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About Me
General, Cosmetic, and Restorative Dentistry
Philosophy & Core Values
Every patient deserve the best we can offer, even if you are the first patient or the last patient of the day. We provide excellent dental services that will help you and every member of your household achieve the white teeth and healthy gums you've always desired.
In addition, we continue to use our core values of integrity, reliability, trust, transparency, and professionalism to provide you with the very best of oral health and dental care services.
Our Core Values
- Integrity
- Reliability
- Trust
- Transparency
- Professionalism
Meet Dr. Salar Barekatain
I believe that everyone deserves a healthy smile! As your dentist, it's my job to help you achieve this. I'm committed to developing and maintaining long-term relationships with my patients and strive to provide the best dental care for them. I completed my Master's Degree from Barry University, and my dental education from Howard University College of Dentistry where I received a Doctorate in Dental Surgery. Shortly after, I was selected to complete a multi-disciplinary hospital residency at the Corporal Michael J. Crescenz VAMC hospital in Philadelphia. This residency provided me with advanced training in all the specialties of dentistry including restorative, removables, oral surgery, and treatment of medically compromised patients. I continue my education and keep up-to-date with changes in dentistry by attending continuing education courses, and by membership in the American Dental Association. I'm fluent in English, and Farsi (Persian). Outside of the dental office, I enjoy spending time with my beautiful wife Shilla, and our dog Pixel. I invite you and your family to come see me and allow me to help you with any of your dental needs.
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Latest Techniques
Our dental procedures are performed using latest and innovative techniques. We have the required expertise and experience to perform both simple and complex dental procedures.
Innovative Technology
Our dental practice is well equipped with cutting-edge facilities and ultramodern amenities. All our procedures are performed using state-of-the-art instruments and advanced technology. With this, we can perform and achieve excellent result in every procedure, no matter how complex.
Certified Experts
We work with a qualified team of well-experienced, board certified dentists. All our dental experts have undergone comprehensive, professional training. They have been certified to perform various dental procedures on both children and adults.
Dental Care for The Whole Family
To help your family members prevent cavities and gum disease, you can teach them ways to take good care of their teeth in between dental visits:
Adult Care
Child Care
Clear Aligners
We are A
Full Service Dentistry Practice
General Cleaning
Restoration and Cosmetics
You're In good Hands
Whether you are stopping by for a thorough checkup, routine cleaning, or any dental procedure, we will promptly attend to you with excellent customer service. All procedures will be carried out by our dental experts using their skill, knowledge, and several years of experience.
You can always count on our expert dentists to help you achieve whiter teeth and healthier gums. With us, you are guaranteed to get outstanding services that give 100% customer satisfaction.
I love the way my teeth were cleaned by the dentist. Dr. Salar Barekatain did an excellent job. Very professional, friendly, and caring service. The cleaning was well-detailed. Nothing was left out, even the inner corners of my mouth. I felt relaxed and comfortable throughout the whole time. My breath feels fresher. My teeth feel cleaner. – Lauren Hicks
The staff at
Excellent, top class, and compassionate services. Professional, friendly, kind, and very caring. The cosmetic dentistry turned out amazing. My teeth are whiter, brighter, and sparkling. My smile looks very beautiful and inviting. Thank you Dr. Barekatainfor the amazing services. – Nick Burns
Glen Burnie: (410) 969-9300
Baltimore: (410) 244-5001
Working Hours
Mon – Friday: 09:00 am – 6:00 pm
Routine checkups & emergencies
No problem is too big or too small.


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Advent Of Code 2018. And The Winners are...
Hey Developers!
Advent of Code 2018 is over! Thanks for participating in our small but productive COS marathon!
And now we're pleased to introduce the winners and distribute all the prizes!
Big applause goes to these winners:
Fabian Haupt (w/ repo: github.com/kazamatzuri/AoC)
Bert Sarens (w/ repo: bitbucket.org/bertsarens/aoc2018/)
Dmitry Maslennikov (w/ repo: github.com/daimor/AdventOfCode)
And here's the final Leaderboard:
And what about the prizes?
@Fabian.Haupt gets 10 000 points on Global Masters and BIG CONGRATS!
@Bert.Sarens gets 5 000 points on Global Masters! Thanks for the contribution!
@Dmitry Maslennikov gets 3 000 points on Global Masters! Great job!
Because of the fact that the winner @Fabian.Haupt is an InterSystems employee the "FREE registration & hotel accommodation for the next InterSystems Global Summit 2019" prize goes to @Bert.Sarens! Congratulations, Bert! See you in Boston next year!
Congratulations to all the participants!
And thank you for your attention to the contest and the efforts you pay in this exciting coding marathon!
To all — join this exciting contest next year!

subset: commoncrawl


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Naming the Nameless: The Internet Tries to Identify John and Jane Does
These sites are encyclopedias of the unknown missing and dead ... and can help unlock their secrets.
It was sunrise and I was still sitting at my computer, clicking back and forth between browser tabs. I was sure I'd found him. The John Doe from the West Virginia woods, a suicide who'd been found with a tell-tale plastic grocery bag over his face. He was the missing man from Indiana. The name of the small grocery chain matched. The man's description matched.
Somehow, he'd ended up hundreds of miles from home. What took him so far? Had he driven till he found the right spot to die? I had questions, but first I needed to contact the police in West Virginia with my news.
It was a grim situation, but I had goosebumps from putting the puzzle together.
"Yeah," said the West Virginia cop, "Someone in his family figured it out a month ago. But thanks."
I'd spent a night on The Doe Network. I'd dug through newspaper archives. And I'd found the answer—but I was too late. My disappointment was real but mitigated by knowing his family had him back.
That's the power in sites like the Doe Network and the Charley Project. Sites that list the unknown and the missing. They present one-page summaries of mysteries waiting to be solved, and sometimes, someone solves them.
The Doe Network was created—at least in part—out of one man's effort to identify a Jane Doe.
Jennifer Marra launched the site in 1999 then combined the effort with Todd Matthews's Yahoo Cold Case group. Matthews had come by his obsession in an understandable way: He'd played a role in identifying "Tent Girl," an unknown young woman—victim of a homicide—found not far from Georgetown, Kentucky in 1968.
Matthews had sifted through every missing person's notice he could find on the internet at the time, comparing information he found there with what was known about Tent Girl. Eventually, found a name: Barbara Ann Hackman Taylor. He sent the information to her family and it was later confirmed that she and Tent Girl were one and the same.
The Doe Network is a sprawling website with entries covering the anonymous dead around the world. There are entries there from every state in the Union, Canada, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand. I could probably spend days just exploring it, and sometimes I've come close.
The Charley Project has a narrow focus. It's run by Meaghan Good, who was associated with Doe Network founder Marra as well before beginning the Charley Project in 2004. Good's site focuses on "approximately 9,500 'cold case' missing people mainly from the United States."
Good's entries are also typically far more detailed than many found at the Doe Network. The latter site's size doesn't always allow for more than listing basic information.
If exploring the Doe Network can feel like sifting through a digital Potter's Field and trying to identify all the unknown bodies there, then the Charley Project is like an encyclopedia of tragedy—mothers and fathers gone in the night. There are mysterious bloodstains and puzzling personal items left behind, and too often no one knows if those missing are still alive—or if they could be found in the Doe Network's archive.
Many—maybe most—entries on both sites don't necessarily involve crime. They are suicides who chose to vanish, or wanderers who were finally too lost to ever find a home again.
However, the following handful of intriguing cases from both sites are about possible murder victims.
The Doe Network
52UFTX, Unidentified Female: She was between 24 and 34, a white woman with fine, brown hair. She was on the short side, with fair skin and an upper plate. Her remaining teeth were bad. She'd had a rough life—examination revealed many old, healed injuries. She was found in 1991 in League, Texas, in an area known as "The Killing Fields." Hers was the fourth body found there, and the victims were all similar in appearance. Another victim found in the area was Laura Miller, whose father Tim later founded Texas Equusearch, a group devoted to finding missing persons.
2516UMVT, Unidentified Male: On May 15, 1935, a woman and her daughter were looking for flowers near an East Middlebury, Vermont hunting camp. They made a horrific discovery: the bones of three murder victims. The remains were those of an adult woman, the teenager, and a boy who was between 9 and 11 years old. Investigation determined they'd each been shot in the head at some point in late 1932. DNA (obviously recovered many years later, though the entry doesn't state this) found a relationship between the teen and the woman, but the smaller boy's bones didn't yield enough to test. Examinations conducted in the '30s indicated they'd all had excellent dental work.
119UFMA, Unidentified Female, a.k.a. "The Lady of the Dunes": Her auburn hair was pulled back and secured with a gold-flecked band. Her head lay on a pair of Wrangler jeans and a blue bandanna, her body on a light green beach blanket in the Race Point Dunes in Provincetown, Massachusetts. In life she'd taken care of herself. She had expensive dental work, was fit, and had pink-painted toenails. She was bludgeoned to death and nearly decapitated. Some of her teeth were missing—pulled out by her killer—and her hands had been removed. The woman who would eventually be called "The Lady of the Dunes" had been laying on that green blanket long enough that when she was found, decomposition obscured her features. Her killer clearly wanted it that way. While a serial killer confessed to the crime, his mental instabilities tended to discredit his claim. Infamous gangster Whitey Bulger is a person of interest in the case, but no one has been arrested.
The Charley Project
Martha Leanne Green, Tennessee: She went by Leanne. I know because I was in college in Clarksville, Tennessee when the 17-year-old disappeared in April 1987. Local news called her Leanne, and for a time they couldn't leave her case alone. She was pretty, 5'6", with dark, wavy hair. On April 15 Leanne's brother was driving her home from work in White Bluff, Tennessee, a little town in mostly rural Dickson County. Their car ran out of gas. It was a state highway, 9 pm. Leanne's brother—her twin, Lawson—left her in the car as he headed out on foot to buy fuel. He was gone for just 15 minutes, and that was long enough for her to vanish, leaving her purse and keys behind. Police had a solid suspect in the case, but he was later killed in prison.
Mary Shotwell Little, Georgia: The disappearance of Mary Shotwell Little haunts Atlanta, even today. The 25-year-old bank secretary was newly-married when she disappeared on October 14, 1965. On that Fall day, Mary did some perfectly average things. She bought groceries after leaving work, then dined with a co-worker in a restaurant in the Lenox Square Shopping Center, which still sits today in the middle of Buckhead, Atlanta's wealthiest neighborhood. After dinner, Mary headed out to her 1965 Mercury Comet. She vanished. At first it seemed her car was gone as well, but it was later found where it was parked the night of her disappearance. Mysteriously, the car was coated with dust. Inside were her groceries, soda bottles, a pack of cigarettes, and a woman's underclothes. Even more mysteriously, Mary's signature was found on credit card receipts signed in Charlotte, North Carolina on October 15. The labyrinth of mysteries surrounding this case would take a book—a bank co-worker was even murdered almost two years later, in May 1967, and her murder was never solved. Police have been divided over the years regarding what happened to Mary. Some think she left on her own, others believe she was murdered. Either way, no one has seen her in almost 53 years.
Lisa Stasi, Kansas: Lisa had escaped an abusive relationship and was living in a halfway house in Kansas City when she met John Edward Robinson Sr. She didn't know that was his real name. He told her he was John Osborne. Soon after meeting Robinson, Lisa told family that she was getting involved in a program geared toward helping young mothers. So, in January of 1985 she and daughter Tiffany—still a baby—took a hotel room in Overland Park, Kansas. "Osborne" paid for the room. The last anyone heard from Lisa was a panicked phone call she made to her mother-in-law, saying someone wanted her to sign some sheets of paper. The last thing she said was "here they come." She was never heard from again. Years later, John Robinson would turn out to be the first internet serial killer, a sexual sadist who lured unwitting women by any way he could—including online—before torturing and killing them. He may have killed Lisa—possibly one of his first victims—for her baby Tiffany. Tiffany was given to Robinson's brother and his wife, who had no idea she was stolen. A DNA test proved the girl—raised as Heather Robinson—was really Tiffany in 2000. Lisa Stasi has never been found.
Those are just six cases. If you click through and keep clicking, then like me you may begin to find correlations and associations. They might be correct. Then, like Todd Matthews, you might be able to bring someone's family a small measure of peace. It's worth the time.
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Reg 4 Testing Is a Critical Component of L.A. Fire Safety
Reg 4 testing is considered by many in the L.A. fire protection industry to be a key piece of an overall fire protection plan. This means that Reg 4 testing is naturally taken quite seriously by the Los Angeles Fire Department. Luckily, if you're looking to prepare yourself for Reg 4 testing, then there are fire protection companies that can help to make sure your systems are in order: fire protection companies like the widely respected Fire Protection Group, Inc. This noted firm offers significant help in preparing for Reg 4 testing, and its customer service department will do everything in their power to make sure that you are happy with your overall experience.
One of the most obvious reasons to go with Fire Protection Group, Inc. over the competition is due to its leadership. The team at Fire Protection Group, Inc. is led by George Saadian, Al Hernandez, and Captain Bob Holloway. And because both Hernandez and Holloway are former high-ranking Los Angeles Fire Department officials, you can be certain that they know all the best ways to prepare your building for Regulation #4 testing.
The bottom line: If you own or manage a large building in the Greater Los Angeles Area, and are looking for anything from fire sprinkler systems to standpipe systems to fire escape assembly systems to, of course, Regulation #4 testing, then you'll want to contact the expert team at Fire Protection Group, Inc. before you contact any other fire protection service in the area. Reach out to Fire Protection Group, Inc. today via the phone or web to have any questions you may have.


