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You may have heard about the 80% – 20% rule? It basically means something like you make about 80% of your turnover with 20% of your clients. I guess you would also agree with e that these 20% of your clients are very important to your small business and start-up business, like SOHO-, SME, SMB-, Micro-, Lifestyle-, Home-, DIY-, Hobby-, Boomer-, Professional-, Personal business, so what are you doing about that? You should do about it is learn about Key Account Management.
What is a key account? They are the customers that keep your small business revenue growing, look at some of the attributes of an key account:
- Provides your business with consistent and high value business
- Is looking for a long-term partnership with your small business
- Is of "strategic" importance to you or your business sector
- Offers you increasing sales for the future
- Is one of your most important customers.
You need to develop and maintain an value adding relationship with your key accounts, because they offer you a constant revenue stream of high quality and reliability – best of all a growing revenue stream. This in turn allows you to plan your business better (cash-flow) for the future, while reducing your sales cost.
Get the picture – these customers are among the most valuable assets to your growing small business or business start-up.


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Pivot Jordan coming from a fields of engineering from the fact that the best investment is in the human resources, we intended to build a positive career environment and this is the way to guarantee the best services delivered to the customers and to build long term relationship and loyalty of our clients.
Pivot team is always looking to exceed our customers aspirations by our
Services, dedication and involving state of the art technology
[wds id="2″]
Jordan is one of the top countries in the world in terms of the classification of solar radiation with a rate of 5.6 -6 KWh/m2/day throughout the year, so Jordan classified as one of the highest annual daily averages of solar irradiance in the world with an estimated 330 days of sunshine per year
Pivots mission is to be the leading specialist agency in the global renewable energy space. The Renewable Energy Agencys track record proves that we have excellent working relationships and a strong understanding of our clients needs..

subset: commoncrawl


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Successful Encounter Design
What makes a good encounter? Memorable encounters are far more than a collection of stat blocks to be defeated and treasure to be looted (although great encounters often include both).
Thousands of words have been written about the mechanical aspects of encounter design – how to create balanced and appropriate challenges and rewards – but such considerations are extremely system dependent. For example, even though Pathfinder and 4e are similar games they approach these tasks in different ways. Underlying these considerations, however, lie fundamental aspects of encounter design relevant to every roleplaying game.
Every encounter should fit within the context of the adventure, building toward a coherent whole. Encounters that jar players from their suspension of disbelief detract from adventures and often bring a session to a screeching halt.
When placing an encounter within an adventure, do not rely on overly long explanatory text that only the GM might see. If an encounter is odd in some way – say the PCs meet an opponent that seems strangely out of place – the PCs should be able to at least find clues that strongly hint at the reasons behind the creature's presence. Without such clues, even though the encounter might make perfect sense to the GM, the encounter will make no sense to the players.
Encounters need to move the adventure's story forward in some way. Not every encounter has to reveal some major part of the plot or end with the demise of an important villain but they should give the PCs a sense of achievement. The exception to this is, of course, random encounters. Random encounters often add interesting variables to an adventure and are an essential part of the "Old School" feel. However, such encounters still need to make sense within the adventure's overall framework.
Not every encounter needs to end in combat, but every encounter should have some element of challenge. Whether it be bribing a guard to turn a blind eye, slaying raiding orcs or gathering information around town, encounters should focus on the PCs doing something (and hopefully succeeding).
Flavour good, blandness bad.
Flavour is what elevates adventures from the humdrum to the awesome. Good adventures need flavour. In battle, do the orcs call out to a specific god or do the guards wear the livery of a certain lord? Describe the surrounding area whether it be a musty, forgotten tomb or the bustling streets of a metropolis. Without flavour, you might as well set your adventure in a series of featureless rooms populated solely by creatures whose sole purpose is to die on the PC's blades.
Closing Thoughts
Successful encounter design is much, much more than lumping together a random bunch of monsters whose sole purpose in life is to whacked and/or blown up repeatedly until they die. Considering the context, purpose, inherent challenge and flavour of an encounter enables you to create exciting, meaningful events that drives forward an adventure's story and enriches the gaming experience for all participants.
About the Designer
Creighton is a keen gamer who passionately believes in the Open Gaming License and is dedicated to making his games as fun and easy to enjoy as possible for all participants. Reducing or removing entry barriers, simplifying pre-game prep and easing the GM's workload are the key underpinning principles of the products he releases through Raging Swan Press.
Over the last 11 years, Creighton has worked with Expeditious Press, Paizo and Wizards of the Coast. He now releases his own products through Raging Swan Press. You can read his thoughts on game design at raging-swan.livejournal.com.
Creighton lives in Torquay, England where, apparently, the palm trees are plastic and the weather is warm. He shares a ramshackle old mansion with his two children ("Genghis" and "Khan") and his patient wife. Famed for his unending love affair with booze and pizza he is an enduring GREYHAWK fan.


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Eastwood, KY, Kentucky business pages
Top channels of Eastwood by ratings
About Eastwood
Welcome to FaveCentral, your local Eastwood business pages. Top categories range from Eastwood Home Services to Eastwood Delivery Services. Review businesses in Eastwood, jump to nearby towns in Kentucky.
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Eastwood has 10 company profiles within 7 categories. Eastwood business pages are currently viewed by 2 visitors.


text: Sneaker Shoes: Q3328 Canvas shoes. Sneaker. Color: Black. Navy. Wine Red. Weight average: 550g Other colors like All White Black Stripe. all White red Stripe Foot Length= Highest Toe to End of the Heel Buying FOR -Adult = Buy Same size or 1 size bigger -Growing Kids => Buy 1 size bigger Reason: Bigger still available to wear. Put Padding Small or fitting unable to wear. Need to do an exchange. Shoe Size: 35-44 Foot Length 22.0cm-27.0cm Shown Size 22.5/35 Recommend Length: 22.0cm Shown Size 23.0/36 Recommend Length: 22.5cm Shown Size 23.5/37 Recommend Length: 23.0cm Shown Size 24.0/38 Recommend Length: 23.5cm Shown Size 24.5/39(M) Recommend Length: 24.0cm Shown Size 24.5/39(L) Recommend Length: 24.5cm Shown Size 25.0/40 Recommend Length: 25.0cm Shown Size 25.5/41 Recommend Length: 25.5cm Shown Size 26.0/42 Recommend Length: 26.0cm Shown Size 26.5/43 Recommend Length: 26.5cm Shown Size 27.0/44 Recommend Length: 27.0cm -WIDE FOOT or LONG TOE choose one size bigger. Example 1: Foot Length: 25.0cm Normal Feet: Size 40/41 Long Toe Feet : Size 41/42 Wide Foot: Size 41/42 Chubby Feet 42 Example 2: Foot Length 23.3cm Normal Feet: Size 37/38 Long Toe Feet : Size 38/39 Wide Foot: Size 38/39 Chubby Feet: 39


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Visit.org is modernizing global access to impactful travel for consumers and social ventures (nonprofits and other community-based enterprises) around the world. The platform is the debut marketplace for social impact travel experiences. Visit.org meets the United Nation's mandate to create sustainable consumption for travelers by working with charitable partners that promote causes such as sustainability, women's empowerment, human rights, animal welfare, and heritage preservation.
The travel industry has an immense potential to generate economic sustainability for local communities. Travel and tourism are the world's largest economic industries, earning $7T annually. Unfortunately, most of this revenue does not benefit local communities as only 5% of earnings are left in local hands. The only entities that can guarantee funds from tourism activities stay in the communities are the local social ventures that can offer unique access to their cultures. Visit.org makes this possible through its technology that enables social ventures to create and market mainstream tourism products.
Our commitment to responsible travel and sustainability is simple: 100% of hosts' revenue is invested back into the local community. We aim to use modern business practices to increase our partner's causes' awareness and revenue to finance their missions. We provide professional photography, videography, and storytelling as well as advice and ongoing feedback to enhance each partner's tourism offerings.
Visit.org is the world's leading platform for social impact travel experiences and is pioneering the way for conscious consumers to travel more mindfully. The demand for authentic travel experiences has grown at a rate of 65% each year since 2009. There are 100,000 do-good organizations around the globe that have the potential to offer excursions. To meet the growing demand, Visit.org works with these social ventures to create tourism experiences that are unique to the organization's cause. These short, immersive and impactful travel experiences can be added to any trip itinerary. Socially conscious travelers may engage in a myriad of community-driven travel experiences available in 64 countries. Currently offers consist of 500 activities from Peruvian weaving with Awamaki artisans ($60), cooking traditional meals with immigrants in New York City ($124), or saving sea turtles in Athens, Greece ($21). These educational experiences provide travelers the opportunity to participate in the local community in a meaningful and impactful way.


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The Israeli producer's first solo release for the label is due out next week.
Avni, an Israeli house and techno artist and the mind behind Tel Aviv's Avadon club night, has crafted two tracks for the occasion, each featuring vocals from an unnamed Moroccan singer. The EP, coming out next Monday, is his first solo record on Âme and Dixon's label—last year he put out a track on a Secret Weapons compilation—and it follows releases in recent years for imprints like Stroboscopic Artefacts, Hotflush and Ovum.
Listen to both cuts from Mabruk: the already well-received "Midas Touch," and "Jorniel."
A Midas Touch
B Jorniel
Innervisions will release Mabruk on December 11th, 2017.


