit from
$5 million to $50 million to increase access to capital for startups and small businesses.
Defending consumer data from data breaches and unwarranted surveillance;
Lowered the volume of loud television advertisements;
Worked to reduce intrusive robo-calls from bill collectors and marketers;
Wrote the Homeowner Bill of Rights to protect families from aggressive lending practices;
Acting on a recommendation of the 9/11 Commission and working with police, fire and safety officers, Anna established a nationwide interoperable public safety network;
Fighting for a tax break for those who pay Homeowners Association fees for services like trash pick-up and storm-water management when they also pay taxes for those services;
Advocating for competition in the 'set top box' market to spark a next generation of alternatives and give consumers a choice.
Worked to increase the primary insurance amount formula factor from 90% to 93% for all eligible beneficiaries;
Revised computation of cost-of-living adjustments to use the Consumer Price Index for Elderly Consumers;
Increased the special minimum primary insurance amount for lifetime low earners based on years in the workforce;
Cosponsored legislation to amend the Social Security Act to provide coverage for pharmacist services.
Cosponsored legislation to amend the Social Security Act to establish a national Oncology Medical Home Demonstration Project for the purpose of changing the Medicare payment for cancer care in order to enhance the quality of care and to improve cost efficiency.
I will continue to fight to make Social Security stronger and to ensure that all are served.


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Cost-effective and cutting-edge
CRM and xRM solutions
We encourage our clients to look beyond simple Customer Relationship Management (CRM) to 'Anything Relationship Management' or xRM.
When you engage us to develop an xRM solution, we step back and look at your big picture ambitions. Then we analyse each of your processes and the way your organisation works before recommending and implementing the right mix of technologies.
In other words, our xRM solutions bring together all parts of your business, not just your customer-facing ones. That way all your processes become both complementary and scalable and work together to achieve your business goals.


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Pacific Islands Studies is offered as a major for the Bachelor of Arts and is a multi-disciplinary degree taught across several departments. Our aim is to provide the very best education on a range of topics relating to the islands within Oceania including social issues, dance, politics and history. Papers in the course cover topics such as Pacific prehistory, Pacific people's issues, Pacific performing arts, Pacific history, Pacific religions, intercultural film and media studies as well as music, politics and the Fijian language. These papers make up a unique programme with a multi-disciplinary orientation that examines contemporary issues of importance to Pacific peoples, including New Zealanders. The course covers the geographical area of Oceania specifically Polynesia, Melanesia and Micronesia.
The focus of the programme is within the Pacific countries themselves and presents Indigenous local, historical and contemporary perspectives. Some papers also look at Pacific Island communities living in Aotearoa/New Zealand. Pacific Islands Studies can be taken both as a major and minor subject within the Bachelor of Arts, and combines well with other papers from a wider range of subjects, including Anthropology, Music, Community and Family Studies, Geography, History, Politics and languages.
Find out more about the undergraduate offerings in Pacific Islands Studies
Pacific Islands Studies papers


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Hi Amber, Your card this week is AWESOME!!. Really great idea to use the splatter stamps for the flower color!!! CharReplyDeleteReplies
Thank you, Char!Delete
LOVE this card! I like how you staggered the mats and colored behind the flower. Great job! JeanneReplyDeleteReplies
Thanks, Jeanne!Delete
Amber, very pretty card! Hope you are enjoying all those birthday celebrations! DawnReplyDeleteReplies
Thank you, Dawn! We sure are!Delete
Wow.. adorable! Love the stamped layering! :)ReplyDeleteReplies
Thank you, Eva!Delete
Amber, this is just incredible! Love your flower and the layout of the card!ReplyDeleteReplies
Thanks Josefine! :)Delete
I hope you are enjoying yourself immensely on your vacation! And this card is adorable!ReplyDeleteReplies
Thanks Kayla!Delete
One of my favourite flowers in the SU range... gorgeous card Amber. Love the addition of washi tape!ReplyDeleteReplies
Thank you so much Rose!Delete
I love the way you colored your flower using the splatter. Great technique!ReplyDeleteReplies
Thank you Kim!Delete
Amber, this is so beautiful!ReplyDeleteReplies
Aww, thanks Jessie!Delete
Amber...awesome card...I love everything about it ~ I'm going to case it ;) ~ WynneReplyDelete


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New Supplier QA Audit
I recently conducted a Quality Audit, which encompassed site-wide activities and documentation compliance of UNISEM, Batam Indonesia and UNISEM, Ipoh Malaysia integrated circuit manufacturing plants.The audit methodology included personal interviews, observation, document/record reviews and Custom Silicon Solutions Audit check list. The Audit included the review of the following: process flow, Travelers, Training program, the process for Change Order approvals, Material Receiving and Shipping, Calibration tracking/records, Wafer saw process and the ESD control program.
I found that the Unisem Ipoh and Unisem Batam Quality Management system complies with ISO 9001. The reviewed procedures and observation conclude that the Unisem corporate direction is dedicated to Quality control. The personnel interviews during the audit found that Operators and Quality Control personnel work to a high degree of efficiency. 10 to 1 ratio (operators to QC) on the manufacturing floor enhances product reliability. All operating procedures (machine setup), and engineering specifications are clearly defined and followed.
Audit results found that the Unisem ESD control program complies with ANSI/ESD S20.20. Monitoring of the proper use and handling of equipment and devices were observed. For example; Ionizers wrist straps, grounded floors, ESD lab furniture and the monitoring and recording of the Temperature and Humidity. During the wafer saw operation the Co2 Bubbler is always active. There is a constant monitoring device in the wafer saw to find chip outs and saw integrity. The utilization of an automated pick and place machine eliminates the human contact risk of an ESD event. Particle Count, DI water and Temperature/Humidity statistical analysis is recorded, displayed and readily available upon request.The Training department operates at a high level of proficiency. Training records and procedures are controlled and employee training status is updated routinely. The employee ID system identifies operating qualification and due dates.
All relevant observations were discussed and agreed as understood with appropriate personnel.
Overall Unisem proved to provide high quality products and services with excellent quality.
To top off my visit I played a round of golf at the Clearwater Sanctuary Golf Resort in Malaysia.