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Ricoh awarded Ghent Workgroup 2015 PDF preflight certification
Ricoh Europe, London, 15 June 2017 – Ricoh has achieved GWG PDF preflight certification recognising its software conforms to a proven standard and assures the highest level of preflight capability for reliable PDF processing.
The Ghent Workgroup (GWG) represents the print and publishing community, including industry, vendors, associations and educational members. The GWG 2015 prefight certification is a validation of the prepress quality control specification developed by the GWG. Based on the ISO PDF/X-4 standard, it contains 14 different 'variants' aimed at different print market segments and output methods.
Print service providers can configure PDF preflighting as an integrated and automated workflow step, via Enfocus Pitstop Library, with Ricoh's TotalFlow Production Manager and TotalFlow BatchBuilder, thereby adding a vital component to these workflow solutions that balance workloads, manage and track jobs, and even group incoming jobs together based on user defined criteria. They can also ensure their files comply with the latest GWG preflight standards, which is an important measure that helps maintain accuracy, quality and consistency of content.
Erwin Busselot, Business Innovation and Solutions Director, Ricoh Europe, says: "This demonstrates our commitment to providing easy to use, automated solutions. PSPs can produce high quality output with integrity to the original designer's intent."
Andrew Bailes-Collins, Co-chair of the GWG specifications committee and Senior Product Manager for the PitStop product family at Enfocus, comments: "GWG compliancy is a real benefit for Ricoh's clients. It takes a lot of the guess work and manual effort out of system configuration. It assures customers that 'out of the box' they conform to a known and proven standard."
| About Ghent Workgroup |
The Ghent Workgroup, formed in June 2002, is an international assembly of Industry Associations, suppliers, Educators and Industry members from around the globe. The Ghent Workgroup's objective is to establish and disseminate process specifications for best practices in graphic arts workflows.
Since its inception almost fifteen years ago, the organization has consistently produced numerous process specifications for PDF exchange, as well as developing useful tools for automating processes and testing and establishing consistent PDFs for print and publishing – all available free at: www.gwg.org.
Members are comprised of graphic arts associations including: BPIF (UK), CIP4 (Switzerland), CMBO (the Netherlands), ERA (Germany), Febelgra (Belgium), FESPA (UK), FTA (USA), Medibel+ (Belgium), PDFX-ready (Switzerland), Printing Industries of America (USA), UNIIC (France) and VIGC (Belgium).
Vendor members include: Adobe, Agfa, callas software, CHILI publish, Dalim Software, EFI, Enfocus, Esko, GMG, Heidelberg, Hybrid Software, Kodak, Océ, Ricoh, Quark, Ultimate Technographics, and Xerox IMPIKA.
Industry members are: JP/Politikenhus, Litografia Rosés, PB-Consult, Phototype, Pragmeta, Sagamgraphic and Square. Educational members are: Ryerson University and University of Wuppertal.
For more information on the GWG2015 preflight certification procedure and test files, please visit: http://www.gwg.org/compliancy-testing-procedure.
| About GWG preflight certification |
The GWG 2015 prefight certification is a validation of the prepress quality control specification developed by the GWG. It contains 14 different 'variants' aimed at different print market segments and output methods, all based on the ISO PDF/X-4 standard, but with additional conditions and restrictions relevant to each segment. The variants cover the majority of common print applications and include web- and sheetfed CMYK and/or spot color, magazine and newspaper advertisements. Because the certification is based on the PDF/X-4 standard, it also includes variants which include the use of RGB colors within artwork files as well as 'live' transparency to support the most sophisticated and up-to-date graphic arts workflows. The test suite used in the certification process comprises 260 test files that cover aspects such as correct detection of minimum image resolution, use of correct color spaces, white and grey overprint settings, ink coverage and spot color usage and naming. File content that does not meet the necessary conditions is either flagged with an error message or with a warning, depending on the importance of the issue and how it could affect output.