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Bye buy
Rodgers rules out big spending in January
BRENDAN RODGERS has warned Liverpool supporters: Don't expect much transfer
business in January.
The Reds have spent big in recent windows with Andy Carroll, Stewart Downing
and Luis Suarez all costing more than £20million each.
Carroll has since been loaned to West Ham, leaving a heavy burden on Suarez's
shoulders to grab the goals.
But any hopes of a new big-money striker coming in to help the Uruguayan have
been dampened as Rodgers revealed the club are not planning a spending spree
when the transfer window opens.
The Liverpool boss said: "I am not so sure it will be in January to be honest.
"This year the club wanted to balance the books and see where it was at.
"There was a big investment in the club and obviously a lot of players went
out in the summer and a few came in.
"We will look to do some business in January to help and support the players
here, but that is where we are at as a football club and it is something the
owners trust me to grow over time.
"Eventually, we will get there."
Rodgers has focused on developing young players since joining the Reds from
Swansea in the summer.
Raheem Sterling is the shining example of the Northern Irishman's youth
policy, having won his first cap for England in the friendly defeat to
Sweden earlier this month.
But despite trying to put his stamp on the team through the promotion of
youngsters like Sterling, Rodgers admits he does not yet consider the
current squad to be his own.
He explained: "It will evolve. The guys are working very well, they have been
fantastic, but we all know you need to get in your own types of players
before you can say it is your own side.
"When I came to Swansea in my first season there were 12 players that were
used and six moved on. In the second year seven came in over the course of
the season and there were nine who went the other way.
"Until you get that turnover of players you can only look at it then as your
team. But we will work with the players we have."
Video: Emotional return for Rodgers


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- 1,526,342 +/- Sqft
Property TypeLots And Land – Homesite
SubdivisionWolcott Springs Sub
Listing Date08/30/20
AreaWolcott & Bellyache Ridge
Lot Size35.04 Acres (1,526,342 SqFt)
Property Description
This is a great piece of property with easy access and a super building site on Wolcott Springs Road just across Bellyache Ridge Road from Red Sky Ranch. Electric,phone,and natural gas avaiable.Possible opportunity to divide the property into 2-3 Lots. Memberships available at Red Sky Golf Club.
Presented By
- See Remarks
- Valley
- Electricity Available
- Natural Gas Available
- Phone Available
- Satellite
- Snow Removal
- Trash
Financial Information
4 Beds 6 Baths
5 Beds 8 Baths
We get asked this question a lot. Below is a tool that gives you the ability to see what the market is like in your community. Find out what homes like your own are selling for right in your back yard. Simply enter in your address, choose the proximity of the search and find out market data for other homes that are selling near you.
While we'll provide you with plenty of information, this is a snapshot of your market data and there are real people behind the high-tech and automated tools. If you would like more detailed information or help in understanding the results we are here to help.
Until then, enjoy the tools!
The data relating to the real estate for sale on this website comes in part from the Internet Data Exchange program of the Vail Multi-List Service, Inc.
Copyright © 2020 Vail Multi List, Inc. (VMLS). The information displayed herein was derived from sources believed to be accurate, but has not been verified by VMLS. Buyers are cautioned to verify all information to their own satisfaction. This information is exclusively for viewers' personal, non- commercial use. Any republication or reproduction of the information herein without the express permission of the VMLS is strictly prohibited.
Listing courtesy of Slifer Smith & Frampton/Bridge


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Gregory Ranch is our new, 26-acre estate vineyard in the rolling, sandy hills of the Yamhill-Carlton AVA. Planted by Bergström Wines club member Dr. Kenton Gregory and his family, Gregory Ranch's viticulture and biodynamic programs have been managed by Josh Bergström and the Bergström Wines farming team since the vineyard's inception in 2007.
Perched on the top of a 580-foot sandstone hillside, Gregory Ranch Vineyard sits where the Willamette Valley climbs up into the rugged Pacific Coast Mountain Range. The vineyard property sprawls through and around oak and Douglas fir trees as well as Scotch broom, which paints the hillside bright yellow in the spring. The vineyard itself features four distinct vineyard exposures: a south-facing, amphitheater-like bowl planted to four different Pinot Noir selections; a west-facing Chardonnay slope that benefits from late summer afternoon sunshine; a fully exposed crest atop the hillside Pinot Noir block; and a steep, east-facing flank of Pinot Noir vines. These four different expressions of the hillside make for a very complex vineyard that promises to showcase the best of this great appellation.
We call Gregory Ranch Vineyard a "ranch" because, along with vines, it also harbors an expansive stand of thickly planted Douglas fir trees and is home to a wild herd of elk and pheasants as well as Oregon's famous black truffles. Additionally, we have plans to create a lake that will be stocked with fish and shrimp so that this great property will someday become a culinary paradise where we can truly explore the possibilities of pairing food and wine from a single great terroir. We have even milled some of the oak trees removed for vineyard development for eventual use as the staves for oak tanks and barrels. When used for fermenting and ageing wines from this site, they will become a further testament to our desire to explore all the potential expressions of terroir from this special vineyard.
Wines from Gregory Ranch Vineyard are soil-driven with dark fruit aromas of black cherry, blackberry and blueberry as well as wild dried mushroom, cinnamon, tobacco and meat notes. Sweet baking spices, characteristic of the Yamhill-Carlton AVA, are also present, lending sweetness and lush textures. Our release of the first Bergström Wines Gregory Ranch Pinot Noir will be from the 2010 vintage.
Wednesday, Nov 4, 2020 at 10:00am Pacific Time
Online Event
Tuesday, Nov 10, 2020 at 10:00am Pacific Time
Online Event
Wednesday, Dec 2, 2020 at 10:00am Pacific Time
online event
You can find CDC's latest coronavirus information at cdc.gov/coronavirus; AARP information and resources are at aarp.org/coronavirus. En español, visite aarp.org/elcoronavirus.


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The jet lag had us up bright and early and ready to take on the day. First on the agenda was breakfast. We headed to a restaurant called Patrick's Roadhouse. This place looks like a sort of tacky place you would just drive past. But I had heard good things about it so we said we'd give it a try. I ordered belgian chocolate chip pancakes with eggs and bacon. The portion was huge! It was really good 🙂 I loved the interior of the restaurant – I wish I had taken some more pictures inside! It's a really quirky place and I hear it's a favourite of Arnold Schwarzenegger, who has his own seat there, and people such as Tom Cruise, Bill Clinton and Julia Roberts have stopped by (sadly not when we were there)!
After breakfast, we drove to Hollywood and took a tour of The Dolby Theatre, which is where the Oscars are held. This was my third time in L.A. and I had actually done this tour before but this time it was 10 times better! We got to learn all about what goes on behind the scenes of the Oscars, from the beginning of the red carpet, to when the stars are ushered out after the show with their coffee! I guess it's after this is then the party really starts! We got to walk out on to the stage, take a selfie like Ellen, sit in Leonardo diCaprio's seat, go in to the host's dressing room, and walk down the route of the winners. It was a really fun tour and I'd recommend it if you like to see behind the scenes.
We strolled around the Hollywood & Highland shopping mall for a little before attending Jimmy Kimmel Live. If you've read my October Highlights post, you'll know that I actually managed to snatch tickets to this show twice when they were filming in Brooklyn, so I was excited to get to see my friend Jimmy again! It was really interesting to compare the taping of the show in Hollywood with the taping of the show in Brooklyn. The venue was a lot smaller in Hollywood! This meant we had a really good view. When I was in Brooklyn, we were seated up in the top tier of the theatre and the view wasn't great! Rob Lowe and Chloe Bennett were the guests on the show. It was a long process because you have to queue for a while before it starts and then they have some warm up guys on but it was a good experience. (You can watch the show from May 4th and you will see us in the audience)
We went back to Santa Monica to get some tacos but I wouldn't recommend the place we went to. Trying to find our car afterwards was an experience! If you're ever parking in Santa Monica, note the number & location of the car park because they all look identical! It may or may not have taken us three wrong ones to find the right one. . .


