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LiveJournal has some truly hideous layouts. I kid you not. Perhaps their designers were seeing whether the monkeys-writing-Hamlet hypothesis actually worked if you let the chimps randomly fling paint against a canvas? Or is this all a fiendish plot to get us to upgrade to a paid account, where the designs are marginally better? I honestly have no clue.
Why bring this up today? The Christian blogosphere is abuzz, as it is every year, over ChurchRelevance's release of the top 200 church blogs. It's being criticized - again, par for the course - for being majorly light on non-white, non-male bloggers. And reading the conversation it struck me: even if my blog was big enough to qualify for something like this (it's not) or even if I particularly wanted to be included on this list (I don't), my blog doesn't really have the kind of "brand" that would work there. I guess you could call it "Marta's Mathoms," which is the title I've had since LJ made me type something in when setting up this account.
But I wanted something a bit more meaningful and less generic. And I wanted a better layout, too. Ergo: the new title + skin.
My LJ username, "fidesquaerens" is the first part of a sort-of slogan you see in the early medieval period, mainly in philosophers like Augustine and Anselm. The full version is "Fides Quaerens Intellectum" - "Faith Seeking Understanding." It's also the original, rejected title of the "Proslogion," which is at the center of my dissertation topic. So it seemed as appropriate a title as any.
It's also fiendishly easy to misunderstand. As Thomas Williams notes in his Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy article on Anselm:
Many philosophers have taken [the saying "faith seeking understand"] to mean that Anselm hopes to replace faith with understanding. If one takes 'faith' to mean roughly 'belief on the basis of testimony' and 'understanding' to mean 'belief on the basis of philosophical insight', one is likely to regard faith as an epistemically substandard position; any self-respecting philosopher would surely want to leave faith behind as quickly as possible. The theistic proofs are then interpreted as the means by which we come to have philosophical insight into things we previously believed solely on testimony. But as argued in Williams 1996, Anselm is not hoping to replace faith with understanding. Faith for Anselm is more a volitional state than an epistemic state: it is love for God and a drive to act as God wills. In fact, Anselm describes the sort of faith that "merely believes what it ought to believe" as "dead" (M 78). (For the abbreviations used in references, see the Bibliography below.) So "faith seeking understanding" means something like "an active love of God seeking a deeper knowledge of God." (emphasis added)
Coming from an encyclopedia written by and for philosophers, it contains a lot of those technical terms that I was always having to look up when I first started grad school. So let me try to unpack it a little. A lot of people use "faith" like it's a step on the road to belief and finally to knowledge. Say I present you with some complicated math expression like this:
cos(50)*cos(40) + sin(50)*sin(40)
... and ask you to simplify it down to a single term. After some head-scratching and quite possibly murderous looks on your part I take pity on you and say it's the cos(10). Obviously! No scratch work needed on my part, and I swear in blood I didn't work it out beforehand. I have a math degree, and I seem in confident in what I'm doing. You take it on faith that I am right - this is "belief on the basis of testimony."
And maybe you leave it at that, because you don't really care and have every reason to trust me. Maybe you test me using a calculator and see that the long expression does work out to a decimal very close to the cos(10). Or maybe you get me to show you how I solved that problem (it involves a trigonometry identity I memorized back in high school). Maybe - if you're a much better trigonometrician than I ever was - you even understand *why* this identity works out to be true. Any of these things would give you a reason to believe my answer, other than just your trust in me. No faith required. And this is exactly the kind of thing philosophy seems to drive at. A good thing, right?
Only that's not what Anselm means at all. Faith isn't a starting point that we move beyond. It's something else entirely. I love Williams's definition of faith as "an active love seeking a deeper knowledge." It reminds me of one of my favorite bits of Plato, in the "Theaetetus." Socrates supposes that the boy Theaetetus must have thought about a great number of things and Theaetetus replies that he hadn't thought about things, but that he had wondered a great deal. I can almost see Theaetetus's sheepish expression, because he's sure he'll disappoint this wise man. But the Socrates in my mind just grins widely, claps his hand on his leg that this child has gotten the distinction Socrates probably wishes the "wise" men of Athens would get, and says those words I had pinned up in the logic lab where I worked at my M.A. program: "Wonder is the feeling of a philosopher, and philosophy begins in wonder."
For Anselm, faith isn't a way of knowing, a level of belief - it's the "volitional" state, the drive that prompts us to reach with all our might for something just beyond our grasp. Anselm doesn't think we can fully understand God, at least not on our own (knowing God involves something almost miraculous, though Anselm thinks it's quite common). Knowing for Anselm isn't just a matter of weighing the facts available using experiment and observation and logical analysis. At least when it comes to the things on the periphery of human understanding, it's very much a moral project.
The more I think about the things that matter to me - and this includes so much more than just God-talk - the less satisfied I become with simple logical analysis. Faith seeking understanding means I am so bothered by something I can't make sense of that I can't quite leave the problem alone. Things like the reality and pointlessness of suffering, justice vs. mercy, or what we Protestants might call "the depravity of man" - humanity's true gift for shooting our neighbor in the foot only to find out our own foot was in the way as well. I am driven to distraction by these things, I cannot sleep, I am always turning some new aspect of it over in my brain. Rational thought plays a role, to be sure, but faith questing after understanding (as the phrase is sometimes translated) means I have something inside of me driving me to focus on these things and reach for a deeper, better understanding of the issues involved untiil I nearly throw my arm out of its socket.
And really, that's what I'm trying to do here, in a nutshell. On my best days, and with my deepest thinky-thoughts. There will continue to be cute cats and political musings and fannish fun, and hopefully actually fanfic. To say nothing of RL happenings.
That's a long explanation! But I thought it might help, since on its own it might seem like I'll only be talking about religion. Or that I'm downplaying science, or think you have to have religious faith to get to understanding of any kind, or don't want to hear from my nonreligious friends or anything. Not true. It's just a useful phrase that, to me, stands for the moral side of learning and knowing.
Btw - if anyone finds a better LJ skin or wants to design me one, I wouldn't say no. The one I ended choosing isn't bad, and aesthetically it's definitely the best one I saw, but the header graphic is something of a non sequitur.


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COVID-19 Updates
Visit UC San Diego's Coronavirus portal for the latest information for the campus community.
View Details
I am interested in clinical and basic research on Alzheimer's disease (AD) and other neurodegenerative disorders. In particular, I have focused on biological markers and genes related to AD, and understanding the clinical course and ways to intervene in AD.
Cerebrospinal (CSF) Fluid Markers. Together with collaborators, I have found that levels of the proteins tau and beta-amyloid protein may be useful markers for AD. Using sensitive tests to measure these in CSF, we have found that tau is increased in many patients with Alzheimer's, and a form of beta protein called Ab42 is decreased in many Alzheimer patients. These markers may be useful in identifying AD, even in very early stages. In characterizing tau protein in CSF, we have found that it is cleaved, indicating protease activity. This protease activity may be a factor in AD or neuronal death and is being studied and characterized.
Subtypes of Alzheimer's Disease. My colleagues and I have identified the Lewy body variant of AD as accounting for about 15 percent of patients at our center, many of whom were originally thought to have AD. Lewy bodies in this disorder are found in a variety of brain areas. We have identified a clinical profile to help to diagnose this disorder, that includes hallucinations, parkinsonism, and a subcortical profile of cognitive deficits as being useful in the early diagnosis. We have also found that the density of Lewy bodies in the brain correlates with the severity of cognition measured close to the time of death. These studies show that Lewy bodies can contribute to dementia. Biological markers and genetic risk factors for Lewy body dementia are currently being sought.
Genetic Risk Factors for AD. We have studied phenotypic aspects of apolipoprotein E, of which the e4 allele is a risk factor for AD. We have shown that patients who have the e4 allele have an excess of amyloid deposition in their brains in the form of senile plaques, and also an excess number of neuritic plaques. We have recently identified a family with very early onset of AD who have novel mutation in the gene for the protein presenilin 1 on chromosome 14, which is linked to onset of AD in their mid-30s. The search for further genes relevant to AD and other dementias continues.
Galasko, D., Corey-Bloom, J., and Thal, L.J. (1991). Monitoring progression in Alzheimer's disease. J. Am. Geriatr. Soc. 39: 932-941.
Seubert, P., Oltersdorf, T., Lee, M.G., Galasko, D., et al. (1993). Secretion of B-amyloid precursor protein cleaved at the amino terminus of the B-amyloid peptide. Nature 361: 260-262.
Galasko, D., Hansen, L.A., Katzman, R., et al. (1994). Clinical neuropathological correlations in Alzheimer's disease and related dementias. Arch. Neurol. 51: 888-895.
Bondi, M.W., Monsch, A.U., Galasko, D., Butters, N., Salmon, D.P., and Delis, D.C. (1994). Preclinical cognitive markers of dementia of the Alzheimer type. Neuropsychology 8: 374-384.
Galasko, D., Saitoh, T., Xia, Y. et al. (1994). The Apolipoprotein E allele e4 is over-represented in patients with the Lewy body variant of Alzheimer's disease. Neurology 44: 1950-1951.
Motter, R., Vigo-Pelfrey, C., Kholodenko, D., Barbour, R., Johnson-Wood, K., Galasko, D., et al. (1995). Reduction of amyloid beta peptide42 in the CSF of patients with Alzheimer's disease. Ann. Neurol. 38: 643-648.
McKeith, I.G., Galasko, D., Wilcock, G.K., Byrne, E.J. (1995). Lewy body dementia: diagnosis and treatment. Br. J. Psychiatry 167: 709-717.
Galasko, D., Clark, C., Chang, L., Miller, B. et al. Assessment of cerebrospinal fluid levels of tau protein in mildly demented patients with Alzheimer's disease. Neurology, in press.
Official Web Site of the University of California, San Diego.

subset: commoncrawl


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Choose Vehicle Type
Drivers and passengers are placing increasing demands on the integration of applications and infotainment functions in the car. Similarly cloud services and driving functions, such as automated driving, require high computing capacities and low latencies. These trends will revolutionize the vehicle's E/E architecture in the future.
An important cornerstone of this development is our Body High-Performance Computer. It is a carrier of application software for predefined functions whilst also acting as a platform for third-party software and services. Moreover, it also takes the role of a network manager and with our Intelligent Antenna Module as a communication interface, it provides a central architectural element for over-the-air software updates, remote maintenance and vehicle cyber security.