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Serena Williams has a recent history at BNP Paribas Open. How will she add to it this year?
A year ago, Serena Williams returned to professional tennis at the BNP Paribas Open in an event that drew international attention for both the tournament and the 23-time Grand Slam champion.
A year earlier, in 2017, it was during the Indian Wells event that the world discovered that Williams, who had withdrawn from the main draw, was pregnant.
In fact, ever since she returned to play here in the California desert in 2015, following a boycott of the event that stretched back to 2002, Williams has made some sort of splash at the BNP.
The year she returned for the first time in more than a decade, her end of the boycott was a major story. The year after, in 2016, it was her run to the singles final, where she ultimately lost to Victoria Azarenka.
There has not been a low-key appearance from Williams in each of the last four years. She's been unable to avoid the spotlight, both with her play and with the storylines that have followed her at Indian Wells.
And this year, it may be more of the same. There are a few reasons she could again be the center of attention at the world's fifth-largest annual tournament. Here are a few realistic ways that she could once again steal the show.
Winning the singles draw
Of course, winning is an obvious one. But Williams winning here would have greater significance for her than just about anyone else.
More:2019 BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells: Tickets, parking, schedule and other details
More:Could this be Roger Federer's last hurrah at Indian Wells? It very well may be
Winning here would make Williams, at 37, the oldest player to win a singles title at Indian Wells. That she first won this event 20 years ago, at 17, is also significant. Along with Martina Hingis, she is one of just two women under the age of 18 to win a singles title here.
Williams also won the singles draw here in 2001, at 19, and a third win here would make her the first woman to win three singles titles at Indian Wells.
Consider that it's been 18 years since her last BNP title, and it would mark the longest period between titles among any man or woman at this or nearly any other event. That all has to do with the many years she did not play here due to the controversy of 2001, and the boos and racists slurs she and her father Richard and sister Venus said they endured during the finals match that year.
That she and Venus eventually came back was a tremendous story. If she were to now win the BNP Paribas Open and be the first American to win singles here since 2001, would be unbelievable.
Talk of retirement
Another thing that could bring attention to Williams at Indian Wells is if she indulges us by discussing how much longer she plans to play.
To be clear, Williams, who is ranked 10th in the world in singles, has not shown any significant signs of slowing down. But few players have played into their late 30s, so it's a natural question fans may wonder. The question also follows Roger Federer, another 37-year-old who is still near the top of the men's game.
Williams, like Federer, has not given much of an indication of how much longer she plans to play, though she has been vocal about winning more Grand Slam titles to top Margaret Court's all-time record of 24. Beyond that, it's anyone's guess.
Her discussing her future, of course, would not be an on-court moment, yet it's worth noting that any candid talk of that plan from Williams will surely be one of the major stories of this year's BNP Paribas Open.
The future of Venus Williams
Venus, who is ranked 35th, will be 39 this June, so it may also be fair to wonder how much longer she will play, and whether she and Serena will ever face each other again.
Venus won last year's match between the sisters, 6-3, 6-4, on Stadium Court. It was one of the first matches back on tour for Serena, who became a mother in October 2017, and was one of the highest-attended matches of the tournament.
Serena holds the all-time head-to-head edge between the two sisters, 18-12. If the sisters meet again this year at Indian Wells, it would be a memorable moment, to be sure.
Maybe someone can convince them to play doubles together this year, too. Now that would be something.
Andrew John covers tennis for The Desert Sun and has covered the BNP Paribas Open since 2013. Email him at firstname.lastname@example.com


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Welcome to Ridgeway Primary School.
We are a busy but friendly school, with lots going on. This website aims to give you a taster of the school, as well as providing regularly updated information for both parents and pupils.
We are a very happy, safe and friendly school and are extremely proud of our children and the success they make with the team attitude of 'Believe, Endeavour, Succeed Together' - as we all, staff and children together are constantly striving to be the best we can be in all areas of life.
We have a highly inclusive ethos and believe that, through the pursuit of excellence, every child can achieve great things. All our staff are highly skilled and go 'the extra mile' in making sure that your child's experience in school is productive and enjoyable. We want to ensure that children grow with respect and tolerance of each other as well as academically, socially and emotionally in modern Britain.
We hope that you enjoy your visit to our website and that you find any information you are looking for. Please feel free to contact the school direct to request a paper copy of any of the information found on our website or with any queries you may have.
Thank you for visiting!
Mr. I. Wilson
Head Teacher


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Claim your free sample of Hydrate FlashMasque Facial Sheets – designed to quench, refresh, and plump thirsty skin. All you do is simply apply the traditional sheet masque for 5 minutes – traditional masques can take up to 20 minutes.
This free sample is ideal for dry skin types or any time skin is fatigued or dehydrated. Retailing at $8, this is an awesome deal!
Get your free sample here and give it a try – I know I have such dry skin as the weather cools down. Good luck!


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Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Bold Rabbits
After a bit it hopped away -- lippety, lippety, not very fast* -- and then it was joined by another!
*Recognize the literary reference?
Sunday, April 26, 2009
Shorebirds at Lake Byllesby
Most were either Greater or Lesser Yellowlegs - it can be hard to tell the greater from the lesser, but they both generally give an impression of a speckled gray on top and a pale breast and underside - and, of course, they have yellow legs. The photo above makes me laugh: look at the bird on the right.
I like this one of two companionable yellowlegs, though the movement of their heads resulted in a little blurring.
Here one looks as if it is scratching itself, and perhaps it is. I am informed by my resident bird expert that what looks like a bent elbow on the bird on the left is actually its wrist; the elbow is higher up, as can be seen on the bird on the right.
This one has a fuzzy-headed appearance that I found endearing.
As I noted in my earlier post about the osprey, we never did see an avocet; they are rare indeed in this part of Minnesota. The shorebirds we did see are in migration and will be gone again within the next two or three weeks. The killdeer is the only bird of this type hangs around here for several months.
We did see a line of white pelicans on a sandbar far out across the lake, looking almost like a line of breaking waves, but they were too far away to get any decent shots, even through the spotting scope.
Friday Night's Amazing Clouds
Saturday, April 25, 2009
Osprey at Lake Byllesby
We stopped first by the Hwy 56 bridge at the county line, where the Cannon River flows into the west end of the lake. This is a good area for shorebirds, as the water is shallow and there are mudflats and sandbars from which such birds can forage. As we looked east, our eyes were focused on an area beyond the tree in the foreground, where we could see shorebirds ("peeps") aplenty. Suddenly Dave gasped. He had finally noticed, at the top of the tree we'd been looking past, a bold, large spot of black and white that could only mean an osprey. If you click on the photo above, you'll be able to see it as we first noticed it.
We got the spotting scope pointed in the right direction (cars whizzing by at 55 mph just a few feet behind our backs), and I was able to get some decent-enough shots through the scope to capture the magnificence of this beautiful bird of prey.
Here in southeastern Minnesota we are at the edge of the osprey's summer breeding area and would generally see them in migration rather than nesting. A few years ago we drove up to the football field at Irondale High School in New Brighton, where ospreys were nesting on a lightpole. That was the first time I had seen ospreys, and they made quite an impression on me.
Look at the heft of the beak of this raptor, which eats fish almost exclusively. The wingspan can range from 59 to 71 inches (150-180 cm). It is an enormous bird, and its coloring is so unmistakeable. In flight, seen from below, both black and white show on the wings, which are held in a crooked, slightly arched position.
After a few minutes this osprey launched itself from the tree and disappeared toward the main body of the lake. We went on to see a lot of shorebirds on this outing, though no avocets, but this was an unexpected and fantastic start to the expedition.
Addendum: For some wonderful shots of an osprey fishing, visit the Birding in Maine blog.
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Trees, Clouds, Wind & Sky
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
New Growth
The shiny, clean, new green of these vinca, or periwinkle, leaves and the soft purple of the flowers appear among last year's dead leaves and stems. Soon the new growth will cover the old.
While doing a little research on this plant, which is an attractive and useful vining ground cover, I came across this etymological tidbit on a page from a University of Vermont class on garden flowers:
...names from the Latin vincio meaning to bind, and later Middle English per wynke meaning same, referring to use in making wreaths which in Middle Ages were placed on heads of criminals on their way to execution; in Italy it was known as Fiore de morte being placed on bodies of dead infants; later and still occasionally today it is known as "Joy of the Ground."So there you have it.
I noticed my first bees of the season today - about eight small ones, hovering and zipping about, not by these periwinkles or the nearby daffodils, but over earth and grass.
Saturday, April 18, 2009
Winter Burn - A Lesson Too Late
Here, from northscaping.com, is a good description of winter burn and how to prevent it, which I wish I had read and absorbed in time to save this little tree. Sufficient watering in the fall and protection from drying winds and high sun while the ground was still frozen would have helped considerably. I've seen burlapped shrubs in local yards from time to time; now I know why.
This winter damage to evergreens is caused by a combination of winter sun and persistent cold, drying winds, which both draw upon the reserves of moisture in the needles. If the ground is still frozen and the plant cannot replenish this lost moisture, the result is death of the green tissues, and loss of the needles.The photo above and other examples of winter burn can be found at the Purdue Plant & Pest Diagnostic Laboratory's website.
Winterburn doesn't occur on the coldest days of winter, but rather in early spring, when the sun is already high in the sky, but the ground is still frozen. It tends to be most severe in years when snow lingers into March and April, reflecting the light of the sun up into the branches. The problem is made much worse when evergreens are planted along the south or west side of a white house, which reflects the sunlight onto the back of these plants, burning them from both sides.
There are a number of ways to prevent winterburn damage to evergreens. First, be sure to choose evergreens that are resistant to windburn and are adequately hardy for your area. Secondly, never plant evergreens right along side the south or west wall of a white house, unless you are in a really warm part of the North. Thirdly, plant tender evergreens in a location with some protection from winter winds. Finally, be sure to give your evergreens a good watering just before freeze-up in fall, to boost their moisture reserves. Other than these practices, a protective burlap shield supported on the south and west side of the evergreen by wooden or metal posts will block both the sun and the wind, and increase the plant's chances of successfully making it through the early spring.
Friday, April 17, 2009
Let There Be Blossoms
The warmth of the last couple of days took the daffodils in my south-facing front flower bed from just starting to show flower buds last weekend to open blooms this afternoon (the photo on the left was taken just a day or two ago). As I drove about town this afternoon I also noticed that suddenly many lawns, just starting to green up, are painted blue with naturalized Scilla siberica (Siberian squill).
In another flower bed the first of my species tulips had opened up completely, though I hadn't even noticed that flowers were forming. Smaller than this cropped photo might suggest, species tulips are low-growing, hardy bulbs with a flower that is more star-shaped than cup-shaped. They make good addition to rock gardens, though mine are just in a normal bed near our front door.
We're expecting some much-needed rain in the next couple of days and cooler temperatures than the high 60s and low 70s we've been enjoying this week.
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Watery Wednesday: Through the Looking Glass
Monday, April 13, 2009
Camouflage Quiz
Can you see what was in this garden Sunday afternoon?
Can you find it in the photo below, which was taken first? It's there, and I can guess where it is, but I certainly can't say for sure.
Saturday, April 11, 2009
Assorted Ducks, Superior Drive Pond
There have been several pairs of northern shovelers, easily recognizable even at a distance by their uniquely heavy bills and the big areas of green, white and rust on the male. The shot above isn't great, but it's the best I could get through the scope today since the ducks kept moving.
Here is a male hooded merganser -- again, not a perfect shot, but clearly showing the distinguishing features, including the very thin bill, the big white spot on the large black head, and the striking black and white stripes on the tawny body. I have been seeing a pair of these on the Cannon River in downtown Northfield all week, but this was the first time I'd managed a passable shot through the scope.
This was an unexpected shot. I'd been focused on this charming little pair of buffleheads when a shoveler splashed in for a landing right behind them. What a difference in size there is between them; the shoveler looks like a moose in comparison!
Friday, April 10, 2009
Blue Sky and Chickadee
Thursday, April 9, 2009
Pearly Skies
Click on the SkyWatch icon to see skies all over the world...
Grackle Trying to Be a Feeder Bird
Monday, April 6, 2009
Sandpipers en Masse
The photos below show the flock in flight over the waves. Click on the photos for better detail.


