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Normally, I'm not one to rant on here ...
But awards were a bit of a joke this year. Fighters tell me they love them and it means something to them. But not enough, I guess.
At least one award will be left vacant this year because NOBODY took the 10 minutes (max) it takes to write up a proper nomination.
Fighters, promoters, matchmakers, managers, coaches ... they all slacked this year. It's a bit embarrassing really.
Thanks to the few people who did send in proper nominations (note, those of you who TEXTED nominations...those were not counted, as per the rules...there was a format to follow and simply saying "Joe Blow should get KO of the year" wasn't it.)
Only one promotion sent in nominations for its show, Driller. Yeah, I hate to make it the Driller awards, but I am left with little choice... Have a sweet knockout or submission on another show? Well, chances are your promoter didn't bother nominating you.
The good news is a few coaches and managers did send in stuff from other shows, so it won't be a driller sweep.
Anyway, that's my rant. Serenity now!!!! It is what it is ... was just a bit frustrating this year.
So...tickets. I have tickets for the big show at Epic on Saturday. I'll do a contest or two this week to give away a few pairs!!! Watch for the alert.
Lots coming this week!
In the meantime ... talk about awards amongst yourselves
- The best place for Minnesota Mix Martial Arts news!
- It is currently Thu Aug 13, 2020 7:59 pm
Everything you ever wanted to know about Mixed Martial Arts in Minnesota...
9 posts • Page 1 of 1
Re: Awards
With the loss of CFX and Brutal their aren't a lot of promotions putting on regular shows anywhere, or maybe that's just the way it seems to me. Driller has clearly taken over in the cities and a lot of the guys up their don't see a reason to fight any where else, everybody likes fighting close to home. So doesn't it just make since that most of the awards would go to them? That being said I think Nick Palmer deserves KO of the year. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JDa_5SwmXfI
Re: Awards
I think you're missing the point...
Wanna take a swing at how many promotions not named Driller ran shows in Minnesota this year???
10! Yes, ten!! Fearless Fighting Championships, Full Nelson Promotions, Shine, GenX, King of the Cage, CFX, Savage Entertainment, Valhalla Cagefighting, Brutaal and Iron Works/3 River Throwdown.
I received zero "legal" total nominations from those 10 promotions (luckily a few coaches or managers sent in at least one nomination from a non-Driller show).
Makes it kind of tough not to become a Driller-fest.
The other rant ...
My question to all fighters is...did you sit down and take the time to write out a nomination for your coach???
I'll answer for you. No.
I've completed my review of nominations, and awards will be posting shortly. Two categories will be left blank. It's sad either way.
But like I said, maybe it's not a big deal to people. And I can understand that.
Re: Awards
I wish people took this more seriously as well, I sent in a nomination for a NON DRILLER fight! KO of the Year! Nick "The Inspiration" Palmer!!!!
Re: Awards
From the original post ...
"The good news is a few coaches and managers did send in stuff from other shows, so it won't be a driller sweep."
Luckily, a few people did send in stuff. Not enough though. First batch of awards will be announced tonight.
Re: Awards
1. why is Nick Palmer going 3rd person on this forum.
2. on behalf of all fighters in MN, we should have threw in more votes
Re: Awards
-Should have made a signature.... this is one of Nick's Managers!
Re: Awards
Yeah, Palmer is so big time, he's got a management team...
Love you Nick
Re: Awards
Can't wait to meet and work with you this year!
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Injustice: Gods Among Us - Xbox 360 Cheats
Super Gamer Dude
Injustice Gods Among Us Xbox 360 achievements.
Carry out the following tasks to get the corresponding number of Gamerscore points:-
All Star (10 points) Get 100 Stars in S.T.A.R. Lab Mode.
Almost There (20 points) Complete 50% of Story Mode.
Arkham City Lockdown (10 points) Defeat every Villain With Batman.
Around and Around We Go (20 points) Perform every level interaction once.
Around The World (15 points) Knock opponent through all transitions across all levels.
Beginner's Luck! (10 points) Win a single online match.
Breaking Records (10 points) Win 100 complete Online Matches.
Buddy System (10 points) Enter Online Practice with someone on your friends list.
Bull in a China Shop (100 points) Cause maximum damage in all Arenas (does not include Practice mode).
Cosplay (5 points) Unlock a costume in the Archives.
Feel the Burn! (10 points) Perform every Meter Burn special move of every character.
FINISHED (10 points) Win a match with the super move of any character.
Go Sit in the Corner (10 points) Win a multiplayer match with a timeout.
Gonna Need More Closet Space (20 points) Unlock all costumes in the Archives.
Groundbreaking (10 points) Use every interactable and win in a multiplayer match.
Heavy Hitter (10 points) Perform a 10 hit combo with every character.
Hoarder (50 points) Unlock everything in Archives.
Holy Knockout Batman! (10 points) Win 10 complete Ranked matches.
I Can Back it Up (5 points) Equip a new Background Image.
I Conquered All (20 points) Beat All S.T.A.R. Lab Missions (Excluding DLC).
I Voted! (10 points) Vote Correctly in a KOTH match.
Iconic Representation (5 points) Equip a new Icon.
It Has Begun (10 points) Complete 1 S.T.A.R. Lab Mission.
Justice for All (80 points) Complete 100% of Story Mode.
Learning is Fun (10 points) Complete Tutorial.
Looking Good! (5 points) Equip a new Character Portrait.
Lucky Break (10 points) Win 1 complete Ranked match.
Metahuman (10 points) Perform every special move of every character.
Mini-Master (25 points) Win all story mode minigames.
Only a Real Master (10 points) Make a comeback when at low health (10% or less).
Over The Top! (10 points) Play 200 complete Online Matches.
Overachiever (15 points) Get 3 stars on 1 S.T.A.R. Lab Mission.
Overthrown (10 points) Dethrone the King in an online match.
Perfect Aim (10 points) Win a match as Deathstroke without missing a shot
(minimum 12 shots).
Practice Makes Perfect (10 points) Enter Practice Mode.
Rise to the Top (10 points) Complete Classic Battle with any character.
Sidekick (10 points) Reach Level 10.
Statistical Advantage (10 points) View Your Hero Card.
Streak Ender (10 points) Defeat a Survivor.
Superhuman! (10 points) Perform every character's supermove.
The Caped Crusader (10 points) Win with Batman using every special move and his Supermove.
The Hero We Deserve (100 points) Reach Level 100.
Throwdown! (10 points) Perform 8 throws and win in a multiplayer match.
Top Rung (25 points) Complete Classic Battle with all characters.
Tourist (30 points) Send an opponent through all three Metropolis transitions
in one fight.
True Marksman (10 points) Win a match with Green Arrow using only arrows.
Ultimate Battler (50 points) Complete Battle Mode.
Unstoppable Force (10 points) Win a Clash sequence with any character.
World's Finest (100 points) Complete All S.T.A.R. Lab Missions with 3 Stars.
Wrecking Ball (10 points) Knock an opponent through a transition.
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subset: commoncrawl


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|"Are you a wizard or not?"
The title of this article is conjectural. Although it is based on canonical information, the actual name is a conjecture and may be supplanted at any time by additional information released from canonical sources. If this occurs, please move this page to the appropriate title.
- "They burned down Dedalus Diggle's house, but as you know he wasn't there..."
- —Remus Lupin tells of the attack[src]
This was a short but disastrous attack by Lord Voldemort's Death Eaters on the home of Order of the Phoenix member, Dedalus Diggle on 1 August, 1997.[1]
The attack occurred almost immediately after the fall of the British Ministry of Magic, during which it was taken over by the Death Eaters. The house was well-protected by complex and powerful protective enchantments which prevented the Death Eaters entering it before this, but the power of the Ministry enabled them to dismantle this magic and enter the house. They presumably searched the house, but found nobody there as Diggle was in hiding with Harry Potter's relatives, the Dursleys. Because of this, the Death Eaters burnt down the house and vacated the scene, presumably to come to the aid of their fellows who were at the very same time staging similar attacks on the houses of Order members countrywide.[1]
See also
- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (First mentioned)


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The Specialist Buyers Guide for the Hospitality Business
Found Under:Hotel Management ... Hotel Reservation... Reservation Software Reservation Systems Room Reservation ... Table Reservation... Computer Systems ... Guest Management Hospitality Manag... Hotel Booking System Hotel Management ... Hotel Reservation... Hotel Software Property Manageme... Reservation Systems POS & Back Office... View More
NewBook has been developed from the ground up in conjunction with over 10 years' worth of feedback from managers and staff at resorts, holiday parks, hotels and motels around the world.
Built using more than a decade's worth of feedback and experience from experts, NewBook is browser-based, intuitive, highly responsive and incredibly flexible. It streamlines accommodation and reservation tasks so everything can be managed from one place, whether in the office, at home, on-site or on the move. Newbook Property Management Software is the solution you've been looking for.
NewBook's innovative reservation system designed to give property operators tools that they previously could only imagine. Built from the ground up as a web-based, cloud hosted system. NewBook automates many day-to-days tasks and can be access from any computer or mobile device with a web browser, eliminating the need for expensive on-site servers.
As a web-based system, NewBook is both tablet and smartphone friendly. Its amazing desktop-like appearance makes it easy and convenient to use. It also spots an integrated online booking engine, SiteMinder Channel Manager connectivity and an integrated virtual credit card gateway for online payment processing. With 90 reports generated in seconds, putting data to hand in a usable and useful format. Over 140 property worldwide switched to NewBook within its first 18 months of operation.
Book a free 10 minute demo today to find out why.
Found Under:Reservation Systems EPOS Solutions Fo... POS & Back Office... POS Printing Solu... View More


