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I just curled up to watch the kind of movie no one else in my family is particularly interested in. You know the kind… "girl flicks"… romantic comedy… but NOT the kind that is all about sex and dating in high school. I want to see real relationships, real growth. Tonight I watched In Her Shoes and thought it was brilliant and sparkling. I felt the same way about The Family Stone when I watched it last month.
Smart chick flicks are movies with. . .
Smart chick flicks are movies with Susan Sarandon, Diane Keaton or Shirley MacLaine playing in a co-starring role as a woman over 50 (or over 70, like In Her Shoes). Or, they are movies with sexy, adventurous women like Goldie Hawn or daughter Kate Hudson. Susan Sarandon is both able to play a woman with grown children (The Family Stone) OR the sexy sidekick — Tell me Bull Durham isn't the smartest sexiest movie ever.
I like smart, but keep me away from the major tear-jerkers. I don't want to see a movie where a death in the family is the major plot line. Sarandon's matriarchal character is dying of cancer in Family Stone, but it's a secondary matter in the film which is mostly about the grown kids' love relationships and funny situations that follow when they all meet at Christmas. I want to feel like I'm escaping from my own life when I turn to the chick flick… and most of us have had experience with cancer in our real lives. So, to the producers of the tear-jerkers, thanks for the effort, but not on my NIGHT OFF! I want to get lifted into the world of someone's crazy zany sister, boyfriend, or Wedding Crasher-friend. Make me laugh, make me cry (but only briefly), but mostly, take me into the experience of what it's like in her shoes…
What smart movies have you enjoyed?
(Tell me your favorites… Simply write in the comments below. Log in, or register. Then, click and write — you will be asked to rate this article, too.)
Have you seen Sliding Doors with Gwyneth Paltrow? She plays a British chick who has wised-up with the help of a cool Scotish guy and her street-wise friend, after a long-time relationship ends badly. (English slang is used, like "wankah" for jerk)


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Considering that the Marriott Rewards Program recently won best hotel rewards program for the 9th year in a row at the 2016 Freddie Awards, we felt it was worth a Marriott Rewards Program review and dig a little deeper into the benefits about what makes this hotel loyalty program so special. The Freddie Awards are considered one of the most prestigious in the travel industry, and over 3 million frequent travelers and travel loyalty insiders cast votes in this years contest. That's saying something about this rewards program.
Marriott Rewards Overview
When you think about hotel chains, especially within the U.S., one of the first major brands that typically comes to mind is Marriott. If you're new to hotel loyalty programs, it may surprise you that the Marriott brand extends beyond that sole designation. Their portfolio also encompasses several well-known properties. They include Ritz Carlton Luxury Hotels, Residence Inn & Suites, Renaissance Hotels, SpringHill Suites, Courtyard Marriott and others.
Essentially, the Marriott Rewards program offers members an opportunity to earn free hotel stays across affiliated hotel chains, in addition to room upgrades, flexible point earning and transfer options between a good number of airline & rental car companies. That's just the tip of the iceberg. We go further into full benefit offerings later on in this article.
Marriott is International
This program is incredibly flexible given that there are over 4,200 properties world-wide which fall into the rewards program. These properties dot the globe and can be found in over 70 countries.
How to Earn Marriott Rewards Points
Aside from the flexibility in point earning and redemption across their large number of hotel properties, Marriott rewards points can be earned via various airline and car company partners. You also earn points on hotel stays, but they can be spent on airlines and rental cars as well. Lastly, there are a couple of credit card offers out there that provided expedited Marriott point accrual via hefty signup bonuses and categorical credit card spend.
Related: Apply for the Marriott Rewards Credit Card — Right now new card holders can earn 80,000 points after spending ,000 in their first 3 months of membership — scroll down and click "Show more results"
Also worth noting, transferable and flexible points earned through the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal (available to loyalty members who have the Chase Sapphire Preferred credit card) can also transfer points directly to the Marriott Rewards program.
Hotel Brands that fall under the Marriott Umbrella
Currently, there are 16 brands that are owned by Marriott, ranging from resort-style luxury hotel chains to your basic bed and breakfasts. Between the below hotel brands, Marriott owns over 4,200 properties world-wide.
- Ritz-Carlton
- Renaissance
- Residence Inn's
- Courtyard Marriott
- SpringHill Suites
- BVLGARI Hotel & Resorts
- JW Marriott®
- Autograph Collection® Hotels
- Marriott Hotels®
- The Delta Hotel by Marriott
- Marriott Executive Apartments®
- Marriott Vacation Club
- Gaylord Hotels®
- AC Hotels by Marriott
- Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott
- TownePlace Suites by Marriott®
- Protea Hotels®
- Moxy Hotels
Marriott Airline Partners
You are able to accrue Marriott points with any of the following airline partners. Note that redemption rates depend on the partner (IE: JetBlue TrueBlue points are earned at a 1:1 ratio at certain Marriott properties, while United MileagePlus points are earned 2:1).
- Aeroflot Bonus
- Aeromexico ClubPremier
- airberlin topbonus
- Air Canada Aeroplan
- Air China PhoenixMiles
- Air France/KLM Flying Blue
- Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan®
- Alitalia MilleMiglia
- American Airlines
- ANA Mileage Club
- Asia Miles™
- Asiana Airlines Asiana Club
- Avianca-TACA LifeMiles
- Drawers
- British Airways Executive Club
- China Eastern Airlines Eastern Miles
- China Southern Sky Pearl Club
- Copa Airlines ConnectMiles
- Delta SkyMiles®
- Emirates Skywards®
- Etihad Guest
- Frontier Airlines EarlyReturns®
- GOL/Varig®
- Hawaiian Airlines HawaiianMiles®
- Iberia Plus
- Japan Airlines JAL Mileage Bank
- JetBlue TrueBlue™
- Drawers
- Jet Airways JetPrivilege®
- LAN Airlines LANPASS
- Lufthansa Miles & More
- Multiplus
- Qantas Frequent Flyer
- Qatar Privilege Club
- Saudia Airlines
- Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer®
- South African Airways Voyager
- Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards®
- TAP Portugal Victoria
- Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles
- United MileagePlus®
- Virgin America Elevate
- Virgin Atlantic® Flying Club
Rental Car, Dining, Retail & Other Partners
Earn 500 Marriott Rewards points. Provide your Marriott rewards number when booking your car reservation. Customers can use code 154080 for special discounts and benefits.
Cruises Only
Marriott points can be accrued when booking a cruise through Cruises Only. The service frequently has discounts on bookings.
NRG Home
Earn 10,000 bonus points and 2 points for every $1 spent on your utility supply bill (available in select states).
NRG Home Solar
Switch to clean solar energy, earn up to 30,000 points. Available to first-time customers in select states.
Shop My Way
Marriott points can be earned online through the Shop My Way shopping portal, which includes many major brands and retailers you're probably familiar with.
Diners Club
Diners Club® Club Rewards points may be converted into Marriott Rewards points.
Identity Points
Convert Identity Points at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas in to Marriott Rewards points.
Travelling Connect
Earn up to 10 Marriott Rewards points per minute of call time abroad with participating networks in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, America and Asia.
Receive up to 2 Avios per $1 spent, redeemable for flights on carriers like British Airways, Eurostar journeys and more. Avios points are also somewhat flexible, in that booking through British Airways' website allows for Avios reward bookings across OneWorld partner airlines as well, and with fewer fees.
Members of Marriott Rewards and Ctrip can earn Ctrip points at any of 4,200+ Marriott hotels worldwide or redeem for Ctrip points.
Marriott Rewards Program Member Benefits
Let's get down to the nitty-gritty of what makes this rewards program so great.
Firstly, long-time loyalty travelers and industry insiders have recently ranked Marriott as offering the best customer service, best redemption options and flexibility. Members also get a number of discounts and access to a fair share of hotel amenities.
Marriott Status Levels
Marriott rewards members can earn different status tiers based on the number of paid-for hotel stays you accrue during a given calendar year, although it's rumored that reward stays will soon count towards elite status. The only exception to this is when you first signup for the Marriott Rewards Program — which nets you "Basic Member" status.
- Basic Member
- Silver Elite
- Gold Elite
- Platinum Elite
Points Sharing, Cash & Points, Points Advance, and Redemption Stay Credits
Note that any Marriott points accrued in any fashion will expire after 24 months of innactivity in your account. Separately, as we mentioned above, there are a number of exclusive benefits related to using your points.
Recently introduced benefits surrounding the earning and spending of Marriott points offer improved flexibility and transfer options between friends and family in addition to booking methods.
Point sharing gives Marriott and Ritz-Carlton reward members the ability to both receive and send points to friends and family. It costs $10 for Basic and Silver members and is offered for free to Gold and Elite members.
Cash + Point bookings allow members to pay for any stay, even those as brief as one night with a combination of points and or cash. The amount of each is completely up to you.
Points advance allows members to essentially book a stay without having enough points to book the stay in full. With this member benefit, you can continue to earn points towards that particular stay. Note that by the time the date of your reward booking arrives, you need to have enough points at that point to complete it, or supplement the remainder with cash. This is a good option if you can map out ahead of time a method to earn the points needed.
Redemption Stay Credits finally give Marriott Reward members the opportunity to earn Elite Status on reward bookings.
Marriott Rewards Benefits
The benefits rewards members have access to depend on your member status, so we'll break these down by status level. Note that Marriott Silver, Gold & Platinum Elite benefits are in addition to the Basic Member Benefits noted below.
Basic Member Benefits
Attainable by enrolling in the Marriott Rewards Program.
Earn a free night stay after four consecutive paid-for night stays
PointSaver access
Better room rates with Marriott's new Member Rates (must book directly on Marriott.com
Free Wi-Fi
Mobile Check-in
Found a better rate elsewhere? Marriott will match it and give you 25% off
Note that by default enrolling in the Marriott Rewards Loyalty Program gives you access to both earning and spending Marriott Rewards points. It's also worth mentioning that loyalty members can purchase a PriorityPass Lounge membership with Marriott Points at the following redemption rates:
- Priority Pass – Standard Membership – 20,000 points
- Priority Pass – Standard Plus Membership – 55,000 points
- Priority Pass – Prestige Membership – 85,000 points
Silver Elite Benefits
Attainable after spending 10 qualifying (paid-for) nights at Marriott properties.
10% gift-shop discount at participating Marriott properties
Marriott will pay for a nearby stay and compensate you if they cannot fulfill your reservation for any reason
Priority late check-out until 4pm
Earn a 20% bonus on paid-stays
10% discount on regular rate bookings on Friday's and Saturday's at participating Courtyard Marriott and SpringHill Suites
Gold Elite Benefits
Attainable after spending 50 qualifying (paid-for) nights at Marriott properties.
10% gift-shop discount at participating Marriott properties
Marriott will pay for a nearby stay and compensate you if they cannot fulfill your reservation for any reason
Priority late check-out until 4pm
Earn a 25% point bonus on paid-stays
10% discount on regular rate bookings on Friday's and Saturday's at participating Courtyard & SpringHill Suites
Complimentary enhanced internet / WiFi access at participating properties
Complimentary continental breakfast / lounge access at participating Marriott properties
Free local phone calls
Free local faxing
Discounted long-distance phone calls
Hertz #1 Gold Rental Car membership, complimentary first year
Complimentary Room Upgrades subject to availability
Platinum Elite Benefits
Attainable after spending 75 qualifying (paid-for) nights at Marriott properties.
10% gift-shop discount at participating Marriott properties
Marriott will pay for a nearby stay and compensate you if they cannot fulfill your reservation for any reason
Priority late check-out until 4pm
Earn a 50% point bonus on paid-stays
10% discount on regular rate bookings on Friday's and Saturday's at participating Courtyard & SpringHill Suites
Complimentary enhanced internet / WiFi access at participating properties
Complimentary continental breakfast / lounge access at participating Marriott properties
Free local phone calls
Free local faxing
Discounted long-distance phone calls
Complimentary Room Upgrades subject to availability
Hertz #1 Gold Rental Car membership, complimentary first year
Dedicated Platinum Elite reservation phone-line access
Exclusive Platinum Elite guest service phone-line access
Guaranteed room-type and bed-type fulfillment
Exclusive Platinum Elite savings & offers
48 hour guaranteed room availability at participating properties for paid stays
Complimentary United MileagePlus® Premier Silver Status – includes free checked bag on United flights, seat upgrades and access to Economy Plus seating when available
Guaranteed arrival gift — participating Marriott properties will give you a gift in the form of amenities or bonus points
Join the Marriott Rewards Program
If you're looking to join the Marriott Rewards Program, just signup online — it's free.
Apply for the Marriott Rewards Credit Card – Exceptional Bonus Signup Offer Currently Available
Applying for the Marriott Credit Card offers new cardholders a quick way to earn over 80,000 points which puts you well on your way to a few free nights. Note that in order to receive the full 80,000 points, you'll need to spend $3,000 in the first 90 days of opening your account. This is one of the highest signup bonuses for this particular credit card that we have ever seen.
Other cool benefits of the credit card include earning 7,500 bonus points when you add an authorized user to the account and they make a purchase within 3 months. Separately, the card gives a free night stay (at category 1-5 hotels), every calendar year after your account anniversary. Marriott Credit Card holders will earn 5 points per dollar spent at all Marriott properties. In addition, get 2 points per dollar spent on directly-purchased airfare, car rentals and restaurants. Earn 1 point on all other purchases.
Being a Marriott Rewards Premier Credit Card holder also fast-tracks you toward elite status. You'll automatically receive 15 elite credits which gives you automatic Silver Elite status. If you're already a rewards member with elite qualifying stays, you may get Gold or Platinum Elite even faster. Lastly, card holders will earn an elite credit every time they spend $3,000. Note, Marriott Rewards Premier Credit Card comes with an $85 annual fee, not waived for the first year.

