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Just across from EIT's sister company in South Africa, in Waterfall City, Midrand, the largest rooftop solar photovoltaic (PV) system in the southern hemisphere has been unveiled.
If there's one thing that South Africa doesn't lack, it's sunshine. Malls and other venues that keep the lights on around the clock are moving towards renewable energy to reduce their carbon footprints. It also provides a model for the country; encouraging the citizens of South Africa to dream of and plan for a future where clean energy makes up one hundred per cent of the energy mix.
Engineers from renewable energy company Solareff have fitted the Mall of Africa's roof with a US $3.49 million photovoltaic system that will generate the necessary energy to keep the lights on.
It is officially the 10th most significant photovoltaic solar setup in the world, and purportedly the world's first mixed-use integrated solar power-diesel hybrid system.
Talking to IOL, Michael Clampett, the head of retail asset management at Attacq, the company who owns the mall, said:
"This project will see the mall producing sufficient power to support its day-to-day electricity requirements while also decreasing its overall carbon footprint, another significant point in our sustainability journey."
It is expected to generate 7800 MWh every year. Attacq also mentioned that the system would equate to 157 fewer coal trucks on the road annually. The setup covers 4.5 hectares, taking up most of the space on the Mall's roof. And Mall of Africa is not the only mall making the transition.
Liberty Midlands Mall in Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal, has confirmed that they too will be using clean energy in their mall. According to eProperty, the solar plant will consist of 2,900 grid tied; roof mounted photovoltaics made out of premium Monocrystalline silicon chipped photovoltaic cells.
The system will power the mall during the hours the sun is in the sky. South African private energy companies are looking to introduce industrial-scale battery storage that would enable storage of solar energy so clean energy can be utilized around the clock.
The South African government has just announced an Integrated Resource Plan. It suggests that the government will prioritize renewable energy projects and providers.
And this is not surprising - South Africa's state-owned utility is struggling to keep up with electricity demand. The photovoltaic system on the Mall of Africa, therefore, is particularly important as it will ensure more electricity is available for surrounding businesses and housing.
Works Cited
"Mall of Africa Just Installed the World's 10th Biggest Solar Roof - Here's What It Looks Like." Here Is How Far Soccer Players Run during a World Cup Match, www.businessinsider.co.za/mall-of-africa-just-installed-the-worlds-10th-biggest-solar-roof-2018-9.
News, eProperty. "LOGIN." Solar Project Set to Deliver Clean Energy to Liberty Midlands Mall - EProperty News, www.eprop.co.za/commercial-property-news/item/21331-solar-project-set-to-deliver-clean-energy-to-liberty-midlands-mall.html.


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GSAT registration deadline next week
Parents have until next week Friday to have their children registered for this year's Grade Six Achievement Test (GSAT), which has now been set for March 19 and 20.
In a statement yesterday, the Ministry of Education also noted that important changes have been made to the content and test questions for GSAT Social Studies and Science.
"The content that children are required to learn for Social Studies has been reduced by 25 per cent. The test questions have also been reduced from 80 to 60," the ministry said.
"Changes to the teaching and learning of science emphasise students gaining mastery of general concepts and basic scientific principles. This requires teachers to provide more targeted instruction to students," the ministry continued.
The Science test is made up of 60 multiple choice questions that assess content from grades four through to six. Thirty of the questions assess content from grade six; 18 are drawn from content at grade five; and 12 questions assess objectives in the grade-four curriculum.
The changes to the GSAT, the ministry indicated, are intended to reduce the course work load for students while maintaining the quality and standard of the knowledge imparted to them.
Things parents should know
Students will sit the examinations at their own schools unless otherwise instructed by the regional education officer. Schools will remain open as normal except for cases where space is a challenge.
Students must meet the following age criteria:
Any student who is in grade four or grade five and was born in the period January 1, 2002 to December 31, 2002.
Students born in 2001 and were granted special accommodation to sit in 2015.
Students who were born in 2002 and have never sat the Grade Four Literacy Test are eligible to do the GSAT this year, but they must submit this information along with proof of age to the Student Assessment Unit no later than January 16, 2015. This may be sent by fax to 967-4509.
Students born after December 31, 2004, will not be allowed to sit the GSAT in 2015.
Regarding requests for special accommodation for students sitting the GSAT, parents should submit a valid psycho-educational assessment report, along with the GSAT registration form to the Student Assessment Unit by January 16, 2015. The psycho-educational assessment report must not exceed two years.
Students are allowed to sit the GSAT only once. If parents and teachers doubt the child's readiness, they may defer registration, provided that the child would still be within the eligible age range (that is, only students born in the period January 01, 2003 to December 31, 2004). A letter must be submitted for deferral and schools should affix their stamps where possible.


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Steak, cocktails, class and a lot of Las Vegas is what you'll get at Delmonico Steakhouse inside the Venetian Resort. This is the steakhouse of a modern day carnivore. It has a subdued atmosphere that feels classy without being pretentious. The steak is the star but the menu has hints of the south and the Cajun influences you would expect from a Chef Emeril concept.
Don't miss the cocktail program in the bar and the fried chicken available only at lunch. One of your best meals might just be a seat at the bar with a hand crafted cocktail and the Apple Cured Kurobuta Bone-In Bacon. As good as it gets in Las Vegas.
Location: The Venetian Hotel Las Vegas
3355 Las Vegas Blvd. S.
Cuisine: Cajun Steak House
Reservations: suggested, (702) 414-3737
Price Range: Lunch: $17 to $25. Dinner: $35 - $50. (Steaks are higher.)
Hours: Sun-Thu 11:30am-2pm, 5pm-10pm; Fri-Sat 11:30am-2pm, 5pm-10:30pm
Attire: Casual to Business casual
Wine Spectator Grand Award - 2016
Wine List: California, France, Italy, Australia, Spain
Wine Selection: 2250
What it's like at Delmonico Las Vegas?
This a comfortable restaurant that has its fair share of visitors at lunch as well as dinner. The wine glass enclosed wine rack is impressive and you know it holds its share of gems. If you like fine dining in a comfortable relaxed atmosphere Delmonico is easily the restaurant for you.
Emeril Lagasse has essentially redefined the steakhouse at Delmonico. Sure you can get beef, but you get it with outrageous sauces and incredible sides. The heaping portions also make the price worth it.
How's the food at Delmonico Las Vegas?
If you enjoy wine, there is little chance you will leave here disappointed, they have an award winning wine list and you will find your new favorite bottle at Delmonico Las Vegas.
If Lagasse sprinkled essence on the roaches from my college dorm room I would eat them with confidence. He produces the finest tasting dishes possible with the best ingredients. At Delmonico they do it just as good and deliver with the best service around. I tend to hover around the shrimp dishes at Delmonico. They may be wrapped in bacon or drowned in a Cajun spicy sauce it does not matter, I believe in the menu and I let my taste buds do the walking. However, my wife makes comments about my lack of ability to pry myself away from the shrimp long enough to enjoy the New York Strip steak. What she doesn't realize is that I make my way over to Delmonico for lunch when she's not around and I have all the beef I want.
Make sure you grab yourself an order of the flat bread, you could possibly live on that alone. The Delmonico steak will make your knees weak and anything that remotely looks like the chef was being creative tends to be fantastic. It might be a little pricey, but it is well worth it.


