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Hitachi 12CMS on DWX723 stand with extra wide supports; This saw and stand combo is working well for me. I use the stock material supports and stops as well as the wider support / stops. Works really well when working with 20' stock, I used it extensively this summer to cut 18' – 20' ipe lengths, stand is very sturdy, my only complaint is really with the stock supports / stops. I find that repeat cuts with the stock stops are not all that accurate, the tension thumbscrews and bolts holding the stops change position every so slightly when you tighten them. So I wonder, has anyone built portable extension wings to attach to the stock stops? I am thinking of at most 4-6' extensions on each side. The idea would be to build this so it breaks down flat for transport, but sets up easily. My goal is to either buy the kreg precision track with stops, or build my own setup. bottom line, I do not want to have to use the tape and pencil for every single cut. The real problem I see is deciding what length to make the wings…..
typically most door and window trim is less then 90", but having an 8' wing on both sides might just be crazy…. to heavy and too big to fit on 1/2 the job sites…. Anyone build one for field work yet?
I figure I will use the two wide supports I bought to hold far end of extension, and short stock stops to extend further out. perhaps 8' to right and 4' to left of blade, I can still extend both extension arms fully, I guess mdf table, and fence, with t-track and tape rule with some sort of stop on top of fence. Ideas.
-- Healthy Homes, NJ LLC


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Weekends are the hardest. No gym workouts, no personal trainer to keep me on track. Just me and the family, kickin' 'back, sleeping in, eating whatever. Taking it easy. There are no tight schedules to keep (except for social events like kiddie birthday parties filled with birthday cake and ice cream = calories) And there is pizza, yes, cheesy fattening pizza.
The thing is I've never been an active sort of person – no sports for me – this is not to say I don't move because when you have kids it always seems you're running around like a headless chicken. But the point is, I'd rather be reading a book lazing on the beach than riding a bike. I'd rather be watching a movie than going hiking or something like that. You get the picture.
So weekends are hard but I'm really trying my best. Stick with the PROGRAM! I'm learning, becoming more conscious of what I eat. I try to make good choices. I want to be active but haven't found my sport – we've got a pool but I'm more likely to be found floating on my back or soaking in the Jacuzzi rather than doing laps – so that doesn't count does it?
At least I'm not sitting around watching TV and playing video games (not Wii Fit) and I do take a break from the computer. Isn't that what weekends are for ? Recharging? So who wants to work-out and diet on a Saturday, right?
What? Yes, I know …tomorrow is Sunday, whew! It's the end of the weekend. Back to the daily grind, back to my regularly scheduled program. Until then…

subset: commoncrawl


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Pediatric Dental Care & Chronic Health Conditions (7 FACTS)
Children with chronic health conditions need more dental care. As our little ones grow, it is extremely important to maintain proactive dental regimens. For healthy children, this is an easy task, but for kids who suffer from chronic health conditions, it can be much harder to do. A chronic condition can be anything that is a permanent and on-going health problem for the child. It is a blanket term that covers a variety of illnesses and health issues, not only for kids but adults as well. Asthma, heart defects, cystic fibrosis, Downs Syndrome, and cerebral palsy are all examples of a chronic health condition.
Pediatric Dental Care & Chronic Health Conditions
First of all, they all have a long-term effect on every aspect of a person's health. A child's teeth and gum health is an important and often overlooked area that can be affected by a chronic health condition. Primary teeth are important for social development, speech, eating and normal growth and development. They are space holders for permanent teeth later in life. Their health is extremely important for all kids and even more so in special needs kids. These factors can all cause issues with dental needs in special needs kids.
Behavioral Issues
Some intellectual chronic conditions make it difficult to maintain proper oral care. Some of these conditions come with problems like a delicate gag reflex, inability to spit or swallow, toothpaste tolerance, and an inability to keep their mouth open. In many cases, a professional can help circumvent these behaviors, especially in cases of autism or a spectrum disorder. In other cases, parents will have to be more vigilant in oral care by seeing the dentist more often and putting good habits into practice.
Feeding Problems
There are a few issues in feeding children with chronic illnesses that could possibly pose a problem with tooth decay and oral hygiene. Often kids with intellectual issues or trouble swallowing will hoard food in their cheeks. It can stay there for hours or even days. This is dangerous because the child could choke on it but it also causes tooth decay, bad breath and other issues.
Inadequate Oral Hygiene
Autism, ADHD, and some other chronic health conditions can hinder a child's ability to maintain hygiene of their own teeth properly. Parents and caregivers can seek out a professional's help to find a way to help their child specifically tailored to them. Other families may find it necessary to brush and floss their child's teeth for them. Some chronic disorders affect behavior which limits the child's ability to brush and floss. Others affect physical movement and abilities. Autistic kids may need specific stimulation or individualized tactics to be able to maintain their own teeth brushing, but once this is identified, they are perfectly competent. A child with cystic fibrosis may not be able to physically brush their own teeth and need a parent's assistance.
Mother/Child Interaction
A mother with untreated tooth decay can pass it along to her special needs child without ever knowing what has happened. Consequently, acidogenic compounds in the mother's mouth take sugars from the mom's diet and change it into acid that causes cavities. These acid producing bacteria live on the teeth's biofilm covering and are transmitted to a child by licking the pacifier, sharing food utensils, and kissing. Anyone with poor oral health who is in close contact with the child could be putting him or her at risk. This could mean a preschool worker, sibling, babysitter, or any relative.
Developmental Defects
Chronic health conditions often bring about other problems. Enamel hypoplasia is one such instance. It occurs in cases such as those with Turner Syndrome, Treacher-Collins Syndrome, and Downs Syndrome. Adequate amounts of tooth enamel do not form in such cases and those kids must be more closely monitored for tooth decay than others. Even one evening without a proper brushing can turn into a painful cavity. Often there are dietary supplements and additives that can help enamel production, but proper oral hygiene is vital in these cases.
Medications and Special Diets
A risk for tooth decay increases when certain dietary needs arise. Nutritional shakes, more frequent feeding for caloric intake, and eating specific foods at specific times can all increase the risk of tooth decay. A child's diet is rich in carbs and offers the perfect breeding ground for the bacteria that cause tooth decay. Kids eat stuff like honey, sodas, fruit juices, sports drinks, bread, rice, and sweets. Medications can also affect tooth decay and oral hygiene. As a result, some kids develop a low saliva flow on some medications. Hence, low saliva flow is conducive to oral diseases. Children with special needs diets and medications may need to see their dentist more often. Above all, parents should be alert to all signs of oral disease.
Special Care for Chronic Patients
Also, special needs kids require a few specific items to have proper oral health. This begins by seeing a pediatric dentist by the first birthday. Fluoride is another tool that parents can access. It is a naturally occurring compound that helps strengthen teeth by strengthening the enamel. It can also be applied topically to minimize the risk of decay. Community water is fluoridated. Rural water is not in most cases as it comes straight from the property owners well and is untreated. In those cases, a pediatric dentist can prescribe fluoride additives.
Win The Battle…
Finally, to win the battle against tooth decay, parents must first educate themselves on the disease-causing factors and how to protect their child against them. Poor dietary habits, low saliva production, and acid causing bacteria and the main problems. Furthermore, protection against tooth decay requires a balanced diet, adequate saliva and sealants, antimicrobials, and fluoride.
According to Dear Doctor Magazine, oral hygiene is the most neglected healthcare in kids with chronic diseases. Chronic health conditions definitely raise the risk of tooth decay and oral hygiene issues. That certainly does not mean it is an inevitable situation. In fact, as long as parents are vigilant in maintaining their kid's teeth and working with their pediatric dentist, their special needs child can develop a healthy smile.
Contact us Today
For more information on caring for a special needs child's dental health, contact Dr. Engel today.
Like what you read? Comment below or CLICK on an APP LOGO to follow us and share the conversation
KinderSmiles Pediatric Dentistry and Orthodontics
400 Kinderkamack Rd.
Oradell, NJ 07649
Phone: 201-262-0211
Pediatric Dental Care & Chronic Health Conditions
Dr Engel holds a speciality license in pediatric dentistry from New Jersey and New York. He also has attained sedation certification, which allows for in-office oral sedation options, and he's on staff at Hackensack University Medical Center. As an attending pediatric dentist at HUMC, Dr Engel retains operating room privileges, allowing for an array of treatment modalities and anaesthesia options.


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Improve Blog Writing Skills
With all the visual emphasis on creative blogs these days, it's easy to lose sight of one of the most important aspects of blogging — the written word. This week's #crafterminds chat was all about Improving Your Writing Skills. Even if you aren't a confident writer, there are a few things you can do to more effectively use your writing.
Join us every Monday at 4pm Eastern on Twitter, and again at 8pm E for a 2nd chat. Hashtag: #crafterminds
Quick Blog Writing Tips:
- Read your post before publishing, at least one or two times. It can help to hit the "preview" button before you publish so you can see what it will look like when it's live.
- My numerous rules about writing a blog entry can be summed up in one word: READABILITY.
- Explain your entire post's theme in the first paragraph
- Break your post down by using bullet points, images, several paragraphs
- Make sure to use several paragraphs. Too many paragraphs are preferable to not enough.
- Use a readable (non-curly or decorative) font for your body text
- Make use of subheads to help readers scan quickly through
- Keep it casual in most blog writing: like you are explaining it to someone standing right in front of you.
- Formatting: Use appropriate capitals, punctuation, and complete sentences. Usually. If you break rules, do so intentionally and with good reason.
- Keep the look of text plain. Keep text justified to the right (not centered). Use black text on a light or white background.
- Spell check and pay attention to red squigglies in your writing.
- Help readers scan text by bolding key words and phrases (within reason – too much and it loses significance).
- Watch out with underlining – readers are trained to think those are links. Use sparingly.
- Start in an interesting way. Even if your intro is only 1 or 2 sentences, make sure it catches the reader's attention. BUT
- Get to the point quickly. Although you want to hook the reader, don't wait too long to say what the piece is about.
- Speaking of intros, go back when you are finished and see if your intro is necessary at all. You might be able to cut all or most of it.
- If you have trouble with intros, save them for last and write then once the rest of the article is finished.
- To strengthen the text of your post, think about what it would need to say WITHOUT photos. Describe your images.
- Don't assume your readers are familiar with your body of work (or yesterday's post). Link back if necessary, or repeat basic info in a post (like, "why I use this brand of glue for this type of project.")
- Edit. Don't include every photo you took, or every sentence you wrote. Remove excess exclamation points [!], parentheses [( )], and ellipses […].
- Writing a list can help you focus a post. Example: "5 ways to use spray paint" or "10 things I wish I knew before I started knitting."
- A materials list is a MUST for writing tutorials.
- Don't psyche yourself out. Good writing comes through practice and consistency. The most important thing is to write, and as regularly as you can.
photo: by flickr user betsyjean79, licensed via creative commons
Check out the rest of the collected wisdom of this #crafterminds chat in the transcript below:
01 23 2012 Crafterminds Transcript


