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Successful Government Marketing - A Primer for Small Business
Successful Government Marketing - A Primer for Small Business
The U.S. federal government is the largest purchaser of goods and services in the world. And while understanding the ins and outs of how to register as a government contractor and then making sense of how the government buys is necessary, all too often, one of the most overlooked areas of doing business with the government is knowing how to successfully market to the government.
Put quite simply - marketing to the government is different (and I mean marketing in the sense of the strategies and tactics you employ to place your product or service in the hands of potential customers). When the government buys, it buys differently than the commercial sector; the language it speaks is different; its motivations for buying are different.
Many businesses turn to specialist agencies and seasoned government marketing professionals to help them win their share of government business - not a luxury many small business owners can afford.
So to achieve success as you venture into business with the government, the savvy government marketer must adjust conventional marketing strategies and outreach tactics to meet the conventions of this very lucrative marketplace.
Here are some basic tips to get you started in understanding how to market to the government:
1) Understand who your Customers Are
In government, there are three customers to whom you should target your marketing efforts.
a) Procurers - Including contracting officers or others who can select the procurement methods and conduct the procurement. They have enormous influence on the buying process, but are also steered by 'influencers' - to whom they are often 'gatekeepers'.
b) Influencers - These are program managers and high level decision makers who generate the requirement for a product or service.
c) End Users - This group is very influential in getting the most qualified contractor involved in a bid or onto a relevant contract.
Although each of these will be interested in different facets of your offering, they all want to know the benefits of ordering from you, your pricing model, and the procurement vehicles or contracts that you hold. Read more about how to target these three groups in How to Market to the Federal Government - published by the General Services Administration (GSA).
2) Write a Government Marketing Plan - Don't Tag Government onto your Commercial Plan
The government buying cycle is very predictable, and spending is heavily skewed toward the fourth quarter of the fiscal year (Sept 30 is the last day of the federal fiscal year, for state and local government it is the end of May or June). This gives marketers the opportunity to plan a strategic campaign six or even 12 months in advance.
The first quarter should be focused on awareness raising and relationship building - fine tune your marketing message both in print and on the Web and develop ways to evangelize that message. Events and webinars are a great way of doing this. Trade shows can be expensive for a small business, so focus on smaller agency-sponsored table tops and seminars. If you have relationships within a particular agency, consider hosting an intimate 'brown bag' lunch and learn meeting on-site to demonstrate your latest offering and its benefits.
The second and third quarter of the government fiscal year is when you should really focus in on drumming up lead generation campaigns (use multiple integrated tactics to ensure maximum outreach). The last quarter is often focused on last minute offers and awareness campaigns to help your company secure its share of 'busy season' buying as agencies rush to use their remaining budget dollars.
And don't forget month-to-month outreach activities such as newsletters and social media (blogging, etc.) to keep your company brand in front of your government customers and prospects.
3) 'Governmentize' your Message
Many companies make the mistake of putting their commercial messaging and marketing collateral in front of government agencies and hoping it will resonate. It won't!
The government has entirely different pain points, requirements and objectives (or missions) than a commercial buyer. Take time to understand agency mandates, goals and challenges, re-work your message to address these and pick your words carefully. Consider the following when you craft your messaging:
- What are an agency's particular challenges and needs? Restate these in your collateral.
- What does your product or service help the government accomplish?
- Has anyone else in government benefited from your offering? Explain more.
- Why should the government buy from you? List your contract vehicles and small business status or certification on every piece of collateral and Web site.
- What does your company do to make it easy for government to buy from you? Stress your contracting expertise, and say up-front if your business includes ex-government employees.
- Are you speaking the government's language? Proof your messaging for government speak: Check for commercial phrases and terminology such as '...increase your profits...' or '...your company can...' and replace with more government attuned phrases such as '...meet your agency's mandates...' or '...address constituent needs more efficiently...'.