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All eCommerce store owners know sales are the key to business growth. The best way to increase sales for your store is to have the right marketing strategies. There are basically two key elements of online marketing. The first is to drive traffic to your website and the second is converting this traffic into customers.
You can have thousands of visitors coming to your online store, but in the absence of conversions, these visitors bring no benefit to your business. It is the design and layout of eCommerce sites that determines whether customers are lured-in or driven away. The success of your online store mainly depends on its product pages. These pages should provide relevant information to potential buyers and motivate them to become your customers.
Here is a list of web design elements that have direct influence on conversions:
One of the simplest ways for an eCommerce store to boost sales is to offer high-quality images of all its products. Big high-resolution images not only help present the product beautifully, but also grab and hold visitor attention. Research shows larger product images increase sales by 9%.
Integrate beautiful images of products to make your eCommerce store more appealing and alluring for consumers. Since online visitors can't try things on or test them out, provide a clear and accurate view of products. You can use the zoom feature for all your products so that visitors can see the product in minute detail.
Greats does an excellent job of showing its products with high-quality imagery and offers features like dynamic zooming, diverse angles, color variations, and context view to enhance user experience. It also offers 360 degree rotating views of the product.
If you own a Magento store and want to establish a strong online presence then chances are pretty good that you must be looking for some catching themes or templates that can revamp the overall look and feel of your online store besides your other marketing efforts. Having a right theme is crucial for a website because it helps in bridging the gap between you and your customers and give them confidence when deciding whether deal or not to deal with you.
Now, having a right theme is easier than you think. Luckily, Magento offers a rich collection of themes both paid and free that will make your store look professional and trendy. Since, you don't want customers leave your store just because it looks fishy or cheap, it's recommended to spend some quality time browsing best Magento templates and make your online store grow.
So, without further ado, let's discuss about all the latest Magento themes that will help you build your brand value.
Progressive Premium is a beautiful theme that looks professional and contemporary. It's a responsive theme, so you don't have to be worried about its performance on other devices. The theme provides you options for setting menus, pages, galleries and everything that's crucial for maintaining the performance of your online store.
The price of software alone is enough to deter you from pursuing a career in the digital media field, with Adobe Illustrator or Photoshop running as high as 700$ each. But fear not, there are powerful alternatives to get you up and running, and they're all free.
Let's face it; Photoshop isn't the easiest or the cheapest way to get into graphic design. There are several alternatives to Photoshop that are free like Pixlr, Paint.NET, and more. But the software that really stands out to me is GIMP. This software is completely free to use and is updated constantly. It also provides support in several languages and has numerous features that can also be found in Photoshop. Tasks like enhancing or retouching are made easy with this software.
You can export your images to several different extensions as well, including the most popular .png, .gif, .jpeg, .jpg and if hard drive space is an issue, it will export and compress files into .zip, .bz., and .gz as well. Probably my favorite feature though, is being able to manipulate windows to create an environment you feel comfortable to work in; you can move the tools windows freely.
Sometimes, you end up making a lot of false web-designing assumptions that are meant to be repented and repaired at some point in near future. And then there are myths (or should I say misconceptions?) that are galore in the web designing realm.
A technology genre that keeps welcoming new blood every fortnight also happens to be filled with ideations that range from innovative to meritless to downright ridiculous. If you have got your basic concepts in Internet design right, you have a perfect instrument for setting higher goals and getting to them with an envious ease. If, however, you have already fallen to the following web design myths, it's time to introspect and take a long, hard look at the lack of results you are suffering from, because of the numerous fallacies adopted by you:
"Not necessarily" should be the simplest rebut to the above claim. The designs with overwhelmingly rich colors may not be the ideal recipe for impressing your users, since such designs come with a lot of baggage. While they may have all the colors and patterns to leave a lasting impression on your visitors, where they may be off the mark is the responsive attribute, and the fact that they go a long way in hampering the speed of your website by lowering it by several notches.
For what it's worth, web design should be visually appealing, but if that visual appeal is coming in the way of user-experience, in regards to how the website loads on their browsers and mobile screens, the richness of the design is hardly serving a purpose. Getting the balance right is important and while you aim to create beguiling designs, keep in mind that your visitors are using different OS platforms and even mobile devices that have much smaller screen sizes.
Designing a simple website is somehow easy but when it comes to designing an eCommerce website it is a bit complex. I would not say that it is difficult but it is a little complicated as compared to a simple website. In such websites there are chances that your web designer could make some mistakes related to designing and usability of the website. When you are dealing with multiple products and you want to sell your products your website needs to be user friendly and should be able to promote your products efficiently. There are a number of factors that should be taken care of for designing a successful eCommerce website.
So if you are planning to design an eCommerce website for your business, here we are discussing some crucial points that you might want to inculcate into your website design. Create an excellent eCommerce store with the following points.
You must have heard of a saying 'Simplicity is best'. People are so overloaded into their daily routine that they do not want to enter into the complex world. Their lives are already very complex so they do not dare to face the same thing again. Well the point here is keep the design of your website very simple so that accessing through the products and pages should be easy for any visitor. If you keep the product reach easy and simple your website automatically will become effective.
Personalization & customization are the vital aspects of online design software that cater a myriad of advantages and provide the dreamed shopping experience. With relevant use of personalize techniques, the conversion rate of product design tool is boosting by 70%, but the the cost of ad campaign is reducing by around 50%. Keeping this fair ratio in mind, no one can deny the momentousness of personalized technique now in the realm of eCommerce store marketing. Delivering the best shopping experience to the customers has become the prime demand of every business. If you are a merchant and want to deliver this experience to their valuable customers, then adopt personalization technique, it will also help you maintain long-lasting relationships with them.
A glimpse At Those Factors of Online Design Software That Can Aid You To Personalized E-commerce Store
The scale of e-commerce is highly broad, yet it offers various substantial values to become a business stand out or distinguish from the competitors. The best efforts are required to get a renowned position and compete with the competitors, especially those, who are in same domain and dealing with the similar products/services. By using personalization tools for e-stores, one can create an attractive e-commerce store to distinguish it from the competitors and take the advantages. To meet this aim, online design tool will facilitate you to personalize the designs according to suit the products' personality. Whether you own a business of shoes, t-shirt, greeting cards, banner, label or something else, online design tool will let your end-users make the design unique in accordance with the taste.
If you are not using wordpress.com and admire its befitted features, here is a plugin for you that can provide you altogether the nifty features of both wordpress.org and wordpress.com, and it is named as Jetpack. Thus, whether you have a self-hosted website or the one powered using WP services, you can conveniently enjoy the utile features of the Automattic Jetpack plugin.
Jetpack is aka the mother of all plugins, as it provides multiple features packaged under a single plugin. And we know that when we talk about plugins in WordPress, it is considered that "less is more", as maintaining dozens of different plugins is not only a tedious job, but it also adds to a web page loading time. Hence, it makes Jetpack plugin a viable choice.
Jetpack is quite popular among the WP users, and it is recently updated to version 3.1 with exciting additional features including custom content types and a whole lot more.
Jetpack features several modules that can be enabled or disabled, as per the individual requirement. Let's have a look at some of its dandy features.
The version 3.1 has introduced this new module to the Jetpack that allows users to easily manage their custom posts even from their self-hosted sites.
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Since the recent years, design industry has witnessed an incredible amount of popularity across the globe. Whether you are a designing aspirant or an established professional, there are some peculiar words/phrases that you must be aware of. Being regarded as a living discipline, design evolves and undergoes modifications over time. While some changes are acceptable others simply encounter a downfall. Keeping up to date with all the latest jargons used in the web design world can save you from a lot of headache associated with the technology that's been used for building innovative designs. With a new collection of words being introduced every week, you need to get hold of their accurate meaning for preventing yourself from falling prey to misconceptions/myths regarding the designs. This is a blog that will make you familiar with some interesting and trending jargons associated with the design sector.
Deep Empathy is a buzzword that's related to the idea of keeping the customers engaged by connecting with them at a logical level. The term "deep empathy" refers to the process of appealing to a website visitor/user. To put in simple words, web designing performed with a 'deep empathy' approach is engineered to appeal at much more than a plain visual level.
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Long gone are the days when a design agency could make a living by simply using a few templates to churn out functional websites – now if you want to have any chance of surviving in the ultra-competitive world of web design, you have to be able to create a website that captures the very essence of the business.
After all, in today's world, it is much more than just about owning a website – it has to represent the company for what it is, including its core values and the message it wants to send. There's a never ending conversation going on between the consumer and the business which must be nurtured and developed on every platform, especially on the web, where the competition is right there, a click of a button away.
So here are 3 tips on how to turn a website design into a brand experience:
There's a shift going on in the web design industry – the most successful and forward-thinking designers are shifting more from designing based on usability and features towards providing a unique experience for the visitors.
Of course, usability is also a crucial element, but a visitors' interaction with a brand begins at the moment he goes on the website – it has to help him build associations that will help him embrace the brand and create a more special relationship.
21st century is marked by an extremely agile and competitive international business scenario! And under such circumstances, managing and successfully running a business becomes a really arduous task. With each new day you have to get ready to face a completely new challenge; especially when you are associated with a creative area like web designing!
Web designing is not just about being the best in creating eye-catching layouts or having a great expertise in the technicalities. It is also about having knack to handle various other factors; to ensure that your company remains in good health!
Well, here are some important and useful tips on website design that will help you to turn your small-scale web designing set-up into a more thriving business.
There are hundreds of companies which would offer web design services; now how will some prospect know that you exist! You have to make some noise to make your presence felt – You need effective marketing strategies to get a hold on the market.
Identify your target audience – If you specialize in building say sites for showbiz; target audience from the same field. This way, you will get quality leads and eventually this will make a difference to your company's growth.
Use Social Media platforms to reach out to your target audience; articulate your strengths by engaging the prospective clients into some informative discussions.


