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Adult Probation & Parole arrest four on drug, weapon charges
ST. GEORGE – Adult Probation & Parole agents arrested four Washington County residents after a routine home compliance check turned up marijuana, methamphetamine, heroin and a Winchester rifle.
AP&P agents went to a St. George home Thursday evening to visit a probationer, according to court documents.
There, agents found several people, including Hurricane resident Kaillee Nicole Manuell, 22; and St. George residents Melanie Allen, 24; Rene Adrian Quintanar, 28; and Kiley Bentley, 26.
"(An agent) knocked on the door for several minutes before Kiley Bentley answered," an AP&P agent wrote in court documents. "I had seen Kiley Bentley exit the residence on the side of the house and retrieve one of his dogs. (The agent) and I entered the home and began to search for any other individuals in the home for officer safety."
The agents followed Bentley into a room on the northwest side of the home where they found Quintanar, Manuell and Allen, according to court documents.
"I approached the room and could smell the odor of marijuana," the agent wrote. "On the dresser, in plain sight, I observed a small paper with a burnt substance on the end. I could also see a green leafy substance around the 'roach.'"
Agents detained Manuell, Allen, Quintanar and Bentley as they continued to search the room, according to court documents. St. George Police officers also responded to the home to "secure the scene" at 8:15 p.m.
"I found two glass pipes with a white substance suspected to be methamphetamine," the agent wrote. "I also found a silver spoon with a burnt bottom and a brown substance inside the spoon. I also found a Winchester rifle in a closet adjacent to the room; the rifle was laying on the floor, and a serial number couldn't be located."
Quintanar allegedly gave agents a "clear bag with orange balloons" with suspected heroin inside, which were similar to what agents found in the room, along with two "white plastic bag tears" with suspected marijuana.
Bentley, Quintanar, and Manuell were each charged with possession of marijuana, possession of heroin, possession of methamphetamine, illegal possession of a firearm and three counts of possession of paraphernalia. Manuell also had two warrants.
Allen was charged with possession of heroin, illegal possession of a firearm, possession of paraphernalia and a warrant.
Bentley's and Manuell's bail was set at $6,000 each, and Quintanar's and Allen's bail was set at $10,000 each.
All four were booked into Purgatory Correctional Facility.
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Truspread Bagged Mortar
The ideal solution for those requiring a dry pre-blended solution for projects where flexibility of supply is often demanded. Supplied in waterproof bulk bags, Truspread dry bagged mortar is ready mixed - just add water and mix to the required consistency. Factory blended under quality controlled conditions ensures consistency time after time.
Our mortar is also available in various colours, to find out more click here. ?
Why Add Lime?
Lime-based mortar creates a better bond between bricks and blocks, leading to more durable longer-lasting buildings. ?With added benefits including improved flexibility and breathability of mortar, and with up to 15% increased yield, there are cost savings to be made in both materials and labour. Lime is paramount in our Truspread formulation – achieve more with less material.
Consistant strength and workabaility
High quality constituent materials are used to produce the perfect dry mix under rigorously quality controlled conditions.
Choice of colours
With over 50 shades to choose from, we will supply the same colour batch after batch.
Easily adjust water content to compensate for wet bricks and blocks. Only use what you need!?
Cost effective
Supplied in waterproof bags - providing a longer shelf life.
Quality Assured
Manufactured to BES 6001 and BS EN 998-2:2003, we guarantee unrivalled quality and technical expertise.
- On projects where flexibility of supply is often demended
- At the start of the build when sites are often not adequately serviced
- At the end of a build when space is at a premium - space too small for a silo

subset: commoncrawl


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Quality Healthcare Delivery
Free & Quality Primary & Secondary Education
Peace & Unity
Equity & Justice
Good Governance
Sustainable Development
Support Dr. O'Diakpo Obire to liberate Delta
Delta State is in ruins, it is in huge debts in spite of its wealth. It has been governed by a cabal that has ran it aground. They are richer than the State and are prepared to spend heavily in this elections to continue to ride roughshod over us. We believe you don't want this to continue.
Dr. O'diakpo Obire seeks to be Governor of Delta State. He has been very concerned about the poor governance resulting in decaying infrastructure, poor services and abject poverty in the State. He is committed to good governance that will benefit all.
For his campaign to be successful, it requires a strong media and grassroots presence. The process is pretty expensive and he cannot do it alone.
There are opportunities for godfathers to sponsor his election which he has jettisoned because the status quo will be maintained and we all will continue to suffer. This informs why we all should contribute to fund his election. No amount is too small, and no amount is too big.
Your contribution will give the campaign a tremendous boost. It will help us to raise funds to sustain the campaign to win and turn the fortunes of Delta State around.
We count on your support.
Many thanks in advance for your kind support.
About Dr. Obire
News Update
The governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP in Delta State, Senator Ifeanyi ...Read More
Delta Guber Poll: Delta PPA Governorship Candidate Flags Off Campaign
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 02, 2019. WARRI - AHEAD of the March 09, governorship election, ...Read More
Delta Guber 2019: Idumeje – Unor Agog As Dr. Obire's Campaign Train Pays Visit to The Obi's Palace
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 01, 2019. ISSELE - UKU - A mammoth crowd received the Delta ...Read More
Dr. Obire Joins Other Deltans To Bid Late Justice M.E. Akpiroroh Farewell
...eulogizes the virtues of the late judge. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 01, 2019. AGBARHO - ...Read More


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|Project by Gerry
|posted 07-03-2012 06:56 PM
|2454 views
|2 times favorited
|7 comments
I built this wine cellar in the first year after we moved into our new house. Although I did make a plan for the construction of the wine cellar, this project became an effort in made to measure and "design in place" woodworking.
All the parts are redwood, and since true ¾" material is not available, all the pieces and parts were milled on the table saw.
I built a template for the assembly of each upright wine holding stack, to make each exactly the same. However, I did find the limitations of using the table saw only, with no jointer or planer. This small error of 1/64", when accumulated, with 13 bottle holding spaces, resulted in a few of the stacks being off by as much as 13/64".
Soooo, adjusting the stacks, and learning as I went, I was able to match the offsets. Happily, the result is quite pleasing to the eye.
The small room (6' x 8') was well insulated, and built specifically for the temp controlled environment. The 900 cu ft. capacity cooling unit install was relatively easy.
The wine cellar can hold approx 600 bottles, which is more than I can drink, so is adequate for our needs.
-- -Gerry, Hereford, AZ " A really good woodworker knows how the hide his / her mistakes."
7 comments so far
#1 posted 07-03-2012 07:56 PM
Very nice, almost makes me want to start drinking wine. :)
#2 posted 07-03-2012 09:27 PM
Sometimes I wonder Gerry, do we rule the wood or, does it rule us? Sounds like in this case the wood won out but not really, ultimately you made yourself a great wine cellar. Well done.
-- On the eighth day God was back in His woodworking shop! Lenny, East Providence, RI
#3 posted 07-03-2012 11:59 PM
Beautiful job and well designed too.
I'd gloat if I were you….every chance you get! LOL
-- Use it up, Wear it out --------------- Make it do, Or do without!
#4 posted 07-04-2012 06:30 AM
Nice work….I would love to have that in my house. Maybe when a kid or two move out.
-- Vince
#5 posted 07-04-2012 12:25 PM
Great work! Looks fuin and a great conversation peice. When is happy hour?
-- Ken, "Everyday above ground is a good day!"
#6 posted 07-04-2012 10:29 PM
Thank you all for your kind words.
Lenny, I keep on learning the same lesson over and over.
Happy to hear from you!
-- -Gerry, Hereford, AZ " A really good woodworker knows how the hide his / her mistakes."
#7 posted 07-06-2012 01:16 AM
See ya in the morning—-If I don't forget .
-- CPT Bill - No matter how many times I cut it...it still comes up short !
Have your say...
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2016 Lib Tech TRS XC2 BTX Snowboard Review
Average Rating:
All Mountain Freestyle boards are for carving and the park
Twin - symmetrical allowing rider to ride regular or switch
Medium - responsive yet forgiving for progressing riders
Camber/Rocker/Camber - a mix of response and playfulness
Retail Value: $559.99 (30% OFF)
Watch 2016 Lib Tech TRS XC2 BTX Snowboard Video Reviews:
Read the Review Transcript:
Hey, this is Ian. I just got off the Libtech TRS. This board is an absolute blast. I would give it 5 out of 5 stars. It really unloads going down the hill. It's super, super, super fast. Magne-Traction sidewalls for great carving. You get a little bit more traction when you're making the turns. Camber underneath the bindings just for a little bit more comfortable ride. It's an absolute joy. It's just by far one of the fastest and most fun boards I've ridden all day. For your advanced all-mountain rider, you'll have a riot. It's awesome. Again, I give this 5 out of 5 stars.
Read the Review Transcript:
Hey, this is Ian. Just got done riding the Libtech TRS in a 157. I give this board 5 out of 5 stars. Like it's name the TRS, it's known as the Total Ripper Series which is exactly what this board loves to do. Loves to go fast. Super hard-charging. When you set it on edge, it just points and goes. The reason for that is because of the XC2 camber which is basically a little bit more aggressive than the C2 underneath your feet. A little mellow rocker in, right in between your feet. Once again, 5 out of 5 stars. Definitely meant for your more aggressive all-mountain freestyle rider.
Read the Review Transcript:
I'm Steve. I just got done riding the Libtech TRS. I'm going to give this board a 4.5 out of 5 stars. It's a really good board for riding at high speeds. At slow speeds, it's a little bit too stiff for that but for an advanced rider that wants an all-mountain board, high speeds in groomed conditions or in mixed snow it's going to be a great board for that. 4.5 out of 5 stars.