4) Ensure your Message gets Delivered
One of the more interesting challenges of marketing to the government is actually getting your message through - particularly when it comes to direct mail (yes, direct mail still works in government when used as part of an integrated campaign). For example agency mail shops won't deliver what they consider to be bulk mailings.
There are ways around this. For example you can stagger your mailings so that it doesn't all get delivered at once, or use a first class live stamp as opposed to metered pre-sorted postage. Another tactic that works well is to mail a three dimensional direct mail piece - include a cheap giveaway, mailed in a padded envelope. The added bulk can 'disguise' the direct marketing intent of the mailing. Read *Mark Amtower's Ten Quick Tips for Successful Government Mailings for more helpful tips.
5) Understand Government Ethics - Use a Call to Action that Government can Accept
One of the very first things you'll need to learn about government marketing is that commercial call to actions such as 'Sign up for XYZ and enter for a chance to win a TV' are an absolute no go. Government employees are under strict ethical rules and are not allowed to accept gratuities or giveaways valued at more than $20 (provided that the market value of multiple gifts to the same official does not exceed $50 in a calendar year). Some may even decline all giveaways. There are exceptions - government employees can receive educational materials as part of a campaign giveaway (e.g. a flash drive loaded with white papers) as well as nominally-valued gratuities or 'tchotchkes' such as desktop trinkets.
Read more about *Illegal Gifts and Gratuities in this quick read from the National Defense Industrial Association.
6) Leverage Case Studies
Government buyers are very keen to hear how their peers in the public sector have benefited from your solution, so case studies should be an essential part of your sales toolkit. Remember to get agency permission and don't always count on being able to use real names and scenarios (particularly with the DoD). Use quotes from the case study on your Web site and other marketing materials. Even build the case study into a 'show and tell'' event or webinar.
Good luck!
About the Author:
Caron Beesley


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Your publication did a full-page article on the tireless efforts of Kelly Cooper in the Friends of the Library bookstore, sorting and pricing books, mainly donations.
It might surprise readers to know that, acting on a "suggestion" from unnamed library staff, the spineless dilettantes on the "Friends" executive committee saw fit to send her a certified letter telling her that her services ware no longer required, for some nebulous and poorly-explained reason. She was however, welcome to carry on developing resources for them. Seems a poor reward for many years of tireless devotion. In my personal opinion, her straight-arrow nature has been getting in the way of widespread misappropriation of donations, which has increased exponentially since the shameful removal of the award-winning ex-director of the library, Melanie Miller.
During which time, the present president of the "Friends" said "We come to bury Caesar not to praise him," in my hearing, in public. Translation: Don't rock the boat. I enjoy the view from my Ivory Tower.
This library is now moribund, a sad decline from its previous position as second best in Nation, per head of population, under Ms. Miller.
Truly the Age of Mediocrity, as once again demonstrated in Hays, America.
Ian Donaldson

subset: commoncrawl


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Learn from the founders of this new sport as they tour the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic!
K9 Nose Work Workshop
with Amy Herot and Jill Marie O'Brien
Columbia, MD
Saturday, March 27, 2010, 10:00am - 5:30pm
This is a great opportunity for people on the east coast to learn from the California co-founders of K9 Nose Work. K9 Nose Work is a new, exciting, detection-style sport that develops a dog's natural scenting abilities by using their curiosity, desire to hunt, and their love of toys, food, and exercise.
This one-day introductory workshop is designed for future K9 Nose Work instructors, dog sports enthusiasts, and the pet owner looking for a fun outlet for her dog. Amy and Jill will take you through the process of getting a dog started in K9 Nose Work, concentrating on the basic concepts and foundation skills for dogs and handlers. They will share their proven training techniques and class structure demonstrating the most efficient ways to encourage and develop each teams potential.
Any dog can do it! All levels of training are welcome. Shy, over-exuberant, and certain mild to moderately reactive dogs are welcome candidates but must be tolerant of the instructors coaching the team, many people watching in the audience, and dogs in the area. Dogs work individually with one-on-one attention from the instructor.