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Disclaimer: The Treaty Relations Commission of Manitoba does not maintain or authorize the material on external links. These links are only offered for additional information on Treaties and related issues.
The Manitoba First Nations Education Resource Centre (MFNERC)
"…established in 1999, was given a mandate by the Chiefs of Manitoba to provide second and third level education services to fifty-five First Nations schools in Manitoba."
1151 Sherwin Street, Winnipeg, Manitoba, R3H 0V1
Instructional Resource Centre (on-line library): www.mfnerc.org
Wahbung our Tomorrows (1971)
Complete document (PDF)
The Manitoba Indian Cultural Education Centre-The People's Library
"The Centre operates a unique Resource Library and Information Centre relating to the First Nation Peoples of Manitoba as well as other Indigenous Peoples of North America. Our resource centre has a substantial collection of books, publications, films, educational kits, audio-visual tapes, music, art and handicrafts inherent to the Aboriginal Peoples of North America. The Resource Library and Information Centre are instrumental in promoting library services to Bands that expressed an interest in establishing a library. We also provide specialized assistance to those who already have a library".
Digital Resources on Manitoba History
Frontier School Division
Fontier School Division Social Studies/Native Studies Department
Early Canadiana On-line
"Early Canadiana Online (ECO) is a digital library providing access to 2,762,671 pages of Canada's printed heritage. It features works published from the time of the first European settlers up to the early 20th Century. ECO is produced by Canadiana.org, a nonprofit organization for preserving and providing access to early Canadian publications, first on microfiche and now online".
Canada in the Making
"This site is about the history of Canada through the words of the men and women who shaped the nation. Built around the Government Documents collection of the Early Canadiana Online collection, it integrates narrative text with links to primary source texts".
Aboriginals: Treaty and Relations
Turtle Island
Turtle Island is an independent, Aboriginal-owned and operated news and information network.
Bloorstreet.com-Aboriginal Links (Canada and USA)
Aboriginal web portal, last updated in 1998, thus many links do not work, but has many useful topics to search on the internet.
First Nations Information Project
"This project is intended to provide a mechanism to share knowledge, interests, and effective practices connecting the Aboriginal community from around this expanse country and the world. Our vision is to create an on-line atmosphere connecting the Aboriginal community with each other and sharing the aboriginal experience with those who desire this experience."
University of Toronto Libraries section on J.B Tyrrell's expeditions in 1893 and 1894 for the Geological Survey of Canada in the Barren Lands Region
"This site documents two exploratory surveys of the Barren Lands region west of Hudson Bay, in northern Manitoba and Saskatchewan and the area now known as Nunavut. Drawing on materials from the J.B. Tyrrell, James Tyrrell and related collections at the Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library, University of Toronto, it includes over 5,000 images from original field notebooks, correspondence, photographs, maps and published reports".
Our Roots: Canada's History Online
"Our Roots is a library, archive, museum and school all in one. Check the collection to find Canadian local histories in French and English. Check Educational Resources for learning packages for students and teachers."
People and Land in Northern Manitoba: 1990 Conference at the University of Manitoba
Eds. Lithman, Weist, Riewe and Wrigley
University of Alberta: Faculty of Native Studies
Home web page: www.ualberta.ca/NATIVESTUDIES/
Native Studies publications from the University of Alberta: www.ualberta.ca/NATIVESTUDIES/research.htm
D'Arcy Rheault – Anishinaabe Mino-Bimaadiziwin (The Way of a Good Life): An Examination of Anishinaabe Philosophy Concerning Knowledge, Identity and Ethics
E-book-copyright 1998-2005 by D'Arcy Rheault
IPortal (Indigenous Studies Portal) from the University of Saskatchewan
"The Indigenous Studies Portal (IPortal) connects faculty, students, researchers and members of the community with electronic resources: books, articles, theses, documents, photographs, archival resources, maps, etc. The vision of the Indigenous Studies Portal is to provide one place to look to find resources for Indigenous studies. This Indigenous Studies Portal is being developed by the University of Saskatchewan Library. The IPortal also links to Indigenous programs and events at the University of Saskatchewan. It offers specialized tools for teaching and scholarship."
Academic Info: Canadian History-Digital Library
Directory of Online Canadian History Publications, Journals, Databases, & Exhibits
University of Calgary-Canada's First Nations
"This multimedia tutorial focuses on the histories of Canada's First Nations peoples from ancient times to the nineteenth century. Finally, this module looks at the reasons the First Nations and the Government of Canada negotiated and signed treaties, the terms of these treaties, and how all parties reacted to them."
Four Directions Teachings
"Four Directions Teachings celebrates Indigenous oral traditions by honoring the process of listening with intent as each elder or traditional teacher shares a teaching from their perspective on the richness and value of cultural traditions from their nation."
This interactive website has Cree and Ojibwa teachings
Native American Tribes of Manitoba
This website also connects to information about First Nation languages, culture and selected links on Native American Indian Tribes.
University of British Columbia (UBC) library-First Nations Maps
This website has various links on First Nation mapping and also has information on First Nations treaties and population.
Canadian First Nations Treaty Map Index
This website has information on treaties in Canada and other related material. There are many links to other websites with various information concerning treaties, also there is a maps menu and main menu on the bottom of the page that lead to other websites concerning First Nations issues.
First People: American Indians: First People of America and Canada-Turtle Island
"First People is a child-friendly site about American and Canadian Indians. 1400+ legends, 400+ agreements and treaties, 10,000+ pictures, free clipart, Pueblo pottery, American Indian jewelry, books and more."
Canadian Encyclopedia Online (search under "Native Peoples")
"The Canadian Encyclopedia comprises the complete text and multimedia of the indispensable reference work originally published in 1985. Since the encyclopedia appeared online in 2001, it has been continuously updated and expanded. James H. Marsh has been editor in chief of The Canadian Encyclopedia since 1980."
Government of Saskatchewan
Treaty education (K-12) website by the Government of Saskatchewan.
Kinikinik: A Treaty Play by Ian Ross
First Nations Treaties Day at the Manitoba Legislature
First Nations' Traditional Names Community Map (MFNERC)
CIRNAC Treaty Guides
"These Treaty Guides provide a brief, easy to understand summary of each Treaty along with available additional resources, including historical interpretations, transcripts, printer-friendly maps and photographs of the people who participated in the development or signing of these historical treaties. In addition, text from treaties as far back as the mid 1700's to the early 1900's is formatted and clearly typed for easy reading and printing."
Transactions of the Manitoba Historical Society
"MHS Transactions were originally published by the Manitoba Historical Society on the above date. We make online versions available as a free, public service. As an historical document, Transactions may contain language that is no longer in common use and which may offend some readers. They should not be construed to represent the views of today's Manitoba Historical Society."


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PlusSpec – BIM FOR SKETCHUP
SketchUp is finally BIM through PlusSpec !
This extension for SketchUp will allow you to work much faster and it all by having your model to create BIM.
For PlusSpec license, please contact us.
With PlusSpec you can:
- Draw 10 times faster
- Estimate the cost of production
- Use PlusSpec worldwide
- Install products manufacturers directly into your SketchUp
- Be good fast: maximize your profits !
- Build with BIM for all your product information
PlusSpec is useful for all types of trades :
PlusSpec BIM is the tool that allows you to quickly build on your SketchUp models in order to have all the information and BIM and use them professionally. You can then use all BIM products from different manufacturers and have more than a sketch of your project. This will allow you to view the project as well and will estimate the cost of it . You can do all this with the simplicity of PlusSpec tools in SketchUp.
You will have access to several parametric tools to build your model, the creation of the wall to the window frames, through the structure of your building.
For Licenses, please contact us.
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1. "I can do it better myself."
True, to an extent. But you can't do everything better.
And even if you could, where would you find the time? This phrase leads down the path of "I must do it all." You can't do it all. You are finite. You are rhythmic. You cannot sustain a fevered pace, going from one task to the next. You will burn out. You must delegate wisely.
2. "I am judged on results."
No, you're not. You may be employed to produce results. But you're not judged by God to produce results. That's His arena.
Your task is to remain obedient and faithful. This requires a stellar and growing, dynamic relationship with Christ Himself. Many of your colleagues have burned out thinking they were being judged by the results, which were not forthcoming in their assignment.
3. "If I work hard, God will provide."
Nope. Hard work isn't a trigger for God's provision. At least, hard work ALONE isn't.
This phrase implies you can go and go and go, at the expense of other areas of your life (like your physical health, your marriage, your parenting) and somehow God will fill in the gaps. Those who live by this phrase believe resting is evil and lazy. Again, not true. Resting is not only a solid practice, it's ordained.
4. "I'm called to the ministry."
No, you're not. If you're a pastor, you're called to be a disciple who is cleverly positioned in the pastoral context.
If you're a youth volunteer, you're called to be a disciple who is cleverly positioned in the youth ministry context. Get the idea? If you believe the "called to ministry" phrase, you run the risk of replacing God with ministry and begin worshiping the ministry itself.
5. "I need others."
True and not true. You need others because you are wired for community. Even if you're an introvert, you cannot survive in ministry leadership without a few deep relationships.
But don't fall into the trap of believing you need others. What you need is Christ. Co-dependency on others is unhealthy. If you believe you deeply need others, you will hang on every slice of approval and morsel of disapproval. As a result, you'll ride a rollercoaster of emotions.
Want to remain strong in your ministry leadership? Then you'll have to come to grips with these five phrases. Don't be deceived by them. They sound good on the surface. But stick to the truth, or one day you'll hit the wall and be totally surprised.
What Scriptures would you add to these five phrases? Are there other subtle phrases like these you'd like to add to the list?


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Fruit Flies
Methods of Control for Fruit Flies:
Starting at: $8.95ExciteR Insecticide pyrethrin concentrate contains 6% pyrethrins and Piperonyl Butoxide 60%. Excite R insecticide can be used alone in a fogger or pump sprayer, or as an additive to other insecticides such as permethrin or cypermethrin for a faster knock-down of insect pests. When used alone, ExciteR does not leave a long residual. Learn More
$112.95 As low as: $95.20
Stryker 5-25 is a new product by Control Solutions. Pronounced "Striker", Stryker 5-25 strikes insects dead with a water based micro-emulsion blend of Pyrethrin 5.0% and Piperonyl Butoxide 25.0%. It may be used for over 60 insects including mosquitoes, moths, cockroaches, ants, spiders, flies, midges, ticks on 60 use sites.Learn More
Starting at: $78.50
Sector Misting Concentrate with two powerful active ingredients, Permethrin and PBO provides a quick kill and a residual control of tough flying insects such as flies, gnats, biting midges, no-see-ums and mosquitoes. Sector Misting Concentrate is a water based polymeric surfactant system that is stable in solution. It will not harm most ornamental plants; safe to use in landscape areas and lawns.
Sector's Uses and Application
Sector may be used in automatic misting systems, outdoor premise spray, surface spray on animals and animal premises, and indoors as a surface spray in non-food areas.
Method of application includes, automatic misting systems, compressed air sprayers, ULV cold foggers and power sprayers.Learn More
$126.50 As low as: $122.30Shockwave Fogging Concentrate delivers a devastating combination of two killing agents (Pyrethrum & Esfenvalerate), two synergists and an Insect Growth Regulator (IGR), resulting in the highest level of immediate control. Learn More
$86.28 As low as: $82.90
CSI 4-4 Insecticide combines permethrin and piperonyl butoxide as a synergized synthetic pyrethroid to provide both a quick knockdown and residual action against adult mosquitoes, midge, and black flies. Use CSI 4-4 in residential and recreational areas. Apply CSI 4-4 Insecticide in thermal or non-thermal (cold fog) applications, undiluted or diluted. It can be used over crops and is implemented as a ULV ultra low volume spray by air or groundLearn More
$110.21 As low as: $107.91Riptide 5.0% Pyrethrin ULV Insecticide is a waterbased Pyrethrin ULV. Riptide Insecticide is labeled for a variety of insects including mosquitoes, stored product pests, cockroaches, and biting insects. 64 oz mixes in 55 gallons of water for use in the mosquito control misting system.
Packaging: 1 UnitLearn More
1/2 gal (64 oz)


