text:
Check Out Never-Before-Seen Moments on "Secrets Revealed" Airing April 7 at 9pm ET/PT
NEW YORK - March 7, 2014 - Bravo Media delivers an unforgettable three-episode reunion event featuring the ladies of "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" beginning Monday, March 17 at 9 PM ET/PT. From Palm Springs to Puerto Rico, host Andy Cohen looks back at the must-see-moments from season four. Kyle Richards, Lisa Vanderpump, Brandi Glanville, Kim Richards, Joyce Giraud de Ohoven and Carlton Gebbia head to the couches to reflect on this season's defining moments and to draw lines in the sand concerning the future of their friendships. For a sneak peak of the reunion go to: http://www.bravotv.com/the-real-housewives-of-beverly-hills/season-4/videos/sneak-peek-into-the-season-4-reunion
The gripping, three-part Beverly Hills reunion begins Monday, March 17 at 9 PM, as Andy Cohen questions the women about the dramatic twists and turns of season four. Joyce and Brandi prove that there is no love lost between them, and the women explore what happened when the "dream team" of Yolanda, Lisa and Brandi started to show its cracks. Then, things lighten up as Kim discusses her favorite season yet.
During Part II, Monday, March 24 at 9 PM, the Beverly Hills housewives share laughter over their health and beauty regimens and also shed tears talking about their children who are growing up and leaving home. Brandi delves into the tough year she has had, while Kim doesn't hide her conflicted feelings about Lisa. After some rough words, Kyle and Carlton determine that they will most likely never, ever be friends.
On Part III airing Monday, March 31 at 9 PM, the dramatic Beverly Hills reunion continues, with Lisa in the hot seat as Yolanda, Brandi and Kyle all discuss the problems they've had with her while, at the same time, hope for some resolution. Then, the husbands join the fray and Ken tells an emotional Brandi that he may never be able to accept her back into his life. Or can he?
Don't miss the "Secrets Revealed" special on Monday, April 7 at 9 PM with exclusive behind-the-scenes moments from season four. Kim teaches Brandi how to act in a TV movie, Lisa and Joyce bond over a candid dinner with their husbands, Kim receives advice about how to plump her lips from an old friend, and Kyle learns how to be a TV presenter. Oh, and Lisa almost marries off Ken to a burly construction worker. (You'll just have to watch!)
Bravo is a program service of NBCUniversal Cable Entertainment, a division of NBCUniversal, one of the world's leading media and entertainment companies in the development, production, and marketing of entertainment, news, and information to a global audience. Bravo has been an NBCUniversal cable network since December 2002 and was the first television service dedicated to film and the performing arts when it launched in December 1980. For more information, visit www.BravoTV.com. Follow us on Twitter at https://twitter.com/BravoPR.


text:
Lose your pubic hair... and get a better blow job!
"I, like most/all men, enjoy getting blow jobs. I tried to get my wife to play with my balls too but she was pretty reluctant.
I started shaving them and she was happy to start stroking and licking them. The hair tends to grow back quite quickly if you shave but try using a sensitive hair removal cream.
I find it gets my balls and the area around the base of my cock smoother and lasts a few days longer.
Once you start you need to keep going otherwise it will itch when it grows back."
Want to try this? Then check out Lovehoney's Intimate Shaving range.

subset: commoncrawl


text: I've had my MS for over 6 months now. When listening to MP3s from USB the whole time I have had the vehicle it would play music all night long when parked at my house but not at work. I've been told it is a bug related to scheduled charging. This is particularly annoying when listening to audio books. I was hopeful it would be fixed in 7.0 but the problem persisted. Now in 7.1 it still happens sometimes, but more often than not the vehicle will just lose the audio source completely, whether it was MP3s or FM radio. You get back in your car and nothing is selected. I had this happen to me this morning after parking for only 20min. Every vehicle I have ever owned has had no problem maintaining a selected audio source. Even better, as far as I can remember, all of my vehicles would save state when switching between audio sources. So for example when listening to a CD or MP3s if you switch to FM and then back to the original source it resumes where you left off. I had been working around this by texting myself the track and time I was on when I parked at home overnight so I could manually resume my audio book when I got back in the next day. But now it is so unpredictable I've given up listening to audio books until this problem is solved. It just seems crazy to me that the car can do so much but not this. In fact even more annoying is when I'm backing out of my garage in the morning I have to close the back-up camera and interrupt the auto-HomeLink (I think?) in order to select an audio source to listen to. I pretty much love everything about my MS except for this ongoing annoying problem.


text:
SIFA 2018: 5 music acts you shouldn't miss
New direction
1. Temporal
By Intriguant + Flex
See the Old Parliament House transformed thanks to producer/DJ Intriguant and visual and projection honchos Flex. An audiovisual showcase that will feature new music from Intriguant coupled with lighting design by Flex, you'll get a textural soundscape of the DJ's influences from hip-hop, soul and electronica as well.
4 May, 8pm & 10pm at Chamber, Festival House.
2. Anticipation of One
By SA x NADA x Brandon Tay
Traditional Chinese band SA, electronic musician and artist pair NADA and audiovisual performer Brandon Tay come together to explore the convergence of multiple selves. SA's original soundscapes reinvent the approach to Chinese musical instruments, while NADA's revival of Southeast Asian music is an evolution from their work at Club Malam as part of SIFA 2016, where they celebrated the local Malay pop music scene of the '60s.
4 May, 9pm and 5 May, 10pm at Play Den, Festival House.
By Ferry
Local muso Ferry is no stranger to collaborations with the tech world — we last saw her and Canvas Conversations come together at Esplanade in November with a visual and sound presentation. This time, the Giants Must Fall lead (real name: Jean Low) is teaming up with Rong Zhao for a suspended projection screen and a "Kave" floor, where platforms equipped with tactile sound transducers transmit sound frequencies into physical vibrations when you come into contact.
10 to 12 May, 7.30pm and 8.30pm at Play Den, Festival House.
4. Sultan of the Disco
Love Nile Rodgers and old school Michael Jackson of Jackson 5? Then you'll love Sultan of the Disco. Bringing back the soul, funk and disco in an authentically Korean identity, the five-piece Sultan of the Disco returns to Singapore. They were last here at Music Matters 2014, and have since gone on to perform in iconic festivals such as Glastonbury (twice!) and Summer Sonic.
28 April, 10.30pm at Empress Lawn.
5. bohemianvoodoo
Performing jazz for the next generation, this four-man band from Japan is touring Singapore after the release of their album, Echoes, last June. The instrumental jazz act's record comes two and a half years since their last, Aromatic, which featured the band's signature jazz-pop and bossa beats.
29 April, 8.15pm at Empress Lawn.
Singapore International Festival of Arts runs from 26 April to 12 May.
Find out more about SIFA 2018.


text:
Any good mudroom needs a command center, right?? That's what we thought, too. Ours is a combination of things from Container Store and Ikea. Check out the captions in the picture below to see where everything was purchased. All in all, this command center cost about $90. Many of the Container Store items were on sale – definitely helped to keep the cost down on this project!
The metal planters (used as pen/pencil holders here) were hung on the wall using pipe clamps and picture hangers. Just clip the picture hanger around the pipe clamp, and nail to the wall. Super simple!


text:
Expanding Health Care Coverage and Making It Affordable
E-newsletter #60/November 18, 2010
In 2006, Wisconsin Gov. Jim Doyle announced his "Affordability Agenda." It included a goal of expanding health care coverage to 98 percent of all the state's residents. An ambitious plan in any economy, it was even more of a challenge with what was to come just a year later—The Great Recession.
Regardless of the economy, Wisconsin pushed ahead with BadgerCare Plus, one of eight national winners of CSG Innovations Awards.
"The direction was to look at the Medicaid and (state children's health insurance) programs and try to condense them into something more usable and understandable to members themselves," said Melissa Henderson, deputy bureau director of the Bureau of Enrollment Policy and Systems with Wisconsin Medicaid. "Really, the goal was to provide consistent benefits to them so they weren't jumping between programs. It also allowed providers to have a consistent relationship with people in the program."
BadgerCare Plus consolidated all of the state's previous medical assistance programs into one and simplified the enrollment process. Instead of eight different income tests, there was just one. An Internet site was created that walks people through enrollment and also enters them into any other assistance programs, such as food stamps, for which they may qualify. People may enroll by mail, by phone and in person. Other community resources, such as federal Women, Infants and Children clinics or churches, also were trained on how to help people sign up for benefits.
BadgerCare Plus greatly expanded who could get medical coverage. Any uninsured child under age 19 qualifies, although children from higher-income homes are charged a monthly premium. Pregnant women who make up to 300 percent of the federal poverty limit are included, as are parents and caretaker relatives who earn up to 200 percent of the poverty limit.
One unusual expansion of the program was covering childless adults—who are not typically covered by any statewide public health program. But a 2007 Wisconsin Health Survey found that of the 265,000 people without health insurance for a year, 90 percent of them were between ages 18 and 64. Of those, nearly 80,000 had no children.
The proof of the success of the program is in the numbers. In just two years, more than 200,000 additional children, parents and pregnant women had health care coverage. An additional 52,000 low-income adults received coverage through BadgerCare Plus. Funding for this program came from combining many federal and state revenue streams, such as Medicaid, S-CHIP, Healthy Start, Medicaid waivers, disproportionate share hospital payments, a federal State Health Access Program grant and state general funds.
Rob Hamilton, executive assistant to the Wisconsin Medicaid director, said at the same time coverage was expanding, there were intense efforts to rein in costs. The program developed a pay-for-performance initiative and mandatory health needs assessments upon enrollment. It also set up a Clinical Advisory Committee on Health and Emerging Technology to recommend benefits for childless adults.
Hamilton said. "At the same time we're covering a lot of people, we're using HMOs to cover them," Hamilton said. "There's a lot of cost containment going on."
"Part of it, too, is increasing the quality of the health care being provided," Henderson added. "If we're covering more people and addressing what their real health needs are, in the end that will cost us less. Especially with children, if we get them covered early, that will cost us less in the long run."
CSG Resources