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LTBC Kids
"But Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven." Matthew 19:14
"Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it". Proverbs 22:6
"You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise". Deuteronomy 6:7


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This verse refers to ALL the works of God…but I am going to focus on the ones recorded in the Bible.
Studying the Bible is so different from just reading it. I have never read the Bible all the way through. But I spend every morning reading and digging deeper into selected texts. I read commentaries and histories and other studies to help me understand the poetry, context, deeper meanings. There are so many layers to the words and stories of the Bible! We can take them at face value, but we can get so much more out of those simple words in a not so simple book when we take the time to understand them, apply them to our own thoughts and emotions, and enjoy them in a bigger context. We can find that they will point to things in our daily life, or we might find that we will have to wait for heaven to enjoy the full meaning and promise of those phrases.
Nothing is ever simple with God. That is for sure. I mean, look at the complex world He created! Why would His inspired texts be any different? He knew, and planned, to make His works something that would take careful consideration so that we would melt it into our hearts, brains, and the very fibers of our beings. And He knew that when we take the time to dig deep into them we would truly delight in His works.


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Tropical Storm 04W (Nangka) Makes Landfall over Philippines14.6N 120.9E
Tropical storm 04W (Nangka) located approximately 120 nautical miles southeast of Manila, Philippines, has tracked west-northwestward at 7 knots over the past six hours. Maximum significant wave height is 11 feet.
Tropical Storm Nangka, which spun up from a depression shortly before making landfall, struck the Philippines from the east during the day on Tuesday, local time. Landfall came on the island of Samar, which was pelted by torrential windswept downpours. Highest sustained winds at the time were 45 to 50 mph.
Gales raked the town of Guiuan, at the south tip of Samar, reports AccuWeather, where rainfall topped 8 inches. At Catbalogan, storm rainfall was more than 10 inches.
Looking forward, Nangka will bring substantial impact to the Philippines through at least Thursday while wending its way towards the west and the north. However, storm intensity will be diminished through the interaction of its wind flow with land, so Nangka's status will be reduced to that of tropical depression along part of its track.
Although the extent of any damaging winds will be restricted along with the intensity of Nangka, rain impact will be potentially serious. Excessive rainfall will threaten flooding and mudslides until Nangka leaves the area to the north and west late in the week.


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Ariel Castro, the man convicted of holding three Ohio women captive for almost a decade, was found dead in his jail cell from an apparent suicide, The Associated Press reports.
According to a Department of Rehabilitation and Correction spokeswoman, Castro, 53, was found hanging in his cell on Tuesday night. He was given CPR and then transported to a hospital where he was pronounced dead.
Add new fall shows to your Watchlist
Castro had previously been on suicide watch in early June when he was at the Cuyahoga County Jail. But after his conviction, he was moved to the Correctional Reception Center just south of Columbus, Oh., where he was under protective custody due to the high profile nature of the case. Castro was checked on every 30 minutes.
In May, three Cleveland women managed to escape Castro's home where they had been held since their separate disappearances between 2002 and 2004. After yelling for a neighbor to help, the women were rescued. Castro was arrested that night and on August 1 was sentenced to life in prison plus 1,000 years.


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COVID-19 Outbreak
Please note that due to the current COVID-19 outbreak in New Brunswick we are currently limited in our ability to collect mail. As a result, we ask that, whenever possible, please contact us by phone or email, including sending us documents.
Reinstatement Application
The reinstatement process applies to former members of the NBASW who have allowed their membership to lapse for more than one year. The Registrar considers and approves applications for reinstatement. Applicants applying for reinstatement after 5 years of non-membership may be subject to supervision requirements. Applicants who are approved through the reinstatement process become Practicing Members of the NBASW.
To apply for reinstatement, please submit the following documents:
This letter must indicate
- the reason you allowed your membership to lapse
- the reason you wish to be reinstated, and
- If you had employment during this time, information about what you were doing?
The Member Application Form must be accompanied by the $60.00 non-refundable registration fee. This can be paid by cheque or cash.
Members wishing to pay using credit card or debit can do so online here. Applicants must fill in their name and the payment amount. The Association number and Registration number remain the same.
Copy of Applicant's CV (Resume)
Please refer to the Policy Regarding the References
All applicants must provide two letters of reference. At least one letter of reference must be provided by a social worker.
Please ask the people providing these references to submit them directly to the NBASW by mail, email, or by fax.
Verification of Registration/Licensure/Certification in another jurisdiction
Applicants who have been members of a social work regulatory body and/or association in another province/territory or country, must complete the top portion of this form and then forward it to the jurisdiction in which they were registered. Complete one form for each applicable jurisdiction.
Please ask the other jurisdiction to return the completed form directly to the NBASW office by mail.
All applicants must provide a criminal record check from an appropriate law enforcement agency. The criminal record check must be an original document and be no more than three months old. Click here for our Criminal Record Check Policy.
Some law enforcement agencies may require a letter from the NBASW in order to process the criminal record check. Please contact us to request a letter, if necessary.
The criminal record check must be submitted directly to the NBASW by the law enforcement agency. If this is not possible, it must be given to the applicant in a sealed envelope, with the seal initialed by the agency. This envelope must be delivered to the NBASW office unopened.
Applicants must provide copies of two pieces of identification that show current and/or former legal names, date of birth and date of change of name. Examples of such documents are: birth or baptismal certificate; marriage certificate; legal change of name document; passport or immigration document; driver's license; Medicare card. For privacy purposes, the NBASW does not accept copies of Social Insurance cards.
The registration form is typically sent to applicants with the letter informing them that they have been approved for membership. However, if applicants wish to accelerate the process for completing their registration, they may choose to complete this form and return it, with the appropriate dues, to the NBASW. The NBASW will hold the form and payment until the applicant has been approved for membership. Otherwise, this form is to be completed and returned to the NBASW office with appropriate dues after receiving notification of membership approval.
Download Registration Form
Download Code Sheet
Payment of membership dues can be accepted by cheque or cash. Members wishing to pay using credit card or debit can do so online here. Applicants must fill in their name and the payment amount. The Association number and Registration number remain the same.


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Verizon Points Finger At Netflix
In the latest chapter in the ongoing network neutrality debate brewing between Netflix and Verizon Communications, the telco posted a blog post Thursday claiming that a review conducted by Verizon's networks operations team found that congestion was absent within its network, but did find congestion present at the interconnections link used by transit providers selected by Netflix.
"This review confirmed…there was no congestion anywhere within the Verizon network," David Young, Verizon's VP of federal regulatory affairs, wrote.
"While the links chosen by Netflix were congested (congestion occurs when use approaches or reaches 100% capacity during peak usage periods), the links from other transit providers (carrying non-Netflix traffic) to Verizon's network did not experience congestion and were performing fine," he added. "For whatever reason (perhaps to cut costs and improve its profitability), Netflix did not make arrangements to deliver this massive amount of traffic through connections that can handle it."
The television industry's top news stories, analysis and blogs of the day.
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Residents of the Normandy Square neighborhood in Prairie Village completed a successful food drive for Harvesters, collecting 360 pounds of canned goods – the equivalent of more than 250 meals.
This was the second year of what residents hope will become an annual event.
"The timing of the food drive is perfect," said resident Jennifer Byer. "Our neighborhood picnic takes place in September, which is also Hunger Action Month."
A few weeks prior to the picnic, volunteers distribute informational flyers and paper bags to the 65 homes that make up Normandy Square. Donations can be left on the doorstep for pickup, placed in a neighborhood collection barrel, or brought to the picnic.
"We have generous neighbors, and we want to make it easy for them to give." said volunteer Pat Latshaw.
(Write up courtesy of Normandy Square neighbors.)