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I'm completely at loss how the ant task ivy:publish is supposed to work.
I would expect that I do my normal build, which creates a bunch of jar files, then I would push those jars to the (local) repository.
How can I specify from where to retrieve the built jars, and how would those end up in the repository?
<target name="publish-local" description="--> Publish Local">
<ivy:retrieve />
<ivy:publish resolver="local" pubrevision="${release.version}" status="release" update="true" overwrite="true">
<artifacts pattern="${dist.dir}/[organisation]-[module].[ext]" />
this actually works, I didn't include the retrieve before.
But I still have some problems, suppose I want to publish 3 jars, openscada-utils.jar, openscada-utils-sources.jar and openscada-utils-javadocs.jar as openscada-utils-0.9.2.jar, openscada-utils-0.9.2-sources.jar and openscada-utils-0.9.2-javadocs.jar
It isn't entirely clear to me, how the actual names are assembled, and where I can specify which names they should get. (Using the fragment above, the jars are always called only utils.jar).
Update 1:
I got it to work (a bit), but it still doesn't feel right. Somehow all tutorials focus on dependencies from 3rd party projects, but an equally important point for me is to handle project specific dependencies.
I have a bunch of sub projects which depend on each other in various ways. Considering ivy:publish it is not clear to me how to start.
How do I handle the first version? I have a common version number for all sub projects to indicate that they belong together (lets say 0.9). Therefore the first revision should be 0.9.0, but so far nothing of my projects is in my repository. How do I get Ivy to assign this revision number.
In the course of developing I want to publish the built files again, without changing the revision number so far.
If I'm finished with my work I want to push it to a shared repository (and increase the revision number lets say from 0.9.0 to 0.9.1), what is the recommended approach to do so?
For an actual release, I want to make distributions with dependencies and without, somehow I guess I can use different configurations for that. How can I use that to my advantage?


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I am pleased to offer you this Capricorn Overview so you may better understand your zodiac.
Capricorn Overview: General
Born December 23rd through January 20th
Those born under Capricorn ultimately desire to make their family and friends proud of their accomplishments. Characterized by the Goat, they seek to climb higher and higher and reach the very top of whatever they aim to achieve, even if it takes time. They must learn to live a balanced life. There is a risk of tipping to one side too much and neglecting other areas of their life, such as love and family. Their ambition to be the best at what they do makes them responsible and very structured individuals. The downside is one must recognize all work and no play can be unsatisfying in the long run.
Capricorn Overview: Love
Though not as intimidated as Cancer the Crab, Capricorn the Goat is a very cautious sign when it comes to intimate relationships. It may take time to peel back each layer of their being, as they aren't the greatest at showing their emotions outwardly because they don't usually feel the need to. This can leave their partners or potential dates wondering what is going on inside their heads. Although, once a Capricorn reassures their partners of their true feelings, they are devoted and extremely patient.


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*Lisa Brown (Always On Liberty) is a contributor to HeartlandRV's blog. All opinions expressed are her own.*
Recently, we purchased two WEN 56200i 2000 watt generators for our Heartland Landmark 365. We plan to use these for limited dry camping (boondocking) and for emergency situations. These portable generators are 2000 watt inverter generators, weighing 50 pounds each, that can be run in parallel to provide up to 4000 watts and approximately 30 amps. They were purchased from Amazon along with a parallel kit for a total cost of less than a thousand dollars.
Before we get into our own experience with the WEN 2,000 Watt Inverter Generator, here are a few talking points about the item from WEN's website:
- Extremely quiet operation is comparable to the sound of a normal conversation according to the US Department of Health and Human Services
- EPA III and CARB Compliant 79.7 cc 4-stroke OHV engine produces 2000 surge watts and 1600 rated watts
- Great for campgrounds, construction sites, tailgates and power outages
- Produces clean power to safely operate and prevent damage to sensitive electronics such as smart phones, tablets, televisions and computers
- Includes two three-prong 120V receptacles, one 12V DC receptacle and one 5V USB port
Upon receiving them, our first endeavor was to add oil and fuel to each generator and start them up for the first time. Each generator took about three pulls to start. We let them both run at variable speeds for about an hour and before hooking them to Liberty.
The generators were able to provide power for the RV's residential refrigerator, battery charger, lights and one 15,000 BTU air conditioner with no problems. We only ran them for 30 minutes the first time. In the future, we plan on conducting more evaluations to determine fuel consumption rate and decide on what electrical appliances and devices we can power. Our Landmark has an Electrical Management System (EMS) on board that will shed power to the desired appliances. Liberty's monthly maintenance plan includes exercising the generators for two hours every month to keep them active and to keep fresh fuel in them. In the meantime, their lightweight and small size allow them to be stored in Liberty's forward compartment.
After using the WEN generators for over 100 hours we are happy to report on their success and reliability. We have used the units in multiple dry camping situations and one time at a campground that lost power for 14 hours. The generators have been run for over 24 hours several times with no adverse issues. Ours averaged about 10 ½ hours of run time on one gallon of gasoline. We changed the oil in both generators after 50 hours of use. The oil change was straight forward and easy to do.
Blog Post written by Captain Dan
Disclaimer: This review reflects only our opinion of usage. We were not compensated in any way by WEN to publish this review.


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Another series, another guest prognosticator post. Since the Washington Nationals are sailing down the Ohio River on a sternwheeler — rounding the bend near Huntington, W.V. about now, (not really) to play the Cincinnati Reds, I have asked Cathie from Church of Baseball to answer some questions. She's "a Reds fan by birth, Nats fan by residence, worshipper of the baseball religion." She's also right on the right side of the Nats heritage debate. Here we go:
WFY: The Cincinnati Reds are over 7 years removed from the Jim Bowden experience and the Reds have one playoff berth to show for it. Do you consider yourself and the Reds healed from his tenure? Was it hard having him as GM as your "other" team? Should there be an "it's get better video" for fans of teams that Bowden was GM of?
CoB: Jim Bowden is a joke in Cincinnati. We refer to him as "Leatherpants" because of an infamous Spring Training appearance in which he appeared in public wearing leather pants. (Editor's note: Hey, we say that too!) Reds Hall of Fame broadcaster Marty Brennaman can't stand the guy and won't even refer to him by name. Once he called him "Leatherpants Vampire" on air. That guy has no business being a GM anywhere. That being said, he DID draft Joey Votto. Even a broken clock is right twice a day.
WFY: After reaching the playoffs in 2010, what happened to the 2011 Reds?
CoB: I'd love to blame 2011 on injuries. Or Dusty Baker. Or acts of God. But the truth is, they just underachieved. Bronson Arroyo was awful but he still took the mound every 5th day. The shortstop position produced nothing. Scott Rolen got old. Oh, and Dusty Baker's lineups…
WFY: Have you had Joey Votto's cereal (Big League Stew, Yahoo!)? Oh and how about that new 12 years, $251.5 million contract?
CoB: Haven't had VottOs. Love the contract. A player who stays with one team for his entire career is as rare as…well, something that's rare.
WFY: Ray Knight is now on the Nats studio hosts and occasional color commentator. What do you remember most from his tenure as manager. Oh and Davey Johnson is DC's manager now too, so I guess we ought to ask about his time in the Queen City.
CoB: I don't remember much about Knight as manager. Unremarkable, I guess. Davey gave us two first place finishes in the mid-nineties (stupid strike.) Ridiculous he was let go (stupid management.)
WFY: How hard was it having Marge Schott owning the Reds?
CoB: Marge kept ticket and beer prices down. She wasn't bad. She wasn't evil, either, just a product of a backwards era in a conservative city that is stuck a few decades behind the times.
WFY: Is there a local/regional beer that goes hand in hand with a Reds game?
CoB: Moerlein is a Cincinnati beer but it isn't mainstream, though they did just open a Lager House near the stadium.
WFY: What's so great about cinnamon in chili anyway?
CoB: The trick to loving Cincinnati chili is to understand it is pasta sauce more than chili. Skyline = yum. Gold Star = gross.
WFY: Yankees/Diamondbacks/Rangers washout Buck Showalter thinks that the ballparks in D.C. and Cincinnati are less than iconic. How is Great American Ballpark? What about Nationals Park? How was Riverfront Stadium?
CoB: GABp is middle of the pack. They could have made it great but blew it. Hate the stupid boat. Nice river and city views. Not a bad seat in the place. Park is better than Riverfront though Riverfront had the history. Nats Park has no soul; it feels like a mall. They really blew that.
WFY: I think I head that Pete Rose would run through fire in a gasoline suit to bet on baseball. Does he belong in the Hall of Fame?
CoB: Pete belongs in the Hall, no question. Bud Selig belongs in a gasoline suit in Hell. (editor's note: Hmmm)
WFY: Where do you get your Reds coverage?
CoB: I watch pretty much every game so I don't read much about the team. I'll check Redreporter.com and Redlegnation.com everyday to see if they've linked to anything worth reading. Guess I get a lot from Twitter, too.
WFY: What about Reds broadcasts? Is Marty Brenneman as good as advertised? What about Thom Brenneman?
CoB: Marty is cranky. Thom talks too much. Both refuse to understand that the game has changed. They are allergic to sabermetrics.
WFY: Who takes this series?
CoB: Reds have won their last five series in a row and have the best record in the National League since they decided to stop sucking on April 19th. They'll take this series, too.