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Famous queens were courageous women of accomplishment. Queen Zenobia, the Syrian desert queen, was a striking figure who messed with the history of ancient Rome. She refused to be conquered as long as she could, and maybe that had something to do with the legend of her beginnings.
Imagine being brought up as a boy while you are a girl. A daughter thought nothing of, disregarded by your father because there was little use for you until you could be married off to a chief. Your father being a successful desert chief with many wives and sons. Your mother hid you among the boys in your home, and raised you to endure hardships as well as ride horses in the desert, hunt, use bow and arrows, and have the schooling to enable you to speak 5 languages. All this in the 3rd century A.D. There may be some truth to this legend, but for now it is a great mystery.
We do know that dear Zenobia was married off at age 15, to a king of Palmyra. He was, Septimius Odaenathus, a Romanized Arab. She was not his first wife, but they had 3 sons, and the firstborn, Vaballath, was the heir to the throne. She was reputed to be quite a beauty:
Her face was dark and of a swarthy blue, her eyes were black and powerful beyond the usual wont, her spirit divinely great, and her beauty incredible. So white were her teeth that many thought she had pearls in place of teeth. Her voice was clear and like that of a man. Her sterness, when necessity demanded, was that of a tyrant, her clemency, that of a great emperor. (Ten Queens by Meltzer, pg 38).
Credit: www.traveladventures.org
Palmyra, Syria (her eventual queendom)
The ancient city was a major trade route in the Syrian desert. It was almost centered between the Mediterranean Sea and the Euphrates River. The Roman empire was connected from Palmyra to the Persian empire, and beyond, so the Romans forced Palmyra to be subjects in the 1st century A.D. This meant that Rome controlled the caravan routes, and although neighboring Parthia and Persia greatly disliked that fact, the desert oasis, Palmyra, remained a safe route.
Palmyra means "city of palm trees," and so it was, as well as beautiful architecture with a Grand Colonnade of 375 marble columns. Traders came from Egypt, India, the Persian Gulf, and the Orient. The merchants from Palmyra became very rich. Surviving art sculptures portray wealthy gowned men and women in embroidered clothes and wearing rich, weighty jewelry.
Roman Syria (saved by Zenobia and Odaenathus)
Meanwhile the Roman empire was beginning to crack somewhat, and Roman Syria was the goal of Rome's arch enemy, Sapor 1, king of the Sassanid Persians. Odaenathus and Zenobia were very aware that Palmyra could be captured by Sapor 1, or at least could be on his "to be conquered" list. So, since Odaenathus had control of the Roman legions stationed in the East, he and his lovely Zenobia warred against much of Asia minor for several years. They protected and expanded Roman Syria, together.
Imagine the daring Zenobia dressed in armor, riding a horse behind her king, and using all her formidable skills to slay the enemy. She probably walked miles with her foot soldiers and matched them in strength. She spoke Latin (the official language of the region), Aramic, Arabic, Egyptian and Greek. The queen to be knew how to communicate.
The Roman bigwigs were thrilled with the king of Palmyra's work in preserving Roman Syria, so he was granted a new title: Governor of all the East. Alas, his glory was short lived because Odaenathus was assassinated.
Queen of Palmyra
The king's death has many suspects, one of them being Zenobia. Did she or didn't she? Know one knows for sure, in fact most of what is known about her (mainly her ruling years, which are not the same from all accounts), are from the Romans who were her enemies.
So, her 11 year old firstborn, Vaballath, became the king. Zenobia was his regent, major helper governor. Think about this: what a sham this must have been for the vibrant and intelligent woman who had done so much to keep her Palmyra and all of Roman Syria a great kingdom, safe from neighboring despots, and her son is passed the keys to the kingdom. So unfair, so wrong. Nevertheless, historically she is given the credit as the ruler of the Palmyrene Empire.
The time was ripe for Zenobia to get out from under Roman authority. The Roman emperor at the time was an accomplished general, Aurelian. He was busy with the corrupt Roman government, so Zenobia figured she should begin uniting Syria, Egypt, Asia Minor and Mesopotamia under her queenship.
She succeeded in Egypt by sending her troops to invade. Unfortunately they only left a small force behind to control it. Aurelian found out, and marched East to put a halt to Zenobia's mischief. Eventually Aurelian defeated Zenobia, but she didn't retreat, she fled. She made it back to Palmyra and held her defense from there. Her soldiers were expert bow and arrow marksman and they held off the Romans initially. Also, they used fire from the ramparts to hurt the enemy. As all sieges continue, the matter of food and water becomes of highest importance. The queen's people were getting slim on supplies so she and her son left the city (snuck out) to appeal to help from the king of Persia (Sapor's son). She was hoping he would ally with her so the Roman rule would die out. On a personal note, I think he would have joined her because he probably despised the Roman control too.
Zenobia was captured before she made it to see the Persian ruler. The warrior queen was a great prize for the Roman emperor. He could have had her killed, as was common in those times, but instead he made her captive in a cage on a high platform in the public square in Antioch (on the return to Rome). She had to stay there for 3 days, exposed and humiliated by the viewers. When the cavalcade arrived in Rome she was made to walk with a golden collar around her neck, her arms bound in gold chains, and a helmet on her head. She had a purple ceremonial robe on as she walked at the end of Aurelian's procession.
She was a remarkable, classy woman who was spared because she had performed admirably in service to Rome.
photo courtesy - Palmyra Street (www.traveladventures.org
Zenobia bust (www.britannica.com)


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Retail & FMCG
We have a wealth of experience working for some
of the world's largest retailers and FMCG
We have a wealth of experience working for some of the world's largest retailers and FMCG. With B&Q our award-winning data scientists, email marketers and consultants work together to run intelligent, data-driven marketing campaigns. While with Coty our data architects and scientists. have built a world-first recommendation engine for perfumes. Working with Unilever, our consultants have designed and executed market research experiments using smart devices driving product and consumer insights.
So, what do these projects and campaigns have in common? They unlock the power of data to help businesses be better. This could mean learning more about their customers, improving their marketing and communications or building new data-driven products. This helps to future proof your business. We will work with you to organise, optimise and, ultimately, monetise your data.
How we work with you
We start with getting the basics right. We ensure you have a robust data infrastructure. That way, your data can be front and centre of your operations. You can see and use all the information you have about your customers, and you have the right business intelligence to inform business critical decisions. This foundation enables streamlining of processes, sharing of knowledge, organisational efficiencies and the empowerment of your team to make quick and effective decisions. Ultimately, it sets you up to be able to use your data to impact your bottom line.
Next, we work with you to create the strategies to most effectively use your data to increase your customers and their engagement and spend:
- We help you identify who your target customers should be.
- We help you grow your database.
- We ensure your targeting is as effective as possibly by predicting which of these customers is most likely to buy when, which customers are at risk for you and identify customers of high future value to you.
- We refine and automate customer journeys to improve efficiency and enhance customer experience. We support you with your digital transformation to deliver this.
- We build data models to understand your marketing effectiveness, helping you maximise your spend.
- We execute your marketing campaigns through multiple channels to enable you to engage your customers.
We can work flexibly with you, delivering outsourced projects, working as a part of your in-house team, or alongside you as a partner on the projects you want to deliver.
Retail & FMCG Stories
Design a customer retention strategy
Churn model & win-back
Know which customers are at
risk of churn before it's too late
Target customers at the right time
Propensity to buy
Predict when your customer
is likely to purchase next
Understand customer needs
Dynamic segmentation
Understand customer evolving needs


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MTV'S HIDDEN CAMERA SERIES "DISASTER DATE" RETURNS FOR A FOURTH SEASON premiering MAY 16th AT 6:30 PM ET/PT
This Season Features Several Celebrity Guest Appearances Including The "Jersey Shore" Cast
New York, NY (May 11, 2011) - Singles beware! MTV's blind date comedy "Disaster Date" is returning for a fourth season with 20 brand new episodes featuring several celebrity guest appearances from the "Jersey Shore" cast and an all-star lineup of improvisational actors, beginning Monday, May 16 at 6:30pm ET/PT.
MTV's hilarious hidden camera series will return to give those who have experienced bad blind dates a chance to settle the score. "Disaster Date" sends their unsuspecting friends on blind dates, but what they don't know is that they're really going to be set up with an over-the-top actor who will bring their dating nightmares to life. The season premiere kicks off with "Jersey Shore's" Pauly D setting up fellow cast member Deena Cortese on a date. Additional celebrity appearances this season include "Jersey Shore's" Vinny Guadagnino, Jenni "JWoww" Farley, Nicole "Snooki" Polizzi, Jayson Blair from MTV's "The Hard Times Of R.J. Berger" and the indie pop band Hellogoodbye. In addition to the celebrity dates, this season will also feature "stunt" dates involving trained stunt professionals - as well as double disaster dates where two marks will be set up at the same time.
As the friends watch the entire date from the control room, they direct the actors by feeding them personal information about the dater that is guaranteed to create a disaster. Each blind date lasts 60 minutes, unless the dater can't put up with it anymore and decides to leave. Humiliation has a price as the dater earns a dollar for every minute they stay on the date. The series features seven new improvisational actors that cycle through the series playing various outrageous characters no one would want to date. Some daters last the entire date, but others will flee before the clock runs out.
"Disaster Date" is executive produced by SallyAnn Salsano, Joel Zimmer and Pam LaLima. James Bianco is head of production, Brad Kreisberg serves as director and Amy Griggs is executive in charge of production. James DeSimas serves as the development executive for MTV and Jennifer Russakoff serves as the executive in charge of production for MTV.
About MTV:
MTV is the world's premier youth entertainment brand. With a global reach of more than a half-billion households, MTV is the cultural home of the millennial generation, music fans and artists, and a pioneer in creating innovative programming for young people. MTV reflects and creates pop culture with its Emmy(R), Grammy(R) and Peabody(R) award-winning content built around compelling storytelling, music discovery and activism across TV, online and mobile. MTV's sibling networks MTV2 and mtvU each deliver unparalleled customized content for young males, music fans and college students, and its online hub MTV.com is the leading destination for music, news and pop culture. MTV is part of MTV Networks, a unit of Viacom (NYSE: VIA, VIA.B), one of the world's leading creators of programming and content across all media platforms.