subset: commoncrawl


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Edie combines downtown ease with utility. The soft, slouchy silhouette features a three-compartment interior designed for perfect organization, and an exterior pocket secured with a signature Coach turnlock. It's crafted in polished pebble leather and genuine snake for a mixed-materials look.
- Polished pebble leather and snake
- Inside zip, cell phone and multifunction pockets
- Center zip compartment
- Turnlock closure, fabric lining
- Handles with 9 1/2" drop
- 12 3/4" (L) x 11" (H) x 5 3/4" (W)


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While Netflix is chock-full of documentaries that cover everything from the environment to empowerment, I'm always on the lookout for documentaries that can help me learn more about mental health and how to shift my attitude toward life. Sometimes, we just need some inspiration or a kick in the butt to motivate us to work towards happier, healthier lives.
While the following documentaries won't solve all of your problems, you might learn a think or too, and they might help you put things into perspective.
1. Happy
This documentary explores the emotion of happiness by interviewing people from all over the world (including victims of traumatic accidents) from the United States to India and seeing what makes these people happy. Scientists have discovered that your happiness is 50% genetics, 10% environmental, and 40% your own attitude. With this 40%, you could help boost your happiness levels by practicing gratefulness and helping others.
2. Food Choices
After watching this documentary, my fiancé and I decided to make a huge change with our diets. You'll learn about the lies of industries that promote false claims about the benefits of milk, meat, eggs, and fish, and you'll learn about how a plant-based diet can lower the inflammation in your body, thereby reducing symptoms of mood disorders.
3. The Secret
Some people might think the content in this documentary is all mumbo jumbo, but I still think they're onto something with the importance of having goals and envisioning success from these goals. "The Secret" focuses on the "law of attraction," which states that your thoughts have positive vibes, and with these vibes, you're attracting positive things in your life. Talk about the notion of a self-fulfilling prophecy.
4. The Minimalists
While this documentary doesn't focus exclusively on mental health, it does talk about the importance of relationships in our lives. In our capitalist country, we believe that money is everything, and the possessions we have will impress people and raise our status. But the joy from that is short-lived. The real joy is not how many possessions we have, but the happiness we feel from socializing with friends and family
5. Neurons to Nirvana
This documentary takes a deep look into psychedelic drugs and why our country frowns upon researching them. With so many cutting-edge healthcare developments in this century, we should be searching for new ways to help people with mental health disorders, and it covers how ketamine has had positive results. You won't look at psychedelics the same way after watching this.
More and more documentaries are touching on mental health, which is a good sign toward diminishing the taboo of this topic. Just keep an open mind while you're watching these, and you'll be surprised at what you learn along the way.
What are your favorite inspirational documentaries?
Thank you for reading!


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This past Sunday, I received an interesting email just after I got home from one of the most symbolic rites of the Eastern Orthodox year -- Forgiveness Vespers.
For Orthodox Christians, this service is the door into the long and challenging season of Great Lent, which leads to the most important day in the Christian year -- Pascha (Easter in the West).
During these vespers, each member of the congregation -- one at a time -- faces each and every other person who is present. One at a time, we bow and ask the person to forgive us of anything we have done to hurt them in the previous year. The response: "I forgive, as God forgives," or similar words. Then the second person does the same thing. Many people do a full prostration to the floor, as they seek forgiveness.
Then we move to the left to face the next person in line. Doing this 100 times or so is quite an exercise, both spiritual and physical. Tears are common. So is sweat.
The email I received pointed me to stories coming out of the Dagestan region of Russia, near the border of Chechnya. As worshipers came out of an Orthodox church in Kizlyar, a gunman -- shouting "Allahu Akbar" -- attacked with a hunting rifle and knife, killing five.
An Associated Press report merely said the victims were leaving a church service and even stated that the "motive for the attack was not immediately known."
I was struck by the timing, coming in the wake of the Ash Wednesday school shootings in Parkland, Fla. I had the same question as the GetReligion reader who emailed me: Were these worshipers shot after the Forgiveness Vespers?
It certainly appeared that this was the case, so I immediately wrote a post: "Massacre on Ash Wednesday? Now, Orthodox believers shot leaving Forgiveness Vespers." Needless to say, this was a topic of interest to Orthodox believers, and others.
Now, a reader who speaks Russia has found a link to a Russian website -- "Orthodoxy and the World" -- that confirms the poignant and painful timing of this attack. Here is his translation of that information, if you are into factual journalistic details of this kind:


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People can experience an altered state of consciousness by staring into someone else's eyes for 10 minutes. more...
November 17 , 1973 : US President Richard Nixon insisted he was not a crook. more...
Learn something new every day
More Info... by email
Roof deicing methods mostly fall into two categories: preventative measures to prevent snow and ice build up, and removal of snow and ice after it has accumulated. Generally, the most effective tip for roof deicing is to prevent snow and ice buildup by installing roof deicing coils or wires. If this is not possible, there are ways to remove snow and ice after it accumulates on a rooftop, including shoveling and spreading a deicer.
Preventative roof deicing usually involves the installation of heating elements on the roof in a warm or temperate season. A multitude of these roof deicing systems are available, but most employ the same tactics to keep snow and ice from building up and become an inconvenience or hazard. Typically, cables or wires are installed either beneath or on top of roof shingles. Low-voltages of electricity run through these cables, which generates enough heat to melt the ice without damaging the roof's surface.
Heated cable systems can be a great advantage and save a lot of time and energy during the snowy seasons. They are generally a significant investment at the time of installation. These set-ups are more expensive than most other roof deicing techniques, but might be worth the money to people living in climates that experience large amounts of cold weather and snow.
Deicing a roof that does not have a heated cable system will probably require more physical work. It is possible to shovel snow off a roof, but extreme caution should be utilized during this process. A roof with a dramatic pitch is not safe to shovel; flat surfaces that allow for sure footing and minimal risk of falling are the only ones that should be shoveled. Also note that aggressive shoveling can cause damage to shingles, so it is important to shovel in the direction in which the shingles lie. For the safety of passers-by, shovelers should be sure to give loud warning before tossing snow or ice from the roof.
Another option for roof deicing is to spread a commercial deicer. While it is possible to use rock salt, this is generally not recommended because the salt is highly corrosive and could cause damage to shingles and any metal flashing on the roof or gutters. Commercial deicers are available in other formulas that may be gentler on roof surfaces. To be extra sure that the roof will not be damaged by corrosive deicing solutions, users should scatter the deicer, but instead of leaving it to dissolve all of the ice, it should be left it work for a while and the softened remains will then be easy to shovel off.
Post 1
When I was growing up in a house in Ohio, I noticed our roof rarely remained iced-over during even the harshest winters. Massive icicles would form from the edge of the roof to the ground, however. I found out later that the cause of all this was not good.
If a roof does not collect snow or ice during winter months, the cause is most likely poor insulation. The heat from the inside of the house is constantly deicing the roof, causing streams of water to form large icicles as they drip down to the ground. Poor insulation means higher energy costs.
If you have to do something about deicing your roof every year, at least you know the insulation is doing its job.
One of our editors will review your suggestion and make changes if warranted. Note that depending on the number of suggestions we receive, this can take anywhere from a few hours to a few days. Thank you for helping to improve wiseGEEK!