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Home > Teddy Bears > Collectible Teddy Bears > Luca Teddy Bear
Manufacturer's RRP: £157.99
Our Price: £137.95
In stock and available for immediate dispatch
Note: this product has been discontinued and this is the last remaining one in stock
Reference: TBF01950
Model: 027475
Size: 35cm
Colour: Blond
The gorgeous Luca teddy bear is such a cutie and wants nothing more than a loving cuddle.
Made by the world's No.1 soft toy maker, Steiff, this fabulous collectible teddy bear is made from all new materials and has quality mohair.
Steiff Luca teddy bear is a stunning new addition to their range of collectible bears - he's so soft and cute you can't help but fall in love with him.
This fabulous mohair bear will make a great birthday or Christmas gift - he's hoping that you'll be taking him home today.
Luca teddy bear has a white label and gold button in ear as a mark of authenticity.
A marvellous gift for any teddy bear collector!
Classic Bear
Teddy Hermann
Pink Nostalgic Teddy Bear
Teddy Hermann
Clemens Spieltiere
Cherry Teddy Bear
Luca Teddy Bear
Wolf Cub
Teddy Hermann
Nighty Night Musical Blue Bear
Baby Gund
A quality laminated gift bag, matching colour tissue and gift tag to present your gift item. Order during checkout.
Send a greetings card with your gift item to add a personal touch.
You can also add a box of chocolates to make the perfect gift.
© All images and text copyright Teddy Bear Friends 2004-2020. All rights reserved.
Westview Trading Limited. Registered Co No: 6555031
trading as Teddy Bear Friends
6 West View


text: Quantitative Developer Home 21090308 › Forums › Applications › Job Postings › Quantitative Developer This topic is empty. Viewing 1 post (of 1 total) Author Posts July 30, 2016 at 5:05 am #1853 webmasterMember Our client is a dynamic, technology-driven major bank supporting a large-scale quantitative trading operation in Fixed Income. To support their continued growth, they are seeking a Quantitative Developer to support the desk in Singapore. If you are a talented developer with a passion for scientific research who can optimize, enhance and maintain our proprietary trading platforms, as well as design and implement quantitative software to support research efforts this is an ideal opportunity. The client is a unique environment for a Quantitative Developer to contribute both with advanced software design and engineering skills while cultivating a rich scientific experience. Essential requirements of this position include: Bachelors or higher degree in Computer Science, Math, Physics, or Engineering or Equivalent 5+ years of industry experience working with C++, or Java, or C# Proficiency in at least one major scripting language (python, ruby, perl, etc.) Experience working within large code bases (source code control systems, etc) Proven background in scientific programming and numerical methods Experience in the following areas is beneficial: Test case and unit test development experience Experience with CPPUNIT and BOOST Experience in design pattern Experience in concurrent programming, Java memory model, etc. Experience with Visual Studio (both legacy and modern variants) Experience in the financial industry a plus If interested, please send a copy of your resume to: email@example.com Author Posts Viewing 1 post (of 1 total) You must be logged in to reply to this topic. Log In Username: Password: Keep me signed in Log In


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'Everybody tried to save her': Toronto shooting witness recounts violent night
Published Friday, July 27, 2018 2:41PM EDT
TORONTO -- Md Ashaduzzaman was working a routine kitchen shift at a cafe in Toronto's Greektown when he heard the gunshots. The screams broke out moments later -- among them were cries of a woman calling for someone to help her daughter.
Ashaduzzaman rushed into the dining area to find 10-year-old Julianna Kozis bleeding from a gunshot wound to the thigh. He held her, tried to keep her from losing consciousness and eventually saw paramedics take her away.
It was only two days later that he found out Julianna was one of the two people killed in the shooting spree on Danforth Avenue that also injured 13 and ended with the death of the gunman. Since then, Ashaduzzaman said he's been in disbelief.
"I wasn't expecting her to die," he said. "I'm feeling really tired ... I'm shocked."
Ashaduzzaman said he clearly remembers the chaos that erupted on Sunday night.
"People ran to the back of the restaurant," he said, his voice quivering. "And then I heard a woman crying and yelling, 'my daughter' and to call an ambulance."
That's when Ashaduzzaman and his colleague ran over to Julianna, who had been sitting at a table near the front window of Caffe Demetre.
"I was holding her and I looked at her and said, 'stay with us. It's going to be OK. Look at me,"' he said. "I was trying to wake her up. She was losing consciousness."
Julianna was bleeding heavily, Ashaduzzaman said. A man who appeared to be her father was also injured, he said.
"He was lying down, it looked like he couldn't move his leg," said Ashaduzzaman, adding that a boy who appeared to be Julianna's brother was sitting nearby and appeared to be in shock.
"Everybody was crying and everybody was scared."
In the days since the shooting, Ashaduzzaman said he's felt drained, but is working to cope.
His workplace has offered counselling to staff, who will be returning to work next week, he said. Ashaduzzaman said he hasn't yet decided if he'll take up the offer of counselling, or take more time off work.
"I'm trying my best to move on," he said.
Experts said Ashaduzzaman's feelings are not uncommon.
The closer a person is to experiencing a traumatic event, the greater the emotional and psychological toll, said Dr. Katy Kamkar, who works at the psychological trauma program at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health.
"If someone worked near the area, lived near the area, even if we know people who were there at the scene -- the closer the proximity, the higher the risk of emotional and psychological reaction," she said.
Kamkar said overall common symptoms people may experience after a traumatic event include shock, denial, irritability, fear, sadness, feelings of helplessness, and a change in sleep, appetite, and trouble with memory and focusing on daily activities
If those symptoms increase over time and interfere with a person's daily life, that person should seek professional help, she said. Everyone experiences such symptoms differently but Kamkar stressed that people should know that these feelings are normal.
"Knowledge is power. Knowledge builds our awareness, and when we build our awareness, we are better able to cope," she said. "Also, building connections and community is very important with coping."
Tanya L. Sharpe, a professor at the University of Toronto's school of social work who specializes in surviving mass violence and effects of homicide, said it's also common for direct witnesses to experience hyper-vigilance, have flashbacks and be overly aware of their surroundings.
"With unanticipated deaths, survivors go through what is called complicated grief, so there are other factors which impact their grief, such as seeing the scene play out over and over again in the media, or going back to the scene of the event again," she said.
On Friday evening, staff from businesses in Toronto's Greektown were expected to gather for a moment of silence.
Ashaduzzaman, who hasn't been back to Greektown since the shooting, said he didn't know if he would attend but said he wanted the Kozis family to know every effort was made to help Julianna.
"The situation wasn't good," he said. "Everybody tried to save her."


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Information about LN-OMY (SE-HIA)
Last update: 17 Dec 2012
click here to edit this page
click here to edit this page
Aircraft Data
Reg: LN-OMY
Year: 1978
Last known operator:
It held a close competition with Mora Helikopter's SE-HHS for the position, but HHS was stuck in Basel (Switzerland) due to bad weather during the delivery flight.
SE-HIA was purhased by Jämtlands Aero (1) in November of 1978 and the pilot Erik Vallo began his type rating in Marignane, France, on November 10. The delivery flight was initiated three days later and the helicopter made its very first landing in Sweden (at Malmö-Sturup Airport) on November 16. It arrived to the home base in Östersund on November 17. SE-HIA was brought to Sweden by Uno Stormo and Erik Vallo. It was put in service at once.
A true workhorse
SE-HIA was the 17:th Ecureuil ever constructed. The Ecureuil proved to be an extraordinary machine for the company's purposes and it was highly successful. The machine was involved in an accident at Mt Sylarna in November 1982 when a cargo sling was accidentally thrown into the main rotor. The helicopter was partly destroyed, but was restored by Borlänge based Sterner Aero AB in 1983. SE-HIA was returned to service in 1984. Sterner Aero had bought Jämtlands Aero in 1982, which made SE-HIA a part of the large Sterner fleet. Six years later, in July 1988, Sterner became Heliflyg and the machine was included in the deal. It was sold to Norway in 1993.
Returning to Sweden
This could have been the end for this pioneer, but it wasn't. In late December 2000 the Swedish company MogMac AB purchased the helicopter from the Norwegian heavy-lift Vaernes-based company Helitrans A/S. LN-OMY was re-registered in Sweden as SE-HIA in June 2003. A cooperation was soon opened with Jämtlands Flyg AB, which added SE-HIA to the current fleet of one Ecureuil, two Colibris and two Schweizer 300s. Jämtlands Flyg is a separate company from Jämtlands Aero (1). SE-HIA was repainted from Helitrans' blue/red/white colours to Jämtlands Flyg's all-red Ecureuil paint-scheme in April 2004.
The helicopter remained in Handöl, where it had operated on and off through the years.
SE-HIA returned to the Norwegian registry as LN-OMY in June 2006. It was operated by Helitrans, but was stationed in Handöl (Sweden). LN-OMY's activity in Handöl remained until July 2012, when it was replaced by LN-OAU (ex. SE-HRO) of HeliScan. Helitrans later utilized LN-OMY for topographic survey operations
Fatal accident in the Bay of Lübeck
LN-OMY was lost in an accident in the Bay of Lübeck on 5 December 2012. Two people lost their lives when the helicopter ended up in the water on a flight between Lübeck in Germany and Halmstad in Sweden. The cause of the accident is unknown, but it is currently being examined by the German Federal Bureau of Aircraft Accident Investigation (BFU) in Braunschweig.