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THE BRAZEN CAREERIST- Make new friends: Choose workplace for connections
Here's some advice for those of you who don't like your job: maybe the job is not your problem. Maybe it's that you're not trying hard enough to make friends at work.
People with one friend at work are much more likely to find their work interesting. And people with at least three close friends at work are 96 percent more likely to be extremely satisfied with their life.
These are some of the findings Tom Rath reports in his new book, Vital Friends: The People You Can't Afford to Live Without. A longtime Gallup Organization employee who leads its workplace and leadership consulting worldwide, Rath draws on more than five million interviews conducted by the research and polling organization.
Rath says a friend who can change your work environment is "someone you spend a lot of time in a relationship with. And you are probably making a difference in that person's life, too. If the person were gone, work would be less fun."
Rath has identified eight different friendship roles. No single person can be all these roles at once, and the fatal flaw people make in relationships is asking that of one person– often a boss or a spouse.
A navigator, for example, is someone who is like a mentor. You don't need to have regular conversations with the person, but when you do, they are very meaningful in your life. A connector is the type of friend made famous by Malcolm Gladwell, in The Tipping Point, for being able to give you a network. And a champion is the type of friend who thrives on your accomplishments and happiness.
The threshold for gaining the benefits of health and life satisfaction from friendship is three or four friends. Here are some steps to make those friends:
1. Identify someone appropriate. "When I was in human resources, I had a lot of confidential information, so it was no surprise that I became friends with the executive assistant for the CEO, who also had a lot of confidential information," says Heather Mundell, career coach and author of the Dream Big blog.
2. Be open. On the Internet, where ranting is de rigeur, it would seem that half of all workers are surrounded by idiots. This way of thinking will not find you friends. "We like to think we can size someone up in 10 seconds. But often our opinions of people change over time," says Mundell.
3. Make time for face-to-face contact. "If someone stops by your cube and says,'Do you have few minutes?' it's nice if you do. Be a good listener," says Mundell. "Over time, problem solving together and venting will lead to building trust. You should stop by peoples' cubes and shoot the breeze, too."
4. Choose your surroundings carefully. Find an office that encourages friendships– the structure of workspaces, the quality of common areas, the size of the well-stocked fridge– all these factors can contribute to making an office full of friendships. Rath found that you are three times more likely to have a close-knit workgroup if the physical environment makes it easy to socialize.
5. Shift your focus away from yourself. "People spend so much time trying to manage themselves," says Rath. Formal education focuses on mastery of topic areas, and graduate school allows you to focus on your own interests. But "when it comes to improving our lives," writes Rath, "it's the energy between two people that makes a difference."
This is going to be a big change for most people. Most workers do not make friends at work. But without a best friend at work, the chances of being engaged in your job are slim. So maybe you should put aside advice about finding the perfect job by searching want ads for your calling. Instead, look for a job and an office that facilitates your new calling: friendship.


text: PaulOBrien 1,477 Report post Posted May 30, 2012 [Edit: This modification is now in my FREE MoDaCo Toolkit - details] This is now an Xposed mod. Read on for more details. Google Wallet is super cool. It allows purchasing of things using the NFC chip in your device using any card you have in your Google Wallet account. But, there is a problem - and that's that Wallet is only available for a very limited subset of devices on a limited number of operators in the US. It also displays a rather annoying banner if you're rooted. Hence the need to patch out some checks. ;) Now, i'll start by saying that there may well be a patched APK out there already (I didn't check), I chose to create the patch myself because, when i'm putting in my credit card numbers etc. I like to know what i'm working with. I started with the latest version I downloaded personally from the Google Play Store (by spoofing my operator with 'Market Access') which I then patched as required. The patch The APK has 3 features that I patched out. The first was a device check - the app will now work on any device. Of course you need to have NFC for it to be useful! I tested on a HTC One X successfully (as you can see in the screenshots above) but of course YMMV. The second patch was an operator check - the app should now not care which operator you are on. The third patch was removing the root warning. Google Wallet doesn't actually stop you using the app if you're rooted, it just gives you a warning on screen (which is a little annoying), so I removed it. BUT... rather than having the warning in app, let me post it here instead. If you are using Google Wallet on a rooted device, really think about which apps you are giving root access... because there is the possibility that a malicious app could do bad things. There's no evidence of this happening, but it's possible. As always, be wary of what you're installing and where it came from. As of this release, the patch is not a patch of the APK itself, but instead an in-place patch using the Xposed system. This means that the patch should continue to work when Wallet is upgraded (unless there are major internal changes). It also means you don't need to copy a patched APK to /system etc. which is a bit of a pain. You must install Xposed to use this patch - you can find it in this post. Download To use the patch, after you've installed Xposed from the link above, simply download and install this APK - DOWNLOAD (ROMraid) - and used the 'Xposed Installer' app to activate the module. After rebooting your device, you'll be all set! Disclaimer If you use any of the above modified APKs or top up methods, you do so at your own risk! Please let us know how you get on in the comments below, so we can refine / improve the process based on our experiences. WARNING If you plan to wipe your device, switch ROM on your device or otherwise do anything unusual (including 'clearing data' on wallet), it is highly recommended that you use the 'reset wallet' option in the Wallet app settings. Failure to do this could render Wallet inoperable on your device! Another note of caution, we're using a 'hack' here, so it's probably not the best idea to load up your Prepaid card with a ton of money in case Google blocks hacked wallets, something changes, etc. etc. and you could lose your money. Again, use at your own risk. And finally... If you find the above useful and you want to support my work on this and all the other MoDaCo projects, please consider signing up for a premium MoDaCo account. Thanks! :) P 2 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites


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This page is a loose translation of the page about the xmltv2vdr-plugin available in the german wiki.
Current Version
xmltv2vdr is a plugin for the VDR that imports EPG-Data into the VDR. By itself, it does not fetch any EPG-Data; the EPG-Data has to be supplied by third-party software to xmltv2vdr in xmltv format.
The third-party software to fetch the EPG-Data is not part of xmltv2vdr because of legal issues (cf VG_Media).
Software Requirements
libxml2, libsqlite3, libpcre
Assuming that the xmltv2vdr plugin has been installed on the VDR in conjunction to third-party software that uses the xmltv2vdr plugin to get the EPG-Data into the VDR, the configuration about
- what EPG-Data sources to use
- what channels of the source correspond to what channels of the VDR
- other configurations like frequency of updates, etc.
is completely done in the OSD of the VDR.
The OSD of the xmltv2vdr plugin can be accessed under the plugins settings.
Third-party EPG-Data Sources
For the end-user
The configuration and usage of the third-party EPG-Data sources will not be discussed here.
The third-party software to fetch the EPG-Data is not part of xmltv2vdr because of legal issues (cf VG_Media).
For the developers of the third-party software providing EPG-Data
The interface between the xmltv2vdr plugin and the third-party software providing the EPG-Data has been defined like this:
- Every source must have a control file in the /var/lib/epgsources directory. This control file is a text file that contains information to control the xmltv2vdr plugin and a list of the channels offered by the source. The name of the control file can be chosen freely, but must not have an extension. The control file on the VDR must be readable by the vdr-user. (Please, have a look below for examples of valid control files.)
- Every source must have an executable file that offers the EPG-Data in the appropriate format to the xmltv2vdr plugin. The binary file has to be in the path of the executables of the VDR. The binary file must have the same name as the control file, to which it corresponds. The executable is called with the following parameters: Number of days, Pin, Channelnames (example: 5 '' ard.de zdf.de)
- The EPG-Data has to be a valid xmltv format and is passed to the xmltv2vdr plugin by using a pipe or a file. (Please, have a look below for an example of a valid xmltv file.)
- The xmltv2vdr plugin uses an own set of channelnames to which the developers of the third-party plugins should conform. This list of channelnames is far from being complete and is available near the end of the german wiki page of the xmltv2vdr plugin. If you need channelnames, that are not yet available in the list, you should use the following format to define them: channelname.countrycode; for example, ard.de, orf.at, dk1.dk, tf1.fr, france2.fr, fashiontv.fr, rai1.it, detski-mir.ru, kanal-7-int.tr, sf1.ch,... Please, let us know about the new channels that you have defined by adding them to the german wiki page.