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On 25 May 2012, the Privacy and Electronic Communications (EC Directive) (Amendment) Regulations 2011 come into force. The amended regulations include the European Directive concerned with the protection of privacy on the web, especially something called 'cookies' (which is why it is nicknamed the 'cookie law'). If you own or manage a website, it is almost certain that you will need to do something to ensure your site is compliant. With a maximum penalty of £500,000, it is definitely worth at least reading up on the issue so you can make an informed decision on what action to take.
What are cookies?
Cookies are small files stored on your computer containing a small amount of text specific to you which are created by websites. Cookies are used to remember things about you as you browse a website, for example whether you are logged in, the contents of your shopping cart and your preferences. They are also used to help website owners improve their website, for example by tracking your visit or for showing different versions of a page to different users to determine which is best (A/B testing).
Sounds harmless? It mostly is. However cookies can also track the pages you visit between sites, usually to allow advertisers to work out what you are interested in so they can show you more relevant adverts ('behavioural advertising'). The same mechanism can also however be used by spyware to store and access information or trace your activities for criminal purposes or by organisations like Facebook and Google. The new law tries to address the privacy concerns that this tracking (for legitimate business or criminal activities) is done without any consent.
The law
The law basically means that, with the exception of strictly necessary cookies required to provide functionality requested by the user (i.e. shopping carts etc), you must get consent from a user before using cookies and you must provide clear and comprehensive information about the purposes of the cookies (the law is not just about cookies, but this is the part that will effect most websites).
Consent? Yes – think pop up boxes or nagging messages (accordions) at the top or bottom of the screen. For a light-hearted extreme example of what this could mean for the internet take a look at this example. To quote this entertaining video, 'the stupid EU cookie law in (and why it should die)' – the law is a bit like banning music to stop Justin Beeber from releasing a new album. But still, it is law (although there is a campaign to get it changed).
Unfortunately the ICO (Information Commission's Office) has confirmed that analytic tools (including Google Analytics, which is used by the majority of websites) are not 'strictly necessary' and therefore consent is required. If your site uses web analytics, social media share buttons, embedded content (for example from YouTube), affiliate links, A/B testing, or advertising from a third-party, you almost certainly will be in breach of this law.
Although an extreme view, QuBit (who sell a cookie consent solution) has estimated that the new law could cost UK business over £10 billion if the law is fully implemented – this includes loss of new visitors put off by cookie consent, reduction in visitor numbers, loss from recommendations and cross selling opportunities, loss from business migration outside the EU, loss from affiliate marketing and loss of data from web analytics
In an ideal world
In an ideal world, you could rely on 'informed consent'. In other words users would know what cookies are, what they are used for and how to turn them off, and browsers would have the capabilities for users to manage global settings for different types of cookies. Informed consent would mean that a user consents to your cookies according to their browser settings.
Amazon's current cookie policy appears to use this approach (N.B. I do not know whether this will be their policy when the law actually comes into effect):
Visiting Amazon's websites with your browser settings adjusted to accept cookies tells us that you want to use Amazon's products and services and that you consent to our use of cookies and other technologies to provide them to you as described in this notice and in our Privacy Notice. See below for information on how to modify the settings in your browser to notify you when you receive a new cookie and disable cookies altogether.
amazon.co.uk: Cookies & Internet Advertising
Unfortunately the ICO do not feel that most browsers offer the control on cookie settings required for informed consent and, whilst they are working with browser vendors, it will be a while before this functionality will be available across the board. There is also a lack of user knowledge – in an online (so web users) survey of 1000 individuals in February 2011, 41% were unaware of the different types of cookies and whilst 13% fully understood how cookies work, 37% had heard of cookies but did not understand how they work.
In the future you may be able to rely on the user's browser settings for satisfying consent to set cookies, but for now browser settings alone will not be sufficient.
In reality
Whilst there is a maximum fine of £500,000, this would only be used for the most serious cases where contravening the Regulations is likely to cause substantial damage or distress. The other options the ICO has is to request information ('information notice'), commit an organisation to a particular course of action ('undertaking') or to compel an organisation to comply ('enforcement notice').
At the very least, you should:
- identify what cookies are used on your site and what they are used for (there is a useful free Google Chrome plugin to help)
- ensure your website has a privacy and cookie policy that details the cookies used and what they are used for
- ensure the link to your privacy and cookie policy is prominent (this is covered in a bit more detail shortly)
Beyond that, it is down to how risk adverse you are, your operational requirements and other factors as to what you should do to comply.
Please note the following disclaimer – I am not a lawyer and the following should not in any way been seen as formal advice. The aim is to give you a start at gathering information to enable you to make your own informed choice and, if necessary, obtain legal advice. This information is tailored to my customer base, who are limited users of advertising and affiliate networks.
In general terms, gaining consent is likely to be a bad idea for your website. No one likes pop-ups and notifications, and, unless you are very sly with your wording (which the ICO will be unimpressed with), many (if not most) people will not opt-in anyway. There is also a cost implication to add the functionality to ask for consent. Before asking for consent, work through the cookies used on your site and see if they are actually needed and whether you need consent. Here is a bit more on the two areas that will cause most websites to not comply with the new law: Google Analytics and Social Media.
Google Analytics
If you use Google Analytics (the most popular analytics tool, but this applies to any other tool which uses cookies), the first thing to ask yourself is "do I actually need analytics". If you do not currently, or plan to in the future, actively use the data, then why have it there in the first place?
Whilst the ICO have specifically stated that Google Analytics is not classed as 'strictly necessary' and require consent, they have also stated:
Although the Information Commissioner cannot completely exclude the possibility of formal action in any area, it is highly unlikely that priority for any formal action would be given to focusing on uses of cookies where there is a low level of intrusiveness and risk of harm to individuals, if an organisation can demonstrate they have done everything they can clearly to inform users about the cookies in question and to provide them clear details of how to make choices. Whilst he does not consider they are exempt from the rules the Commissioner is therefore unlikely to prioritise, for example, first party cookies used for analytical purposes and cookies that support the accessibility of sites and services, in any consideration of regulatory action.
The Government Digital Service however, in 'Implementer Guide to Privacy & Electronic Communications Regulations' for public sector websites takes the view that web analytics are "essential to the effective operation of government websites" and that "at present the setting of cookies is the most effective way of doing this" (source: econsultancy.com).
A common implementation seems to be to avoid asking for consent for Google Analytics, but ensuring there is sufficient information available in the site's cookie policy, as well as a link to a tool provided by Google for users to opt-out of Google Analytics across all websites. This policy also fits with the recommendations from the International Chamber of Commerce (see below).
It is worth noting that Google Analytics uses several cookies – most of these cookies are first-party (they can only be accessed by your website), however a third-party cookie (accessible by Google) is added if you have chosen to allow Google to anonymously track website metrics to 'benchmark' your site against related sites. If you choose to not gain consent for Google Analytics, then you probably want to consider turning this setting off.
There are alternatives to Google Analytics which do not use cookies – these will provide less information but may be viable alternatives if you wish to comply to the regulations without prompting for consent.
Social Media
Social media share plug-ins and embedded media usually use cookies, the default YouTube player, for example, uses a third-party cookie (although there is a new setting to enable you to embed a video without cookies). Facebook, Twitter and Google+ widgets all use third-party cookies, primarily to see if the user is logged into that service, but they are also used to track your movements across other websites that also contain the widgets (which is what the law especially wants consent for).
For media services, like YouTube, that offer a 'privacy enhanced mode', you can easily switch over the code, but otherwise, to be compliant without consent, you will need to change services. It is quite likely however that other providers will follow YouTube's example and allow cookie-free versions, so it is worth checking with your provider on their plans.
For social media share plug-ins, one alternative is to just replace them with static share links – the main services offer url (link) based solutions which do not need cookies (although to a slight detriment to the user experience). It is possible that, in the future, updated widgets will become available that do not include tracking cookies.
Here is an example of a site that has taken the view to not ask consent for social media plug-ins:
There's so many great free toys you can add to websites these days and rarely can we resist – anything from Twitter buttons to software that power's blog comments. Collectively they make our website more interesting to you as a site visitor (and hopefully beloved customer). Sadly most of these come with cookies – that's the "price of free". We are working hard to work out what they all do but we are pretty confident that they all collect data anonymously unless you are already logged into their service. They probably just collect details of pages visited, anonymise it, aggregate it with several thousand or million others people's anonymous data and then look at pretty graphs.
attacat.co.uk's cookie policy (via @clivewalker)
This does not comply with the law, so the only current compliant alternative if you wish to have social media widgets is to ask for consent.
International Chamber of Commerce (UK)
The ICC UK have produced a cookie guide to help website operators obtain informed consent from their visitors and comply with the new rules governing the use of cookies.
The guide breaks down cookies into four types:
- Category 1: strictly necessary cookies – including shopping carts and logins
- Category 2: performance cookies – including web analytics, affiliate tracking and testing designs
- Category 3: functional cookies – remembering settings
- Category 4: targeting or advertising cookies – including cookies placed by advertising networks to collect browsing habits
The guide implies (with a disclaimer that this is for guidance only) that category 1 does not need consent, category 2 consent comes from functional use (with a line in your cookie policy), category 3 consent comes from either functional use (with a line in your cookie policy) or consent when a user chooses a function, and only category 4 should have clear, informed, opt-in consent.
PC Pro see this as the most practical guide to the cookie regulations and is the result of a lot of research and the ICO publically stated: "Today's ICC UK guidance provides organisations with a good starting point from which they can work towards full compliance", which could be seen as an endorsement.
If you have cookies, but are not asking for explicit consent, it is clear that you need to ensure your cookie policy is prominent, here are a few possible ideas:
- Include a link or button in your website template (towards the top) to your cookie policy
- Add an unobtrusive 'cookie' button to appears in the corner of your website (a free one is available at attacat)
- Add a more obtrusive (but potentially more compliant) one-time message alerting users that your website uses cookies with a link to your cookie policy
Another solution to the problem, used by BT, is to assume implied consent, but to then prompt the user (once) to confirm the settings. A slider allows the user to select what level of settings to have and what features will be unavailable. At any time this can be modified using a link at the bottom of the page.
If you wish to gain consent, there are various off-the-shelf solutions, including one from CookieQ for an annual fee based on traffic. CookieQ also offer a free self-hosted version for small sites.
Certain software packages, for example WordPress or Magento, have modules or updates available which either include the functionality to ask for consent to use cookies, or notify users that you are using cookies.
Some resources
- Sitebeam – EU Cookie Law eBook (a definitive guide to EU Cookie Law although last updated on 9th June 2011)
- International Chamber of Commerce (UK) Cookie Guide
- Information Commissioner's Office – Cookies
- Information Commissioner's Office – Guidance on the new cookies Regulations
- The Cookie Collective
- Google's tool for opting out of Google Analytics globally
- Campaign against the Cookie Law
- Google Chrome extension for auditing cookies
Sales Pitch
The information in this post should hopefully help you in deciding how you want to comply with this law and give you the tools you require. If you need any further help or technical assistance, I can help, so please get in touch.