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Chinese automaker Chery Automobile has filed a complaint with the country's trademark regulator over Mercedes-Benz's use of the "EQ" name for a line of green-energy vehicles, throwing up a potential road block for the Daimler AG (DDAIF) unit in the world's largest electric car market.
A Chery spokeswoman told Reuters on Thursday that the automaker had filed a complaint with the Trademark Office of the State Administration for Industry and Commerce, which it hopes will bar Mercedes from using the name in China.
She said Chery has used the name "eQ" for its two-door battery electric car for two years.
Mercedes showed off a concept car for its forthcoming line of electric vehicles last year, saying it would build its first EQ car in a German factory by the end of the decade. The automaker said last year it could make EQ in China but did not give a launch date.
A Mercedes spokeswoman declined to immediately comment on Thursday.
A ruling in Chery's favor would be a blow to Mercedes in a key market for new-energy vehicles as more electric cars are sold in China than the rest of the world combined, thanks in part to government initiatives targeting air pollution.
"If it entered the Chinese market, it would impact our trademark rights," the Chery spokeswoman said.
"Mercedes Benz EQ and our (eQ) are extremely similar. Their product is also an electric car."
China's central government aggressively promotes green cars to fight intense urban smog and is urging its domestic industry to leap forward in automotive technology.


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As an Adobe Analytics Consultant, you will be part of our experienced Professional Services team. After an extensive ramp-up and integration period, your key responsibilities will include the following.
What you'll do
- As a product owner define goals, set priorities and manage backlog of innovative features
- Discover, validate, and document requirements
- In-depth Data Analysis
- Work closely with the engineering team to identify opportunities to grow customer value within the Adobe Analytics stack and platform
- Deliver insight and understanding of visitor and customer behavior
- Work with stakeholders to understand their business objectives and translate into analytics integration and technology strategy and requirements
- Manage digital analytics reporting to support key performance indicators our e-Commerce clients
- Define analytics Quality Assurance and testing activities to ensure accurate and efficient data collection
- Validate and debug analytics implementation issues
- Setup and maintain multiple analytics accounts to drive efficient solutions
- Guide key stakeholders in the appropriate implementation and validation of new tagging requirements and fixes, and ensure existing tracking remains intact
- Pilot and implement new functionality for our clients
- Assist customers and partners in project implementation, mainly in product expertise but also in Project management when necessary, development, testing, and training
- Contribute to product implementation/customization
- Create implementation plans and estimates for new and existing clients in the territory you will cover
- Contribute to delivering Adobe Analytics projects on time and on budget
- Provide feedback, summary, and information about projects situation (Difficulties, risks, successes, opportunities, etc)
- Liaise and coordinate with other Adobe Analytics entities to optimize the use of resources
- Assess new market opportunity and strategic areas of growth
- Provide periodic project updates to executives and product leadership
What you need to succeed
- 4+ years of product management experience
- Bachelor's degree in computer science or equivalent experience, MBA a plus
- Expertise in data visualization, reporting and/or data science tooling, technologies, and approaches
- Ability to establish a business case, drive a vision, validate a hypothesis, and grow features from inception to GA market scalability
- Proven experience in web analytics technology, specifically the Adobe Analytics or marketing cloud solutions
- Good presentation and customer-facing skills
- Digital marketing domain knowledge could be a strong "nice to have" capabilities.
- Optimizing web solution and ensuring performance requirements are met
- Agile development methodology experience
- Ability to travel
- Experience implementing web analytics tools such as Adobe Analytics, SiteCatalyst/Omniture/Adobe Marketing Cloud, Google Analytics Premium/360 or Webtrends
- Excellent interpersonal, presentation, and time management skills
- High energy individual who can drive change and manage multiple implementation projects
- Enjoys collaborating with other team members and stakeholders
- The ability to distill a complex set of requirements into defined deliverables
- The ability to explain complex concepts in a way that enables the team to understand what they are doing and why
- The ability to think strategically about meeting broad requirements sets
- Strong collaboration skills to interface successfully with a broad variety of stakeholders
- Hands-on experience with major analytics tools in the market
- Retail/eCommerce Experience
- Adobe Test and Target
- Experience with Tag Management tools such as Adobe Dynamic Tag Manager (DTM), Ensighten, Tealium or Google Tag Manager
- Front-end web development experience (JavaScript, CSS, HTML)