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At the end of 2011, we launched Digital Vision, a new grant program to allow aspiring thought leaders to conduct new research in the areas of advertising and marketing.
Today we announce the five award winners selected from the scores of applications we received. These winning ideas will receive grants of up to $10,000 USD in addition to research support and publicity from us.
The Digital Vision grant winners will be featured at South by Southwest (SXSW), March 12 in Austin, TX. Their proposed projects include:
Allison Aldridge-Saur: Redefining digital "Tribes" using Native American tribal practices
Allison has worked in the high tech and web field for the past 12 years. As a member of the Chickasaw Nation, she jumped at the chance to leverage Digital Media to support the tribal business initiatives that fund services for Chickasaw and Native Americans.
"Tribe" has become a popular social media marketing term that just hints at a deeper human experience. Allison will look at how Native American tribal characteristics reveal substantive practices that build stronger, more fulfilling and highly committed online communities. The first piece of her research will launch during South by Southwest (SXSW) this March.
Julia Nalven: Applying mathematical analysis to marketing campaigns
Julia Nalven is a mathematician who uses analytical methods to answer the most pressing questions in the online advertising industry. She currently works for Vizu, a technology company focused on real-time ad campaign measurement. She is seeking to expand the use of mathematical analysis to influence the advertising decision-making process. Julia holds a BA in Applied Math from the UC Berkeley and an MS in Applied Math from the University of Washington.
Julia will be conducting research on how to apply mathematical analysis to the optimization of online brand advertising campaigns. Her theory is that rigorous data analysis will lead to an optimization strategy that will maximize impact of a brand's ad budget.
Boris Grinkot: Creating a better conversion optimization model
Boris Grinkot's conversion optimization work with Fortune 500 and international clients includes experimental design, e-commerce and content strategy, and lead generation. He holds an MBA from the University of Florida and a bachelor's degree in Religious Studies from Cornell.
Through his research, Boris will be showing how one-off case studies and "universal" best practices fail in tests has been a favorite topic among conversion optimization experts. As marketers, we want to learn from each other's successes, but attempts to replicate them tend to fail. This project will provide marketers with heuristic tools to determine optimization and testing opportunities for their websites based on years of consulting, teaching, and secondary research.
Douglas Karr: Testing for the 'tipping points' in social media
Douglas is the author of Corporate Blogging for Dummies, Chief Blogger/Founder of the Marketing Technology Blog and CEO of DK New Media. Douglas and his team specialize in performing due diligence analysis of marketing technology companies for venture capital and investment firms.
Does it make sense to get 5,000 fake twitter followers? Unfortunately, the answer may be yes. Douglas will test the impact of accelerating sharing and counts for different social media outlets. His goal is to show that numbers have a psychological impact when it comes to theories regarding 'herd' behavior. If marketers realize this, they can better prepare by driving early counts with incentives to overcome the negative impact of low counts.
Dewita Soeharjono: How Social Media will change the non-profits landscape
Dewita works with a number of non-profit organisations to help them use social media to benefit their campaigns and grow awareness.
Dewita is looking to see what percentage of the 1.5M non-profits actually use or integrate social media into their online activities (fundraising, recruiting volunteers and communications). From this research she will publish a series of case studies/ interviews with non-profits using social media leading to a collected piece with key findings and practical advice.
The projects proposed by our five winners will be produced in the first half of 2012. Some of the winners will discuss their upcoming research at the Digital Vision launch party at SXSW so do join us.


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Email to a Friend
Availability: In stock
Product code: CRBT1807RG
Legend claims this symbol was designed by Pythagoras to represent perfection and was also worn as an emblem on clothing to represent the mysteries of the Universe. Adorned with shiny crystals, it will guide you in times of darkness. Wear your Lucky Star bangle and let the stars determine your good fortunes.Product details:• Available in 14kt rose gold flash plate or rhodium flash plate• One size fits all • Each Chrysalis piece purchased is supplied with a branded Chrysalis paper gift pouch as shown
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text:
Grocery shopping could soon be a piece of cake.
A sophisticated new bar code could make shopping at the grocery store simple as pie -- and may mean the end of the dreaded "price check" at the checkout counter, the New York Times reported.
A set of black symbols called GS1 DataBars are smaller and more information-packed than the traditional bar codes, helping customers save cash and stores keep better inventory, according to the paper.
U.S. & World
The barcode has already been introduced to some retailers and healthcare companies and will be available for use on any trade item by the start of 2010, according to the GS1 website.
The increased data space will make it possible to pack more deals into fewer coupons, offering savings on multiple items in one simplified transaction.
Another use is to help identify loose produce.
Unlike traditional bar codes that are too big for fruit and veggies, the GS1 will be able to recognize the item and the price per ounce. The scale will pick up the weight, and in an instant, the correct price will ring up, without any code punching, the Times reported.
"It's quicker and far more accurate," Eric Biddiscombe, senior director of planning for a large Canadian supermarket chain, told the Times.
Biddiscombe, whose Loblaw Companies chain stores have been experimenting with the code for three years said cashiers often mistake organic items with their inorganic counterparts -- which can be costly.
"The price difference between organic and field tomatoes may be 40 cents a pound or more," Biddiscombe said. "When they aren't rung up as organic, that bites into our profit margins."
Other possibilities for the new code include more accurate inventory methods and sell-by dates programmed into each bar code, which could prevent an unknowing customer from getting through checkout with expired milk.


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Getting the fit right in lingerie is very important. But it doesn't stop there. At Rigby & Peller we know that every woman is different, with different bodies, tastes and lifestyles. Our Lingerie Stylists, who are trained for 3 months to expertly fit and style each client, will not only ensure you leave one of our boutiques with lingerie that fits to perfection, but work with you to find your perfect piece which suits your shape, colourings and lifestyle and wardrobe needs.
This is what we call Lingerie Styling.
Our expert Lingerie Stylists are trained for at least 3 months to deliver a unique client experience tailored to the individual in all of our boutiques. Our Lingerie Stylists have given advice throughout our website for those shopping online.
Beautiful, premium pieces for every woman, curated from around the world by our expert buyers with exacting standards. Our collections include sizes A - K, between 30-46 backs from over 20 of the finest brands.
Our boutiques aim to provide relaxing, luxurious environment filled with expert knowledge. We offer complimentary fit & style appointments where no appointment is necessary. Alternatively, if you'd like to arrange an appointment which suits you, please use our Reservations Page to make an appointment in a boutique of your choice.


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KKR CIO Ed Brandman assessed the vulnerability within most of the private equity giant's 90 portfolio companies, a diverse group that includes First Data, Go Daddy, Toys 'R' Us, China International Capital and SunGard Data Systems. "We weren't trying to stop anything from happening … We didn't get into the weeds of what the attacks were or why," Mr. Brandman told CIO Journal. He left that work to CIOs of the individual companies.
from Private Equity Beat http://ift.tt/1hebz0r
via IFTTT


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Upload your photos that you want to use in Danger Facebook cover photo template.
You have the following options to select your photo from: From Disk (your computer) or your Facebook albums. After upload you will be able to edit a cropping area in our photo editor. The cropped part of the photo will be applied to the Danger fb cover photo effect template and included in the final picture.


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DETROIT—Jimmy Howard kept Jonathan Toews in his misery, making three saves against the struggling star to help the Detroit Red Wings beat the Blackhawks 2-0 on Thursday night in Game 4 of the second-round series to put the NHL's best team during the regular season on the brink of elimination.When Howard wasn't using his glove or pads to deny Toews, Detroit's skaters were rattling him and his teammates with a physical presence that is clearly making them uncomfortable.
"They are getting frustrated," Howard said. "Our guys are doing a great job in front of the net."
Corey Crawford did a solid job in his net, but he couldn't kick his right leg out quick enough to stop Jakub Kindl's shot on a power play midway through the second period and he was on the bench in favor of an extra skater when Daniel Cleary sealed the victory in the final minute.After losing Game 1, seventh-seeded Detroit has surged into control by handing the Blackhawks their first three-game losing streak of the year.Game 5 is Saturday night in the United Center.
"The pressure is on them," Detroit defenseman Jonathan Ericsson said.
Yes, it is.
And, no one in the Windy City will want to extend the series more than Toews.
"We've got to find a way to force a Game 6," he said.
The Blackhawks desperately need their captain to score and lead after he extended his goal drought in a composure-crumbling performance.Toews was called for three penalties in the second — two for high-sticking — and could've gone to the box a fourth time in the period for slashing Red Wings captain Henrik Zetterberg while an official stood between them.
"Emotions run high in some of these games, and my stick got a little loose there," he said. "I was playing hard. Sometimes that happens."
The Red Wings took advantage of the second power play Toews gave them when Kindl sent a low shot to the near corner from the top of the left circle.
"We'd like to keep him in the box," Ericsson said. "He's not as good for them in the box."
The Hawks had killed its first 30 penalties of the playoffs and matched the 2001 St. Louis Blues' feat of playing eight postseason games without giving up a power-play goal, the longest such streak since 1988.The Blackhawks had a power play with 4:45 left in the game when Kindl was called for hooking, but they couldn't tie the game.Crawford made 25 saves and allowed one goal, after giving up seven goals in the previous two games.Howard was just a little bit better, earning his first shutout of this postseason and the second of his career in the playoffs. He has helped the Red Wings win five of their last six games since trailing Anaheim 3-2 in the first round.
"He has kind of been in a groove for a while now," Detroit coach Mike Babcock said. "And, we need that to be successful."
Kindl scored his first goal of his first postseason, keeping up a trend that has helped the rapidly improving Red Wings pull within a win of their first trip to the Western Conference finals since 2009 when they got past the Blackhawks and went on to lose Game 7 in a Stanley Cup finals rematch against Pittsburgh.Detroit's young players — six playing in their first playoff season — have been contributing to help out stars Pavel Datsyuk and Zetterberg.Red Wings rookie Brendan Smith scored the winner in Game 2 at the United Center to even the series. First-year player Damien Brunner and Gustav Nyquist, who was pointless in his first four postseason games last year, had goals in overtimes against the second-seeded Ducks.Toews, should seemingly be in the prime of his career, but he is in a slump against a team that appears to be getting to him physical and mentally. Toews was called for three penalties in the first 11 minutes of the first time in his career.He has gone 10 postseason games without a goal — dating to last year's playoffs — in what is the longest scoring skid for a former Conn Smythe winner since Claude Lemieux went 20 games without a goal from 2000 through 2009.Toews, who has three goals in his last 30 playoff games, broke a tie for his second longest streak without a goal in the postseason and trails his 14-game skid that spanned 2010 and 2011.Joel Quenneville insisted Toews, who he put on a line with Patrick Kane, is doing a lot of things well.
"We don't measure just his contribution offensively," Quenneville said.
NOTES—Detroit D Danny DeKeyser, who broke his right thumb in the first round and was ruled out for the playoffs, said he is holding out hope that he can come back if his teammates can advance…..Since winning the Stanley Cup in 2010, the Hawks have lost in the first round twice and is a loss away from a second-round exit…..The Hawks hadn't given up a power-play goal since April 22.