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We had a lifesaving week with 80 pets finding loving adopters. Find your perfect match this November and receive 20 percent off his/her adoption fee! You can help spread the word about our available pets and lifesaving work by "liking" and sharing our social media posts on Facebook. You can also follow us on Twitter and Instagram.
From left to right: Alexandria, Alina, Arclight, Aslan, Babylon, Cammie, Carl Lewis, Charm, Dana, Demi Meower, Dinah, Empurress, Gonzo, Greece, Hendrix, Jack, Kettle, Kittles, Mela, Meredith, Monet, Moo Moo, Pansy, Parliament, Phish, Purrito, Putt Putt, Ravenclaw, Sasha, Shazad, Spencer, Spirit, Sweetbay, Tango, Thriller, Yale, Zeke
Not pictured: Charles, Dugong, Ezili, Halicarnassus, Jam, Journey, Maize, Manatee, Matteo, Trevor, Winona
From left to right: Bear Claw, Bernie, Bianca, Cecil, Chidi, Cool Hand Luke, Dumbledore, Fiddlesticks, Frida, Hillary, Joan, King Harry, Klaus, Laverne, Louanne, Malala, Marigold, Michelle, Octavia, Panera, Rosebud, Rudy, Scamp, Tahani, Tarzan, Valentina
Not pictured: Amuri, Cheerio, Firefly, Kembe, Philly, Savannah
Our adoption center is open every day of the week: Monday 12 p.m. to 5 p.m., Tuesday through Friday 12 p.m. to 7 p.m., Saturday 11 a.m. to 6 p.m and Sunday 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. Visit our website to see some of our dogs and cats currently available for adoption, for directions to our Robins-Starr Humane Center, to view the programs and services we offer and more.
Adoption Specials
Thankful for a Home - For the month of November, all pet adoption fees are reduced by 20 percent.
Help Us Graduate – all pets that have a length of stay over 30 days will have their adoption fee reduced to $75. This promotion will be running through October, November and December.
Seniors for Seniors - Adopters age 60 or older who adopt a cat or dog age 5 years or older are eligible for a $50 adoption fee. Seniors for Seniors is an ongoing adoption promotion. Adoption of a cat in this program will include a cat starter kit, cardboard scratcher and a toy. Adoption of a dog through this program includes a leash and collar, food and water bowl and a toy. You can learn more about the Seniors for Seniors program here.
Pets for Patriots - Veterans and active-duty service members are eligible for a $50 adoption fee after applying to become a member Patriot. Pets for Patriots is an ongoing adoption promotion. Adoption of a cat in this program will include a free starter kit (which includes a litter box, food and water bowl, a litter scoop, a toy and litter liner bags) and a cardboard scratcher. Adoption of a dog through this program includes a free leash and collar, food and water bowl and a toy. Member Patriots also may become clients of our low-cost Susan M. Markel Veterinary Hospital. You can learn more about this program here.
Match Finder tool
If you have not seen the pet you're looking for among the cats and dogs currently available at our humane center, we recommend that you try our free Match Finder tool. This online tool is designed to help you find your new best friend by automatically emailing you when a pet matching your desired criteria is available. If you have any questions, please contact our amazing adoption team at 804-521-1307.
To read the biographies of our regular bloggers, please click here. Before posting a comment, please review our comment guidelines. Please note that our comment policy requires a first and last name to be used as your screen name.


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Art Collectors
Light & Dark
Art Contests Accepted Artists
Artist Dan Pyle
West Hollywood, California, USA
Artist Statement
I was fascinated by the black and white spots on these feathers. I decided to show a little humor in this piece by placing the feathers where you wouldn't expect them.
The views expressed by our artists in their artist statements do not necessarily represent the views of our art galleries. Artists can be visually expressive but may verbally misrepresent their true intentions or idea
Art Collectors
If you are interested in art collecting and would like to purchase this beautiful art, give our art galleries a call. Our art gallery is a wonderful place for art collectors.
Our owner and curator is fine art photographer Linnea Lenkus who has a passion for high quality art. She welcomes all kinds of Art Collectors.


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I find myself feeling overwhelmed. With out of town guests, laundry piling up and a lawn that needs attention I return to my best friend, my breath. I notice it has become short and shallow which only increases my feelings of smothering under the weight of responsibilities. It's time for a spoonful of my own medicine. I've been teaching about the breath since becoming a yoga teacher 7 years ago. But it wasn't until a year ago that I seriously began looking at my breath.
Healing is every breath." ~Thich Nhat Hanh
I step away from my computer, the dirty laundry and my guests. I lie face down with my arms crossed so I can rest my head on them. I begin to feel my belly connecting to the earth beneath me. Within 30 seconds I am reminded of the reality that I am enough.
A couple of minutes has now passed and I turn over and spread my arms out like wings. With my inhalation I imagine I am breathing in through my right palm and out through my left palm. My breaths turns around magically at my heart center. This feels wonderful. I am reminded that I am living an authentic life and the little details of being a human will work themselves out. No reason to get so anxious. Then my attention turns to the soles of my feet where I feel the breath flowing in, and back out again at the crown of my head. I feel connected to a greater source of energy.
Once you enter the stillness of the breath you get a glimpse of what is really happening, not some made up version of life slamming you up against the wall. It's comforting to know that you have the power to heal yourself, whether it be anxiety, depression or simply feelings of overwhelm. Your body, mind and breath are intimately connected and can influence each other. In this Lunch & Learn workshop we will look at common challenges we all face and how to apply breath awareness to return to our center. Breath awareness is a wonderful doorway into meditation. And meditation is the best way I know of to manage stress.
In this day long retreat there will be movement to help release tension from your body, breathing practices that you can use at home, a delicious lunch which will be prepared with love by our chef Janice. This will be a day of relaxation and renewal – for YOU!
Through my work with the Chopra Center in Carlsbad CA, studying with Erich Schiffmann and most importantly my work with myself I have discovered inner peace and calm.
"For breath is life, and if you breathe well you will live long on earth." ~Sanskrit proverb
If you find yourself in Bozeman on August 17 I would love to have you join me. Grab a friend, drive on over (it's only 4 hours) spend the night on the 16th and enjoy a full day of relaxing and restoring yourselves. Us the link to register for this one day event.


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Inclusive Church at General Synod
Inclusive Church will be at the Church of England General Synod in February (13th – 16th).
We have booked a stall, which we can use to profile our work, and it gives us an opportunity to talk with Synod members. In the past we have profiled work around mental health, disability and the book series. This session of Synod we will be profiling The Sheldon Hub which is being launched in March. Focussing on clergy well-being this is an important issue in the life of the church for clergy, their families and the churches in which they serve.
We will be supporting a number for synod fringe events and connecting with those who were elected as inclusive Synod members. We are very aware that during this synod there will be a lot of people wanting to talk about how they feel as a result of the House of Bishops statement – and the Synod response to this.
We are grateful to trustees and the Sheldon Community in helping us with Synod.
There is a financial cost for Inclusive Church to have a presence at General Synod – booking the stall, accommodation and travel. Basic cost is about £500. If you want to give something to Inclusive Church to support this – simply go here. Contributing to the cost of Synod will allow Inclusive Church to strengthen its work in other areas.
Presence and Prayer at Synod.
We are supporting this initiative from LGCM
On Wednesday 15 February, the General Synod of the Church of England will debate the Report of the House of Bishops arising out of the Shared Conversations on sexuality. It's a debate which has huge implications for LGBTI people across the churches and for all in our communities - looking to the church to proclaim once more God's life-giving love for all of humankind.
We know that many people will want to be present on the day of the debate to voice their support for inclusion, diversity and compassion. Others will want to support prayerfully at home.
If you'd like to join us in Westminster, you'll be able to find the information you need here, and updates on a Facebook event, which you can find here.
We are planning a dignified, peaceful presence on the steps of Church House, in Dean's Yard, at three key times during the day:
from 8.30 - 10am, as people arrive,
from 10.30 - 12noon as people are leaving after the morning session,
and from 5.30pm - 7pm while the debate is taking place.
We're also hoping to have small presence on the alternative entrance to Church House, in Great College Street. Please feel able to invite people to join you for all or part of the day. Bring your most colourful and creative placards, and candles if you're coming along in the evening.
In particular, it would help if you could indicate whether you're planning to be there, so we have an idea of numbers and scale - either head over to the Facebook page or let us know by using the link here. There is limited space in Dean's Yard (and indeed on the pavement in Great Smith Street), vehicles use the Yard as turning space, and there are offices all around. As strange as it it to think of church property as 'private property', we will be there as guests and I'm confident we'll be beautifully behaved - but it will help enormously to know if it's likely to be three of us and a Thermos, or a grand crowd.
It's quite likely to be cold, and we're concerned that those who have travelled a distance will need to warm up! So we'll be basing ourselves at the Washhouse Cafe in the Abbey Community Centre, opposite Church House Bookshop, for the day.
We really hope as many people as possible will want to join us, and that you will hold us and the members of Synod in prayer if you are unable to be there in person.