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Monthly Archives: October 2016
Strange Gold: A Tooth with a Story
Merriam Webster defines History as:
1: tale, story
2a: a chronological record of significant events (as affecting a nation or institution) often including an explanation of their causes
b: a treatise presenting systematically related natural phenomena
c: an account of a patient's medical background
d: an established record <a prisoner with a history of violence>
3: a branch of knowledge that records and explains past events <medieval history>
4a: events that form the subject matter of a history
b: events of the past
c: one that is finished or done for <the winning streak was history> <you're history>
d: previous treatment, handling, or experience (as of a metal)
The very first definition; the first word used to define history is quite interesting.
1 obsolete : discourse, talk
2a : a series of events or facts told or presented : account
b (1) : a report of a private or confidential matter <dead men tell no tales> (2) : a libelous report or piece of gossip
3a : a usually imaginative narrative of an event : story
b : an intentionally untrue report : falsehood <always preferred the tale to the truth — Sir Winston Churchill>
Collectors of militaria are always fascinated by the pieces within their collection. (They) we are constantly seeking the history of each object to:
- Connect collection items to historical persons
- Understand how the object is contextually associated to an event or events
- Increase intrinsic value in order to resale an item for profit and financial gain
The idea of being in possession of an item that was carried, worn or used during a significant historical event – a pivotal battle or a crippling defeat – helps to connect the person holding, touching or viewing the object to history in a very tactile manner. Many of my collector colleagues possess pieces in their collections that would be centerpieces of museums due to their historical significance. In my own collection, I have a few pieces that are connected to notable events but not on the order magnitude (of the subject) of this article.
I wrote an article where I focused on the odd and strange militaria items that would otherwise seem bizarre (for anyone to collect) to laymen and casual observers. Yesterday, I read a Chicago Tribune article (Does Chicago hot dog king have WWII Japanese admiral's gold tooth? – by Ted Gregory, September 18, 2016) that captured my immediate attention. The compelling tale about a team of eight history enthusiasts that made their way to Papua New Guinea, trekked through the dense jungle to Admiral Yamamoto's plane crash site and by chance, located a gold-encased tooth in the well-picked-over Mitsubishi G4M "Betty" attack bomber. This story seemed to dovetail quite nicely into what I discussed in my previous article – that a tooth from a deceased "enemy" hero certainly fits my idea of a militaria collection oddity.
To be in the possession of the tooth of a long-dead Japanese "god-like" hero from World War II would be exciting yet somewhat morbid. However, I am rather skeptical as to the potential of the item that was recovered at the crash would be Yamamoto's (there were eleven men aboard this aircraft) yet I agree that the possibility does exist. There are conflicting reports as to the status of the Admiral's body when discovered: Early documents (from the IJN doctor who examined the deceased Admiral) mention only a chest-area gunshot wound and that his body was otherwise intact. It was mentioned that other than the obvious mortal wound, Yamamoto appeared to be sleeping, still buckled into his seat, clutching his katana. Subsequent reports mention a substantial gunshot wound to his jaw (which could have dislodged the tooth in question).
The man who is in possession of the tooth, Dick Portillo (if you have never eaten at the restaurants that he founded and recently sold, you are missing out), who purchased the tooth from the owners if the crash site, is hopeful to be able to successfully extract and match the DNA of the tooth to the Admiral in order to authenticate his claim. I question the willingness of the Japanese government and Yamamoto's decedents to participate in Portillo's efforts, and if they do, what their motivation would be.
Until any authentication of the tooth is completed, the tooth resides in the collection of Dick Portillo along with what appears to be a wonderful selection of arms (as is visibly displayed on his office wall). If validated, Portillo said that he will give the tooth to the Japanese government, most likely to be repatriated (perhaps to be part of the Isoroku Yamamto Memorial Museum collection). I wonder what will become of the tooth if there is no cooperation or if it proves to be from another passenger of the Betty? Will it remain a part of his collection – a piece of history with two stories (Portillo's and the Japanese passenger)?
- Pacific Wrecks: G4M Model 11, Betty (manufacture #2656, Tail # T1-323)
- Operation Vengeance
- Video: Yamamoto's Wreck Site
- Aces Against Japan: The American Aces Speak
- Lightning Strike: The Secret Mission to Kill Admiral Yamamoto and Avenge Pearl Harbor
- The Fleet at Flood Tide: America at Total War in the Pacific, 1944-1945
California Congressman Demonizes Collectors with Introduction of a Bill
When citizens perceive what they think to be a travesty or tragedy, they scream to their lawmaking-representatives to create laws in order to make changes that will help them to feel good that they did something positive. It is a common action among Americans to want to bring about changes, to right wrongs and to make society more safe. We feel better about ourselves when we stood up and participated in the process. Sadly, the only thing positive with many of these actions are that those scant few people can feel good while the rest of society has to deal with the negative ramifications and unintended consequences brought about by these actions.
This week new federal legislation was proposed by U.S. Representative Paul Cook (R-CA-8) to address what he and a select few Americans feel is a troubling trend – the sale of Purple Heart Medals (PHM) among collectors. HR 6234 (known as the "Private Corrado Piccoli Purple Heart Preservation Act") if passed would "prevent merchants from profiteering from the sale of military-issued Purple Hearts, eliminating the market and making it easier to return them to their rightful owners." Taken at face-value, this seems to be a very noble goal. Who wouldn't want Purple Heart Medals returned to their rightful owners?
"These military collectors cheapen the Purple Heart by buying and selling this symbol of sacrifice like a pack of baseball cards," said Cook, who served 26 years in the Marine Corps before joining Congress, rising to the rank of colonel and receiving two Purple Hearts for injuries sustained during the Vietnam War. – See: Selling Purple Hearts would be illegal if this bill becomes law
One of the underlying beliefs of the bill's sponsor and his supporters is that militaria collectors are profit-seeking undesirables who buy and sell these vaunted medals, capitalizing on the specific aspects surrounding the awardees' circumstances (for which the medal was given) such as:
- If the veteran was killed in action (KIA)
- If the battle in which the veteran was wounded (mortally or otherwise) was notable or pivotal
- If the veteran was note-worthy:
- a famous or semi-famous service member
- a member of a notable military unit or vessel
In viewing advertisements of PHMs for sale, these facts are often presented in the medals' descriptions not too dissimilar to features of a used automobile, rendering them seemingly insensitive and cold. I admit that even I am put-off when I see how they are exhibited as available for purchase.
Regardless of the manner in which the medals are listed, most of the collectors that I have encountered are not only sensitive regarding the nature of these medals and the reason that they exist and are awarded, they go to great lengths to gather the facts surrounding the medals in order to emphasize the veterans' service and the gravity of the price that is repeatedly paid by them for our nation. The steps that are taken by these collectors in order to preserve the history is extremely honoring and very sensitive towards the veteran and the surviving family members (in the case of KIAs-awarded medals).
There are many militaria collectors who also wore the uniform of this country. Many of them, like me, take pride in our service and that of others and we strive to preserve the history that is being discarded by families of veterans (and even the veterans themselves). One of my colleagues, a fellow Navy veteran, is pursuing his next book project (his most recent work, Blue Seas, Red Stars: Soviet Military Medals to U.S. Sea Service Recipients in World War II, is a similar, monumental undertaking that recognizes those American servicemen who were decorated by the Soviet Union for heroic acts in convoy and anti-submarine duty in the North Atlantic during WWII) that focuses entirely on the Purple Heart Medals that have been awarded to service men and women who were killed in combat. Many of the hundreds of medals that he has personally photographed for this book are in the hands of collectors who want to see the stories of the awardee preserved and shared in perpetuity.
Bear in mind that I make that statement as both a collector and as someone who is very sensitive about the issue of PHMs being bought and sold (due to the somber nature of why these medals are awarded, owning a medal that is connected to such significant personal loss is too painful for me to see past). Aside from the "For Sale" listings where the current owner painstakingly describes as much detail surrounding the veterans' service and how they fell in combat, I also have difficulty when I read about an excited collector's "find." There is a fair amount of gray area between celebration of landing a medal that helps the collector tell a particular story (in their collection's area of interest) and one that a collector picked for a very insignificant amount but will garner significant profit when it sells. I know that I am not the only collector who struggles when we see this on display. I also don't mean to disparage any fellow collector for what brings them excitement and joy with their collection.
One person in particular who is celebrating the introduction of this bill and is hopeful to see it passed is Zachariah Fike (Captain, Vermont National Guard) who is the founder and CEO of Purple Hearts Reunited, a non-profit organization whose mission is to return Purple Heart Medals to the awardees or their families. "We are absolutely humbled to see Private Corrado Piccoli being honored through this bill by Congressman Cook," reads a Facebook post (dated October 3, 2016) by Fike's organization. Fike has historically been in opposition of collectors, stated to NBC News in 2012, "'It wouldn't be fair for me to say they're all bad. But the ones I have encountered, I would consider myself their No. 1 enemy," Fike said. "They're making hundreds or thousands of dollars on (each one) these medals. They think it's cool. It's a symbol of death. Because of that, it has a lot of market interest and it has a lot of value."' In my near-decade of collecting, I have learned that Fike's assessment (of medal collectors) is the rare exception rather than the norm.
There is little doubt that Congressman Cook is responding in lockstep with Fikes (who has been vocal in his frustration with collectors' who did not surrender their medal collection to him) and believe that in banning the sale of these medals will compel collectors to hand them over to organizations and people who are bent on returning them to families. What these well-intentioned people have overlooked is that so many families are the ones who have divested the heirlooms to begin with. For many reasons such as:
- No connection to the distant, deceased relative
- The family suffered a falling out with the veteran (broken marriage, the veteran abandoned his family, etc.) and the medal is a painful reminder
- The survivors are opposed to war, the military and anything that is connected to or associated with it
- Would rather see the medal and history preserved by a collector who has demonstrated this capability
There are many stories of medals being discovered in the most deplorable situations; some of the worst being discovered in dumpsters and curbside garbage cans. As the only one who had an interest in the military history of my family, I was bequeathed militaria from my relatives that included Purple Heart Medals (one of my uncles was wounded in action during both WWI and II). No one else cared. Now I am responsible to ensure that these items are cared for at the end of my life. If this bill passes and no one wants to inherit these items (and with the glut of nearly two million medals being in the same situation as mine), where will they end up?
What happens when Fike comes calling on the family having "recovered" a PHM from a collector only to find that doing so, causes grief with the people who wanted to rid themselves of the item(s) to begin with. What becomes of the medals then? How does this proposed law deal with the collections of PHMs when the collectors pass away and have no future collectors to transfer the medals to? According to the National Purple Heart Hall of Honor, the current estimation is that there have been more than 1,800,000 Purple Heart Medals awarded since 1932. Of those, how many thousands reside within individual militaria collections and what is to become of them? What percentage of those are unwanted by the families?
One of the unintended consequences of the previously established laws (banning the sale of the Congressional Medal of Honor [CMOH]), countless American artifacts have left our shores and landed in the hands of foreign collectors undoubtedly to ever return to our shores. The law that prevents the sale (similar to the one proposed by Congressman Cook will force collectors (who are seeking to recoup all or part of their investment) to locate buyers outside of the United States. Worse yet, some domestic CMOH collectors who have been in the possession of their medals predating the law (that prohibits the sale) have since been discovered by the federal authorities; their medals confiscated and subsequently destroyed by the FBI.
Banning the sale does very little in reaching the stated goal – to facilitate the return of the Purple Heart Medals to veterans and families. It also creates a problem for law enforcement. With 1.8 million medals in existence, how do they discover transactions, track ownership of medals and what becomes of those recovered who have no surviving family with which to receive said "missing" medal?
Despite what Captain Fike stated about collectors, his actions contradict him in regards to how he truly considers militaria and medal collectors. His push to locate a legislator to take such short-sighted and drastic steps to ban the sale of these artifacts are a direct assault of collectors that will have long-term negative impact on his non-profit organization's noble efforts. The bill will also include penalties for veterans and families who attempt to sell these medals; there are no exclusionary provisions nor exceptions. Congressman Cook and Captain Fike appear to be targeting (whom they deem to be) the victims in the Purple Heart trade along with the collectors.
My voice hardly matters and no one would bother to take note of what I have to say in regards to this issue. Nevertheless, I believe that this good-intentioned law is ill conceived and will ultimately make it more difficult to restore the medals to the families and veterans who want to see them returned.
Related Articles:


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"Jesus replied, 'What is impossible with man is possible with God.'" (Luke 18: 27, NIV)
Make no mistake about it, there are impossibilities in this life. To act or to say otherwise is to risk doing ourselves, and those who get their cues from us, a great deal of harm.
Each day presents its own challenges, and we do well to weigh whether we have the time, the strength, the wisdom, the funds, or the alliances and allegiances to prevail. Doing so brings us to the point where we know, without a doubt, that if we are to succeed in the task before us, it must be "with God."
Jesus reminds us today (as He did the disciples 2,000 years ago) that where we will utterly fail by ourselves; with God, we can achieve, succeed, and prevail.
The child of God is never — never — in the realm of impossibility when mindful of his/her heavenly Father. – Luther


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As much as tries to hide indie videos and streams on reaction to the suiciding of FBI asset and 2-legged monster, Jeffrey Epstein, the web is full of no other topic today.
A few items –
Nuke-Pro – Will the Epstein "Era" of Sex / Satanism / Blackmail Expose the Real Criminals?
Natural News – Isn't it obvious? Jeffrey Epstein was murdered because dead men don't talk (about the Clintons)
Raw Story – Epstein's 'suspicious as hell' suicide has the internet awash in conspiracy theories
Thanks to Titus Frost for this twitter selection – FC