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Our VANIZIA Collection of briefcases features innovative creations that showcase the beauty of the full grain vegetable tan leather. Classic, elegant, luxurious - a range of cases for the most discerning gentlemen.
This single compartment laptop briefcase features a padded sleeve to keep your laptop / tablet protected. The organizer has a pocket equipped with the latest RFID wave blocking technology to ensure your data and cards are safe. The rear features a zippered pocket and an attach-a-bag strap to piggy-back the briefcase on other baggage. Truly the perfect fusion of style and function!
Luxurious Full Grain Vegetable Tan Leather
17" x 4.5" x 12" ( L x D x H )
2.8 lbs / 1.25 kgs


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A World of Firsts
It seems like these days, any feature film with a star-studded cast passes as a solid movie. It might be void of any real plot or storyline, but you watch it because you recognize the names on the poster. Chuck Frybergers CORE ($39.95, chuckfryberger.com) breaks the mold by following climbings A-listers on individual journeys to go to the heart of climbing. Primarily focusing on bouldering, the film works through biographical vignettes about each climber. From Fred Nicoles bouldering/sport climbing crossover super-route, to math-whiz Matt Wilders 5.14 trad route, CORE gives the viewer a peek into what drives our superstars to climb harder, and in turn, push the sport further. As the first climbing flick ever to be shot in Blu Ray, it boasts Ultra High Definition, which keeps the action realistic and enthralling. With plenty of first-ascent footage and advanced video technology, CORE is on the cutting edge of the sport and how it will be documented. Julie Ellison


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Posted by Dr. Scott Wilson | 29-05-2016
Often times, engaging in outdoor sports and other activities leads to shoulder injuries. In many cases, this is because of a lack of flexibility/mobility and poor movement or biomechanics. Also, our shoulders are reliant on multiple areas of the body to maintain proper function. Complications with the neck, upper back and large muscles like the "lats" can create problems that appear to be shoulder issues. In the following video, Dr. Jason Lemieux of Physiomed Oakville demonstrates various tests to help identify what your biggest limiting factors are when it comes to shoulder weaknesses: In this video, Dr. Jason Lemieux of Physiomed Oakville demonstrates various activities and exercises to help address and overcome these weaknesses or limitations:
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Pregnant woman, unborn child killed in 134 Freeway crash
A pregnant woman and her unborn child were killed when car the woman was driving veered off a 134 Freeway onramp and collided with a tree, officials said.
California Highway Patrol Sgt. Chris Powell said the woman was driving on the westbound side of the freeway at Victory Boulevard when the accident occurred on Sunday afternoon, the Glendale News-Press reported.
The woman was approximately 30 years old, Powell said.
"The vehicle struck a tree, and [there] was major intrusion of the tree into the driver's compartment," Powell said.
The woman was taken to Los Angeles County USC-Medical Center, where she died from her injuries Sunday evening, Powell said.
Retired Riverside detective arrested on suspicion of child molestation
Governor files legal opinion against ban on affirmative action
Four people killed in plane crash in hospital parking lot in Watsonville
-- Maria Hsin, Times Community News
Photo: California Highway Patrol officers investigate the crash scene off the 134 Freeway. Credit: KTLA News