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The Greatest Danger of All
Comparing smoking to vaping, is like comparing raisins to watermelons. They operate by two totally different mechanisms. Smoking is much more offensive to non-smokers because the burning of tobacco (marijuana, etc.) is not inhaled by the user primarily but is lost to the environment by a ratio of more than ten to one, whereas the "smoke" produced by the vaper, is only what they draw into their lungs -- and then blow into the air, which is actually a miniscule amount, and that is why it can hardly be detected.
So even if vaping is as harmful as smoking, it has much less of an impact on the non-smokers (and environment), which rightly, should be the primary concern, because it is the innocent we want to protect first, and not those bent on exercising personal choice -- whether that is BASE jumping, climbing Mt. Everest, drinking, overeating, not exercising, blowing through stop signs on a bike, etc.
The just society is to protect the innocent, and not the guilty as though they are the innocent, and the victims of society -- as has come to be the fashion among the nondiscriminating. And that is the big problem in any society -- of not making the valid discrimantions from the arbitrary, and then passing laws that only permit the arbitrary -- as in many "progressive" states.
Anybody who has ever visited a chain-smoker's residence, knows that the walls and furnishings of that environment are coated with brown, sticky tar and residue -- which is also going on in the lungs of the smoker, impacting health tremendously in that fashion -- rendering the debate on whether nicotine itself is harmful, as a much smaller risk.
That's why the argument that smoking marijuana having no impact because THC itself is not harmful or even medicinal, has to weigh the process of smoking itself as a huge impact -- that is largely ignored by the usually same "progressives." In fact, one notes that the resin and tar produced by marijuana, is considerably more, by the very nature of the subtance.
The base of e-juices is glycerin, which actually has favorable effects -- usually as the base for most cosmetics, topicals, theatrical effects (to produce "smoke"), which also leaves a thin film in most air purifiers, which is a lot less sticky and thick than the residue produced from smoking.
Unfortunately, a lot of people expressing opinions and notions comparing smoking to vaping, haven't given it any thought or investigation at all -- in any real world experience and experiment, which is the greatest danger of all.


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LoisPalooza 2019
Help Lois Beat Cancer!
Auction Items
The generosity of many many friends and family is overwhelming. Through their kindness, there are some absolutely AMAZING rare collectible items that have been donated.
The list below is continuing to grow and subject to change. Photos of these will be added in the very near future.
Official Tour Jackets
One-of-a-Kind Autographed Guitar!
Official Tour Jackets, each a collectible rare item. These are high-quality "sportsman" styles, with the embroidered logos of the groups or artists.
These include
- Queen
- Prince
- The Rolling Stones
- Kiss
- Aerosmith
- Ringo Starr
- Elton John
A One-of-a-Kind Collectible 2Tek guitar, one of only 15 bodies ever created.
This stunning piece has autographs from the following global musicians:
Vince Gill (The Eagles, CMHF)
Howard Leese (Heart, Bad Company, RRHF)
Roger Fisher (Heart, RRHF)
Michael Shrieve (Santana, RRHF)
Alan White (John Lennon, George Harrison, YES, RRHF)
Steve Fossen (Heart, RRHF)
Lee Oskar (WAR, RRHF nominated)
Lee Oskar Signed Harmonicas
Lois' "Destiny"
An extremely rare, gold plated Lee Oskar Harmonica signed by original WAR band members (Lee Oskar, Harold Brown, Howard Scott & BB Dickerson), accompanied with signed music sheet for hit song "Low Rider"
A limited-edition Lee Oskar Harmonica signed by actor and musician, Bruce Willis.
Lee Oskar dedicates this painting to Lois as it is one of her favorites from the Lee Oskar original art collection. The painting is inspired by the natural beauty of the Northwest. Each Lee Oskar original painting in the acrylics on canvas series features vivid colors and magnificent tonal backgrounds. Destiny is one of the painting that is featured in this stunning collection. Lee chose to dedicate the Destiny painting to his dear friend Lois, naming it for the purpose of this auction, Lois' "Destiny".


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dogs on kitchen cabinet, dining table, etc.greenspun.com : LUSENET : Freedom! self reliance : One Thread
As the subject line states, I have a problem with the dogs getting up on the kitchen cabinet, dining table, etc. They've even begun to visit the top of the cook stove. I am not amused by these acrobatic feats, but have not been able to break them of the habit. I have spanked them with newspapers and even my hand, but no luck. These are small dogs and I really don't want to cause them actual physical harm but friends, this ain't gonna work. I really do have to be able to leave the room and not have some dog up there eating the loaf of bread while I'm gone. They aren't hungry as they have food out most of the time. Any suggestions other than bear traps? LOL
-- Green (firstname.lastname@example.com), April 22, 2001
Supposed to work, but I've never tried it: Put beans or something in a metal can and shake it loudly every time they do the unapproved behavior. They don't like the noise, and are *supposed* to get the idea quickly. Good luck.
-- mary, texas (email@example.com), April 22, 2001.
REALLY BIG sheets of flypaper.
-- greg (firstname.lastname@example.com), April 22, 2001.
I would try Mary's suggestion. Greg's would be too messy for me.lol. If that doesn't work, maybe you can find a cap gun? Do they still make those? If not, I know they still make those popper things that you throw on the ground and they go WHAM. Scares me, and I am not afraid of vaccuum cleaners.
-- Doreen (firstname.lastname@example.com), April 22, 2001.
Thanks ya'll. Another problem is they get up on the kitchen cabinet at night and knock things off or out and break them. Last night they broke a piece of Corning Ware. My oldest son was still up and he thought he knew who did it, but wasn't sure. That makes it hard to punish the perpetrator. Maybe the really big piece of fly paper.....
-- Green (firstname.lastname@example.com), April 23, 2001.
I have a couple BIG dogs that stand up and try to get whatever is left out... The best I can tell you is to a) be VERY consistant, b) find a way to lock them out of the kitchen when you are in bed or not at home (they will get up there, and then all the newspapers in the world won't remind them why they are in trouble) and c) never leave anything they might even remotely think is interesting up there.
No matter what I do... swats on the nose or behind, pepper juice, even PineSol... they still nose around. So, everything is put away all the time... Its a real pain.
Sorry I couldn't be of more help -
-- Sue Diederich (email@example.com), April 23, 2001.
Even if you knew which dog was the perpetrator, it really does no good to punish the dog unless you can catch them and punish immediately. If you do it later on, they really have no idea what they are being punished for and are just confused. I would consider training them to sleep in some type of kennel and closing it for the night.
-- mary, texas (firstname.lastname@example.com), April 24, 2001.


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Highland Hospital has been serving the West Virginia community for over sixty years providing quality mental health care, an educated staff, and a safe environment. At Highland, we have the resources to improve your total well-being.
Our mission is to provide quality behavioral health care services to children, adolescents, and adults in a caring environment.
Highland will be the premier provider of quality behavioral health care services and improve the total well-being of individuals and families through investment in our employees, patients, and communities.
– Quality care
– Patient-Centered Environment
– Innovation
– Ethical Treatment of All
– Fiscal Responsibility
– Total Well-Being
– Investment in Our People
– Visibility


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If you're with another auto club, like AAA, making the switch to Better World Club is EASY.
1. Pick your start date (we have a minimum 3 business day delay). Look for this option on the member enrollment form. Be aware: your credit card will be charged immediately. You will also receive an email confirmation immediately, but you will NOT receive membership materials (automatically via email or via postal mail if you request them) until after your effective date.
2. Cancel your current auto club. Notify your current club in writing, and be sure to ask for a refund on the unused portion, if applicable. Use the sample cancellation letter below.
We will waive our $15 signup fee for membersof other auto clubs that make the switch to Better World Club. The $15 waiver only applies when your current auto club charges you an enrollment fee. When you join Better World we will match your current AAA rate if it's less expensive than ours. Price matching applies to new membership only. Prices to be matched must be for regularly priced and equivalent membership programs. You must provide us with documentation of your local AAA's pricing to receive a price match.
Dear ___________________ Membership Department,
I'm sending you this written notice to request cancellation of my membership in your auto club effective immediately. It is my understanding that upon receiving this cancellation notice you will refund the unused portion of my annual membership dues (if applicable) to me at the address listed below. I've also enclosed my membership card(s) for your disposal.
Thank you,
AAA is a registered trademark of the American Automobile Association.


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heritage vs legacy
Whats the difference?
Is it "heritage" when your strapped for cash and "legacy" when you want someone to buy new gear?
NASA's Ares I-X finally got off launchpad 39B at Kennedy Space Centre at 15:30 GMT today. The launch of the Ares I-X. Pic: NASA TV Following a scrubbed launch yesterday, and overnight thunderstorms, the Constellation programme trailblazer lifted off en route to an Atlantic splashdown at the end of a flight intended to "test …
So...years late, we get a painted-over Shuttle solid fuel booster propelling a dummy second stage and avionics package into sub-orbital space and splashing down.
Sounds like a feeding trough for the contractors rather than anything seriously accomplished. We do need a low-earth orbial capability, with heavy-lift options, but this just doesn't look like it's making progress cost-effectively...
It's obvious to anyone who actually thinks about it for more than a few seconds that "we" need this "trucking service" to low orbit as part of any serious attempt to get a permanent manned presence out into the solar system. Getting into orbit is the biggest energy expenditure required in space flight so it only makes sense to provide a system that's capable of doing that part as efficiently as possible. To me it sounds like he just wants to cut NASA's budget and he's using the "don't need this idea" as an excuse. A sensible appraisal would spend some time pointing out viable alternatives to perform the same role as Ares rather than saying it's not needed at all.
'So...years late, we get a painted-over Shuttle solid fuel booster propelling a dummy second stage and avionics package into sub-orbital space and splashing down.'
Actually we got it just four years after the Ares project was first approved. N
ASA have had plenty of screw-ups since the Shuttle was finalised, a long period of indecision, but they've done well to get Ares up and flying this quickly. NASA needs a period of certainty where it can plan; if the Augustine panel's recommendations are followed it will be even longer before we can start doing new cool stuff.
Ares 1-X was more than just an SRB with a new coat of paint; it was a new vehicle with completely different flight characteristics to previous rockets that NASA has built. They were testing rockets the old-fashioned way - one small step at a time. The alternative, 'all-up' approach used on the Shuttle and Apollo Saturn V is incredibly risky and appallingly expensive - NASA doesn't want another explosion to torpedo public support for space flight and its budget simply doesn't allow them to keep rolling rockets to the pad and firing them in the hope they've debugged everything.
The largest effort to Ares 1-X wasn't actually the rocket, its been re-tasking Kennedy to handle the new rockets - everything from redesigning the pad and the VAB to training the staff who will assemble and fire the rockets.
It's a real shame we now have to wait quite so long for Ares 1-Y to fly. A bit of Kennedy-era urgency from the top and Johnson-era largesse would be nice.
My only issue with today's flight was that it didn't take place when I was at Kennedy earlier this month :(
"It's obvious to anyone who actually thinks about it for more than a few seconds that "we" need this "trucking service" to low orbit as part of any serious attempt to get a permanent manned presence out into the solar system."
Yes and no.
Yes we (all human kind) need cheaper, more routine access to low earth orbit.
No it is *not* agreed that NASA should use *US taxpayers* money to have built a vehicle which will *not* come into service for its inital role until at least 5 years after the shuttle retires and within 1 year of the planned retirement of the ISS. NASA will still be paying someone (who at this point will *not *be a US company) to ship its supplies and possibly the odd astronaut to the ISS in those 5 years.
This architecture is a *literal* 1 for 1 transcript of the Apollo, Saturn 1 for LEO crew missions and testing, Saturn 5 for the big one. Only this time round they matched the CSM size to the ultimate vehicle and not the Saturn 1.
Biting the hand that feeds IT © 1998–2020