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The Miami Dolphins have spent the week in Oxnard, California as they were displaced by Hurricane Irma. Miami's opponent, the Los Angeles Chargers, lost their Week 1 tilt 24-21 to the Denver Broncos and former Dolphins defensive coordinator now Broncos's head coach Vance Joseph. But, who are the Chargers?
Los Angeles is led by quarterback Philip Rivers. The gun-slinging enters his 14th season with over 45,000 career passing yards, having posted over 4,000-yards in eight of the last nine seasons. Rivers tends to turn the ball over though, as evidenced by his league-leading 21 interceptions in 2016. Rivers has led the league in interceptions in two of the last three seasons. Fans should remember Kiko Alonso's pick-six last year, sealing Miami's Week 10 victory over then-San Diego, 31-24.
In Week 1 versus Denver, Rivers posted a modest 192 yards but he did throw three touchdowns. Rivers finished 22-of-33 as he also threw one interception.
Among Rivers' favorites targets is wide receiver Keenan Allen, who returned from a season-ending ACL tear in 2016 to record five catches for 35 yards and one touchdown in Week 1.
Los Angeles features speedy University of Miami product Travis Benjamin, who hauled in three catches for 43 yards and one touchdown, but 2017 first-round pick Mike Williams remains out with a back injury.
Future Hall-of-Fame tight end Antonio Gates, in his 15th season with the Chargers franchise, had two catches for 17 yards last week.
Melvin Gordon remains the Chargers feature running back. He had 18 carries against Denver for 54 yards. Against Miami last season, Gordon managed only 70 yards on 24 carries.
Los Angeles' defense is anchored by a pair of pass-rushing specialists in defensive ends Melvin Ingram and Joey Bosa. These two combined for 18.5 sacks in 2016, and each recorded 1.5 sacks in Week 1 against Denver. Miami's offensive line will have its work cut out for them, as the Chargers likes to move Ingram along the defensive line, sometimes overloading one side by pairing Ingram and Bosa together.
Bosa, a Fort Lauderdale native who played locally at St. Thomas Aquinas High School, won the Defensive Rookie of the Year award despite playing in only 12 games in 2016.
The Chargers' defensive secondary features Pro Bowl cornerback Casey Hayward, whose seven interceptions in 2016 led the league. Fellow starting cornerback Jason Verrett did not practice Thursday because of a knee injury.
Jatavis Brown leads the Chargers linebacking corps as he registered 14 tackles against Denver in Week 1.


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I have always loved words that are rich with meaning. Recently I was having lunch with a long-time friend who used the word "acedia" in describing his current sense of being in a dry spot in his life.
Acedia comes from an old Greek word describing a state of listlessness, of not caring or not being connected to anything in a meaningful way. The person may experience sleeplessness, headaches, generalized pain, boredom and an overall diminishing of strength and resilience. It typically implies a kind of weariness of the soul and can quickly lead to an unhealthy inactivity or slothfulness if not addressed.
The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church defines acedia as "a state of restlessness and inability either to work or to pray". Unfortunately, in our culture, we know the wisdom of washing our hands before eating even if we can't see the germs we are washing away. But we don't share the same conviction about spiritual hygiene, often doing little to cleanse and refresh our spirits, and then feel trapped when acedia appears.
If you find yourself experiencing acedia you need to take action. Doing nothing will likely lead to a deeper sense of worthlessness, spiritual dryness or even depression. Break the cycle by reviewing your personal mission statement and deciding how you can make deposits of success in each of these areas this week: physically, spiritually, socially, personal development, in family, career and finances.


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A Poetry Feed would love to receive and post recordings of you reading poems you appreciate. Here's what to do:
What to Record
A Poetry Feed is a venue for sharing aloud a wide variety of poems, so please feel free to read and record any published poem you appreciate.
If you are a published poet, you are welcome to submit recordings of your own work. If you do, please accompany them with at least one recording of you reading the work of another poet, too. Also, since the Feed is not a traditional poetry magazine, I'm not interested in selecting new, unpublished work for publication, except by invitation.
There is no limit to the number of recordings you may submit though there may be a limit to the number I'll post.
How to Record
I use a simple headset microphone, like this one, plugged into my laptop, and I record using Audacity, a free sound recording/editing program. If your computer isn't already equipped with sound recording software, you can learn more about Audacity here and download Audacity here.
Please record, encode, and save your recording as an mp3 file. (To create an mp3 in Audacity, you must also download a separate mp3 encoder. Click here for instructions, and here to download the encoder file. You will only need to do this once.)
How to Read
Before recording, I almost always read a poem aloud to myself a few times to get a feel for the sentences, lines, and meaning in it. You may wish to do this, too.
Then, when you're ready to read, quiet the space around you, hit "Record," and read clearly and with expression. For most of us, this means a little more slowly and with a little more range than feels natural. The Feed's not perfect nor trying to be, so don't sweat the human variations in your voice or even the occasional stumbling in your reading.
Please begin your reading by mentioning the title and author of the poem. End your reading with a mention of the source of the poem and a line like, "This is [your name] reading for apoetryfeed.org."
How to Submit Your Recording
Simply email the Feed at email@example.com with your recording included as an attachment. In the text of your email, please include these details: Your name, the title and author of the recorded poem, and its published source. If you'd like to add a personal note about the poem (or anything else) of course you may do that!
I look forward to hearing from you, and I'll let you know within a few days of your email whether/when I'll serve it up in the Feed.


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With only nine days of the transfer window left nothing much is happening. Despite clubs wanting business done early because of the World Cup, only West Ham and Liverpool appear to have done very much about it, although Everton are catching up.
At the time of writing Manchester United have spent the third highest amount of all the Premier League clubs but they have only really bought one player, Fred, who can expect to be a regular next season.
So is this transfer window proving more difficult than others? Has the Neymar deal really had a massive effect on all other potential signings?
Well, Manchester City looked as though they had signed Jorginho from Napoli until he was blackmailed into going to Stamford Bridge at the last minute. That was never about the money though and the player was always going to move. City did, however, have to pay £60 million to get Riyad Mahrez a player who, pre-Neymar, would have cost around £30 million.
Manchester United are struggling for two reasons. Firstly, Ed Woodward, despite a couple of half-decent transfer windows, still hasn't a clue how to negotiate a deal. Secondly, Mourinho wants a player from Tottenham Hotspur and, when you have a Chief Executive as bad as Woodward, Spurs are the last club with whom you want to be in negotiations.
They would also, as an alternative to Alderweireld, like Harry Maguire from Leicester but would be forced to pay somewhere in the region of £70 million to get him. This is because they couldn't work out that he was a good player when he was at Sheffield United, then Hull City and even just before the World Cup. Had they managed to spot his potential at any of those previous moments in time then the most they would have had to spend would have been £25 million.
Maguire, before the Neymar sale and after the World Cup would still only be worth around £20 million.
Daniel Levy at Tottenham has taken one look at the money now required to buy an average player and retreated under his desk, curled up into a ball, and is refusing to come out until August the 10th, when it's all over.
Arsenal and Chelsea have new managers who are both being respectful of their bosses for a very short while before demanding that they spend £200 million on a couple of players.
Real Madrid want everybody now that they have money from the sale of Cristiano Ronaldo. His was certainly a transfer fee driven up by the aforementioned PSG purchase of Neymar. Madrid sold him for virtually what they paid nine years ago. Not bad for a 33 year-old, particularly when considering that vastly overrated, one-time team mate, Wayne Rooney is now breaking his nose in the MLS retirement home.
Anyway, Real are looking to buy Thibaut Courtois, Eden Hazard and Willian from Chelsea which should ensure the London club's slide down the table continues. They also want Edinson Cavani from PSG depending upon which Daily Clickbait you read. So there's a couple of hundred million spent in a flash and all thanks to PSG buying the Brazilian version of Tom Daley.
So it is fair to say that the price of players has, in general, increased dramatically since Neymar dived his way from Barcelona to Paris and it is thanks to PSG that every other club, certainly in Europe and probably the world, now has to pay around double what the previous transfer fee would have been prior to the little corkscrew jumping ship.
And finally…..
According to reports José Mourinho has received the backing of the club's owners. Why? This usually comes after a string of bad results halfway through the season, not before a ball is even kicked!
Are they complimenting him on his negative outlook, his criticisms of the hierarchy and his general pessimism for the forthcoming season? Or are they just trying to show that, despite the fact they are not signing anybody, they still love the manager for putting up with them?
Whatever the reasons, a vote of confidence from the board is never a good sign and Mourinho would do well to have somebody watch his back in order to remove the knives when they start to go in.