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I had a wonderful day yesterday, with my good friend Belinda (who writes the Itch to Cross stitch blog). We have been trying to arrange a stitchy day together for ages, just the two of us as most times we get together it's with our daughters (who are almost 4 and just turned 2). We love the girls to pieces but just craved some adult catch up time. Belinda had the awesome idea of going for a picnic/stitchy day in the Dandenongs, and we eventually settled on a date that suited us both. Luckily for us too, the weather was perfect. It was forcast to be 33 degrees, but it's always cooler in the Dandenongs. After looking at a couple of picnic grounds that weren't suitable (either waaaay too busy or just a couple of tables in the middle of a woody area with no shade) we found a lovely little sopt called One Tree Hill picnic ground and set ourselves up. We brought salad and wraps, biscuits, fruit, my jelly slice and all we needed for a couple of lovely cups of tea. And, of course, our stitching stuff! We were in a lovely shaded area and it was wonderful and quiet. There were a few other picnic-ers around but they were far enough away that we felt like we were by ourselves (mind you, we got a few curious looks as people walked past!) The only other "company" we had was that of the bugs... Flies the size of which I've never seen before, some beautiful butterflies and, of course, some ants. One actually got so close that Belinda ended up accidentally getting one caught on her thread. We watched it struggling to get off for ages, but it couldn't. Turns out she's somehow managed to pierce it slightly so it had to have help to get free. Think it was probably a bir sore after the experience but it definitely made our day all the more memorable! In between all the great conversation and the picnicing, we actually did get some stitching done. And I have proof! Here's me....
And Belinda....
And here is the sum total of my stitching yesterday. I was working on the foot of rabbit, so didn't stitch much at all (far too much conversation going on!) but it was the first time I have picked up the Winnie The Pooh cross stitch in a very long time, so it felt good to be doing SOMETHING on it :)
And finally, a picture of how my choc mallow jelly slice turned out. I'm glad hubby made me do a trial run with it, as I'll need to make it in a different pan next time but think it turned out pretty well.
I'll be making something different for the next picnic day - it was so good yesterday that we've already planned the next one! Looking forward to much more stitching time next time!
Mainly a record of my stitching, with a few other bits and bobs thrown in along the way
Sunday, February 17, 2013
Sunday, February 10, 2013
Happy birthday Buster!
OK, so no stitching to show off, but I just had to add in a picture of my gorgeous Beagle, Buster. He turned 5 today and he's soooo much more mellow than he used to be. Having said that, he caught a bird today.... Hubby heard the commotion of all the other birds screeching and went out to investigate. He managed to get Buster to drop the bird, and once I had the dog safely locked inside, hubby went to see what the damage was. The bird was able to hop around and try and fly so it was difficult to help it out, as well as 2 other birds trying to protect it from him (they obviously thought he was going to hurt it rather than help it). The best he could do was use a bucket to help it over the fence - and get it away from the dog - and hope it managed to fly away after recovering from it's ordeal. Here's the innocent looking attacker on his big day anyway (exhausted from all the excitement!)
Friday, February 8, 2013
ORT jar
This year I decided to keep the little ends of the threads I cut off, to give me a more visual image of how productive I have been stitch-wise (besides seeing progress on the actual designs, that it!). I have washed out an old coffee jar to use, and set it on my stitchy table. I figure I'll take intermittant pictures of it along the way, as long as some progress can be seen. I wondered what on earth was in there the other night when I saw it, and then remembered that I'd put in the glow-in-the-dark threads I used for Meg and Mog! Here's how it looks now:
Saturday, February 2, 2013
Stash sort out
Today I spent a bit of time organising my stash. One day, I would love to have a stitchy room, so all my stash is able to be in one place, but that's just not possible right now. I recently decided that I wanted to remove my kits and fabric from the plastic tubs they have been in and put them in a storage chest/blanket box or something of the like. I had been eyeing up a chest in a store at the local shopping centre before Christmas but didn't have the spare cash for it so decided to wait. Last week I had the cash but when I went in, it wasn't there :( It would have been great as it was one with a Union Jack on (feeling quite patriotic at the moment). So once home, I decided to look on eBay and use the money I had put aside. After a few days of sweating over it, I won a wooden storage chest that was just going to be perfect, and came in under my budget! Hubby collected it for me this morning, so this afternoon I was moving my stash of kits and fabric into it's lovely new home. Here's what I started with:
Friday, February 1, 2013
The next generation
Well, today it started - I sat down with my 3yr old and began teaching her how to stitch! She's been interested for a while now, watching me when I stitch and asking lots of questions, but I wasn't sure when the best time to start her was. She had the plastic kids threading shapes and called that her stitching, and then my mum sent her a little starter kit over for Christmas. She absoltely loved it (as the picture shows) and I thought we made pretty good progress for her first time. Obviously I started her off, and finished the threads for her but the rest of it was her doing, and she followed instructions and concentrated beautifully. I did change the plastic needle they provided to a thick metal one too. The plastic one was useless for being able to thread behind the stitches for finishing off.
I finshed one!!!!
Yay! I finally have a finish to share :D It's been so long since I have finished a project that I got REALLY excited about this one. It's only a small design, from a magazine years ago, but a finish all the same. I decided to keep hold of it (I don;t get the mags any more and only kept the patterns I liked as storage was too much of an issue) and I'm glad that I did. My 3yr old is obssessed with Meg and Mog, so once framed, it'll be going on her wall.
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Best Tressed
Chicago's leading stylists reveal fall's hottest hair trends and share their beauty secrets
(page 1 of 2)
Chicago's leading stylists reveal fall's hottest hair trends and share their beauty secrets
|Charles Ifergan
Owner and stylist, Charles Ifergan Salons, 106 East Oak Street, 312-642-4484; 380 Lake Cook Road, Deerfield, 847-940-0900; Three Oaks Plaza, 17 West 580 Butterfield Road, Oakbrook Terrace, 630-916-8868
Charles Ifergan, 56, grew up in France wanting to be a hairdresser like his older brother, Joss, who now owns salons in Mexico City. "He had the car; he had the good-looking women," Charles explains. "I wanted to be like my brother and have the dates." Charles moved to the United States at the age of 19 and opened his first salon on Oak Street in 1974 when he was 23. He has been attracting high-profile attention ever since. Vogue, Allure, Elle, and GQ have featured Ifergan's work, and talk shows such as Oprah and Good Morning America frequently request his help with makeovers and style tips. Ifergan recently gave new looks to the White Sox players Joe Crede and A. J. Pierzynski.
Bobs: "There's definitely been a trend toward all kinds of bobs," Ifergan says. "Not just the old-fashioned one-length bob but heavily graduated bobs, shredded bobs, and asymmetric bobs." Extensions: They make it easy if you want to have long hair for a few weeks or months. "When you don't want it anymore, you remove them," says Ifergan. "The extensions are giving us the playfulness that we couldn't have before-and quickly." Long hair: "There was lots of long hair on the runways at the fall fashion shows but not just one length-long hair that had layers to it and movement."
"A lot of people don't know that you can curl your hair with a flatiron," Ifergan says. "You just hold it as you would a curling iron." The resulting curl and wave are "what you see on the runway and what you see in the music videos." But remember: "You have to wash your hair, blow-dry it straight, and then curl it." He suggests styling with a hair shiner and a light gel to give hair definition and texture.
Ifergan recommends Japanese shampoo and conditioner by Créde "for fabulous hydration," and Phyto styling products "because they are light." (His salons carry the hard-to-find Créde products.)
Take a photo to the salon. "At least we know the direction you're thinking," says Ifergan. "And then, within our knowledge and talent, we should be able to direct you to something fashionable." He also suggests checking out stylists on the Internet to see what they specialize in before scheduling an appointment.
|Anthony Cristiano
National creative director, Elizabeth Arden Red Door Spas and Mario Tricoci Salons & Spas, 900 North Michigan Avenue, 312-915-0960
When expert stylist Anthony Cristiano, 41, is not backstage taming the tresses of supermodels during fashion week in New York, London, or Paris, he is busy providing style tips to the nation's top beauty editors. But his Chicago clients can still catch him ten days a month at the Mario Tricoci Salon on North Michigan Avenue. "It's really about bringing out the best in them," Cristiano explains, "the best in their hair texture, the best in their faces, working with their bone structures, and fitting their lifestyle." Also the national creative director for the Red Door Spas, Cristiano says the real must-have for fall is confidence. "When you're comfortable with yourself," he insists, "that's when the sex appeal comes out."
Short, cropped, and geometric: "People are starting to cut their hair off again," Cristiano explains. "It takes me back to where hairdressing was in the sixties, and then in the eighties, when everyone was wearing their hair really short and strong." He cites celebrities such as Natalie Portman, Keira Knightley, and Sienna Miller as current trailblazers. "They've all had these beautiful locks, but they've made this really bold, confident statement of shedding off their hair." Long and billowy: Shown with lots of movement on the runway at Yohji Yamamoto. "If your hair is long, it needs to be quite beautiful and sexy," Cristiano advises,"quite soft and tousled."
"It's really about having a great haircut and letting that do the work for you," Cristiano explains. To get sexy waves, he says, blow-dry hair with a round brush to create volume, divide hair into sections, curl with fingers, and secure with metal prong clips. Let hair cool while putting on your makeup. Then take your hair down and toss it with your hands.
Not surprisingly, Cristiano recommends products from Mario Tricoci's Match line. For curly hair, he suggests using the Shine + Define Pomade or the Curl Perfecter with the Leave-In Hair Moisturizer. For shorter hair, any type of grooming wax; for longer hair, the Pre + Post Style Activator.
"Be open-minded and come prepared," says Cristiano. "If you want a change, come with some photos."
|Carlo Michelutti
Owner, stylist, and colorist, C Salon, 621 West Jackson Boulevard, 312-876-2660
Growing up in Rockford, Illinois, "uber-colorist" Carlo Michelutti spent many Saturday afternoons mixing colors and shampooing clients at his mother's hair salon. "She always thought I should be out playing with the other kids," Michelutti explains, "but I would rather just fold towels and sweep." His dedication paid off. Now 36, Michelutti started his career in 1988 at Aveda's headquarters in Minneapolis and was the national color director at Heidi's on North Michigan Avenue from 1991 to 1997; he then helped start the color department at the ultra-chic Salon Buzz. In 2004, after working for Stonewater Luxury Salons and Spas in Connecticut, he returned to Chi-cago to open his own place, C Salon, in the West Loop. Michelutti's clients range from socialites and fashionistas to politicians and sports personalities.
"Richer colors and fabrics translate into richer tones in hair color," explains Michelutti. "Weaving different tones and contrasting color for dimension replaces what the summer sun has taken out of hair."
To maintain color, Michelutti suggests using a protein conditioner before going to the salon. "That will help the richer tones hold better," he says.
Nounou color-care shampoo and conditioner by Davines, available at C Salon and selected other locations.
"There are certain things you just can't do with color," Michelutti says. "Some people are trying to complicate too much. The less they do to their hair, the better off they're going to be."
Four Experiential Shops in Chicago
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London office in Moorgate bombed and all that remained was a 2-pint teacup, some scissors and a lump of metal which was a typewriter. Hand written ledgers from 1941 still in our possesion.
Nutritional division was established to focus on the growing market for health food supplements and nutritional ingredients
With support needed for European customers an office was opened in Lugano, Switzerland.
Fast turnaround of stock is required by our customers so a distribution and repacking facility was purchased and merged into the Group.
Continued growth in the Gee Lawson group, operating from sites in London, Lugano Switzerland, and a dedicated distribution centre in Nottingham England.
re-located the Headquarters to a new office in London.
Further developments with pan-European distribution agreements and further improved links with SW Asian sourcing.
Increased Quality Assurance controls by acquiring a PSL irradiation testing equipment for in-house testing. The first distribution company to do so in Europe.
Chemical division moved to new warehouse service centre specialising in accredited distribution. Chemical Division signs special supplier agreement with Carbosynth in the area of enzyme substrates and carbohydrates.
Quality Seal Programme in place. Chemical division renamed Chemical & Life Science. Sales and Marketing agreement signed to develop a European Red Yeast Rice with Sylvan Bio.
Moved the nutritional stock to a Food grade distribution centre in central UK. The company achieves the ISO 9001: 2008 certification. Longvida signs up for European distribution
Orgenetics signs to Gee Lawson. CLS sign Agreement with Hydrus Chemicals to enable sales and marketing opportunities in Japan and renews agreement with Carbosynth.
New marketing plan put in place including web site upgrade. New brands decide to work with Gee Lawson to distribute their products including Kaneka QH, Natural Vitamin D and RFi.
The company celebrates 75 years. Continued growth in the Gee Lawson group. The Food & Beverage division is created, using our existing supplier network, ingredients knowledge, sales, marketing and administrative infraestructure and our Seal of Aproval Standard and Procedures.
LEHVOSS UK Limited, the UK subsidiary of Lehmann&Voss&Co., Hamburg founded in 1894, acquires Gee Lawson Ltd. This acquisition is a strategic move that strengthens the LEHVOSS Groups portfolio in the nutritional and life science sectors across Europe and globally.