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On February 13, 1948, the Archdiocese obtained the title to six lots on the corner of Lonsdale and 27th Street. Forty families formed the nucleus of the parish. At first they met for Mass and other church services in the basement of the home of Captain and Mrs. John Marron who lived at 3361 Lonsdale Ave. By December of 1948 the rectory was completed and Midnight Mass was held in the temporary chapel in the basement. For the next two years as many as 100 people squeezed into the tiny chapel. In the spring of 1950 construction began on the new church. And it was dedicated by Archbishop William Mark Duke on Trinity Sunday, May 20, 1951. In 1954 additional land was acquired for parish growth and the construction of a new elementary school. Expansions of the church, hall and kitchen have occurred in 1958, 1962, 1992, and 1997 increasing the capacity of the church to accommodate 425 people and church hall to 176. The parish now has 1,303 households registered and ministers to 3,600 people.
Father John Kilty
Founding Pastor 1948 to 1982
More than any other person, Father John Kilty has left his mark on the development of Holy Trinity Parish and School. He was born and raised in Vancouver and educated at St. Patrick's School and the Seminaries of Christ the King in Ladner at the time and St. Joseph's in Edmonton. He was ordained on March 17, 1945. He was an assistant priest at Holy Rosary Cathedral for one year and then appointed to St. Edmund's parish as the assistant to Father Bernard Corcoran for two years. In June, 1948, Archbishop Duke asked him to establish a new parish in the upper Lonsdale area. Surrounded by a committed group of forty families he assembled a parcel of land at the corner of Lonsdale Avenue and 27th Street. Within ten years a new rectory, church, convent and school were established. Father John was a natural athlete and excelled in baseball, basketball and golf. He was a great coach of baseball and basketball for groups within the parish and in the North Vancouver community. In 1952 he was honoured with the North Vancouver's Outstanding Citizen Award. Father was a dynamic leader and had the ability to involve others in the organization and leadership of the parish. He died on June 15, 1983 after one year as pastor of Saints Peter and Paul Parish in Vancouver.
Fr. Rufin Mika
Pastor from 1982 to 1990
Fr. Mika was ordained on June 5, 1965. Apart from overseeing significant improvements in the school building, Fr. Mika emphasized the involvement of young people in the liturgy and the development of the Friendship Club for senior parishioners. The CWL was established from the Women's Auxiliary.
Fr. John Tritschler
Pastor from 1990 to 1993
Fr. John was ordained on May 28, 1966. Fr. Tritschler placed much importance on the liturgy, and he instituted the public procession of the Cross on Good Friday. During Fr. Tritschler's time at Holy Trinity the interior of the church was renovated and the kitchen facilities modernized. Fr. Tritschler taught religion on a weekly basis to classes at Holy Trinity School. A vigorous hiker, Father frequently led hikes of parishioners up the North Shore mountains.
Fr. Terry Larkin
Pastor from 1993 to 2005
On June 4, 1966 Fr. Larkin was ordained. Under Fr. Larkin a small chapel was consecrated for the perpetual adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, the first of its kind in the diocese. Each summer Fr. Larkin led a group of young people from the parish and diocese to Mexico to better the housing conditions of the poor. Under Fr. Larkin, a meeting room was built next to the hall and the washroom facilities were modernized. In addition, the parish purchased land across from the school on Western Avenue to accommodate future expansion of the parish and school.


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JetBlue pilots are among the most highly qualified in the industry. In addition to impeccable experience and training, our pilots share a passion for safety, customer service and caring for their crews. JetBlue pilots inspire teamwork and take pride in making values-based decisions in the air and on the ground.
JetBlue Pilot Gateway Programs have helped crewmembers and students find their way to the right seat at JetBlue for many years. The lauded University Gateway Program is the most robust, student-focused gateway in the U.S. industry while our internal crewmember to pilot paths provide the support and mentorship necessary for JetBlue crewmembers to realize their career goals. To learn more about your path to becoming a JetBlue pilot, go to our Gateway site.
Our first officer application window opens 2-3 weeks each year. Complete a profile here to be notified when the application window opens. Then,
Once hired, first officers are assigned (and must either relocate or commute) to one of five bases: BOS (Boston), FLL (Fort Lauderdale), JFK (New York), LGB (Long Beach) or MCO (Orlando).


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User Researcher
Clara Kliman-Silver has three years' experience in user experience design and research and is passionate about delivering a user-centered focus to the design and development of healthcare technology. Previously, Clara worked as a researcher at both Brown University and the Italian Institute of Technology, where she examined the interplay between visual perception and tool design. She is currently a User Researcher at athenahealth, where she conducts research on data visualization techniques. She is also the leader of Ladies That UX Boston, a group that aims to connect and mentor women in user experience. Clara holds a Bachelors of Science in Cognitive Science from Brown University.


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Life has never been easy, but it seems as if the world is unraveling at a hectic pace. Anger and hostility are front and center of the 24-hour news cycle and battle lines are drawn. Society is not a pretty place right now, and I see a shortage of integrity as one of the contributors.
In an intentional effort to stay away from current polarizing issues, I will use a far more benign example to make my point about the importance of integrity. I love my wife to pieces! We have a great marriage, but few relationships are easy. All take an intentional effort and hard work especially if we don't learn a couple basic things that in my opinion are key to any relationship – familial, work, political….
First, you have to be teachable. If you know it all then you have nothing to learn. Second, you have to be willing to say you are sorry - even when you feel you have done nothing wrong. When I learned these two things, our marriage improved. I actually began listening to what she was saying rather than thinking of my counter argument. I tried to see it from her perspective. Just as importantly, I learned to say I was sorry and added a question, "Will you forgive me?" Before long, I was unconsciously following these steps in other areas of my life. I am still learning to measure my words, guide my thoughts, and consider the thoughts and feelings of others. My faith is my daily guide, and I want to hear my Father say, "Well done!"
The unraveling of our society is much more complex than my example, but I really don't see how it can hurt to be teachable and genuinely apologetic. There was a time when life was simpler than it is today. The news was limited to a newspaper and a 30-minute broadcast. People actually conversed (talking and listening) with each other. That time may be gone forever, but we can still hear about it first hand from a senior. Like you and me, they often learned the hard way. Their experiences should have produced wisdom, but in the event wisdom didn't take root, we can still learn from the encounter.
Integrity may be in short supply, but we don't have to be contributors to the shortage.
Stan Means
Elder Source Senior Ministries
A Cause Worth Supporting - Give online
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Get our new Aging E-Newspaper at agingweekly.com


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Sincerity is an odd topic for three soulless husks to confront, but we'll give it a crack. What's up with the increase in comics that are just lovely? Where have they come from? Why now? And what are the good ones? We'll tell ya!
Also: Competition time! Email us a description of the show you think we should be doing instead to firstname.lastname@example.com and win our books of the year!
We talked about:
- Khaos Komix - Tab Kimpton
- Feels Like Noodles - Jade Sarson
- Cowboys and Insects - David Hine and Shakey Kane (Roger wrote about it in depth here)
- Orbital - Sylvain Runberg and Serge Pelle
- Performance - One Beat Zines
- Fascist Friends - Erin Lux
- The Backstagers - James Tynion, Rian Sygh
- Spill Zone - Scott Westerfeld & Alex Puvilland
- Geis - Alexis Deacon
- Postcards in Braille - Constanza Yovaniniz
- "Real girls"
- Disabilityawareness & education
- Fantasy Comics #1 - Sam Bosma
- Tetris: The Games People Play - Box Brown
- Clear Blue Tomorrows - Fabien Vehlmann, Bruno Gazzotti, Ralph Meyer
- Jeffery Fisch Boy - Jake Lava
- The Final Cameo - Bastard Comics
- Mulp - Matt Gibbs and Sara Dunkerton
- The Foldings - Faye Simms and Joann Dominik
- Marquis D'Anoan: The Providence - Fabian Vehlmann and Matthieu Bonhomme


text: Baptism is a beautiful sacrament of our church, an expression of God's love and the claim he places on our lives through water and Word. If you are preparing for the birth of a child, have a child who has not yet been baptized, or if you would like to be baptized as an adult, please read our Baptism Guide below. Please contact Pastor Rhodes Woolly if you have additional questions or would like to schedule a baptism at St. John's.