text:
This is part of a series of reflections on the meaning and importance of doing local theology…
I wrote a letter to friends and family least year to tell them about our approaching move to Austin. In that letter, I described how we looked forward to entering into the life of the city. That phrase, created with little thought, has held on to me ever since. One of our primary goals for the past year, and for the year to come, has been to enter into the life of Austin. We hope and anticipate that we will raise our family and a church community here, and we want to begin by walking the path from newcomer to Austinite.
Entering into the life of Austin has meant a few things. It has meant trying to learn about the history of the city, though published resources on the topic are few. It has meant trying to get our young family out often to meet people and experience activities in the city (like Barton Springs, pictured to the right from a family outing last year). It has meant spending more time listening, and less time "telling" people why we are here. It has also led to a specialized (and perhaps neglected) blog, and several ponderings on this blog about Austin.
In our transition, I have tried hard to discard my assumptions about what Austin would be like. Before we moved, I had shared with many that Austin was considered a unique island in the middle of Texas. The tech industry, creative culture, and liberal reputation often cause Austin to be compared with Seattle or San Francisco. While those comparisons have been made, it has always felt presumptuous to me to assume that living in the Seattle area for three years meant that we would get Austin. Austin is it's own city. Though it is difficult to not see Austin relative to other cities, we do try to see it for what it is.
Being fairly new to the city gives some disadvantage when wanting to do local theology, and yet I also think it provides the advantage of a fresh and unique perspective. Lesslie Newbigin describes how asking a human to describe their culture is like asking a fish to describe water. It is so much their immediate reality that they will never be able to fully understand it. I think we have come to Austin able to compare and contrast it to Seattle…able to see see what is similar and different. (And yes, I do think they are a lot alike, though Austin has a little more independent feel to it. And a lot of Texas feel to it. But maybe those are one and the same.)
I scratched out these words in a "to-remember" file a few years ago: What does it mean to do theology at the local level first? Theology that is local must be rooted in praxis. It can't be separated from the reality of daily life. I don't remember what inspired them…I probably stole them from someone else who I now can't give credit to. But they capture something vital for me as we think about shaping a church community around life in Austin. Our church community must exist where the theology of the Scriptural narrative offers life and hope to the unique culture of Austin. To enter into the life of the city is to explore where that life already exists, and where we can begin to inject more of it.Latest Posts


text:
GENETEK Güç Enerji Elektrik Sistemleri Özel Eğitim ve Danışmanlık San. Tic. Ltd. Şti.
was established in 2012 at Kocaeli University Technopark in order to povide high quality and reliable engineering services in Electrical Engineering applications. Our company aims to provide;
- Consultancy service for preperation and coordination of TUBITAK, KOSGEB, MARKA or foreign institution supoorted R&D projects of industrial enterprises.
- Energy measurements, performing analysis and evaluations according to measurement results
- Retrofit actions in electric power generation, transmission and distribution networks
- Industrial R&D projects in the scope of Electrical Engineering Department to provide university-industry collaboration
- Application oriented consultancy and education service in the field of our customers
- Improving electrical power quality
GENETEK's aim is to create new solutions and develop new technologies by integrating the technology to industry with support of universities.


text:
This is the salted chocolate chip cookie you never knew you needed, but always wanted. Made with four different types of chocolate and our signature smoked fat and butter, every bite's better than the one before. The salty sweet finish is crazy, so feel free to go loco – pop a cork, grab a brew, pour some milk or a cup of tea, because this is pairing at its finest.
Flavor notes: smoky, robust, and balanced.
*Contains pork lard
Please allow 2 to 3 days for shipping as cookies are made to order.


text:
White iPhone 4 Spotted in UK Apple Store [VIDEO]
Update: It's been revealed that the individuals in this video were holding Telegraph's white review unit, not one sold in the store. Sorry folks, but the public will still be waiting till July.
The white iPhone 4 didn't make it out on launch day, much to some excited Apple fans' chagrin — or did it?
This Sky News video report shows two people using the new white iPhone in a central London Apple store nearly a month before it's expected to be available.
Although it didn't offer pre-orders of the white iPhone 4, Apple waited until the day before the iPhone 4 launch to announce that no white iPhones would be available until the second half of July because they had "proven more challenging to manufacture than expected."
The Sky News report embedded below focuses on general iPhone 4 mania, but the producer of the segment either didn't know about the white iPhone delay or didn't care to ask about it, so there's no explanation.
Have you seen any white iPhone 4 devices in the wild?
[via 9 to 5 Mac, ConnorJack]


text:
Recruiting at a women's collegeMount Holyoke College
If you're anything like the majority of women searching for the right college, you're likely not thinking about attending a women's college at all. If that's the case, we'd like to let you in on one of our best kept secrets: Employers actually seek out women who go to women's colleges because of the leadership potential that our unique environment fosters.
Consider this: 20 percent of women in Congress are graduates of women's colleges. So are 30 percent of a recent Businessweek list of rising women in corporate America. These are impressive statistics, considering that only two percent of women attend women's colleges. Highly ranked Mount Holyoke alumnae in the financial industry reiterate what we hear over and over again: their women's college education prepared them to work shoulder-to-shoulder in a male-dominated environment.
Here's how a 21st-century women's education is more relevant than ever when it comes to getting a job in three male-dominated areas:
- STEM: The need to attract and retain women in the STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) fields is well documented. Women currently make up less than a third of the science and engineering workforce, and the number of women in computing has actually declined over the past 20 years. At Mount Holyoke, about 30 percent of students major in STEM, which is significantly higher than the proportion of women who typically major in math or science at comparable coeducational institutions. More than 150 students regularly receive funding for summer research opportunities through The Lynk, the College's curriculum-to-career experience. Among baccalaureate colleges over the past 50 years, Mount Holyoke has the greatest number of women graduates who went on to earn doctorates in STEM.
- Financial services: Women are less likely to apply to Wall Street banks than their male counterparts. As a result, recruiting teams in the financial industry are responding by proactively creating special programs for our students.
Take Barclay's and Goldman Sachs in New York City, for example. They recently hosted a group of students from the historic women's colleges for an informational site visit, round-table discussions, networking events and a tour of the trading floors. Amazing opportunities like this are driven by a network of powerful, successful alumnae, who continually seek out ways to share guidance with students.
- Business: A study from the Women's College Coalition found that women's colleges produced a greater proportion of entrepreneurs than their coed counterparts. Recently, Harvard Business School launched a new program targeted to women's college graduates that invites them to learn more about its MBA program — a sign that prestigious graduate schools want women leaders in their classrooms.
Not only are companies and graduate schools recruiting women's college graduates heavily, they're also starting early. It's not uncommon for companies to offer opportunities for Mount Holyoke students as soon as the first year. High profile financial institutions have provided our students access to onsite visits, informational sessions and professional development opportunities long before students launch a job search. We are also seeing recruiters in the technology sector looking for our sophomores to join special summer programs aimed at developing young talent.
This trend is likely to continue — and a women's college is the place to be when it comes to snagging such an opportunity. The bottom line? Earning a top-notch education at a women's college opens doors in ways that might not be obvious at first glance. Don't be afraid to make a different — and gutsy — choice and then watch it pay off!


text:
Please contact our friendly staff for details on our most recent prices. We offer a variety of discounts depending on your situation.
All our prices are inclusive of a new RTC bookbag and induction pack and continuous feedback and advice. Sharp pencils, rubbers, rulers and exercise books are also provided.
CONTACT: 01892 800492/ email@example.com
As The Right Tuition Company are registered with Ofsted as a childcare provider, we are able to accept payment through Childcare Vouchers.
This is a tax-efficient way to save money on your lesson costs, and can be arranged through your workplace.
Please check with the government advice websites about the changes to childcare vouchers as these will be changing to a different scheme on April 5th 2019.


text:
A great Chef, in partnership with Serge Vieira
Serge Vieira chose his good friend, the talented chef Aurélien Gransagne, to run the kitchens at Restaurant Sodade. The two men met a number of years ago at Marc Meneau's restaurant, where Aurélien Gransagne was working as a chef, at a time when the restaurant boasted two macarons and the Relais et Châteaux label. That meeting led to a relationship of trust and a beautiful friendship. For Serge Vieira, offering this attractive position to his colleague and friend, a frequent guest on cooking shows who had often given his time to help out at the Couffour, seemed to be the obvious choice.