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Online Blackjack is one of the most popular online games and most casinos offer variants of Blackjack, also referred to as Twenty One. Blackjack is a game where players individually play against the dealer. It can be played with one or more 52 card decks. The object of blackjack is to get a hand valued closer to twenty one than the dealer. The value of face cards and tens are 10 points, aces count as 1 point or they count as 11 points as the hand dictates, and all of the other cards are at face value. For example: if a player is dealt an ace and one face card he has achieved blackjack, the ace value at 11 points and the face card at 10 points equal 21.
To begin the game, each player makes their bet. The dealer then deals every player two cards face up and deals himself two cards, one card face up and one card face down. Each player in turn makes their move to make their best hand to bet the dealer. According to the cards dealt, a player can either "stand" (elect not to receive any additional cards), or take a "hit" (receive additional cards) to make their hand closest to twenty one as possible. A player who takes a hit and goes over the twenty one point value (busts) will automatically lose the game and their wager regardless of what happens later. When all players at the table have finished playing their hands, it is then the dealers turn to play his hand. A dealer does not make any decisions and will keep hitting until he reaches a seventeen value, or if he is dealt a hand over seventeen usually stands. If players beat the dealer and come closer to twenty one, they are paid individually at odds of 1:1. If a player hits blackjack, he is paid at 3:2. Or if both the player and dealer end up having the same point value hand then it is called a "push" and the player will not lose or win.
Beside hitting and standing, players also have other options. Players can double down, which is doubling their wager if they think they have a good hand and receive one additional card. Players will usually take this option when the player's initial two cards equal 11 points. Players also have the option of splitting their cards if they are dealt cards of equal rank (for example two kings) and will then place an identical bet and play each hand separately. There is also the option of buying insurance when a player feels they cannot beat the dealer. This usually happens when the dealers face up card is an ace. Players can place a side bet of half their original wager, thereby losing only half their money. Online blackjack is a game of strategy, but is easily learned and a favorite among players.
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CRESTWOOD, MO (KPLR)- A Crestwood Church has adopted one of the area's more unusual versions of the sunrise, Easter Sunday service. For fourteen years, the traditional Easter sermon at First Baptist has been followed by the "Resurrection Run," a 5K race started by a pastor who runs marathons on the side.
The goal is to blend the Message of Easter with the love of running.
Initially, pastor Lance Long was met with serious skepticism when he spoke of mixing Jesus and jogging. These days Long is preaching to the choir. The event draws well. Many of those running are not members of the church.