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It's the most wonderful time of the year! Well, maybe just for us Angeleno foodies. Dine LA has come and gone, and as usual, we stuffed our faces at some of LA's hottest restaurants. First up was Connie & Teds--opened in 2013, Connie & Ted's in West Hollywood has been consistently hot ever since. This is probably due to Providence chef Michael Cimarusti and the casual, Rhode Island casual clam-shack ambiance. Connie & Ted's take their seafood seriously, and that attitude shines through in every mouthful. For the DineLA special menu, they offered a 3-course menu for a reasonable $40/person. Keep scrolling to see what we ordered!
For one of our appetizers, we decided to go with the 1/2 dozen chef's choice oysters. And damn, they were good. Some of the best oysters we've had, this selection was incredibly fresh and perfectly prepared. The lemon, horseradish, and mignonette sauce were all light and flavorful, but didn't overpower the flavor of the oysters. We're very seriously considering coming back for a night of just oysters.
The grilled calamari was a serious appetizer. Not your typical fried-beyond-all-recognition calamari, Connie & Ted's take on the classic seafood appetizer doused their gently cooked squid in tomatoes with arugula, garlic, and breadcrumbs. The tomatoes gave the dish a really nice savory aspect, while the arugula was fresh and lemon-y. The breadcrumbs provided the crunch and salt that we crave from more traditional calamari. Overall, a really nice appetizer.
For one of our entrees, we ordered the fish & chips. After spending plenty of time in the UK, we've had some great fish & chips, and these were also fantastic. The batter was crispy, and didn't get soggy. It adhered well to the fish, and the spices gave the dish a nice little kick. The tartar sauce was great, and the fries were incredibly addicting.
For our other entree, we got the lobster roll. And holy crap it was good. The lobster was buttery and plentiful, while the roll was also buttery and perfectly toasted. The richness of the roll was tempered by a squeeze of fresh lemon. We would come back just for this.
Overall, the meal was great. We loved the quality of the food with the casual atmosphere, and think this would be the perfect place to come for after-work drinks and a good meal.


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Giant Stride Marketing Group is a strategic marketing consulting firm serving high technology firms. We can jump in quickly and apply our experience and passion for technology to improve your sales and marketing effectiveness.
Learn more >
Giant Stride Marketing Group is led by Linda Sonne-Harrison, a resourceful product marketing maven with experience working with scrappy startups and established software industry leaders.
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Our engagements never end with a presentation and set of high-level recommendations; we create content and sales tools that help you get found, get noticed, and stand out from the crowd.


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Roy Moore, chief justice of the Alabama Supreme Court, is suspended for instructing judges to ignore federal law.
Embattled Gov. Robert Bentley faces impeachment proceedings for allegedly making "inappropriate" advances and possibly having an extramarital affair with a former staffer and adviser.
And House Speaker Mike Hubbard is currently on trial for allegedly using his post to enrich himself and his political allies as he ascended to the highest echelons of power in state office and the governing Republican Party.
You couldn't blame observers of current affairs in Alabama for thinking politics in the Yellowhammer State is fundamentally corrupt, as leaders of all three branches of state government face charges over official misconduct.
But a report released by Harvard University's Edmond J. Safra Center for Ethics seems to confirm that hypothesis, naming Alabama one of the most unethical states in the nation when it comes to both legal and illegal forms of corruption.
The center's 2014 corruption study lists Alabama as one of the seven most crooked states in the union when it comes to an index of criteria including lax ethics laws, high levels of influence from campaign cash, and unscrupulous state laws governing the judicial branch, which researchers said was unduly affected by political considerations.
The survey considered special interest spending per voter during elections — unusually high in Alabama — and laws designed to maintain separation of powers, as well as the occurrence of explicitly illegal corruption, where Alabama was also perceived to be considerably worse than average.
"With respect to illegal corruption, Arizona is perceived to be the most corrupt state, followed by a second group of states, which includes California and Kentucky, and a third group that includes Alabama, Illinois, and New Jersey," wrote Oguzhan Dincer and Michael Johnston, researchers affiliated with Harvard.
"It is all bad news for Alabama, Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, New Mexico, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania as their aggregate scores are in the highest quartiles of both illegal and legal corruption," Dincer and Johnston wrote.


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I sense most of us are extremely reluctant, as it relates to searching for our true nature, because we believe that this might mean we will need to make drastic changes in our lives; by way of letting go of what we love and enjoy most.
However, to the extreme contrary to what we may think, discovering what authentically defines us does not mean relinquishing what we have come to love; this divine sense of knowing bestows upon us the power to specifically let go of the 'subconscious' baggage that weighs us down.
In other words; becoming 'one' with our true nature, means that we will never vanquish what we have come to love most. However, we would begin to rid ourselves of what conflicts with such love!
NoMoEgo, LLC


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Are you being harassed by a creditor?
A Bradenton Creditor Harassment Lawyer can Help
Creditors will often take aggressive actions when attempting to collect on a debt. This can include making repeated phone calls, sending numerous letters, filing a lawsuit and reporting negative information to credit bureaus.
Creditors are required to follow to The Federal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act and the Florida Consumer Protection Practices Act. These acts prohibit abusive collection behavior such as:
- The use of slurs, foul or other derogatory language
- Providing false and misleading information
- Threatening legal action if no such action is planned
- Making calls before 8:00 a.m. or after 9:00 p.m.
We focus our practice on Debt Defense. We will take legal action to prevent abuses and protect your rights. If a collector violates these acts they can be forced to pay you damages and your legal fees and costs. Contact us today if you believe a creditor has violated your rights. We offer free phone or office consultations.
Have you been sued by a debt collector?
If you have been sued by a debt collector we may be able to defend the case or settle the debt for less than the amount claimed. (Learn more about Debt Collection Lawsuits) (Learn more about Junk Debt Buyers such as Midland Funding, Portfolio Recovery Associates, CACH LLC, Cavalry SPV I and LVNV Funding)
Will Bankruptcy Help Me?
If you are unable to pay your bills and are heavily in debt, filing for bankruptcy can bring immediate relief. After your petition has been submitted, the court will issue an "automatic stay", which is a court order that stops all collection activities, including foreclosures, repossessions, garnishments, and most civil lawsuits.
If a creditor violates the automatic stay they may be required to pay for damages and your legal fees.
Creditor Harassment Attorney in Sarasota, Manatee and Charlotte Counties
If you are being harassed by creditors, David Holland Law can help. Our Bradenton Creditor Harassment Lawyer have represented hundreds of clients in bankruptcy and debt defense matters, and will vigorously guard your rights. Our firm will provide whatever legal advice and assistance is needed, and will stand up to creditors and collection agencies engaged in abusive practices.
We offer a free consultation, along with affordable rates and payment plans. Contact for trusted representation if you are being harassed by creditors.


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Product Code: BCS20FPG
Manufacturer: Bullockhead Creek BBQ
All Smoker BBQ orders are build to order - Online orders are 50% deposit of total order.
Balance of order required before or on pick upor consignment to freight.
Details in the cart show 100% of your order total.
Order details are processed manually offline - Only 50% of total is processed.
Credit card Payments are not done automatically - Call 0405517952 for further info.. Cheers Craig
20" (500mm Square, 500mm High) Fire Pit with swing out Grill Top.
Includes Charcoal Grate and Drain
1/4" (6.35mm) Steel
25mm x 3mm Angle Framed Cooking Grate
This product hasn't been reviewed yet.


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John Metcalfe
John Metcalfe was CityLab's Bay Area bureau chief, covering climate change and the science of cities.
When Duchamp did it, critics lauded it as Art.
When David Heatwole did it, he received a court summons and a possible $500 fine.
Behold, Heatwole's glorious Toilet Monument, smack in the city square of Martinsburg, West Virginia. The guerrilla commode lasted all of 20 minutes last Wednesday before municipal crews flushed it away with the efficiency of a power plunger and gallon of Drano:
The saga of Martinsburg's controversial loo swirls together a nugget of constipated urban planning with misdirected streams of artistic ambition. It begins, as many public artworks do, with an empty pedestal.
Last year, Martinsburg's city council voted to erect a statue downtown of the Revolutionary War's General Adam Stephen, who founded the Appalachian city of about 17,200 people. The statue was part of a since-completed redesign of the town square to make it more green and pedestrian-friendly. But plans for the Stephen memorial ran into an unexpected barricade.
"The city council signed off on it, and after everything was said and done they found out that supposedly there's no record of what this guy looked like," claims Heatwole, a 42-year-old artist and hospice contractor. "Then they talked about modeling this sculpture from his grandson."
For whatever reason, the sculpture was never built; a recent report in the local Herald Mail cites "cost and other concerns." It's a total guess, but perhaps those "concerns" dealt with the fact that in 1777 the general engaged his men in a bloody bout of friendly fire with Brigadier General Anthony "Mad Anthony" Wayne. Before the battle, Stephen had apparently decided that it was beer thirty. He was court-martialed and kicked out of the army, and founded Martinsburg the next year.
For months, the pedestal meant to support a bronze Stephen stood smooth and empty as a butcher's block. That began to irk Heatwole, who sees his hometown as something of a sucking black hole when it comes to the arts.
"Martinsburg has a horrible reputation. In the '80s there was a huge drug bust here, one of the biggest in the nation at the time," he explains. "And even though the whole block is not on crack and heroin visibly anymore, it's still so rampant in our community. All our towns are just so full of drugs. There's prostitution here; it's not a great place to live. The school systems aren't that great. It's time for a revolution of sorts, not just in our town but in America."
The city's luckless reputation is definitely backed up by a YouTube search of "Martinsburg West Virginia." The very first page features videos such as "Worst Walmart in America," "West Virginia air show crash," and a PBS report detailing the town's "rising crime and divorce rates and the personal toll of dreams deferred," urban woes that the video's poster says proves "MB is becoming (more) of a dump."
Heatwole proposed staging a competition to find a suitable replacement. In a town meeting last Tuesday, he submitted several ideas for an innovative sculpture: a shining crumple of reclaimed motorcycle and auto parts, for instance, and a kinetic sheet-metal swirl. Anything but a sculpture of some old dead dude, basically.
"My feeling is as much as I love history, history is not always the best thing to rejuvenate a town," Heatwole says. "It's one thing to draw on your historical significance, but Martinsburg doesn't really have that much. This guy is not really worth making a sculpture out of. He's just going to be locked in background, and is not going to draw any attention to Martinsburg,"
Frustrated with what he perceived as a lack of interest, Heatwole decided to just do it himself. He bought a $20 toilet on Craigslist and, around 8:30 a.m. on Wednesday, plopped it on the pedestal while a journalist friend took notes. Included in the toilet was an invoice for $50,000 along with some examples of his own work.
The mayor and the city council were not available to comment Monday.
Just how this stunt was designed to show the city wasn't a toilet, figuratively and literally, is something that only Heatwole can explain. The best he can put it in words is that "we need creativity in this community." City officials, however, took it to mean something else: "They were pissed, really pissed," Heatwole says. "It was not the greatest toilet and I did not take the time to clean out anything but the toilet bowl. That's probably why they're pissed."
Heatwole will have the opportunity to present a more nuanced artist's statement when he goes to court on May 2 for littering. Or, as he puts it, "illegal dumping."
The good news: Transit ridership is booming in the French capital. But severe crowding now has authorities searching for short-term solutions.
Facing declining birthrates and rural depopulation, hundreds of "marginal villages" could vanish in a few decades. But some small towns are fighting back.
The city wants to turn the Boulevard Périphérique, one of Europe's most congested highways, into a slower, smaller, and greener "urban boulevard."
In cities around the world, advertising is everywhere. We may try to shut it out, but it reflects who we are (or want to be) and connects us to the urban past.
Economist Timothy Bartik details the need for place-based policy to combat regional inequality and help distressed places—strategies outlined in his new book.