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Hamid Hayat, freed after 14 years in terror case: 'I can't believe this day came'
Hamid Hayat, the Lodi man who spent 14 years behind bars in a one of the most controversial terrorism cases of the post-Sept. 11 era, said Sunday that he's "still in shock" after his release from federal prison in Arizona.
"I'm lost for words," Hayat said through tears during a news conference in Sacramento, his first public appearance in California since a judge overturned his 2006 conviction, freeing him from prison Friday.
"I can't believe this day came," said Hayat, 36. "I still think this is a dream. I wake up and I still think I'm in prison."
Hayat's conviction in federal court in Sacramento for allegedly supporting terrorists by training with them in his family homeland of Pakistan was overturned July 30 by a federal judge, who said Hayat's defense had been harmed by his inexperienced trial lawyer's failure to call alibi witnesses.
Hayat was sentenced in 2007, on his 25th birthday, to 24 years in federal prison. The main evidence against him was his videotaped statement to FBI agents in 2005 that two years earlier, he had attended a terrorist training camp for three to six months during a family visit to Pakistan.
During Hayat's trial, his lawyer said the confession had been coerced by investigators who asked leading questions during a daylong interrogation. Later, attorneys appealing Hayat's conviction said the trial lawyer had failed to contact a half dozen Pakistani witnesses who would have testified that he had never left his family's village for more than a week during their stay.
The jury that convicted Hayat also heard a translation of a note, written in Arabic, that was in his wallet when he returned from Pakistan. It read, "Oh Allah, we place you at their throats and we seek refuge in you from their evils." Prosecutors said the note showed a jihadist mind-set.
Hayat's appellate lawyers said his trial attorney had failed to contact expert witnesses who would have said the note was part of a common prayer, with no sinister meaning.
U.S. Magistrate Deborah Barnes recommended overturning Hayat's convictions in January, finding that a jury might have acquitted him if he had been represented competently. U.S. District Judge Garland Burrell agreed last month. U.S. Attorney McGregor Scott's office in Sacramento said it was reviewing the ruling.
Hayat joined his legal team, family members and supporters for a news conference Sunday that coincided with Eid al-Adha, a religious holiday celebrated by Muslims around the world to mark the sacrifice Abraham made to God. It falls at the end of Hajj, the holy pilgrimage to Mecca and Medina that Muslims are required to make at least once in their lifetime.
"During those 14 years, in all the times I met with Hamid and spoke and communicated with him, never once did I hear a word of rancor or bitterness from him," said Dennis Riordan, Hayat's appellate attorney. "That's extraordinary. Through all of this, his faith sustained him.
"If this experience proved anything to the world, Hamid Hayat is a man of peace," Riordan said.
Hayat gave brief remarks punctuated by long pauses in which he wept. He thanked the many people who worked to free him during his 14 years behind bars.
"I'll never be able to pay back none of my brothers and sisters, none of my supporters," he said. "I'm your guys' servant until the day of judgment."
The FBI started investigating Muslims in Lodi shortly after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. After an informant identified both Hayat and his father, Umer Hayat, as possible terrorist sympathizers, agents arrested them in 2005 and said they were part of a local terrorist cell.
The Justice Department later admitted that no such cell existed. Umer Hayat, a local ice cream vendor, pleaded guilty to charges of lying to customs agents and served less than a year in jail.
"We're a normal family living in America. We were innocent and we are innocent," Raheela Hayat, Hamid's younger sister, said Sunday.
Critics of the case have pointed to a number of controversial issues. One of the prosecution's main witnesses was a paid informant who, before focusing on Hayat, reported having seen Osama bin Laden's chief deputy at a Lodi mosque as late as 1999 — a sighting doubted by national security experts. Community members said the man spoke of "jihad" in an attempt to get others to express radical sentiments.
Demian Bulwa, Bob Egelko and Tatiana Sanchez are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers. Email: email@example.com, firstname.lastname@example.com, email@example.com Twitter: @demianbulwa, @BobEgelko, @TatianaYSanchez


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Economic issues/attractiveness/European Union
Paris, January 7, 2015
Q. – François Hollande estimates that, to bring down unemployment, a growth rate above 1% is needed. Will that be the case this year?
THE MINISTER – The government has predicted a rate of 1%, and it stands by this forecast. However, I think 2015 should be the year of European renewal and a turning point for the French economy, as circumstances have changed. This is due to external factors, such as the sharp drop in the value of the euro against the dollar, the fall in oil prices, and low interest rates. It is also due to domestic factors, namely government action – the ramp-up of the Competitiveness and Employment Tax Credit, which will account for €17 billion in 2015, and the entry into force of the first phase of the Responsibility Pact, in which various contributions will be cut back.
Q. – Can you put a figure to these factors?
THE MINISTER – Employers' contributions for minimum-wage employees will be cut in half, i.e. €140 per month less in contributions. All of these factors together will restore several percentage points of margin to businesses. In terms of competitiveness, the initial result is that average hourly labour costs in France's industrial sector have fallen below those in Germany. Our challenge in 2015 will be to take advantage of this new macroeconomic situation to fully rebuild businesses' confidence.
Objectively, all of the factors are there to get hiring and investment back on track. To effectively meet our challenge, we need to simultaneously accomplish three things over the next six months. We have to underpin and explain the measures already under way. We have to step up macroeconomic reforms to modernize our economy and to show entrepreneurs, investors and our partners that we are making progress. And we must move European macroeconomic policy in a different direction in order to restart demand within the Euro Area. To do so, we need smarter coordination between fiscal policies, commitment by Germany to a genuine stimulus policy, and a bolder European investment policy.
Q. – With respect to the Responsibility Pact, the trade unions are not satisfied with the number and the content of the agreements proposed by management.
THE MINISTER – Signatures of sector agreements picked up late in the year, but we must go much further. The scope of the measures that we are introducing to support businesses is unprecedented throughout the Fifth Republic. And yet, the French economy's most serious handicap is insufficient corporate investment, although all of the conditions are now in place for businesses to invest. Our course has been set, and there is ample tax and legal certainty. This is the moment to invest, particularly in France. Major French firms should not forget that they are French – they certainly don't forget it when they run into problems. We have done our part; now it's up to our business leaders to do theirs.
Q. – You talk about the need to move European economic policy in a different direction, although it is less restrictive than in the past.
THE MINISTER – France has done what it needed to do with respect to reforms and fiscal consolidation. No one can accuse us of sitting on our hands over these past few months. I'm sorry to say, however, that Europe has not done its part. Stimulus policies are insufficient at European level, at a time when Euro Area recovery is still tentative.
Q. – What sort of message will France have for Germany at Sunday's meeting between François Hollande and Angela Merkel?
THE MINISTER – We hope to convince our German partner that France and Germany must jointly do much more to get Europe back on track. Countries undergoing austerity programmes are, democratically speaking, exhausted. We see this in Greece. It is up to the Greek people to duly elect their representatives, who will have to honour their country's commitments.
Q. – The prospect of a Greek exit seems less and less like a taboo topic in Germany…
THE MINISTER – Greece's place is in the Euro Area, regardless of the government that comes to power.
Q. – Will Greece's debt need to be restructured once more?
THE MINISTER – Greek debt was already restructured in 2011. As part of this, the Troika introduced a support plan that can be modified, under the express condition that Greece continues to carry out the necessary economic and political reforms.
Q. – Turning to another topical issue, is a Germany prepared to support quantitative easing by the ECB?
THE MINISTER – The ECB is independent and does everything required to fulfil its mandate. In addition to the fiscal consolidation policies introduced, Euro Area monetary policy has been much less accommodative than in the US in the last three years. The ECB must now be allowed to take proactive steps to anchor inflation expectations and support the pro-growth reforms. Now is the time to step up a gear, for economic as well as political reasons. Populism obviously feeds on desperation. The generation that has entered the job market in the last few years has been faced with pervasive unemployment and runs the risk of being left out in the cold for good.
Q. – France is not in the best position to lecture others given that its deficit will not fall below 3% before 2017...
THE MINISTER – It's not about lecturing, but rather about making joint decisions that will determine Europe's future. Besides, France is being true to its commitment to reduce public spending, and that is fundamental. We are not talking about going further, but saying that the €50 billion in savings will not necessarily be the end of the story: we must set ourselves the target of reducing public spending as a percentage of GDP even further beyond 2017. We could set a target of 50%, for example, which is equivalent to the level of public spending 10 years ago, and we weren't necessarily any worse off at that time; the previous government is responsible for the increase. Germany for its part must raise its investment levels considerably. This is an urgent requirement, just as pushing through reforms is urgent for France.
Q. – Is the Juncker plan taking too long to take shape?
THE MINISTER – It's already a key step and represents very significant progress. But it can be improved upon: for example, resources can be boosted through a European borrowing capacity. As far as jobs are concerned, low-interest bank loans are not necessarily a priority as they already exist. The plan should focus on supporting investment through the greater acquisition of capital stakes in SMEs. It should also finance expenditure on research or infrastructure by providing grants based on a genuine European investment plan along the same lines as France's Invest for the Future Programme.
Q. – Why would Germany change tack today in all of these areas?
THE MINISTER – Germany is already doing so. Look at the recently-introduced minimum wage and investment policies. It will make even more changes if it has enough confidence to do so and realises that we face major challenges in the medium term. France must also show that it is willing to take bold steps.
Q. – Your bill will soon be before Parliament. According to Cécile Duflot, it represents "a giant step backwards". What would you say in response?
THE MINISTER – Cécile Duflot reminds me of a Woody Allen line: "The answer's no. What was the question? " If she reads the bill, she will realise that her fears are unfounded. Coach travel is more environmentally friendly than car travel. As far as Sunday trading is concerned, there are currently 600 tourist areas in France where no statutory employee compensation exists. This bill fixes that, making it compulsory everywhere. The deadlines set for key projects can be closely monitored and regulated without doing any harm to the environment. Taking longer to do something does not necessarily mean it is done any better.
Q. – You have held in-depth talks with members of the regulated professions, but they are still fighting the reforms...
THE MINISTER – We will hold parliamentary discussions with lawyers on the two points that are stumbling blocks, namely territorial postulation rights and corporate lawyer status. We'll reach an agreement. Relations with the bailiffs have improved somewhat. As regards notaries, the text is relatively balanced: for example, we will not change the rules governing authenticated instruments or the freedom to set up anywhere. We are taking a transparent approach to fees and maintaining the equalization principle. I would like notaries to agree that reforms are necessary in principle. In 2009, they themselves pledged to create more jobs and open more offices, but they haven't done so. And that's because the current system's incumbents have nothing to gain from making changes to it. I'm prepared to take another look at the technical aspects outlined in the bill, but I'm not prepared to perpetuate the status quo. Who would argue in favour of maintaining rules that date back to Louis XVIII?
Q. – How open are you to discussions regarding Sunday trading?
THE MINISTER – I'm not going to start bartering about the number of Sunday opening days that can be authorised. The first goal of the bill is to allow Sunday openings in places where we are sure jobs will be created and business activity generated with no harmful side effects, or in places where management and labour representatives have held talks and reached an agreement regarding employee compensation, i.e. in the main international tourist areas and railway stations. The second goal is to give mayors greater freedom. Any debate must centre on the degree of latitude that can be allowed to ensure that the most suitable measures are taken to maintain and encourage local shops in our town centres to flourish.
Q. – Why are you being so cautious about the impact of the future act on growth and jobs?
THE MINISTER – Any attempt to come up with five or 10-year forecasts would be meaningless. That said, I'm utterly convinced that the future act will enable tens of thousands of jobs to be created in the next 18 months, especially by deregulating certain sectors (coach transport, closed professions), and by authorizing Sunday trading. What's more, in the coming years, the initiatives concerning entrepreneurs and labour law, with the overhaul of the industrial tribunal system, will have widespread indirect consequences. This, together with steps to reform industrial relations, will remove a large number of obstacles for SMEs, will be central to restoring confidence and, thereby, encourage corporate investment. The bill is proof positive that France is once again a contender and that it is undertaking the required reforms.
Q. – Opposition parties have criticised you for not addressing civil service reform. How would you answer this criticism?
THE MINISTER – The opposition needs to stop embodying conservatism. Right-wing moralism has to stop making civil servants scapegoats. One example of the major efforts being made by the civil service is the fact that the pay scale has been frozen since 2010.
Q. – Joint negotiations on industrial relations are stalling. What does the administrative arm of the government intend to do about this?
THE MINISTER – The negotiations must lead to a bold agreement able to be quickly written into law. This can be achieved by compromises from both sides.
Q. – Will the ban on cloth cap pension schemes be included in the Bill?
THE MINISTER – The Charpin report's recommendations are due any day now. I feel very strongly that all supplementary pension schemes should be authorized provided they are based on employee contributions. This is not the case for some cloth cap plans which just offer a perpetuity which represents deferred income for the beneficiary who has never paid into the scheme. This will no longer be allowed. I'm in favour of a system that rewards performance and risk-taking rather than promoting annuities.
Q. – Will the reforms stop once the Macron bill has been adopted?
THE MINISTER – Let's take it step by step. The Growth and Economic Activity Bill is only the catalyst for the reform programme and there's still a lot of ground to cover. I intend to table further proposals once the Bill has been adopted. France needs to go even further.
Q. – You're attending the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas. Has French-bashing fallen out of fashion?
THE MINISTER – That's up to us to decide, as the main perpetrators of French-bashing are certain elites in France. I'm looking to convince foreign businesses to invest in France by proving that things are on the move. I'm also here to support French start-ups, under the collective banner of "La French Tech". Start-ups are vital for our economic recovery and they are thriving in France, with Paris having becoming a real hub. What's missing is funding to help them expand once they've been set up.
Q. – What do you suggest?
THE MINISTER – We need to bolster equity investment options and foster mergers and acquisitions by major groups. I'd like to see the first IPOs on the EnterNext market this year. We also need success stories with their strong knock-on effect. We'll carry on improving labour and tax arrangements through the measures set out in the Growth and Economic Activity Bill concerning, for example, bonus shares. We'll also be setting up a fund with the Public Investment Bank for joint investments by business angels. Entrepreneurs who reinvest in France will be playing a vital role. The Internet economy is packed with superstars and young French people must be instilled with the desire to become billionaires. I don't denounce the CAC 40 companies as they shape the French economy and our current startups must foreshadow tomorrow's CAC 40.
Q. – What are you going to do about the 34 plans of the "New Face of Industry in France" programme initiated by Arnaud Montebourg?
THE MINISTER – My teams are supporting the continued rollout of the 34 plans by the relevant industries. I'll carry on reviewing the plans during this first quarter.
Once I have discussed matters with project leaders, I'd like to trim the plans down to around a dozen. I want consistent projects with more global scope and significant involvement from SMEs. Resources won't be cut but actions will be better focused to make them more effective.
Q. – As the 75% tax rate is being phased out, what conclusions can you draw from this measure?
THE MINISTER – This was a political message sent out during the 2012 presidential campaign. It was only ever intended to be in force for two years. I realize that the issue of very high salaries is a sensitive one for French citizens but I'd rather see talented risk-taking individuals be very well paid rather than have an economy of trust funders that withers away. We need to hammer home the fact that success is one of France's values and that success and emancipation through work are even thoroughly left-wing values. /.
¹Source of English translation: French Ministry of the Economy, Industry and the Digital Sector and Ministry of Finance and Public Accounts.