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Like other plastic forming processes like extrusion and injection molding, rotational molding involves the heating of plastic beyond its melting point in order to shape the plastic into a useful product.
Although extrusion and injection molding are similar on many levels, rotational moulding is among the most distinct plastic shaping processes. The process is used to create hollow, often large plastic products like tanks and even light watercraft hulls.
Rotational moulding can also be used to create small plastic products in large quantities. Sporting equipment, plastic construction indicators like cones and pylons, trash collection bins and even garden flamingos can all be produced by rotational moulding processes.
A wide variety of industries make use of rotationally moulded plastics. The construction industry, manufacturers, warehouses and many other operations require rotationally moulded plastic products for many purposes.
Rotomolded products are also widely used in commercial contexts and in consumer products markets. Rotational moulding is valued because of the consistency with which it can shape plastic products and its aptitude for creating short product runs easily.
A rotational moulding machine may seem elaborate, but its principle of operation is quite simple. A rotational moulder involves a mold, a heat source, a collection of raw plastic, mold movement machinery and cooling equipment.
At the beginning of the process, raw plastic material is loaded into a half-constructed hollow mold. Once the plastic is loaded in, the mold halves are joined together, sealing the plastic inside.
The mold is then heated, causing the plastic to become molten. Many plastics, when molten, are easily formed and will keep their shape upon cooling. Such plastic varieties are called thermoplastics and include polyethylene of high and low densities, PET, PVC and many other materials.
In order for the molten plastic to take the shape of the mold, the mold is rotated by arms or other equipment that causes the molten plastic to come into contact with all of the surfaces of the mold. Once the plastic has coated the mold, the rotation slows and the mold is subject to a cooling process.
Once cooled, the plastic is ejected from the mold as a newly rotationally molded plastic product. If necessary, the product can be sent for further processing like cutting and painting, or it can be prepared for shipment to customers.


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Here is your chance to get the The Mother Load or the Gold Rush cover alone for guns listed below. If you like this one, but isn't made for your gun type, see my "Artemus Gordon" cover- It's a standard length version of Wild Wild West!
Shown with stitch instead of loops. Check the option for loops if wanting shell loops.
**This cover combo can only be made for the Henry Golden Boy, H001, H010B, Bigboy (except Big Boy Steel), Marlin 1894/1895, Winchester 94/9422/92 (EXCEPT MIROKU) and Rossi 92. All must have straight factory stocks (no pistol grips) and factory rear sight.


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Imani Lansiquot, the second fastest British junior of all time, hopes to be an encouragement to young women and show that there is "more to life than where you are from or your background."
Last season was a phenomenal season for me when I became European Junior Champion in Hungary for the 200m Butterfly, with a new British age group record of 2.08.87.
2017 has been an interesting year competitively where I have taken advantage of being able to enter senior events, as well as continuing to progress through the Under-14s and Under-15s. Fencing likes its age categories…..
It was such an honour and amazing opportunity to have been selected to go to Rio Paralympics as part of the Paralympic Inspiration Programme. I took away so much from 6 days we had!
This back injury has been going on for a few months now, I believe originally I was diagnosed from an incident where my knee 'gave way' in a training session. We were doing a high intensity circuit in the sand pit and were all partnered off.
Follow your dreams. It's an incredible feeling to say that i have reached my goal of becoming an Olympian and winning an Olympic medal. It is not an easy task otherwise everyone would do it however, the drive that you create from within the heart will get you through the tough days.
Emily started 2016 ranked 243 in the ITF World Junior tennis ranking list and 964 in the Women's WTA rankings. However, in the space of only 3 months she has managed to rise to an impressive 45 in the World Juniors and 920 in the Women.
The membership to the Better Gyms through the GLL Sport Foundation meant I could focus on this part of my training without worrying about being on the road.
We both used to be elite level swimmers until 2 years ago; this was when we decided to make the spontaneous 'transition' to triathlon.


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Trading Knives/
I got to thinking about pocket knives after talking with a cousin who remembered my Grandpa coming to her mother's house and saying, "Alright boys, throw your knife up here and let's see who's got the best 'un." They'd all pull out their pocket knives and have a big time comparing and trading.
While they're forbidden in schools and airplanes and frowned upon in lots of other places, a knife has endless uses and can be downright indispensable in some situations. Whether it's a Marine Corps issue K-Bar, Leatherman multi-tool or Case's little single blade you can protect yourself, dress game or save your nails when opening mail. From trimming strings on a shirt collar to opening a bag of horse feed if you've got one in your pocket you'll be reaching for your knife as though it's an extension of your person.
If you've ever gotten in the habit of carrying a knife then you feel naked without it. In fact, I often ask my Daddy if he's got a knife (because I need one and don't have one in my own pocket!) and he responds, "Have I got my pants on?" He had a little hospital visit a couple of years ago and left the knife at home. Even on the drive home he was looking for that knife.
Carrying a pocket knife used to be a rite of passage in a young man's life – and a rite that passed pretty early. Knives are easily lost and blades often chip so I don't suppose many of those boys ended with their original knife. But I have been lucky enough to get some old knives passed on to me. I doubt they hold any real value but like so many of my treasures that I've shared with you, they are priceless to me. I have the knife that my Grandpa Henry Livesay carried really all of his life that I remember, and the one he carried right up till he died and I have knives from 2 of my great-grandfathers. These are some of my greatest treasures because I know the men carried this close to them every day. They are well used and that makes them all the more treasured to me because they were tools for my ancestors, things they used in their daily lives.
I don't think I fully understand the joy of trading knives – and I'm hoping some of you fine readers will comment below and truly enlighten me. But I know it was a game to my Grandpa and his brothers, cousins and nephews. When he called them to throw down he had no plan of boasting a fine piece of steel beyond their means, no desire to embarrass anyone and certainly no plan to cheat any of them out of a valued blade. They were family having family fun – and I'm sure they would extend that fun well beyond their clan whenever the opportunity arose.