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If your child's birthday is coming up, you want the party to be amazing. Kids need lots of stimulation and they need excitement to have a good time at a party. If you are looking for birthday party venues, you might want to consider holding your child's party at Laser Quest. The kids will have a blast playing rounds of Laser Quest and your party will be a success.
Laser Quest is a lot of fun for kids and it is a combination of laser tag and hide-and-seek. The game has a high-tech feel and there is music, fog, and lots of things to do when you play. Kids can't resist this game and it is going to provide your guests with hours of fun.
When you are planning a birthday party for your kids, you want to make sure that the party is going to be fun for everyone and that you are not going to have to do too much work. Hosting your party at a place like Laser Quest is convenient and it is fun. The kids are going to want to go there and play and the enclosed space is safe. You can let the kids run wild and not have to worry about something happening to them.
There are two different party packages to choose from and it can be either the classic birthday package or the premium package. Each package is going to work and be very exciting for the kids. The classic party package is less expensive, but you still get a ton of great features with it. Your guests will be treated to two rounds of Laser Quest and you get your own private party room. You can bring your own food or buy pizza there and they provide the tableware so you don't have to bring your own.
If you want to sit back and have someone else do most of the work you can go ahead and upgrade to the premium party package. With this package, you get a host for your party and the host will manage the party for you so you can just sit back and enjoy the party.
The food and soda is included so you don't have to worry about buying food and bringing it in. You also have a dedicated photographer who will photograph the entire event and will give you an SD card after the event is over with all the photos. The package you choose is going to depend on your budget and on how much work you want to do.
Whatever package you choose, the guests are going to have a great time and the party is going to be a success. The kids are going to have fun running around and playing Laser Quest and it is one of the best birthday party venues you choose for your kids and it is also affordable. You can't go wrong when you host your party at Laser Quest.


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Tom Glavine on Hall of Fame: 'I'm not defined by baseball'
The glacial cold that has gripped the Northeast hasn't quite made it down to Johns Creek, Ga., but with temperatures in the 30's the Deep South is not exactly balmy this day.
Tom Glavine is just off a plane and getting ready for a day of family obligations. He's less than a week away from learning whether he will be elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in his first – and hopefully, only – year on the ballot.
But Glavine, the pride of Billerica, Mass., seems more concerned about one of his son's youth hockey games. He coaches the team, after all, so the pressure is on.
"I'm not defined by baseball," said Glavine in a telephone interview. "I'd love for the Hall of Fame to happen, but if it doesn't, my life won't change. I'll still be coaching my boy's games."
Glavine's life these days revolves around two things. There's his job as a special assistant to Atlanta Braves president John Schuerholz and occasional TV and radio broadcaster. But more importantly, there's his family.
Glavine and his wife, Chris, have five kids. A son from Chris' first marriage, Jonathan, attends the University of Georgia. A daughter from Tom's first marriage, Amber, attends Boston College.
Two sons they had together, high-schooler Peyton and seventh-grader Mason, are heavily involved in hockey and baseball. And a fifth son, Kienan Patrick Glavine, whom the couple adopted at birth, is now four years old and running the house.
This is why the Billerica High Hall of Famer doesn't have time to worry about the Baseball Hall of Fame.
"I honestly don't know how the voting will go," said Glavine, who will turn 48 in March. "From my standpoint, if you talk in terms of a body of work, I like my chances. I'm happy with my career.
"But the whole process can be fickle and make you scratch your head at times. Last year was a perfect example with Craig Biggio (who many thought would be elected but wasn't)."
Glavine's "body of work" is impressive, and early indications, from an on-line baseball site, are that he will make the 75-percent cut when results are officially announced Wednesday. His baseball resume:
He won 305 games in a 22-year career, one of only six lefthanded pitchers (and 24 overall) to achieve the 300-win milestone. There won't be another one for quite some time.
He was a five-time 20-game winner, and is still the last major leaguer to post three straight 20-win seasons (1991-93).
He won two Cy Young Awards in the National League (1991, '98) and was either second or third in the voting four other times.
He was the MVP of the 1995 World Series, the only one won by a Braves team that consistently under-performed in the playoffs. He won Games 2 and Game 6, the latter with eight scoreless innings of one-hit pitching in the Braves' 1-0 Series clinching victory.
He was a four-time Silver Slugger Award winner as the top-hitting pitcher in the National League.
Glavine won his 300th game on August 5, 2007 at Wrigley Field while in his fifth and final year as a Met after spending the first 16 years of his career with the Braves.
He returned to Atlanta for an injury-plagued season (amazingly, he went on the disabled list for the first time in 22 years in 2008) and retired following the 2009 season.
Election this week would have him joining former teammate and great friend Greg Maddux and former manager and great mentor Bobby Cox on the stage in Cooperstown on July 27.
"Going in would be a great honor," said Glavine. "But to go in with two guys who played such a big part in my career would be even more special."
Glavine was a union rep during some of baseball's most turbulent times. While he became a focal point for some disgruntled fans during the 1984 baseball strike, he was also instrumental in helping the game achieve long-term labor peace and in instituting drug testing in the sport.
When the Hall of Fame comes up, that's always a touchy subject.
"The steroid thing has cast a shadow not only on an individual basis but on the whole process," said Glavine. "When anybody is doing anything spectacular in the game now you have to wonder. And that's not right. It's crazy, but it's understandable.
"I think it adds to what I did and what a guy like Greg Maddux did. Guys who obviously weren't taking anything pitching to some guys who were. I think it enhances our body of work."
Glavine's body of work (305-203, 3.54 ERA, 2,607 strikeouts plus all the accomplishments listed above) hardly needs enhancing.
"Like I said I would love to get in," he said. "But if it doesn't happen it doesn't happen. It is what it is."
Like the man said before scurrying off to his son's hockey practice: "I'm not defined by baseball."


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Grow & Son
Grow & Son, is a Property Management and residential construction and retrofit company based in Sacramento, CA. The father and son owned business manages rental properties and purchases and flips houses and condos.
- Grow & Son
- Logo designed for a family business, specializing in property management and home remodeling.
- Update of the logo to give it a cleaner, more contemporary look. The previous logo was hand-drawn and used a very saturated green. The updated version uses a more muted tone as well as a stronger, more identifiable typeface.
- 2-color, Redesign, simple, Symbol