Limited working teams. Auditors are welcome!
Other confirmed locations at this time are:
Hudson, MA - March 20, 2010; 2:00pm - 9:30pm - Registration is open
Madison, NJ - March 28, 2010; 2pm - 9:30pm
Additional locations are expected to be added for a full day workshop on March 21 and half-day workshops during the week. Half day workshops are expected to be approved in PA and Southern NY.
CPDTs can earn 6.5 CEUs for the full day workshops and 3.5 CEUs for the half-day workshops.
For complete information go to www.dogsofcourse.com or contact Dana Crevling at 508/529-3568, M -F 8am - 7pm EST or email@example.com
Dana Crevling, CPDT-KA
Dogs of Course


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Our favorite century is the Sequoia, put on by our local club, the Western Wheelers. I've got long history with the club, going back to the day when a subset of the membership was essentially a farm club for the local racing teams (Pedali Alpini, Belmont Bicycle Club and San Jose Bicycle Club, all arch-rivals).
For the past many years, we've sponsored a special, "secret" soda stop at the top of the final climb (lately, Tunitas Creek), as well as supplying a mechanic for that rest stop. And for the past many years, it's always worked out where we had a mechanic from the shop who could take care of the bike end of things, and a willing club volunteer, Sal, who took care of the soda part. Until this year! Sal couldn't spare the time away from his business this year, and Patrick, our Service Manager in Redwood City, messed up his leg (yes, doing something silly on a bicycle) and wouldn't be able to stay on his feet that long.
So this year I got to experience the Sequoia from the other side of the counter, as it were, taking care of both the sodas (note to self: it's not possible to have too much Diet Coke!) and mechanical stuff. Of the two , there was a whole lot more activity on the soda side!
Hope everyone who rode it had a fantastic time. You sure couldn't complain about the weather, which was great, not even fog at the coast, and, since it's the Sequoia, the support is first-rate too!


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• 452 sq in Total cooking area
• 24" Grill Diameter
• Weight: 219lbs"
• Stainless steel cooking grid
Aqua Quip team members use our grills every day, so the advice they give isn't just a sales pitch, it's helpful, seasoned griller's knowledge.
We sell the perfect BBQs for the casual entertainers to the serious grilling expert. They are guaranteed to cook like new summer after summer.
From spicy BBQ Sauce to flavorful dry-rubs, you can Aqua Quip your arsenal of bbq options at any of our 9 neighborhood locations.


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I want to unlock the last two Monster classes. For this i need to beat VHoS once again and NC twice.
What i've already done:
Orc Berzerker (with dragon shield i think)
Elf Sorcerer (elven boots + fireball + found JJ)
Would think a Wizard could work similar to the Sorcerer (less mana but spells are cheaper; Sorcerer destroys the DP faster, but i think with the Wizard it should also work). Probably Dragon Soul instead of Elven Boots and don't care about resistence (advantage: no fear of curses).
Other ideas? Please nothing which worships Mystera, think for me she would be suicide in this dungeon, since the easy monsters all have magical attacks
Did it with an dedicated Orc Rogue once:
Dragon Shield + prepped TT. First high level kills -> join TT -> farm piety -> stack poison. In underground i converted to Dracul for Lifesteal.
With an assassin a similar strat could work. But for other classes i don't think so.
PISSORF Orc Wizard sounds like a nice idea...


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September 29, 2011
Don Gagliardo & C. C. Burnikel
Theme: Made in China — Theme answers (and there are a lot of them!!) are all items that were invented in China.
Theme answers:
- 1A: *Rock conqueror? (PAPER).
- 10A: *Soy milk brand (SILK).
- 17A: *Dental checkup freebie (TOOTHBRUSH).
- 28A: *Wile E. Coyote buy (GUN POWDER).
- 35A: *Gets creative (NOODLES).
- 39A: *Extent (COMPASS).