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What is unfolding in Ferguson and St. Louis County, Missouri, in the aftermath of the Grand Jury's decision is on the minds of most of us as we move toward Thanksgiving. I am reminded about how impossible it is for me to enter into the experience of the African American community: I cannot know what it is like to step out of your house everyday with the knowledge that simply the color of your skin can place you in harm's way. I am reminded of how impossible it is for me to enter into the experience of the poor: I cannot know what it is like to not have enough to eat or not have adequate housing. The reality is that I am incredibly privileged. But that does not mean that I cannot listen to the voices and stories of those whose experiences I cannot enter. It does not mean that I cannot learn from them, and find my way through that learning to a deeper compassion and empathy. It does not mean that I cannot focus on the common humanity that unites us all. And out of that listening and learning, out of my own place of privilege, I can witness to the injustice and inequality of our society, and find ways to try to change that.
I can find no better words in response to what is happening in Missouri than the words that the Very Rev. Mike Kinman, Dean of the Christ Church Cathedral (Episcopal) in St. Louis wrote to his congregation, and so I share them with you:
I have said before that there are three types of journeys — tourist, mission and pilgrimage.
As tourists, we go on the journey to consume — goods, services, experiences. As missioners, we go on the journey to effect change — to make the place we are visiting better.
Then there is pilgrimage. As pilgrims, we go on the journey to be changed.
I wrote yesterday that this is only the next stage in an ongoing journey that began well before August 9 and will continue for years after.
We can approach this journey as tourists — consuming the experience as it comes to us on TV and social media. We can approach this journey as missioners — and have as our goal to make the world a better place. These both have their place. Particularly, I believe there is a mission aspect to what the present moment calls us to.
But I want to suggest Christ calls to approach this journey as a pilgrimage — to have as our goal to be changed ourselves.
Friends of mine who have gone on pilgrimages like the Camino de Compostela in Spain have shared that the most remarkable thing is not the steps you take but the people you take them with. It is the sharing of stories, the breaking of bread and the mingling of prayers along the way that is the true sacrament of the pilgrim.
They have shared that the real gift of a band of pilgrims is that even though everyone is walking the same steps, they are all in very different places and as long as none expects the other to be exactly where they are, they can push and prod one another, challenge and chide one another, love and share with one another, and they will all go deeper into the journey together. They will all be changed.
The key is recognizing that we are walking on holy ground — not so much the literal earth beneath our feet, but the holy ground of each other's lives. That is where Christ enters in.
We arise this morning with the images of the night that is passed still burned in our brains. The feelings we had last night will resurface again — that is the nature of trauma — and they will be joined by new feelings and they will link up with feelings from long ago.
As with the pain and rage and conflict that was expressed on the streets of our city last night, we will have a choice of how to express those feelings. We may be sorely tempted to lash out violently at those who feel differently from us or whose thoughts or mere presence taps into old and deep wounds. We may be tempted to run away and hide — not only from each other but from ourselves.
My fervent prayer is that we will do neither. My fervent prayer is that we will take the pilgrim's way. That we will continue to travel together and share with each other as openly and honestly as possible the breadth and depth of what we are feeling. But do it without the violence of personal attacks. Do it with the invitation of Christ that proclaims vulnerability as strength and love as the most powerful force for healing the world has ever known.
My fervent prayer is that we will recognize that one of our greatest gifts on this journey is one another, each other's stories, the breaking of the bread and the mingling of the prayers. That we will listen deeply to each other and hold each other gently as we share these together. And that the other greatest gift on this journey is Jesus, who walks with us and whose story, presence in the breaking of the bread and the prayers is the common ground for the pilgimage we are on together.
My fervent prayer is that we walk this way together with Jesus. That we walk it willing not just to change the world but to be changed ourselves, knowing that is where the most profound change for the world will occur.
We do not need to be all of one heart and mind and this time. But we do need to keep coming together as fellow pilgrims and laying our lives on the table together and trusting that Christ will take us and make us new — not merely for ourselves but for the life of the world.
Yesterday, I invited you to stop, wherever you were, and pray a prayer. I'm going to do that again. But I hope you will not just pray it yourself but feel all your sisters and brothers in this community praying it with you. Ask God to bind us more closely together. Ask God to use us and change us. Ask Christ to be our companion on the way.
And so right now, wherever you are, I invite you to stop. And pray.
Breathe out all your anxiety. Breathe in peace. Breathe out. Breathe in.
Come Lord Jesus. Come fill our hearts. Come fill the streets of our city. Come fill us with courage. Come fill us with peace. Come Lord Jesus. Fill us with trust in you.


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Report Roundup
Homeless Education
"Supporting Homeless Children and Youth Through Proactive and Positive Behavior Management and Intervention Practices"
To improve homeless students' achievement, schools must balance academic and behavioral support, according to a new research and policy report by the National Center for Homeless Education at the University of North Carolina in Greensboro.
The report outlines how social-education programs—such as Positive Behavior Management and Support and Responsive Classroom—can be used to integrate interventions for at-risk students.
For example, the study notes that homeless students can benefit from being taught to monitor their own attention using a worksheet and regularly occurring musical tones. After each prompt, the student records whether he or she is on or off task.
Vol. 33, Issue 37, Page 5Published in Print: August 6, 2014, as Homeless Education
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All comments are public.


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A Few Mistakes You Want to Avoid When Trying to Pick a Web Design Company
If you are trying to look for a web design company today, then one of your most important goals is to make sure that you choose the right one for your project. Given that there are plenty of companies to choose from these days when it comes to such services, it might be a little difficult to be sure that you are actually choosing your best option. Here are several examples of the most common mistakes that you should avoid doing, if you want to have a much better experience during your search for these services.
When it comes to the search for these services, asking for recommendations is definitely a common approach that many of us would take. If you want to be more successful in hiring the right company, then it is important for you to make sure that you avoid following these recommendations blindly. Instead of blindly following the recommendations you get, spend a bit of time doing more research on them, and determine if they are actually fitting for your needs.
Being impulsive throughout your search for these companies, is another very common mistake that you want to avoid making at all cost. Many of us are guilty of having the tendency to be impulsive during the search for services or products that we need, and it is imperative that we rid ourselves of such a habit as soon as we can. Impulsive individuals are highly likely to go for options that simply aren't the most ideal choice for the project that they are working on.
Last but definitely not the least, making your choice based on price only, is another huge mistake that you want to avoid during your search for these services. You need to realize that you can't always rely on the idea that the prices of the services offered by these companies, will dictate the level of quality that they will have. You have to focus on determining for yourself, if the prices that they have are actually reasonable enough for the level of quality that their services have.
Investing enough time on your search, is something that you must be willing to do, if you want to be more successful in finding the right web design companies for your project. Do not be afraid about investing time and effort because at the end of the road, you are actually the one who will benefit from it the most. Keep these few pointers in mind, and have a more rewarding search for these web design companies.
What No One Knows About Designers


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Half-drunk; "elevated."--Joseph Wright's English Dialect Dictionary, 1896-1905
Feast Day of St. Armand,
a seventh-century patron of wine merchants. An anonymous book, The Perfect Gentleman, or Etiquette and Eloquence (1860), offered this exposé of Victorian-era wine: "Pure port wine is undoubtedly one of the most healthy of all vinous liquors. It strengthens the muscular system, assists the digestive powers, accelerates the circulation, exhilarates the spirits, and sharpens the mental energies. But alas! Such a thing as pure port wine is never found in this country. It can never be found here without an admixture of brandy, as otherwise it would not keep. A great deal of cheap French wine is sold here for port. ... Doctors little imagine what they are doing when they recommend their patients to drink port wine. There are very few of the most vigorous constitutions that can stand the assaults of the poisonous compound which is generally sold for port wine in this country. When real port wine loses its astringency and acquires a slightly acid taste it is unwholesome and is unfit for use except by a person who is anxious to get the gout."
Y'know, I don't think I want my circulation accelerated, now that you mention it.
-The Gneech