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KENTWOOD -- Holding the paperwork for his Highlander Drive SE home, Warren Jackson asked the city's Board of Review how the assessment on his home possibly could have gone up.
"I read the papers," he said. "I check the (National Association of Realtors) Web site. In just the last three months, our real estate values in Kent County have dropped. How can they possibly raise the value of my house?"
Jackson, 48, who has yet to sell his previous home in Wyoming after moving two years ago, said that assessment went up, too.
"So I have to go to Wyoming after this," he said. "I don't understand it."
Jackson is one of countless taxpayers who confronted city hall with their concerns this month as boards of review met across the area.
Even more people took the earlier step of calling their city or township assessors for an explanation of this year's painful reality: Even in a sharply depressed housing market, many homeowners will see their assessments and, therefore, their tax bills, rise.
"When everything else around here is going down, how can they say it's going up?" asked another frustrated homeowner, Tom Bouwman, 43.
He was before the Kentwood board to ask why the home he just refinanced at a value of $190,000 -- below the $225,000 he paid a few years ago -- saw an increase in its assessed value to $112,900, which would mean a market value of $225,800.
• How to launch an appeal
• Which forms to print out and complete
• What happens after an appeal is filed
• Frequently asked questions
His home's taxable value, which is very close to its assessed value because he has owned the home for a short time, rose about the same.
Bottom line: He, too, will pay a bigger tax bill.
"It's frustrating," he said.
Even more frustrated, however, are taxpayers whose home assessments dropped, but, thanks to Proposal A, their taxes still will go up.
In Kentwood, that happened to a number of homeowners.
The average assessed value in the city fell by about 2.5 percent. But state law requires the taxable values to be increased by last year's rate of inflation, 2.3 percent (as long as it does not push it higher than the assessed value).
That is true in many communities, according to Kent County's preliminary equalization figures, which show a 1.6 percent countywide drop in residential assessments.
It is a result of a state law from a 1994 referendum, known as Proposal A. For many years, the law held down tax bills because it capped the increase in taxable value to the rate of inflation or 5 percent, whichever is lower.
Meanwhile, the State Equalized Value assessment continued to grow at the true market rate, usually higher than inflation.
This created a gap in the taxpayers' favor.
When a property is sold, the taxable value is reset to the SEV assessment, eliminating the gap. Until a sale, however, the taxable value continues to play catch-up, even if assessments go down.
Taxpayers, confused and irritated about the dichotomy of lower assessments paired with higher taxes, are keeping the phones ringing in assessors' offices.
"People might think the system is working against them this year," Wyoming Assessor Gene Vogan said. "(But) we ask them to try to remember the good old days when assessments were going up 6 or 7 percent and taxes went up only 2 or 3 (percent).
"That's at least a 10-year benefit. Now, there's a little catching up that's going on."
Homeowners first got a look at their new assessments when they received a Notice of Assessment mailed out in February by assessors. Homeowners are supposed to appeal first to the assessor, then to the community's Board of Review. The final appeal goes to the Michigan Tax Tribunal.
There are a few other changes this year contributing to lower assessments.
The State Tax Commission last year changed the rules governing how homes are assessed, hoping to allow assessors to better reflect the declining market on behalf of taxpayers.
Municipalities are allowed to conduct a market study that covers only a single year of home sales, instead of two, which should reflect more recent price drops.
And foreclosed properties can be included where before they had to be eliminated. Foreclosed properties usually sell for far less than a traditional sale.
Unfortunately, meeting the state requirements on foreclosures proved difficult.
"We mailed in excess of 100 of those forms," Kentwood Assessor Deborah Ring said. "We did not have financial institutions fill those forms out that are required to include foreclosed property sales into our study, so we did not."
The city of Walker had difficulty verifying the foreclosure sales, too. But Assessor Kelly Smith said the percentage was too small to make a difference.
"We only had 25 foreclosures during the sale study," she said. "When I threw that into the mix, it only changed two-tenths of a percent."
While most boards of review wrapped up their work this week, the City of Grand Rapids continues to meet until March. 28. Boards are expected to send answers to inquiring taxpayers later this spring.


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Tom Rowland – Golf Lessons in Nottingham, C/O Lock Ln, Long Eaton, Nottingham NG10 2FY
TOM ROWLAND - PGA PROFESSIONAL - book A GOLF LESSON
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About Tom
I turned professional in 2010, playing various development tours across the UK achieving several top ten finishes. From this fantastic experience I realised that my passion for golf quickly developed into a passion towards helping others to improve their game, so I embarked on the Professional Golf Studies Degree with the University of Birmingham and the PGA.
During my three years of study I gained a wide and varied knowledge in both the technical and physiological areas of the golf swing. I believe that there is more than one way to swing the golf club effectively and consistently, every golfer is unique and I tailor my coaching methods to helping every golfer realise their potential in the most effective way for them.
I offer a wide ride of coaching services from,
One on one individual coaching
Group coaching
Junior coaching
Custom fitting – including pre purchase and retrospective fitting available
Short game and putting lessons.
Tailored on course coaching


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Children's happiness in UK on the decline, report says
The happiness of children in the UK is in decline, with 15% of young teenagers reporting low well-being, a report from a children's charity says.
The Children's Society's Good Childhood Report says well-being has dipped since 2008 after a period of improvement from 1994.
Teenagers aged 14 and 15 are said to have the lowest self-satisfaction, with 15% reporting low well-being.
The charity says the drop should not be dismissed as normal early-teen angst.
About 42,000 eight to 17-year-olds were quizzed about their well-being using a mix of extensively trialled questions.
The report found that around four-fifths of children could be said to be "flourishing".
This was defined as having scored on or above the mid-point for questions about their life satisfaction and psychological well-being.
'Family conflict'
But one in 10 children could be said to have low well-being, defined as scoring below the mid-point for the same questions.
Such children are several times more likely than those with average to high well-being to experience family conflict, bullying, problems in their friendships and other negative experiences.
The researchers said previous research had consistently found that well-being declined between the age of eight and 15.
It added that the new findings showed this age-related downward trend reversed at 16 or 17 for life satisfaction, psychological well-being and choice.
The areas with the greatest falls between eight and 15 concerned school, appearance, money/possessions and the future, the researchers said.
Those with the greatest increases among teenagers aged 15 and 17 are choice, family and appearance.
The researchers added: "Appearance seems to be an aspect of life that is a particular issue for children in their early teenage years. There is a large drop in happiness with appearance between the ages of eight and 12, which continues at a low level for 13, 14 and 15-year-olds, and then increases again at 16 and 17 years old."
'Incredibly worrying'
Children said that having loving and supportive family relationships was important. Having a reasonable level of choice and autonomy - particularly for teenagers - was vital.
Chief executive of the Children's Society Matthew Reed said: "The well-being of our future generation in the UK is critical, so it is incredibly worrying that any improvements this country has seen in children's well-being over the last two decades appear to have stalled.
"These startling findings show that we should be paying particular attention to improving the happiness of this country's teenagers. These findings clearly show that we can't simply dismiss their low well-being as inevitable 'teen grumpiness'.
"They are facing very real problems we can all work to solve, such as not feeling safe at home, being exposed to family conflict or being bullied."
The charity said it did not know why well-being appeared to have stalled but indicated that issues such as poverty and unemployment that could be connected with the economic downturn might be part of the cause.
Psychologist Linda Papadopoulos said it was important not to dismiss this dip in well-being among 14 and 15-year-olds as inevitable and "just teenagers being teenagers".
"We really must talk to this generation and listen to what they have to say.
"Children and teenagers deserve proper support, choices and a decent say in their own lives. Being unhappy is definitely not an inevitable part of growing up. We owe it to our children to help them flourish as much as possible."
Dr Carol Fuller, associate professor of education and assistant director of research at the University of Reading's Institute of Education, said: "That children's wellbeing is on the decline, particularly amongst those aged 14-15, is hardly surprising given the huge amount of stresses placed on them.
"For example, at this age we are asking them to make educational choices that will have consequences for the rest of their lives. We also live in a society that makes judgements about you based on your level of educational 'success', so the pressure to achieve is extraordinary as they enter this period of their lives."