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Hi All,
Today I have visited an ATM. The cooling inside was too good. Dont you think that, it is waste of energy and money. There are lot of regions in our country, who are facing electricity crisis.
I firmly believe, if we want a better life, we are the only one who has to come forward and act accordingly. Switching off AC in ATM can be a small step forward in this regard. I dont find any technical reasonof using AC in ATM ( Because there are lot of ATMs, where AC is not in working condition for a long time. Most of them are SBI )
What do you think ? Have your say in comments.
Best Regards,
Mahin Gupta
A quick ASP.Net tip
1) If you want to use any custom namespace or class in your global.asax you can use following syntax to use corresponding namespace.
<%@ Import Namespace="TristonFramework.Web" %>
<%@ Import Namespace="System.Web" %>
2) When you put a breakpoint in Global.asax and if it not firing than consider following tips
a. Make sure you are using Debug environment ie <compilation debug="true">
Warning : make sure you have switched compilation element to false before using the web.config in production. Otherwise it has a huge performance panelty. You can read about it here.
b. Try to edit the Global.asax by just hitting few enters in blank space. Sometimes when Global.asax is not changed after last build, asp.net does not consider it for debugging. i dont know why ? But this trick works almost always.
Thanks and Regards,
Mahin Gupta
Hi folks,
Sorry for this so late post. Actually was very busy with some management stuff in my company and had a very tight schedule.
Any ways, so introducing Hamachi + VNC.
If you need to access a remote computer on Network trust me VNC is one of the best in the business. Just install VNC ( Server + Viewer ) and bingo… You are ready to access a desktop remotely.
But problem comes when you are not on same network or say you want to access a computer over Internet. Now hamachi comes into the picture. Hamachi creates VPN ( Virtual Private Network ) between few computers.
We will go step by step :
Step 1: Download and install VNC.
You can download VNC from following locations :
VNC website : http://www.realvnc.com/cgi-bin/download.cgi?product=personal4/winvnc
Filehippo : http://www.filehippo.com/download_realvnc/
You can find Steps to install VNC here
Want to know more about RealVNC… go here
Step 2: Download and install Hamachi.
You can download Hamachi from following locations:
From LogMeIn Hamachi Site : https://secure.logmein.com/products/hamachi/vpn.asp
FileHippo :1) http://www.filehippo.com/download_hamachi/
You can find steps to install Hamachi here. This article also contains how to create a Virtual private Network between two computers.
Step 3: Create VPN between two compuers using Hamachi.
With the help of this article create VPN between two computers.
Step 4: Do Remote Desktop using VNC Viewer.
After creating VPN start VNC Viewer on one machine( machine A ) from which we want to control other machine ( machine B ). In Hamachi Network right click on machine B and click Ping. See you are getting ping correctly or not. If you are not getting Ping correctly than machine B might have some firewall or antivirus kind of thing which is blocking your commands. Solve this issue.
When you get ping correct, again right click on Machine B in Hamachi Network and click Copy Address
In VNC Viewer give this copied IP Address as Server name, and hit Ok. Nowyou will get password screen. If in Machine B VNC Server you have set up a password than give that password here. If You have not given any password than leave it blank, and hit Ok.
Magic………… Now you are controlling Machine B from Machine A…. :).
Few other uses of Hamachi. It basically gives an IP address to your machine accessible to all other machines on same network. It means that suppose you have developed one web site on your machine and you want to demo it to your client who is not on same network or say is accessible only through internet, you can use Hamachi effectively. Just setup a VPN using Hamachi with your client. Give hom URL to your site with servername as your IP Address on Hamachi Network.
Other Players In Remote Desktop :
I love TeamViewer.
But its free version is for evaluation purpose only and terminates the session after some times.
Hi All,
We all love this forward messages and we welcome them since they work as a little refreshment in our busy work schedule.
But we need to be little responsible and careful when we send this forwards to our friends.
Please take care of following two things to honor privacy of our friends who share their eMail address with you and trust you.
1) Always do bcc. Never send a forward using plain To: field. Everyone can see to whom you are sending the mail and he has access to all eMail addresses to whom you have sent this mail.
Use bcc instead which makes recipient list as anonymous.
2) Before hitting Send please spare a second to remove all forward information from the eMail which contains eMail addresses of previous sender and all the to,and cc recipients.
Also check if user's has put their signature at the end of mail or not since normally users put their mobile No.S and where they work also in signature( Sometimes these signatures are automatically appended by Mail server ). If signature is there then remove all the signatures. This is very important.
3) Let the subject line indicate Fw: or Fwd:
This will help recipient to differentiate if the eMail is Forward or a Text. He can also use filters ( gMail ), Rules ( Outlook ) to categorize eMails as Forwards.
Follow this steps since they will hardly take few seconds and you will save your beloved friends from being victim of social engineering or tele callers or spammers.
Note : You can forward this eMail but please make sure you have followed above steps.
I have also published it as a blog entry in my blog. If you want to say anything regarding this please send me a comment on my blog or reply this mail.
Hi All,
Again I have found a great pair of magicians who allow me to check how productive I am.
Introducing Fruitfultime.
I have implemented following process in my office.
1. Every developer machine will have fruitfullTime installed.
2. Every machine will have Firefox installed with the plugin ScreenGrab
3. Now FruitFullTime runs silently in task bar for whole day. Whenever you want to see the usage of time, just click on fruitFulltime icon in taskbar and it will Show you a page in your browser ( We have Mozilla Firefox as default browser ) containing hell lot of statistics about your usage of computer today.
This is the example screen from their web site ( I can not show my screen for the reason of privacy )
Using these stats I exactly know now how much time I am giving to bloody gTalk,gMail. I really surprised by knowing the amount of time I spend on gTalk.
4. Everyone will do ScreenGrab at the end of day for FruitFullTime statistics page and will mail it to one eMail Address.
I know I have created a work around to use a great system for free, but I will definitely try to purchase its Business edition as soon as it will be available.
You can check some reviews about it here.
You can Download it from following location.
Best Regards,
Mahin Gupta
I found Speedtest tool from rahul tyagi's blog. Its also interesting how I found his blog.
I wanted to know the meaning of word Masakalli used in a song of upcoming Rakeysh Mehra movie Delihi -6.
I was not able to find the meaning of it but found this and loved it. So publishing it.
Catch : Actually on first attempt I got 48 words per minute but exactly when my time was getting finished I pressed backspace to correct a word and bingo, I found myself on the previous page. Beware of that.
Yet, if any one knows meaning of masakalli please let me know
You can post your speeds also in the comments.. cant wait
1. Ultimate List of Free Windows Software from Microsoft
Really a great collection. After checking these you will not have to go for third party utilities for small little windows tweaks. I loved Open Command Window Here.
2. 10+ tools to save yourself in School
The bonus was interesting
3. Are My Sites Up ?
Good small tool to make sure your all web sites are up and serving the cause.
4. WhisperBot
Send and receive confidential notes securely and its free..
If you want to know why I suggest you this and suggest you in BOLD fonts then please check the following blog posts.
http://www.gnucitizen.org/blog/google-gmail-e-mail-hijack-technique/ ( Please check comments section also )
Advice : Please check your gMail Filters if you have clicked and visited any links in these blog posts.
So introducing PhotoFunia.
Put your face on any given image. It is amazing. They use face detection technology, and my my, magic.
1. Select and effect from gallery. These are basically collection of images there algorithm can process.
2. Select your photo, make sure to check My photo should not be available to the public, if you dont intend to do so.
3. Bingo…. You got your photo there.. now you are also a celebrity
There are lots of images from which you can choose…
I will give : 4/5
Superb work. They are doing just too good job.
Thanks and Regards,
Mahin Gupta
So basically there are 3 ways to do it. We will check each of them and will find the best out of them.
1) Send WebRequest
private static bool IsInternetConnected()
HttpWebRequest req;
HttpWebResponse resp;
bool bRet = false;
req = (HttpWebRequest) WebRequest.Create("http://www.google.com");
resp = (HttpWebResponse) req.GetResponse();
bRet = resp.StatusCode.ToString().Equals("OK");
catch (Exception exc)
bRet = false;
// resp.Close();
return bRet;
Remarks : You need System.Net namespace to use HttpWebrequest and HttpWebresponse.
2) InternetGetConnectedState() – wininet api
private static bool APIInternetGetConnectedState()
bool bRet = false;
int Desc = 0;
bRet = InternetGetConnectedState(ref Desc, 0);
catch (Exception exc)
bRet = false;
return bRet;
Remarks : You need to create extern function to use this api and have to use runtime interop assemblies. So you need to reference namespace
System.Runtime.InteropServices and include following code in your class definition.
private extern static bool InternetGetConnectedState(ref int description, int ReservedValue);
3 )InternetCheckConnection – wininet api
private static bool APIInternetCheckConnection()
bool bRet = false;
bRet = InternetCheckConnection("http://www.google.com", 0x01, 0);
catch (Exception exc)
bRet = false;
return bRet;
Remarks : You need to create extern function to use this api and have to use runtime interop assemblies. So you need to reference namespace
System.Runtime.InteropServices and include following code in your class definition.
private extern static bool InternetCheckConnection(string description,int flags, int ReservedValue);
Comparision :
Table shown below compares all the methods. Interestingly InternetGetConnectedState() reports connected even if we are not connected to Internet, and that is very natural since it has no way to detect if you are connected to actual Internet ( ie particular server ) unless you send a request to web server. You can find a good explanation about it here.Again you have to use interop services to use both this api which can cause performance issues.
Using Google server as server to request has also pros and cons. 1) Google is used heavily – but again it effectively uses CDN, so I don't think this argument holds a point. 2) You are almost very sure that Google server will be up and running in almost all circumstances, but yet for the sake of precaution use this as parameter and get it from either Database or App.Config
So after all of this for the time being I will go with Method 1 ie by using Send Web Request.
|No Connection
|Connected to Intranet
|Connected to Internet
|Send WebRequest
|false (0 ms)
|false (0 ms)
|true (550 ms)
|false ( 30 ms )
|true ( 0 ms )
|true ( < 10 ms )
|false ( more than 2 seconds )
|false ( 400 ms )
|true ( 78 ms )
There exist other methods also to check Internet connectivity ie Create a socket connection to Web server, Use Ping or tracert, Open a telnet connection but many of this can create problems when firewall is on. yet, I am still interested in finding a better method than this. Please let me know if you know one.
Best Regards,
Mahin Gupta
I wanted to install Visual Studio 2008 -SP1 , and it requires mind blowing 5.61 Gigs of space.
Again I ran out of space, so I have started to work on getting my C:\ space back again, and I got one more culprit, thanks to WinDir
Picasa !!!
We all know Picasa scans our computer and prepares its own database. it uses "C:\Documents and Settings\Mahin Gupta\Local Settings\Application Data\Google\Picasa2\db3" path for this.
I checked it and it was almost 900 MB.
I tried to search on Internet how can I change this location, I checked registry also but the bad news is that you can not change this location.
So what i have done ?
I just copied all *.db files from "C:\Documents and Settings\Mahin Gupta\Local Settings\Application Data\Google\Picasa2\db3" to one temporary location. Now my C:\ has more 900 MB space.
Now if I open Picasa, then it will again ask you to rescan your computer because it has no database now. I forcefully killed picasa process ( Because there is no way to stop it in that screen ). once again copied all the *.db files into "C:\Documents and Settings\Mahin Gupta\Local Settings\Application Data\Google\Picasa2\db3" folder. Now again I opened picasa and bingo!!! all my images are back.
I will use this work around for the time being until google announces picasa version which let us to change image db location, till then watch this space.
I have also added this in my post where I have listed few steps of how to reclaim your c:\ space


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"Adam Lambert: Behind the Music" Preview
HollywoodNews.com: Adam Lambert is one of the biggest stars to ever come out of American Idol. It did not matter one bit that he was the runner-up during his season as he had already made the cover of Entertainment Weekly followed soon after by the cover of Rolling Stone.
He did not come out publicly until after the show but in this new VH1 Behind the Music special that premieres Aug. 8, it is clear that his sexuality probably had everything to do with his losing the final vote to Kris Allen. He was so clearly the superior talent and star but America just wasn't ready for an openly gay American Idol.
Says Adam: "I wouldn't want to go through my career hiding anything. … It's just not my style. I'm proud of my sexuality. I have no shame."
Photo by PRPhotos
To see the video go to GREGINHOLLYWOOD
To see celebrity photo galleries click here
Follow Hollywood News on Twitter for up-to-date news information.
Hollywood News, Hollywood Awards, Awards, Movies, News, Award News, Breaking News, Entertainment News, Movie News, Music News


text: When you join Emerge Solutions you will have access to our community of practice where you can add your ideas, share challenges and successes, and learn about evidence-based practices. You can also comment on our blog and connect with others for growth and support. Joining takes only 2 minutes. Click here to become a member today or to renew your membership. To renew your membership, follow the link and use your credentials to logon to your account and follow the onscreen instructions.


text:
Wend Magazine, an outdoor adventure/travel mag with an eco-sensitive slant, has a great photo gallery on their Wend Blog today that celebrates the game of Chess and its universal appeal around the globe. In fact, the blog post compares it to soccer when it comes to international popularity, with chess boards bridging cultural and language barriers across the planet.
The classic game traces its origins back to 6th century India, and over the centuries it has evolved into an art form. Learning the moves of the various pieces is a simple affair, and yet it opens the door for complex strategies and intense battles, played out on a black and white checker-board.
Wend warns that when you play a game abroad, you not only play for yourself, but your entire country, and offers up a few things to consider before sitting down at the chess table. That advice includes such things as don't play anyone over 60, as they are probably better than you and it's a no win situation no matter the results, and get familiar with local rules before you play, or you may find yourself schooled by some obscure tactic.
Of course, the real highlight of this post is the photographs, and they are fascinating. There are shots from all over the planet ranging from Argentina to Uzbekistan, and plenty of places in between. The photos capture players of all ages in all kinds of settings, and really do show just what an international game chess has become. Checkmate!