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Lemongrass Restaurant Saigon has been serving both locals and tourists since 1996, making it one of the oldest dining venues in Ho Chi Minh City. Nestled within District 1's Nguyen Thiep Street (between the famous shopping street of Dong Khoi and the walking promenade of Nguyen Hue street), this restaurant offers authentic Vietnamese cuisine at surprisingly affordable prices.
Occupying a three-storey French colonial building, the interior is set up like a French brasserie-style restaurant. Food-wise, Lemongrass Restaurant Saigon's signature dishes include the baked prawns with garlic butter and almond (VND 189,000), grilled pork ribs with lemongrass (VND 159,000), and lemongrass-steamed clams (VND 119,000). For dessert, its homemade ice-cream (VND 79,000) and mixed tropical fruit platter (VND 89,000) come highly recommended.
Drinks comprise local and imported beers (VND 59,000), cocktails such as Lemongrass Cocktail (VND 109,000) and fruit juices (between VND 69,000 and VND 89,000). Due to its immense popularity amongst locals and expats in Ho Chi Minh City, Lemongrass Restaurant Saigon has another branch at Palace Hotel Saigon. Located on the 14th floor, diners can enjoy breathtaking views of Nguyen Hue Boulevard and the Saigon River.
Lemongrass Restaurant Saigon
Opening Hours: Daily 10:00 - 22:30
Location: 4 Nguyen Thiep Street, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City
Tel: +84 283 822 0496


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This holiday season has been all about plaid for me. You can see my Christmas home tour, advent calendar, and hot chocolate bar……all plaid. It has been a lot of fun to use a color palette that I have not used before.
Going along with that theme I came up with a few gift tags, cards, and sign printables, just for you!
Plus, there is more! I have joined my friend Michelle from Dandelion Patina and 9 other friends to share some pretty amazing & FREE Christmas printables. Awesome!
Here is what comes in the FREE buffalo check printable…..
First up are the cards! I made two different versions. I sort of fell in love with this moose. It's so fun! I love the modern twist of the geometric moose against the traditional black and red….do you love it as much as me?
Next up are the gift tags. Going along with the same design these guys are so fun!
All you have to do is print them out and attach to a gift, could not be easier!
Included in the printable is also an 8×10 of each of the designs! yay! Don't forget to print your own copy!
Be sure to head over and check out everyone else's FREE printables. I am sure you will want to print them all….. I know I do!
Christmas Tree Farm via The Little Glass Jar
Nordic Christmas Movie Quotes via Blesser House
Merry & Bright via Cherished Bliss
Vintage Inspired Merry Christmas via Live Laugh Rowe
Red truck with Christmas Tree Gift Tags via Everyday Enchanting
Christmas Greeting Cards via Paint Me Pink
Advent Calendar Tags via Meadow Lake Road
Merry & Bright Deer via Home Remedies Rx
Buffalo Check Gift Tags via Hawthorne & Main
Christmas Cheer Free Printable via Dandelion Patina
11 DIY Expensive Looking DIY Gift Ideas


text:
It was my birthday yesterday and even though I was sheltered in place or whatever the term is for Washington State, I had a wonderful birthday. I didn't realize I had so many friends. It's like they came out of the woodwork all over social media. I have gotten to know so many wonderful people on Instagram and Facebook through my artwork. It's amazing.
The above painting is one that I did when we first had to stay at home called Lonely Days. It is done in Corel Painter. I used some amazing brushes by Skip Allen called Skip's Tibor brushes. They give a great texture and are so fun to work with. Skip has tons of brushes you can download for Painter at his website here.
These particular brushes are not available there. If you are interested in them, I could ask him if I can pass them along. Now people are using the thick paint brushes for texture. I don't like them as much because they are on a special layer that does not do what I need it to do. Perhaps Corel will change that.
Everyone take care and be safe and keep your social distance.


text:
The factory fire that erupted in the Gulbai area of Karachi has been brought to control after nearly 24 hours.
The fire exposed the inefficient and rather dismal abilities of the administrative and fire-fighting departments to handle emergencies and such incidents.
The tyre warehouse was completely burned down to the ground and everything inside turned to ashes as the fire kept on burning for almost one day.
The factory owners were left teary eyed as they lost their lifetime worth of efforts and earnings in the fire. They said that the damage would have much lesser if the fire brigade had arrived on time and acted promptly on the emergency call.
They said that the fire officials arrived more than two hours late, despite repeated calls to arrive quickly at the site of the incident. The fire brigade blamed the shortage of water in the surrounding areas.
Fire official Javed Hassan said that they had to fetch water from far away areas which caused a delay due to being stuck in heavy traffic. He said that the owners are also responsible in most of these type of cases.
There were only thirteen fire tenders and two bowsers to contain the third-degree fire. There are only two snorkels currently in use out of three for a city with a population of 20 million


text:
Move Of God – Rodney Howard-Browne
1 Corinthians 2
14 But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
1 Thessalonians 1
5 For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance; as ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sake.
Acts 2
1 And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.
2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.
3 And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.
4 And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
Acts 2
15 For these are not drunken, as ye suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day.
16 But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel;
17 And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:
Acts 4
31 And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness.
1 Corinthians 4
20 For the kingdom of God is not in word, but in power.
1 Corinthians 2
4 And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power:
Acts 10
44 While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word.
Acts 4
33 And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all.
2 Timothy 3:5
Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.


text:
I love doing Graphic Design and after doing a Diploma and an Advanced Diploma in Graphic Design through Shaw Academy, I realised that I have been doing Graphic Design all along, I just didn't know what it was called.
I have always loved doing business cards, pamphlets, flyers, letterheads, logos, etc. I have also branched out to book covers and have done my own book cover for my poetry book as well. This has almost become an obsession for me.
I used to just do it for free because I didn't know any better, but I am a lot wiser now. I offer these services to the public now and I would like to state my prices here.
If you would like to make use of my Graphic Design service, please fill in the 'Contact me' and I will email you back.
That's it for this page, I hope you have a lovely day further.
Enjoy your moments


text:
There are places in Ibiza which deserve special attention, for discovering the more historic side of the island, and this is the case of Dalt Vila, a beautiful walled landscape which stands over the city of Ibiza.
The main access to the town in found in Mercat Vell, in the Marina quarter. This is known as Es Portal de ses Taules and is crossed by a drawbridge from the Roman period which leads into the Plaza de Vila, a charming place for shopping and dining in romantic restaurants.
Before beginning the ascent to the higher area, it must be mentioned that in the street that passes over the Portal de Ses Taules the Ibiza Contemporary Art Museum (MACE) can be visited, one of the most important artistic locations in Ibiza. Facing it is the stronghold of Santa Llúcia with spectacular views of the port.
Following this route, the Plaza España is reached, where the City Council is found in the former premises of the convent of Santo Domingo. Finally, before reaching the Plaza de la Catedral, the Sant Ciriac chapel is found, where according to legend, Catalan troops entered to conquer Dalt Vila in 1235. A little further is the Casa de la Cúria, a building which is home to the Medina Yabisa Interpretation Centre, the perfect place for discovering the island's Muslim past. Once in Plaza de la Catedral, there are many things to see. Visiting the archaeological museum is highly recommended.
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text:
Good Day!
Friday: Scattered thunderstorms. Gusty winds and small hail are possible. High of 76, low of 57.
Saturday: Cloudy with partial sunshine. High of 85, low of 64.
Family fun day
The Cambridge Citizens Police Academy Alumni Association is hosting Family Fun Day from 4 p.m. until dark on Saturday, May 18. The event will take place at the Cambridge Biddy League football field, in the Cambridge City Park.
Activities include meeting local law enforcement officers, K-9 demonstrations and family-friendly activities including:
• bounce house, dunk tank, cotton candy and popcorn
• Toy Story characters
• raffles and 50/50 drawing
• face painting
Refreshments will be available. There is no fee for admission.
Bring your friends and family and celebrate National Police Week, celebrating all Law Enforcement officers in Guernsey County.
Volunteer opportunity
Students in middle and high school are needed to volunteer at Safety Town as teen instructors. Safety Town takes place June 10 - June 4, from 9 a.m. to noon, at the Garfield Administration Center, formerly South Elementary. Those interested should call Marion Welch at 740-439-1582.
Office closed
The Guernsey County Veterans Service Commission and Veterans Service Office will be closed on Memorial Day, Monday, May 27. Regular hours will resume on Tuesday.
Meeting change
Due to the Memorial Day holiday, the next meeting of the Center Township Trustees will be Thursday, May 23, at 6 p.m., at the township garage on Arrowhead Rd.
Services canceled
The Bethel Church and cemetery annual Memorial Day services have been canceled due to lack of funding. The church and cemetery are located on state route 146 outside Pleasant City. For more information, call William Rockwell, president, at 614-273-9219 or firstname.lastname@example.com.
Thought of the day
Let another man praise thee, and not thine own mouth.
Prov. 27:2


text:
Date: Wed, 09 Sep 1998 1:46 -0600
From: Linda Bandy <email@example.com>
Subject: Re: 12.0182 visualisation? software agents?
What an interesting project! I hope you will not misunderstand my
intent, and that I, in turn, understand your search. Seems to me
that the source of the lexical flow is the very icon list I'm looking at
right now, that is, the icons used everywhere in computing. My email
"depicts" the letterwriting activity in the menu -- READ all about it
in the file if I click. Perhaps the computer programming literature
and computer design manuals could offer something to direct you.
Just a thought. Let me know if this helps. Linda
Humanist Discussion Group, Vol. 12, No. 182.
Centre for Computing in the Humanities, King's College London
Date: Sat, 29 Aug 1998 19:55:21 +0100
From: Thomas Donnebrink <firstname.lastname@example.com>
Dear members of the list
I have subscribed to your active list about three months ago. My name is
Thomas Donnebrink and I am a student at the university of Munster to the
north - west of Germany. I am working on a paper for my final exam about
"strategies and limitations of visualization of lexical entries looking at
the Picture Duden and modern monolingual english dictionaries"
In some dictionaries, drawing, photos and other types of visualization are
used to 'illustrate' the meaning of a certain lexical entry, but it seems,
that the way certain 'types' of visualization are used and certain lexical
entries are chosen for visualization is far away from being systematically
and uniform. The practice rather seems to be intuitive and arbitrary. The
scope is quite limited and the parts of the lexicon illustrated include
barely other words than non-abstract nouns. I would like to look into the
possibility of outlining a language which is based on visual signs
(avoiding the phonological principle) and in this way hoping to bypass the
arbitrarity of the linguistic sign (Arbitraritat des sprachlichen
Zeichens). The aim would be to create (to outline) a system of visual
signs that could be understood by everybody regardless of the speech
community they belong to; and therefore serve as an auxiliary language in
"written" communication. This visual sign language should meet the
following criteria:
- A high percentage of the visual signs should be self-explanatory.
- The inventory of the visual signs that are not self-explanatory should be
as limited as possible, logical and serve as compound words to build other
expressions (but not too complex), so that not much learning would be
- Due to the morpho-syntacticle differences in many languages the visual
sign language would have - among other things - to break with the linear
arrangement of the sentence parts (using a circular arrangement so
somethink like that). But this does not interest me at this point.
I am searching desperately for some information concerning this topic for
more than two months now, but I cannot find very much information which
really deals specifically about the visualization of language in general and
of lexical entries in particular. I have searched the OPACs, libraries and
travelled the cyberspace, but it seems that there is nothing out there. So
far I just found one book (Hupka 1989) and a couple of short articles
dealing with this subject. So I was hoping that maybe someone of you is
interested in the same or a similar topic or that one of you knows somebody
who might be. If you have a tip, a hint, a link, a source, an idea, a title,
an E-Mail address or something alike that could help,I would reeeaaally
appreciate it, if you could mail it to me.
Thanks a thousand times !!
I would also like to post a short questionnaire concerning this topic on
this list in a few weeks, provided that nobody objects.
Thomas Donnebrink
Munster, Germany
Humanist Discussion Group
Information at <http://www.kcl.ac.uk/humanities/cch/humanist/>