text:
Situated along the shoreline of the Chesapeake Bay, Hampton Virginia is a scenic community that dates to early English settlement. Hampton's strategic position near the harbor has made it place where military strongholds are established, commerce flourishes, and community life is nourished. Families, young professionals, retired individuals, and people of all ages find Hampton a pleasant place to live and work.
History in Hampton Virginia
Holding the distinction of being the oldest continuously inhabited English colony in the U.S. Hampton, Virginia was inhabited by colonists before they settled in Jamestown. By 1610 Fort Henry and Fort Charles were built. The early colonists called it Elizabeth City, and by 1705 it was established as the town of Hampton. Hampton University is an historic structure, since it was created in 1868 to educate freed slaves. Today Hampton University is an African American institution with a well-respected name, drawing students and scholars from across the globe. The historic battle between the ironclad ships Monitor and Merrimac was fought off the shores of Hampton. Today the Monitor Merrimac Bridge tunnel is a contemporary reminder of this important battle.
Why Relocate to Hampton, Virginia?
Hampton, a town of approximately 145,000 people, is poised to grow in the next 2-3 years. Hampton Coliseum, the site of the summertime Hampton Jazz Festival, is a marvelous venue for national and international stars. Hampton Town Center, (formerly the Hampton Coliseum Mall) is a new mixed use community at the same site as the mall, with offices, retail, shops, dining, a multiplex movie theater, and urban neighborhood living nearby. For those who love sun and surf, Hampton's Buckroe Beach is the public beach with plenty of parking. Fort Monroe is a historic site on the Chesapeake Bay where outdoor concerts are staged and some public events are held. Downtown Hampton has a great jazz bar, dining and entertainment and is close to Hampton University.
Boating: A Way of Life in Hampton
With its prime waterfront location, boating is one of the most popular activities in Hampton. Boaters may choose from several public boat ramps and marinas where boats can be docked during season. To make Hampton even more desirable for boaters – there is no boat tax for residents.
Economic Development in Hampton
Like other areas of Tidewater Virginia, Hampton is poised for economic growth and a modest increase in population in the next three to five years. This makes Hampton an excellent area to purchase a home. Thanks to just over 63 miles of shoreline, there are numerous waterfront homes in Hampton for the person who prefers to live on or near the bay or its tributaries. The city of Hampton is spearheading several initiatives to help businesses grow including an advertising grant program for downtown businesses. A Capital Improvement Plan, with public input, is on the agenda for the coming years for the City of Hampton, complementing economic growth even more.
Schools in Hampton Virginia
Parents wishing to relocate to Hampton can be at ease. Hampton City Schools are ranked #2 in the Commonwealth of Virginia for national board certified teachers and provide an excellent education. Education in the Hampton City Schools includes special programming to assist in education for the gifted and artistically talented. Hampton also has a wide choice of private schools, including Hampton Christian Schools, Fox Hill Private, as well as Hampton Montessori School.
Continuing Education for Adults
There are several ways adults may continue to learn and enhance their professional knowledge in Hampton. Hampton University is located here, as is Thomas Nelson Community College and Old Dominion University's Peninsula Center. All three institutions of higher education offer degree and non-degree classes to the adult learner at convenient times. For the busy professional, ODU's Peninsula Center offers distance and online learning, as well.
Outdoor Parks in Hampton
There are numerous outdoor parks in Hampton that appeal to a variety of age groups and outdoor lifestyles. For the person seeking a chance to walk or run, Matteson Trail or Sandy Bottom Nature Park are nice places to recreate. For the bather or sun worshipper, Buckroe Beach and Park is an excellent place along the Chesapeake Bay to relax. For the naturalist, Grandview Nature Preserve is a nice place to take in the wetlands and see migratory birds in season.
For young and old alike, Hampton is a great place to live and work. Population trends indicate that the 18-34 age group is nearly ¼ of the population of Hampton and will continue to grow. For this reason, Hampton will find ways to create an even better environment for the young professional whose average commute is about 20 minutes to work. For those interested in living a Chesapeake Bay lifestyle, Hampton is an appealing choice that combines Bay living with urban lifestyles.


text:
Community pours its heart into memorial
AN OUTPOURING of grief from the Townsville community has caused a riverside memorial for Barak Austral, 5, and Jhulio Sariago, 3, to swell in size.
Bouquets of flowers, toys, and heartfelt messages have been left for the two boys next to the spot they were found submerged.
The two brothers were found metres apart in a small cutaway area of the Ross River in Cranbrook nearly 12 hours after they had gone missing from their Brett St home on Monday afternoon.
Dan Strathie, a single father-of-three, was one of about 40 residents who helped search for Barak and Jhulio and returned to the spot yesterday to pay his respects.
Placing a note he had written at the memorial, Mr Strathie said the tragic incident "hit home".
"I'm just imaging their pain, they're [the boys' family] feeling it," he said. "Brothers, the water has taken you both away but the water will never take you away from each other," the note read.
"Blood is thicker than water, brothers for life."
Father-of-four David Lynton installed a cross at the memorial after learning Barak and Jhulio were his best mate's nephews.
"Just know you are not alone," one note read.
"Townsville stand beside you and are thinking about you in these difficult times.
"My heart breaks for you, I cannot begin to imagine what you are going through. Your beautiful boys will always be with you."


text:
In a morning interview with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC), BHP Billiton's CEO, Andrew Mackenzie, said recent changes in China's consumption of Australia's resources don't imply the decade of mining bonanza for Australia is over.
According to head of the world's largest mining company, Australia hasn't kissed the resources boom goodbye just yet. On the contrary, he claimed that for many of the commodities the country's resources industry produces there is a good chance to witness a demand increase of about 75% in the next 15 years.
Mackenzie also stressed the importance of Australia raising its competitiveness to take advantage of the profitable opportunities on offer.
"The question is not if Asia's demand for commodities will be met but rather which countries will deliver the supply," he said.
Australia's economy has been under increasing pressure over the past year, as slowing growth in China has led to waning demand and a slump in prices of key commodities.
The situation has led to declining investment and several large-scale resources projects have had to be shelved or abandoned. By the end of July, jobs cuts in the coal sector alone hit 11,000.
Watch the full interview here.


text:
The lack of posting around here should not be construed as a lack of activity. This has turned out to be a week with high demands from other aspects of my bookish life: Emerging Leaders, McNally Jackson (we -- by which I mean me -- are on Facebook AND Twitter now), a new blogging project (info TK), and mostly, working on Greenlight Bookstore. I've tidied up that other blog of mine (and Rebecca's) to reflect the evolving reality of our project, and in hopes that we'll be seeing some more traffic soon. We've also got a real estate lead that involves so many unknowns I can't even explain it right now, but it's potentially really exciting. So I've been kinda distracted.
I do, however, have a pile of recently read graphic novels I want to write about, and not one but TWO thrilling not-yet-published books in my bag: the new Kate Christensen, Trouble (out in June) and the new Jonathan Lethem, Chronic City (out so long from now I don't even know the date -- the book is still in manuscript form). So as soon as I'm done frantically tearing through those two I'll be posting frenzied fangirl reports. I'm also meeting one of my contemporary author heroes Jim Lynch, author of The Highest Tide and Border Songs, tomorrow afternoon, so I hope to report on that as well.
So with renewed promises I beg your forgiveness, and hope you can be satisfied with more to come. Happy reading!
Book Collecting Resources
8 months ago


text:
2016 was, well, one crazy son of a bitch. It took too many beloved icons to count, and gave us the most insane election ever, but was it really all bad? Or is it just the beginning?
Join us this week as we look back over the moments, losses and episodes of 2016 that we remember most! We also discusses the possible Christmas present from HAARP and our own recent UFO sighting!


text:
I recently performed an update from 18.104.22.168 to 126.96.36.199 and I noticed that the behavior of GetRemoteFileTextData changed. In the former version, the method returned right away with an empty string (or null I can't remember off the top of my head) if the file doesn't exist. The latter version waits for the timeout duration before returning. This is easily worked around by testing that the file exists with GetSizeByName().
I looked through the release notes and did see documentation of this api behavior change and it worries me that something else could exist that I haven't caught in my testing. Do you keep a record of API changes with each major release?


text:
Yersinia pestis is the causative agent of disease in a variety of mammals, and humans can become infected when human and animal ecologies intersect. This has led to several pandemics of plague in human history, and infection with Y. pestis is currently considered by the WHO as a re-emerging infectious disease because of the increased incidence in a wide number of countries. Bubonic plague is the most common form of disease and the untreated mortality rate is estimated at 40-70%. A number of recent studies from several groups suggest that Y. pestis actively causes immunosuppression early during infection. Furthermore, recent studies have shown that very early events after inoculation are responsible for determining the outcome of infection. One of the first steps in the pathogenesis of bubonic plague is dissemination of the pathogen from the inoculation site (IS) to the draining lymph node (DLN). It has long been believed that the bacteria disseminate to the DLN by trafficking in phagocytic cells. However, there is strikingly little in vivo data demonstrating this. We hypothesize that Y. pestis actively influences these early dissemination events by interacting with key components of the host innate response. Our long-term goal is to understand the mechanism of dissemination of Y. pestis from the IS to the DLN. Using an intradermal route (the route that most closely mimics that of the flea) of inoculation and a dissemination assay we recently developed, we are able to monitor the transit of bacteria to the DLN from the IS, and subsequently to systemic tissues. Here, we will specifically test in vivo (a) the widely held belief that phagocytic cells are important for traffiking Y. pestis from the IS to the DLN, and (b) effects by the Y. pestis virulence factors known to affect interactions with phagocytic cells in vitro for their impact on early dissemination to the DLN.
Yersinia pestis, a highly pathogenic bacterium, is the causative agent of disease in humans with bubonic plague being the most frequent form of the disease. Because of the increase in incidence in a wide number of countries, infection with Y. pestis is currently considered by the WHO as a re-emerging infectious disease. There also is significant concern that Y. pestis may be used as a bioterrorism agent due to its ease of aerosol dissemination and very rapid progression of disease. The very earliest interactions occurring between the host and Y. pestis appear to be the most important in terms of determining outcome for the patient, yet these interactions are the least well understood aspects of Y. pestis pathogenesis. A better understanding of this interplay is essential in order to develop prophylactics and therapeutics.
|Gonzalez, Rodrigo J; Miller, Virginia L (2016) A Deadly Path: Bacterial Spread During Bubonic Plague. Trends Microbiol 24:239-241
|Gonzalez, Rodrigo J; Weening, Eric H; Lane, M Chelsea et al. (2015) Comparison of Models for Bubonic Plague Reveals Unique Pathogen Adaptations to the Dermis. Infect Immun 83:2855-61
|Gonzalez, Rodrigo J; Lane, M Chelsea; Wagner, Nikki J et al. (2015) Dissemination of a highly virulent pathogen: tracking the early events that define infection. PLoS Pathog 11:e1004587


text:
Your Action:
Register for the 2013 REALTORS® Conference & Expo
Your Reward:
An autographed copy of Luke Williams' book DISRUPT, Tablets Compared: Find the Right Fit for Your Real Estate Business-Webinar Download, and a chance to win $250
- Click Here to View Reward
- An autographed copy of conference speaker Luke Williams' book "Disrupt: Think the Unthinkable to Spark Transformation in Your Business" examines disruptive strategies and unexpected ideas that you can use to change your real estate business, a $18.43 value.
- "Tablets Compared: Find the Right Fit for Your Real Estate Business-Download," a $29.95 value. You'll learn about today's most popular tablets so you can choose the right one for your business.
- And all members who take advantage of this MVP offer will be entered for a chance to win a $250 gift card – great for spending money in San Francisco!
You have until October 15, 2013 to order the Tablets Compared: Find the Right Fit for Your Real Estate Business-Download product & claim your Reward from the Realtor.org/Store before it expires.
- A Total Value of $38.43
Details:Register for the 2013 REALTORS® Conference & Expo, Nov. 8-11, in San Francisco, CA under a "Premier Access Pass" or "One Day Pass" registration option. Provide a valid e-mail address and a valid mailing address during the registration process.
Within 48 hours of your registration confirmation, you will receive an e-mail with instructions on how to order your "Tablets Compared: Find the Right Fit for Your Real Estate Business-Download" from the Realtor.org/Store. You will also receive an autographed copy of Luke Williams' book DISRUPT by USPS mail. Books will be shipped USPS to U.S. mailing addresses after September 15. The drawing for the $250 gift card will be held on September 16 and the winner will be notified no later than September 30.
Click on the ACT NOW button to register for "Premier Access Pass" or the "One Day Pass" today!
Offer valid for registrations made Sept. 1-15, 2013 only; prior Conference & Expo registrations do not qualify. Offer only valid for Premier Access Pass and One-Day Pass registration options. Only U.S. members of the National Association of REALTORS® are eligible to receive this offer; must have a valid NRDS ID to qualify.
Don't miss the 2013 REALTORS® Conference & Expo, featuring 100 education sessions, 400 industry exhibitors and dozens of networking opportunities and special events. Register today, this offer ends Sept. 15, 2013.