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Waste Removal
Waste removal can be expensive and most businesses don't realize that they have multiple options available to them. CCPA takes the mystery out of contracting for waste removal services and provides the best pricing for all centers, regardless of the number of locations. We have a strong working relationship with many of the national waste removal vendors and can gain immediate access to very aggressive pricing. There are no upfront costs, and once we have a copy of your most recent waste removal invoices, we will perform a quick review to identify immediate cost saving opportunities.
Our 'Quick Review' involves looking at the following:
- Price
- Frequency of pick ups
- Size of containers
- Add-on charges
- Waste stream (trash vs. recycle)
Fill out the contact form below in the footer and a purchasing consultant will contact you at a time of your choosing!


text:
Angie's List Answers is the trusted spot to ask home improvement and health questions and get answers from service companies, health providers and consumers. For ratings and reviews on companies in your area, search Angie's List.
*Updates every 4 hours
Wall runs from back of house perpendicular to longer length of house for approximately 6.75ft, to current doorway between the 2 rooms & runs about 10ft after doorway to larger opening between living room & 2 story foyer. We'd like the entire 6.75 ft from the back of the house & about 1-1.5ft on the other side of current doorway removed. First floor level above a crawl space with second story bedroom above. The longer wall holds 1 electrical outlet & a triple light switch on dining side & single light switch on kitchen side. Other wall portion may not be possible if hot water manifold is to close to the end of the wall. Will then leave that as is. Realize we will require drywall repair, electrical work & new flooring. I gather my first step is the permit office & to hire a structural engineer to determine shoring up requirements. Interested in cost of just wall removal along with required load bearing restructuring work.
If this wall is perpendicular to the long side of the house, would commonly NOT be load-bearing unless under a higher-level wall, as it would normally parallel the floor joists. But as you say, you need a Structural Engineer to determine that and work up the removal/support plans as needed, BEFORE applying for the permit as you will need the engineer's plans to get the permit. (Or more commonly, have the contractor get the permit as part of his scope).
Then - a Remodeling - General Contractor would probably be your best bet to do the work considering electrical, maybe plumbing, carpentry, drywall, flooring (where wall was) and painting to be done.
As for issues of bearing versus non-bearing wall removal and cost. Put the words - load bearing - into the Ask box and it will bring up several links to similar questions with responses - more linked below each set of answers, with quite a few indicating typical cost ranges. Non-load bearing wall removal and patching up commonly in the one to couple thousand $ range - load bearing wall removal can typically run in the couple to few thousand $ in simple cases - then on up if substantial structural modifications have to be made, the span is large or there is not room for an acceptable appearance beam to carry the load, or special support provisions have to be carried down through the underlying story to new foundations for the piers or columns supporting the beam. But you will need bids to get a handle on the specific cost range for your job once the engineer (or engineer working under an Architect if you are looking for fancy structural arches or such supporting the new beam) has the design done.
Answered 4 years ago
by LCD
Report It


text:
What's different?The main difference between IQOS vs cigarettes is burning. When you light a cigarette, the oxygen in the air combines with the tobacco to create self-sustained burning.
When a cigarette burns, the tobacco reaches a temperature of over 850°C at the tip of the cigarette. This creates thousands of harmful and potentially harmful chemicals, which are then inhaled. By contrast, heated tobacco only heats the tobacco up to 350°C and precisely controls the temperature to make sure the tobacco doesn't burn. This means that instead of smoke, the IQOS alternative produces a nicotine vapour.
What's similar?Even though IQOS is often aligned with vaping, the experience of using IQOS is more similar to smoking a regular cigarette. From sensory experience to flavour, here are some of the main similarities between the two:
IQOS produces about the same amount of nicotine as an average cigarette. To be clear, IQOS is not a cessation product, but rather an alternative way to consume tobacco. Unlike e-cigarettes, IQOS uses real tobacco as opposed to liquids, making it similar in many ways to the traditional smoking experience.
One of the biggest attractions of IQOS is the deep and rich tobacco flavour that it produces. Without burning it, the real flavour of tobacco is released. This is something that many new users who switch from cigarettes notice at first and something that's difficult to imitate through tobacco flavoured e-cigarettes and liquids.
In fact, for many adult smokers, an important part of cigarettes is the ritual behaviour. From the weight of it in your hand to the time it takes to smoke. IQOS lasts about the same time as a cigarette; up to 14 puffs. The tobacco sticks also use a similar form of filter technology, giving you a familiar experience when you use IQOS.
To learn more about how IQOS works, check out our video tutorials.


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Brianna Rose and Bunny Colby Live Lesbian Romance
When two girls look this good, pairing them up is a given! These two busty, slender beauties light up the set with their oozing sexuality. Sexy lingerie just compliments the naughtiness you're about to enjoy, as both of these babes show off what they've got, as they get truly naughty with fingers and tongues. Brianna Rose and Bunny Colby are a match made in glamour heaven!


text:
!http://nfpa.typepad.com/.a/6a00d8351b9f3453ef01bb086ee961970d-320wi|src=http://nfpa.typepad.com/.a/6a00d8351b9f3453ef01bb086ee961970d-320wi|alt=Home Fire Sprinkler Coalition|style=margin: 0px 0px 5px 5px;|title=Home Fire Sprinkler Coalition|class=asset asset-image at-xid-6a00d8351b9f3453ef01bb086ee961970d img-responsive!The nonprofit Home Fire Sprinkler Coalition (HFSC) and NFPA's Fire Sprinkler Initiative are teaming up to recognize outstanding local efforts by an advocate who diligently promotes the importance of home fire sprinklers.
The Bringing Safety Home Award honors members of the fire service and other sprinkler advocates who use HFSC and Fire Sprinkler Initiative resources as a key component in educating decision-makers on fire sprinklers and convincing them to support sprinkler requirements at the local, state, or province level.
The award recipient will be honored at NFPA's Fire Sprinkler Initiative Summit, October 13-14, 2015, in Phoenix. NFPA will cover the recipient's travel and lodging expenses for the trip.
Download the nominee application form from the Fire Sprinkler Initiative website and submit it to firstname.lastname@example.com by Thursday, September 10, 2015.


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Although only the size of Great Britain, Victoria packs a punch above its weight. The 'Garden State' is the home of gorgeous natural scenery and National Parks, from dramatic coastal cliffs through lush glens to the Snowy Mountains. Victoria is also renowned for its gastronomy: the bar and restaurant scene in Melbourne is justly famous, and its wineries are top class. Its inhabitants are the most sports-mad of a sport-obsessed nation, playing host to Aussie Rules, the Spring Racing Carnival, the Australian Open and the Grand Prix. And Melbourne is the nation's cultural capital, with a flourishing arts scene and a vibrant multicultural population.
Would you like to see only family-friendly places while browsing our site?


text:
Children's Bible Verse Alphabet Print
by Ooh I Like That Design
This Alphabet Print features bible verses and beautiful illustrations and would make a very unique new baby or christening gift.
Ships from United Kingdom
Ready for dispatch in 1-2 Business Days
Free Delivery (UK)
- International - £5.95
Product description
This Bible Verse Alphabet print would make such a beautiful baby gift!
I designed this print to encourage children to look up and learn new bible verses.
Initially it looks like a children's normal alphabet print, but as they get older they can look up the verses as each verse will lead them to the picture on the poster. The bible verses are either beautiful as a one off or lead you to discover a new bible story or character!
DELIVERY - rolled in a postal tube and posted 2nd class
A3 Printed on 300 gsm silk white card
A2 Printed on 235 gsm satin paper
Proudly printed in the UK
An original George Peters design.
Meet the Maker
Ooh I Like That Design
Fun and quirky illustrated greeting cards and bible verse prints by George Peters
Hi! My name is George and I live in Somerset with my husband Sam.
In June 2014 I decided to use my graphic design knowledge (all of which was taught to me by my father who was a successful graphic designer) and combined it with my quirky humour to create fun and colourful greeting card and print designs that make you smile.
I always joke that I have a creative compulsive disorder, so being my own boss means I get to do a wide range of things and I find that I work best with variation. At the moment it is just me running the business but I definitely would not have got this far with out the support and encouragement from my husband Sam, who would love us to work together and be able to support ourselves financially doing what we love.
At the moment there is no 'typical day' which I love, but I am either creating new designs from my home office, fulfilling or restocking online and wholesale orders, painting and experimenting new ideas, meeting and emailing potential new clients and of course drinking lots of coffee.
Friends and family and every day expressions inspire a lot of my cards ranges. Some of my best sellers have come from my friends pharses. The deal with my friends is if they inspire a card they get the it named after them. For example "I am like literally so happy for you" is my best friends saying and so is named 'Literally Emma Card'.
I would say me design style is fun, colourful and quite eye catching. My customers do literally say 'Ooh... I like that!' when they pick up my products which always makes me chuckle when they realise the name of the brand.
One of my favourite products is my A3 Bible Alphabet print - it was a lot of fun to create, if not a good challenge. I think its such a unique gift, it is also my most popular print.


text:
JB Branson
Contact JB Branson
JB is a Field Artillery Officer in the United States Army. He has a Bachelor's Degree in Finance from Kennesaw State University.
JB created a 15 step Keeper Valuation Formula to determine Fantasy players' value in Keeper Leagues based on the round they were drafted in.
In addition to RotoRob.com, JB also contributes to RotoBaller.com.
Twitter: @JBsFantasyHelp
Check out all of JB Branson's articles here.