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LifeCycle (For Neuroblastoma)
LifeCycle (For Neuroblastoma)
LIFE CYCLE – A Celebration of Social Bampottery
To Vanessa, Oscar and Mackenzie, this one's for you.
But you are not alone, cos this one's also for the Bampots. Without every one of you, this story would not have happened, but you made it so. And to whoever shall suffer next, then I hope the next four and a half years will make life that little bit more bearable.
This is the true story of my Life Cycle (Pennies From Heaven)…
But first, some preamble. In the summer of '71, when I was 19, I went back to my old school and asked if I could borrow the grass athletics track for a few hours: when I explained why, they said yes. I took an entourage of one, a first aider, who was there just to make sure I didn't keel over. I wanted to run a marathon for Oxfam long before blokes decided it was fashionable to run 'a marathon'. I'd walked 25 miles for Oxfam the previous year and wanted to do more. My dad had just died and I felt a real urge to do something different that he would have approved of. And so a life of extremeism began.
Various similar escapades followed, from running/hobbling 100 miles in a day in '83, to cycling from Manchester to Glasgow in a day in '94, to kickstarting the Highland March in '03. Most of these challenges either originated in, or were conceived in years around my decades: 20, 30, 40 and 50 and so on. I'd been wanting to do something for my 60th and of course it had to top everything that had gone before: I just didn't know until one day in August 2013 what it would be. I'd had a wee false alarm back in June when I decided to ride the entire Whitelee Windfarm in a day, visiting all 215 turbines. That's 100 miles offroad with more climbing than Ben Nevis. And it's not a wind farm for nothing. That was meant to be it: done the ride, got the T shirt and drunk the celebratory beer. But those pesky Bampots had other ideas…
Let me admit something straight up: I'm not a Celtic supporter. I follow Inverness, the team that ultimately brought Celtic the blessed Martin, the 6-2 game, Seville and everything that has happened since. But the fact that I'm in love with another yet this story is being told on TCN completes a journey that began back in the summer of 2011 when a good friend, a Celtic minded friend, first mentioned RTC and the work that was going on behind the scenes to expose the financial skulduggery down Edmiston Drive (and far beyond). The rest is history. The likes of Jas Cameron, Phil Mac, Polish Turnstile, The Black Knight, Auldheid, Old Pesky, Corsica, Oisin, Sir Bartin and The Tribute Act opened my eyes to a way of being that was hereto virtually unknown in my time as a football supporter. It mattered not a jot that as Inverness supporters, we'd been doing the Highland March for ten years; we'd stopped doing it for charity because we'd reached saturation point where (the same) people were sick of us asking for money every year. So we carried on just doing it for fun, for the love of the football club: and we'll probably do it forever, I mean why stop now, after 11 years; crikey the club's only 19 years old (which is 18 more than Sevco).
Those Celtic Bampots touched a nerve in me: I've had septicaemia and survived; I've had gangrene and survived, and I feel, 100% feel, that it's my privilege and my duty to engage with my extremeism one more time before it's too late.
It all came to a head one day in the middle of August after Oscar had relapsed. I remember it well because it was just after the celebration of the Cliftonville game and 'that' picture that kept appearing on my timeline as he ran across the turf into the arms of Hoopy. From afar in football terms, I'd followed the stories of Vanessa, Oscar and Mackenzie through the Twitter feeds of the Bampots and despite having contributed financially, I knew the time had come to do more.
I was riding the 17 miles home from work over the Fenwick Muir into the teeth of a gale when, from nowhere, the notion suddenly fixated in my brain that I could be doing this for money: not my money: Oscar's money, Vanessa's money, Mackenzie's money, whoever's next's money. And so Pennies From Heaven was born. Except it wasn't quite because I didn't have a name for it straightaway: that was brought on later by man's best friend: beer.
We moved to Stewarton in '97, the week before Killie won the cup. A high mileage leisure cyclist throughout the 90's, I thought the commute from Ayrshire to Glasgow would be a doddle: I was wrong. The hills did for me, and over the course of a few months, I'd traded two wheels for four. It remained that way pretty much until a couple of years ago when I started dumping the bike in the back of the motor, parking up by 'The Red Hoose' and cycling the rest of the way down the old A77 into work.
So, 44 and I couldn't hack it, but 60 and going to ride where no (old) man has ever ridden before: how on earth is this going to succeed? Omega 3, that's why. Omega 3 is the difference. Omega 3 is the fuel of life that makes everything possible, and I mean everything. Pennies From Heaven is possible because I count Dr Tom Gilhooly in my circle of very good friends. And Dr Tom's been going to Celtic longer than I've been in Scotland, and that's 36 years. Brother Wilfrid would have been proud of what you guys have achieved in reaching out beyond the confines of Celtic Park.
Anyway I digress. Bike, miles, challenge, Vanessa, Oscar, Mackenzie, Neuroblastoma, life. It was a perfect fit. I reckoned that if I could hold down my job and stay injury free, I could probably manage 200 weeks tops before I retire. So then I did the sums as I was riding backwards and forwards over the Muir. First I thought "£10K, bet I could make £10k. Nah, too easy. £100K, this is a job for the Twittersphere". I remember twittering on to @AngelaHaggerty that this idea would fly, and I still believe it will fly. I just need people to engage…
Here are the sums: I have 200 weeks to complete PFH and I need 500 people who have sufficient faith in the project to give up the equivalent of a can of juice and a packet of crisps every week until we're done. This is a project in Social Bampottery and I just happen to be the foot soldier. I want people to believe that we are going to do this, just like we all believed that we were going to save Vanessa, Oscar and Mackenzie.
Why 500 people? Simple: 500 people, 200 weeks, 100 pennies a week… £100K
I stay in Stewarton and work in Glasgow. It's 15 miles to work the short (but more dangerous) way and 17 the long (but safer) way. Both ways are hilly. The preferred route, undoubtably, is the longer 17 mile hike up the side of the old A77. I love that road. My wife, and indeed the rest of my family hate it: too boring. I beg to differ. Like any long journey, you break it down into wee stages and take each on its merits. It's windy here, it's hilly there, it's wet somewhere else. I love the freedom of being me, on my cycle lane, while 50 yards away to my right are guys with eyes on stalks, peering into the spray and the number plate of the car five yards ahead at 80mph on the M77. I know where I would rather be, even in the rain. It takes up to 90 minutes each way, weather depending, and there's no point in getting down about it. Enjoy the experience and come back stronger tomorrow, next week, next month and next year. It's the only way I know.
The day starts at 5:20am with the Life Cycle alarm. Every day. Like a scene from The Wrong Trousers, all the kit's laid out from the night before and I just fall into multiple layers, one after the other. In the winter, that's at least a ten minute job. Fuss the cats and make sure they've food for the day, then it's out the door at 20 to 6. At this point I'd like to pick a bone with Christopher Blanchett. Why is it that it's never, I repeat never, as windy first thing in the morning as it is at teatime? The prevailing south westerly, or lack of it, hardly ever seems to blow me into work, yet it's always there like a nagging old wifie, to make my life a misery on the way home. Gimme a howling Aberdonian tailwind any day of the week.
I'm lucky because my work has showers, and at 7am, no one's in there. With a big locker and secure rack space, it's almost like a home from home: "and what outfit shall I wear today I wonder: I know, the same as yesterday, that'll save me carrying more clothes tomorrow" Ironically, for someone who's been on the go for two hours already, I'm usually first into the office: lights on, kettle boiled, let the Scoffathon begin. Calories are good, particularly when you can eat just about everything you want. I don't stop eating all day. The (fasted) commute in burns up 900 calories and I usually reckon that the return trip gobbles up another thousand. That's 2K of calories I've got for free, every day, to indulge myself, although in reality it's just fuel: it goes, just like that. There is no worse feeling than heading back over the Fenwick Muir into a headwind on a dark Thursday night and you've run out of gas. You really don't wanna be there. Food is fuel. Lots of it. Mrs Von Schiehallion's a great cook and I am eternally grateful for that. For those of you who already follow me on Twitter (@VonSchiehallion) yer cannae beat a Cakeathon, not when it's been made by my missus. Top stuff. Life Cycle rocket fuel.
So, Alfie, what's it all about? Well it's about a bloke aged 60 who's pledged to spend the rest of his working days, around a thousand in all, commuting to and from work in Glasgow on a pushbike, hoping that enough people will cough up a penny for every mile that he can ride. That's it, in a nutshell. That is Life Cycle (Pennies From Heaven). All the money raised goes to the Neuroblastoma Children's Cancer Alliance and together, we (and I use that term proudly) are going to help save someone's life: don't know who, don't know when: I just know that we're going to do it.
There are some amazing people following Celtic Football Club and I am privileged, through the internet, to have drawn strength from some of them. Yet at the same time, there are people in my own circle of friends, who quite frankly "don't get it". They don't understand what it is and what it takes to support a project such as this. I will support Inverness Caledonian Thistle for the rest of my days, and I will drink in the LRT before (our) games, because charity begins at Celtic Park.
You can follow my progress at http://www.justgiving.com/SteveTaylor-60
You can donate on the page or you can donate 100 pennies each week by texting TWIT60 £1 to 70070


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Binge eating can be triggered by trauma
Out of control eating can be triggered by trauma, according to research.
WISN 12 News' Marianne Lyles investigates the reason binge eaters can't stop themselves and the one change that makes treatment an option.
Standing in her kitchen, Cheri Stoffel faces her fears.
"I look at this and I'm terrified," Stoffel said.
The kitchen, the fridge, the food -- her nightmare goes back to age 13.
"I was baby-sitting the two younger kids and, he would come home at lunch," Stoffel said. "There was definitely some sexual abuse. I suppressed it well enough that I didn't even realize what happened until I was in college."
Looking back now, she remembers how she coped with the trauma.
"I would stay up late after my mom and dad went to bed, and I would eat whatever was available in the house but always being very careful that it wouldn't be noticeable," she said, "I created basically what my dietitian and I have come to call my peanut butter concoction -- like half a thing of peanut butter and brown sugar."
To conquer her fears, Stoffel gets intensive treatment, weekly at the Delafied Redi Clinic.
Psychologist Dr. Tony Wendorf and his team have new research to battle binge-eating disorder, or BED.
"For the longest time, binge-eating disorder was not a recognized illness that was officially diagnosable," Wendorf said.
Now it is and reports show about 10 million adults in the United States suffer from BED. Women are more affected then men. Wendorf said of those with eating disorders, only 7 percent get treatment.
"What's the big concern for the person when they're a binge eater?" Lyles asked.
"There's a whole host of medical complications ranging from type 2 diabetes to heart disease, irritable bowel syndrome to many gastrointestinal issues," Wendorf said. "These are people losing 40, 50, 60 or more pounds and putting it back on, taking it off.
"I've had people who might have sat down and eaten four or five whole large pizzas within a half hour. I've seen people eat 3 gallons of ice cream. What really distinguishes it from over-eating or emotional over-eating is really a sense of loss of control,' Wendorf said. "(It's) very similar to how an alcoholic uses alcohol to cope with triggering stressful life events. A person with an eating disorder has decided to turn to food."
Food usually consumed privately in the shadow of shame.
"I remember one time specifically standing in my kitchen just eating brownies and not realizing how many were gone until all of a sudden I came out of it. I'm like, 'I can't believe I just ate all that.' So there's a disconnection with what's going on in your body and what's going on in your mind," Stoffel said.
Wendorf said food doesn't even taste good for a binge eater.
"This is a level of coping. People think this is all about food, when in reality, it's not," Wendorf said.
"Turning to food kind of released some of that stress and anxiety and allowed me to take a break from the world so to speak," Stoffel said.
Last year, binge eating was recognized as an eating disorder, so it is covered by insurance, which is helping more people get treatment.