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Let's talk turkey. Or at least how we saved money on food this week.
Saving money on food costs doesn't just happen at the grocery store. It happens in the kitchen, on the road, and at the drive-thru. We all gotta eat, right? I mean food procurement has been one of the chief occupations of man since the dawn of time.
Our habits can effect our expenses. Better habits mean better money savings.
This week, I thought I'd share the little ways that our family is working to save money on food costs. A penny saved is a penny earned, and all that jazz.
Here are our frugal foodie efforts of the week:
Our Frugal Foodie Efforts This Week
–> I used leftover rice and beans from Saturday night to make this Rice and Black Bean Salad for Sunday's lunch.
–> For this week's date, my husband and I used an old Groupon from 2011. It was expired, but there was value still on it, $15 to be exact. I've since learned not to buy Groupons for places that you have to drive too far to get to. We were in the neighborhood this week, so we reclaimed our $15.
–> I made and froze Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Scones. This was nice for me, testing the gf waters a bit, so that I didn't buy commercial products that taste bad.
–> One day when FishPapa and I had run errands and wanted a quick lunch, we stopped into Trader Joe's and bought $3 salads that were hugely filling, instead of getting pricier restaurant fare. Since we have different preferences in salads, we each got our way without spending too much.
–> I used frozen lemon juice from my dad's trees to make homemade Caesar Dressing (recipe in my new cookbook).
–> FishPapa also bought two boxes of cereal and half a gallon of milk at Trader Joe's. He ate that for break time and some lunches this week.
–> I stocked up on ice cream at Ralphs "Buy 5 and Save" Sale. We like Breyers the best. Each almost quart container was $2.99 on sale. I filled the freezer and didn't tell anyone, so we'll have ice cream for the next month or two without spending a fortune.
–> I used the Ralphs digital coupon app to save more money off my purchase.
–> FishPapa has taken on a weekly Costco stop. This means many things in terms of frugality:
- I don't have to do it. I'm usually the one tempted to go "off-list" and spend more money on things I hadn't planned for. My husband is very good about buying exactly what's on the list. His one splurge is usually socks; three teen boys now have man-size feet.
- Weekly instead of monthly trips assure me I don't have to put "all the things" on the list, just the ones we need for the coming week.
- Bonus points: He buys gas for my car so I don't have to go to the sketchy Mobil station down the road. Costco has the cheapest gas in town as well.
- Extra bonus: FishChick7 chose Costco hot dog for her Dinner with Dad (a weekly treat for one child each week). That means DwD didn't cost much this week!
–> One night I had a craving for Chipotle and decided to give in. However, it was the dinner rush and our online order was going to take an hour before pickup. (I'm sorry, but ordering for eight people at Chipotle in person is cruel and unusual punishment.) I ditched the idea and made our own Chipotle bowls at home. Everyone liked it better than "the real deal", especially since I made the Cilantro-Lime Rice (recipe in my new cookbook).
–> It's a good thing we ate in that night. In my rummaging in the fridge, I found that a carton of milk had leaked all over. I was able to salvage a lot of food in the drawers below it as well as get it cleaned sooner.
–> FishBoy18 packed his lunches all week and most days took FishPapa a lunch also. This saves at least $10 a day combined, if not more, plus they eat more healthfully. (My son goes to the college where my husband works which is very convenient!)
–> I made homemade pizza dough for pizza night instead of ordering out. It tastes better, is better for us, and costs way less.
Those are some of our frugal foodie efforts for the week. Or at least the ones I remember.
I'd love to hear what you did this week to save money on food.