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Help Centre
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What about claims handling?
Claims made against FastTrade policyholders will be managed by Aviva's own market leading professional indemnity claims technicians, supported by a panel of the UK's top solicitors firms, all of whom have extensive experience dealing with a wide variety of professional indemnity claim.
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Two Factor Authentication is now available on BeyondUnreal Forums. To configure it, visit your Profile and look for the "Two Step Verification" option on the left side. We can send codes via email (may be slower) or you can set up any TOTP Authenticator app on your phone (Authy, Google Authenticator, etc) to deliver codes. It is highly recommended that you configure this to keep your account safe.
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hacktivism/nuclear physics both rule
- 93072121
Signature"I do not find in our particular superstition of Christianity one redeeming feature.....Millions of innocent men, women and children, since the introduction of Christianity, have been burned, tortured, fined and imprisoned. What has been the effect of this coercion?To make half the world fools and half hypocrites; to support roguery and error all over the world."
-Thomas Jefferson


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Archives Lead: Janet Allcock
The main purpose of the Alberta Archives and Museum is to collect, preserve and interpret the history of Guiding in Alberta, the Northwest Territories and Yukon.
Our prim aim covers Alberta, the Northwest Territories and Yukon, but where appropriate, we include Guiding items of wider Canadian and World-wide interest.
The Alberta Archives and Museum is open for self-guided tours 8.30 AM to 4.30 PM on regular business days.
For unit tours and visits outside these hours, please contact the Archives Lead.
The Archivists are present part time, usually Thursdays and Fridays in winter and variable hours in summer.
Please email firstname.lastname@example.com for details
The Alberta Archives and Museum is located in the Alberta Girl Guide House in Edmonton
GIRL GUIDES OF CANADA - Alberta Council
Guide House Office Phone
Archives Lead email
• Unit tours - including opportunities to try on some of our historical uniforms
• Program sessions which help meet some Guiding program elements, particularly Gateway to our Past and Mouse around the House
• Mobile displays on Guiding topics for use at conferences and events
• Facilities for research using our documents, photographs, resource books and other collections
Guiding began in Alberta in 1913 and Alberta Council was formed in 1929. The council has been preserving records and Guiding material since then. The Alberta Archives and Museum was set up formally in 1992 and has been in its current location since 2011.
Since we run both Archives and a Museum we collect a very wide variety of items, from three-dimensional artifacts to documents and historical papers.
The collections include;-
Remember--the success of any Archive and Museum depends on the continued support and contributions from its members and other sources. Please consider making a donation of your Guiding papers or artifacts.
To donate a uniform/insignia or other historic materials to the Alberta Council Archives please complete the Archive Donation Form.


text:
Thriving Workplaces
"Truly, stories are the dreams of the people. We must create new stories out of our highest vision, and encourage our children to dream new dreams and build their world upon them." ~ Manitonquat – Wampanoag elder, in Return to Creation
More so than ever before, today's business climate is marked by complexity, paradox, uncertainty and rapid change. Business leaders often define success as winning the battle against these external forces. But this view gives rise to managing based on measurement, compliance, control, goals, competition and greed, none of which create success.
Neither organizations, nor the people who comprise them, work the way business believes they work. The battle can't be won because it's based on faulty assumptions. While walking this dead-end street, we have created just the organizations we don't want, yet still think and act as if we're on the path to victory.
The sustainable, thriving centers of creative excellence we want are products of new ways of seeing and thinking, not the result of command and control. In this new world, skills include perspective, clarity, inspiration, resilience, collaboration, serving, listening, reverence and learning. Natural passion and commitment live inside every one of us; we want to contribute. A leader's job is to evoke that innate creativity already within his/her organization, energy that wants to be expressed in fulfillment of an organization's vision.
By combining new ways of seeing and thinking with calm, contemplative action, you will transform yourself as a leader and transform the organization you manage, evoking natural excellence in others and in yourself. In a world that will always be uncertain, unpredictable and chaotic, I will help you to:
- see clearly … in the midst of life's paradox
- act creatively … in the midst of life's uncertainty
- choose calmly … in the midst of life's chaos
- speak confidently … in the midst of life's complexity
- relate with reverence, respect and integrity … to others and to yourself
Contact me if you're ready to unleash the creative genius waiting to propel your organization to excellence.


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Affirmations can be powerful tools. Our heads are often filled with so much negative self-talk, and we all know how powerful THAT can be, amitrite? So, let's flip the script on it. Let's tell ourselves positive, loving, and powerful things. Let's build ourselves up rather than tear ourselves down. I chose this first affirmation because the name of my blog, abhaya, is the sanskrit word for fearlessness. I have let fear get the best of me on too many occasions, and it really does keep me from living my best life. This affirmation reminds me to get out there, try new things, take leaps, and say YES.
Happy Wednesday, everyone!
shanti >> sondra
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text:
Dr. Akissa Bahri, Coordinator, African Water Facility, discusses water resources management in Africa in the context of climate change at the Positive Economy Forum 2014, at Havre, France.
Photos © 2014, Patrick Boulen
The AWF is committed to providing information in French and English, however at times it will only be provided in one of the two languages. Thank you for your understanding.


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Trade-offs between mitigation and climate engineering: an interdisciplinary approach
TOMACE contributes to the hitherto expert-dominated climate-engineering debate by conducting detailed analyses of lay persons' acceptance of solar radiation management and Bioenergy Carbon Capture and Storage (BECCS). It focusses on the effects of these technologies on people's willingness to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions.
|German Research Foundation—Priority Program 1689 Climate Engineering
|Center for Environmental Systems Research (CESR); Kassel University
|Prof. Dr. Katrin Rehdanz and Dr. Christine Merk (IfW)
Wellbeing from the Baltic: Applications combining natural science and economics
As part of an interdisciplinary research project we analyze the impact of anthropogenic pressures (eutrophication, climate change, fishing) on the provision of ecosystem services in the Baltic Sea area. A focus will be on the valuation of cultural ecosystem services such as recreation and aesthetics.
|German Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) and EU BONUS
|University of Helsinki, Aarhus University, Natural Resources Institute Finland, Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute, Stockholm University, University of Warsaw
|Prof. Dr. Katrin Rehdanz and Dr. Christine Bertram (IfW)
BIOACID (Phase III)
Biological Impacts of Ocean Acidification (Phase III): Public perception of ocean acidification and the role of information
Public support for climate change mitigation policies is greatly influenced by people's risk perception of climate change. One major challenge in climate change communication is uncertainty. Yet, previous studies suggest that lay people may be reluctant to respond to information that comes with high uncertainty. Based on a representative online survey the project aims: 1) to analyze public perception of Ocean Acidification (OA) in Germany, and 2) to examine how uncertainty in climate change communication and framing of outcomes influence people's risk perception and thus their willingness to mitigate.
|2015-2017 (Phase III)
|German Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF)
|Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research, Bremerhaven (AWI); Carl von Ossietzky Universität Oldenburg; GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel; Helmholtz-Zentrum Geesthacht Centre for Materials and Coastal Research (HZG); Heinrich-Heine-Universität, Düsseldorf; Jacobs University, Bremen; Kiel Institute for the World Economy (IfW); Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries, Berlin (IGB); Leibniz Institute for Baltic Sea Research, Warnemünde; Leibniz Center for Tropical Marine Ecology, Bremen (ZMT); MARUM Center for Marine Environmental Sciences, Bremen; Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology, Bremen (MPI); PreSens Precision Sensing GmbH, Regensburg; University of Bremen; University of Hamburg; University of Koblenz-Landau; University of Münster; University of Rostock; Ruhr University, Bochum
|Prof. Dr. Katrin Rehdanz
BIOACID (Phase II)
Biological Impacts of Ocean Acidification (Phase II): An assessment of the economic impacts of ocean acidification on the local scale
Ocean Acidification (OA) has been gaining increasing recognition in the policy circles recently, due to an increasing number of studies on biological and ecological impacts of OA. However, estimates of socio-economic impacts are still almost absent. Moreover, all of those studies rely on extremely reduced representations of regional socio-economic characteristics, and importantly, poorly reflect the vulnerability or adaptive capacity of local populations to OA effects. In this work package, we analyse economic impacts of OA by focusing on two specific environments, each of which is settled by a population with a different level of economic development.
|2012-2015 (Phase II)
|German Ministry for Education and Research (BMBF)
|Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research, Bremerhaven (AWI); Carl von Ossietzky Universität Oldenburg; GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel; Helmholtz-Zentrum Geesthacht Centre for Materials and Coastal Research (HZG); Heinrich-Heine-Universität, Düsseldorf; Jacobs University, Bremen; Kiel Institute for the World Economy (IfW); Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries, Berlin (IGB); Leibniz Institute for Baltic Sea Research, Warnemünde; Leibniz Center for Tropical Marine Ecology, Bremen (ZMT); MARUM Center for Marine Environmental Sciences, Bremen; Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology, Bremen (MPI); PreSens Precision Sensing GmbH, Regensburg; University of Bremen; University of Hamburg; University of Koblenz-Landau; University of Münster; University of Rostock; Ruhr University, Bochum
|Prof. Dr. Katrin Rehdanz
What determines people's willingness to accept new climate change mitigation options?
Combating climate change poses a major challenge to governments, industry and society. Since international negotiations on emission reduction agreements have had limited success so far, governments have started considering, among other things, new options that may help to mitigate climate change. Carbon dioxide capture and storage (CCS) and climate engineering (CE) are such options. Before testing or implementing any of these instruments, costs and benefits as well as the associated risks need to be evaluated. The project intends to broaden the scientific knowledge of the issue by obtaining comprehensive empirical evidence on the determinants of people's willingness to accept these measures and to close an existing research gap focusing on Germany.
|German Ministry for Education and Research (BMBF)
|Kiel Institute for the World Economy (IfW)
|Prof. Dr. Katrin Rehdanz
Arctic Climate Change, Economy and Society
With ongoing climate change the Arctic Ocean changes. Rising temperatures lead to receding sea ice, with severe implications for the ecosystem. Growing interest in the Arctic Ocean as a shipping route, fishing ground and resource hold, imply both grand opportunities and threatening risks. The ACCESS project will evaluate the social and economic implications of a change in the accessibility of the Arctic Ocean, point out the according risks and provide an assessment of the inherent trade-offs.
|FP7-Ocean-2010/CP-IP, EC-DG Transport
|UPMC – Universite Pierre et Marie Curie, Paris; LOCEAN, Paris; LATMOS, Paris; LOV, Paris; O.A.Sys-Ocean Atmospheric Systems GmbH, Hamburg; Natural Environment Research Council; Southampton; University of Cambridge; AWI - Alfred-Wegener Institute, Bremerhaven; Nofima Marin AS; HSVA – Hamburgische Schiffbau-Versuchsanstalt; Norsk Polarinstitute; Tromsø; Meteorologisk Institutt, Oslo; Fastopt GmbH, Hamburg; SAMS - The Scottish Association for Marine Science, Argyll; The Beijer Institute of Ecological Economics, Stockholm; P.P. Shirshov Institute of Oceanology of Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow; IMPAC Offshore Engineering GmbH, Hamburg; Universitat Politecnica de Catalunya, Barcelona; Deutsches Zentrum für Luft und Raumfahrt EV, Cologne; Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute of Roshydromet, St.Petersburg; Economic and Social Research Institute, Dublin; Lapin Yliopisto; Sintef Fiskeri og Havbruk AS, Rovaniemi; Cicero Senter for Klimaforskning, Oslo; Stiftelsen Sintef; EWI - Energiewirtschaftliche Institut an der Universität zu Köln; Association Le cercle polaire, Paris; Nordic Bulk Carriers A/S, Hellerup
|Prof. Dr. Katrin Rehdanz
Urban Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services: Preferences, subjective well-being and public perception
Today, cities are facing enormous challenges resulting from global change, e.g. in the climate system. Ecosystems provide flexibility in urban landscapes and help build adaptive capacity to cope with such challenges as, for example, the increased risk of heat waves and flooding. However, systematic knowledge about the links between urban biodiversity, ecosystem services and human well-being is still largely missing. Moreover, urban ecosystem services are generally not priced on markets and thus usually under-provided by market forces. In order to reconcile the sustainable use of biodiversity and ecosystem services in urban areas with an ever growing demand for land use, the ecological, socio-cultural and monetary values of ecosystem services need to be fully incorporated into decision making processes.
The aim of the URBES project is to (1) analyze the role of urban biodiversity and ecosystem services for human well-being, (2) to quantify and value their contribution to human well-being, and (3) to give policy advice for sustainable long-term urban land-use management.
|German Ministry for Education and Research (BMBF); URBES is part of the BiodivERsA initiative within the European Union's 7th Framework Program for Research and Technological Development (FP7-ERA-NET).
|The Beijer Institute of Ecological Economics; Drift - Dutch Research Institute for Transition, Rotterdam; Erasmus University Rotterdam; Humboldt University Berlin; ICLEI, Bonn; icta - Institute of Science and Technology, Barcelona; IUCN - International Union for Conversation of Nature; Mistra Urban Futures, Gothenburg; Stockholm Resilience Centre; Stockholm University; TUM Technische Universität München; Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona; Salzburg University; University of Helsinki; The New School, New York
|Prof. Dr. Katrin Rehdanz and Dr. Christine Bertram (IfW)
Methodologies regarding Economic and Social Analyses and Impact Assessments of Measures including Cost-Benefit-Analyses in the context of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive
The Marine Strategy Framework Directive (2008/56/EC - MSFD) obliges the EU Member States to achieve or maintain "Good Environmental Status" (GES) in their marine environments by 2020 at the latest. For the purpose of achieving or maintaining GES, marine strategies containing programs of measures shall be developed and implemented in order to protect and preserve the marine environment, prevent its deterioration or, where practicable, restore marine ecosystems in areas where they have been adversely affected. Prior to implementing such measures, however, the MSFD requires the Member States to conduct Impact Assessments, including Cost-Benefit-Analyses (CBA). In this context, the project aims at generating information about the economic benefits associated with marine protection measures, developing a methodology to quantify the benefits of such measures in order to include these into a CBA, in a practical and understandable way.
|German Environment Agency (UBA, FKZ 3710 25 202)
|InterSus Sustainability Services, Berlin; Fresh Thoughts Consulting, Vienna, Stuttgart University - Institute of Energy Economics and Rational Energy Use; GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel; TU Berlin
|Prof. Dr. Katrin Rehdanz and Dr. Christine Bertram (IfW)