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I'm having quite an obsession with gold nails lately. They can be called by numerous names: Fort Knox nails, Goldschläger digits, Sutter's Mill nails, The Liberaces, Pyrite Pointers,The King Midas Curse, The nails to El Dorado, Fool's Gold fingers, etc. I think you get the idea.
So here are some suggestions on how, you too, can be the Girl with the Golden Touch.
1. Dior Vernis Nail Enamel, $21
2. Butter West End Wonderland, $14
3.Essie Shifting Power Nail Lacquer 667, $3.68
4. Only Gold For Me, $9
5. NARS Nail Polish, $16
6. Deborah Lippmann Nail Color, $20
7. OPI in Glitzerland, $8.50
8. CND Colour in Gold Chrome, $6.95
9. Revlon in Gold Get 'em, $4.50


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Welcome to my blog. My name is Cal aka Dithreabhach.
UPDATE 25 October 2019. I had to withdraw fro my OU course in December 2018 due to ill-health. I'm restarting the degree course this October. Keep your fingers crossed!
UPDATE 29 October 2018 – I've enrolled on an Open Degree with the Open University! A mixture of excitement and terror! I couldn't go to uni when I was younger due being my father's carer (and latterly my mother's).
– AnarchoGreen
– Irish Geek
– Interspiritual AnarchoMystic
– PsychogeographyGeek
– Mad Pride Activist
– BiPolarGeek/OCDGeek/AnxietyGeek/PanicAttackGeek
– AnginaGeek
– AsthmaGeek
– GeocachingGeek
– ScienceGeek
– Archive/LibraryGeek
– GenealogyGeek
– PhilosophyGeek
– TheologyGeek
– HistoryGeek
– PhotoGeek
– ZineGeek
– Maker/TinkererGeek
– AnarchistGeek
– Irish Geek
– PhotographyGeek
Did I mention that I am a Geek?
Hoping to set up small press/Zine distro.
Psychogeographer/Drifter – out-&-out misfit in a world of conformity! Dreamer, radical, tilter at windmills.
I'm Bipolar 2, OCD, a Self-harmer, Heart Attack Survivor, Two Smashed Knees, Cripple Punk, but still fighting this corrupt and murderous system.
This will also be, from 1 January 2019, my site for my writing and photography project '1-52'. The project consists of my producing a piece of writing (poetry or prose) each week. Also a photograph each
day week will be uploaded. Each piece of writing will be on a theme picked at random from my humongous list of prompts. The photos will also be on a random theme from another list. Each prompt on the lists are numbered and I'll be asking Facebook friends to pick a number each day and I'll use the corresponding prompt on the lists. The project was inspired mainly by Marie Lightman's Prompt Response.
I'm also going to be using the blog as a record of my journeys through life – political journey, mental/physical health journey, and my journey to re-educate myself.


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Saxon Luxury Pedicure
Relax and renew tired, aching feet with a luxurious pedicure that incorporates the revitalising scent of the Saxon Signature fragrance. A milk bath soak and a Himalayan salt scrub will release tension from your feet, while softening and reviving the skin. The result? Re-energised, glowing feet.Book this pedicure


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More celebrities and former dieters turn to emotional management techniques like hypnosis for managing their cravings, maintaining motivation and managing their weight. Celebrities like Sophie Dahl, Geri Halliwell and Popstar Lily Allen have all attributed hypnosis for self-improvement, and a new product called "Weight Loss In Your Sleep" promises to bring that effect to anyone with an MP3 player.
Online PR News – 12-May-2009 – – Singapore, Singapore ( Onlineprnews ) May 12, 2009 -- Recently, more and more stars have embraced more healthy, holistic ways of staying fit - rigorous gymming, yoga, meditation and new age tactics like hypno-dieting.
Here are some celebrities who have recently spoken up about their experiences of using age old hypnosis and meditation techniques - Jessica Alba, Madonna, Richard Gere, Sting, Halle Berry, Samuel Jackson, Ellen Degeneres, Drew Barrymore, Ben Affleck, Lily Allen and Tiger Woods.
One of the things hypnotherapy has gained an outstanding rep for is helping people to break through the "fat barrier" by creating automatic, healthy, slimming habits in the mind.
The Duchess of York, actress Sophie Dahl, and Spice girl, Geri Halliwell turned to hypnosis to lose weight. More recently, "Us Magazine" reported that popular singer, Lily Allen paid $600 an hour for hypnosis.
She thinks it was well worth it - she quickly went from a hefty size 12 to a slim size 8- just in time to make much gushed about appearances at Paris's Fashion Week.
About her results from hypnosis, she beams, "After the hypnotism, I want to go to the gym every day, otherwise I feel really bad...I just want to get more toned and healthy. I'm really good about everything at the moment -- I've never been happier."
"It's a great technique for intelligent people keen on weight loss", says Rachit Dayal, a hypnotherapist specializing in weight loss using hypnosis. He adds, "Hypnosis allows us to skip the conscious mind chatter and directly program the unconscious mind to eat less, exercise more and live healthily".
Mr Dayal's new audio program, "Weight Loss In Your Sleep" is a hypnosis program designed to help people remove bad diet habits, resolve past emotional issues getting in the way and program new healthier living habits. More details can be found at http://www.WeightLossInYourSleep.com.
The site boasts of an innovative new feature, an interactive 4-question profiling quiz that tells people whether hypnosis will work for them after evaluating their age and concentration skills. During pre-launch testing of the quiz, it correctly predicted the weight loss results for an astonishing 87% of the test audience.
Weight Loss In Your Sleep (http://www.weightlossinyoursleep.com) is an interactive new program designed to help weight conscious people control cravings, remove bad habits and program themselves for a healthier lifestyle. The program retails for $19.95 and uses self-hypnosis recordings to achieve weight loss results.
In addition, the site contains articles and profiling quizzes to help people determine whether hypnosis is the right tool for weight management for them. Please visit http//www.WeightLossInYourSleep.com for more details.
Contact Address:
104 Bedok Reservoir Road
#15-366 Singapore 470104
Phone: +65 94896814


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How To Get Active Participation From Kids In Ramadan
Ramadan is back again! Have you planned in ways that can get your kids participated in the festival actively? If not, here are few tips:
1. Fast together as a family
Any activity that has been carried together as a family will create a positive impression in the minds of your kids. Kids see their parents as their role models, and when you set an example first, they will be bound to follow it out of respect.
2. Keep a Ramadan Journal
This could be like a checklist for good and bad deeds that kids would do knowingly or unknowingly. A Ramadan Journal will help you keep a tab on your kids' activities and reward them for their good deeds. This will help kids realize that as a parent, you are very much involved with them and what they do right or wrong, really matters to you.
3. Read children's books on Ramadan
Kids love stories. They relate to stories very well and can grasp what's being told at a relatively higher speed. Keep reading stories of Ramadan to them wherein they can relate to the main character and follow the Ramadan activities religiously without any hesitation.
4. Hold Ramadan competitions for children
Children tend to learn fast at a tender age. In order to increase their knowledge and clarify the Ramadan concepts to them, encourage them to learn from the very beginning years of their age. Hold Ramadan quizzes, storytelling competition, fancy dress competition, and many more similar events wherein kids get to know the festival in detail.
5. Breakfast together
Kids can be excellent timekeepers of the house during Ramadan. When your children fast with you the entire day from a very early age, they understand the value of food and bondings. During Ramadan, breaking fast together will help them connect with you in a better way imprinting in their minds that they are given quite a lot of importance with good food and company.
6. Pray Taraweeh together
Children enjoy going to Masjid with their parents for Taraweeh. During Ramadan, make sure you take your kids to pray Taraweeh every single day and not just the weekends. Praying Taraweeh along with the family and other members of the community goes a long way for kids. Attend Jumu'ah services together to instill family togetherness.
7. Invite families, friends, and neighbors for iftar
This should be a planned event well in advance. Make sure you involve your kids in planning the whole evening right from drafting invitations to bidding adieu to your guests. Children should understand that feeding a fasting person brings in huge rewards. Apart from feeding the neighbors, feed the travelers, the orphans and the poor. This will help them develop a sense of empathy.
8. Prepare for Eid by decorating the house together
Reward your youngsters with glazing candles, scented perfumes, gifts and food delicacies. As the Ramadan time flies, Eid arrives. Make this event a grand show along with your kids. Experiment new ideas to decorate the house with your kids and appreciate them for their participation.
It is always fun to spend some quality time with family and Ramadan makes it extremely comfortable even during the busy schedules.
Hope this Ramadan brings lots or prosperity, happiness and ever growing bonds for your friends and family.
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When Governor Phillip sent the clay to Sir Joseph Banks he wrote that this was the clay ...with which the Natives mark themselves, it is found in great plenty, a few feet below the surface ... the people use it to cover their Houses. Banks in turn sent the clay to his friend Josiah Wedgwood, who made a series of medallions marking the founding of the colony. The design shows `Hope encouraging Art and Labour under the influence of Peace, to pursue the employments necessary to give security and happiness to an infant colony'.
The medallions were made at Wedgwood's pottery at Etruria in Warwickshire, England. The pottery was named Etruria after the Etruscans of pre-Roman Italy who, in late 18th and early 19th century Europe, were romanticised and idealised as unspoilt by Greek or Roman civilization, living in harmony with nature. These pre-Imperial Etruscans were compared to the indigenous peoples of New South Wales and the Pacific Islands, who were called by the French philosopher Rousseau (among others) "Noble Savages" in allusion to the supposed similarities of their lifestyles with the those of the idealised Etruscans.
Some questions to research:
Image Source: State Library of NSW, Digital a928587 State Library of NSW, Picman
Medallion, 1789


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Harvey Castellano is a figurehead of San Diego-based amateur MMA promotion Epic Fighting, matchmaker, social media director, die-hard fight fan and friend of the show.
On Episode #38 of the "Going Down Swinging" podcast, Harvey Castellano stops by the studio for some fight talk, including a recap of Epic Fighting #30, which went down last Friday, UFC 196's high drama leading up to the highly anticipated Conor McGregor v Nate Diaz bout in Las Vegas and much more banter between friends.
As usual the banter goes down some weird rabbit holes and fun is consumed in multiple 12 ounce bottles of liquid gold.
As always, check us out on iTunes an Soundcloud, or simply listen using the link below.
Make sure to "Subscribe" on iTunes by searching "Going Down Swinging," and Soundcloud by searching "Fight Voice."
Contact us at firstname.lastname@example.com with questions and to inquire on advertising opportunities.