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Federal prosecutors seek seven years in prison for Rahm's corrupt former schools 'Chief Executive Officer' Barbara Byrd Bennett... while Tribune still supports Rahm's power over the public schools against an elected school board!...
Barbara Byrd Bennett was brought to Chicago on orders from Mayor Rahm Emanuel six months before she was moved into the "Chief Executive Officer" position in replacement of Jean-Claude Brizard, Emanuel's first CEO. Within two years after she had achieved executive power in the nation's third largest schools system, she was conspiring to enrich herself through a kickback scheme with "SUPES Academy." The North shore consulting firm ultimately received a $20 million no bid contract with Chicago Public Schools on orders of Byrd Bennett. SUPES officials and Byrd Bennett were later indicated on federal corruption charges and are finally in April 2017 facing prison for their crimes against the children and teachers of Chicago. Substance photo by George N. Schmidt. By April 7, 2017, nearly two years after she was ousted as "Chief Executive Officer" of Chicago's public schools, former CEO Barbara Byrd Bennett was finally facing her federal prison term. On April 7 news reports noted that prosecutors were asking for a seven year prison term for Byrd Bennett, who was part of a $20 million privatization scam for principal training involving a corrupt suburban firm called "SUPES Academy." Left out of some news reports is the fact that SUPES Academy helped Mayor Rahm Emanuel find Byrd Bennett after Rahm felt that his first choice for "CEO" of CPS, Jean Claude Brizard, had failed to work a deal to prevent the Chicago Teachers Strike of 2012.
Another irony in all this is that despite Rahm's woeful record in selecting people to run the city's massive school system, the Chicago Tribune's editor have still come out in opposition to replacing the mayoral control model of corporate "school reform" with an elected school board for Chicago.
Prosecutors seek 7 1/2-year prison term for ex-CPS head Barbara Byrd-Bennett, by Juan Perez Jr., Chicago Tribune
Former Chicago Public Schools CEO Barbara Byrd-Bennett knew how troubled the district was when she came to the city in 2012, prosecutors said in a court filing on Friday.
"She knew her victims, she knew their weaknesses and struggles, and she chose to defraud them anyway," prosecutors wrote in recommending a sentence of nearly 7 1/2 years for the disgraced educator when she goes before a judge later this month.
Byrd-Bennett, Mayor Rahm Emanuel's handpicked schools chief, pleaded guilty in October 2015 to taking part in a kickback scheme with two education consultants who won more than $22 million of no-bid contracts from the cash-strapped district.
"She sold her integrity and sold out the students of the Chicago Public Schools, and then she worked to enrich herself and her co-schemers at the expense of CPS, its students, its teachers, its administrators and the city of Chicago," prosecutors said.
The recommendation from prosecutors was more than twice the 3 1/2 years in prison that defense attorneys asked U.S. District Judge Edmond Chang to consider for Byrd-Bennett. The defense filing acknowledged she was guilty of an "extraordinary breach of trust and the obligations she owed the city of Chicago and its public school children."
"Nothing we offer on Barbara's behalf is intended to downplay her wrongdoing, misdirect the court's focus, or encourage anything other than a fair sentence, which Barbara knows will and should result in incarceration," attorneys for the disgraced educator wrote in a competing memo made public on Friday.
Byrd-Bennett, 68, and former education consultant Thomas Vranas are scheduled to be sentenced April 28 at the Dirksen U.S. Courthouse in Chicago for their roles in the bribery scandal that rocked the already unstable school district.
In a filing Thursday, Vranas' attorneys asked a judge to consider a sentence of three years of probation. Prosecutors will ask that Vranas instead serve a 39-month prison sentence.
Gary Solomon, who prosecutors called the "mastermind" of the bribery scheme, was sentenced last month to seven years in prison. Solomon and Vranas, who co-owned SUPES Academy and Synesi Associates, also entered guilty pleas.
Friday's court filings portray Byrd-Bennett as a devoted educator and grandmother who late in her career took part in a brazen kickback scheme despite being professionally accomplished and financially secure — prosecutors note that "she had multiple pensions."
Byrd-Bennett hired her friends at CPS and exploited her knowledge of the city's school system to enrich herself and secure college and wedding funds for her twin grandsons, prosecutors said.
Byrd-Bennett had Vranas run errands for her and at one point asked Solomon to "acquire anti-surveillance equipment to debug her office" because her predecessor, Jean-Claude Brizard, had believed the mayor had bugged his office, prosecutors said, attributing that information to a proffer from Vranas.
"Obviously it's not true," mayoral spokesman Adam Collins said Friday of the bugging allegations. "It's got to be one of the nuttiest things I've heard in a long, long time."
Prosecutors said Byrd-Bennett "expected to receive hundreds of thousands of dollars" when she went back to work for SUPES after leaving CPS. Solomon and Vranas received payments of more than $2.9 million, the government said.
Byrd-Bennett came to Chicago "with and for SUPES" and soon grew dependent on her close relationship with Solomon, which her attorneys said she viewed as essential to surviving at CPS but also important to her financial well-being.
"Barbara also harbored a very real and greedy sense of entitlement — a belief that she was earning something she deserved (future employment and meaningful income) by helping SUPES succeed with CPS. This mindset became entrenched over time," her attorneys said.
Defense attorneys said the 3 1/2 years behind bars they are requesting meet the needs for "punishment and general deterrence." Her attorneys also said their client would perform community service that could include helping public school districts "adhere to complete integrity and transparency, particularly in procurement processes."
"What Barbara did was wrong on many levels — legal, moral, professional and personal — and her actions brought with them the hardest imaginable end to a career spent educating and bettering children, especially underrepresented children," her attorneys wrote.
"She knows all of this and is terribly sorry, overwhelmed by fear and shame, and prepared to accept the sentence the court determines is fair and warranted."
Prosecutors said their recommendation of 89 months in prison is 66 percent of the low end of the advisory guidelines range.
They acknowledged Byrd-Bennett's cooperation in the case, and also noted that she "dedicated her life to public service, spending her career in public education" but ultimately made "decisions that were rooted in greed."
"Within the city of Chicago, it is hard to conceive of an institution as important or serving a community as vulnerable as the Chicago Public Schools," prosecutors wrote in their memo. "Byrd-Bennett was hired to lead CPS, to start a new chapter in its efforts to educate Chicago's students. Instead, hers is yet another story in the long history of corruption, graft and greed in Chicago."
Prosecutors seek seven and an half years in prisong for Barbara Byrd Bennett by Lauren FitzPatrick, Chicago Sun-Times
Former Chicago Public Schools CEO Barbara Byrd-Bennett believes she deserves far less prison time for an audacious kickback scheme than the seven-plus years the government is seeking, asking the judge she'll soon face for three and a half years tops.
Justice could be served by a shorter prison term, her attorney wrote Friday, if accompanied by "very substantial community service that would harness her unique expertise at school districts and private consulting companies alike for the benefit of public education everywhere.
"Barbara wants to help others learn from her mistakes," defense attorney Michael Scudder wrote in a 27-page sentencing memo published Friday. "She believes that superintendents and school districts across the nation need to redouble their efforts to avoid conflicts of interest with consultants and providers."
And, laying out her storied history as an educator, he said she's in a "position to uniquely reach such officials," and to "help sound the alarm of the necessity for caution and transparency."
But Scudder added that Byrd-Bennett is not in a financial position to pay her share of $254,000 in restitution to CPS, unless the others who actually saw profits from the scheme can't pay the whole thing on their own. "Only if those defendants cannot make full restitution should Barbara be responsible for any remaining portion," Scudder wrote.
Mayor Rahm Emanuel's second chosen schools chief was busted for agreeing to take kickbacks from educational consulting companies owned by her former employers, to whom she'd steered some $23 million in no-bid contracts in 2012 and 2013. She never pocketed any of the millions made by those companies' owners. She was not going to collect any of the kickbacks until leaving CPS to return to their employ; she intended to use the money for her twin grandsons' college funds.
"I have tuition to pay and casinos to visit (:" read the email that secured her a place in Chicago corruption history.
Among the proud accomplishments Byrd-Bennett promoted to Judge Edmond Chang were the mass school closings finalized a month before the largest $20.5 contract was awarded. And several of the 91 letters written on her behalf came from high-ranking CPS employees Byrd-Bennett hired or promoted — testing czar John Barker, college chief Aarti Dhupelia and academic chief Annette Gurley. Staffers she brought to CPS from past stints in Cleveland or New York also submitted character letters, including one woman named in the federal subpoenas that rocked CPS in April 2015.
When Byrd-Bennett pleaded guilty within days of her October 2015 indictment, offering a tearful apology to the children of CPS, prosecutors said they'd recommend a reduced sentence of 89 months — about two-thirds of the low end of the sentencing guidelines.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan Church held to that number, saying: "She knew her victims, she knew their weaknesses and struggles and she chose to defraud them anyway. … Their corruption was sophisticated and it was nearly undetectable."
Church noted that Byrd-Bennett also deleted incriminating emails after the CPS inspector general opened a probe.
But even after she initially lied to investigators, Byrd-Bennett's haste to admit her own guilt and eventual cooperation against her two co-defendants, Gary Solomon and Thomas Vranas, should count for something, Church said. The men were co-owners of The SUPES Academy and Synesi Associates.
Church had also argued that Solomon "must get a higher sentence than Barbara Byrd-Bennett" as the scheme's "mastermind." Last month, Chang gave Solomon seven years.
Solomon and Vranas, who ran the principal training firm and school "turnaround" company, promised to set aside money they called a "signing bonus." Solomon also was a "steady source of personal support and reassurance when stress levels peaked," her attorney wrote.
Church detailed the extent to which they had served her: "In his proffer, Vranas explained that Byrd-Bennett had assembled a list of items she needed from a Target store. Solomon obtained the items, which he and Vranas paid for, and then delivered them to Byrd-Bennett's driver. Vranas also explained that Byrd-Bennett asked Solomon to acquire anti-surveillance equipment to debug her office because Jean-Claude Brizard had believed that the mayor was listening to his conversations via a surveillance bug hidden within his (Brizard's) office. Vranas purchased debugging equipment but never used it within Byrd- Bennett's office."
The mayor's office denied any such surveillance.
Prosecutors again Friday recommended a 39-month sentence for Vranas, 36, who owned a third of the companies with Solomon, 49. That sentence was unchanged from what prosecutors had advised when Vranas pleaded guilty last April to federal program bribery.
Vranas lobbied for probation instead of prison in a memo his attorneys filed Thursday, arguing that he was taken along for a ride. His sentencing is scheduled for April 28.
"While he did not operate from a position equal to that of Solomon or Byrd-Bennett, Vranas was not a passive participant in the honest services fraud scheme and he knew better," Church wrote, detailing how Vranas flattered her with emails and gifts as well.
"If you need ** ANYTHING** let me know. A cocktail, some laughing, a quick run to the casino, we're here for you!!!" he wrote her in September 2012.
"You guys are my family away from home," she responded. "CASINO….hmmmmm (:"
By: Rich Gibson
She came from Detroit, probably the most corrupt school system in the US, and surely the worst. She did her apprenticeship as an ed-thief there, where there were dozens of administrators to train her. Odd the feds haven't taken a second look at her "work" in Detroit. Hope the conx are told she is a child abuser, as she is.
By: Susan Ohanian
Byrd Bennett
Byrd Bennett had a wonderfully corrupt timeline before she got to Chicago--or Detroit. Here's a small sample. Note how often it links with partnership with and applause from AFT.
*August 1996 -- November 1998: Supervising Superintendent of the Chancellor's District in New York City. You remember: this was to serve as national model for turnaround school efforts]
*February 2006 --March 2009: Superintendent-in-Residency for Harcourt School Publishers
*March 2006--2009: Superintendent Executive Coach, Broad Superintendent Academy
*January 2006. Executive in Residence, Cleveland State University
*October 2006--2009: Executive Officer New Leaders for New Schools, Washington D. C.
*August 2008: Speaker at the Democratic National Convention in Denver [NOTE: listed on her Detroit resume though not found in Google search of convention speakers,Some evidence suggests she was pre-convention speaker].
*April 2009. Byrd-Bennett named trustee of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation-funded Common Core Curriculum Mapping Project, which, according to press release was "reviewed by members of AFT." The "team of experts" advising in the development of the maps includes Antonia Cortese, secretary-treasurer of the American Federation of Teachers. NOTE: Lynne Munson, president of the Common Core Curriculum Mapping Project, was a research fellow at the American Enterprise Institute 1993-2001.
*April 2009. AFT Launches AFT Innovation Fund; Byrd-Bennett chairs board
*April 4, 2010 Harcourt launches a partnership with Detroit Public Schools
*June 2009--June 2011 Appointed Chief Academic and Accountability Officer at Detroit Public Schools
*Oct. 2010. Byrd-Bennett signs document termed "intellectually dishonest and scapegoating" by Valerie Strauss (the document praises Race to the Top as "the catalyst for more reforms than we have seen in decades" and praised the film "Waiting for 'Superman'" as presenting "extraordinary opportunity"). (then-Rochester superintendent Brizzard and New Orleans top-gun Vallas also signed)
*Jan. 2, 2011 Byrd-Bennett says she hopes Success for All will spark "a revolutionary culture change" in Detroit.
*Undated: Member of Education Advisory Committee of K12 Inc.
By: Amy Gooden
3B, Solomon and Vranas- How dare you?
Take the time to read the indictments for Barbara Byrd-Bennett, Gary Solomon and Thomas Vranas.
Byrd-Bennett should be under the prison with 15 counts of mail-fraud, 5 counts of wire fraud, 2 counts of bribery of a government official and 1 count of conspiracy to defraud the U.S. government. Byrd-Bennett only plead guilty to a single charge of wire fraud. In exchange for her cooperation, prosecutors agreed to seek a sentence of about 7 1/2 years. She was the first to plead guilty of the three felons.
She has the unmitigated gall to request a sentence of 3 1/2 years and substantial community service. She also claims she can't pay the required financial restitution.HOW DARE SHE?
A 250,000 a year salary,a private bath, 9 million dollars in furniture for downtown, an expensive convertible to showcase herself for the Bud Biliken parade,hiring and protecting her cronies, friends and other syncophants, $140,000 per year she still collects in pension from other states she has worked in - What nerve! Why don't the feds go back and dig in Detroit and New York. Plenty of investigative pieces were written about her in Detroit. She didn't just start calculating, contemplating and manipulating in Chicago.
She is thumbing her nose to former U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, Zachary Fardon. She also is disrespecting John H. Brown, Acting Special Agent-in Charge of the Chicago Office of the FBI, Nicholas J. Schuler, Inspector General for the Chicago Public Schools and Asst. United States Attorneys (representing the U.S.government) Megan Cunniff Church and Lindsay Jenkins. Byrd-Bennett thinks the people of Chicago and especially CPS are marks.
Solomon's legal team claim that 3B lied at least 29 times to the FBI before she had no other option but to cooperate. Solomon got sentenced to 9 years in prison. He was the last to plead guilty. He felt that he should only receive an 18 month sentence.
Vranas, plead guilty to conspiracy to commit federal program bribery. He wants
3 years probation. He is the son of a CPS special education teacher and has said that he paid CPS back "more than his share of $254,000 restitution." (Thomas Vranas wants probation for role in CPS bribery scandal" (Sun Times - April 6, 2016 by Lauren Fitzpatrick and Jon Seidel)
Instead of Karen Lewis discussing that ridiculous idea of a May 1st 2017 "strike" (you should have done that in October 2016) by Union members, perhaps there should have been a call for those who have been laid off for so-called "economic reasons", to come to the sentencing of 3B and give their impact statements.
Just because Byrd-Bennett described their breakfast and dinner meetings as cordial and professional and positive does not cover her being a crook. I was so sick of that script of Byrd-Bennett's 'I'm a grandmother and a mother, etc. That's called game.
What these three alone did impacted the the teachers, their families and the students on professional, personal and financial levels.
The crocodile tears of 3B, the concerns about public humiliation of Solomon make me want to wretch. They are not remorseful. They are angry that they got caught. That is the typical mind-set of a thief.
All of their finger pointing at each other
is just disgusting.
If you lie, you will cheat. If you will cheat then you will steal. If you will steal then you will kill. There truly is no honor among thieves.