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Audi Q5 versus Range Rover Evoque
Q5 vs Evoque showdown
The Audi Q5 is an impressive car with a large boot and generous interior space for passengers. The Q5 is available with six engines. Petrol fans can choose from a pair of turbocharged 2.0-litre units that produce 178- and 208bhp, and a 237bhp 3.2-litre V6. However, the 141- and 168bhp 2.0-litre diesels make more sense because they're strong, flexible and significantly cheaper to run. A 3.0-litre V6 diesel completes the line-up.
The Range Rover Evoque is equally as impressive and offers a choice of three engines, two body styles, three design themes and a wide range of options and accessories. The Range Rover Evoque is the first Land Rover with the option of two wheel drive which will add to its much improved fuel economy, reduce its weight and help to reduce emissions to approximately 130g/km. It is the most economical Range Rover with a 2.2 litre diesel engine expected to get close to 50mpg with stop/start technology.
The Audi Q5 wins on space and practicality; there is plenty of room for four adults and still room for 540 litres of luggage which is trebled with the rear seats down. The rear seats fold and recline, and there's the option of runners that gives them 100mm of fore and aft travel. A folding front passenger seat is also an option.
Space inside the Evoque has enough room for four people, although the Coupe is a little tighter than the five-door, and gaining access to its rear seats is tricky. In both bodies the rear cabin is fairly dark, but the optional panoramic glass roof brightens things up. The Evoque's boot is a little on the small side and its rear seats don't fold completely flat.
Prices for the Audi Q5 start at £28,000 and the Range Rover Evoque start at £27,955


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I really need to be in bed, but I really wanted to post these first.
So at like 1 am yesterday morning, cacophoneqsue told me about this! And how can you pass up a giant huge public pillow fight? Seriously? So I bagged up my pillow and headed over to Union Square and...
I had an awesome day, courtesy of much_reality, who totally surprised me by showing up for ten minutes and being completely adorable, and cacophonesque and her awesome buddies. We got totally and completely covered in feathers, although I think my hair took the worst hit of all. I am still achey from the middle of the pillow pit and very well may have lost some brain cells. But those brain cells did not die in vain! And then we went for lunch and I think I had the best grilled cheese and bacon EVER. And then we went to the Japanese market and perused the snack isles.
And then on my way home, I went to Times Square and got my photos for the day. And this one is just AMAZING.
I am not really awake enough to properly describe the experience, but it was hugely, hugely fun. And oh, man, giant pillow fight.


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Thanks to about 80,000 responses to a single Facebook post from the City Animal Shelter, and experts in their field, there is a very strong belief that the animal who was picked up two weeks ago off the streets of downtown Sacramento is about 25 percent wolf.
There is no way to know for sure unless DNA testing is done, but because it's illegal to own a wolf-hybrid, it may shed some light on his situation.
"It could be the owner was afraid to come forward thinking they would be in trouble for possessing such an animal without the right permitting," said Gina Knepp the Shelter's Manager. "I hope that's not the case, but we'll never know."
That's because Thursday morning the big fella is headed to Southern California. The Shelter partnering with a special group that deals with wolf-hybrids.
"He'll be joining a sanctuary of 26 other similar-like animals," Knepp said. "They do a lot of work with youth at-risk, so we thought it would be a very nice program for him to live out his days."