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You are here:
Changchun Longjia International Airport Guide
- Full name: Changchun Longjia International Airport
- Location: The airport is located 27 miles (40km) from Changchun city centre.
- Time: GMT +8
- Contact:
+86 431 8879 7512
- Transfer to the City:
Airport bus shuttles and taxis are available at the airport. Shuttles are available every day, from the first take-off to the last arrival. There is also a Changchun-Jillin Intercity Railway station in the basement of the terminal with trains to the city centre.
- Facilities:
Airport facilities include shops, restaurants, banks, a post office, money exchange services, and various lounge and recreation rooms.
- Parking:
The airport has multiple parking garages.
- Website: www.ccairport.cn


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Now that spring has sprung and golf courses are set to open, many golfers will have visions in their head of how much better they will play this season. We have touched on various equipment topics in past articles this winter. Technology certainly has come a long way and advances in golf ball and club design have made it easier to 'buy a game'. However, there is no substitute for golf lessons. It will do you no good to buy a brand new set of clubs if your swing changes radically from day to day. Thus, it makes sense to take lessons or practice occasionally to develop a consistent swing (this doesn't necessarily mean you are a good golfer, just that you have a solid foundation to work from). After that, properly custom fit equipment can augment your game and send you down the road to improvement.
Taking golf lessons can be an awkward experience. You will certainly be exposed with no place to hide on the practice range. But please be aware that your local PGA of Canada professional has seen many beginners and other golfers needing a tuneup. The path to improvement starts with having a trained set of experienced eyes guiding you to make adjustments and set up a practice routine.
Please do your instructor a favor when you show up to your appointment. Warm up just prior to the lesson so that you are in the groove and have a consistent motion engrained. Then you can get to the heart of the lesson and make the most of your time together. Believe me when I say that one of the most frustrating parts of giving a lesson is when your student is using a 'fake' swing. What I mean is that sometimes a student will change their swing to what they think is more aesthetically pleasing to the instructor. This defeats the purpose of getting instruction! Use your authentic swing (as ugly or bad as you may think it is!) so that your instructor can readily identify the major points to focus on.
Finally, to get the most out of your lesson, please practice what you worked on! Remember that a lesson is a partnership. The instructor has a duty to impart wisdom and knowledge to the student, and the student has a duty to practice what is being taught so that progress is being made. When an instructor has a student that doesn't do their part and make an effort to improve, it makes subsequent lessons less effective since a lot of time is wasted in just 'catching up' from the prior lesson. This doesn't do the instructor or student any good!
I wish you well on your quest to make 2018 your best golf year yet!
Dan Warwaruk, Golf Operations Manger
Kokanee Springs Resort


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Nope. Pretty far off. A McDonald's meal here is ~$8.5 after taxes. That's 3 bottles of Soylent on a subscription or ~5 meals in powder. I can't finish 5 powder servings in a day and 3 bottles gets me by without a lot of physical activity.
Also, Soylent is substantially much more healthy than McDonald's. I've been on it for 3-4 week stretches and it feels fine. I'd go so far as to call the feeling "great". 4 weeks on McDonald meals? I'd like to not think about it.
You would think that someone could make a documentary about that, wouldn't you?
A lot of that is actually bullshit. The guy vegan before he started it and ate way more than he claimed he did or what any reasonable person would. Obviously eating primarily fast food long term isn't healthy but that's pretty bullshit.
I did a bit of googling, and can't find info on Morgan being vegan before the documentary.
All I could find is that he went vegan AFTER the documentary for a few months in order to lose all the McdoWeight. Also, his girlfriend was a vegan chef. But nowhere does it say he was a vegan before starting on his McdoExperiment.
Nor could I find claims that he ate more than he claimed.
Would you happen to have any sources? Just curious.


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vs. Orioles
Today through Thursday
What's new: The Orioles didn't make many changes to a team that snapped its 14-year streak of losing seasons, finishing second in the American League East and reaching the playoffs. They do get back veteran 2B Brian Roberts, who missed a huge chunk of the past three seasons due to concussions and a hip injury but will move from his usual leadoff spot to ninth. Baltimore will rely on its core, including CF Adam Jones, C Matt Wieters and RF Nick Markakis, and is excited for a first full season of impressive rookie 3B Manny Machado. Opening day starter RHP Jason Hammel, an ex-Ray, tops the rotation, and All-Star closer Jim Johnson leads a bullpen that made the Orioles 73-0 when leading after seven innings last year.
Connections: Hammel is an ex-Ray. Injured Rays DH Luke Scott is a former Oriole.
Series history: The Orioles won last season's series 10-8 and lead the overall series 130-128. The Rays are 69-61 at Tropicana Field.
Joe Smith, Times staff writer
More than the stellar talent they have assembled, their promising chances to be contenders, even his own return to health, Rays star Evan Longoria said what he is most excited about going into today's season opener is the camaraderie of the club.
Part of that, he said, is bringing in new players who have quickly become well integrated into their clubhouse culture.
But another, he said, is parting ways with some of their longtime teammates, specifically James Shields and B.J. Upton.
Pausing, searching for words, prefacing his comments that he wasn't speaking negatively, Longoria said the scarring that Shields and Upton endured in the rough Devil Rays days remained a clubhouse issue, and the current team is in "a better mental state" with them gone.
"There was a lot of history with B.J. and Shields and this organization, and I think there were some things that it was tough for them to get beyond," Longoria said. "They were really the only ones that were left in here that were here before the Rays were (renamed) in 2008, when we started to be the team that we are now.
"And I think some of those things kind of stuck around, and as much as you try to instill the new way, some of those things, it was tough to get some of those thoughts out of their head. And so, I think, obviously they were great players, but as far as an over-arching belief in what we try to do here, I think with the new people that we have now, it's a completely new belief in what we're trying to do here."
Longoria said there were no specific incidents involving the two previously longest tenured Rays, just more of a general feeling.
His point seemed to be that while the new Rays organization is known for its tremendous on-field success and, under manager Joe Maddon, as somewhat of a top destination spot for players who are thrilled to be there, that Shields and Upton would, at least occasionally, be stuck in the dark past.
"Obviously they've never said anything negative in the media and I've never really felt it from them, but I think that is kind of the difference in the team this year," Longoria said. "Bottom line, we don't have guys in here anymore that knew how it was. There's no, 'It was … It used to be …' It's all here and now. And what we're doing now. And that's the biggest thing.
"In this game, we always talk about how important it is to play in the now and be in the moment, so to speak. It's tough to do that when you're thinking about the past."
Shields had been in the Rays organization since 2000 and Upton since 2002, and both came to the majors to stay during the 2006 season, which was after the new regime took over but before any success.
Shields was traded this offseason to Kansas City, Upton left as a free agent and signed with Atlanta. (Both had games on Monday and could not be reached for comment.) Reliever J.P. Howell, another holdover, also was allowed to walk and went to the Dodgers. The only player remaining who wore the green Devil Rays uniforms is Ben Zobrist, who isn't one to say anything negative or complain at all.
Maddon said he didn't know of any specific issues with Shields or Upton, though he also said he makes it his practice to only be aware of about "10 percent" of the clubhouse chatter, preferring the players police themselves. He praised Shields and Upton for their contributions on and off the field, and said: "One thing I do know is that they helped us become the Rays."
Longoria offered this analogy: "It's kind of like a long-term girlfriend that you've gone through a lot of tough times with and you've had your good times, but when stuff starts to go bad again then you just only remember the bad times. It's tough to see the bigger picture, it's tough to see what's happening right now."
He said the current group, with the additions of Yunel Escobar, Kelly Johnson and James Loney, has been great, fueling his confidence the Rays are headed for a successful season.
"We could probably talk about the talents and what we've added for a long time, but I think in the end what really creates a winning environment is a team that comes together early in the year, as early as possible," he said. "When you've got a group of guys that can buy into what you're trying to do here at the big-league level, it makes it a lot easier to go out there and really know what your purpose is, and ours is just to win."
And that atmosphere is different, he said, than it was with Shields and Upton around. "When you've gone through something, times like that that are very tough, you can't be blamed for having those thoughts," he said. "Although they were great players, I just think we're better mentally. We're in a better mental state than we were last year."
Marc Topkin can be reached at email@example.com.