text:
Get organized early
The mistake most people make is planning their menu and doing their shopping the week of Christmas. You have a lot last-minute gifts to buy, sudden changes of plans (your own and your guests) and you have to fight the crowds of stressed-out people who are in exactly the same position you are.
About a month before Christmas, start your planning. Write every event you plan to host or cook for (even if it's just a single dish) on the calendar. Then plan the menu for each.
Plan your menu carefully
Write down every dish you'd like to make for each occasion on your calendar. When you're done, go back and highlight any must-haves. These will be ingrained family traditions you just can't have Christmas without. Then look back through your menu to find things you can cut. If there's a dish that only one person really likes, maybe you should skip that this year. Don't be afraid to ask guests to bring a couple of dishes, too.
Look for recipes online that might be easier to make than your usual. You're looking for things that can be made ahead, things that make use of pre-made ingredients to save you time and things that can cook in countertop appliances (like a slow-cooker).
Make a list and check it twice
Write your shopping list out to the last detail. Include cookware you may need to purchase, wine and liquor and special tableware. Go over the list at least three times before you shop. Buy as much nonperishable food ahead of time as possible. Look online for great deals from places that will deliver (one less errand to run!). Buy perishables several days before the event and store them properly.
Cook with a battle plan
Remember those make-ahead recipes you looked for previously? Make them as far ahead as you can and refrigerate or freeze them. Many casseroles can be put together, frozen, then defrosted and cooked the day before. Make (or even purchase) your desserts as far ahead of time as possible. A pumpkin pie will be just as good in three days. In many recipes, even the turkey can be prepped the night before!
Make use of countertop appliances the day of. The turkey or ham will take up your oven for hours. Borrow appliances if you need to. Having three slow-cookers working will save you from last-minute scramble-cooking and will make sure dinner starts on time.
Don't sweat the small stuff
There's no such thing as a perfect dinner party. And nobody really cares if you burned the potatoes. In three years, they'll remember the great laughs they had with you.
Christmas dinner recipes
Last-minute Christmas dinner recipes
Delicious Christmas dinner recipes
Best Christmas recipes


text:
Trading Hours
|Monday to Saturday: 10h00 – 16h00
Sunday: Closed
Public Holidays: 10h00 – 16h00 excluding Good Friday, Christmas day & New Year
General info
|Proprietor: Nico Fourie
Winemaker: Nico Fourie
Viticulturist: Nico Fourie
Marketing: Nico Fourie
PRO: Maureen Fourie
|Area under vines: 8 ha
Production: 5 ton per ha
Brands: Herold
Wines: Variety of white and red wines including Pinot Noir, semi-sweet red blend, Weisser Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc/Semillon blend.
Wine Tourism: Wine tasting and sales. Teas and light meals. Walks and hikes. Farm cottage accommodation.
More about us
Accessed via the scenic Montagu Pass – winding its way up the mountains above George in the Garden Route – Herold Wines is the only winery growing, making and bottling wine in the Outeniqua Ward, Southern Cape. This family owned farm offers friendly, relaxed cellar tours, wine tastings, teas and light meals around the fireplace in a tasting room set amidst the tanks and barrels or at sun dappled tables under the vines at Herold Wines' cellar.
Farm roads and fynbos footpaths lead to vineyards and mountain pools. Rugs in shady spots with views over the vineyards invite picnickers and wide open spaces, secret pathways and hideaways between rocks and trees create adventures for children and dogs.
The frosty winters and cool misty summers of the Outeniqua Mountains contribute to perfect cool climate conditions and a long ripening season for the 6ha of vineyard which has produced quality grapes for Herold Wines since 2003 – Pinot Noir, Sauvignon Blanc, a blend of Shiraz/Merlot/Cabernet Sauvignon, a daringly different Sauvignon Blanc/ wooded Chardonnay/Pinot Noir blend and an unusual wooded Pinot Noir dessert wine.
Get your favourite wines delivered to your door step. Buy our wines online! View our selection of wines and browse through our easy-to-use online shop. Please follow link: http://heroldwines.co.za/shop/
Accommodation in a two bedroom farm cottage makes the ideal base from which to explore the Garden Route and Klein Karoo by car, on foot or cycle.
The two bed roomed guest cottages on Herold Wines has had a spring face-lift and is available for accommodation at R250 per person per night. Discount out of season.
For enquiries and bookings please contact Maureen Fourie at firstname.lastname@example.com or call +27 (0)72 833 8223.
Meet the winemaker
Nico Fourie is the owner and winemaker of Herold Wines in the Outeniqa mountains high above George. He is an outdoor person with a love for adventure and is addicted to beautiful sunsets over mountains and rivers. (He is definitely in the right spot!)
His favourite wine from Herold:
I just love the Pinot Noir. It probably is the soft, silky palette and powerful flavors that make this wine a favored one.
Fact about Nico you probably did not know:
He loves fishing and traveling through Africa on back roads in a self-restored old Land Cruiser.
Meet the PRO
Ingrid Scheepers has worked for Herold Wines since 2008. She grew up in Herold and completed matric in Oudtshoorn.
Her favourite wine from the cellar
The Skaamskaap – a Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir blend! It is an interesting blend that is delicious, smooth and easy drinking.
Fact about Ingrid you probably did not know
Her favourite food is potatoes – in any form.


text:
Heat Vision:
Sony will release Neill Blomkamp's high-profile Elysium on March 8, 2013, in time to take advantage of spring break and the Easter holiday.
Word of the release date comes as Sony rounds out of the cast of the sci-fi project, which Media Rights Capital is making. Brazilian actor Wagner Moura is the latest addition.


text:
Independent Death/Black/Thrash Metal label & Mail-order. Focusing on vinyl releases.
200.00 kr
Aurora Borealis is an 8 track full length album addressing the cognitive realities of Earthern nature realized by M.S. in Reykjavík, Iceland. Written in December during the recordings of the 'Tchornobog' album.
The album as a whole visualizes the Aurora Borealis as a gateway from Earth to space by use of solar winds. Through this, the early functions of Citadel Alunar were gathered through the cold embrace. The preparations made by human craftsmen ensured that The Citadel was created properly to succumb to cold, dead, and empty space.
Among one of the skulls of these craftsmen nestled a rebellion of Earthern life, one of a psychological disorder — wherein his desire to die outside of Earth proved to be a most painful physical experience…
In stock
There are no reviews yet.
Only logged in customers who have purchased this product may leave a review.


text:
A "dry" 90-degree morning is still hot. The sun beat down on the shorts-clad James Madison High School Marching Band members standing in the open softball field. Perched upon a ladder, band director Michael Hackbarth, in hat and sunglasses, called out instructions and observations through a microphone. Another wired director, drill designer Kent Baker, walked among the students, detailing steps, counts and beats.
An electronic Metronome called out beats as the band members concentrated on their footwork.
"Water break," Hackbarth called out, and in noticeable relief, dozens of sweating students walked, instruments in hand, off the field for 15 minutes of respite.
This is Madison High School's annual summer band camp.
"This is just the wind section," said Hackbarth. "Percussion and flag drill team are practicing inside. Next week, we unite the whole 120-member band."
The visual routine, choreographed to the band's interpretation of "Adagio for Strings," is designed by Baker, and practiced in brief, 5-second "musical phrases." As the band masters each musical phrase throughout the fall season, more "phrases" are added.
Hackbarth estimates that the band will know the material well by late September, and will have it mastered in time for the big Towson band competition on Oct. 20.
Baker's drill book, in which he charts out every single step to every count, is as complex as a football playbook. Each page of squares and arrows represents a musical phrase.
"We pace it out so that the entire football season is for learning and mastering," said Baker. "We've got 120 students executing the visual and musical elements at the same time."
If a section sounds louder than the others, Hackbarth hears that and corrects it. If someone — or more than one someone — is out of step, Hackbarth's eyes pick that up and corrects it. But Hackbarth is pleased by their progress, pronouncing the band, at one point, "ridiculously good."
Baker, on the field, reminds the band members that the steps are very specific, as he counts out eight steps, 4 boxcutter, more steps and then reverse. The students pay attention as they rehearse.
DESPITE THE HEAT, despite the repetition, band president and clarinetist Ian O'Neill said, "If you're not playing football, band's a great thing to do.
"The people are fabulous," said O'Neill. "It's a great thing to come in on the first day of school as a freshman and know so many people.
"I like traveling to competitions, too."
O'Neill's cadre of "best friends" prefer concert season to marching band season. Rising senior Melissa Kinter, flute section leader, feels concert music, with its emphasis on musical finesse, is more challenging. Alto saxophone section leader, Mason Lubert, agrees.
"Marching band is as devoted to visual elements as musical ones," said Lubert. "Whereas in concert band, you focus on the musical details only."
James Sennett, the low brass section leader, was more direct. He really likes doing music, and, he, too, prefers the concert season. A climate-controlled environment is very nice, Sennett said.
James Airhart will be starting college soon. A 2007 graduate of Madison High School and a four-year band participant, Airhart stopped by to watch his old friends practice.
"I enjoyed concert season most of all," said Airhart. "But marching season was fun when we were doing competitions.
"Competition really gives you a sense of accomplishment."
ALMOST FOUR hours since the start of the day's practice, the band breaks for lunch. Baker tells them their performance surpasses where he thought they would be in terms of quality.
They have down 30 seconds of their performance routine. By the close of the practice day, the band will have learned about a minute of their performance.
"Guys," says Hackbarth, "give yourself a round of applause."
They do.