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This is an excerpt from The M.A.X. Muscle Plan by Brad Schoenfeld.
When it comes to muscle, protein is king. Although water makes up the majority of muscle tissue (approximately 70 percent of muscle weight), it is the protein component (approximately 25 percent of muscle weight) that is responsible for carrying out human movement. The extent of muscle development is predicated on the balance between muscle protein synthesis, or building, and muscle protein breakdown. When synthesis is greater than breakdown, you are in an anabolic (building up) state that's conducive to building muscle.
Contrary to popular belief, you don't build your muscles when you work out. In fact, the opposite actually occurs. Muscle tissue breaks down at an accelerated rate during training, and protein synthesis is largely suppressed. Although this may seem counterintuitive, it is necessary for facilitating bigger, stronger muscles. Compare it to renovating your kitchen. You have to tear out the existing Formica countertops and the pressboard cabinetry before installing the high-end granite and fine hardwood, right? Similarly, outmoded muscle proteins must first be demolished and removed in order to allow newer, better proteins to take their place.
Muscle tissue rebuilds after exercise. During this time, muscle protein synthesis skyrockets and breakdown gradually diminishes. Protein synthesis can remain increased for 48 hours or more postexercise. During this time your muscles supercompensate by growing larger.
The underlying processes responsible for muscle development are highly complex and not well understood. It is generally accepted that the regulation of muscle tissue is carried out, at least in part, through the signaling of various pathways associated with protein synthesis and breakdown. These pathways are diverse and provide a variety of ways for muscle to adapt to overload. The common element of all muscle-building pathways is that they conduct signals through specialized enzymes, setting off a chain of events that ultimately promote protein synthesis and inhibit protein breakdown.
Current research indicates that three primary mechanisms are involved in exercise-related muscle growth: muscle tension, muscle damage, and metabolic stress (Schoenfeld 2010).
That said, soreness is by no means a prerequisite for muscle development. Your muscles, connective tissue, and immune system become increasingly efficient in dealing with fiber-related damage associated with intense training (again, an adaptive response). Various physiologic and structural adaptations that take place gradually reduce the sensation of pain. Generally speaking, the more you train at high levels of intensity, the greater your resistance to muscle soreness—even though you invariably inflict damage to fibers. This is why some of the world's top bodybuilders never get sore after a workout, yet display impressive muscularity. Furthermore, too much soreness can actually be detrimental to muscle growth. If you're so sore that it hurts to sit or comb your hair, you've exceeded your body's ability to repair the damaged muscle tissue—and that means you're not growing!
The muscle-building effects of metabolic stress can be attributed to the production of by-products of metabolism called metabolites. These small fragments (including lactate, hydrogen ion, and inorganic phosphate) indirectly mediate cell signaling. Some scientists believe that this is accomplished by increasing water within muscle—a phenomenon known as cell swelling. Studies have shown that cell swelling stimulates protein synthesis and simultaneously decreases protein breakdown. It is not clear exactly why cell swelling causes an anabolic effect, but the prevailing theory suggests a self-preservation mechanism. That is, an increase in water within the cell exerts pressure against the cell wall, similar to overinflating a rubber tire. The cell, in turn, perceives this as a threat to its integrity and responds by sending out anabolic signals that initiate strengthening of its ultrastructure. Adaptation!
Understand that muscle tension, muscle damage, and metabolic stress generally do not exist in isolation. Rather, they combine to produce an additive effect on building lean muscle. Only by achieving an optimal mix of these factors in your training routine can you maximize muscle development.
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The jury is still out on whether Democratic Governor Jerry Brown's plan to alleviate crowding at the state's prisons will work for local governments as well as the state.
Under what Brown describes as "realignment," thousands of offenders who might previously have ended up in state prison are being placed in county jails or other programs in order to meet a mandated June 2013 deadline for reducing the prison population by 30,000. (See note at bottom.)
This change comes about as the result of several federal court decisions on over-crowded state prisons with poor medical facilities.
California has no time to waste with the new program; the state must reduce its prison population by mid-2013.
The idea behind realignment is that local governments have capacity the state lacks to house non-violent prisoners at a lower cost. If it works, realignment will save the state billions while satisfying the federal courts.
But is it working?
Early reports are mixed.
Some counties have room for extra prisoners and have used the additional funds from the state to improve their jails. Other counties already operate with their own over-crowded jails and find themselves even more inundated with additional prisoners.
U.S. & World
News from around the country and around the globe
In fact, more than half of the state's counties suffer from the same kind of over-crowding that has plagued the state.
Under Brown's plan, the counties will be compensated for taking on additional prisoners. Brown and the legislature allocated $425 million for realignment in the current budget and have set aside $850 million in the 2012-2013 budget, saving the state about $1.5 billion in the process.
Still, some counties are burdened not only by their own over-populated jails but a series of other problems ranging from facilities not designed for long-term populations to post-incarceration supervision of non-violent released prisoners.
Much is stake with the prison realignment experiment.
If it succeeds, the program can serve as a model for California off-loading other expensive programs to local governments; services for the elderly, childrens' health, and public education are some examples that come to mind. In each case, the "value" would come from placing services in the hands of those closest to them.
Even then, however, two lingering questions would remain: whether state funds would be guaranteed and whether the locally-administered programs would provide roughly the same benefits from county to county.
Meanwhile, prisoner realignment is in the beginning stages of implementation, which means there are lots of opportunities to correct any issues that arise.
If it works, there may be great cost savings. However, if it's the latest version of "pass the buck," then the counties may well become the recipients of the same problems that plagued the state for so many years.
Note: Sentence used to read "Under what Brown describes as "realignment," about 30,000 state prisoners are being relocated to county jails. The Department of Correction media spokesperson asked us to be clear that the 30,000 number is a reduction in inmate population. Not all of them will be moved to county jails.


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Looking back on 2013 I feel really pleased with the way it all went; there were highs and lows, but certainly more highs than lows. It was a great year of progress and learning too; some things gracefully and some things not so gracefully. It was a year with three pinnacle events and milestones; experiences that deserve a story all to their own. I wanted to finish out this year before my 50th birthday living life as fully as I possibly could and I have.
When I attended the Redman Triathlon in September of 2012, I left wishing I was on that line and doing that race. I knew that 2012 was a year of progress, but while I was satisfied I knew I had more in the tank to give and more progress to make. I remember coming home last fall and registering for the Ironman Lonestar 70.3 and knowing that this was a "stretch event" for me physically, emotionally, and mentally, but somewhere in my mind was that old saying of "if you can think it or dream it, you can do it". As many of you knew, swimming was a bigtime issue and had been for my entire life. Getting to the point of being able to even visualize swimming 1.2 miles was probably the biggest hurdle of the year, the second biggest was actually doing it. I was fortunate to get the chance to do some work with Amanda Stevens, who was to become my coach for the year. She worked with me at workshops and a few private lessons then helped me to stretch out my distances and eventually get to my goal. While swimming had its own unique set of challenges for me, so did running. When I started out the year I had never done anything beyond a 5k, and that wasn't what you could even begin to call a great base to begin with. Over the course of the season I was able to finish four Half-Marathons and eventually my first Full Marathon in Chicago. That was the perfect end to a full season!
When I first started cycling four years ago none of this could have ever even been on my "radar of possibility". After finishing the first Hotter Than Hell Hundred in 2010, it left me really high with a feeling that the sky was the limit! True, but what I learned about that sky was it wasn't going to be as easy a trip as that beginning enthusiasm made me think it would be. There was to be much hard work along the way. Sometimes the progress has seemed so slow too, but it always came if I kept to the work. Endurance sport is so honest; what I mean by that is that there are no short cuts to take. The work you put in determines the outcome you get; and when the work is short-changed, the outcome is too. That was a humbling lesson I learned this year. I am proud of finishing the two Ironman 70.3's but, I also know that I had the ability to do more physically if I had done a more consistent job of training. The cool thing about that, I know that next year has the potential to be another year of progress for me. I know that I will gain more strength and physical ability this next year, but I also know that will be as much about changes in mental toughness maybe more than my physical changes.
So looking back on the 2013 Season there were three pinnacle events for me: Ironman Lonestar 70.3, Ironman Buffalo Springs 70.3, and the Chicago Marathon. Each event was special for different reasons. The Lonestar 70.3 was an awesome experience of accomplishment for me; it pushed me on all levels of my being. Right from the very first jump into Galveston Bay, it was an endurance fight for me. Being able to gut out the swim and make it onto the bike was huge for me. I know that when that was over that was the biggest physical challenge I had even met, it was an unbelievable experience. The Buffalo Springs 70.3 was a different event, my coach encouraged me to go when I wasn't sure I could. Again, I didn't get the follow through that I wish I could claim in preparing for the race but Amanda encouraged me to just do it! So I did, my swim was much improved over my Lonestar effort! That was a huge deal. Then there was the bike, wow. This course had some climbs that were tougher than any climbs I had ever done to that date. Driving the course I told my wife "I'm not sure I can make those climbs", so when I made it through the bike portion I was really feeling satisfied in what I had done. The run was pretty damn tough too, but I knew I could gut through that with run/walks and get to the finish line. The final pinnacle event was the Chicago Marathon. It was probably the most enjoyable event of the year, just an awesome feeling doing something with over 44,000 other people. It was the perfect way to top off the year.
I can tell you this for sure too; none of this is possible all on my own. First and foremost without the Spiritual life that has been spoon fed to me throughout my life and my coming to find God in a way that is special to me, this never happens. Frankly the last 25 years of life wouldn't even have happened and those that have known me throughout my life know that is truth being told. Right behind my relationship with God is my family; my wife and daughter are always an inspiration to me. How can you not be inspired by watching someone come out of a battle with cancer to do her very first marathon 14 years ago and in Chicago of this year qualify for the Boston Marathon. If that's not enough inspiration, how about this: she is also a polio survivor too! My daughter Cynthia is always the most encouraging and sweetest young lady that I know; she and her mother will have accomplished doing 12 marathons in 12 months! I believe they call that true Marathon Maniacs. My Spiritual support community, my training friends and my coach were all a big part in this too. No great achievement is ever done truly alone. On the starting line of all these events was my grandfather Cunningham whose last words to me were encouraging me to stop smoking, as he said " the damn things got me Mark". So every race I started with him and took him with me.
So it was a great season. Farewell 2013 Season, you were a good friend to me. You have taught me some valuable lessons along the way this year. You will always have a special place in my heart, you helped me put a perfect crescendo on this year leading to my 50th birthday. When I look back on the year I see the places for improvement but, I am proud and satisfied beyond what I could have ever dreamed even a few years ago. I hope all of you get the chance to experience a year like I have. Thanks everyone, I love ya all !!!
Hmmmmm…. and a tune to end…. wouldn't wanna short change ya!