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Synovate launches Market Barriers solution
Dubai, April 8, 2008
Global market research company Synovate has launched a new solution called Market Barriers.
The system which can be added to clients existing tracking programmes quantifies the degree to which brand performance is a function of factors beyond brand relationship.
"Market Barriers such as distribution, pricing, product configuration and so on can and do impact on customers brand choice. This system enables marketers to successfully predict the barriers their brand can expect to face, quantify those identified barriers into lost sales, and therefore develop sustainable strategies that can effectively overcome those barriers while at the same time optimise sales," said Synovate CEO brand and communications practice Ged Parton.
"For years marketers have known that whether or not people buy their brands is not just a function of how people feel about the brands, but also the extent to which market circumstances might interfere with what people want. Yet no-one has done anything about quantifying this systematically until now. Market Barriers is a unique system which continues to reflect our determination to produce innovations that assist marketers because they relate to real world business outcomes," said international director of Innovation at Synovate's Brand Lab Jan Hofmeyr.
Market Barriers is one of the many innovative brand defining tools available from Synovate. – TradeArabia News Service


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A Russian tuner firm tackles the Bentley Continental, giving it an interesting new look. Details and photos inside.
Russian tuners TopCar have released a new package for the Bentley Continental GT and the GT Speed coupe. The kit includes a series of aerodynamic work, body panels, design touches, and wheels, but not a performance upgrade.
For TopCar, this is their follow-up to their work on the Porsche Panamera. Dubbed "Bullet," the upgraded models receive a new front-end, including a renewed bumper, a grille for the GT, and a new hood designed with air intakes. A front spoiler is also built in, as well as LED lights. New side skirts lead into the wheel wells, which integrate interestingly with the freshened rear bumper. The bumper has vents built in behind the wheels, and a diffuser at the bottom.
The price tag for the kit, with the alloy wheels, is €25,000. The front fenders seen in the photos of the white GT are still in development, and are not included. Those can be purchased for an additional €5,000. Getting the matte black paint job runs an additional €7,000.


text:
The BURIAL GROUND
moves through to where the trees seem sparse and are unnaturally white birch and some thin grass grows. The land rises into a mound. Chingachgook and the others avoid stepping on the grass and cross to the other side of it.
mutters something to Uncas. He nods and disappears amongst the white birch, soundlessly.
throws Heyward a blanket. Heyward spreads the blanket below the top of the mound and - maintaining silence - he gestures for Cora & Alice to rest there.
hits the blanket. She curls into a fetal position and she's out. Heyward is nearby on watch. Hawkeye has taken a position two-thirds of the way around the crescent shaped mound. Cora has sought him out.
doesn't react as Cora enters. He's scanning the trees; not looking at her. They whisper ...]
CORA: Why didn't you bury those people?
HAWKEYE: Anyone lookin' to pick up our trail, would see it as a sign of our passing ...
CORA: You knew them.
[Hawkeye looks at her and nods.]
CORA: [stiffly] You were acting for our benefit. And I apologize. I misunderstood you.
HAWKEYE: Well that is to be expected. My father ...
CORA: Your "father"?
HAWKEYE: Chingachgook. He warned me about people like you.
CORA: He did?
HAWKEYE: Yes. He said ... "do not try to make them understand you."
CORA: What?!
HAWKEYE: Yes. And "do not try to understand them. That is because they are a breed apart and they make no sense ..."
[Cora's indignation is cut off because ...
moving fast. He gestures back the way he came and it means they're in jeopardy. Uncas disappears around the mound. Cut to ...
Nothing. Imperceptibly we move closer and start to see shapes blocking out part of the white birch.
white eyes. A ruff of red hair stands straight up at the back of the large man's head. Slit and monstrously elongated earlobes are weighted with silver. He's followed by others. Wary, silently, they hunt.
Towards the rear are two French Rangers ("Coureurs des Bois") from Le Regiment de la Sarre. They're bearded, dirty, dressed Indian-style in moccasins, leggings and breechcloths with hooded hunting shirts. There's nothing clumsy about them. They're the 18th century version of Special Forces who've gone indigenous. If they and the Ottawa find our people, it's all over.
seeing the red-painted Ottawa approach, starts to panic. Her hyperventilating and involuntary small sounds of fear will reveal their position. A hand covers her mouth and silences her struggling. WIDEN. It's Uncas. His other arm is around her, holding her, looking towards the advancing Ottawa.
on his back, his tomahawk within reach on the ground.
are fifty yards away from the crescent mound behind which lie our people. Mist envelops them ...
His massive arms spread revealing his war club in his left fist; his fusil in his right hand.
waiting for the attack. Cora's eyes are anxious, but there's no terror there. Nathaniel's impressed with her cool. He hands her a pistol. She takes it. He listens for the soft drop of moccasined feet ...
through the grass. Thirty feet away they stop. They're motionless. Then their leader gestures and they start backing out. The French Rangers continue towards the crescent. The Ottawa chief takes one's arm and stops him. The French Ranger whispers something inaudible. The Ottawa chief shakes his head, "Non. Pas possible ..." And means it. They retreat.
tensely monitor the Ottawa retreat.
He slowly removes his hand from her mouth. She's a little shy, then she looks up, catches his eyes. Then she averts her face.
sees all of it; doesn't like it.
The Ottawa are gone.]
CORA: [quietly] Why did they turn back?
[In answer Hawkeye looks behind & above her head.]
turns and makes out stilt platforms of skeletons and torn strips of buckskin silhouetted against the night sky in the distance. They have camped on sanctified ground, a burial place.
She thinks it would be a mistake to ever underestimate the skill of these men or the danger & complexity of this place. She hands the pistol back to him. Their hands almost touch:]
CORA: [still pissed off] "We're a breed apart and we make no sense" ...?
HAWKEYE: [smiles] In your particular case, miss, I would make some allowance ...
CORA: [sarcastic] Thank you so much.
[Cora is angry. Hawkeye, staring at the trees, glances at her. She settles, looking at him. Her mood changes. Then ...]
CORA: You called Chingachgook your "father"? Where is your real family?
[Hawkeye's surprised by her question.]
HAWKEYE: They buried my ma & pa and my sisters. And Chingachgook - who found me with two French trappers - raised me up as his own.
CORA: I'm sorry.
HAWKEYE: I do not remember them. I was one or two.
CORA: How did you learn English?
HAWKEYE: My father sent Uncas & I to Reverend Wheelock's school when I was ten. So we would know both worlds ... though we were told only bother learning readin' & arithmetic from yous.
CORA: And what were the consequentialities of European culture you didn't bother with?
HAWKEYE: The Bible. Monarchy. Many wrong ideas about the government of men. My father's people already know each man is his own nation. And only he can have dominion over himself. Not kings. No man is better than any other man.
CORA: In London those radical ideas could land you in Newgate prison. [changing the subject] Why were those people living in this defenseless place ...?
HAWKEYE: 'Cos frontier land's the only land affordable to poor people. So after seven years indentured service in Virginia, they headed out here where they are beholden to none and not livin' by another's leave ... Their name was Cameron. John & Alexandria.
[Cora sees the slate grey clouds and, in between, the fields of stars. She looks at Hawkeye; then again up at the night sky.]
HAWKEYE: [continuing; looking up] My father's people say ... at the birth of the sun and of his brother, the moon, their mother died ... so the sun gave to the earth her body, from which was to spring all life. And he drew forth from her breast the stars. The stars he threw into the night sky to remind him of her soul. [the sky] So there is the Camerons' monument ... my folks', too, I guess.
pensive. Hawkeye's watching her. Her reaction is enigmatic. After a pause ...]
CORA: [low] You are right, Mr. Poe. We do not understand what is happening here. And it is not as I imagined it would be, thinking of it in Boston and London ...
HAWKEYE: Sorry to disappoint you ...
CORA: [eyes downcast] On the contrary. It is more deeply stirring ... to my blood ... [then up into his eyes] ... than any imagining could possibly have been ...
[She closes her eyes, turns slightly and prepares to sleep. Hawkeye is the one left staring into the birch forest, a little surprised. Some of his assumptions about her were wrong ...