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0 comments
Not only does Paycom have the most beneficial solutions for our payroll needs, but they also are the most cost efficient. They offered services and products that the other companies could not touch for the same price.
Their sales executives were not only extremely knowledgeable, but very personable. Admittedly, we were very apprehensive about switching payroll services at first, but with Paycom's excellent transition specialists, every part of the initial payroll process went smoothly.
Product or Service Mentioned: Paycom Payroll Services.
Reason of review: Fair pricing.
Select Reason


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Posted by RRC on June 13, 2006
In Reply to: "Like a frog on the spring" posted by Lucia on June 13, 2006
: Hi I'm looking not for a meaning but for a phrase. In Slovak, when someone has information in his hands and is not willing to share it, we say he's "like a frog on the spring". I need to find a similar phrase in English.
: Help anyone?
Is your frog on a coiled-up spring ready to burst, a bouncy spring, or on a body of water that rises from the ground? Does he want to keep the secret, is he having a hard time keeping a secret, would he like to tell the secret but can't? Any particular reason why it's a frog and not a whale or a lion or a wildebeest?


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Join us at the Holiday Happenings and Santa Breakfast at Eddy Street Commons on Saturday, December 8, 2018! The Jolly Old Elf and Mrs. Claus will be making a special visit for boys and girls of all ages to kick-off the holiday season at this family-friendly event. Proceeds benefit the Food Bank of Northern Indiana.
Pancake Breakfast with Santa and Mrs. Claus at Brothers Bar and Grill at 8 a.m., 9 a.m. and 10 a.m.
Presale tickets are $6 per person. All attendees must purchase a ticket for the breakfast.
Photos with Santa are available for $8 per photo and can be purchased online.
10 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Visit the stores and restaurants at Eddy Street Commons for special promotions, free in-store activities and craft stations for the kids.
• Balloon Twisting
• Face Painting
• Carolers
• Magician
Don't miss Santa's Village located inside Hammes Bookstore & Cafe!
Story time with Santa - 11:45 a.m.
Santa Photos - 12:00 p.m. - 1 p.m. - $8 per photo.
Bring a food donation for a chance to win a $250 shopping spree at Eddy Street Commons!
Proceeds will benefit the Food Bank of Northern Indiana.
Sponsored by:
Brothers Bar & Grill, Hammes Bookstore & Cafe, Lighthouse Imaging and Kite.
Event subject to change without notice.
For more information, email email@example.com.


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Call it competitive intelligence, market intelligence, media monitoring or something else, a successful intelligence gathering function shares a few common characteristics that translate into effectiveness, efficiency and strategic importance.
Learn more about the evolving role of IR in competitive intelligence by downloading our white paper today.
View the white paper today!
Sign Up for a Demo
Communicate Like Never Before.Request A Demo


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Of course the Orange Monte Carlo has HSDPA built in, and Wi-Fi too, so you can use either to get onto the internet. The 4.3-inch screen with its 480 x 800 pixel resolution makes looking at web pages a treat.
It's a bit annoying that the home page is Orange World, but it's easy to reset this to any page.
The TechRadar home page is a complex one for small smartphones, but it renders well on the large screen of the Orange Monte Carlo. Initial loading quickly gives you a readable screen that you can pan around, and it looks good in both portrait and landscape formats.
A double-tap zooms you out to a full page view, which in many instances will be just about readable.
Text reflowing is very good. If you use the small zoom buttons that appear at the bottom-right of the screen when you tap it, you can get in really close, with full text reflow in operation. However, pinching and zooming sadly doesn't yield the same results, so best to use buttons for reading text at your preferred size.
Or, of course, you can get to a more sensible text size for reading.
Despite having an 800MHz processor, the Orange Monte Carlo doesn't have Flash support. This is a big disappointment, because the large screen really does lend itself to watching streamed video embedded into web pages.
The YouTube client presents no problems, with content streaming really well and the large screen doing a great job.
Yes it's an LCD-TFT, so the colours can lack the vibrancy of an AMOLED screen, but it's perfectly viewable, if a little washed out.
We do, however, have to say that if you're outside the screen can become unreadable. And the brighter the sunlight, the more trouble you're in. It's a problem we came up against on more than one occasion.


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the best for bmx would be that you guys stop being super jealous and hating on everything! Go out and riding your bikes !!!
Only bad reason why I see walmart selling legit bmx bikes is that another big corporation is gonna take away from the mom an pops bike shops. I do agree that walmart getting into the bmx mix is bad for bmx. But spinner is all about that cash flow.
walmart sponsors, fricking play or mike spinner is a sellout - this is so bad for bmx- screw this whole comp
If you let one logo on one ramp make you hate a whole contest, I think it's safe to say you're overreacting. Embrace the good riding.
im pretty sure if walmart gave you some cash it would be up on this site to. its nice to see vitalbmx has now released the vitalscooter domain back for sale to save its bmx visitors (or at least some of them). $$$$$$$$$ - I only come to this site for the media. But to see names like walmart up and around the bmx scene is just bad. really bad. almost as bad as mail order bmx companies (Vein? is that what they are called?) where you cant even test ride the bike your about to buy. Wonder how much they gave you for the ad space?
There's a Vital MX and a Vital MTB site, but never a scooter one (nor was one ever even considered). Sorry to let you down.
Congrats on being so cool and knowledgeable about all things BMX. Hopefully we can continue to provide you with "the media" you desire. No sure what on the site isn't a part of "the media," but your vision obviously must be correct.
Allow myself to drop some knowledge on you. What Hyper does with Walmart is called "licencing" , which means that Hyper licenses their name and logo to the companies that produce Walmart specific bikes (Pacific was a big entity the last time I checked), these companies produce these bikes just like all the other ones they produce and use Hyper's name and logo to make the bike desirable to non-elite buyers (AKA those kids who just saw Mike Spinner online and only want to pedal around and pop some wheelies). While Hyper and their primary production company make the high-end bmx products for elite buyers (AKA kids who already know a little something about bmx and want a good piece of equipment). So at the end of the day Hyper collects their royalties from the commissioned company and Walmart and puts that money back into bmx.
Why the sticker? Walmart wants that kid ( the one who only wishes to pop a wheelie) to know that he can easily buy a bicycle even if he does not come from a family with a large amount of disposable income.
Why does play even want the sticker? Walmart spends a pretty penny on advertising and likely paid enought to easily cover some of the overhead for the contest.
Why do I think less off you? Because if you had your way, Bmx would be so elite that people like me would have never been able to afford to enter Bmx at a young age. As a matter of fact if Bmx were that elite I can't promise i would even want to be a part of it.
Brilliant and well said. Teach the twelve year olds a thing or two.
anyone know where i can get some walmart stickers?


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Last time I bought an Amazon tablet adding the Google store was a real pain! It takes about 3 minutes and one reboot on the new Amazon Fire HD 10. In order to get the most out of my new 7th generation Amazon Tablet, I needed the Google Play store. GMail, Chrome and a few other apps were not available via Amazon's walled ... Read More »
Category Archives: iPad
Apple agrees to a new licensing deal with Warner Music Group
Apple has agreed to a new music licensing deal with Warner Music Group, according to a report from Bloomberg. The new multi-year agreement will allow Apple to pay Warner a smaller percentage of its streaming revenue than it agreed to when it launched Apple Music two years ago. Apple's original licensing deals for Apple Music had it paying labels roughly 58 ... Read More »
Pebble creator made an iPhone case that can store and charge AirPods
Apple's AirPods — like many truly wireless headphones — need to be recharged fairly often. This is typically done through the included case, which charges your headphones while you store them in it. PodCase is a new Kickstarter project from former Pebble creator Eric Migicovsky that aims to make that process a little easier by directly integrating an AirPod charger into an ... Read More »
Huawei set to overtake Apple in smartphone sales, but that's before the iPhone 8
Apple managed to achieve a little year-on-year growth in iPhone sales in its most recent quarter, but market intelligence data from Strategy Analytics, Canalys and TrendForce show that the company looks set to be overtaken by Chinese brand Huawei … Strategy Analytics and Canalys posted some of their data online, while TrendForce emailed us. All three firms show Huawei achieving strong growth over the past ... Read More »
NASA is going to send a spacecraft up to "touch the sun"
You know when you take your Fray Bentos pie out of the oven, and while it's sitting there on your plate, you can't help but just gaze at that scorching hot grill tray, eyes full of wonder, desperate to touch it? A quick boop on that steaming lattice would be OK, right? A tiny little tap wouldn't hurt, would it? A quick ... Read More »
HomePod latest news – UK price, release date, design & specs
Apple is finally getting into the smart home speaker business with the HomePod, its rival to the Amazon Echo and Google Home, which have driven popularity for their Siri alternatives. Much like its rivals, the Siri-enabled speaker will be able to respond to voice commands and play music, set alarms, control smart devices, and search for information online. What makes ... Read More »
How to use an Apple ID account
f you own an iPhone, an iPad or almost any other modern Apple device, sooner or later you're likely to end up with an Apple ID. This essentially consists of a single login, your Apple ID – usually your name followed by iCloud.com, me.com, or mac.com – and a password. An Apple ID is used for a wide range of ... Read More »
Zagg Folio review: iPad Air 2 keyboard case can boost your productivity
Wireless keyboards for the iPad come in all shapes and sizes. Some duplicate Apple's Smart Cover approach by only covering the screen when it's not in use. Others forgo attaching to the iPad, letting users decide which case to use. And some keyboards offer complete protection. Such is the case (forgive the pun) with the Zagg Folio. The Folio is ... Read More »
Split-screen mode could be a huge selling point for the rumored iPad Pro
Apple fans would never deign to carry a Surface Pro, but Microsoft's advanced tablet has a lot to offer. PCWorld's Mark Hachman swears by his Surface Pro 3, praising its light weight, generous 12-inch screen size, and improved Type Cover. Since it runs full Windows 8.1, he can run all the same apps he has on a more traditional PC, ... Read More »
Hidden iOS 9 keyboard hints at a larger-screen iPad Pro
In yet another sign that an iPad Pro is coming, Apple has apparently stashed away a keyboard for larger screens in iOS 9. Developer Steve Troughton-Smith discovered this larger keyboard format while delving through the iOS 9 software development kit. The layout is similar to a standard physical keyboard, with keys for tab, caps lock, colon, pipe, question mark, angle ... Read More »