text:
News from the Darwin Sailing Club
Sail, socalise and dine in the heart of Darwin
Sail, socalise and dine in the heart of Darwin
After consideration of changes in both anchor and anchor stowage design, particularly for cruiser/racers, Sailing Committee has removed NoR clause 3.8, relating to requirements for anchor stowage. Safe stowage is STILL required and will be assessed as part of the safety declaration/audit process
The updated NoR is available HERE
What did you think? Pick your social network below and share.


text:
With our powerful solution already in place, introducing these add-on modules will make workforce management even more productive and efficient.
NOVApower Analytics is a new, dynamic way for companies to visualize their workforce management data. ODATA is used to link the NOVAtime Workforce Management / Time and Attendance solution to NOVApower Analytics, allowing all of your workforce data to be transformed into interactive, presentation ready graphs which are both visually impressive and extremely useful. You can retrieve, analyze, transform and report on any data to generate intelligent insights for one of the largest expenditures of your business, your employees' work hours. NOVApower Analytics allows you to visualize and analyze years' worth of data, combining, eliminating and customizing them into various charts and graphs for powerful, analytical, and actionable presentations. Analyzed data can then be scheduled to be sent out via email, allowing businesses to keep tabs on their workforce with ease.
Learn More.
NOVApower Analytics serves as new dynamic way to efficiently pull days, weeks, months or even years' worth of data together providing the insights necessary to adjust processes, practices and policies in just a few seconds! For a dynamic look at NOVApower Analytics, and how it differs in functionality from NOVAtime's NOVAanalytics module, watch this video.
NOVApower Analytics serves as new dynamic way to efficiently pull days, weeks, months or even years' worth of data together providing the insights necessary to adjust processes, practices and policies in just a few seconds! For a dynamic look at NOVApower Analytics, and how it differs in functionality from NOVAtime's NOVAanalytics module, watch this video.
NOVAtime's PPACA module enhances the NOVAtime workforce management / time & attendance solution with robust features that aid compliance with provisions of both the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. The module assists in identifying employees that qualify for "minimum essential" healthcare coverage under the PPACA, helping businesses avoid penalties.
Additionally, this module is also assisting many long-term care facilities, such as Vivage and Retirement Housing Foundation with Center for Medical Services' (CMS) Payroll Based Journal electronic reporting (PBJ electronic reporting) requirements, recording the required information and dropping it into an exportable file, ready for delivery to the CMS.
The NOVAtime Automated Time Distribution feature allows managers to distribute work hours—automatically—without requiring employees to input job transfers throughout the day. The enhanced feature calculates daily totals of qualified timesheet hours and distributes these hours based on the pre-configured distribution rules. It extends the capability of the existing time distribution feature, which allows for manual distribution, and is ideal for cases in which employees' real-time transfers are deemed too time consuming and labor costs are routinely changed to a selection of labor groups. The end result is transferred to payroll and included in specific system reports for cost analysis and management.
It distributes daily work hours to selected labor groups and pay codes based on the following:
The NOVAtime Point System feature tracks employee attendance and exceptions, while assigning merits and demerits. It allows point values to be assigned to exceptions (e.g. tardiness, absences, and leaving early), and rules and threshold levels can be set up so that supervisors can view employees who meet or exceed the threshold of the selected exception type. Once a threshold is reached, the system can automatically generate pre-configured HR documents that supervisors may review with their employees. Ultimately, the Point System gives employers a cost effective means of awarding dedicated employees for proper attendance, while disciplining those who do not abide by company policies.
The NOVAtime Expense module is a valuable tool for companies that require employees to submit company expenses. System administrators can configure all or specified employees to have access to the Expense module, which will allow them to input selected expenses (e.g. mileage, airfare, lodging, meals, etc.) via Employee Web Services. Expense records can then be submitted to supervisors for approval.
NOVAtime provides internal, system-define messages and email alerts for added efficiency in various stages of the system workflow. The NOVAtime Notification engine enables event triggers to be selected with filters and other specifications, keeping supervisors up to date and fully informed regarding their workforce.
The most cost-saving function of the system is the NOVAtime Lockouts feature. This can be used to restrict employees' use of the system, eliminating unauthorized overtime by preventing them from punching IN too early and/or OUT too late. Lockout restrictions can be based on an employee's daily start/end time (fixed shift, or single schedule), or based on the Global Lockout setting that restricts all employees to the same lockout schedule.
Note: Additional fee may apply
Would you like a simple way to access your SaaS data in real-time, in Microsoft Office 365 or 2013? NOVAanalytics is an add-on module in NOVAtime 5000. The NOVAanalytics app allows customers to export data from a set of predefined tables within the NOVAtime application, taking analytics to the next level by using MS Excel, Pivot Tables and Pivot Charts.


text:
Glucoamylase (also known as amyloglucosidase) is a type of digestive enzyme that cleaves or breaks off a free glucose molecule from the complex sugar-based chains that form starch or from the simpler sugar, maltose. The glucose that is freed can then be used as a source of energy for the body.
The most potent form of supplemental glucoamylase is cultured from A. niger.
Basically, glucoamylase helps to break down starch that occurs naturally in most vegetables that we eat (in very high amounts in common foods like potatoes, corn, rice, and wheat) or is added as filler or processing additive in many prepared food products.
It is a specific type of amylase (starch-digesting enzyme) that our bodies produce in the mouth and pancreas, but it may also be derived from non-animal sources.
Glucoamylase is often described separately from amylase because it digests starches in a particular way, removing free glucose molecules from the end of the starchy chains rather than simply breaking these longer chains simply into smaller chains.
It is part of an extremely important group of enzymes that allow us to absorb nutrients and create energy from some of the most common plant foods that we eat.
The health benefits of glucoamylase
Every day, human beings eat large amounts of starches, and while these carbohydrates have some nutritional value, they cannot be absorbed or digested by the body without the help of enzymes. Glucoamylase is one type of enzyme that can break down these starches into glucose, which is absorbable and usable.
This helps take the heavy load off of our digestive processes, reducing many common digestive upsets such as…
- heaviness,
- lethargy,
- bloating,
- gas
- and loose stools.
Here are some of the many health benefits of Glucoamylase.
Irritable Bowel Syndrome:
This enzyme, when combined with other enzymes has been shown to aid in easing the negative effects of irritable bowel syndrome. This double-blind, crossover study shows the efficacy of enzymes such as glucoamylase in optimizing digestion. Participants who ate a high-calorie, high-fat meal took digestive enzymes, and other placebo group participants did not. Their gastrointestinal symptoms were recorded over a period of 17 hours, and it was found that people taking the enzymes had statistically significantly reduction in bloating, flatulence, and the sensation of fullness.
Digestive Upset & Gastrointestinal Issues:
Another double-blind, placebo-controlled human trial found that enzymes containing glucoamylase helped decrease negative digestive upset in a group of hospital patients who had gastrointestinal troubles, over an 8 week period. The enzymes helped the patients reduce such common symptoms as nausea, vomiting, gas, heartburn, bloating and loss of appetite.
Autoimmune Diseases & Inflammation:
Studies show that glucoamylase combined with other enzymes can also lower autoimmunity responses, as well as inflammation. In the case of autoimmune diseases, antigens and antibodies, when not cleared out over time, can create tissue damage in the body. This can lead to diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, lupus and some types of kidney disease. Some research suggests that enzymes can influence the immune system in beneficial ways.
May Help Digestive Organs:
Studies on animals show a clear link that supplemental enzymes reduce the load on digestive organs. Animal experiments show that enzymes create healthier intestinal brush borders and better nutrient absorption capacities in turkeys, mice and pigs.
May Help Balance Blood Sugar:
A 2009 study published in the Journal of Nutrition, laboratory studies found that glucoamylase plays a key role in starch digestion and in balancing blood sugar around meals in mice.
May Help Reduce Food Allergies:
Preliminary research suggests that enzymes like glucoamylase may help reduce food allergies. Specifically, carbohydrates like glucoamylase were beneficial in lowering allergies to several different foods.
How to read the units of measurement
AGU (Glucoamylase or Amyloglucosidase Unit) is the FCC measurement for glucoamylase. One unit of glucoamylase activity is defined as the amount of glucoamylase that will liberate 0.1 µmol/min of p-nitrophenol from the PNPG Solution at pH 4.5 and 50°C on a casein substrate.
The FCC notation stands for Foods Chemical Codex, and is a division of USP (United States Pharmacopeia). It sets standards for ingredients. In the case of enzymes, FCC is a standard assay used to accurately determine the activity of enzymes. The current compendium is FCC VI.
Even though it is extremely difficult to understand how the units are determined, it is crucial to understand that activity is uniform in order to compare the strength of one product to another or to make sure that you are taking enough of the enzyme to have an effect.
Dr. Edward F. Group III has his Naturopathic Doctorate, Clinical Herbalist, Holistic Health Practitioner, Clinical Nutritionist certifications, and is a Diplomate of the American Clinical Board of Nutrition and the American Board of Functional Medicine. He founded Global Healing Center Inc. in 1998 which has earned recognition as one of the largest alternative, natural and organic health resources on the Internet.
A dynamic author and speaker, Dr. Group focuses solely on spreading the message of health and wellness to the global community with the philosophy of full body cleansing, most importantly colon cleansing, consuming pure clean organic food, water, air, exercise and nutritional supplementation. Visit GlobalHealingCenter.com to learn more about living green and healthy!
Latest posts by Dr. Edward Group (see all)
- Top 6 reasons to try kombucha tea - October 4, 2016
- Always tired? Your thyroid could be to blame - September 24, 2016
- 9 surprising uses for the chili pepper extract capsaicin - September 1, 2016


text:
SIDNEY, Ohio (WDTN) – A freezing rain advisory means roads could be slick Friday night and Saturday morning. Crews started pre-treating the roads late Thursday night and continued through Friday.
Crews across the Miami Valley have been treating highways and main thoroughfares with brime–that's a mixure of salt and water. Using brime allows crews enough time to reach all their routes before roads get too slick.
We checked in with one of those crews earlier Friday. In Shelby County, 3 trucks are out pre-treating the main roads, hills and alleys.
The Sidney Public Works Department is staying prepare just in case conditions get worse. They'll have 4 trucks sitting, ready to go, with drivers on call throughout Friday night and Saturday.
The City will monitor the weather until 10:30 Friday night. Then, the Sidney Police Department will take over that job overnight.
"We're watching the radar and the forecast," Sidney Public Works Director Gary Clough said. "It looks like we may get some ice throughout the evening. We're certainly ready to handle that, but if it gets worse we are ready to respond quickly."
That Freezing Rain Advisory is in effect starting at 7 o'clock Friday night and running until 1 p.m. Saturday afternoon.