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This is hardly the beginning. It's just getting started.
(AP) LAS VEGAS — A lawyer in Las Vegas has filed a civil lawsuit seeking class-action status on behalf of homeowners he says have been hurt by the filing of fraudulent foreclosure documents during an alleged "robo-siging" scheme.
Matthew Callister said he wants a state judge to stop tainted home sales and evictions and order Lender Processing Services Inc. and several bank and mortgage companies to modify loans and pay monetary damages to affected homeowners.
"This is to say, 'Stop. Let us try to modify the loan appropriately,'" Callister said. "Then we'll seek damages."
[CBS NEWS]© 2010-19 FORECLOSURE FRAUD | by DinSFLA. All rights reserved.


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Pussy - Pussy tester got a oral stimulation job from mischievous brunette lady Stacy Miller and then he fucked her
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Its Halloween and here on Moneytalks we like to do it big. Havoc is with Count Dickula in search of someone who will make the Counts bat puke. We pay this one babe to come back with us and jerk the counts dick until he comes. Next up Havoc pays some lucky dude to get jerked off with her lobster claws. What is Halloween without a pumpkin patch moneytalks style. We find this one couple and pay this hot girl to have a pumpkin painted on her ass while her boyfriend fucks her juicy patch. On to the main event we are at a mechanic shop. We have to wait a while to get our ride so we decide to have a lil fun in the meantime. We pay this one guy to dump motor oil all over his head. Then we pay this cutie to show us her tits. This other guy needs cash too so we decide to spray him up with a fire extinguisher. In the waiting room their is this couple who we encounter and pay to have a some fun. We pull out the big cash and have them sucking and fucking right in the room. Boy I love Halloween.
2019-01-14 18:00:24
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Date(s) - 10/05/2019
6:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Free Irish Tin Whistle Lessons for beginners. You will learn how to play the D tin whistle and how to take care of it. If you don't have a D whistle they are availible at Things Celtic and Fiddlers Green. Learning is by repetition mostly. Start with a very easy tune and gradually go up in difficulty at your own pace. Come and make music!
For more information and registration, visit the Austin Celtic Meetup Group page.


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AIG bonus recipients live, work in state
As American International Group Inc. 's chief executive officer and chairman Edward Liddy told Congress on Wednesday, he will urge his top executives to give back their bonuses,
The company received $170 billion in taxpayer money to stay afloat.
James Haas and Doug Poling , both of Fairfield, and New Canaan resident Jonathan Liebergall were identified by the New York Post as recipients of the highly criticized bonuses.
In all, AIG is believed to have obligated $165 million for bonuses to retain top managers overseeing the closure and break up of the massive insurance company.
The three Connecticut men work for AIG's
"All of this is the government's fault -- completely," said a former neighbor of Haas', who asked not to be identified. "I blame them."
Finding supporters of the titans of AIG Financial Products' division is hard. Finding anybody Wednesday to talk about Haas, Poling, and Liebergall in their neighborhoods proved impossible.
No one answered the door at any of their homes --large, well-appointed colonials with clapboard exteriors and mansard roofs and manicured lawns.
Haas' Sasco Hill Road mansion overlooks a private golf course and a creek that flows into Long Island Sound, while Poling's Golden Pond Lane property contains a private pond.
The three have made some marks in their community doing charitable work. At Operation Hope, a spokeswoman said the Polings are well-known supporters of the homeless shelter. The couple also are benefactors of the Westport Country Playhouse , the Kennedy Center , and Fairfield Country Day School , which their son attends.
Jennifer Poling has served on the board of directors of the prep school and Haas is treasurer for the school, whose motto is "We Are Judged by Our Deeds."
AIG Financial Products has maintained a low profile over the years. It doesn't belong to the Wilton Chamber of Commerce
While the men in this small division of AIG and some of its executives face a nation's rage over Wall Street abuses, they also face the wrath of federal and state government officials.
U.S. Sen. Chris Dodd , D-Conn., said he would prefer if the managers gave back the bonuses of their own accord. He said it would save a lot of government money and effort.
The purpose of the bonuses, according to a U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filing from September, was to keep managers on the job as the division goes out of business.
In order to preserve some of the value of the company, almost 80 percent of which is now owned by the American taxpayers, the company must sell off its portfolios.
The managers are the ones who know what's in those portfolios. AIG reasoned they needed to provide incentives to keep those managers on.
"That's a specious argument," Dodd said, adding there are plenty of capable people "who would welcome the chance to do the job and wind down the company."
AIG's initial arguments that the bonuses were contractually obligated didn't wash with New York attorney Bruce Blakeman , who said bonuses, by nature, are discretionary and not ironclad obligations.
He said AIG should make public the terms of the contract and the names of those being employed, especially because the public is funding the bonuses.
AIG is also facing the wrath of state governments. New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo has subpoenaed the company for documents related to the bonuses and actions in Connecticut.
Gov. M. Jodi Rell ordered the Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection to investigate whether the bonuses violate the Connecticut Unfair Trade Practices Act.
AIG cited a Connecticut law as the reason it is making the bonus payments. Workers in Connecticut can sue and recover double the contractual benefits an employer promises if those payments are not met.
"Since the company cited Connecticut law, they will have to live by Connecticut law," Rell said.
"It is disgraceful that federal funds designed to prevent financial institutions from collapsing and to make it possible for consumers to again borrow money have instead been used to pay bonuses to AIG in the tens of millions of dollars."