text:
screenshot of Luke, demonstrating Ludacris reacting to being slimed
I knew Luke Bilyk was going to be a homie the minute he hit his Ludacris impression for the sake of my snapchats. What I didn't know, because I am completely out of touch with pop culture in general, is that he's basically Canadian Zac Efron, and as such, has some extremely well-formed opinions on Drake. We had a conversation ranging from Venice Beach to the Iron Throne, and it was the longest interview of my entire life, let alone my career, so get some snacks.
Justina: As I may have mentioned, I didn't know anything about Degrassi before researching you for this interview, and now I know a LOT about Degrassi. 33 years worth of it.
Luke: Yeah, there's quite a bit to know. It's been around, we've covered a lot of stuff.
You're going to be my first Canadian celebrity! I'm excited.
Oh awesome, I'll start the avalanche. I'll put in a good word with all the Canadians.
Fantastic, I'll finally have an in. We aren't going to spend a lot fo time talking about Degrassi, because like I said, 33 years, but what are three things everyone should know about Degrassi, and three things they should know about your character?
That is a great question, oh my goodness. It (Degrassi) focuses very highly on problems teenagers face in highschool, but has always done a great job of showing both sides. The best of times and the worst of times, and I think that makes it very relatable. It basically covers everything, so even growing up on the show I was like "No I shouldn't do that, because bad things happened to my character." The last thing is that they stay very true to plot but also to what is happening in real life. We just aired an episode about a rape and the aftermath of it when a lot of that is happening in schools, and our writers figured what better time to bring light to this issue? There are so many characters, who are all different kinds of people, that they can really touch home with everything.
It's pretty impressive.
It is, they're so good at it. Three things people should know about my character...he's not the brightest. Definitely not the smartest. But he's very caring, and no matter who another person is, he always has their best interests at heart. In the first season, you know, he just kind of dumb jock, and by the end, he's found this sort of sense of helping people. He's school president, he starts a company after his brother dies.
You know, I tried to watch a little, and I think I jumped in too hard, because I had no idea what was going on.
It's like that. You could watch episode ten, skip eleven, and by the time you get to twelve you'll be like "What is happening?!"
I might have to bingewatch it for the next 33 years of my life.
Oh it won't take you that long. Start to finish, maybe two weeks?
That's how long it took me to watch 4 seasons of Game of Thrones.
Oh goodness, I think I watched all four seasons in a few days.
Okay, well, compared to Degrassi, Game of Thrones seems simple.
You know what, it's so funny that you'd say that, because it's true.
I'm so glad it's not just me. You spent five years on Degrassi, right?
That's right.
So you basically spent your formative years as a teenager playing a teenager on a show for teenagers about being a teenager. Did you have any favorite "teenager moments" on the show that were reflective of your life?
Well you know, to be honest, I never went to high school. When I landed Degrassi I was in my first year, and it wasn't working, so I homeschooled. Because of that I didn't experience the traditional highschool things, (Justina note: if only he knew who he was talking to.) and so I was really lucky that I ended up where I did *laughs*. I've been to three different Degrassi proms, and never to one real one, but you know, ours lasted like two days because we'd film it over and over from every angle. But you know... it's hard to pinpoint. I made my best friends, and I always say that the Executive Producers, they didn't just give us a job or a stepping stone, they gave us the opportunity to meet our family. So it's not so much a moment as it was five years that feel like an afternoon in my head.
That makes total sense to me. I never went to high school either and the best prom we ever did was dressing up and going to In N Out burger so..
Oh my god, you beat my prom.
When in California...well, we'll get back to that. I read an interview with you were filming three different things at once, and you were saying one of the hardest parts is keeping all your characters and their lines separate - do you have a favorite line that a character has said? Something that was truly memorable?
It's just past nine o'clock and I think that's the most difficult question I've ever been asked.
I'm getting all of the hard stuff out of the way.
Yeah I know, next is going to be like "what's your favorite color?"
Oh my gosh, that's... that's amazing. I think it's one of the best questions I've ever heard...oh yeah! I have one. I think my favorite - which, funnily enough ended up getting cut out of the final edit - was in the funeral of [his character, Drew Torres] my brother on Degrassi. I do this huge monologue about his life, and how he was so influential in others, and how I was going to model mine after his. That point in the season, back in...2013, that was a huge turning point for my character.
Now let's do easy stuff. You're living in LA right now, yeah?
I am I just moved to _____.
That's my favorite part of LA!
I like it! Its a cool part. Sometimes I feel a bit like I'm in a retirement home though
*We talk about _____ + food for the next fifteen minutes*
What do you think is the biggest difference between Canada and LA?
Well I think being an actor in Toronto, you get used to... I mean, I've been acting my whole life, so twenty years, in the same pool. It's the same four casting directors, I know their names, I've had lunch with them. Then I came out here and I didn't know anyone, so you don't have that extra in. But that's basically it. I've been trying to do all the same things here that I do in Toronto, you know, hang out, go to the gym. I pride myself on not becoming a partier, because that happens a lot - Canadians come out here and realize its so much fun. The key is to focus, and do what you've got to do. Because once you start - you can't work, because that's all you want to do.
It's definitely a dark side. What's your favorite thing about LA?
I do have to say that I think my apartment is pretty awesome. I have a beautiful view of the hill behind the hill the Hollywood sign is on. I always do the same six things when I'm here, but I just went to Venice Beach for the first time and fell in love with the vibe, the people and the little section in the middle.
Venice Beach is the epitome of California. Just so you know, the *official* name of the park the hill is in is Griffiths Park. It has the Observatory in it, which is my favorite place in LA.
Oh yes, I just did that, and it was incredible.
The smog is so pretty from above.
It is, haha.
Here's a good one: if you could slip into any show as a main character, where would you go?
Can I have two answers?
I guessss so.
Bryan Cranston in Breaking Bad - that was like, the performance and role of a lifetime. I've also been watching a lot of comedy, and How I met Your Mother? Barney? Neil Patrick Harris is a god. He is the funniest person in the entire world. I wish I could pull that off. He just breathes that character.
I love funny stuff. Like I said, I'll binge watch Game of Thrones then be like "Okay, I need to watch some Parks and Rec."
Yeah, I would only watch serious dramatic scenes, and then, you've got to start watching comedy. Every time a comedy ends for me, it's like a little piece of my soul is ending. I just watched all ten seasons of Friends in like two and a half weeks, and I literally didn't know what to do with my life.
Time to start watching Parks and Recreation.
I'm gonna jump on that next.
I actually, until the Kids Choice Awards, had never watched Friends, and I made the mistake of saying that, and got yelled at.
I was the same way! I mean, I'd seen it here and there, but then I just sat down and watched all 10 seasons. It was magical.
Anything you can binge watch is. Game of Thrones, Breaking Bad.
We keep ending up on the same two shows.
*conversation spirals into how I am not a friendly television watching person, but instead enjoy GOT, Breaking Bad, and Sons of Anarchy*
You probably get sick of talking about him, but do you have a favorite Drake song?
There is no answer to this. I'm a huge Drake fan..
Okay, so not just because you're on Degrassi, but because you're Canadian - I feel like you all treat him with way more value than like, Justin Bieber.
Oh 100%. Don't mind the Biebs, love his Instagram account, but if you were to ask any Canadian "Drake or Justin Bieber", almost every one would say Drake. It was weird for me, because right when he started making music, when he dropped his first album, I was starting on the show. Everyone was talking about "Aubrey this, Aubrey that", like, he used to stay in my dressing room. It was crazy.
You are spiritually connected to Drake.
100%. Oh but my favorite song is probably "Bria's Interlude" with him and Omarion.
Yeahh. Okay, I have a just like, opinion question: was his latest drop an album or a mixtape?
Oh definitely a mixtape.
Definitely. That's not a Drake album. I mean, I liked it. But it's not. What I do with every album I buy is listen to it from beginning to end, and at first I was like "I do not like this". I was thiiis close to deleting it. Then I gave it another listen, and I liked it. But it's not an album. It's like a collective.
I have now had my opinion verified by a Real Life Canadian. Brilliant. But since you're also now a Californian - do you have an In N Out order memorized?
Oh yes. In N Out is my place, I go there like three times a week. [Justina Note: Liiiightweight.] My regular order is like a Double-Double and a single, because one is never enough and three is too many. I've been trying this thing - and it never works- where I order one protein style, with the lettuce, then put that inside the cheeseburger.
Oh my god.
Right? It works in theory, but I have yet to eat one without it falling apart.
Last question: What's one thing you've always wanted to be asked, and no one has ever asked you?
OH I KNOW. Okay, something I would like people to know is that I can basically rap any Eminem song. That's something people don't know, and I would like the world to know.
And now they will.
Follow Luke's Instagram for snaps of LA, some fantastically inspired fan art,
and his ludicrously perfect teeth. Seriously guys. The teeth.
x J
follow A Bent Piece Of Wire on twitter|facebook|bloglovin


text:
Jajah, Jaxtr, Jangl - How Are These Skype Alternatives Different ?
Jajah, Jangl and Jaxtr have very similar-sounding names and what further adds to the confusion is that all of them are in the web-calling (VoIP) space each trying to make their presence strong on online social networks and at the same time, grab a piece of pie from big daddy Skype.
Jajah, Jaxtr and Jangle make it possible for you to receive calls without revealing your phone number. They all work with regular phones without the computer. They provide widgets allowing readers and friends to connect with you without leaving your website. And none of them will require you to download or install any software on your computer or phone.
So what are some unique features that makes each of these "Ja.." (fill in the blanks) service different? Let's take a look:
JAJAH - Jajah lets you make phone calls over the internet but using regular telephone lines. Type in your phone number on the Jajah website and also the phone number of the person you wish to reach – Jajah will then connect the two numbers seamlessly.
Jajah will also let you send SMS text messages to any mobile phone in the world. And they have just introduced a new service called Jajah Direct which lets you make Internet calls even without a computer or an Internet connection.
You can add Jajah call buttons to your website, social networks or email signatures and receive calls without giving away your phone number. The call charges in this case will be paid by the person who is receiving calls through Jajah (i.e., you).
Jajah supports voice conference calls and call scheduling so you will never forget calling your aunt on her birthday as Jajah will automatically make the call for you.
JAXTR - Jaxtr provides a simple click-to-call widget that you can embed in your social web profiles or blogs.
Anyone on the web can can type his phone number inside this widget on your web page and Jaxtr will then connect his phone to your phone almost immediately.
When you register with Jaxtr, you also get a local phone number and any calls made to this number are automatically redirected to your main phone number.
The best part about Jaxtr is the simplicity - it doesn't require the caller to register before placing a call - they can just key in their own phone number and wait for Jaxtr to connect.
JANGL - Like Jajah and Jaxtr, Jangl also allows anyone to call you without knowing your phone number but there's a difference in approach - when you have to make a phone call through Jangl, you first have to provide Jangl an email address of the person you wish to reach.
Jangl will then give you a local phone number, you call that and leave a voice mail message that will be delivered to the recipient over email. Once they agree to connect with you, the recipient receives instructions to get a number – local to them – to call you back. (read that line again, it may take a while for you to understand the Jangle concept but its actually quite simple)
The interesting feature here is that all phone numbers assigned by Jangl are always different - so if you have five friends who you have allowed to connect through Jangl, they will all be assigned unique phone numbers .
Jangl is quite popular on dating websites but unfortunately, India in not in their list of supported countries yet.


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More than $253.65 million worth of commodities were exported from the southeastern Sistan-Baluchestan Province to Pakistan during the first seven months of the current Iranian year (March 21-Oct. 22) to register a 115% hike compared with the corresponding period of last year.
According to the head of Sistan-Baluchestan Industries, Mining and Trade Organization, Nader Mirshekar, the exports mainly included construction materials, dates, tomatoes, vegetables and gas, IRNA reported.
Sistan-Baluchestan has around 921 kilometers of common border with Pakistan.


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I participated in an Influencer Activation on behalf of Influence Central for Sears. I received a promotional item to thank me for participating.
As part of my New Year's Resolution this year I made it a goal to get back on my track with my fitness. If you read my resolution post I explained why I had not been working out, but to recap for those who have not read it, I developed diastasis recti after giving birth to my son. I still have diastasis recti 17 months later and finally got tired of putting off my workouts hoping it would heal. For now, I am just extremely careful when working out and make sure to always engage my core, so that it's not pushing forward. I also try and avoid exercises that cause my stomach to push forward, as that will cause my diastasis recti to rip further apart.
Since I was jumping back into a fitness routine after almost 17 months of little to now working out, I wanted to find a fitness site that I could keep track of my workouts as well as get inspiration for new workouts and nutritional plans. Well, FitStudio.com had all that! Plus, they reward you for your physical activity though their Points for Progress Program as a Shop Your Way Member. Best part, It's Free, Yes FREE! It wouldn't be possible without Sears, America's No. 1 fitness retailer who re-launched this one-stop fitness destination.
One of my very good friends actually converted her garage, right before Christmas, into a gym full equipped with a treadmill, bike, elliptical, free weights, a bench, and more—all from sears! She is actually my workout buddy and we just started training together in her new gym. If you are interested in workout gear reviews, I highly recommend checking out the many reviews available to you on FitStudio.com before you purchase your gear.
If you're a shopaholic like myself, you will love getting reward point that turn into shopping money by just working out and bettering yourself! How do you get started? Simply register at FitStufio.com and you'll automatically become a Shop Your Way member as well. After registering you can download their free fitness app on your favorite device and track your Shop Your Way Reward Points as well as your Points for Progress, where you can earn points for burning calories, walking and running. These points then turn into savings/coupons redeemable at Sears or Kmart.
The #Achieve15 Program
As part of the Points for Progress initiative, members can earn $5 in Shop Your Way points (5,000 points) by burning 1,500 calories or walking or running 15 miles in 2015. Almost all activity on FitStudio.com earns Shop Your Way points, including: Connect with FitStudio.com, Getting Active: Walk or run two miles per day, and burn 200 calories per day and Socializing: Share your fitness progress and share FitStudio.com content on social media.
What I also love about FitStudio.com is that their website is stocked full of workouts for every level of fitness. So whether you're just starting on your fitness journey or are a pro, they have a plethora of workouts to keep things new, fun and exciting for you. Never get bored with your workouts again!
Ready to join this one-stop, online resource for fitness?
Visit FitStudio to JOIN and be sure to check out FitStudio on YouTube for great info and video challenges.