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Read More : Some Common Cents for November 8th 2013 - Full Article
Some Common Cents for November 8th 2013
November 8, 2013, by John Norris
One of the more important business lessons I have learned happened in a casino. I am not a huge gambling fan, but I was in Atlantic City for a friend's bachelor party, many moons ago, and 'when in Rome do as the Romans do.' Since I had some rudimentary knowledge of blackjack, I tried to find a table, but even 'back in the day' all of the tables were $20/hand or higher. Even at this...


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capitalized lease method
An accounting method that uses lease obligations of a company as an asset reflected on the balance sheets. While the company does not technically own the asset, the transaction of the lease is still considered to be economically beneficial to the holder of the lease. Using this method, calculated expenses will be higher during the first several years but eventually decline during the term of the lease.


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The Wacken Open Air 2012 is just around the corner and many of you are for sure busy at packing. Of course a camera must not miss to capture the most beautifully festival impressions!
Corresponding to this the W:O:A Memories is back!
You can use this editor to print your favorite self-taken pictures or the pictures from our official festival photographers in, for example, the W:O:A Memories photo books (the layout for 2012 will be released shortly after the festival) or choose from several different products and layouts to create complete unique products.


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Long Branch residents fight for homes in court
- 3-24-2006
- Categorized in: Eminent Domain
The Anzalone Family
UPDATE: Judge reserves decision in eminent domain case
Two Long Branch residents whose homes are targeted for condemnation under the policy of eminent domain are heading to court this morning to try to convince a judge to block the taking of their oceanside houses for condominium development. The Matzel and Mumford Organization of Hazlet is teaming up with Applied Development Company of Hoboken to build the condo project which has resulted in the displacement of area residents, many of whom are senior citizens. "Matzel and Mumford's considerable consumer awareness in this area and it's stellar record of customer satisfaction made it a logical choice for this partnership," notes David Barry, Applied's President.
Ocean Terrace residents Louis Anzalone, age 89, and Frances DeLuca have asked Monmouth County Assignment Judge Lawrence M. Lawson to invalidate the condemnation of their homes by the city because, they claim, the city has not shown that the properties are in need of redevelopment and therefore eminent domain cannot be used. The city is in the midst of a massive redevelopment of its oceanfront that includes new high-end shops, townhouses, condominiums and apartments where single-family homes used to stand.
Lawson is scheduled to hear arguments at 10 a.m. in Freehold. Opponents of eminent domain - the taking of private property for public use - are expected to protest outside the courthouse an hour before the hearing.
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It's taken me a few days to collect my thoughts on this and how to go about processing it so I hope all the words garbled below make sense and are able to help you if you're ever in a similar situation. Here we go.
I've been fortunate enough to have a trainer helping me along most of my journey, weather it be group training or one-on-one sessions. I started my journey working with Danielle and then when I joined my gym I started training with Rob (whom I had known for years before – he knew me at my worst and now at my best). Both helped instill a love of fitness in me and I feel like I learned from the best and their motivation and teachings are what's kept me on track and motivated this journey. This summer Rob was there to offer encouragement and give me the push I needed to get my teaching certification – I knew deep down I wanted to do it but having someone you look up to enourage you to take the step makes it much easier.
Tuesday nights I usually head to bed around 930 as I have a 530am wake-up. Just after 930 I see a message from Rob…
I've got some news & I don't want to blindside you in the morning. I've decided to take on a new career. It gets me back to my roots & most importantly, provides a steady paycheque for my family. We will talk more about you moving forward in the morning. I hope you understand as you were one of the people that made this a VERY hard decision. See you in the morning.
Tears start to flow and immediately I'm feeling scared and unsure of even how to feel. Was I being over dramatic? Was I affraid to fail with out his help? What if? What if? But mostly I think it was shock and just not knowing how to feel. It feels like your best friend telling you their moving across the country (see I'm being dramatic again!) – you get the point.
After thinking about it for a few days I think my initial rection was fear. Fear of the unknown. I shed some tears and then tossed and turned for a few hours before finally falling asleep. Yes, I was/am sad that he is leaving, but more that that I am happy for him and his family. I realized the things that were making me cry were not him leaving (okay a little), but the fact that I would soon have to use all the tools I've learned over the past 2 years and fly on my own – FEAR. That being said, I know I'm never truly alone as I have an amazing support system at my gym (**waves**hi – friends!), on this blog and at home.
I believe things happen for a reason and try and find the best in the situation whatever it may be. If you ever find yourself in this situation of a trainer/mentor finding a new path, do not let it become an excuse for you. Yes they may have been a major part of your success, however, YOUR success is just that, YOURS. They become part of your team, a big piece of your tool kit but it's ultimately about how you choose to use those tools that determines your success.
Rob has suggested who he feels is the best match for me and I'm looking forward to building a new relationship and finishing out my remaining sessions. I'm excited to see how this person approaches training and learn some new things. Afterall, there is no point in stressing about these things as we all know stress hinders weight loss my friends! Onwards and upwards, of course with PASSION & PURPOSE as Rob would say.
I hope all these garbled thoughts make sense – thanks for reading.
**I've published this post after discussing it with Rob and he agreed to me writing it.**


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You have the right to
FTC Complaints
FOIA-powered news
2 additional articles
Complaints submitted to the Federal Trade Commission regarding a company can reveal patterns of bad business practices, and some cases, scams and outright fraud.
More info
Tips for filing this request
Be sure to include a date range, and any parent/holding companies.
Sample FOIA request of this type
Submitted by
JPat Brown / MuckRock


text: Polar-opposite strangers Lola and Chelsea become partners on the run when they witness a murder involving dirty cops and are framed for the crime. While waiting at a bus stop, accountant Chelsea and cashier Lola witness a criminal exchange gone wrong and are kidnapped by one of the perpetrators. The women drive north to Queensland, but Lola is soon recognized after a news broadcast shows her photo and reports that she's wanted by the police.