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I really find it weird as a policy in certain places that dogs are nor allowed but cats are. Anyhow, rules are rules and laws are laws and no matter how odd they may seem, citizens are bound to follow them for organization and order. As they say: We are a nation of laws but not men. So here goes one article I find so weird but fortunately alls well that ends well. So here goes the article:
Roger Mosey, master at Selwyn College in Cambridge needed to
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Industrial civilization is rapidly running out of net fossil-fuel energy -- and alternative energy sources won't be able to make up the difference. As we begin the slide down the steep backside of our civilization's net energy curve, lower standards of living are in everybody's future. Obama knows this, but is unable to say it publicly. But if we don't start making some basic preparations for our non-optional, lower-energy future right now, we'll likely end up with a much lower standard of living than if we did prepare. The basic, precautionary, low-energy backup-systems we need – food, water, transportation, manufacturing – are straightforward and relatively cheap…but they will take awhile to develop fully. We need to start preparing right now, at all levels: individual, community, regional, and national. -- Heck, even an intelligent child could do a better job planning for energy descent than we're doing now! Sasha in 2012!
What is our energy predicament?
Modern industrial civilization is an insatiable beast, requiring ever-increasing quantities of energy to fuel the necessary economic growth. Almost all of this energy presently comes from fossil fuels. Preeminent among these fossil fuels is oil, due to its easily storable and transportable nature. We've basically structured our entire industrial civilization around oil. It's the "keystone" energy source – the one that all of the other energy sources depend on.
The annual global extraction rate of oil has now (still unbeknownst to the general public) peaked and begun its terminal decline. This is huge. And the other fossil fuels are not far behind. The extraction rates of natural gas, coal, and uranium will likely peak on the order of a few years to a few decades, at the most.
More alarmingly, the rate of net (usable) energy obtained from these fossil energy sources declines at a much faster rate than the gross extraction rate due to the increasing energy-cost of extraction (which is due to the unavoidable high-grading of resources over time). The situation is especially dire for energy-importing countries like the US, because energy exports from the exporting countries will decline even faster than their extraction rates due to increasing energy consumption in these countries.
Alternative energy sources (solar, wind, tidal, etc.) will be unable to replace declining fossil energy inputs for a number of reasons. (See the Post Carbon Institute's excellent report, "Searching for a Miracle" for a full discussion of these.) In short, these alternative energy sources would not give us the kind of energy our present infrastructure can handle, would give us too little net energy even if fully deployed, and would likely not be fully-deployable anyway since the materials required to scale them up and redo the present infrastructure would quickly become too scarce. Due to these (and other) limitations, alternative sources will almost certainly never match (or even come remotely close to) the energy production required to replace declining fossil energy.
Thus, the US faces an imminent, extended period of unavoidable energy descent – i.e. less and less energy will be available to us every year. Since our existing industrial systems that we have come to depend on require large and increasing rates of net energy inputs, these systems must either disappear or change during energy descent. These systems include those that provide us food, water, shelter, sanitation, transportation, manufacturing, education, employment, entertainment, etc. In other words, just about everything about our lives will change over the coming decades to fit the increasingly-lower-energy-input reality.
In short, our lives during this century will, gradually and unavoidably, become monumentally different from our current high-energy-use industrial lives.
Does Obama know?
He almost certainly knows. This stuff is so vital to national security and the continuation of his present job that Obama must know. From his pre-Obama speeches, we know Secretary of Energy Chu understands it, so I think we have to assume that Obama is in the fold with our energy predicament.
Why doesn't he do anything about it?
The short answer is because he can't.
The first thing Obama could do is to simply admit the reality of our energy predicament. Admitting this, however, would be equivalent to announcing the end of material-economic growth -- which would mean the end of our entire financial system as it now exists. This would be a very big deal. The following is my take on some reasons why Obama can't even do this necessary first step – why he can't even level with his own citizens.
The reason Obama can't level with us involves the touchy subject of "corporate power," and, tragically, still falls in the "not-in-polite-company" category as a discussion topic. But in case you haven't noticed it yet, relatively few massive corporations (especially financial ones) now control essentially all government decisions in the US. They have for many years. In other words, the President and Congress basically work almost exclusively for the huge multi-national corporations. The US national government is a wholly-owned subsidiary of GoldmanSachs-AIG-BankofAmerica-Monsanto-DowChemical-etc... Inc. It's not a conspiracy -- it's just how power relationships have worked themselves out over the years. This is controversial only in our popular delusions.
All these corporations would be mortally wounded if the president admitted to our energy predicament. These huge corporations (especially the financial ones) are like huge balloons inflated with consumer confidence and the promise of future economic growth. Once that confidence vanishes (as it would if Obama told us the truth about energy), the balloons would quickly deflate. Our industrial economy would screech to a halt. It'd be a big mess in the short-term – and probably for awhile afterwards. People would be angry. Windows would get broken. Governments would fall.
While the deflation of these consumer-confidence-inflated "corporation balloons" is inevitable (in light of our energy/resource predicament above), and likely to happen well inside of a decade no matter what Obama says, they will not go gently into that good night. Corporations are, as Wendell Berry writes, really just big piles of money with the sole purpose of becoming bigger piles of money. They don't have "feelings" in the human sense, and thus have no "irrational" concerns for the well-being of the humans who outlive them. Corporate entities are the epitome of selfishness. Left to their machine-like logic, the corporations would rather run full throttle off an approaching cliff than admit defeat and pull their own plug. In this sense, they would rather destroy human civilization and the Earth than die themselves. (For an amusing/tragic commentary on this, see Derrick Jensen's As the World Burns.)
Due to this ϋber-rational prime directive, these corporations are just not going to willingly pull the plug on themselves; nor will they allow Obama to do so by admitting our predicament – even though it clearly would be in the best interest of humans and the rest of the biosphere. By definition, a corporate executive (like our President) who disobeys the corporate prime directive is no longer a corporate executive. It does not compute.
So that leaves either the outraged citizenry and/or biophysical reality to do the plug-pulling. Citizen outrage can be suppressed up to a point with carrots or sticks, but our rapidly advancing energy and resource limits cannot. So while the timing is still uncertain, the plug will be pulled -- and probably sooner than later. Huge change is a-comin' no matter what we do.
Why is it bad to do nothing?
As our civilization's energy descent gains momentum, all the large-scale, high-energy, complex systems we count on (see list above) will begin to falter. As they go, we will need to replace these failed systems with lower-energy, more-local alternatives. This change will not be optional. Our material standard of living will necessarily be lower in this new arrangement. Again -- not optional. All this is a given – it will happen whether we prepare for energy descent or not.
The reason we need to at least try to prepare is that some lower-energy system replacements will afford a higher standard of living than others. For example, with no oil available, skilled sustainable organic farming techniques will still yield far more food than random foraging in degraded woodlands. Cleverly-designed, low-tech rainwater collection systems will afford far more clean water than scooping muddy water from shallow holes dug into dry streambeds. These are extreme examples, but you get the idea.
If we start getting these "emergency" systems together now, we will have a far easier time transitioning to lower-energy alternatives when the energy-emergencies arise – and they will arise. And again, the low-energy alternatives we end up with will likely be of significantly higher quality if we can (at least somewhat) plan them out beforehand. Nobody can predict exactly how the coming troubles will play out, but we can at least try to address some of the most likely basic problems.
But a prerequisite for any positive, precautionary action is a frank honesty about our energy predicament. …And we're not so good with the honesty thing lately.
Crudely put, if we wait until TSHTF, we're gonna get hit with the $@*#.
What should we do?
The million dollar question! Here's my take on what should be done:
Perhaps we can organize our energy descent planning into three phases: a short-term emergency plan; a medium-term transition plan; and a long-term resilient/sustainable plan.
First, we need to rapidly deploy locally-based, emergency-ready systems that could furnish the basics (food, clean water, emergency medical supplies) as emergency rations in the event of a weeks-long fossil fuel supply disruption. Basically, this would be the handout-based Katrina-type response that "Brownie" couldn't quite pull off. I suppose the military may already be prepared to cover this part (to avert a very-possible governmental collapse), but the New Orleans precedent is not encouraging. I suspect simpler, regionally-appropriate, locally-organized emergency plans would be more robust in the face of chaos.
Second, we need to deploy locally-based, low-energy, "appropriate" technology that would allow citizens to be largely self-sufficient in supplying their own basic needs (food, water, transportation, basic manufacturing) if the fossil-fuel-supply was disrupted for an extended time – say several months to a year. This would involve significantly more than just the "handouts" represented by the shorter-term response above. One example: food security in this sense would require robust local food networks and farmers markets throughout the country, seed saving, and significantly more home-gardening in suburban and urban settings. Perhaps Obama could sneak in this "Transition Towns" type of preparation under the guise of low-cost, local sustainability and job initiatives – even without admitting to our energy predicament.
Third, and most challenging, we need to pool our remaining resources to construct locally-based infrastructures that could be maintained long-term with minimal fossil energy input – the mythical "sustainable societies." The infrastructure would need to include all of the following parts, tailored to each region, and organized at the community level: food, water, renewable-energy, transportation, manufacturing, health-care, and shelter. Ideally, this would allow resilient adaptation to an essentially-permanent low-energy situation in an increasingly wacky climate.
Now, I don't want to gloss over how difficult this last part would be. Just starting these advanced, long-term preparations would only be possible if the national government either (cough) "saw the light," or if it dissolved and allowed regions to self-organize as needed. In either case, it would be a long, hard road with a lot of trial and error. It would be very tough to pull off even in the best of circumstances. -- And obviously, we won't have the best of circumstances. At this point, such a path would likely even be almost impossible in some locations (ex: Southwest US?).
But again, our non-optional energy descent will have a much better chance of success at any of the time-scales if we could do any/some/most of this preparation before the extended emergencies arrive -- because once they do, a lot of organizational abilities (and access to most remaining resources) go out the door.
So Easy a Child Could Do It!
None of this is rocket science. Given the necessary information, our energy predicament is not difficult to understand. After a quick peek behind the wizard's curtain, the reasons why our predicament is not made public are also rather clear. The dangers of not acting can be easily predicted by a reasonably-smart child. Even the appropriate precautionary measures are no-brainers with a little bit of background knowledge. I explain this stuff to kids and uninformed adults all the time, and they get it. The only people who don't get it are those who don't want to get it for some reason -- i.e. job/marriage/social status/bank-balance depends on it not being true, fragile psyche, conflicts with political/religious beliefs.
The point of the following fictional debate between "Sasha" and her dad "Barack" is to show how dangerously far from reality our political/economic system has wandered during the Fossil Fuel Age – i.e. how utterly unreasonable and reckless it has become. Sasha's questions represent the simple-but-profound wisdom of someone schooled in basic cause-and-effect logic, honesty, and cautionary behavior – stuff you can learn from good parents and/or good teachers at an early age. Barack's responses represent the evasive, put-it-off-'til-tomorrow denial of biophysical reality that defines the apex of our fossil-fueled civilization.
I'm still rooting for Obama, but I honestly think our country would have a better chance with energy descent (and climate change) if we put intelligent children in charge at this point.
These grown-ups are just not getting it. Sasha in 2012!
Sasha and Barack Debate the Merits of Peak Oil Preparation
Sasha: Hi Daddy.
Barack: (hugs her) Hey baby! I haven't seen you all day. How are you?
S: I'm good, Daddy. Umm…Daddy…
B: What's on your mind, honey?
S: Where does gasoline come from?
B: Well, that's a good question, baby! Gasoline comes from oil…and we get oil from the ground.
S: But where does oil come from? How does it get in the ground?
B: Umm…let's see…Oil comes from algae that died hundreds of millions of years ago. Algae is that green scummy stuff on the reflecting pools near the Washington Monument. It grew thick on the top of the warm oceans way back then, and then it fell to the bottom when it died. Then the algae got covered by dirt, sand, and shells until it was buried way, way deep below the Earth. Since it's really hot way down there under all that rock, it got pressed down and cooked – like in a hot pressure cooker. That's how it turns into oil.
S: (laughs) That's funny. So, like when we put gas in our car, we're just putting in really, really, really old cooked green scum?
B: (laughs) -- Yea, I suppose you could say that. What got you thinking about gasoline, honey?
S: In school today, my teacher said that we might not have enough gasoline and oil when I get older. She said it might be a problem. You and Mommy never told us that. Is it true?
B: Yea, it's true, honey. It might be a problem. But we'll have enough for awhile.
S: But how could it be a problem?
B: Hey, what is this, 'Meet the Press?' Umm…Well, a lot of things could go wrong, I suppose. There could be a war or a terrorist attack; or some countries might not have enough to sell, or might not want to sell it to us anymore.
S: And not having oil would be bad for us, right?
B: Right. We need oil and gasoline for a lot of things. It's where we get most of our energy in this country.
S: And that bad stuff could happen any time? Or could it only happen when I'm older?
B: Oh, there's always a chance bad stuff could happen. But we do our best to try and stop it -- to keep us safe, and to keep enough oil and gasoline coming.
S: So you're working on something that can replace gasoline and oil in case that happens?
B: Why, yes we are, you little smartie. It's called "Fourth Generation Biofuels." – It's a fancy name for making gasoline out of plants that we can grow on farms or in factories. That's what Dr. Chu is working on. He's really, really smart.
S: Neat. Is that what you use in your limo and your airplane?
B: No, it's not really ready yet. It won't be ready until you're older. Maybe you'll use it when you're old enough to drive. Or maybe your kids will use it.
S: Wait, I don't get it. – You said bad stuff could happen any time with the oil, but you say the stuff to replace the oil won't be ready until I'm older? I don't get it.
B: Well…I mean…there won't be a problem with oil anytime soon. You shouldn't worry about it.
S: But you just said oil problems could happen any time and that it would be bad 'cause we use oil for just about everything. Isn't that what you said?
B: Well…yea…but…
S: But you and Mom are always lecturing us about that we should always be extra prepared in case something bad happens. You're always like (adult voice) "You need to be prepared for the future, because you never know what can come up." It's always, "You have to think a step ahead, Sasha." You make me finish all my homework on Friday afternoon in case we get busy over the weekend. You won't let me spend my birthday money because (adult voice) "You might need it for something really important later on."
B: What's your point honey?
S: I'm just saying that it doesn't make sense for you not to have a replacement for oil if we could have problems with it at any time. Isn't there anything that could replace it now – like if we had problems tomorrow?
B: No honey. All the replacements are a bunch of years away. But we'll be OK.
S: Daddy, you're not making any sense! What do we do if there's a problem with oil soon?
B: There won't be honey.
S: But you said there might be, so what if there is?
B: Well, we'd be in trouble.
S: But aren't you the boss of the Country?
B: Uh huh.
S: Then shouldn't you make some sort of plan in case we have trouble with oil? Shouldn't we be getting ready just in case there is a problem soon – before Dr. Chu's plant-gasoline is ready?
B: Well…That's a good idea, honey. Maybe let's think of a plan that would get us ready. What do you think we should put in this plan?
S: Umm...I don't know. You're the President. I'm just a kid.
B: But you're a pretty smart kid, so let's try to think of what we should put in the plan. What are some important things we should take care of in case there's a problem with oil?
S: Umm…How about food? We should make sure everybody has enough food if we don't have gasoline to drive to the supermarket. Everybody should be able to walk to a farmer's market -- like the one we used to go to in Chicago. Or everybody should have a big garden like we do now.
B: Wow, sweetie! That's a good one. What else?
S: How about water? My teacher said that dirty water kills more people every year than wars. We should make sure everybody has clean water. Our teacher told us all the ways people used to get clean water in the olden days before oil and gasoline – like collecting rainwater off roofs. She said people were pretty smart back then.
B: Nice, honey. You have a pretty good teacher. Anything else?
S: Maybe we should have some way for people to go places even if they can't drive their cars. Like…umm…bicycles maybe. Our teacher showed us pictures of this country where the whole road was filled with bicycles. She said it's the fastest way to get around without gasoline. Lots of the bikes even had carts on the back, like a pickup truck, with lots of stuff piled inside.
B: (laughs) I wish I had kids who paid attention like you, back when I taught school. Good job, baby. Anything else?
S: My teacher says that a lot of the stuff we use comes from other countries. She said we need a lot of gasoline to bring it across the oceans. Maybe if we have problems with oil, we can't get that stuff anymore. Maybe we need to be able to make a lot of that stuff in our own country. People should learn how to make stuff we don't make here anymore.
B: (laughs) – I think I'm going to put you on my staff, kid.
S: (beams) So when can we get started?
B: (laughs) I like your moxie, honey! But you have to understand how it works here in Washington. We can't just do stuff right away, even if it is a good idea. All this stuff will take years -- but maybe sometime soon we can start the ball rolling. Everybody in Washington needs to talk about things a long time before they actually do anything. It's really frustrating sometimes.
S: But…Dad! You said we could have problems with oil anytime now! Aren't you supposed to keep bad stuff from happening to us? What if something bad happens? Why can't you do anything? You're the President!
B: (sigh) It's complicated, honey. But don't worry about it – everything will be OK. You have great ideas, but we need to talk about it some more. OK? …C'mon, I'm hungry. Let's talk about this after dinner.
S: (sigh) OK, Daddy.
B: (hugs her) I love you, baby.
S: I love you too, Daddy.