text:
Like any effective strategy, the first step is to diagnose the problem. And that's true for digital transformation.
Emote Digital are pioneers in the space of digital transformations — the process where your company fully embraces the power of digital to implement strategies that revolutionise your operation.
It's not just a new website or defining a target audience, it's about prescribing the antidote for clunkiness. It's fixing root causes with more than just a bandaid. It's problem-solving.
There's a reason why you need to seek out an agency to help you execute your digital transformation and why it can't come from within. But we'll get to that.
First, let's take a look at what makes an effective digital transformation and how to know your brand needs one.
What Makes for an Effective Strategy
An effective strategy not only solves the known existing problems but also finds solutions for future endeavours.
You can recognise an effective strategy by how much it future-proofs your business and streamlines your process.
A strong, reliable digital presence has the ability to unlock new potential and grow existing customers, allowing you to increase market share and drive business growth. Basically, a truly effective strategy will have a significant dollar value return. It's an investment.
Concrete deliverables are important for an effective strategy. That's why Emote Digital has set outcomes that they've outlined you can expect when you engage them for a digital transformation.
- Initial strategic alignment workshop
- Audits across digital assets, marketing and brand
- Comprehensive overall strategy and plan
- Technical documentation around required projects
- Detailed scope of work including projected budgets and out of scope considerations
- Outline of timelines, dependencies and responsible persons
Plans are necessary for flawless execution. That's why every digital transformation has one.
5 Signs You Need a Digital Transformation Strategy
There are many reasons your business might need a digital transformation. In fact, there aren't many brands that wouldn't benefit significantly.
Here are the top 5 signs that you need a digital transformation strategy.
- You don't have an online presence. This one's easy — if you're not already online, you're losing out on a massive opportunity. If you don't have a website, you're basically asking your competition to beat you.
- You have an online presence, but it's not impressive. You realise the importance of being online, but you're not making enough of an impact. You're scared that you'll fade away into obscurity considering the vast size of the internet.
- There are internal stakeholders that need convincing. Oftentimes it can take a lot of debating and explaining to convey the importance of being digital in this day and age. If you have stubborn dinosaurs that don't see the point of going digital, they soon will after a session with Emote.
- Your competitors are beating you. They're doing something you're not, ranking higher, selling more and innovating. It's not a matter of them simply being better, it's a matter of needing to transform your approach.
- You're an innovator. You have a knack for jumping on things early and can smell success from a mile away. You want a digital transformation because it excites you.
Sound like you? Don't be surprised. Almost any business falls into at least one of the above categories.
But if you know you need a digital transformation, why can't you just do it by yourself? That's a very good question.
Why You Can't Do It Alone
You can't do your own internal digital transformation for the same reason you can't do your own haircut.
Well, you could. It just wouldn't be very good and you'd definitely miss important bits.
The truth is, it's hard to see yourself clearly. This is true for both personal growth and development as well as interrogating a business operation. As a director, owner, employee or stakeholder, you're simply too involved to give credible insight.
It often takes an outsider looking in to accurately diagnose problems and find solutions. An outsider is not tied to bureaucracy or allegiances and can be impartial and objective. Not only that, often simply because the opinion is from an outsider it is taken more seriously and acted upon within the business.
Let's not forget the most important reason why you can't do it alone: you're most likely not an expert.
Expertise in digital transformation requires knowledge across websites, UX, design, social media marketing, search engine advertising, SEO, copywriting and digital strategy. Having these areas work cohesively together is key to achieving success.
Working with experts like Emote Digital ensures you're getting a reliable and trustworthy opinion from people who have done this many times before.
You want an agency that has hands-on experience bringing large, well-known brands into the digital age with style and strategy.
Effective Digital Transformation Examples
A digital transformation can come in many different shapes and sizes.
Take Suzuki Motorcycles. Emote was able to diagnose the challenges of selling motorbikes online in a declining market while also supporting dealerships.
They solved this by implementing a Build Your Bike function for the website, streamlining the customer experience and ensuring customers stayed on the site once they got there.
Another example is Bakers Delight. Emote brought this iconic Aussie brand into the 21st century with impact.
For a brand that does so well in their physical stores already, the drawcard for investing online had to be worth it. Through innovating how digital sales could benefit them massively and thinking outside the box for additional opportunities, Bakers Delight was converted.
For a more in-depth look at how Emote Digital approached these specific brands, check out our blog on 3 Successful Digital Transformation Examples.
The key takeaway to remember is that you don't know what you don't know. The extent to how much of an impact a digital transformation could make is a mystery until you ask.
Seek out expert opinions and you'll be surprised by just how much a digital transformation can positively affect your business.
If you think you're ready (and by now you've probably realised that you are) then reach out to the friendly folks at Emote Digital and start your digital transformation today.


text:
By Will Barber – Taylor
The Doctor travels to Lake Silencio for his date with destiny. However, he doesn't reckon on the love of River Song, who decides not to kill him. If The Doctor lives then time will collapse.
The plot is excellent. Starting off with time all happening at once. The episode takes us to a flashback telling the audience how time was corrupted. The second half of the episode is set in the corrupted timeline where The Doctor has to die or time will die instead. The story flows beautifully and shows Moffat on top form. The whole River Song/Doctor story arc is weaved brilliantly into the story and without the story arc as a backbone the story wouldn't be as convincing as it is. The Doctor faking his own death to fool the Silence is similar to Sherlock Holmes faking his death to fool Moriarty's criminal empire. Seeing as Moffat has brought Holmes back this could be a sneaky reference. The ending of the story is sublime in its ambiguity. Steven Moffat writes Doctor Who as a magically, dark fairytale, which is how it should be.
The acting is magnificent. Matt Smith very much plays all sides of The Doctor in this story. One minute he is angry and very similar to Hartnell; the next he is winking at the camera just like Troughton with a great mix of Baker as well. The scene where The Doctor hears of The Brigadier's death is also very well played. Smith should get the next BAFTA for this episode alone.
Arthur Darvill's acting skills are strongly demonstrated when he tells the others to leave whilst he battles with the Silence.
Karen Gillian's versatility as an actress is obvious when one moment she is happy to see The Doctor and then she ruthlessly kills Madam Kovarian. Amy Pond has earned the right to take her place amongst the ultimate companion list.
Alex Kingston is excellent as River Song. Like her mother, she has gone through a change. We see a different River from the one who shot the Dalek in the last series to the River who is determined to save The Doctor's life in this series. This does not mean the acting/writing has gone worse but it has changed how we look at River. We now know why she is like she is and why she does what she does. This change makes the character more interesting.
Francis Barber is excellent (though sadly under used) as the evil Madam Kovarian particularly when she pleads for her life before Amy kills her.
Ian McNeice is great as the holy Roman Emperor Winston Churchill. The guest appearances from Simon Callow as Charles Dickens and Mark Gattis as Gantok are noted and are both played exceedingly well.
The direction is very good, particularly the shots in Area 52. They have a real feeling of darkness and expectation of events about to happen.
The direction is very good, particularly the shots in Area 52. They have a real feeling of darkness and expectation of events about to happen.
The Wedding of River Song is a dark, exciting , moving, fairy tale. The acting, directing and most of all the writing are excellent and set a new standard for Doctor Who. Series Six has been one of the most interesting series of Doctor Who and Moffat has ended it with fireworks. This episode answers a lot of questions but it also brings back the oldest question – Doctor Who?
Related articles
- Ballad of River Song of the Day (geeks.thedailywh.at)
- Will River Song Return To Doctor Who? (eoghann.com)
- Doctor Who 6.13: The Wedding of River Song (pinkbananaworld.com)
- Doctor Who: The Eternity Clock pushed into April (vg247.com)
- 11 Episodes of the Eleventh Doctor: The Wedding of River Song (acollectivemind.wordpress.com)
- 11 Episodes of the Eleventh Doctor: Let's Kill Hitler (acollectivemind.wordpress.com)
- John Barrowman Pitches the Captain Jack/River Song Spinoff He'd Like to See (themarysue.com)
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