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Asian markets closed mostly higher Monday, as a stronger U.S. dollar cheered investors and lifted exporters. Both Australia and Japan closed up with Australia gaining almost 1 percent.
The dollar climbed back towards a two-month high versus a basket of currencies as signs of economic weakness in Australia and New Zealand showed the global slowdown spreading, a shift that is expected to help buoy the battered U.S. currency.
U.S. light sweet crude rose to an all-time peak above $126 a barrel on Friday, stoking worries about inflation and slowing consumer spending. Record-high oil prices are weighing on cost-sensitive airline stocks such as Japan Airlines and Qantas.
In focus down under -- merger talks between Westpac Banking Corp and St George Bank. A successful marriage between the two will create Australia's largest home lending and wealth management provider.
Tokyo's Nikkei 225 Average climbed 0.6 percent to its first positive close in three days, boosted by a retreat of the yen against the dollar that helped exporters and by gains in Nippon Oil and other oil-linked firms as oil hovered near record levels. Additional upward energy came from Konica Minolta, which surged 12.14 percent for its greatest one-day percentage gain in more than seven years, while financials such as Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group lost ground on rekindled worries about the financial sector in the United States.
Australian shares rose nearly 1 percent to 3-1/2-month highs as news Westpac Banking
Corp was in takeover talks with St George Bank lifted banks such as National Australia Bank.
Singapore's Straits Times Index swung into positive territory. First Resources rose 7.1 percent after Citigroup said in a broker note it expects the firm to post a strong first-quarter net profit.
China's Shanghai Composite Index moved back into the black, closing 0.4 percent higher, despite fears that rising inflation might soon prompt officials to take economic cooling steps, after the release of consumer price data showing inflation rose to 8.5 percent in April. Property developers, which are most vulnerable to monetary tightening, fell. Vanke, China's largest listed developer, slumped over 4 percent. Financial shares were mixed with Industrial & Commercial Bank of China, the country's biggest lender, edging higher.
Markets in South Korea and Hong Kong are closed for a holiday. They will reopen Tuesday.


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In the ambiguity surrounding FBT (fringe benefit tax) on ESOPs (employee stock option plans), the biggest affected party is possibly the Government, says Mr Kaushik Mukerjee, Executive Director, Pricewaterhouse Coopers.
"The first installment of FBT was due on June 15, which was postponed by the Government to September 15. Given that the notification has not been issued till September 10, the due date of the second installment (Sept 15) is also likely to be extended," he explains, in an email interaction with Business Line.
"If the notification had been issued in time, 45 per cent of the tax would have been collected by September 15. In absence of the rules, the Government cannot collect FBT."
Excerpts from the interview:
First, a background about the tax in focus.
The Finance Act, 2007 has, with effect from April 1, 2007, introduced tax on fringe benefit arising to an employee out of allotment / transfer of specified securities (like shares, debentures, bonds etc.) or several equity shares by the employer under a stock option plan.
How is the FBT to be valued? And when is the tax payable?
The fringe benefit is to be valued at the fair market value (FMV) of the security or sweat equity share on the date of vesting of the option minus any amount paid by / recovered from the employee for such security or shares. The FMV is to be determined a s per the method to be prescribed by the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT). The employer company is required to pay advance tax of estimated FBT progressively: 15 per cent by June 15, 45 per cent by September 15, 75 per cent by December 15 and 100 per cent by March 15 of the fiscal year.
Do we have the rules for the purpose of determining FMV?
Not yet. The Finance Bill was presented in Parliament on February 28, and the Finance Act received the Presidential assent and was enacted on May 11. However, the rules prescribing the method of determining FMV of securities / shares have not yet been notified by CBDT. It is understood that CBDT is finalising the notification and it will be issued soon. A spokesman for the Finance Ministry had announced last week that the notification will be issued by September 8, but it is yet to see the light of the day.
What can be expected of the rules?
There is a huge variety of sock plans implemented by the employers. Hence, in order to make the FBT legislation truly effective, the rules for determining FMV of securities / shares will need to be comprehensive enough. While the charging provisions for FBT on stock options are generic, the valuation rule, which is the machinery provision, will need to be exhaustive and specific, so that the charging provisions can be implemented properly. Simply said, what is conceptualised in the Income Tax Act / Finance Act will need to be put into implementation through the rules.
A tough task?
Stock plans have been developed over the years by various industries and innumerable varieties have been worked out by experts. It is indeed difficult to develop the Rules covering such a wide variety of stock plans issued by employers in different types of industries, over a short span of a few weeks/months. The indefinite postponement of the notification is leading to uncertainties.
How does the delay in notifying the rules affect companies?
The delay affects the Government, as I explained earlier. The delay affects the employer companies too. For, in absence of the valuation rules, it is difficult to estimate and budget for the tax. Systems also need to be put in place for collecting the data to compute FBT. The Finance Act has made it lawful for employers to recover FBT from the employees. Let us not forget that exercise of options is taking place regularly. But in absence of the valuation rules neither can FBT be calculated nor collected from employees.
And the impact on the IT industry…
As we know, the IT/BPO industry, which is one of the biggest beneficiaries of stock option schemes, has one of the highest rates of employee attrition. The delay in the notification of the rules will make it difficult, if not impossible, for employers to recover the FBT from the ex-employees.
What other apprehensions do you think are legitimate, even as taxpayers wait for the rules? And what can be the reassuring thoughts?
The legal provisions for FBT on stock options/sweat equity shares are quite ambiguous. In absence of the rules, positions cannot be taken with certainty on the interpretation of the provisions. It is still not clear whether FBT will apply in case of many types of stock option plans, e.g. Stock Appreciation Rights.
Since the Government is taking its time to notify the rules, it is expected that the rules will be comprehensive, unambiguous and will provide clarity on the application of the FBT law to different kinds to stock option plans. It should not add to the ambiguity in the law that already exists.
However, the repeated postponement without any clear communication from the Government is leading to indefiniteness and uncertainty for taxpayers.
Hopefully, the rules will come out soon. The Government should again extend the due date for payment of the second installment of advance tax (which is September 15) by a reasonable time so that taxpayers can duly put their system in place to rightly calculate/estimate the FBT liability and pay the same in time without incurring interest.


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Fantastic Mr Fox is back in town!
This time, in the theatre!
Based on the story written by the world's favourite children's author Roald Dahl, Fantastic Mr Fox has been adapted for the silver screen and now theatre.
In 2009, Wes Anderson released the motion picture with a stellar cast of top-billing actors like George Clooney, Michael Gambon, Meryl Streep, Bill Murray, Owen Wilson, Willem Dafoe, Jason Schwartzman, Adrien Brody, Anjelica Huston, Brian Cox, Roman Coppola, Jarvis Cocker, and Mario Batali providing some of the voices.
This year, this popular tale, adapted for stage by renowned playwright David Wood, has returned to the Singapore stage. This time, it is presented by The Little Company, the little sister of theatre giant, Singapore Repertory Theatre (SRT).
The Story
Fantastic Mr Fox is a wonderfully thrilling story that keeps you on your toes as you watch with bated breath to see how he outwits his enemies.
It is a classic tale of "good vs bad" and an inspiring story of one man or fox's drive to provide for his family.
To feed his family, Mr Fox steals from the farm. Each time he steals a chicken from the farm, Farmers Boggis, Bunce and Bean grow wild with rage! They're the nastiest crooks in the valley and they've concocted a cunning plan to dig Mr Fox out of his hole once and for all.
But it never occurs to them that Mr Fox has a fantastic planof his own.
This is a wonderfully thrilling plot that keeps you at the edge of your seat each time Mr Fox and his friends narrowly escapes the menacing traps set by the farmers.
Book your tickets now! New showtimes are available. For school/group bookings of 20 tickets and above, please contact Emilia on 6733 8166 or at firstname.lastname@example.com.
When: 1 Nov – 16 Dec 2012
Where: DBS Arts Centre – Home of SRT
This Fantastic Mr Fox T–shirt is on sale during the run of the production. We suggest you get yours from the SRT Box Office at DBS Arts Centre before the show. Office hours: Mon – Fri, 11am – 7pm. Price of the T-shirt is S$20.


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Download Structure Price Sheet
View the Structure Brochure to see what American Structures includes as a Standard Feature as well as the Optional Items that are available to you.
This style of garage is built in the factory, customized to fit your needs, and delivered to you via truck and trailer.
We offer three roofing styles to choose from:


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Spam and Virus Email Filtering
Exchange Online Protection (All Campuses)
- This Task requires authentication.Sign-in Required
- This Task has been designed for use by Students, Faculty, Staff. For Students, Faculty, Staff
Exchange Online Protection automatically scans all email messages sent to your University email address. It will block messages that contain viruses and quarantine those that are suspected of being junk mail. One benefit of the new spam and virus filtering service is that you can manage all of your spam right from your email client (Outlook or Outlook for Mac) or from Outlook Web App. You will receive a weekly email summarizing all of the spam messages that have been quarantined. This weekly summary email makes it easy to quickly review quarantined messages and deliver any legitimate messages to your inbox. You can also approve a sender or block a sender directly from your inbox.