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Contents with tag: Kidapawan
IBON International expresses its solidarity with the marginalized who continue to assert their economic and social rights.
The International Coalition for Human Rights in the Philippines (ICHRP) released their new edition of "Inang Bayan" which highlights the Global Day of Action for the thousands of farmers and peasants who were brutally dispersed and fired at by police forces in Kidapawan, North Cotabato during a legitimate protest action for food relief.
IBON International condemns in the strongest terms the violent repression in Kidapawan undertaken by the Philippine National Police (PNP) in response to the occupation by 6,000 unarmed peasants and Lumad tribe-members of the Kidapawan highway to demand food aid and immediate relief from drought for the six (6) El Niño-stricken municipalities of which they are residents. The attack reportedly resulted in seven (7) deaths and over a hundred injured, while some 89 (including women, elderly and six minors) are counted among those still missing.


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MyTek Blog
Phoenix IT Services Solutions for Modern Workspaces
The modern worker (or really, the modern person) spends a lot of their time looking at a computer screen. Considering this, it only makes sense that their screens and the items displayed on them are arranged in a way that they like. Our tip covers a few shortcuts to help you arrange and view the items on your workstation a little quicker. Business software that reduces frustration and increases productivity part of the Phoenix IT solutions that MyTek offers to businesses interested in harnessing the power of technology to grow.
Business Software Education is one of the valuable Phoenix IT Services Solutions That MyTek Offers
Saving time and staying organized is important in a business environment. One of the Phoenix IT solutions that MyTek offers to Phoenix area business clients is training to help employees maximize the effectiveness of the software they are using. Multi-monitor setups are becoming increasingly popular in the workplace. It helps users stay organized while working on multiple applications at the same time. While windows and applications can be dragged from one screen to another, there is a helpful shortcut that makes it easier for users to quickly switch back and forth between applications. With the window you want transferred to your other display selected, press Windows Key + Shift + Left/Right (depending on which way the window needs to go). This shortcut also allows you to quickly dock an active window to either side of its current monitor, with one easy change: Windows Key + Left/Right.
Screen Zoom In/Out
Sometimes, you want your entire screen to zoom in and zoom out to better show what you are looking at. There are a few ways to accomplish this. You can either zoom in and out by pressing CTRL + (+) and CTRL + (-) respectively, or simply CTRL + Scroll Wheel to zoom in and out freely. When you want to return to the default screen view, you can do so quickly by pressing CTRL + 0. This will reset the screen magnification.
More Quick Phoenix IT Solutions for Windows Settings & Applications
Have you ever found that one setting is driving you nuts, and you want, no, need to change it? A quick way to pull up Windows settings is to press Windows Key + I.
Switching Applications
There are times when a person can hit a real groove as they work, and their productivity really hits a high point. The next time you feel this is happening to you, you can try out a shortcut for switching active applications without even needing to take your hands off the keyboard. Holding Alt + Tab will bring up miniaturized versions of all of your open windows, from where the directional keys can be used to select the window you want to work in next.
Becoming a Windows power user is easier than it sounds, all it takes is practicing the use of these kinds of shortcuts until they're second nature. Do you have a shortcut that you use all the time? Share it in the comments!
MAXIMIZE Your Business PRODUCTIVITY with 30 Days of FREE Outsourced Phoenix IT SERVICES Solutions
We genuinely care about helping your business succeed, and we put our money where our mouth is to prove it. MyTek is so certain that we can help make your business more effective with comprehensive Phoenix IT solutions and helpdesk services, that we offer the opportunity to try our Phoenix IT services for 30 days at NO COST. This includes consultation, on-boarding, and servicing for 30 days at no cost. Unlike other Phoenix business IT companies, our technology services business is built on our clients' satisfaction, so we don't require contracts going forward. We partner with you to make your business better. Our Phoenix IT services solutions will help your business harness the power of technology to maximize growth. Interested? E-mail or call us at / 623-312-2444 to take advantage of our complimentary IT assessment and a 30-day trial of Phoenix IT services solutions that will amaze you!


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Certain buildings embody power – monumental in stature, luxurious in design and found in prime locations. Dozens of official buildings are opening their doors to the Swiss public this weekend as part of the European Heritage Days.
Castles, palaces, courts, town halls, farm houses and churches are just a few of the structures that will be welcoming the public as part of Switzerland's heritage weekendexternal link that goes under the slogan 'Power and Glory'.
Held in September each year, European Heritage Days take place in 50 countries that are party to the European Cultural Convention. Doors are opened to numerous monuments and sites, allowing citizens to enjoy free visits, workshops and events, and to learn about their shared cultural heritage. The annual event also aims to encourage people to get involved in preserving this heritage for future generations.


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Mayoral candidates Wayne Bradshaw and Peter Butler have become the target of vandals after having their faces hacked out of billboards promoting them for council.
A candidate for the Hawke's Bay Regional Council, Rex Graham, has also had his billboard defaced.
Mr Bradshaw, who is contesting the Hastings mayoralty, first noticed one of the signs, on the corner of Arataki Rd and Te Mata Rd, had been targeted about a week ago.
"Someone had cut out my face with a very sharp blade."
Just a few days ago Mr Bradshaw received a call to advise him another one of his signs had been vandalised, this time on Mill Rd.
"I went out and had a look and it appears to be a very similar process. What's concerning for me is that there are people roaming around with very sharp blades in their pockets doing stupid stuff."
He said he has no idea who would be targeting his billboards or why they would have done it.
Mr Bradshaw said it is "odd" that on a corner where three other candidates also have billboards, only his was vandalised.
"I've never been shy in saying what I think, so that might have something to do with it ...
"So far this election I've been very pleased with all the positive comments I've had but it's obviously just a small section of society that do stupid things like this."
Mr Bradshaw said he has heard of small amounts of vandalism and graffiti of signs in the past and said it's "unfortunate but not unforseeable."
"I'd rather they attack a bit of plastic than me personally."
Despite the incidents Mr Bradshaw is not too worried about the cost of replacing the signs and has kept a good sense of humour.
"Perhaps they needed a new face for their dartboards."
Mr Butler, who is hoping for another term as mayor of Central Hawke's Bay, said he "is not a happy camper".
"I've had my face cut out of two billboards, a moustache drawn on one and a moustache and horns drawn on another."
He said he has tried to go to the police about it but told that it is all part of the course of running for council.
"I think that's a weak excuse. We're talking about $200 or $300 signs here, if I went and did that to someone's letterbox or something the police would be doing something about it."
Hastings mayoral candidate and Hastings District councillor Simon Nixon jokingly said it was not him who defaced the signs and thought about sticking his face in the gap which had been left.
"To my knowledge none of my signs have been damaged. I was very careful with the way I designed mine using a black background because I thought most of these people would use black paint to vandalise them," he said.
"I also used chipboard or plywood so its quite hard to punch a hole in it unless you karate kick it."
"It's always disappointing to see it happen, but I guess some people just have the urge to smash signs up. By the time you put these signs up it can cost $250 out of your own pocket."
Hastings mayor Lawrence Yule said he had seen Mr Bradshaw's sign with the missing face and so far during this year's campaign said none of his had been damaged.
"They haven't this year but they have in the past. They don't really know how much it costs to put these signs up," he said. "So far I don't actually think the vandalism has been so bad this year."
Mr Butler said the way he looks at it he has given two years of his life to Central Hawke's Bay and would like the culprits to speak to him directly.
"I know not everyone is going to agree with me on everything I do but why don't they just front up? I've got no problem with people ringing me up or coming to see me, just don't wreck my property."
In a further act of vandalism, a billboard for Hawke's Bay Regional Council candidate Rex Graham on Te Aute Road, Havelock North has also had the face cut out of it. He is contesting the Havelock North ward.
Despite the incidents, Hastings District Council electoral officer Richard Palmer said it is the first he has heard of the vandalism.
"Unfortunately there's not much we can do. We have no powers over private property."
Napier City Council deputy electoral officer Elaine Cooper said vandalism has not been a problem in Napier.
"I haven't heard of any or seen any but I haven't really gone around policing it. It's pretty self-policing."
She said if members of the public had a problem with any signs they could complain to her and she would contact the candidate.
Ms Cooper is also in her first year as deputy electoral officer but has been involved in the elections for many years.