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It's Big Pink Link time y'all!!
Lucy and El have you in capable hands this week.
I am suffering a little this week, failing to find my usual bounce back so I think a trip to the docs is in order today so I'll keep this short and let you find your Wows over with the girls if you don't mind. Congratulations if you are featured! 🙂
On with the link up. Have fun everyone! 😀
Loading InLinkz ...


text: It's rare in this world to find something that everyone can agree upon. In the hours after the December 2016 LSAT, however, we found something that fits the bill: the Logic Game about companies trading buildings was all kinds of f***ed up. Well, last week, as happens every year this time, the exam was released. And, of course, we got our grubby little hands on it immediately to take a gander at this oddity. To be sure, this game was weird.


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Tuesday, May 17, 2011
The Shades of Gray (La Femme Nikita)
What makes a story or a character compelling? What makes us want to keep reading or keep watching a story? What makes us identify with it?
It is very important that a good story has all shades of gray. A character should not be black and white, unless there is an absolute purpose to him being that way. Otherwise, it makes a character flat.
A perfect example that I'd like to use is the series called La Femme Nikita. The original series ran on USA network from 1997 to 2001. The new series I'm referring to is called Nikita and is currently showing on WB11. I watched the original series religiously and have recently re-watched all five seasons on DVD. It was an exciting, insightful show with plenty of internal conflict to add to the action storyline. And this applied not only to the main protagonists, Nikita, Michael and others, but also the antagonists, the "villains". Two of those, Operations and Madeline, were characters that you loved to hate. They were often the biggest bastards. But, at the same time, they were also shown to have a different side, a side that cared about certain people, a side that was thoughtful and perceptive. You got to see them in situations in which they were conflicted but chose certain actions because they had to, or because they believed it was for a the best. You got to see their motivations. Even you didn't agree with their actions, you could understand where they were coming from. They were all shades of gray. And I loved every minutes of that show. You could never guess what's coming next.
The new show, Nikita, is a total opposite of the original. Most of the characters are one-dimensional, almost childishly cartoonish in their black-and-whiteness. There's very little tension, and most of the story is held by the external action, which is just not enough. The antagonist, Percy, is a typical "villain" whose motivations are so predictable and not likable, you almost don't pay attention to him, despite him being one of the main characters and story "movers".
In the original, there was also always tension of some kind within the story of Nikita and Michael's relationship, throughout the whole fives seasons. Whether other people were trying to keep them apart or they had an internal struggle within themselves, there was always tension. To the very end the viewer couldn't decide if Michael and Nikita were going to get a happy end or not. In the new show, they get together before the 1st season is out and have an almost happy-end type relationship going on right off the bat. In a word – boring and not realistic under the circumstances.
When writing, you have to keep in mind the same principles that apply to making a show interesting and watchable. You need to show various sides to your characters, be they your protagonists or antagonists. You need to show their motivations, what moves them, what makes them tick. Like a painter, you have to use all colors in your pallet to make the story more interesting. And that includes using all shades of gray.
3 comments:
So...I LOVE your header! Just thought I'd tell you! :) Great blog you have here! Nice to "meet" you! ;)ReplyDelete
Thank you Chantel, I'm so glad you like it! :)ReplyDelete
- George E. OversightAugust 2, 2011 at 1:52 AM
La Femme Nikita was a great series. I was one that urged continuation, even the half season was better than nothing. Now that the Nikita series is on, it has rekindled my interest and I am re-watching the original series while waiting for the second season of Nikita. It's OK, but it really is hard to be better than the original even though I do not think they are trying to be better, just similar characters with a concluding story line for 'the revenge of Nikita'.ReplyDelete
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The snow we have been waiting for all winter finally came! I took this photo in the afternoon, but the snow hasn't stopped yet. It shows a good 13 inches of snow! Which all fell at one time. Thank you God! It was the most awesome snowfall ever!
My new
victim mentee (is that a word?) Justine spent the night last night and spent the day with us today. So after whiling the day away doing school (because my kids don't get snow days) and other things, we just had to go outside and play.
So all this snow definitely needed to be molded into the most amazing snow forts ever built. It was practically begging us to do it. The snow was whispering to us to play. What else could we do but listen? So, we all got building, girls against boys. Including Hunky Hubby and Megan. Of course Hunky Hubby felt it was necessary to help the boys make their fort although they were making good headway on their own.
Personally I think the girls fort was better, but you could say I'm biased. After all, I spent over an hour making snow bricks with a bucket to form the walls. The pictures really don't do the forts justice. There are parts you can't really see and because it's all white snow, the camera doesn't pick up the details either. At least not with me behind the lens.
Apparently Hunky Hubby also thought it was necessary to make the great wall of China out of snow for the boys fort. So of course the girls felt the need to improve on their original design. Consequently we have now taken over the back yard with forts and unfortunately used up all the snow that was supposed to be on the sledding hill. It couldn't be helped. It had to be sacrificed for the sake of the snow fortress and ensuing battle.
The sad news is that the girls got slaughtered during the snow ball battle. Maybe massacred is a better word. In fact, I'm not sure why the boys even spent time building a fort since they didn't stay in it! Plus, they didn't just throw snowballs (not to mention that Troy throws harder and further than all of us girls combined) they used a snow shovel to throw scoops full of snow! Next time we will have a discussion of the rules before we engage in war.
The best part though, is that these forts will be sticking around for a little while. The boys will be able to get some more battles out of them.
Honestly, I can't remember making forts like this as a kid. We'd get a row done and give up because it was so much work. This makes me really happy to have this memory to share with my boys. It was a great way to spend a great afternoon after the best snowfall we've had all year. We'll be talking about it for many winters to come.