- 45A: *Flashy display (FIREWORKS).
- 59A: *Beginner's piano piece (CHOPSTICKS).
- 64A: *Forged check (KITE).
- 66A: It celebrates National Day on October 1 (and it's where the answers to starred clues were invented) (CHINA).
I had two major trouble spots. The first was down in the Oklahoma/Texas area. I tried STEP OUT and SLIP OUT before the correct SKIP OUT (43D: Abandon, with "on"). And I had SNIPPY before SNAPPY (47D: Irritable). So there was a lot of erasing going on down there. Then there was the northwest. Even with TOOTHBRUSH and SNL in place, I struggled. I had DST for EDT (4D: Atlanta summer hrs.), which is really a rookie mistake and it messed me up good. Also, I've never heard of ARON Ralston (though I'm thankful for another way to clue ARON) (2D: Mountain climber Ralston, subject of "127 Hours"). And I couldn't get Barney the Freaking Dinosaur out of my head long enough to figure what the heck he had in common with Bo. (I knew Bo was the Obamas PET. I'm still not sure who Barney's owners were. … Oh, he was the Bushes' dog. That wasn't that long ago. You'd think I might have remembered it. But no.)
Other than that, I just had spelling errors at CODY and ASTIN (COTY and ASTON) (65A: Maker of Kate Moss fragrances / 63A: John who played Gomez Addams) and bad guesses at PESO (I tried EURO) (33A: Its symbol is "$") and USNA (I thought he might have been a marine; really who can remember back that far?) (57D: Oliver North's alma mater: Abbr.).
One final thought, because I'm sure this will be confusing to somebody. The clue for ABLE (32A: Napoleon, before seeing Elba?) refers to the well-known palindrome ABLE WAS I ERE I SAW ELBA. Clever clue.
Crosswordese 101 Round-up:
- 16A: Singer with the platinum 1992 album "The Celts" (ENYA).
- 19A: Hungarian spa city (EGER).
- 44A: Pennsylvania port (ERIE).
- 29D: Japanese chip maker (NEC).
Everything — 1A: *Rock conqueror? (PAPER); 6A: Ilk (TYPE); 10A: *Soy milk brand (SILK); 14A: Diminish, as trust (ERODE); 15A: Court target (HOOP); 16A: Singer with the platinum 1992 album "The Celts" (ENYA); 17A: *Dental checkup freebie (TOOTHBRUSH); 19A: Hungarian spa city (EGER); 20A: "30 Rock" is loosely based on it, briefly (SNL); 21A: Georgia campus (EMORY); 22A: Transparent personality? (GHOST); 23A: Webber's partner (PAINE); 24A: Stink ending (-AROO); 25A: Are proper for (BEFIT); 28A: *Wile E. Coyote buy (GUN POWDER); 32A: Napoleon, before seeing Elba? (ABLE); 33A: Its symbol is "$" (PESO); 34A: West Bank initials (PLO); 35A: *Gets creative (NOODLES); 39A: *Extent (COMPASS); 41A: "Alice" spinoff (FLO); 42A: Gives goose bumps, maybe (AWES); 44A: Pennsylvania port (ERIE); 45A: *Flashy display (FIREWORKS); 48A: Umbrella brand (TOTES); 49A: Idiot (LUNK); 50A: Finalize, as a comic strip (INK IN); 52A: Pub drinks (SWIGS); 54A: Sudden outpouring (SPATE); 55A: Sch. with a Phoenix campus (ASU); 58A: Comic book buyer of old? (DIME); 59A: *Beginner's piano piece (CHOPSTICKS); 61A: Analogous (AKIN); 62A: Forceful takeover (COUP); 63A: John who played Gomez Addams (ASTIN); 64A: *Forged check (KITE); 65A: Maker of Kate Moss fragrances (COTY); 66A: It celebrates National Day on October 1 (and it's where the answers to starred clues were invented) (CHINA); 1D: Bo and Barney, e.g. (PETS); 2D: Mountain climber Ralston, subject of "127 Hours" (ARON); 3D: Hustler's game (POOL); 4D: Atlanta summer hrs. (EDT); 5D: Warm up (REHEAT); 6D: Crowd (THRONG); 7D: Words to one on deck (YOU'RE UP); 8D: Nosegay (POSY); 9D: Bk. before Philippians (EPH.); 10D: Envision a way (SEE HOW); 11D: To a great extent (IN GOOD PART); 12D: Caustic fluids (LYES); 13D: Go-__ (KART); 18D: ASCAP rival (BMI); 22D: Union member? (GROOM); 23D: Like pintos (PIED); 24D: Lhasa __ (APSO); 25D: Alberta national park (BANFF); 