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Need immediate assistance? Call 1-518-730-0559 (Us-Canada Toll Free) or Contact Us
Demand for traction equipment is increasing globally. The major factor driving this growth is increasing demand for efficient railway transportation. Due to the rapid increase in freight and passenger traffic, countries around the world are trying to develop and modernize their railway networks. Rising populations and growing economies have created demand for mass transportation. Many countries, such as China and Spain, are rapidly developing their high-speed rail networks. While countries such as India and the U.S. focus on increasing the electrified lines in their network, others, such as Brazil, Germany, and the U.K., are focusing on modernizing their aging fleets. Traction systems are used to pull or draw vehicles (i.e., they act as propulsion systems for trains). Hence with the increasing presence of locomotive and electrified rail lines, the traction equipment market will also expand during the forecast period. Asia Pacific occupied the largest share of the traction equipment market in 2015, closely followed by Europe.
This report by Transparency Market Research analyzes, estimates, and forecasts demand for traction equipment on the global and regional level for an eight-year period from 2016 to 2024 in terms of volume and cumulative revenue. The study also provides information on restraints, drivers, and opportunities along with their impact on the overall market during the forecast period. The report segments the market on the basis of equipment type and region and provides estimates and forecast of the traction equipment market for each segment.
The study analyzes the product value chain, from raw material suppliers to end-users. Additionally, it contains an evaluation of the market along the Porter's Five Forces model, which analyzes the degree of competition in the market by considering factors such as the bargaining power of buyers and suppliers, threats from substitute products and new entrants. The report also includes a market attractiveness analysis for the traction equipment market on the basis of regions. The report includes a detailed competitive landscape of the traction equipment market including company market share analysis and the profiles of key market participants.
The report provides a comprehensive view of the traction equipment market by segmenting the market along the lines of equipment type and geography. The equipment type segment comprises the traction transformer, traction motor, and traction converter sub-segments. The traction system is the primary driving force of locomotives. In railway systems, it is supplemented by equipment such as controllers, rectifiers, blowers, compressors, and other auxiliary systems. Traction motors are widely used in all types of locomotives. Transformers and converters are also used in the electrification of railway lines. The requirement of traction motors, traction transformers, and traction convertors differs depending upon the type of locomotive, electrification system, and terrain suitability.
The traction equipment market has been segmented on the basis of geography into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and Rest of the World. The Rest of the World segment includes Latin America, the Middle East, and Africa. Demand for each type of traction equipment in terms of volume and cumulative revenue for each of these regions has been forecast in the report for the period from 2016 to 2024. The report also contains detailed analysis of some major countries in the traction equipment market, such as the U.S., China, India, Brazil, Germany, Spain, and Russia.
Leading manufacturers profiled in the report include ABB Ltd., Alstom SA, American Traction Systems, Bombardier Inc., Caterpillar Inc., Crompton Greaves Limited, Siemens AG, General Electric Company, Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd., Mitsubishi Electric Corporation, VEM Group, Toshiba International Corporation, and TTM Rail - Transtech Melbourne Pty Ltd. These companies have been profiled in detail with features such as company overview, financial overview, business strategies, employee strength, and recent developments.
Traction Equipment Market – Equipment Type Segment Analysis
Traction Equipment Market – Regional Analysis
MRRSE offers custom market research services that help clients to get information on their business scenario required where syndicated solutions are not enough.Get A Free Custom Research Quote


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Again in the forefront of every backward step:
U.S. refuses to sign ban on cluster bombs
OSLO, Norway (AP) — An Afghan teenager who lost both legs in a cluster bomb explosion helped persuade his country to change its stance and join nearly 100 nations in signing a treaty Wednesday banning the disputed weapons.
Afghanistan was initially reluctant to join the pact — which the United States and Russia have refused to support — but agreed to after lobbying by victims maimed by cluster munitions, including 17-year-old Soraj Ghulan Habib. The teen, who uses a wheelchair, met with his country's ambassador to Norway, Jawed Ludin, at a two-day signing conference in Oslo.
[And for what reason, I wonder, does the U.S. insist upon using one of the most unambiguously evil devices mankind has ever devised? The story continues ..... ]
The U.S., Russia and other countries refusing to sign the treaty say cluster bombs have legitimate military uses, such as repelling advancing troop columns.
Cluster bomblets are packed by the hundreds into artillery shells, bombs or missiles, which scatter them over vast areas. Some fail to explode immediately. The unexploded bomblets can then lie dormant for years until they are disturbed, often by children attracted by their small size and bright colors.
The group Handicap International says 98 percent of cluster-bomb victims are civilians, and 27 percent are children.
* * * * * * * * * * *
The teenager mentioned in the news story is not the one I've pictured. The photo comes from journalist John Scully's web site, Am I Dead Yet?


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[This contest is now closed! View the winners here.]
Drumroll, please...we're hosting our very first coding challenge!
Of course, the challenge is in Golang—the language with which our awesome product, Igneous Hybrid Storage Cloud, is built.
By the way, we're also sponsoring Go Northwest on July 30th, in Seattle; see you there!
The Challenge
We're challenging you to write the best quine you can in Go!
"Wait, what's a quine??" you may ask. A quine is a self-replicating program—that is, a program that takes no input and outputs a copy of its own source code.
Whether you want to finish this quine started by our architect and co-founder, Byron Rakitzis, or write your own, we're excited to see your submissions!
Finish Byron's quine:
package main
import quine "fmt"
var q = "package main\n\nimport quine \"fmt\"\n\n[...?]
OR write your own! The choice is up to you.
The Reward
Obviously, the fun of solving this riddle is the best reward! But in case you wanted tangible trophies to show off your Go prowess, here are the prizes you can win*:
- Everyone who submits a working quine will be rewarded with a Gopher sticker!
- In addition, at the end of the submission period you'll be able to vote on which quine you think is the best. The winner receiving the most votes will receive a really adorable Gopher plushie (which also functions as a phone holder)!
Submit your best quines here! The challenge ends on June 15, 2018 at 4pm PST.
*Prizes will be sent to U.S. addresses only. Limit 1 sticker and 1 plushie per address.


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Weekly Priorities Monday Priority #1 Tuesday Make Up or Conditioning Wednesday Priority #1 Thursday Make Up or Conditioning Priority #1 Monday General body warm up if you are early to class. Warm Up Squat assessment review Squat Screen Ankle Mobility Screen Quadruped Hip Flexion Screen Kneeling Knee Flexion Screen Box Squat WOD Our Core Training Values A: Squat Assessment B: … Read More
Elite Squatty Potty Fitness
Our next, yet to be named (Squatty Potty???), training block, will be taking us into squat mobility & movement screening territory. The primary objective of this next block is going to be a clean, non-compensated squat. The secondary objective is to increase our 3 Rep Max Back Squat strength. There will be two initial benchmark measures. 1) Depth of squat … Read More
The Ideal Individual Program Design Client
Remote program design, whether done on-site or as a true distance client, can be a very productive and rewarding experience. I have coached distance clients since 2009, and I thought I'd share the characteristics of an ideal client. In spite of it's benefits, it's definitely not for everyone. Remote program design works well for committed, detail oriented clients who are … Read More
June 22 – 28
Weekly Priorities We've finished the "Just Run With It" 12 week block. We're entering a non-block week, which means that there will be no repeated WODs for this week. This means each day everyone in class will be doing the same WOD. Watch for scaling options (both up and down), and make sure you bring long socks/shin guards on Friday! … Read More


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Quarterly journal published by the Hellenic Psychiatric Association
Papers either in English or in Greek considered for publication should be submitted by post or email.
The paper should be sent to:
Hellenic Psychiatric Association, 17, Dionisiou Eginitou str.,
GR-115 28 Athens, Greece
The original manuscript, three hard copies, as well as an electronic copy in a CD should be submitted.
The text must be written in Word or any program compatible with Windows, or with any program for a Macintosh computer.
The submitted manuscripts should be accompanied by the ''Submission form'' accurately filled in.
A code number to be used in further correspondence will be assigned to all papers submitted.


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i'm jealous of ashkan honarvar
Gasp! Alabaster skin covered in bits and pieces of bizarre found imagery… LOVE. All of these pieces are from a series, titled Conquest 1, by Netherlands based artist Ashkan Honarvar. You know how I feel about work that is beautiful and totally weird, right? Yes, of course you do!
{via The Artful Desperado's guest post on Yellowtrace}


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Front Lunges with Shoelace Tap
This exercise provided courtesy of Billy Polson, founder and co-owner of DIAKADI Body training gym, voted best personal training gym in San Francisco by CitySearch in 2006.
This modified lunge without weights gives your legs a great workout and improves flexibility.
Muscles Worked
Starting Position
Stand erect with your feet hip-width apart and your arms hanging at your sides.
- From the starting position, step your right leg forward (see Photo 1).
- As soon as your right leg is forward, begin to bend your right knee in a slight lunge and bend down toward your right foot, bringing your hands together in front of you. Reach down and touch the shoelaces of your right foot with the fingertips of both hands (see Photo 2).
- After touching your shoelaces, reverse direction, stand up, and bring your right foot back to starting position.
- Repeat the exercise with alternating feet.