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UN peacekeeping troops who have reached a reported massacre site in the northeastern town of Gobu, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, have discovered 12 corpses but no mass grave, a spokesman said on Wednesday.
"The presumption is there was a massacre but it is very difficult to know who the killers were and what really happened," Hamadoun Toure, spokesman for the UN Mission in the DRC (MONUC), said in Kinshasa, the nation's capital.
UN troops who discovered the bodies, he said, did not have enough equipment to examine the bodies and so determine the moment and cause of death. "We are waiting for pathologists and other experts to determine if there was really a massacre," he added.
MONUC officials are to investigate reports by survivors of a 16 January attack on boats carrying displaced people and traders, that 24 assailants seized their vessels and took them to Gobu, along Lake Albert, where they killed about 100 male passengers.
The investigators have tried on several occasions to reach Gobu but have been forced back. On one occasion unidentified gunmen fired at them in the village of Djo, seven kilometres south of Gobu. More recently bad weather grounded their helicopters trying to reach Gobu, 60 km north of Bunia. So UN troops were finally sent there on foot.
This article was produced by IRIN News while it was part of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Please send queries on copyright or liability to the UN. For more information: https://shop.un.org/rights-permissions


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NMCA Bradenton
- BMP 21000 Florida 64 Bradenton, FL, 34212 United States (map)
The best of the best calendar for seeing what events are happening when and where.
Drag Racing news. From Small Tire to NHRA Nitro, we are the place to find the best news, rumors, features, and drag racing coverage.


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Hosta leaves can turn yellow from frost, sunburn, heat stress and disease. Like people, trees and plants are not immune to disease, injury and harm from the elements. Hosta plants are no exception, and like many plants and trees that sport foliage, they express physical harm and stress through the condition of their leaves.
Extreme heat and cold can easily cause Hosta leaves to turn yellow, wither and die. In the event of a frost or sudden plunge in temperature, buds, stems, crowns and even entire plants and trees can suffer tremendous, sometimes irreversible, amounts of damage. When Hosta plants are exposed to frost, the cold damages the soft and actively growing tissues. This process is similar to frostbite in humans, and just as people may lose fingers and toes, the affected leaves often fall off. Hosta leaves are also prone to sun damage: yellowing leaves are often the first indications that Hostas are getting too much sun exposure. Sunburn often first affects the leaves on the top of the plant and in the direct path of sunlight; damaged leaves should be trimmed and the plant removed from direct sunlight until its leaves return to their normal color. Lastly, diseases such as Hosta virus X and infestation with nematodes and parasites can cause Hosta leaves to turn yellow as well.


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For the past few weeks, I've been working on a fun interactive photo project called Faces of Improv that I did in collaboration with Montreal Improv. 37 improvisers from the Montreal Improv house teams stepped in front of the camera, drew a random scene from a metaphorical hat to act out, and did what they do best as I took pictures of them. All portraits are going to be displayed in the theatre and the fun part comes when you, the viewer, have to associate the improviser with the correct scene. Some examples of the scenes they drew: a) You've just won the lottery. b) Someone just told you Santa isn't real. c) The results are back. You're pregnant.
Like most of my ideas, this one came to me randomly in the shower, and a month later here we are. I had always wanted to photograph the improv community since they're great subjects to work with as they can snap into character immediately and don't take themselves seriously. And more importantly, they're all hilarious and you can usually do more creative shoots (like in the shoot I did for Girl Talk as a scooter gang).
Monica and Katie (my former bio TA!) had approached me a few years ago for this shoot. You can't be any more badass than this. Popeye cigarettes and scooters. And I had the chance to shoot with Tasha & Mariana again for Faces of Improv.
Below is a little preview of what's to come, these are some promo posters I did.
I'll eventually post them all on the website, but I really encourage you to come see the project in person! It'll be displayed as of this Sunday (April 19th) at Montreal Improv. And support the improv community by coming out to watch one of their shows at the same time!
P.S. Hey les amis, le projet est bilingue! Il y a des improvisateurs de Montreal Improv et d'Impro Montréal et toutes les instructions et scènes pour le projet seront en Anglais/Français. N'oubliez pas qu'il y a des shows francophones et bilingues aussi.


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A new poll suggests the federal Conservatives have jumped four percentage points ahead of Liberals as Canadians weigh consistency against the prospect of change in the lead-up to the next election.
And while that may not seem like much of a lead, Ipsos Reid senior vice-president John Wright says those numbers could put Tories close to majority government territory.
According to the Ipsos survey for Global News, released Thursday, Tories sit at 35 per cent support nationally — a jump of two percentage points since December. Justin Trudeau's Liberals are at 31 per cent, down three points from last month. In September, Ipsos numbers gave Liberals a seven-point lead.
Thomas Mulcair's New Democrats are stuck in third at 24 per cent, virtually unchanged from last month but seven points lower than where the party stood during its surge in the 2011 federal election.
Elizabeth May's Greens are at four per cent support, Mario Beaulieu's Bloc Quebecois are at six per cent support (but 25 per cent support in Quebec), while 17 per cent of respondents told the firm they are undecided.
The numbers show Conservatives have broken a tie in vote-rich Ontario and are now leading Liberals by seven percentage points, 41 per cent to 34 per cent. The NDP is at 21 per cent in Canada's most populous province.
The survey also pegs Harper's personal approval rating at 49 per cent — the highest it has been since 2012.
The poll was conducted online between January 6 and 11, among a sample of 1,915 Canadians. It is considered accurate to within 2.6 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.
Wright told The Huffington Post Canada Friday that "if the Tories have a four-point lead, they're in really good shape."
For starters, Wright points to the fact that there will be new riding boundaries and 30 more seats at play in the next election to reflect population changes. Fifteen of those seats will be in Ontario, six each in Alberta and British Columbia and three in Quebec.
Last year, Elections Canada took the 2011 election results and redistributed the votes over the riding maps that will be used this year. The agency found Tories would have won 22 more seats in the last election had those boundaries existed. The NDP would have gained six and Liberals would have gained just two.
Another thing that may boost Tory fortunes, Wright says, is the fact that the Liberal vote looks to be somewhat "inefficient." Though the poll shows Liberals with a commanding lead of 41 per cent support in Atlantic Canada, which boosts their national support level, there aren't many seats in the Maritimes.
Wright says Conservatives will concentrate on "everything west of the Quebec border," and will need a good lead in Ontario, like the one reflected in this poll, to have a shot at a majority.
"In Ontario, with that seven-point lead at the moment, it means that they're picking up all of the 905," he said, referring to the vote-rich suburbs surrounding Toronto.
"Urban Canada, Quebec and the Maritimes are left for the NDP and Liberals to fight it out."
Wright says concerns over tumbling oil prices and terrorism might also play into Harper's hands, politically.
"A troubling economy actually plays to their strong suit. It's the number one thing they get marks on," he said. "Security and national affairs, they also score very high on. So, we're suggesting these are two Tory planks that give them good momentum."
A federal election is scheduled for October 19 of this year. However, there has been speculation Harper could pull the plug this spring to capitalize on positive poll numbers and avoid potential fallout from disgraced Sen. Mike Duffy's trial in April.
But, in the minds of many, that speculation was put to rest by Finance Minister Joe Oliver's announcement Thursday that the next federal budget will be delayed until at least April.
With a file from The Canadian Press
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