text:
Column: Connecticut FOI Commission did its job at hearing
Noted columnist Andy Thibault recently wrote an op-ed, along with former Register Citizen reporter Isaac Avilucea, about their frustrating experience during a recent hearing before the Freedom of Information Commission ("FOIC"). The op-ed authors have some harsh words for the hearing officer, FOIC commissioner Matthew Streeter. The authors write of Streeter that "his bias and negligence pose a dire warning for any lay complainants who appear before the FOI Commission going forward." They further complain that Streeter sustained most of the objections raised by Assistant Attorney General Terrence O'Neill (who represented the State Police at the hearing) and also accuse Streeter of "suppress[ing] evidence and statements that normally and customarily would be admitted during Freedom of Information hearings."
I watched the CT-N recording of the hearing and I strongly disagree with the sentiments the op-ed authors expressed. Still, I think I know why Messrs. Thibault and Avilucea felt frustrated.
As the authors correctly note, any citizen can file a complaint with the FOIC and appear before the commission without an attorney. The hearing process is designed to be relatively informal and user-friendly for members of the public and the media who do not have legal representation. But, a hearing before the FOIC is still a legal proceeding. Although the rules of evidence are not strictly applicable in FOIC hearings, fundamental notions of "relevance" still guide the proceedings. The evidence a party seeks to admit must be relevant to the issue that the FOIC is being asked to decide. A hearing officer acts properly when he or she sustains an objection to a party's request to introduce an irrelevant document or witness testimony into the record.
So, why did the hearing process in this case so frustrate and upset the op-ed authors? I think the answer lies in a disconnect between what they were trying to prove and what was, in fact, legally relevant for them to prove.
The authors filed a FOI complaint because they believed the State Police had failed to "promptly" produce a police report of an incident in which a police officer was involved. The State Police did not produce the full report until fourth months after the incident. The failure to produce a requested document "promptly" is a violation of the Freedom of Information Act. The authors wanted the FOIC to impose a monetary fine on the State Police for the delayed production of the report. (By the time it was produced, it was no longer particularly newsworthy.) The authors sought to prove that there was no practical impediment to the State Police having produced the report much earlier.
The State Police, however, had a very different view of the case. Whether it would have been physically possible to produce the report earlier was not the issue. Rather, they relied on a recent Connecticut Supreme Court decision that says when a person is arrested the State Police are only required to release basic "police blotter" information about the arrest, such as the name of the arrestee and nature and date of the offense. (The police often release that information in the form of a press release.) The decision held that the police do not have to release the full police report until the criminal charges are actually resolved. (For the record, I disagree with the decision. But it is the law.) The State Police had released the basic blotter information in a timely manner, and the criminal matter at issue wasn't resolved for several months. So, from the State Police's perspective, they had issued the full report as "promptly" as the law required.
The hearing officer apparently agreed with the State Police's perspective on the legal issue in the case. Consequently, much of the evidence that Mr. Thibault and Mr. Avilucea wanted to introduce–which was intended to show that the State Police easily could have issued the full report earlier than they did–was legally irrelevant. That's why the hearing officer repeatedly sustained the State Police's objections.
One last point. Mr. Thibault and Mr. Avilucea describe the hearing officer as "suppressing" documents and evidence. That is a loaded word. Sustaining an objection to legally irrelevant evidence is not "suppressing" anything. Nothing was hidden from the public. Nothing was sealed. Rather, the document in question–a "cut and paste" document Mr. Thibault created, which contained portions of the police report at issue, along with some personal notations of his own–was deemed legally irrelevant and, hence, was not admitted in evidence. Judges and administrative agency hearing officers make those kinds of decisions concerning the admissibility of evidence all the time.
In sum, I understand Mr. Thibault's and Mr. Avilucea's frustration. But the FOIC did its job, fairly and according to the law. Their harsh criticism of the hearing officer and the hearing process is not justified.
* * *
Dan Klau is the Immediate Past President and Chairman of the Board of the Connecticut Foundation for Open Government. This article first appeared on his blog, www.appealinglybrief.com.


text:
Megan and Sarah would like you to do the following by Monday:
This weekend please catalogue all of the clothing you have with you at Alfred. Feel free to document this information in any format (ie: lists, charts, drawings, sculptures, photographs, etc.) Bring the documentation of your catalogue to class on Monday and be ready to share.


text:
Many medical groups and practices find themselves needing to hire a CEO, Administrator, or Clinic Manager. Frequently, a new candidate is not readily available, and a regional or national search must be conducted. It can take several months to find the right candidate. This leaves the practice with a need for interim leadership.
We consider the role of interim CEO or Administrator to be a great opportunity to assist the group with a general business assessment, as well as a good time to deal with any difficult organizational issues. By definition, an interim leader is there only temporarily, which allows for decisions and actions that may be advantageous to the practice, but politically unpopular. We've served in this capacity many times for groups of all sizes, and have improved operations, right-sized teams, and done other challenging work to set the new leader up for success.
We can tailor interim work to fit your organization's needs and your budget; we can also assist with the recruitment process.
We work with our clients in the following areas:
Clinical Operations Assessment
Strategic and Succession Planning
Mergers and Consolidations


text:
Vox pop
With reference to the editorial Into the battle without a plan (Our Take, April 2), it is not correct to say that BJP chief Rajnath Singh formed a new team without any tangible plan for the 2014 elections.india Updated: Apr 03, 2013, 23:34 IST
Number of seats will determine Nitish Kumar's bargaining power
With reference to the editorial Into the battle without a plan (Our Take, April 2), it is not correct to say that BJP chief Rajnath Singh formed a new team without any tangible plan for the 2014 elections. With the help of a deftly designed political marketing strategy, including social media exposure, Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi successfully created a 'Modi-mania' that Singh could not ignore. Many people predict that if Modi is the BJP's prime ministerial candidate, allies like the JD(U) will move away from the NDA. Such a thing will only happen if the JD(U) wins a substantial number of seats in the election.
Pramod Srivastava, via email
Left is no match for Congress
Sitaram Yechury in More than just a front (Left Hand Drive, April 2) does not believe in accepting the reality that the Left has rendered itself irrelevant in coalition politics. Yechury must understand that the Congress can more than just match the Left, despite the former's pseudo-secular credentials. He needs to spell out what the party stands for rather than lash out at the shortcomings of other parties. It is time development-related topics got its place in the agenda political parties put forward.
Ashish Rai, via email
SC helps the medicine go down
This refers to Novartis loses landmark patent fight, key cancer drug to remain affordable (April 2), the Supreme Court's court's rejection of Novartis' patent claim is commendable. Patients are being looted by drug companies. The exorbitant prices of branded medicines make treatment unaffordable for a number of diseases. The difference between the cost of generic and branded versions of the same medicine is shared by the drug-makers, retail sellers and doctors. It should be made mandatory to prescribe a medicine by its generic name.
MC Joshi, Lucknow


text:
SubSonicHobby - RC Plane Drone UAV Car Boat
Anything relates to RC, technology and innovative hobbies.
Video Collection
Resource and Download
Tell Us Where You Fly RC Planes
Contact Us
29 August 2010
BananaHobby - 50mm EDF F-16 Crash
First EDF RC plane crash
Very inexperience RC pilot!!!!!!!!
Flew the 50mm F-16 and crashed it. Electronics are fine, now waiting on the new frame to arrive.
Email This
Share to Twitter
Share to Facebook
Share to Pinterest
No comments :
Post a Comment
Newer Post
Subscribe to:
Post Comments ( Atom )


text:
The Institute of Directors warned that the introduction of a tax on graduates' future earnings would punish those who worked the hardest and secured the best jobs.
In a report, it said a tax – one of a series of options being considered as part of a major review of student finance – could also lead to a "brain drain" as Britain's most successful graduates are driven overseas.
The conclusions came as the Liberal Democrats passed a motion at their annual conference in Liverpool calling on party leaders to build cross-party consensus for a "graduate tax system" to replace tuition fees.
But Miles Templeman, director-general of the IoD, which represents more than 40,000 business leaders, said the move would undermine Britain's economic competitiveness.
"It makes no sense to create a funding model that encourages a brain drain, puts new cost burdens on employers and financially penalises students who work hard at university and demonstrate merit," he said.
Lord Browne, the former head of BP, is reviewing the current system of student fees, grants, loans and bursaries. His recommendations will be published next month – before the Government sets out its preferred method of funding degree courses.
It is widely expected to lead to a rise in the cost of a university degree, with speculation that fees could more than double from £3,290 to £7,000.
However, the Coalition appears split over the system of funding a fee rise.
Earlier this month, David Willetts, the Universities Minister, ruled out a "full blown" graduate tax.
But on Tuesday the Lib Dems backed a motion to "explore the possibility of building cross party support around replacing tuition fees and student loans with a graduate tax system".
The IoD report said that a tax – in which graduates contribute a proportion of their income for life – would be hugely damaging as hard-working students made far bigger payments.
"The more diligently a student spent his or her time at university, and the more effectively he or she laid the foundations for a successful and well-remunerated career, the more they would ultimately contribute towards the cost of their studies," said the report.
"Conversely, a student who enjoyed the same opportunity, at the same university, but wasted it, would likely contribute less. For the same reasons, it would act as a dampener on career development once in the workplace."
The IoD report – 20 Reasons Why a Graduate Tax is a Bad Idea – suggests that students who drop out of their course may also be rewarded under the system.
"A pure graduate tax, by targeting those who had 'graduated' from a higher education institution, would presumably not apply to those failing to complete their courses, and might offer a perverse incentive to drop out just before finishing," it said.
The report also warned that a graduate tax would fail to differentiate between students at top or poor-performing universities and lead to a "brain drain" as top students flee overseas to avoid paying.
Aaron Porter, president of the National Union of Students, which has supported a graduate tax, branded the report "baseless scaremongering ".
"The unsupported assertion that a graduate tax would cause a brain drain is the last resort of those who are losing the argument," he said.