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Gingrich Productions
December 5, 2013
Newt Gingrich
President Nelson Mandela was one of the greatest leaders of our lifetime.
He emerged from 27 long years in prison with a wisdom, a compassion, and a commitment to helping other people that was astonishing. His life was a triumph of the human spirit.
When he visited the Congress I was deeply impressed with the charisma and the calmness with which he could dominate a room. It was as if the rest of us grew smaller and he grew stronger and more dominant the longer the meeting continued.
His thoughtful, disciplined, but friendly and warm personality made him a leader who could define the right policies and the right behaviors.
Nelson Mandela was truly the father of an integrated, democratic South Africa.
He will be an inspiration for generations to come and an historic leader worth studying for as long as people want to learn about greatness in serving others.
Callista and I extend our condolences and our prayers to the Mandela family and to the people of South Africa.
Newt Gingrich Statement on Passing of President Nelson Mandela
- on December 5, 2013
Gingrich Productions


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HealthCare locations serving Ohio, Pennsylvania, West Virginia,
Indiana, and Kentucky.
For service in other regions.
HealthCare® is the nation's oldest leading home care and
medical staffing company. Founded in 1966, there are more
than 300 locations nationwide with approximately 75,000 health
care workers.
our trained health care professionals, we provide a broad
array of home care services including senior care and pediatric
nursing; IV therapy; physical, occupational and speech therapy.
Employing a home health care professional is an important
decision, and one in which most people have little training
or practice. Interim offices deliver appropriate high quality
home care and treat each patient with genuine, compassion,
kindness and respect.


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Free PHOTO SHOOTS with the Incredible Jay Emme Photography!
Hola, hola!
So I've been meaning to write a few blogs this week, but it's just been really crazy! I think it's to do with the month, I don't know why, but it's my theory. Although I have been enjoying this lovely weather, so it does have it's good points I guess :-).
How are you all? What is new and how are all your wedding plans coming along?


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Hotels in Montalto di Castro
Search & Compare Montalto di Castro Hotels
Top landmarks in Montalto di Castro
Find out more about Montalto di Castro
What's Montalto di Castro like?
Where are the best places to stay in Montalto di Castro?
Top hotel picks in and around Montalto di Castro:
California Camping VillageMontalto di Castro beachfront property with free children's club
- • Free parking • Restaurant • Outdoor pool • Bar • Beach sun loungers
Residence Hotel MargheritaMontalto di Castro suburban guestrooms with kitchens
- • Free WiFi • Bar • Café • Garden • Central location
Club Degli Amici Camping VillageMontalto di Castro accommodations with kitchenettes, patios
- • Free parking • Free WiFi • Beach bar • Private beach • Beach sun loungers
Area Di Sosta la Pineta Caravan ParkMontalto di Castro beach residence with outdoor pool, bar/lounge
- • Free breakfast • Free parking • Free WiFi • Restaurant • Rooftop terrace
Things to See and Do in Montalto di Castro
What is there to see near Montalto di Castro:
- • Vulci (4.3 mi/7 km from the city center)
- • Terme di Vulci (6.4 mi/10.4 km from the city center)
What is there to do near Montalto di Castro:
- • The Tarot Garden (6.4 mi/10.4 km from the city center)
- • Jacobelli Liquors (8.5 mi/13.6 km from the city center)
- • Vini Montauto (8.8 mi/14.2 km from the city center)
- • Monteverro (8.9 mi/14.3 km from the city center)
When is the best time to visit Montalto di Castro?
- • Hottest months: July, August, June, September (average 74°F)
- • Coldest months: January, February, March, December (average 50°F)
- • Rainiest months: October, November, December, and January (average 3 inches of rainfall)


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In order to continue growing at its current pace, the collective US STEM sector will need to hire over 9 million individuals by 2022. Jobs falling within the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics have been surging for over a decade. STEM careers have increased by 16 percent between 2005 and 2012, even as growth stagnated in other sectors. Yet today's colleges confer just 18 percent of their bachelor's degrees in core STEM subjects such as physical science and information technology.
These statistics clearly illustrate a significant gap in the STEM pipeline. If the United States is to maintain a thriving economy, remain competitive on the global stage, and provide promising opportunities for its citizens, this gap must be addressed. Ensuring that all students have the resources, opportunities, and personal support to develop and pursue an interest in STEM topics is crucial. This will not only have a positive impact on the nation's economic progress, but to the personal and professional fulfillment of the next generation of citizens.
Mentorship is one of the best ways to support students in exploring and pursuing STEM careers. Organizations such as Phillips Charitable Organization are performing the valuable task of providing financial support for students to pursue STEM degrees. Additionally, similarly-driven organizations are working to offer these students motivation to follow their dreams in the form of personal teachers and supporters.
Several initiatives have been launched with the specific goal of expanding mentorship opportunities in the STEM fields. These groups include US2020, which has begun partnering with youth-focused nonprofits to match students with 1 million STEM mentors by 2020.
Developed in response to President Barack Obama's call for the business and nonprofit sectors to explore innovative solutions to the STEM skills gap, US2020 has further emphasized the importance of STEM mentorship through the creation of the STEM Mentoring Awards. It has also partnered with such leading firms as Cisco to create mentorship programs for underserved students.
Efforts such as US2020 are working to encourage STEM mentorship with the knowledge that it is a proven way to strengthen the STEM pipeline. The following are some of the many benefits of from STEM mentorship:
Exposing Students to STEM Topics
A student's interest in STEM has a stronger bearing on his or her decision to pursue a STEM degree than does GPA. However, many students who might otherwise be interested in STEM encounter obstacles to developing this interest. A lack of awareness is one of the biggest challenges standing in the way of a student's willingness to explore fields such as science and engineering. In a recent survey conducted by Lemelson-MIT, a majority of students revealed that a lack of understanding of certain STEM careers, as well as a lack of visible role models who work in these roles, was a major factor discouraging them from pursuing STEM careers.
Physicist and astronaut Sally Ride once said, "You can't be what you can't see." This succinct statement clearly encompasses the challenges facing many students without access to STEM role models. Many students, particularly those from underserved communities, have never met anyone employed in fields such as engineering or lab science. Statistics indicate that these students are less likely to pursue these fields themselves.
For students unacquainted with the world of STEM, it is difficult to imagine what a STEM job might entail or, moreover, how they might fare in this type of professional environment. Without the opportunity to realistically imagine a diverse array of career paths for themselves, students struggle to develop the interest and confidence to pursue them.
Providing a Platform to Develop Interest
Mentorship often gives students the opportunity to engage in the types of hands-on activities that are proven to encourage a lasting interest in STEM. Even something as simple as touring a working laboratory can provide an engaging introduction to the real-world applications of STEM topics.
The presence of a mentor often encourages students to continue pursuing their interest in STEM beyond high school. Academic research has found that mentors frequently factor into students' decisions to attend grad school, as well as to select and persist in particular doctoral programs. Mentors are particularly effective at encouraging female students to continue their studies in the life sciences.
Fostering Personal Growth
In addition to sharing knowledge and stoking students' interest in STEM, mentors also inspire their mentees to have confidence in their own potential. Many students from underserved communities with a lack of visible STEM role models may not receive active encouragement to pursue their interest in STEM fields. A mentor's assurance that his or her goals are within reach can be one of the greatest resources a student has when choosing to pursue STEM degree.
Encouraging Inclusion
There is a significant shortage of women and individuals from minority backgrounds in STEM fields. However, this gap is not the result of a lack of interest. A recent study conducted by the Girl Scout Research Institute found that while most girls express an interest in STEM topics, negative stereotypes related to female STEM professionals often dissuade them from pursuing this interest. Mentors can give students from diverse backgrounds the resolve and understanding to envision a place for themselves in the vast STEM pipeline.
STEM mentors play a significant role in closing the diversity gap in STEM. For members of groups who are underrepresented in the STEM community, concern over stereotypes can become a self-fulfilling prophecy. Anxiety regarding the repercussions of underperformance causes students to perform poorly.
However, research has demonstrated that the influence of a role model can curb the impact of this phenomenon, known as stereotype threat. For example, when exposed to an accomplished female in their field before taking a test, female math students performed better than peers who had not had the opportunity.
Building a Pipeline of Mentors
Mentorship not only benefits students, but can also be an incredibly enriching experience for professionals. Serving as a mentor can help STEM professionals improve their leadership skills, hone their communication skills, and become more engaged members of their communities.
When students are influenced by the guidance of a mentor, they are likely to pay it forward later in their lives and glean these benefits for themselves. Thus, mentorship is an effective and invaluable cycle that can help create a bright future for STEM in the United States.


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How to Temporarily Close the Dell Dock
A growing number of computer manufacturers are giving users the ability to customize a computer's desktop. The Dock feature on Dell Studio laptops organizes common applications into a compact group of icons that users can rearrange and personalize. The Dock provides quicker access to a user's favorite applications such as music, photos and email, helping to eliminate icon clutter from the desktop. You can temporarily close or hide the Dell Dock with just a few clicks.
Right-click on the Dock.
Click on "Close the Dock" to open the Dell Dock dialog box.
Click "Yes (Close the Dock)" to confirm your selection.
- To reopen the Dell Dock, click on the "Start" button in the bottom left corner of your desktop, click "All Programs" and select "Dell" from the cascading menu that appears. Click on "Dell Dock" to make the Dock reappear.
Photo Credits
- David Paul Morris/Getty Images News/Getty Images


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A gift they'll adore! Bright blossoms are hand-arranged and delivered in a sweet blue keepsake sailboat. A lovely gift to welcome home a new baby boy.
This adorable arrangement includes red miniature carnations, yellow button spray chrysanthemums and white daisy spray chrysanthemums accented with assorted greenery. Delivered in a Captain Carefree keepsake.