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Stephen Goldstein Has Joined Evercore as a Senior Managing Director in Its Restructuring and Debt Ad
Stephen Goldstein Has Joined Evercore as a Senior Managing Director in Its Restructuring and Debt Advisory Group
NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Evercore Partners Inc. (NYS: EVR) announced today that Stephen Goldstein has joined the Firm's Investment Banking business as a Senior Managing Director in its Restructuring and Debt Advisory Group. Mr. Goldstein is based in New York and will focus on providing corporate restructuring and financing advice.
Mr. Goldstein was most recently a Managing Director in the Restructuring Group at Lazard. Prior to joining Lazard in 2002, he served in several investment banking positions at Thomas Weisel Partners and its predecessor firm, Montgomery Securities. Mr. Goldstein began his career as an attorney at Morgan, Lewis & Bockius, where he specialized in securities law and mergers and acquisitions. Mr. Goldstein has over 17 years of experience in a broad range of corporate finance activities, including restructurings, mergers and acquisitions, and debt and equity financings. He has recently advised corporate clients and creditor groups on a number of significant restructuring and debt financing transactions, including engagements for The Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Company, iStar Financial, Charter Communications, the lenders to Masonite International, WCI Communities, Jacuzzi Brands and Spanish Broadcasting Systems, among others. Mr. Goldstein, 42, received his Juris Doctor from NYU School of Law and his Bachelor of Arts from Cornell University.
"We are delighted that Steve has joined Evercore," said Ralph Schlosstein, Evercore's CEO. "This hire is a demonstration of our commitment to maintaining a world-class effort in restructuring and debt advisory." David Ying, Head of Evercore's Restructuring and Debt Advisory Group, said, "Steve is very highly regarded in the restructuring community and his background and skill set perfectly complement our team of senior bankers."
"I am thrilled to be joining the Evercore team and to being a part of the Firm's continuing growth," said Mr. Goldstein. "Evercore's truly independent platform, strong restructuring and debt advisory practice and impressive group of industry bankers combine to present an extremely exciting opportunity."
About Evercore Partners
Evercore Partners is a leading independent investment banking advisory firm. Evercore's Investment Banking business advises its clients on mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, restructurings, financings, public offerings, private placements and other strategic transactions and also provides institutional investors with high quality research, sales and trading execution that is free of the conflicts created by proprietary activities; Evercore's Investment Management business comprises wealth management, institutional asset management and private equity investing. Evercore serves a diverse set of clients around the world from its offices in New York, Boston, Chicago, Minneapolis, Houston, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Washington D.C., Toronto, London, Aberdeen, Scotland, Mexico City and Monterrey, Mexico, Hong Kong and Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo, Brazil. More information about Evercore can be found on the Company's website at www.evercore.com.
Evercore Partners
Robert B. Walsh, 212-857-3100
Chief Financial Officer
Evercore Partners
Tim LaLonde, 212-857-3100
COO, Investment Banking
The Abernathy MacGregor Group, for Evercore Partners
Carina Davidson, 212-371-5999
KEYWORDS: United States North America New York
The article Stephen Goldstein Has Joined Evercore as a Senior Managing Director in Its Restructuring and Debt Advisory Group originally appeared on Fool.com.Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
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Find the right solution for your business with our free Fleet Management Buyer's Guide.
5 Tips to Help Drivers Transition to Electronic Logs
With the publishing of the final rule in December 2015, drivers who record their Hours of Service (HOS)* will need to find and implement an Electronic Logging Device (ELD) prior to the deadline.
While the change has been welcomed by the ATA and lawmakers who feel that paper logs have been proven to be less accurate and easy to manipulate, some drivers are not so enthusiastic, fearing an invasion of privacy and 'big brother' management.
Regardless of where your drivers stand on the issue, everyone will have to be compliant. If you're looking for ways you can help your drivers adapt to the ELD change, check out the five things that could have your teams changing their point of view and welcoming the necessary transition to all things digital.
But first...be patient.It's important to remember that change is difficult for everyone, even when the change itself is positive. There may be some grumbling, some reminiscing about the good old days and a few comments about technology taking over but often those complaints are triggered by the hassle of learning something new. Stick with it, be patient with your drivers and in time they'll see it's not as bad as maybe they imagined it was. It's likely they'll even start appreciating the benefits of ditching paperwork.
1. Get educated
We're not saying you need to read all 126 pages of the ELD final rule but it's good to get a grasp of the basics.
A good place to start is to browse our ELD blog posts, which cover some of the more popular questions as well as a few more of the brass-tack details like who's exempt, can the logs be edited and whether violations are automatically reported to the DOT.
Being informed about what the new legislation requires, how the technology works and what it will mean for your employees - or at least know where you can go to get reliable, up-to-date answers - will help you ease any concerns drivers might have.
For example, the rule states that for the purpose of recording HOS, location accuracy is limited to a 1-mile radius while on duty, and a 10-mile radius during personal time, with updates reported only once every 60 minutes (see 78296 Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 241).
There are also specific provisions to prevent use of the technology to harass drivers, and legislated procedures for drivers who feel these guidelines have been overstepped by their employer. Making sure that ELDs can be muted while the driver is sleeping, is one example of preventing harassment.
If you have any specific questions not already covered, feel free to contact us for assistance.
2. Communicate openly
During this transition phase it's important to make sure everyone is kept well-informed about what's changing and why. Employees are often sensitive to talk of change and rumors can run rampant through the company grapevine - early intervention is key.
Take the time to explain exactly what an ELD is, and what it isn't. Unfortunately there are a lot of misunderstandings about what ELDs are and what they will be monitoring. The ELD mandate actually places specific restrictions on what information can be tracked, and the requirement that drivers will be able to access their records.
Some topics worth covering include:
How the technology works: No need to go into great detail but some basics to demystify how hours are recorded, stored and transferred
Driver rights: Including what is required during a roadside inspection and perceived harassment
Plan B: What to do when the device breaks down or service is disrupted
How the information is used: Including reporting of violations and length of storage (FMCSA requires ELD data to be stored for a minimum of six months)
Timeline: When your fleet plans to implement the new devices (must be prior to the FMCSA's deadline of December 2017 if you didn't install an EOBR before December 2015)
General Q&A: Invite the team to share their own questions
Keep the tone of your communication inclusive. ELDs are mandated by the FMCSA and require the whole business (managers, drivers and back office) to adapt to a new way of doing things, so it's not just drivers who have to be trained and brought into the loop.
Whether your communication is written or verbal keep it transparent and upbeat. While it's fine to reference the new legislation as the reason for the change, it's best to avoid a "them and us" mentality. Focus on the positives, which leads us to our next point...
3. Keep it positive
Electronic logging offers welcome relief to a task that has historically been labor-intensive. ELDs also introduce a number of changes that directly benefit the driver including:
- Minimize interruptions from the back office doing "driver check" calls to verify delivery ETA or HOS availability.
- Maximize driving time by using every available minute, unlike paper logging that required rounding up to the nearest fifteen minutes.
- Minimized paperwork with an end to manual paper logbook entries.
- Improved safety with increased accountability on both employers and drivers to respect legal limits and off-duty time.
- Harassment protection with secure digital audit trail to prevent unwanted coercion or manipulation of paper logs.
- The opportunity to get recognition for their good driving with metric-based scorecards that can be used to reward a high standard of work.
- Streamlined roadside checks - DOT officers can verify HOS with direct access to the ELD (via Bluetooth or USB).
While there are obvious benefits for drivers, it's not all rainbows and butterflies . There may well be growing pains, particularly as the team gets used to the change. But with an effective management plan, the right ELD solution and emphasizing the benefits, your drivers will be more likely to accept the change positively.
4. Follow through on managing the change
The transition from paper HOS logs to ELDs could be an extended process, particularly if you're running a large fleet. The FMCSA recognizes that it will take time for fleets and owner operators to adapt, providing everyone with a two-year window to make the switch.
Effective change management includes having a big picture view of the changeover and taking all affected parties into account. Make sure that your management plan covers the full process, from preparing for the switch, deploying ELDs and then following up with drivers after the rollout.
Avoid leaving things to the last minute (there are many benefits for switching sooner rather than later) or dropping the change on drivers and hoping for the best.
Throughout the whole process keeping the lines of communication open, and feedback flowing, will help to smooth out any speed bumps along the way.
5. Share the rewards
Employees respond to incentives so try the 'more carrot, less stick' approach to win them over. Implementing ELDs offers a range of cost-savings to the business (even more when you combine it with a full fleet management system) including greater uptime, lower administration, maintenance and fuel costs and increased safety measures.
Fleets that have installed electronic logging solutions are also seeing an increase in utilization, fully maximizing the allowable number of driving hours.
This all adds up to improved profitability for the business, which in turn provides drivers with better job security. But what about giving back to drivers in a more tangible way?
Some firms, like Atkinson Construction, have used a coaching option within their GPS vehicle tracking solution as a way to inspire a better standard of driving. This scorecard approach, only possible with electronic logging, is an objective method of rewarding good performance out on the road.
Cash incentives, employee perks or recognition can all make a driver's job more rewarding - and change their opinion of ELDs. And it's great news for good drivers. Finally, their skill behind the wheel is being recognized.
Need help with the ELD rollout?
We have years of experience implementing mobile enterprise management and compliance solutions and we'd be happy to help you through the transition to ELDs.
We can offer ELD assistance that will get - and keep - your fleet compliant. More than that, our solutions focus on making sure you get the maximum benefit from electronic logging, with most implementations returning a positive ROI within 120 days.
- Hardware: Flexible hardware choices available including built-in options from manufacturers such as Volvo, Hino, Ford, GM and Mack. Some of our GPS vehicle tracking solutions are also Apple Mobility Partners, which is good news for businesses that use iPhones, iPads or other Apple mobile products.
- Software: Ready-to-buy ELD solutions that integrate with our comprehensive platform that includes advanced telematics, route optimization, a complete compliance suite, real-time work order management, driver coaching apps and more.
- Training: Online and on-site training options available.
- Implementation: Enlist our trained consultants to work by your side to ensure your new ELD solution is deployed successfully.
If you'd like to get in touch to find out more, drop us a line. Together, we can make the ELD switch a positive change, for you and your drivers.