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Java/.Net Engineer/Developer
Centene Corporation Latham, New York, Fairport, New York, East Syracuse, New York, New York, New York, Getzville, New York
As we work to improve health outcomes around the world, technology will play a key role. That's why we've made major investments in cutting-edge technology – and in people like you. Here, you'll work in a fast-paced industry with lots of room for growth and innovation. This is a technology operation few can match in scope and none can match in impact. If you're ready to develop and deliver solutions that can help millions of people, join Centene.
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Information Technology Opportunities at Centene
Centene hires the best and brightest for our IT teams across the country. We have the enthusiasm and ambition of a start-up, with all the resources of a large company.
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You'll provide leadership, direction and strategic plans for project implementations while developing and managing large scale IT infrastructure operations.
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While creating and managing websites, applications and systems, you'll install programs and design, build, and maintain custom-built technology solutions.
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You'll develop and implement processes for information management, while maintaining digital networks, providing technical assistance in resolving network issues, and modifying networks.
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Using a variety of skills like SQL, Excel, Microstrategy, and SAS/R, you'll analyze, interpret, and apply data from multiple sources that contribute to business development.
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Working in a highly collaborative environment, you'll act as a liaison between stakeholders and the IT organization to support Centene's systems and lead our healthcare transformation.
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text:
Archive for Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Program educates parents on shaken baby syndrome
November 23, 2010
In 2008, eight babies in Sedgwick County died from shaken baby syndrome.
In 2009, after the implementation of The Period of PURPLE Crying, the number of deaths related to shaken baby syndrome dropped to just two. So far in 2010, only one baby in Sedgwick County has died of shaken baby syndrome, according to Janet Schalansky, president and CEO of Kansas Children's Service League.
The KCSL, along with five metro hospitals, announced Friday a partnership to bring the Period of PURPLE Crying to new mothers in the area, including Shawnee.
The Period of PURPLE Crying, a shaken baby syndrome prevention program, is an evidence-based program offered by the National Center on Shaken Baby Syndrome. The program approaches abusive head trauma by helping new parents and caregivers to understand the features of crying in normal infants.
"We want to educate parents and caregivers that an infant crying is normal," Schalansky said. "They can be dry and fed but still cry. That can cause frustration and that leads to shaken baby syndrome."
The program will now be offered to all parents of infants born at Menorah Medical Center, Providence Medical Center, Saint Luke's South Hospital, Shawnee Mission Medical Center and the University of Kansas Hospital.
The program was developed in part by more than 25 years of research on crying characteristics by Ronald G. Barr and other scientists.
PURPLE stands for the triggers of frustration.
• Peak of crying – typically between the second and third month but can last up to the fifth month of life.
• Unexpected – crying can begin for no reason; it can also stop for no reason.
• Resists soothing – the baby does not respond to soothing measures, however, soothing can decrease the amount of crying by 50 percent.
• Pain-like face – the crying may appear to cause the baby pain.
• Long lasting – bouts of crying can last anywhere from 30 minutes to hours.
• Evening – the time of day many babies begin to cry.
The program employs a three-dose strategy to introduce, reinforce and promote the dangers and frustration of infant crying.
The first dose: Parents, both mothers and fathers, receive a DVD and an 11-page booklet on PURPLE Crying. When possible the parents will watch the video with a hospital nurse available to answer questions. The material is available in 10 languages.
The second dose: Home visitors and pediatricians reinforce the message by talking to parents about concepts taught in the program. If a parent did not receive the program at the hospital or had a home birth, the materials would be readily available through pediatrician and home visits.
The third dose: The Period of PURPLE Crying public education campaign will be available to those who did not receive the material through the hospital or doctor visits. This portion of the program will bring the message to grandparents, significant others, neighbors and relatives.
Schalansky said the program is now able to reach 41,000 of the 42,000 births annually in the state of Kansas.
Amy Terreros, a nurse practitioner from Children's Mercy Hospital, said the program teaches parents that crying is normal.
"It gives parents realistic expectations," she said. "Crying can be extremely frustrating, but it's not a reflection of a parent. We want them to understand that it's okay to be frustrated. It's what you do with that frustration that matters."
Terreros recalled a case she worked on where a three-week old baby died from shaken baby syndrome.
"The mother said she never received this information. I hope I never have to hear that again," she said of the programs new implementation in the metro.
The program is funded by the Kansas Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services, the Kansas Children's Cabinet and Trust Fund, as well as, a number of state-wide and area foundations.
"This is 100 percent preventable if we educate parents and those that care for our children," Terreros said.
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Norfolk County (Virginia, USA)
Norfolk County was located in southeast Virginia. In the eastern part of the county, about 12 miles (20 km) from Norfolk and two miles (three km) from Fentress, a Mennonite settlement of approximately 225 persons was located in 1957. A few families lived across the county line east in Princess Anne County. To the west in the same county was the Portsmouth settlement of approximately 90 persons. The Portsmouth area church was known as Deep Creek and the Fentress church was named Mount Pleasant. Both had Christian day schools. The first Mennonites arrived in the county in 1899, and the first church was dedicated in May 1910. Several Conservative Amish Mennonite families also lived in the county. They were affiliated with the larger settlement near Kempsville, Princess Anne County.
The county ceased to exist in 1963. Over the years portions of Norfolk County became parts of the cities of Norfolk, Portsmouth, and South Norfolk. In 1963, the remaining portions of Norfolk County were consolidated with South Norfolk to form the city of Chesapeake.
|Lenora H Wenger
|Date Published
Cite This Article
MLA style
Wenger, Lenora H. "Norfolk County (Virginia, USA)." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. 1957. Web. 15 Aug 2020. https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Norfolk_County_(Virginia,_USA)&oldid=76416.
APA style
Wenger, Lenora H. (1957). Norfolk County (Virginia, USA). Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 15 August 2020, from https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Norfolk_County_(Virginia,_USA)&oldid=76416.
Adapted by permission of Herald Press, Harrisonburg, Virginia, from Mennonite Encyclopedia, Vol. 3, p. 912. All rights reserved.
©1996-2020 by the Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. All rights reserved.