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Hi Ariel,
My 3 year old labrador Jenny scoots on her rear end all the time. She is itching and chewing on her butt all the time. I brought her to the veterinarian and they said her anal glands are fine. It seems to really bother her and it gets raw sometimes. I feed her Science Diet. Can you help? Denise in Cincinatti
A: From Susan Blake Davis, Pet Nutritionist, AskAriel.com
Hi Denise,
There are a variety of reasons why a dog might scoot and chew on her rear end. First, you need to be sure you have eliminated the possibility of fleas and parasites (and anal gland impaction). Once your veterinarian has ruled that out, then the scooting is generally either due to yeast or allergies or both.
It is essential to use the Myco-zyme Yeast Package to help Jenny feel better. The Myco-zyme Yeast Package helps to control the yeast, restore a lustrous coat, rebalance the flora and also reduces inflammation,
In human health, we often hear of jock itch or vaginal yeast infections. This is due to an overgrowth of candida yeast. This can cause a variety of symptoms including gas, poor digestion, ear infections and ITCHINESS! The same is true of our pets although this tends to manifest itself in the rear-end, ears and groin. Yeast flourishes when there is an inflammatory condition in the intestinal tract and/or disbiosis.
One of the factors that can contribute to this is excess carbohydrates and food allergies. The diet you are feeding might contain corn and wheat gluten which can make dogs itch. Try switching to a raw food diet using hypoallergenic protein sources such as venison or rabbit. Also, you need to help Jenny reduce the yeast overgrowth. The best program for this the Myco-zyme Yeast Package. This consists of Myco-zyme to control the yeast + Power Probiotic + Notatum anti-inflammatory + Amazing Omegas which helps to restore a lustrous coat, rebalance the flora and also reduces inflammation. Also, give Jenny plenty of green vegetables such as green beans as yeast thrive in an acidic environment.
Note to blog readers: Please spread the word about our blog. If you like our blog, please become a follower, post a comment and/or tell a friend. Thanks for your support!!!
Thursday, October 8, 2009
Get Social


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Thoughts on the New S.A.T.: Bias Is Embedded in All Standardized Aptitude Tests
Social-science researchers often "prove" what they already believe to be true, or formulate and "test" a hypothesis which they've already decided to be correct.
In such an approach, a question becomes a rationale for "discovering" an answer the researcher already holds dear. The answer, ostensibly derived from unbiased scientific inquiry, conveniently buttresses deeply held beliefs and assumptions.
Nowhere is this phenomenon more common than in the creation and use of standardized aptitude tests.
The attempt by the College Board to reform the Scholastic Aptitude Test, perhaps the most widely used and influential standardized test in the nation, is futile. Bias is so embedded in the SAT and similar tests that it becomes difficult to recognize, much less weed out.
The development of the granddaddy of aptitude tests, the IQ test, aptly demonstrates the fundamental bias of such tests. In the early stages of design, researchers administered their IQ test to samples of schoolchildren. In sample after sample, girls scored higher than boys, which led researchers to conclude (what else?) that there must be some fault in the test. The test was reformulated until boys performed well enough to satisfy the researchers' unexamined assumption.
Not surprisingly, on the SAT girls continue to score an average of 60 points below boys, although girls' high-school and college grades are better.
When poor or minority youngsters perform poorly on standardized aptitude tests, the conclusion is not that something is wrong with the test but that something is wrong with the child. Given the same data, different assumptions spawn different conclusions.
Distorted assumptions and conceptual biases have rendered most aptitude tests practically useless for their stated purpose, but incredibly effective at the hidden agenda of social control and legitimation of mobility structures.
Before the test is even administered, one knows which groups of students will perform well and which won't. The testing outcome serves to validate the limited educational opportunities offered some children and the abundant opportunities presented to others.
Aptitude tests such as the SAT could be dismissed as foolishness, as trivial games, were they not so prevalent and influential. Beginning in childhood, one's potential to achieve can be expanded or, more often the case with low-income and minority children, constricted by an aptitude-test score.
On the basis of low aptitude-test scores, children are denied admission to prestigious private schools, are placed into "slow" classes, and are not expected to achieve by teachers who interpret low test scores as a reason not to demand excellence.
We need a new concept of ability, a concept more skill-specific and distinct and less unitary and universal. This new concept would encompass and recognize a multitude of different abilities, each important in its own way.
David McClelland, a professor at Harvard University, has written convincingly for many years on the importance of testing for competence (a specific identifiable skill) rather than for intelligence or aptitude, which is some mythical generalized ability. In spite of the nearly unassailable argument he presents, we have been slow to heed his counsel.
Aptitude tests, as part of the admissions procedure for elite undergraduate, graduate, and professional schools, still open, or close, the gate to the higher echelons of society. Piecemeal changes in the SAT, even a new name, won't alter this reality.
Vol. 10, Issue 19, Pages 32, 34Published in Print: January 30, 1991, as Thoughts on the New S.A.T.: Bias Is Embedded in All Standardized Aptitude Tests
We encourage lively debate, but please be respectful of others. Profanity and personal attacks are prohibited. By commenting, you are agreeing to abide by our user agreement.
All comments are public.


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Former India skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni has gained the reputation of being "Captain Cool" because of his calm and composed behaviour on the field, even in tense situations. The 37-year old had led India to three ICC trophies over the years as captain and his ability to keep things cool has been regarded as the reason for the success. But, chinaman Kuldeep Yadav, in an interview, revealed that the wicketkeeper-batsman has an angry side as well.
Speaking to Vikram Sathaye in the web series What The Duck, the left-arm spinner revealed an incident when Dhoni lost his cool with him in the middle of the match. Yadav, who attended the show with fellow spinner Yuzvendra Chahal, narrated the incident which took place during the second T20I between India and Sri Lanka in Indore in December 2017.
"Wherever I pitched the ball, it went for six. The ground was so small. After every six, I would look at Mahi (Dhoni). He would say, 'it wasn't that far, you should keep it further'," the 24-year old said.
He further added: "And when I was bowling my fourth over; the batsman reverse swept me for four. Mahi bhai came to me and said, 'remove cover, move him deep and bring point up'. And I said, 'No Mahi bhai, that's okay'."
"After hearing this, Mahi bhai got angry and said, "Kya main pagal hoon yaha pe, mai 300 ODI khela hoon (You think I'm mad? I've played 300 ODIs)'," he said.
Coincidentally, Yadav managed to pick up the wicket soon after adjusting the field as per Dhoni's instructions. In the match, the bowler gave away 52 runs with 3 wickets in his 4 overs. India managed to win the match by 88 runs with Rohit Sharma slamming a 35-ball hundred.
📣 The Indian Express is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel (@indianexpress) and stay updated with the latest headlines
For all the latest Sports News, download Indian Express App.


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2020 technology trends and the future of work
Whether through AI or how we organize, enterprises are poised to reach new levels of productivity and innovation. What trend will affect you the most? How are you preparing?
2020 technology trends and the future of work
Whether through AI or how we organize, enterprises are poised to reach new levels of productivity and innovation. What trend will affect you the most? How are you preparing?
How blockchain advances business processes
Sort the hope from the hype to realize blockchain's value to business processes across industries.
Accelerate innovation with modern processes
21st century business processes are delivered as a service and measured by business outcomes.
DXC Agile Process Automation combines cloud and robotic process automation with artificial intelligence to reduce disruptions, errors, risks and costs, enhancing a company's business processes.
Let DXC help you automate, optimize and transform your customer experience into a competitive differentiator for your company's success.
DXC Cards and Payment Services allow you to process payments securely in today's ever-evolving digital economy with an array of digital solutions.
DXC's Finance and Human Resources services reduce costs, cut processing times, deliver insights and optimize operations across your financial, administrative and human resources operations.
National Transport Authority
The Leap Card integrated ticketing system is a great success, thanks to DXC expertise, experience, technology and collaboration.
Adding value to public transport services
NatWest Group
The key to our transformation was to use DXC's expertise in the digital arena and knowledge of the banking industry.
Delivering a better customer experience
Banco Galicia
Success is measured beyond contractual indicators. It's also in the quality and friendliness of attention, the outstanding adaptability to changes and the constant search for improvements and value generation.
Making a help desk more efficient
DXC Technology
Agile Process Automation has the much-needed capability of understanding the system and process landscape while developing solutions, without disturbing the core applications and process environment.
Accelerating speed to value
The metamorphosis of BPO to BPS and beyond
Business process outsourcing has evolved, and the digital era is transforming it again. DXC is ready, with services that include automation, cloud and more.
Discover the power of artificial intelligence and robotics
DXC Agile Process Automation boosts efficiencies and agility with intelligent robotic process automation as a service.
Are you ready to reimagine automation? Take the assessment
Determine your business process and automation needs, and see if you are ready to experience the incredible power of intelligent automation.
Disrupt business without interrupting your business
Digital transformation can drive innovation, but it can also be disruptive. Here's how to keep business going while you navigate the journey.
Tools for transforming your CFO organization
With DXC's Technology Framework for Innovation and Transformation, define improvement and change levers for your business transformation.
How to get more out of robotic process automation
Robotic process automation drives productivity by automating tasks. Will that translate into cost savings and headcount reduction?