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Despite some misconceptions, using bitcoin or other cryptocurrencies for asset protection in connection with offshore planning may be an effective strategy.
A crucial facet to using foreign trusts to protect wealth is ensuring that the trustee and trust assets remain outside of any jurisdiction where the grantor might be sued. Some U.S. states may find the concept of self-settled trusts anathema to public policy and thus choose to ignore the trust and treat the grantor/beneficiary as the de facto owner of trust assets.
Offshore limited liability companies are similarly exposed. Consider, for instance, a Florida resident who forms a Nevis, single-member LLC to shelter assets in a Florida bank account. If that individual is sued, Nevis law limits the judgment creditor's remedy to a lien on LLC proceeds (called a "charging order"). The charging order would not entitle the creditor to take control of the LLC in Nevis. If the creditor were to sue in Florida, however, a Florida court might ignore Nevis law (as it would apply to ownership of the LLC) and permit the creditor to foreclose on the LLC interest. As the new owner, the creditor would have direct access to the LLC bank account and any other assets owned by the LLC. Farfetched? This is essentially what happened in Wells Fargo v. Barber.
As highlighted by the Barber case, effective implementation of offshore asset protection requires that assets be transferred to a safe location outside the reach of U.S. courts. Assets must also remain outside the direct control of members and beneficiaries. Courts have mechanisms, via contempt orders, to impose sanctions, fines and jail time to compel a debtor to disclose and turn over assets unless it is truly impossible for the debtor to comply. (While there are colorful examples of jailed debtors under contempt, bona fide impossibility is a valid defense.)
Digital Asset Protection
Digital assets, like cryptocurrencies, offer a way to keep assets safely away from potentially hostile U.S. courts because they exist entirely on a decentralized digital ledger known as the blockchain.
Cryptocurrency transactions are executed on the blockchain via a two-key system. The keys include an address (public) key and a secret (private) key. Think of the address as a transparent envelope. Anyone can see inside the envelope, but only the secret key can open it to access the contents. Keys are simply a sequence of numbers and letters. The secret key remains under the owner's control and provides the ability to transfer the asset. "Transfer" is somewhat of a misnomer, as assets don't actually move. Rather, the blockchain ledger is updated to reflect the transfer of ownership. The right to spend digital currency is granted to the holder of the secret key corresponding to the address posted in the blockchain. Additionally, an address can be created to require a combination of multiple secret keys (multiple owners) to be spent (transferred).
A critical point is that anyone with the appropriate secret key(s) can execute the transfer of the asset. Keys are often kept on a computer or mobile device, but they can also be stored on detached storage devices (such as a USB drive), a sheet of paper in a safe (referred to as "cold storage"), or even memorized (although relying on so-called "brain wallets" may not be advisable). In the most simplistic terms, using cryptocurrency in asset protection may simply involve the transfer of a private key to an offshore trustee (or manager).
Properly selected offshore trustees are unlikely to become subject to the jurisdiction of a court where a defendant may be sued. Absent jurisdictional authority, a court is powerless to compel the trustee to turn over assets. An added benefit is that blockchains are decentralized. This means they are not subject to any central authority (such as a bank or other financial institution) that might be legally compelled to provide a court with access or control over assets in its possession. Without the complete private key, no court or legal authority can manipulate ownership of a blockchain asset.
Worries about a rogue trustee or manager can be allayed by requiring multiple keys, such that two (or more) parties are required for access. Those parties could be co-trustees, a trustee and trust protector, co-managers, or a manager and member of a board of directors. A trustee acting alone would have no ability to unilaterally access that portion of trust assets requiring multiple keys. Cryptocurrency assets could also be divided, such that a small portion of currency remains under a single trustee's control whereas a larger portion is restricted and remains in cold storage subject to joint-key access.
Because cryptocurrency transactions are semi-transparent and are time-stamped on the blockchain, ready proof is available to legitimize the timing and propriety of protective transfers. Transfers made well before assertion of a claim are far less likely to be challenged by creditors and courts. Such proof and transparency may be particularly useful when facing the threat of a contempt order, as mentioned above.
The Future Of Digital Currency
Additionally, unique potential exists for digital currencies as programmable money. It is not beyond the realm of possibility that digital currencies may one day be programmed to respond to pre-defined duress situations and to execute certain functions in the form of so-called "smart contracts." For instance, assets under control of a trustee who reports being summoned to appear in a hostile court might be programmed to immediately transfer to a successor trustee. Similarly, a trustee who fails to account to beneficiaries at pre-designated times might be effectively removed in a similar fashion by self-executing currency. As the technology develops and becomes more refined, smart contracts and the concept of programmable money will inevitably be integrated into asset protection planning.
The possibilities are utterly astonishing and as these financial technologies further evolve, so will additional use cases. This is just the very tip of the asset protection iceberg. Even now, cryptocurrencies, with their unique digital properties, transparency and decentralization, offer exciting, leading-edge opportunities as effective and legitimate modern asset protection tools.
The information provided here is not legal advice and does not purport to be a substitute for advice of counsel on any specific matter. For legal advice, you should consult with an attorney concerning your specific situation.


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Empire Farm Days takes place at the Rodman Lott and Son Farms, 2973 State Route 414, Seneca Falls, NY 13148.
Enjoying Empire Farm Days includes enjoying your stay in the magnificent, scenic Finger Lakes Area. Information about accommodations can be found using the links below for the surrounding communities. An easy time gauge is to realize Seneca Falls is less than an hour from both Rochester to the west and Syracuse to the east.
Seneca County Tourism: 800 732.1848
Chambers of Commerce:
Seneca Falls Area: 315 568.2906
Finger Lakes Regional Airport: 315/568-0110


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Much of the work of our organization is accomplished by dedicated, talented committees. Learn more about these opportunities for engagement in VACE through participation in standing committees.
This committee is responsible for soliciting from the membership nominations for recipients of VACE awards. Members of this committee review nominations to ensure they meet criteria for receipt of the award which is conferred at the Annual Conference.
These committees are comprised of current VACE board members, to provide oversight for essential functions of the organization.
Board Nominations Committee:
Constitution and By-Laws Committee:
This group of individuals plans the Annual Conference held each spring; develops programs and publicity, handles registration and local arrangements, and oversees finances related to the conference.
Marketing & Membership Committee:
The Membership Committee and the Marketing Services committees are responsible for analyzing membership composition, and developing and implementing an action plan to promote VACE to non-member organizations with the goal to increase the membership and membership diversity. Will assist with developing a membership renewal campaign, contacting current members and following up with those replacing former members. VACE marketing materials will be updated and given to non-members and as well as to members to distribute through their organizations and events in order to promote membership. The Membership Orientation Committee welcomes new members to VACE through appropriate correspondence and fosters the new collegiate relationship developed through membership including welcome packets and orientation sessions at the Annual Conference. The committee's primary goal is to promote retention and involvement in orientation, mentorship, and leadership activities. This committee will target and communicate with primarily new members, and also with inactive members, of the organization. The goal is to seek out new members while they are fresh to the organization, hopefully to encourage their involvement in activities and potential.
The Professional Development Committee works to plan regional events throughout the year to help VACE members stay connected with one another and provide continuous learning opportunities. Events such as networking receptions, webinars and one day drive-in conferences will be planned. Members of the committee will assist in finding speakers, marketing opportunities and hosting events.
The Site Selection Committee works to find and negotiate proposals/contracts for future Annual Conference locations.
This committee is comprised of members who consider and propose ways in which VACE can best use technology to communicate with members and provide services. New ideas and initiatives are welcomed and encouraged. Members of this committee oversee specific aspects of VACE's use of technology. Because technology is used to support other VACE work, individuals work closely with other committees in order to coordinate these efforts; these include the committees that coordinate marketing and membership services, and the annual conference committee. Specific tasks of technology committee members include serving as the administrator/manager of the VACE listserv, VACE website, VACE newsletter, LinkedIn account, and social media (Facebook, Instgram, and Twitter) accounts.
If you would like to join a committee or have questions? Email [email protected] or complete the committee interest form.
Copyright © Virginia Association of Colleges & Employers
Webmaster: Amanda Tintaya, [email protected]