26D: "Christ Stopped at __" (EBOLI); 27D: Amount requiring a credit card authorization (FLOOR LIMIT); 29D: Japanese chip maker (NEC); 30D: Borden mascot (ELSIE); 31D: Derby prize (ROSES); 36D: Some green acres (LAWNS); 37D: "Star Wars" tree-dweller (EWOK); 38D: Sun. talk (SER.); 40D: Drudge (PEON); 43D: Abandon, with "on" (SKIP OUT); 46D: Oregon Ducks' home (EUGENE); 47D: Irritable (SNAPPY); 48D: Pin in a shirt (TIE TAC); 51D: Gold units: Abbr. (KTS.); 52D: Mt. Rushmore's state (S. DAK.); 53D: Joint Web project (WIKI); 54D: "Buzz off!" ("SHOO!"); 55D: When Emile sings "Some Enchanted Evening" (ACT I); 56D: Word with care or cream (SKIN); 57D: Oliver North's alma mater: Abbr. (USNA); 59D: V x LX (CCC); 60D: -like relative (-ISH).


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Hair (Broadway)
Item #: IB74454
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|The musical introduces "The Tribe", a group of politically active friends, long-haired "Hippies of the Age of Aquarius" fighting against conscription to the Vietnam War and living a bohemian life together in New York City.
|Directed by:
|Tom O'Horgan
|James Rado, Gerome Ragni, Shelley Plimpton, Melba Moore, Steve Curry, Lamont Washington, Ronnie Dyson, Paul Jabara, Lynn Kellogg, Sally Eaton, and Diane Keaton.


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- Oct 31:
- Northeast Plains Outreach Team reaching out to flood victims
- Oct 19:
- Disaster Recovery Center closing today
- Oct 16:
- Fellowship of Christian Farmers providing support for those affected by the flood
- Oct 10:
- Parks, Library and Recreation board hears update on flood damage
- Oct 8:
- Flood refunds announced for rifle seasons, property updates
- Oct 4:
- Non-profits, local governments invited to briefing
- Northeastern Junior College reflects on handling of flood situation
- Sep 30:
- FEMA: Disaster Recovery Center still open
- Museum accepting donations to help with recovery
- Sep 28:
- Flood-damaged county roads remain closed
- Center for FEMA, agencies offers 'one stop'
- Sep 27:
- Sterling Livestock helps raise funds for flood relief
- Sep 26:
- Living Center residents happy to return home
- Agencies fill courthouse with resources, personnel
- Sep 25:
- A call for Love
- Sep 24:
- Agencies providing aid, info for those affected by the flood
- Safety hazards remain even after water recedes
- Free legal assistance for flood victims
- RE-1 Valley Board of Education hears update on flood issues
- Sep 23:
- City of Sterling resumes normal operations
- A funeral in the time of the flood
- Sep 21:
- Flood upate: no flush order in effect through weekend
- INFORMATION EXTENSION: Food safety information after a flood
- Sep 20:
- Flood update: Highway 6 reopens as residents take stock
- Flood update: Temporary pipe helping relieve pressure on sewer system
- Flood update: no flush restriction still in effect
- Help available for residents, businesses
- Flood postpones Christ United Methodist Church anniversary celebration
- Gov. Hickenlooper: We will rebuild and come out stronger
- Sep 19:
- Merino Fire Department offering free showers from 6 to 10 p.m. today
- Care facilities coping with flood's impact
- Scam artists exploiting Colorado floods
- Sep 18:
- RE-1 Valley School District superintendent gives details about decision to cancel classes
- City of Sterling says wastewater pumps still not operating
- Northeast Colorado Health Department receiving TD vaccine
- Salvation Army providing canteen truck at Sterling Middle School
- Cancellations and closings due to the flooding
- Sandbags wanted downstream
- Sep 17:
- Northeast Colorado Health Department working to get more personal camp toilets, portable toilets
- Flood issues causing closings and postponements