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Game 4: The Eddie Collins of 2009
Even if Johnny Damon had gone oh-for-the-first-four years of the 52-million dollart contract he signed with the Yankees after the 2005 season, he might have earned most of the cash with one of the most heads-up plays in World Series history.
5 Comments
I loved that play. Talk about paying attention!
Small "b" baseball takes the day. 🙂
Thanks for that Mr O, I really have a semblance of hope we will end the drought!
All I can say is thank you Mr Damon, thank you Mr. Lidge.
I think Joba owes both of them a hardy handshake at least!
Oh, I'd say Joba owes Damon a Rolex!
I'd say Damon motoring on over to third is right up there with Jeter's "flip" in the 2001 ALDS. Incredible play!
Is this more of the Phillies "playing their game", that we've heard their fans boasting so much about? This is what happens when the Phillies encounter a team that has actually shown up to play, unlike the Rockies, et. al. Joking aside, the Phillies fans should have put their brooms away at the end of Game 1, because there are few things in life so uncertain as the outcome of a top series or game, in any sport. The Arizona Cardinals came close to winning the most recent Super Bowl. Need I say more?
As for the rest of your post, Keith…you must be a walking encyclopedia of baseball knowledge. Are you plugged into an external USB hard drive, or something? LOL!
Watching on television, I didn't realize who was covering the throw at second, so when Damon popped up and started toward third I thought he'd simply over-slid the bag and was in a rundown…then when the camera pulled back I saw how great a play that was. It changed the entire inning.
Keith, I have to tell you, you were spot on in your pre-Series prediction about Ryan Howard's struggle against lefties…it seems to have extended to Ibanez and Utley as well and is, to me, the biggest difference in the Series.


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Any recommendations for a good isometric game engine that is also free?
- Should be possible to develop entirely using freely available tools (meaning: no Flash, and no I don't want to learn haXe...)
- Works-in-a-browser is a plus, but not required.
- Support for 32-bit images is required!
- Good performance.
- Excellent documentation.
I have looked at FIFE but it is still too unfinished, and the documentation sucks!


text:
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I sure would like to…
I know just a little about her.
Henriette was born in 1845. Sandy is trying to find when she died. She has found a lot of information about Stanislas Lagasse and where he worked.
This is where Stanislas worked around the turn of the 20th century.
The E. Ingraham Co.
Sandy found out he was working in the case department.
Not many things on the Internet…
Ingraham Case Shop 1890
Stanislas should be there in that picture… but what I really want is a picture of Henriette.


text:
CHICAGO (AP) — Inside a command center at a Chicago marketing agency, a small team of social media experts hunkers down to monitor online chatter about President Barack Obama's health care law, answer questions on Facebook from discouraged consumers and post information and advice on Twitter.
They are holding down the fort for a $33 million ad campaign planned for Get Covered Illinois, the new health insurance marketplace that's a cornerstone of the law, also known as "Obamacare," in what is arguably the biggest social media campaign rolled out by the state of Illinois.
As the state-contracted agency pivots away from a full-force marketing barrage because of early technical problems with the law's federal website, the social media team has assumed responsibility for educating consumers and tending to their frustrations in Obama's home state.
"Application has been pending for days. #gettingimpatient," read one incoming tweet last week, a few days before The Associated Press was given an exclusive peek inside the command center at FleishmanHillard.
"We're making sure we're listening and we're supportive and we're there for them when they're having difficulties," said Meg Poulelis, 28, who leads the team and worked previously on social media accounts for Gatorade and Chevrolet.
Compared to other states, Illinois is in an unusual spot, with millions to spend on promotion but no control over fixing the federal site's technical glitches. Most of the other 35 states relying on Washington to run their marketplaces are led by Republicans who've been hostile to the law and have done nothing to promote it. States promoting the law generally are running their own marketplaces.
Months before the rollout of the law's marketplaces, one for every state, Illinois officials envisioned a social media marketing push aimed at uninsured healthy young adults, a key demographic for the law's success.
The campaign would use Twitter, Facebook and YouTube to convince young people to buy health insurance. It would be part of an ad blitz with TV, radio, billboards and other paid advertising.
Now, nearly three weeks after the launch, the social media campaign is underway, but it's muted. Paid advertising is on hold. With technology problems plaguing the federal website, state officials decided there's no reason to boost traffic now.
While most Republican-led states are taking a hands-off approach, Illinois sought federal grants that could be used for advertising. The $33 million campaign is funded entirely by those grants.
Get Covered Illinois' social media launch — compared to some other Democrat-led states — got a late start. Kentucky's campaign started tweeting May 15, Minnesota's on May 10 and Washington state on April 16.
Illinois went live with Twitter and Facebook on Oct. 1, the same day the federal healthcare.gov site launched — and then failed under a crush of users. Illinois relies on the federal government to run its insurance-shopping site because state lawmakers didn't approve a state-run system.
Consumers understandably are seeking answers from Get Covered Illinois, said social media strategist Dave Kerpen of New York-based Likeable Media, who isn't involved with the Illinois effort.
"Given people's frustration with the federal website, Get Covered Illinois has to be able to respond promptly and with great care to their customers," Kerpen said.
They may have missed an opportunity with Chicago attorney Andrew DePaul, 58, who followed Get Covered Illinois on Twitter seeking information. He hopes to lower his family's insurance costs, but the problems with the federal site have kept him from even seeing his options.
On Oct. 11, he was the one who tweeted to Get Covered Illinois about his frustration and included the hashtag: "#gettingimpatient."
The social media team tweeted back to him more than three hours later: "Thanks for reaching out. To clarify, are you on the http://healthcare.gov site?"
DePaul replied "Yes" and then heard nothing else. That doesn't bother him.
"I don't expect the marketing campaign to troubleshoot the problems. I want their freaking website to work," he said. "I've been a huge cheerleader for the Affordable Care Act and it's been a great disappointment."
On Facebook, the team is finessing questions about the federal site. A reply from Oct. 7: "We're in contact with our fed partners who run healthcare.gov & they are working as quickly as possible to correct these issues. We will update you as soon as they update us, but let us know if you have questions we can help you with in the meantime!"
Kerpen said the team should make its answers more personable when possible.
"It's the difference between 'Thank you for your response. We'll get back to you' and 'Thanks, I understand it's so frustrating,'" Kerpen said. "When used correctly you have the opportunity (with social media) to humanize an organization."
The social media team is just getting started, said Darrell Jursa, a FleishmanHillard senior vice president in charge of emerging media. Plans include an email newsletter, pitches to influential young bloggers and paid digital advertising.
For now, Twitter followers and Facebook "likes" are small but growing. Most important, Jursa said, more than 121,000 people have gone through the screening tool at GetCoveredIllinois.gov to see whether they qualify for Medicaid or tax credits.
"The whole point is getting people to the website," he said. "That counts in our minds as a conversion. That's something that's very healthy as far as the campaign is concerned."
AP Medical Writer Carla K. Johnson can be reached at http://www.twitter.com/CarlaKJohnson
Tags: leah remini brandon jennings


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I think 2009 is more challenging year for all of us. Market is slow, distributors are crying for collection of payments & orders. At the end our sales team will face tough time on the field this year. Over all every one is panic due to current situation. We need to pass on massage to our sales team that, this is a real time when we have to work really heard to achieve our goals. This is a time we have to show our leadership qualities. We have to convey them that what we have already achieved gives us hope for what we can and must achieve tomorrow. This is our time - to put our people back to work and open doors of hope & opportunity for them. That's why I suggest NSM theme for 2009 is "leadership begins in Crises"
Rohan Bharati