text: Media / Julian Assange Assange Threatened to Sue Guardian Over Leaked Cables Vanity Fair probes WikiLeaks' relationship with media partners By Rob Quinn, Newser Staff Posted Jan 6, 2011 5:59 AM CST Copied WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange delivers a statement to the media outside the High Court, London, after his release on bail, Thursday, Dec. 16, 2010. (AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis) (Newser) – Julian Assange, allegedly a slave to transparency, threatened to sue the Guardian if it printed stories based on cables leaked without his permission, according to a lengthy Vanity Fair investigation of WikiLeaks' troubled relationship with its media partners. The threat came after a disgruntled WikiLeaks volunteer gave the newspaper documents Assange hadn't authorized. "Assange's position was rife with ironies," notes reporter Sarah Ellison. story continues below The Guardian became the first of WikiLeaks' media partners after investigative reporter Nick Davies tracked down Assange last summer, shortly after the site had published a classified video showing a US helicopter shooting civilians in Iraq. Assange later invited other papers, including the New York Times and Spain's El Pais, to join the collaboration, but the uneasy marriage quickly became troubled, particularly over the issue of editing out sensitive information. "Everyone's a cheat," complained one editor. (Read more Julian Assange stories.)


text:
Our physical presence throughout the supply chain and our commitment to quality enables us to provide our customers with products that can be trusted and relied on. Additionally, we work with our producers to utilize crop rotations which reduce the amount of non-renewable energy inputs over time. We are committed to doing our part to help the environment and maintain an ecological balance.
CGI has a strong presence in the grain industry, led by an experienced management team.
CGI handles grains, oilseeds, and pulses. Click here to learn more about our products.


text:
The Yapper Zapper is one of those devices which fall in to the category of use at your own risk, but it would provide you with a little peace and quiet from the continual annoyance of mobile phones and text messages arriving if that's what you require.
So if you feel like helping a few people out in the cinema the next time you go to see a movie, simply slip into your pocket and not one mobile phone will ring during the duration of the film. Bliss!
The Yapper Zapper has been designed to block GSM, CDMA, DCS, PHS and 3G signals within a radius of up to 10 m or around 30 feet, and can perform the task for up to 2 hours on a single charge.
Unfortunately devices like the Yapper Zapper are illegal in most countries but if you need one they are available to buy for $109. But use it at your own risk.
Source: Red Ferret


text: Ed Comer is married to Cathy, with whom he as three children and five grandchildren. He attended the University of Richmond, then received his medical degree at the Medical College of Virginia, after which he specialized in pediatrics. He has practiced pediatric medicine in the Harrisonburg area for about 40 years. During this time he served on the Rockingham School Board for eight years. He also held various roles on the Rockingham Memorial Hospital Staff. He is very active in the Massanutten Presbyterian Church and the Cross Keys, Mill Creek Ruritan Club. Ed is an avid gardener, loves classical music and enjoys playing the piano. He is an enthusiastic supporter of the Bach Festival and enjoyed serving as Advisory Board President for several years.


text:
LA PALOMA — Authorities are considering filing charges against the driver of a pickup truck that plunged into a ditch, killing a 21-year-old San Benito woman and sending the driver and four passengers to the hospital.
Emma Ybarra was killed after the Ford F-150 pickup dove into the ditch at the mud pit north of Rancho Grande subdivision off U.S. 281 at about 2:56 a.m. Saturday, Gus Reyna, chief deputy of the Cameron County Sheriff's Office, said yesterday.
Reyna said officials are considering filing charges against the driver, who was intoxicated.
"We anticipate he was under the influence," he said.
"It plunged into the ditch," Reyna said. "There was a lot of damage to the vehicle — and that's a big truck."
Reyna said the driver and four passengers remain hospitalized in critical condition.
"Hopefully, nobody (else) passes away," Reyna said, adding he was withholding the names of the driver and other passengers.


text:
Search results
Keep Your Victory Garden Growing Into Winter
into fall and winter. Check out this Spectrum News 1 story with Tim McDermott, Agriculture and Natural ... to garden on Tim's blog, Growing Franklin. victory fall garden vegetables harvest ...
Taking Flight with Community Science Bats Webinar
Resources, Wildlife technician Join Sarah as she leads us in learning about the life cycle ecology and ...
Landaverde receives international fellowship
agricultural communication, education, and leadership graduate program offers graduate programs leading to the ... Agricultural Communication, Education, and Leadership (ACEL) at The Ohio State University was named one of ... promising socially-responsible, for-profit agricultural businesses. Through the use of a "real-world, ...
EPN recording available 'Talking Climate in a Purple State'
including Time Magazine's 100 Most Influential People, Foreign Policy's 100 Leading Thinkers, and FORTUNE ...
Fall Food Preservation Webinar Series
Gardeners and other lovers of fresh produce are often interested in extending the season's ...
Precautions for Feeding Frosted and Drought-Stressed Forages
grazing drought stressed forage, send in a forage sample to be tested for nitrates. Most labs now offer ... nitrate tests, so it is likely that you can get a forage nitrate test by your favorite lab. Several labs ... are listed at the end of this article that do nitrate testing. This list is for your convenience and ...
Milk Prices, Costs of Nutrients, Margins, and Comparison of Feedstuffs Prices
$22.84/cwt, respectively. The Federal milk order price for June protein is $4.53/lb, leading to a higher Class ... Feeds Results of the Sesame analysis for central Ohio on September 22, 2020 are presented in Table 2. ... Detailed results for all 26 feed commodities are reported. The lower and upper limits mark the 75% ...
Dairy Cash Flow Assistance UPDATED: CFAP 2 Program Application Open Through December 11, 2020, EIDL Still Available
been an interesting year. So many things have not turned out as expected, and as a result, cash flow is ... agricultural cooperatives with no more than 500 employees may apply for EIDL, which gives loans up to $2 ...
Create Your Own Victory Garden
to gardening which is great for reducing stress, adding physical activity, and providing fresh ... produce to your table. Agriculture and Natural Resources Educator, Mike Hogan, had the opportunity to ... speak with Spectrum News 1 about the return to gardening. You may view the article here. ...
How to Grill Sweet Corn
Who doesn't love a nice ear of grilled sweet corn? Tim McDermott, Agriculture and Natural ...


text:
While I love Garcia he has been dead for almost 24 years. Bob Weir I have seen so many times more playing with so many incarnations of the dead and each interpretation different. I love Bob now. Jerry was such a let down at the end.
Sent from my iPhone using AlpineZone


text: DBS General Manager Julie Priestley took part in the Pretty Muddy Race for Life on Saturday 1st October to raise money for Cancer Research UK. The 5km obstacle course run took place at the Lincolnshire Showground, and was the first of its kind to take place in Lincolnshire. Speaking after the race, Julie said: "I find these events really inspiring – to see so many women of all different fitness levels coming together for such a worthy cause. Thankfully the weather was perfect, and looking across the field it was just a sea of pink, with lots and lots of people taking part. We all got very muddy, and it was hard but fun. But for me, the Race for Life isn't about the event itself, it's about the cause." Julie decided to take part in the Race for Life shortly after her uncle was diagnosed with cancer at Christmas. Sadly he lost his fight with the disease just before Julie took part in the event. Many families find themselves in the same situation as Julie's, as it is now estimated that 1 in 3 people in the UK will develop cancer at some point in their lifetime, so even if you don't have it, there is a very high chance that someone close to you will at some point. Cancer Research UK pioneers life-saving cancer research to help beat cancer sooner .They are the world's leading charity dedicated to beating cancer through research. They fight cancer on all fronts, finding new ways to prevent, diagnose and treat it to save more lives. But they need help to keep doing so, as they are entirely funded by the public. Julie has so far raised a fantastic £380 for this incredible charity, but is aiming to raise £1,000, so still has a long way to go. If you would like to help beat cancer sooner there is still time to make a donation, and any amount, big or small, would be very much appreciated. Donating is easy and can be done online via Julie's JustGiving page here: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/Pretty-Muddy-Julie Some photos of Julie taking part on the day are included below!


text:
***UPDATE January 24, 2019 ***
v3.3 BETA version just released has support for Polylines and Polygons so there is no need to integrate the two to capture these geometry types!
- List of discussion threads, blog posts, idea suggestions regarding Survey123-Collector integration:
Launch Collector from Survey123 and pass attributes
Survey 123 and Collector for Arc GIS
Open Survey123 from a field in Collector
I, like many others documented in the list above, would like to leverage the smart form functionality of Survey123 with the map-centric user interface of Collector. The xlsform question types geotrace (lines) and geoshape (polygons) have not yet been implemented in Survey123 (although presumably planned and a very popular idea) and continues to be limited to geopoint (point features), so until then...
From what I gather, one recommended approach to enable the desired functionality is to work with existing feature services.
QUESTION: But before I go too far down a rabbit hole can folks comment or provide guidance on my planned approach and answer some questions?
Field app project description:
My survey is for an Infrastructure Inventory of Protected Areas to capture point features such as signage and more complex infrastructure features such as pathways, bridges (lines) and parking lots (polygons). I currently have a Survey123 template and feature layer for points and would like to extend the complex form-centric functionality (nested repeats) to the collection of lines and polygons.
Current workflow:
- In Survey123, start the survey by capturing the survey attributes e.g. "protected_area_id", "observerID", etc. (Parent table to child-feature layers)
- Ask user to identify the feature they want to collect by geometry type: "point", "line" or "polygon" ('feature collection' repeat under 'Survey")
- If "point", the user collects attributes and attachments (through a series of cascading selects), before being finally presented with a geopoint field to record the point location.
Not yet implemented (but desired):
- If "line" (or "polygon") is selected, the user captures tabular attributes just as they do with a point feature, but upon being asked to record the spatial information:
- Launch Collector to open and digitize the line (or polygon) feature layer passing a survey GlobalID so that the feature collection can be associated with the survey by a join
- After digitizing the feature, return to the Survey123 form to collect more features.
- Is my planned approach reasonable? The usual approach is to launch Survey123 from Collector but I need to capture survey attributes that would be common to each feature and not require the user to enter the same data repeatedly.
- Is the desired functionality as outlined in #2 possible?
- If yes, can someone provide references or guidance as to next steps?
- Will the functionality of #2 work offline?
Any comments and guidance will be hugely appreciated! Thank you in advance.
***UPDATE*** I've implemented the collection of multiple vertices for lines and polygons, and will be submitting an ESRI support request regarding the Collector integration with Survey123. If you're interested in the follow up and would like me to report back what I've learned, please let me know.