- Damage to wastewater system forces closure of facilities
- Crook evacuated as river threatens
- RE-1 Valley School District, St. Anthony Catholic School, Northeastern Junior College cancel classes, close campus for rest of the week
- Sep 16:
- Lions Club helping with disaster relief for flood victims
- Community rises to help displaced pets
- Colorado flood map 2013 of rain totals
- Sep 15:
- South Platte river-bottom residents take shelter
- Updated: The river has not reached Sterling yet
- Sep 14:
- Southwestern Logan County under flash flood warning until 10:45 p.m.
- Colorado floods: "Unaccounted for" fluid, now totals 584
- Colorado floods: Infrastructure repairs a steep climb
- Weather postpones many weekend contests
Jezebel the cat jumped on a sleeping Jon Johnson, batted his face and yowled until he woke up to find the Big Thompson River spilling into the cottages he and his wife Deyn rented to Estes Park visitors.
They ran from cottage to cottage, knocking on doors and shouting to the sleeping occupants, "Purse! Keys! Medicine! Go!"
The water rose from Deyn Johnson's shin to her knee in less than a minute. Everybody was safely evacuated before the river swept three of the cottages away and knocked three more on their sides.
She lamented the loss of the Whispering Pines cottages, which they have run since 1993, but praised Jezebel for her swift action.
"We had no warning other than the cat," Johnson said. "She is going to be treated like a queen for the rest of her life."
Jerry Grove and Dorothy Scott-Grove's vacation plans did not include this zip-line tour.
Rescue crews evacuated the Cincinnati couple from their cabin in Glen Haven the only way they could—clinging to a wire line strung up over raging floodwaters.
The couple abandoned their car and most of their luggage, bringing only what they could carry in a backpack.
After the husband and wife crossed the water, rescuers then carried their two golden retrievers—85 pounds and 60 pounds—across on the zip line.
On Sunday, they were figuring out how to get back to Ohio with no near-term hopes of retrieving their car. One option was to ask their son to drive over from Cincinnati.
"We figure six months to a year to get our car back—and it's a new car," Scott-Grove said.
Emma Hardy's husband woke her up Wednesday night to say a well-loved neighbor had been killed by a mudslide that crushed his Jamestown home. From that point on, the 46-year-old artist and her family were in constant motion, knocking on doors and trying to get people out.
But within hours, a new, impassable river formed and bisected the town.
"It was totally biblical," Hardy said. "And then it just started getting worse and worse."
They watched a 10-foot-high culvert smash their deck. By the time the rain slowed, the house was in the water, but, Hardy made sure to point out, "still standing."
A rental property Hardy owned was completely washed away.
"It's the river's house now," a neighbor observed outside an evacuation drop-off point at a high school.
Like many Jamestown residents, Hardy said she did not begin to process the scale of the disaster until she was flying away from the town.
"When you're bailing out buckets of water, you're not really thinking about anything. Now it's starting to sink in," she said.
Melinda Villa, of Lander, Wyo., was visiting her uncle's home in Lyons when floodwaters rushed through the mountain hamlet Wednesday night. Warned by a neighbor, the 28-year-old climbed a ladder with her uncle and her 5-week-old son, seeking refuge on the pitched roof of the apartment complex. Heavy rain and a healthy fear of lightning forced the group back into the home, where they were stranded until a National Guard truck took them to a shelter in nearby Longmont on Friday.