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They really do let anyone into the US Marines these days...
Marine accused of attacking priest
Marine accused of attacking priest
Marakis, a Greek Orthodox priest visiting from Crete, told police he had stopped to ask the 28-year-old reservist for help after getting lost in downtown Tampa. He had just performed a blessing of another priest and accidentally got off the highway.
Marakis approached Bruce as he was unloading his dry-cleaning, police said.
"Please, please help," Marakis said to Bruce in his limited English.
Bruce pulled out a tyre iron and attacked the priest, police said. He then called police as he chased Marakis, saying an Arabic man was trying to rob him. When officers arrived, Bruce told them the man was a terrorist.
Bruce told police he heard Marakis yell, "Allahu akbar!", Arabic for "God is great," according to Tampa police spokeswoman Laura McElroy.
Marakis, however, does not speak Arabic, McElroy said. He speaks Greek.


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Keep Living Better.
Motiv is a personal technology brand focused on making devices that fit seamlessly into our lives. With our first line of personal fitness trackers, we're dedicated to building product experiences that are beautiful and easy to use. That's the moment when using technology becomes a truly delightful experience and virtually blends into your daily life.
Follow our journey with Motiv Ring.


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POOR DAN IS IN A DROOPThere once was a man named Dan. He was wise and attracted many followers. They all lived near him and became known as Dan's clan.
The government feared the Clan of Dan for their enlightened wisdom, and plotted their downfall. They passed laws and soon the Clan of Dan was exiled to live by the river. There they had plenty of water, however.
The government saw that they had water and plotted some more. They evicted the Clan of Dan from its land, forcing it to move far from the river.
But the members of the clan were wise, and they dug a trench from the river to their new land.
Then the government passed a new law that forbade the Clan of Dan from taking any water anywhere in the state. So they dug the trench all the way north to the Canadian border, and the Canadian government promised them water, and the trench became a great canal, and so they prevailed.
And the moral of this dumb story, if you didn't already see it a mile away,
A Dan, a clan, a canal - Canada!


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Female pattern baldness is a type of hair loss which affects women. In this type of baldness, the thinning of hair occurs on the top of the head. This thinning of hair in women often starts with the widening of the center hairline. This is one of the most common female pattern baldness symptoms. Hair transplantation is the permanent solution for female pattern hair loss. Darling Buds Hair Transplant Center is one of the leading clinics for female pattern baldness treatment in Los Angeles.
Female pattern baldness is a genetically induced disease. This is one of the most common causes of this hair fall. Some other causes include the following:
What is the cure? Opting for a hair transplant surgery is a great option. It is better to see a doctor at an early stage of female pattern baldness. We are the best clinic for female pattern hair loss treatment in Los Angeles.
Today, most of the women suffer from the problem of hair loss at some point in their lives. After the postmenopausal period, the problems of hair thinning or the development of the bald area on the scalp become common problems. The scientific term for the female pattern baldness is androgenetic alopecia. It is one of the major hair fall problems faced by women. This medical condition severely affects the quality of their life and self-esteem. The condition starts with the thinning of hair at the parting line on the top of the head. This is one of the most common female pattern baldness symptoms.
The causes for the female pattern hair loss can be many. Some of these causes include emotional or physical stress, certain medications or medical conditions and more. If proper care is taken, one can control this problem. We will discuss here the female pattern baldness and the ways to control it in detail.
As described above, female pattern baldness is also known as androgenetic alopecia. It is the condition in which women face excessive hair loss from their scalp. After menopause, about two-thirds of the women experience hair loss. The androgenetic alopecia is a hereditary disorder, the initial signs which include the thinning of hair or widening parting line. Less than 50% of women have on their full head throughout their lives.
Hair transplant surgery is an effective method to treat th4e female pattern baldness. Talking about the quality, Darling Buds Hair Transplant Center is one of the best clinics for female pattern baldness treatment in Los Angeles.
In the condition of female pattern baldness, the growing phase of hair follicles is drastically slowed down. Also, it takes more time to grow new hair follicles. In simple words, it can be explained as the persons suffering from female pattern baldness have a decreased rate of hair growth than that of the hair fall. Over time the thinner hair follicles start breaking from the scalp and give rise to the permanent baldness. Normally, females lose from 50 to 100 hair daily but those who are suffering from female pattern baldness lose more hair than normal. The condition of female pattern baldness can be classified into three steps:
It is better to see a doctor at an early stage of female pattern baldness. Because ignoring this condition may lead to permanent hair loss. Because the condition is genetic, it is not always possible to prevent the type of baldness. But still, there are certain preventive measures which women can take to avoid excessive damage and breakage of hair. We have listed a few of these precautions, have a look:
Many options are available for the treatment of female hair transplant. We are discussing here a few of them.
Certain are helpful to treat the problem of female pattern baldness. We are discussing a few of the medications.
It is always advised to the patients that they should not take any medicine without the prescription of a doctor.
Hair transplant is the permanent female pattern baldness treatment in Los Angeles. In this process, the doctor removes the hair from the donor area on the scalp and places them on the bald area. Generally, two types of methods are available for hair transplantation, namely FUE and FUT. FUT is the older procedure. Many clinics including ours follow FUE hair transplantation procedure. If you are searching for the best clinic for female pattern baldness treatment in Los Angeles, Darling Buds Hair Transplant Center will be the best place.
Laser treatment for hair loss is the newest technique which is followed by many clinics nowadays. The device emits low-level laser light on the scalp. This laser light stimulates hair growth.
According to the studies, women who take antioxidants, omega-3 fatty acids, and omega-6 fatty acids can develop thick hair. The platelet rich plasma therapy can be proved advantageous in some cases. In this process, the blood is drawn outside your body and spines in a machine. After that, it is injected back into the scalp in order to stimulate hair growth.
It is important to remember that the female pattern baldness is not reversible. The hair loss in women can be stopped by taking proper treatment and care. Also, the hair transplantation treatments take time from 6 to 12 months to regrow back. Hence, you have to keep patience. For more information or female pattern baldness treatment in Los Angeles, you can visit Darling Buds Hair Transplant Center. We are one of the recognized clinics for female pattern hair loss treatment in India.
The 'Ugly Duckling' phase of surgical hair restoration is a euphemism for that period of the timeline of hair transplant result when it is in the healing phase of hair transplant when the crusts are present and they give an unkempt look and also when after they shed, the phase of shedding of graft hairs and later the shock loss if happens can make a patient look very different from what he was before and ...More
Hair Transplant is a surgical procedure and is linked to emotions and very often the patient would want to know how long it will take his grafts to grow and he will see a result. Patients are mostly impatient and for a reason. After a period of shedding that starts after 7days after the procedure and continues till 4-6 weeks, the follicles begin to regrow....More
A beard is in fashion today and since a hair transplant procedure has made it possible for everyone to grow a beard, these procedures are in demand. There are many circumstances in which a request for a beard hair transplant should be discouraged. These are instances when a beard hair transplant should never be done. A young boy of say 17 years of age wanting a beard through surgical hair restoration needs to be disc...More


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Arizonans Reduced Driving By 9 Percent Per Person
Arizonans are driving fewer miles these days, and technology and ride-sharing programs are making it easier to get around without relying on a car. A report released Tuesday by the Arizona Public Interest Research Group Education Fund said Arizonans have reduced their driving by more than 9 percent per person since 2006. PIRG's Serena Unrein said smartphone apps are making it more attractive to take public transportation.
"There are smartphone-based tools that enable riders to find the best way to get to their destination, help check on the arrival of their bus or light rail train and are really helping people to drive less and use public transit more," Unrein said.
She said the reduction in driving by Arizonans is due mostly to the high cost of driving and parking, combined with the increased availability of options like public transit, bike-sharing and car-sharing.


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INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – A man was found dead inside a vehicle parked in a near west side alley Tuesday evening.
The Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department says officers located the man when they were called to the 1300 block of West Ray Street shortly after 7:15 p.m. IEMS responded and pronounced the male deceased at the scene.
Homicide detectives were called to the scene and began canvassing the area for witnesses.
The Marion County Coroner's office arrived on the scene and found trauma to the man's body. His death is now being investigated as a homicide.
The man was identified Wednesday as Joseph Mefford, 26. His cause of death was ruled to be a gunshot wound to the head and neck.
Anyone with information about this incident should call the IMPD Homicide Office at 317-327-3475 or Crime Stoppers of Central Indiana at 317-262-8477 or (TIPS).