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>Just the other day I posted, Cantalupo's Resignation From Brookdale Exposes Shady Ties To Lillian Burry and County. The post was about the ties between former Freeholder Director Lillian Burry and Brookdale Community College lawyer John Cantalupo, who finally resigned from the college's Board of Trustees last Friday in the weak of the Peter Burnham scandal.
It's been almost one weekly bombshell after another in the aftermath of the Brookdale Community College scandal that forced the school's president, Peter F. Burnham, to resign in disgrace amid allegations of improper spending habits.
It raised anew serious questions about whether its board of trustees was doing an effective job of oversight or just sleepily rubber-stamping for payment Burnham's excessive vouchers. The county prosecutor's office is now investigating how the money was spent. There is no word yet from that office on when the probe will be completed.
So far, under strong pressure to quit, the high-level Brookdale resignation casualties, in separate actions, have been the board of trustees chairman Howard C. Birdsall, a 23-year veteran of the board, and the board's multi-faceted attorney, John M. Cantalupo, who served for two years. Cantalupo took new heat last week when it was reported in the Asbury Park Press that he had been serving as Republican Freeholder Lillian G. Burry's campaign treasurer.
But wait. Could that be right? Freeholder Burry's campaign treasurer, a political position?
Didn't Cantalupo serve as the attorney representing the Brookdale board of trustees and as general counsel for the college? And didn't Cantalupo help negotiate the generous contract with Burnham that included lavish pay and perks at the same time the board was weighing an 8.2 percent tuition increase?
And don't the freeholders, of which Burry is the former board director, appoint most of the Brookdale trustees? Don't the trustees, in turn, appoint the attorney? Doesn't Burry sit on the board of school estimate that votes on budgets that include the contracts of the president and the attorney? Wasn't Burry a strong supporter of Burnham?
Is there anything wrong here? Is this a potential conflict of interest for Burry? Doesn't it raise ethical concerns for Burry to have the Brookdale attorney as her campaign treasurer, often said to be her spokesman, at political fundraisers?
Cantalupo, in the May 14 issue of the Press, said he resigned as Burry's campaign treasurer because he didn't want to serve as a "political distraction for the most outstanding freeholder in Monmouth County."
Interestingly, I asked Burry before the resignation if Cantalupo was serving as her campaign treasurer. She and her chief administrative assistant never replied to my e-mails. Neither did Cantalupo, who I also queried about the treasurer role and what it entailed. Bill Bucco, who described himself as Burry's campaign spokesman, asked that any questions relating to her campaign be directed to him. But he did not reply to my questions about the Cantalupo campaign post. So much for transparency.
To their credit, Freeholder Deputy Director John P. Curley, a Republican, and Freeholder Amy A. Mallet, a Democrat, repeatedly called for Cantalupo to resign as Brookdale attorney. Curley said he was "very concerned" that Cantalupo was working for Burry as her campaign treasurer. Mallet questioned whether it was ethical for Burry to sit at the board of school estimate table deciding on the attorney's fees.
There is no question that the freeholders now will have to grapple with the way Burry handled this matter — especially the fact that she would not disclose the Cantalupo link and kept the other freeholders in the dark on the issue. It was poor judgment on her part.
But now it's time for another bombshell to drop. This one should come with the resignation of Jacob S. Elkes, the former board vice chairman who is serving as its interim chairman. He is a 16-year veteran of the board.
Elkes, like Birdsall, was part of the institution's leadership vacuum that permitted the Burnham mess to take place. It's time for him to go. The rest of this sleepy board should make plans to depart in an orderly fashion.
On his way out, Elkes should take with him the law firm of Wilentz, Goldman and Spitzer that gave Brookdale Cantalupo. It's time for a complete culture change at the college and a new law firm, without any freeholder connections. There is no shortage of good law firms to choose from in Monmouth County.


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This Weeks Meditation: "This is the Day!"
Read: Psalm 118
We sing the song, we love the Psalm, but do we appreciate the day for what it is? A gift from God, given to us to celebrate, enjoy, and appreciate. In his book "Out live your life," Max Lucado tells this story about how our busy days can sometimes keep us from appreciating what is right in front of us.
Max writes, "At 7:54 am, January 12, 2007, a young musician took his position against a wall in a Washington D.C. metro station. He wore jeans, a long sleeved T-shirt, and a Washington Nationals baseball cap. He opened his violin case, removed his instrument, threw a few dollars and pocket change into the case as seed money, and began to play.
He played for the next 43 minutes. He performed 6 classical pieces. During that time, 1,097 people passed by. They tossed money to the total of $32.17. Of the 1,097 people, seven, only seven, paused longer than 60 seconds. And of the seven, one, only one, recognized the violinist Joshua Bell. Three days prior to this metro appearance staged by the Washington Post, Bell filled Boston's Symphony hall, where the cheap tickets went for $100 a seat. Two weeks after the experiment he played for a standing room only audience in Bethesda, Maryland. Joshua Bell's talents can command $1,000 a minute. That day, in the subway station, he barely earned enough to buy a cheap pair of shoes.
You can't fault the instrument. He played a Stradivarius built in the golden period of Stradivari's career. It's worth $3.5 million. You can't fault the music. Bell successfully played a piece from Johann Sebastian Bach that Bell called "one of the greatest achievements of any man in history."
But scarcely anyone noticed. No one expected majesty in such a context. Shoeshine stand to one side, kiosk to the other. People buying magazines, newspapers, chocolate bars, and Lotto tickets. And who had time? This was a workday. This was the Washington workforce. Government workers mainly, on their way to budget meetings and management sessions. Who had time to notice beauty in the midst of busyness? Most did not.
Most of us will someday realize that we didn't either. From the perspective of heaven, we'll look back on these days, these busy, cluttered days, and realize, that Jesus was playing the violin."
The picture I attached with this weeks meditation is a wonderful example of what it looks like to cherish the moment, cherish the day, cherish the gift, and say thank you Jesus. The young girl has a wonderful smile, is at peace, and seems grateful for her place in this world. Can we do the same?
Make it personal: Allow the peace, the presence, and the glory of Christ to transform your day and your week into a new appreciation for the gift of each day we have to live. Read this Psalm over and over if that will help.
Have a great week,
Glen Rhodes, Minister of Discipling and Community Life
Arthur Mennonite Church


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Call our freephone Advice Line NursesAdvice Line NursesAdvice Line Nurses: 0808 801 0899
Find chest support groups near you. Click here
Call our Freephone Advice Line on 0808 801 0899. Click here
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Find a support group near you. Click here
Find the CHSS shop near you Click Here
Never underestimate the power of a cup of tea, Find volunteer opportunities near you. Click Here
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In some areas CHSS funds Benefits Advisers who provide advice and information about social security benefits to people in need of assistance.
The contact details for the Benefits Adviser in Lanarkshire are:
Motherwell & Wishaw CAB
32/33 Civic Square
Tel: 01698 265 349 / 01698 259 305
Fax: 01698 263 250
For information in other areas, please contact your local Citizens Advice Bureau


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I have been trying to set up Cloudera data science workbench on AWS EC2 instances. I can successfully set up Cloudera Manager with services HDFS, Spark and YARN. But when I tried to install and run Cloudera data science workbench, I'm getting some errors.
I'm sharing the details here:
Cloudera Manager OS: CentOS 7.4
Other hosts OS: RHEL 7.6
CDSW gateway host: RHEL 7.5
The installation went well, but it shows bad health. It is an issue with the application. Its the result:
I think its an issue with the DNS. As I'm not very good dealing with DNS, I doubt it may be an issue. But it also shows error in running Kubernetes.
These are the errors that I noticed in the logs:
WARNING:: Verification of iptables rules failed: 1
WARNING:: DNS doesn't resolve 10.0.0.87 to cdsw.company.io; DNS is not configured properly: 1
WARNING:: Kubernetes server is not running, version couldn't be checked.: 1
Is there anything that I'm doing wrong? Is there any other documentation that explains setting up CDSW on AWS?
Created 09-05-2019 12:26 PM
Hello @neron ,
Based on the error messages, it looks like you have not flushed the iptables which is requirement for setting up CDSW. You can find more information here:
Flush IPTables, Stop Firewalld, Reset weave, Restart host
1) Stop all the instances CM > CDSW > Instances > All > Stop
2) SSH to the master node and clear all iptable rules.
iptables -P INPUT ACCEPT
iptables -P FORWARD ACCEPT
iptables -P OUTPUT ACCEPT
iptables -t nat -F
iptables -t mangle -F
iptables -F
iptables -X
3) Stop firewalld service and disable it at boot time.
systemctl stop firewalld
systemctl disable firewalld
4) From CM selectively start only the Docker instance (this is important to carry out next step)
5) Submit the following command to reset weave:
# /opt/cloudera/parcels/CDSW/cni/bin/weave reset --force
6) Stop Docker role which we started in step 4.
7). Restart Host
# init 6
I hope this will be helpful.
Created 09-05-2019 10:42 PM
The CDSW showed good health after following these steps. But I think we have an issue with the DNS. After sometimes it is again going to bad health.
This is the logs:
Pods not ready in cluster kube-system ['k8s-app/kube-dns', 'k8s-app/kube-proxy', 'component/kube-scheduler', 'name/weave-net', 'name/tiller'].
Pods not ready in cluster default ['role/cron', 'role/db', 'role/ds-operator', 'role/ds-reconciler', 'role/ds-vfs', 'role/ingress-controller', 'role/livelog', 'role/s2i-builder', 'role/s2i-client', 'role/s2i-git-server', 'role/s2i-queue', 'role/s2i-registry-auth', 'role/s2i-registry', 'role/s2i-server', 'role/secret-generator', 'role/tcp-ingress-controller', 'role/web', 'role/spark-port-forwarder', 'role/ds-cdh-client'].
Application services are incomplete. [web, db, livelog] not found.
Secrets are incomplete. [internal-secrets, external-secrets] not found.
Persistent volumes are incomplete.
Persistent volume claims are incomplete.
Ingresses are incomplete.
Checking web at url: http://cdsw.company.io
Web is not yet up.
Cloudera Data Science Workbench is not ready yet
For setting up DNS wildcards, I have configured the domain to CDSW's public IP (Elastic IP in AWS). Is that correct? Because we can't use private IPs in the subdomain, right?
What is this line in the Cloudera document means: The wildcard DNS hostname configured for Cloudera Data Science Workbench must now be resolvable from both, the CDSW cluster, and your browser.
Created 10-16-2019 03:14 PM
@neron Yes, Public IP should be fine.
The wildcard DNS hostname configured for Cloudera Data Science Workbench must now be resolvable from both, the CDSW cluster, and your browser.
This means The wildcard DNS resolution needs to work on both the CDSW nodes and on your end user machine. If you configured it correctly from CDSW master/worker, but fails from your laptop/PC/end user machine, this could be an issue.
Created on 10-23-2019 09:39 PM - edited 10-23-2019 09:40 PM
@neron If that resolves your issue, please spare some time in accepting the solution. Thanks.