text:
View source for Jesse T Johnson
From RoyalWeb
Jump to:
'''Jesse T Johnson''' (born abt 1836, died between 1890 and 1900) Copyright 2006, Will Johnson, [mailto:firstname.lastname@example.com email@example.com], Professional Genealogist, All Rights Reserved He was born 3 Feb 1834 in Laurens District, South Carolina, to [[Edward Y Johnson|Edward Young Johnson]] and his wife [[Mary Eason]], or perhaps a prior wife, since Edward and Mary did not marry until 1838. He married Edna S "Edny" between 1853 and 1854, probably in Georgia, and possibly in Paulding County. She was born abt 1839 in Georgia. I do not know her maiden name. They lived in [[Paulding County, Georgia]] in 1860, where he was a Blacksmith. Jesse T Johnson was a sergeant in Company F, 40th Regiment, Georgia Infantry, CSA and was a prisoner of war. In the 1867 Oath Book in Paulding County is where he states his exact birth date and birth location. Between 1868 and 1874, the family moved to Arkansas where by 1880 they were enumerated at Hempstead County, Arkansas, where he was a Farmer. He was still living in 1890 when he paid a tax receipt and when he and his wife donated land to the Bethany Baptist Church. He died between 1890 and 1900, probably in Spring Hill, Hempstead County, Arkansas. Jesse and Edna may be buried in [[Bethany Cemetery, Hempstead County, Arkansas]] but if so, they have no tombstones remaining. == Children == #Nancy J Johnson b abt 1854 Georgia, possibly in Paulding County #Susan Elliott Johnson b Dec 1855 Georgia, possibly in Paulding County #Elizabeth "Bett" Johnson b abt 1857 Georgia, possibly in Paulding County #Beulah Frances "Fannie" Johnson b 20 Jul 1860 Georgia, possibly in Paulding County #Jessie M Johnson b 14 May 1864 Georgia, possibly in Paulding County #John A Johnson b abt 1868 Georgia, possibly in Paulding County #George Alison Johnson b 25 Sep 1874 Arkansas, possibly in Hempstead County == Sources == *[[JesseTJohnsonC1860|1860 Census Page 146, Brownsville PO, 942 District, Paulding County, Georgia]] *[[JesseTJohnsonC1880|1880 Census Spring Hill, Hempstead County, Arkansas]] *[[JesseTJohnsonT1890|1890 Tax Receipts, Hempstead County, Arkansas]] *[[JesseTJohnsonL1890|1890 Land Transaction]] == See also == [[Johnson Family Association]] [[Category:Paulding County, Georgia]] [[Category:Hempstead County, Arkansas]] [[Category:Johnson Family]]
Return to
Jesse T Johnson
Retrieved from "
View source
Personal tools
Log in
Main page
Community portal
Current events
Recent changes
Random page
What links here
Related changes
Special pages
Google AdSense
Privacy policy
About RoyalWeb


text:
If this was a triumph for feminism, lash me to a race course now. In the finale of a series of The Apprentice (BBC One) which has drawn criticism for its negative portrayal of women in business, it was down to two female candidates to fight it out for the fraught honour of launching a company with Lord Sugar. One was a cupcake obsessive who said things like "if in doubt, smile and pout"; the other a doctor with a clinical addiction to blow drying, who wants to bring Botox to the masses. This was not so much about knocking down sexist stereotypes as using a pink stiletto to bang them a little deeper into the ground.
In its defence, The Apprentice isn't supposed to be about gender equality – any more than it is about Lord Sugar's earnest search for a business partner. As was clear throughout the series, expecting a prime-time TV show to assist in the latter is like expecting a monkey to turn one of the candidate's preposterous CVs into an origami swan. No, The Apprentice is all about formulaic entertainment, which was delivered in the usual mix of bragging (the claims to be brainier than Einstein), blundering (the stubborn inability to distinguish between turnover and profit) and boardroom histrionics.
At the end of it all, syringe-wielding Leah Totton may have scooped the £250,000 first prize, but I feel like the oleaginous Jordan Poulton deserves a special golden Rubik's Cube award for comedy value, after bragging that he could solve one in three minutes and then demonstrably failing to do so.
In last night's final, Leah showed that common sense was no corollary to intelligence as she launched her medical cosmetics business with the name NIKS, putting the K in reverse, as if putting a letter the wrong way round would inspire confidence. Even without that infantile twist, the name – reminiscent of razor cuts – was so bad it made Lord Sugar's henchwoman Karren Brady pull a face like she'd trodden in cat sick.
Undeterred, Leah clung to NIKS because it spelled out skin backwards, reflecting the time-reversing effects of her treatments, although the most apparent time reversal was the use of Enya as her promotional music. Even without the dubious name, there was an overlooked flaw in her business plan: surely insecure patients worried about their furrowed brows or saggy cheeks might not want to be treated by a flawlessly beautiful 24 year-old with the bedside warmth of a cyborg.
Over in team cupcake, likeable fellow finalist Luisa Zissman showed the usual breezy disregard for market research as she digested advice to avoid overly feminine branding for her baking supplies business, then came up with a pink logo featuring a doe-eyed cartoon of herself.
Stirred into the mix were a pick of the previously ejected candidates, notably Alex Mills, the Welsh Dracula lookalike, raising his magisterial eyebrows at Leah's edicts, and bumbling Jason Leech, who finally found his niche in tying up Luisa's pinny for her.
Appropriately enough for the amount of preening that went on, vanity prevailed, and the British public's growing appetite for cosmetic quick fixes saw Leah through to victory. Let's hope that for its 10th series, The Apprentice gives its timeworn format a facelift, or else turns the stubby finger of firing doom in its own direction.


text:
First of all, college interviews usually aren't necessary, so don't panic. Only a handful of highly selective schools require them, and many schools do not have them at all. Many students also pass up on the option of going to "Interview Day" events because they are unsure of what goes on during the interview process and what effect it will have on their application. But even when they're not required, for many students, college interviews are often a way to bolster an application and are actually a lot less scary than they may seem.
What are admission interviews like?
For starters, the college interview is a face-to-face discussion or Skype call between an applicant (or future applicant) and an admission representative or alumni. The whole interview usually lasts half an hour and revolves around two things: the college and the student—so no surprises here.
The unique thing about interviews is that they go beyond the written application where students can only respond to those particular questions asked, which may not even provide the ability to go as in-depth as the student wishes. Interviews give the admission team a chance to get to know you better and in more detail. For example, a school's application may not have a place to explain an unusual drop in grades, but this can be brought up in the interview. In fact, the ability to explain something important that happened to you—a sickness, death in the family, parent's loss of a job, and how you bounced back from some other adversity—can actually help give really helpful insight into who you are as an applicant (and maybe even boost your admission chances). Colleges love to see character, which only comes through having a variety of experiences. Interviews also show you're really excited about attending the school, and admission counselors keep track and consider that in making decisions sometimes.
Aside from getting to know you better as an individual, your potential future at the college is the other major topic of conversation. While the campus and programs at a certain college may be great, if the school isn't the right "fit" for you (and vice versa), then enrolling there may not end well. This might seem like a downside to a college interview, when you and the representative realize that a particular school is not your best option. But it's actually a good thing, since you won't make the mistake of going there for a semester (or longer)! Also, do not be afraid to continue digging deeper. As much as the admission team wants to get to know you, they want you to have all the information you want about the college. There is usually a time for you to ask your questions, and this is the perfect opportunity to ask about things that go beyond statistics and really get to know about what the next four years of your life could hold. Even if you know someone who attends that school who has told you all about the school, its students, academics, campus life, and more, you should still ask questions. If you know a lot about the college, talk about what you know and ask for really specific details. After all, you want to show how interested you are in the school.
My first college interview
It was a warm Sunday morning that I was scheduled to interview with the College of Wooster. They had set up an interview day at a location that was much closer to my house than the college itself. After I signed up, I had repeatedly gone over practice questions, picked out an outfit (fairly conservative, but with a little personality), and felt prepared for a Q&A session. When I walked in (a few minutes early, and a little bit nervous), I was greeted by the admission representative and his wife, who was training to be a representative also. Instead of sitting at a desk, we all sat around a table in comfortable chairs. This set the tone for a relaxed conversation about what the college had to offer.
Even though I had prepared for an onslaught of questions, I received few. They were all broad and revolved around what I wanted to get out of my college experience. Of course, they got to know me as an individual and as a student—my hobbies, interests, favorite/least favorite classes—but the focus was more about what I wanted to do in college. I want to major in biology, so we discussed their program. I want to take piano lessons, so we went over the options for that. I told them I wanted a small school where the students were focused on their studies but also had outside interests . . . this is where things got interesting. The admission representatives shared with me their experience of going to the college, along with the things they observed every day. I was able to ask all of the questions I had and was able to clear up any misnomers or concerns I had. The questions were easy to answer and easy to ask because it was such a low-stress atmosphere.
While some college interviews are very casual and discussion based, students should prepare for more traditional formal interviews and questions: Who are you as a person? Are you a leader? What will you contribute to our school? What is your biggest weakness? You may never be asked these questions, but, at the very least, answering them will help you understand who you are as an individual. Oh, and remember, sit up straight, smile, dress nicely, and no gum!
Now that you've heard the student's perspective, check out what it's like on the admission side! And let us know what your college interview experience was like in the comments.