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Rev. Stephen E. Stults
St. Paul's Anglican Church
Sunday Next before Advent 2017
'STIR up, we beseech thee, O Lord, the wills of thy faithful people; that they, plenteously bringing forth the fruit of good works, may by thee be plenteously rewarded; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen."
Every year we read this Collect, the Sunday next before Advent. We petition God to "stir up" the wills of His faithful people. Historically, this Sunday is known as "Stir up" Sunday. Why? We are preparing for two momentous church seasons, Advent and then, of course, Christ-mass. We Christians beseech the Lord to "stir up" our wills, that we may be filled with faith and plenteously bring forth good works. It is vital to our spiritual health that we appreciate these two upcoming seasons for what they are and not the mere counterfeit the World offers us.
Turning to our Epistle from Jeremiah, we read: "Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth."[1]
How do these two thoughts come together on the Sunday Next before Advent? What is the unifying theme here and what significance do they have for us?
First, it is that we see God being 100% consistent in His Holy Word. What we mean here is that the lessons from this Sunday are purely and simply a fulfillment of prophecy.
In this case, it is the prophecy of Jeremiah coming true in the days of Jesus. The O.T. prophet Jeremiah clearly proclaims the kingship of the Messiah. He is to be the "righteous branch", the "King" who "shall reign and prosper" over Israel and Judah.
Then, in our gospel selection from St. John 6, Jesus performs a miracle that clearly gives evidence of His Kingship over all creation. To the spiritually discerning, the prophecy is fulfilled.
But wait, one might say, how is it that Christ showed himself, really and symbolically, as King and Ruler over Creation? If it weren't for a grassy hillside near the Sea of Galilee, one could argue that He was not. After all, what Jeremiah was prophesying was the standard Messianic vision several prophets had or would have in their ministries. This type of prophecy fed right into what Judah hoped for during the Roman occupation and the vision Judah had for herself: a strong, independent Jewish nation, led by their warrior-king-messiah, subduing all nations and bringing the light of God's Law to the heathen. In some ways, it is also the vision some 21st century Christians have of Christ as well.
Today, some members of Christ's body on earth support Israel for this purpose. Not only to participate in the blessing on those who support her, but in some way to advance an agenda whereby Christ returns to earth in power and great glory. It has been said, for example, that President Harry S. Truman believed this and thus helped advance the formation of the state of Israel. He did this to prepare events for a certain end-time scenario. He thought that by causing Israel to be created, he was setting the stage for the Second Coming of Christ. In the mysterious sovereignty of God's Will, he did help, just not with the short-term payoff he may have envisioned. It is true that all of us fulfill God's Holy Will in some way, even when we are unaware of it. For the spiritually introspective, most of us only see the glorious working out of God's Will in our lives in hindsight. Looking back, sometimes we are blessed with an "ah-ha" moment. It is those times that we should bow our heads and worship most fervently as we see God's Kingship in our lives.
It is precisely this Kingship that Christ revealed in Galilee when the hungry crowd followed him and listened eagerly to His teachings. As Lord and Pastor of their souls, he fed them spiritually and then, fed them physically. First, he tested his first disciple Philip by asking him where they might buy bread, in order that the crowd might eat.
Philip acknowledges the impossibility of earthly means to feed them. Andrew then informs Christ of the lad with five barley loaves and two fish, while also acknowledging the paucity of means to feed so many. Christ does not respond to this, but tells the disciples to have the people sit down.
He then performed four important actions: he took, he blessed, he broke and he gave. The liturgical Christian will recognize these as the same actions a presbyter performs during the Eucharist. The symbolism is intentional. Christ feeds all of us in the Eucharist, just as he did the multitude. All the faithful who come to communicate with Christ are the new multitude of the Church. After distribution, the men eat and are satisfied, just as we who come to the Holy Table are satisfied with Christ.
Note that the significance of this kingly sign was not lost on the people. In fact, it was so evident that they wanted to make Christ an earthly king by force by necessary. Christ rejected this and withdrew from them into the mountains.
The message is both clear and mysterious. Clearly, Christ was the expected One, the Messiah of God by the signs He exhibited. Yet, it was unclear how He exercised his power once he began to appear among men. Not as the powerful earthly ruler, with pomp and magnificence, did he manifest Himself to mankind. Yet, as possessing all power He showed Himself to man through His miracles. Note that He did not create the bread out of nothing, using some manipulation of Nature or magic, but magnified that which already existed. Bread comes through the bounty of God and the labor of Man. The message is clear to those who have a heart for God: Jesus is Lord and King, just not in the earthly sense of these terms. Rather than exercising lordship through coercive or terrible means, Christ exercises Lordship through loving authority. He doesn't need to extract fealty from us through fear or raw power, but through the attraction of love.
This is the standard that God expects of us. We are to love God with our whole being, with our heart, our soul and our mind. We are to love Him with every fiber of our being, the One who loved us so much that, in the words of John 3:16: "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life." (NKJV)
Then, we are to love our neighbor as ourselves. We are, in the words of the Golden Rule, to treat others as we would have them treat us. We are to love them as we love ourselves. These two commandments, to love God and to love our neighbor, are at once very simple and very profound. We can only do this through Christ and the help of the Holy Spirit.
That leads us to contemplate the great Season upon us, the Season of Advent
One cannot underestimate the value and importance of this brief and wonderful season.
Are we ready, as faithful Christians, to re-commit to Him, as we prepare for another year in the life of the Church? Will we permit ourselves to experience the full joy and peace of Christ is our life? These are all serious, but wonderful questions that Advent helps us to answer.
To us today, the same message applies: there is hope, for our "King and Redeemer draweth nigh." The Season of Advent is meant to help prepare our hearts and minds to receive the One to whom all Biblical prophecy points. Advent helps us prepare for the One who brings light and life to a dark and despairing world. Advent helps us to maximize the spiritual and temporal joys of Christmas, as we embrace the eternally momentous Nativity of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
We pray you, let this Advent season be the richest you've ever had, full of the joy of Christ.
Glory be to God the Father, and to God the Son and God the Holy Ghost, now and forever. AMEN


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Southern Insurance Associates
by AJaye Brown on Dec 28, 2015
Flooding happens every day in all regions of the country. Consumers must prepare for flooding no matter where they live. The Northeast can be affected by remnants of tropical disturbances in the summer, but are also threatened by winter flooding, nor'easters, and the threat of rapid spring melts. The Midwest experiences major river flooding - illustrated by the catastrophic floods of 1993 and 2008. The west coast's intense flooding season typically spans November through March and results in millions of dollars in damage for residents each year.
Many consumers think that flooding related to hurricanes and other tropical disturbances are limited to coastal areas. However, some of the most damaging flooding can happen well inland and days after a storm makes its initial landfall.
Although many floods are caused by huge storms like hurricanes or nor'easters, more floods occur every day and can result from small, localized events, such as a typical afternoon thunderstorm. No matter where you live, it is important to remember that just a few inches of water in a home can cause thousands of dollars of damage.
Contact Southern Insurance Associates, a FEMA certified flood agency, today to discuss your flood insurance options at 706-996-8788 or Info [at] SouthernInsuranceAssociates [dot] com.
We look forward to hearing from you and how we can help!
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Improv Comedy Club has first meeting
September 12, 2018
The Improv Comedy Club, a relatively new club at AHS, had their first meeting on Sept. 12.
Now in its third year, the club is open to all who are interested in joining and participating in theatrical improvisation.
Members of the club perform scenes with improvisational acting and without a script or prior preparation. Scenes or games performed by members of the club typically have a comedic sense to them.
The sheer randomness and humor involved in the making of these scenes allow participants to express themselves freely through spontaneous acting.
When performing scenes, participants may be randomly asked to complete certain tasks or incorporate random objects into the scene.
"My favorite part is seeing a scene come together," senior Kyle Dalsimer said. "People bringing random pieces into the scene and seeing it all come together is hilarious."
In addition, the club also participates in live performances and shows as well as at competitions.
The Improv Comedy Club is quite different and varies from the acting done in the theatre class. Rather than having a script and memorizing lines, improvisational acting requires swift decision-making and quickly figuring out the direction of a scene.
"Playing the different scenes, events and games allows us to tests ourselves," Dalsimer said. "It also provides us with the opportunity of just having a good time," Dalsimer said.
New members to the club are excited about having the opportunity to join in the unrehearsed acting.
"I think it will be a very nice way to express myself," freshman Jewel Coulter. "I like the idea of incorporating random variables into our scenes on the spot."
The club typically meets every Friday and will hold multiple performances and shows throughout the school year.
Senior Jude Nanaw is the current Co-Editor in Chief of The A-Blast. He has been on staff for four years where in previous years he has held the positions...


text: Video: Talib Kweli Freestyles On 106 & Park's Backroom Serge Fleury | May 24, 2013 640,134 0 Like Tweet Business just picked up in the backroom. Prisoner Of Conscious is out now. Go show some support. Category: TV, Videos Tag: 106 & Park, Prisoner Of Conscious, Talib Kweli Previous Post: Video: Joey Bada$$ & Pro Era's Tour Documentary Presented By Fader TV Next Post: Video: Fame ft. Chase n Cashe "2 Cold"


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Thank you for visiting my website. After a long career as a university administrator, I am once again a full-time faculty member. The prospect of devoting myself again to teaching and scholarship is exciting, as well as daunting. Getting current again with the subject matter is scary enough, but the technology is even more frightening. With your indulgence, I'll try.
Fortunately, the fundamental premises of natural resource management have not changed. People need resources, and nature provides them. I am an unrepentent optimist, and I believe that every day we make our world a little better. On the day I wrote this message, I was engaged in an email discussion with a colleague who, after reviewing some world demographic trends, announced that Malthus was once again affirmed. I disagreed. Malthus is, of course, always right in theory; when one trend line changes arithmetically (that is, resources) and another changes geometrically (that is, human population) , they eventually will cross. But this analysis neglects that the slopes of the curves can change. Indeed, they have changed continually in human history, and they continue to change today. The dire conditions that futurists predicted in the 1960s have not come true; not even close. A pessimist would say that we're just putting off the inevitable and we're making the final outcome worse by doing so. But I see progress all around us. Sustainability is now mainstream. Food supply and quality continue to improve. Human population growth rates continue to decline. The world is a wonderful, beautiful place--and getting moreso.
I welcome you to think positively and constructively about the world in which we live. It is the only one we have, with all its problems and possiblities. We need to make the best of it.
Please go to the "Teaching" page to see details of a special course I am leading during the Fall 2011 semester about the role of dams in our civilization.


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As this article is written, Hurricane Irma is threatening to wreak havoc on much of Southern Florida. In fact, things are looking so bad that President Donald Trump is starting to fear for the safety of his beloved Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Florida.
On Saturday he tweeted:
According to a recent report from The Huffington Post, Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate is reportedly insured by the federal government.
The estate is insured through the National Flood Insurance Program, according to HuffPost. A Federal Emergency Management Agency spokesperson explained:
'The program provides affordable insurance in flood-prone zones where private insurers have traditionally refused to insure properties because they're so vulnerable. Some critics say the program benefits affluent people who live on beachfront property, essentially allowing them to live in places that are at a high risk of being damaged.'
The property is covered at the "full-risk" rate, meaning that it's insured for the full risk of flooding up to a certain dollar amount. According to HuffPost, "the 1968-era National Flood Insurance Program, or NFIP, offers a mix of rates."
The insurance program on the Mar-a-Lago resort was about to expire at the end of September; however, Trump temporarily extended it by signing legislation on Friday.
Irma, one of the largest hurricanes ever recorded, is expected to ravage Florida this weekend. According to a Trump Organization spokesperson, Mar-a-Lago, Trump International Golf Club in Palm Beach, and Trump National Golf Club in Jupiter are all closed ahead of the storm's expected hit.
Not everyone agrees with Trump's purchasing of insurance for his estates, though. Several Democratic lawmakers tried to stop the president from receiving federal funds for flood insurance coverage by introducing a bill called "Prohibiting Aid for Recipients Ignoring Science." Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-Ore.) reportedly once said:
'It would be outrageous for somebody who is denying the reality of climate, who is undercutting our ability to minimize the effects, to then turn around and be a recipient of federal largess. We need to stop building in places where nature shows repeatedly that they're not wanted. We need to stop making it worse, and we need to put in place programs to try and minimize damage.'
Featured Image via Getty Images.