Villa said the home was not severely damaged, but she knew she had to leave when the electricity went out.
"It was like our last resource was gone, and I just lost it," she said.
Villa's uncle, Thomas Walter, 50, said he grabbed some blankets, clothes, his computer and—most importantly—his medication before he left. Walter has been diagnosed with cancer, has a blood clot in his brain and suffers from chronic back pain.
"It was surreal," he said. "It was just unreal, like in a dream. I'm still in a daze."
Villa, sitting on a bed in the shelter with her son, said Sunday she was offered a ride back to Wyoming, but she can't leave because her car is still in Lyons.
Ericka Rivera, 15, was getting ready for school Thursday morning when her grandmother told her classes had been canceled.
"I didn't believe her, so I went outside and I saw that we were surrounded by water in all directions," she said.
Ericka, who lives in a neighborhood in a low-lying area that she described as a "ditch," said realizing there was no way out, she tried to swim across the torrent and was in water up to her neck when she saw a large tree floating rapidly toward her.
"Luckily I got out before that tree got to me," said Ericka, who was evacuated with her family aboard a National Guard truck Thursday night.
The teen said she didn't get a chance to grab anything before she left and regrets not taking several albums filled with photos of her, brothers and her cousins growing up in Lyons.
"I have nothing right now," she said, sitting at a table in the shelter Sunday.
Ericka does not know if her home is still standing.
The creek outside Terry Kishiyama's home just outside Lyons washed away the family's drinking well and much of their land.
"The river was just getting higher and higher to the point where we thought we were going to die," he said after walking off a school bus of evacuees. "You couldn't even talk because it was so loud."
Kishiyama, his wife, 5-year-old son and 1-year-old daughter hiked to a neighbor's house on higher ground. They shared a single toothbrush as they waited several days for rescue. Helicopters flew by in the distance, though none came near their location until Saturday morning.
Then, a military helicopter appeared across the river. Kishiyama's son whipped off his orange T-shirt and waved it over his head.
His wife shouted, "We have babies!"
Kishiyama made eye contact with the pilot. Finally, he knew they would be safe.
For a group of grinning, super-fit men and women, the flooding offered a real-life test of the skills they were learning in a wilderness survival course at a campground.
As they got off a school bus Saturday, the happy campers shouted boasts among themselves about how long they could have lasted in the wild.
"There were rabbits around. There were fish in the pond, water—you just make a charcoal filter and boil it," said Norwell Therien, who wore camouflage cargo shorts and several earrings and is starting an emergency preparedness company. "We could have been up there for the two weeks they speculated it would take to fix the roads without problem. I would have been cool with it."
The torrential rain became a lesson in how to deal with washed-out trails.
"With our background in survival, we were perfectly content to just continue our class. We were all taking notes in the rain." Therien said. "I had already begun scouting out where you might find a rabbit or where the deer might come."


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Covering the key research methods, this fully updated third edition has been significantly revised and restructured in order to take into account developments in the techniques available to students and researchers in psychology and across the social sciences.Breakwell, Glynis M. is the author of 'Research Methods in Psychology', published 2006 under ISBN 9781412911283 and ISBN 1412911281.[read more]
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COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – The Tennessee Tech tennis team opens Ohio Valley Conference play at home this weekend when the Golden Eagles face two in-state foes in Tennessee State and Belmont. The Golden Eagles are looking to defend their 2012 regular-season championship when they went 8-0 in conference play.
Earlier this month, TTU wrapped up its daunting non-conference schedule, which head coach Kenny Doyle hopes has prepared his team for the rigors of OVC play.
The first match of the weekend is at 1 p.m. Saturday against Tennessee State. Tech is 26-0 against the Tigers, losing only three sets overall since first facing the Tigers in 1989.