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Title: Lost & Found
Disclaimer: I do not own Roswell, or any of the characters created for the series that debuted in 1999, and ended in 2002, or for the preceding book series. They belong to Melinda Metz, Jason Katims, WB and later UPN etc. This story is of my own creation, and new characters have been created at the discretion of the story.
Category: CC
Rating: MATURE for unsettling situations, and some sexy times later in the story.
Characters: ALL
Couples: Maria/Michael, Isabel and Kyle
Synopsis: Post Busted: Max went to California in the search of answers and to find his son, and during his mission Liz resentment grew to the point where she became fed up and told him they were through… Max did not come back as he stayed to continue his mission, or so they thought when he disappeared and wasn't heard from for ten years. Liz found herself deeply hurt by his disappearance, and it led her to into making choices she would regret until years later when she would be forever changed by a heart wrenching act of a madman. Only for it to set off a string of events that would bring Max back into her life. Can the truth save the day?
Changes for the story: Everything that happened in the wake of Max going to California in Season 3 is not relevant to the story, and it didn't happen. If it did happen, pure coincidence and is part of their journey for today and this story. Familiar faces may stop in during the story… significantly changed from when we may have seen them…for good and for bad. Also, for the nature of the story, as you can guess. Max and Liz did become intimate during their Bonnie and Clyde mission that led to Utah, which only makes it more complicated and I have evolved the backstory of the "Dupes" and especially Ava to mesh with this story. So those are the only true alteration to our timeline besides Max's mission and it's results in California.
Author's Note: I wrote this story once upon a time under a different name (Seal) and for another show entirely, and different characters (Days of Our Lives, Shawn and Belle), and under another title for the story (Little Girl Lost). I decided to recreate this story in the vein of Max and Liz and as a result I have revised most of the story… With new characters name, different motivations and some very different details for the story because we are talking about aliens and humans of course. The story has evolved to a new creation and therefore it is very different from the original story that I wrote maybe close to 20 years ago; including the writing style of the story and dialogue, with some staying the same but mostly evolving because the original story was so terrible and the evolution of time, well, I am a different person now, and write differently. So, if anyone has any knowledge of the original story. Just know it's my attempt to bring the story into a different life. I hope it works out.
So, enjoy the journey which is of course angsty… yet full of hope for Max and Liz.
Channel 5
Roswell, New Mexico
Posted Countdown: 5,4,3,2, ON!
Voice: Welcome back to Roswell at 11 with Maria Guerin and Jonathan Miller. I am Maria Guerin!
Que Background Shot Title: Little Girl Lost!
Maria: Yesterday marked the one-year anniversary of the disappearance of little 10-year-old Isabella Valenti. As our town remembers the horrible abduction we sadly must admit that the police have had no leads into the little girl's disappearance from her bed in the early hours of May 14, 2011. As they battle the cold case, the past year has been one full of a tremendous fear for the little girl's mother, as she doesn't know what the future holds for her or her daughter. Here is her story!
Que Tape
A picture of a devastated women and a split screen picture of a little girl with brown hair!
"When you grow up, you hope to be able to give your children the life that you had or at least make it better. Then you have a child--a little girl or a little boy and he or she makes your life perfect as you watch them grow. So, you dream of the future that the child would lead. But you never dreamt that the life could be so drastically cut short for no real reason. After all, it's every mother's nightmare when something happens to their child, and while most never have to cope with this nightmare. There are mothers and fathers out there that deal with that kind of nightmare every single day of the year.
Elizabeth Parker is one of those mothers. A twice divorced single mother who was watching her daughter grow up and dreaming of the future that her daughter Isabella was going to lead. Would her talent in dance and sports lead to a future in one of the fields or would she go down a totally different road? But those hopes were dashed when in the early morning hours of May 14, 2011 when Bella as she likes to be called and who was then only age 9 was taken from her bed and disappeared into the night. The police and all the experts assigned to the case would come up empty in the days to come, and months to come as no one could explain how the little girl disappeared or where she might have been taken. It's left her mother Elizabeth with a lot of unanswered questions as she looks for any clue as to the whereabout of her little girl.
Maria Guerin: What has the past year been like without your daughter, Bella?
Elizabeth: It's been a living nightmare. Every emotion that is possible has gone through my both my body and my life. It is the fear that I live with of something I never thought I would go through and I can never escape it.
Maria: Do you have family and friends that have been able to help you through this nightmare?
Elizabeth: Yes. The outpouring of sympathy that I have received over the past year has been tremendous and my family and friends have been there for me, but the fact that we have no clues as to Bella's whereabouts' is what is frustrating and something no one including my family can help with. I don't know whether she is alive or dead, because no one seems to know anything.
Maria: You were home when it happened! How is that someone could come in and take Isabella without you being aware?
Elizabeth: I have no idea. Her room is down the hall from mine. I had put her to bed around 10 p.m., the night before as we had been at a family function and she went right to bed when we got home. I awoke the next morning around 6 a.m. to get her ready for school and myself ready for work and I found her missing. The doors were locked, and no windows were disturbed except for a picture frame in her bedroom.
Maria: The police suspected someone you knew may have had access to the house?
Elizabeth: Well only my family has a key to my house, and that is only for emergencies. Back in the beginning, the police checked them all out and cleared them?
Maria: I understand you are divorced. Could her father have come in one night after getting pissed off and taken his daughter?
Elizabeth: Her biological father left us before Bella was even born as an unfortunate first marriage ended before she was months old, and my second husband who never officially adopted Bella but allowed his name to be given to her when we married was out of town on a coaching trip with the high school team he coaches during its season. Sadly, we were newly divorced upon her disappearance, but he loves Bella, and would never have done anything to harm our girl. My ex and his father have been amazing for myself and Isabella, even before we got married, and after we split he was the perfect father and Bella loved him so much, and he loved her too, and made her a big part of his life even after we split up, and during this past year as we searched all over for our little girl.
Maria: What have you been doing in the last year to find your daughter?
Elizabeth: I have been searching the country for any sighting of any little girl who might fit my Bella's description. I have mastered the art of missing children posters, and all those techniques that one employs when a love one is missing. But nothing. I only wish someone who has seen one of my messages and seen a little girl fitting my daughter description could call me or any of my family members, and that she could come home.
Maria: Do you think your daughter is still alive?
Elizabeth (tears coming down her face): Yes. Every maternal instinct that I have says my daughter is still alive because otherwise wouldn't I know it deep down that she was gone. She is alive, and I just wish she could be found and brought home.
Maria: What was Bella's favorite things to do?
Elizabeth (smiles through her tears): She loved to dance; ballet and jazz were her favorite classes and she also loved to ride horses and play soccer and soft ball. She was on the star of her summer team. She would also go on the weekends with her grandfathers or honorary uncle and have a blast as she was so funny and had plenty of friends. She even loved school as she excelled in everything she did. She had so many friends. She really was the perfect child and I desperately want her home, so she gets into all our faces for the rest of her life.
Maria: Do you think that one day Isabella will come home to her family and friends?
Elizabeth: Yes. Deep down I believe she is alive and sometime soon she will be able to come home but I hope it's not too late when she is found?
Maria: If the kidnappers are watching tonight, what would you like to tell them?
Elizabeth: I would hope that they know that Isabella is a very special child who needs to be with her mother, her family and friends and it serves no purpose for them to deprive her of that. They will be looked on kindly if they bring back Bella! Please let me see my daughter again, I love her, and she loves life. Don't deprive her of that!
Maria: Thank You Ms. Parker and we here at the station hope that someone will bring your daughter home to you safe and sound and very soon! This is Maria Guerin with Channel 5 news.
Back in the news studio, the tape came to an end, and the cameras were back on Maria and Jonathan, as they sat at the desk, and the camera's focused on Maria.
"It's been a very unfortunate story all around and a story that has yet to have any conclusion, happy or sad, but maybe someday soon there will some happiness the Elizabeth and her family but in the meantime Elizabeth will do whatever it takes to find her daughter. Now back to Jonathan for a wrap up on the days sport scores. Jonathan?" Maria Guerin asked as the camera's turned to her co-host.
The cameras turned to Jonathan who began his duties as they finished off the show, and minutes later the newscast did come to an end and Maria and Jonathan were thanked by a producer as he came to the desk after the sign off. "Nice show guys?"
Maria smiled. "Thanks Dave!"
"Yeah, it went quickly," Maria's partner on the desk, Jonathan sighed as he went through the notes he had in front of him. "There was a lot of breaking news tonight."
"You know Maria, that was a very good story on the missing girl. Heart-warming and yet so bittersweet to know that mother misses her daughter so much as little Bella is still missing. It's hard to believe that there have been no leads into the little girl's disappearance," the producer replied.
Maria again smiled, but with a sadness to it as she sighed deeply. "Unfortunately, I know that family is still so devastated because there has been no closure one way or another. They know it's been a year, and the chances of a positive outcome are slim, but they need to know, so they can move on. And they haven't been and therefore they have been in a state of suspended fear."
"Having seen the piece, you could do a follow up on the police investigation into the case?" the producer suggested. "To see if anything was missed in the aftermath."
"I get that it's juicy, but I don't think it would be very appropriate right now with the anniversary so fresh in all of our minds" Maria sighed as she looked at her watch and saw the time, knowing she had to get home because of her own family.
"You're right," the producer smiled as she acknowledged the sadness behind Maria's eyes "The story is there, whenever you feel up to it. Staff meeting at noon, so see you tomorrow?" he said leaving Maria to go to her desk and pack up and go home.
Which she did, an hour later, when she let herself into her home because of some last-minute research of another story that drew her attention. Finally stopping herself, she closed her computer with the knowledge that it was an emotional and a long day, she absolutely hated these kinds of days, she sighed but smiled. "Honey, I am home?"
"Fantastic job on Bella's story," came a voice from the living room as Maria smiled and walked towards the voice and hugged him. "Maybe something will come out of it?"
"We can only hope!" Maria said with a heavy heart. "How's Liz?"
"Isabel says that she has shut herself in her house and is not taking any calls," came the voice as he walked towards his wife. "The anniversary has completely defeated her…"
"Let's hope she is better tomorrow," Maria muttered.
Her husband nodded. "I sincerely hope so."
"You know you're a good friend, Space boy!" Maria said with a quick kiss on Michael's lips, "I appreciate the effort you are putting into being there for my best friend."
"You're also trying to be there too, honey!" Michael smiled as he thought of the pain and sadness that had been in their lives over the last year. "And Liz is the not the only reason I am doing it…" he said quietly as he acknowledged the truth neither or no one was willing to admit, even all these years later as 10 years had gone by.
"I know," Maria said quietly as she looked deep into the eyes of her husband and saw the deeply pain in them as they both remembered the past so clearly and wished life had taken different turns. If only she thought. If only it hasn't turned out how it did for Max and Liz. "So, did Betty win her bet?" Maria asked as they walked into the kitchen and she checked into the status of some leftovers as she sat down and ate and looked up at her husband.
Michael smirked. "She came close, but she went down about 10 p.m. I can say though that she did try her best."
"Our daughter is a trooper, not every 8-year-old is able to stay up!"
"She does like to try, especially when there is a story on the television about Isabella Maria." Michael admitted. "She's still heart-broken over the loss of her best friend. She hates how we lost her."


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text: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/20/opinion/the-nra-protection-racket.html?_r=0 Wonder what the few right-wing losers who post ad nauseum in this Forum will say about this guy's point of view. But, who Cares! The Republican party is going down the tubes unless they come into the 21st century. For example, it's always been interesting to me as an independent how the losers on here strongly support the right to bear all arms under the Constitution; but most likely also support the right-wing nut-jobs who do care at all about the Constitution's requirement of the separation of Church and State. Amazing to me {after seeing Lincoln last weekend} how this once honorable party became a party of the bigot and the hypocrite. Totally amazing. But then, the republicans are not their brother's keeper. No way! {unless of course, they get a big enough tax break}


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Three Margaritas
Listing Details
Full-Service Restaurants
Carlos Soto
1717 S Rural Rd, Tempe, AZ, 85281
(480) 829-3532
500k to 1 million
10 to 19
Three Margaritas company with staff of approximately 10 to 19 employees, with average earnings between $500,000 to 1 million dollars per year. Three Margaritas company in Tempe, Arizona, categorized under Full-Service Restaurants.
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