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I wonder if a junior Treasury bod is going to be despatched to Oxford Street after Christmas to collect a few of these up so the Chancellor has something to show his grandchildren? "And here's where I cut VAT…"
There's a little roundabout outside the Dome at the moment. It's very sweet, and people were posing for photos by it this afternoon… but it wasn't picking up any trade.


text: Bright pink beaded bra straps are perfect removable bra straps! The beads are a beautiful pink with a pearl like hue to them, creating the prettiest in pink bra accessories. Beads are crafted with a silver rope and textured silver balls, and really are a lovely choice. Attach these straps for bras to your convertible bra or strapless bra and wait for the compliments! There is never a need to wrestle with a strapless bra again, these bra straps are so beautiful! Great bra accessories and so much more stylish than clear bra straps! Fully adjustable. Attaches to any convertible bra or strapless bra.


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The Tokyo motor show always offers up a range of interesting concepts, but it's also home to its share of the more intriguing inventions of the automotive world.
From pod-like runabouts that are due to be mass produced in the next six months through to wacky eight-wheeled sports limos, the Japanese sure have a way of creating cars that make you look - and in some cases, look away.
For example, what do you get when a pharmaceutical and electro-optronics company gets together with a robot maker? These cute little Kobots.
The Pokemon on wheels are collapsible so you can fit them in tight spots and they can turn sharply to avoid pedestrians.
Once the driver reaches the destination, they can use their smart phone as a remote control to collapse them into a more manageable size.
The Kobots are also designed to talk to each other and can use satellite navigation to pick up car-sharing partners.
They're designed to be picked up and left in parking stations on the perimeter of a future CBD that doesn't allow cars.
The commuter drives their own car to the perimeter of the city and then picks up a Kobot for the rest of the journey.
The Japanese start-up company's sales blurb says: "Our concept vehicles come from the urban-planning initiatives being undertaken in European cities including London and Paris. These enviro-friendly programs shut out regular car traffic from city centres and tourist areas by providing parking lots in the peripheries.
Small electric mobility vehicles are all the rage with Japanese car makers at the moment, but the dawn of the EV is also encouraging other companies with battery and electronics expertise to try their hand at city runabouts.
Car makers are also working on city-friendly mobility vehcies. Toyota offshoot Toyota Auto Body is looking to launch two mobility vehicles in the middle of next year.
The P-Com and B-Com are electric single-seat commuters with a top speed of 60km/h, a range of 50km, and a recharging time of 5 hours. You can add a delivery box on to the back of them for courier applications.
Check out the Tokyo motor show page for the rest of the concepts and new models from the 2011 show.


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I'm terrible at planning parties unless they have a theme, and because my Mini loves Minnie, we had a Minnie Mouse birthday party. A quick search in Pinterest pretty much provides everything you need to get started, and since every toddler loves Minnie Mouse – the party supply store nearest our house had an abundance of decorations and supplies that worked.
I'm trying to mentally prepare myself for having a two year old on Jan 31, but I have a few more days to come to terms with that and a separate blog post.
A huge thank you to my mother for taking Mini for the day so we could decorate and cook, and a HUGE thank you to my mother-in-law for agreeing to make the cupcakes – they were gorgeous!


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On the NYC streets, searching this city with you,
Two dots on a mountain or in the ocean blue.
We're searching the world making memories.
We're spending our money but getting it for free.
Though the world's so big, we're at each other's side.
We've got each other's back just like Bonnie and Clyde.
And the storm clouds turn grey.
The winds blows down these city streets.
We'll shine brighter than Empire State.
We'll catch everyone's eye, searching this city with you.
Crossing mountains, oceans blue. New York has nothing on us.
We're in love, we're just us. Just being me and you.
Photo by Dean Rose on Unsplash.
If you liked this post, also check out "on the corner of Love and Poetry" by thelonelyauthorblog, as well as my own post "Poem in Your Pocket."
© Joey Blue and thepoetryaboutus.com, 2018. All rights reserved.


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That's certainly been my experience with Evolver, which has grown and morphed and evolved over the past decade in ways no one, me included, ever expected. Again and again, the right people showed up, the right opportunities presented themselves and this consciousness culture hub — which started with just a handful of us in NYC bootstrapping a blog called Reality Sandwich — has grown into a global network that reaches millions of people through education, publishing, events and a whole plant wellness marketplace.It hasn't always gone smoothly.
Resources were limited, because it's just not easy to attract funding for a platform dedicated to consciousness expansion and cultural transformation. And maybe we were also a bit ahead of the curve. The scene wasn't large enough yet to support our vision of a mission-driven, socially responsible platform for the consciousness community.
We kept growing — as the scene itself grew — but in fits and starts. After Reality Sandwich we launched Evolver.net as a social networking platform. Later, we added the Evolver Learning Lab online courses. At one point we also had an Evolver Editions book imprint, and Evolver Social Movement grassroots groups in 50 cities — both of which we have since let go, along with the social networking site that basically got eaten by Facebook.
Then came The Alchemist's Kitchen, our botanical dispensary dedicated to the power of plants. We opened a flagship location off the Bowery in Manhattan, presenting 30 consciousness culture events each month. We started the Bowery Cannabis Club for people passionate about the healing side of cannabis. Then we helped launch the Assemblage co-working space with another events series that drew even bigger crowds. And last year we began The Evolver podcast, our weekly interview program with inspirational figures talking about their personal awakening processes.
Evolver Awakening is our way of gathering all of our different parts and pieces together, and connecting the various branches of this incredible community.
For us, Evolver is a community first and foremost. It always has been. Everything we do springs out of the community we are a part of, and is intended to be in service to the consciousness movement.
This community is growing and maturing — fast. Its needs today are different than even a short time ago.
People are waking up at a remarkable rate. They are looking for others to share their experiences with, and for context to help them understand their own awakening process. They want to connect to the planet, to plants, and get in synch with the natural cycles that guide existence.
Evolver Awakening is all about going deeper with our community. We're expanding and will be releasing innovative new programs and initiatives that we hope and expect you'll be as excited about as we are. We'll also be reorganizing things a bit, to make what we do cleaner and clearer.
If you're reading this, my bet is you recognize that humanity is at the threshold of an amazing shift. One that is calling for your contribution to make it happen. And I bet you also realize that without this shift, the planetary crisis we're in will become even more acute. It's a fork-in-the-road moment that we all have to face.


text: Stand as One with refugees and asylum seekers 13 June 2016 More than 65 million people worldwide have been forced to flee violence, conflict and persecution. Now is the time to stand in solidarity with them and tell world leaders that they must commit to do more for refugees and migrants. If you agree that we all deserve to live in safety, then please Stand As One and sign our petition today.


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I want to read an excel sheet in GAMS. the file contains series of 500 values per year for each variable a,b and c. it is a parameter that I define as Stk(yr,i,se). The values are saved in an excel sheet with 3 dimensions Rdim=2 Cdim=1 like the following example
1 2 3 ...500
a y1
a y2
a y10
b y1
b y2
b y10
So I proceed this way (see code below) but it couldn´t work out . the erroe messages are:
140 Unknown symbol (related to 'a' in the following declaration ----->Randomdata('a',Yr,Se) = Rdata('Maize',Yrn0,Se) ;
149 Uncontrolled set entered as constant (related to 'Se' in the following declaration ----->Randomdata('a',Yr,Se) = Rdata('Maize',Yrn0,Se)).
But before that they was an error related to the lign (execute 'gdxxrw.exe......), I think that it was not well stated.
Please provide some hints. Thanks for your consideration
Code: Select all
Se series of stochastic yield term /1*500/
i products / a,b,c /
Yr year / 2014*2025/
t0(Yr) Year 0
tl(Yr) Last year
Yrn0(Yr) time path /2014*2025/
ti(Yrn0) first year for considered time frame
tf(Yrn0) final year for considered time frame
crop for data calculations /a,b,c/
* read data from Excel
execute 'gdxxrw.exe i="stochastic yields.xlsx" o=Randomdata.gdx par=Rdata rng=Sample!A1 Rdim=2 Cdim=1 MaxDupeErrors = <500> ';
execute_load 'Randomdata.gdx', Rdata;
Display Rdata ;
* stochastic yield data
Randomdata('a',Yr,Se) = Rdata('Maize',Yrn0,Se) ;
Randomdata('b',Yr,Se) = Rdata('Rice',Yrn0,Se) ;
Randomdata('c',Yr,Se) = Rdata('Sorghum',Yrn0,Se) ;
*Assign values
stk('Yr0',i,Se)= 0 ;
STK(Yr,i,Se)= Rdata(crop,Yrn0,Se) ;]


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The Mosaic Voyage with Laurie Mika
Date: Friday, September 17, 2010 5:00 am - Sunday, September 19, 2010 7:59 pm
Categories: US MIDWEST
Contact info Valley Ridge Art Studio
Come spend three art filled days with me at the highly regarded Valley Ridge Art Studio. We will be going on a mosaic voyage where students will be transforming a metal book case into a beautiful travel compendium using handmade polymer clay tiles, jewelry parts beads and found objects. We will also explore collage techniques in this mixed media class.