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Our volunteers are definitely our most valuable asset. The BCWS relies on the support of community members and their generous contributions of time and energy to support education and awareness programs, sustainability projects, and advocacy to protect and preserve this valuable resource.
Benefits are:
- Learn to identify local plants, fish and animals
- Expand your network – meet new people
- Learn from professionals in the field
- Help a nonprofit group, make a positive contribution
- Gain work experience, enhance your resume by learning new job skills
- Be out in nature and contribute to preservation in your community
- Become an informed advocate to protect the beauty of Brooklyn Creek
- New to the Comox Valley? Meet new people, get to know the community
The easiest and fastest way to get involved and make a difference – Join us!
Volunteer as a BCWS director and you can participate on the planning and organization of projects and make suggestions towards the future of the Brooklyn Creek Watershed. As well, there are many specific skills that are needed:
- Project coordination
- Research
- Financial administration
- Web site administration
- Public education
- Grant application
Participate as a volunteer to a worthwhile endeavour. There is a volunteer opportunity awaiting all ranges of interests and skills that will engage your mind, your body and your spirit in the protection and restoration of your Watershed. Some examples where your volunteering can help are:
- Fish counting in spring and autumn
- Plant restoration
- Water testing
- Stream bank and channel improvements
- Invasive plant removal
- Interpretation tours
- Debris and trash clean-up
Here is your chance to help make a difference – volunteer now!
Speak & Lead
As a community member committed to the well-being of the Watershed, you can be an advocate for the protection and preservation of the Watershed and be proactive on matters that are important to the Watershed.
Here are some BCWS best practices to share with others.
Please do not:
- Disturb or remove any fish, wildlife or native habitat within the Brooklyn Creek area.
- Litter or dump garbage, invasive plants, weeds, yard waste or sewage in the Watershed.
- Dump chemicals (including pool or hot tub water) of any kind into Brooklyn Creek or municipal storm drains.
- Disturb or remove any boulders, gravel or woody debris within Brooklyn Creek.
- Dig or drive bikes or vehicles in Brooklyn Creek or alter its course and water flow.
Please do:
- Pick up litter or garbage and place into a proper garbage container.
- Ensure that garden plants and weeds cannot grow near or be introduced into the Watershed.
- Report any chemical dumps or spills in the Watershed by calling The Department of Fisheries and Oceans Observe, Report Hotline: 1-800-465-4336
The Watershed Society gratefully accepts donations to support our ongoing protection, preservation and restoration activities to the fish and native plant habitat in the Watershed. Your donation will make a difference to the fish, the plants, the natural environment, and the overall beauty of the area.
Donations can be made by cheque (made out to "Brooklyn Creek Watershed Society") and mailed to:
Brooklyn Creek Watershed Society
68 Orchard Park Drive
Comox, V9M 2S4
Note: we are unable to give donation tax receipts at this time.


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The following four year plan incorporates the minimum admission requirements of all American medical, dental and veterinary schools. It is also a suitable guide to coursework for most other health sciences pre-professional programs. This may be helpful as you plan your four year program of study at Earlham in the major of your choice. There is no correct major for those interested in Health Careers!
There is a good deal of flexibility here, but one should strive to complete the biology, chemistry, physics, and math minimum requirements prior to the MCAT, DAT, or GRE exams in the spring of the Junior year. Please discuss this program of study with your adviser and do talk with Michael Deibel, Director of Health Careers Advising or William Harvey, Adviser-Consultant as early as possible in your academic career. Early planning promotes flexibility and makes exciting academic programs possible!
Students applying to medical, dental, or veterinary schools are required to have completed two full years of chemistry with labs, one full year of physics with labs, calculus, and one year plus of biology. Questions concerning this schedule should be directed to Michael Deibel, William Harvey, or Peter Blair, who constitute the Health Careers Advisory Committee. First year students who are looking toward health careers should contact Michael Deibel or William Harvey as soon as possible.
Courses in italics are required; all others are strongly recommended.
*Recommended choices for Upper Level Biology Courses:
**Recommended choices for Upper Level Chemistry Courses:


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The handheld gaming world seems to be losing its charm with some cutting-edge technology unveiled for the market including the 3D-era. Sony made a smart move today by coping up with the gaming world and keeping things alive specially for the PSP. The company dropped the price from $249 to $199, making it affordable for almost all.
We believe that the drastic price-cut would be the last and an action taken by the company as to give one more shot to prove sales. The price cut is effective immediately with retailers being asked to sell the PSP Go for $199. This might be the right time when Sony made the price-cut as the holiday season is nearby.
Although the price cut is massive which does record an attractive price for the handheld gadget, gamers are looking forward towards hearing some new on PSP2, which might be coming later this year.
Almost 61 million units have been sold worldwide but still lags far behind Nintendo's DSi which leads in the handheld market with over 140 million units sold to date.
via [Digital Trends]


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A note from the Beshara SEA's monthly gathering earlier today.
There was a strong reminder of the core of our education in today's gathering: "that there is only One, Unique, Absolute, Infinite Existence."
If we, as much as possible, adopt this, if we hold on to this within our heart, in our everyday life, then "He shows you He is yourself, then bit by bit He shows you how He is all that there is."
There were also hints on the how, so to speak, which is "to Accept and completely adopt the idea that there is only the Unique, Absolute Existence, apart from which there is not. Then constantly, or as much as possible, keep it in mind." And to "look into one's heart," where He resides.
It is a reminder of our work in this life. This is what we are serving.
This is not a mere intellectual concept. This is very practical. The conversation showed today showed this, as it moved to an everyday life, work life, and even what happens in our country and what we can do, how we, as individuals/particularization, can contribute.
We do this by (making the efforts to) knowing ourselves. By accepting things as they are. By returning to stillness. By really listening to what's going on, listening to the appropriate response needed (from us) and actually acting upon it.
This is the perspective that is offered to us. Do we follow?
It was and still is a pleasure to be in this conversation; and to see how this conversation intertwine with life, and is not something detached from it. It would be lovely to hear more from all of you. Let's let it roll. May He make it easy for us.
In short, simply, (1) remember that we are One; and (2) look into our heart, listen, and flow according to it. Trust.
Then there was the question: amidst all these happenings and situation, what is our place? How can we contribute?
The previous paragraph still applies: we can (1) remember that we are One; and (2) look into our heart, listen, and flow according to it. Trust.
A slightly longer response: An option would be that we can offer this perspective. It does not mean that we go out and explicitly telling everyone about "oneness of being." We can be in whatever conversation, and be with this perspective. It's not about you or me or them, it's about Him and His expression at the moment.
So the mode of listening, of being, applies. Then real, productive conversation will happen, with effects, God willing.
This is applicable to any kind of conversation, on whichever topics–at one level: any conversation or movement that is practical and would contribute to the society, to make things "better", at another: any conversation that is geared towards His expression of Himself. Those who want to go deeper, will be offered the opportunity to join the core courses.
In other words, let's get involved in these (practical, constructive) conversations and movements, in our communities or whichever social circles we are in. As individuals and as a collectivity. We are here to support each other, moving as one movement, for our love of the Real.
May He make it easy for us.


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Dots are still my favourite and I love to wear them in every color combo!This time in black/white with a red color splash. I wore this look for a shopping evening with Mr.B and a little dinner date afterwards. Comfortable enough to fit all the good food. I am so glad to have my closet back and right now have a little problem deciding which combination to wear first :)
What I wore
Skirt, Bracelet & Earrings: Thrifted
Cardigan: Ernsting's Family
Scarf: No name
Bag: Primark
Ring: Brazil
Shoes: Deichmann
Tights: Esda


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Joe Cajero Nurtured by Prayer Reversible Pendant
Joe Cajero, Jr. is a highly accomplished sculptor. Winner of many awards, in 2014, Joe and his wife Althea were named Living Treasures at the Native Treasures show, sponsored by the Museum of Indian Arts & Culture in Santa Fe. Read more…
Nurtured by Prayer: Artist's Statement
"Like two sides of the same coin, Nurtured by Prayer wears both the masks of Sunset and Sunrise. They are sisters born of the same characteristics yet they remain unique. The headpiece of Sister Sunset bears the stars and the vastness of the universe while the headpiece of Sister Sunrise displays the radiance of the sun's rays from dawn to dusk.
Sister Sunset wears the rays of sunlight upon her chin as she awakens during the last moments of day. Conversely Sunrise Sister has a star upon her as the last vestige of night fades into day. The sisters' mouths are extended in song softly and continually yielding praise and thanksgiving to our Creator."
Joe Cajero Jr.
The pendant is 2 1/2 inches wide x 2 3/8 inches high to the top of the bail. Cord is not included with the purchase. All material is sterling silver.
The symbols are in bas relief against an oxidized background. The dark background is more uniform than the images show; the camera picks up reflections that are generally not visible to the human eye.


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Navigate around the strait, and click on the icons to learn more about each of our Clean Marine BC eco-certified and enrolled marinas, yacht clubs, harbour authorities and boatyards.
Certified facilities have passed their environmental best practices audit and have been assigned an anchor rating, with 5-anchors being the top score. Enrolled facilities have signed the Clean Marine BC policy and are preparing for their certification.
You can also find Clean Marine BC facilities while out cruising with T Buck Suzuki Environmental Foundation's OceanSmart green boating app.
Map currently under construction.