Tech wraps up the weekend against league newcomer Belmont at 12 p.m. Sunday. The Golden Eagles lost 6-1 to the Bruins last season in non-conference play, but hold an 11-6 record overall against Belmont.
Admission is free to all Tech matches, which will take place on the campus courts.


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This gallery contains 3 photos.
This gallery contains 3 photos.
We had our first debate last night. And when I got onto the stage, I met this very spirited fellow who claimed to be Mitt Romney. But it couldn't have been Mitt Romney—because the real Mitt Romney has been running around the country for the last year promising $5 trillion in tax cuts that favor the wealthy. The fellow on stage last night said he didn't know anything about that.
The real Mitt Romney said we don't need any more teachers in our classrooms. But the fellow on stage last night, he loves teachers—can't get enough of them. The Mitt Romney we all know invested in companies that were called "pioneers" of outsourcing jobs to other countries. But the guy on stage last night, he said that he doesn't even know that there are such laws that encourage outsourcing—he's never heard of them. Never heard of them. Never heard of tax breaks for companies that ship jobs overseas. He said that if it's true, he must need a new accountant.
Now, we know for sure it was not the real Mitt Romney, because he seems to be doing just fine with his current accountant. So you see, the man on stage last night, he does not want to be held accountable for the real Mitt Romney's decisions and what he's been saying for the last year. And that's because he knows full well that we don't want what he's been selling for the last year. So Governor Romney may dance around his positions, but if you want to be President, you owe the American people the truth.
President Obama in Denver, CO today (source)
I really should have posted this earlier, but unfortunately school and life came between me and the blog 😦 But better late than never right?
Brilliant speech. New candidate for 2016 anyone?


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Trouble in the "belief enforcement" science world gets noticed even in the New York Times
Who would have thought so? Have the Times people actually started connecting with the public again?
Here Virginia Heffernan comments on
The stilted and seething tone of some of the defection posts sent me into the ScienceBlogs archives, where I expected to find original insights into science by writers who stress that they are part of, in the blogger Dave Munger's words, "the most influential science blogging network in the world." And while I found interesting stuff here and there, I also discovered that ScienceBlogs has become preoccupied with trivia, name-calling and saber rattling. Maybe that's why the ScienceBlogs ship started to sink.The whole article is worth reading. Frankly, anyone interested in the intelligent design controversy or - for example - concerned about tax-based mismanagement of public issues like climate change or conservation - would do well to support Heffernan's main point.
Recently a blogger called GrrlScientist, on Living the Scientific Life (Scientist, Interrupted), expressed her disgust at the "flock of hugely protruding bellies and jiggling posteriors everywhere I go." Gratuitous contempt like this is typical.
- Unnatural science, The New York Times
In my personal view, too many scientists are tax mooches. They do not need to be reasonable, because they are not doing anything that is obviously useful.
Let's say you hire a mechanic to fix your car. Well, he either does fix it or he doesn't, right? If you use public transit, either the system works or it doesn't.
But the guy raising heck about the far past or the far future ... ? How much do you really want to pay for that?
Find out why there is an intelligent design controversy:
Labels: science world


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Child Chiavari Chairs For Hire
These brand new Children Chiavari chairs are delightfully charming. A must have to match the adult size Chiavari chairs at your event and keep in with your theme. Or popular for children's parties! We hire these chairs in blue, pink and white, with meaning we can match a colour scheme or to suit the preference of your child. We also hire children's size tables to fit perfectly with these cute chairs. Click here to see more.
For frequently asked questions regarding our furniture hire, please see our furniture hire FAQs. If you have any other queries or would like a hire quotation do not hesitate to contact the Rosetone Furniture Hire Team on 01462 811166, open 24/7 or via email on .
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Let users manage their own workloads—so IT can focus on innovation
Business users love self-service because it's fast and convenient. For IT ops, it's a tremendous time-saver that makes it possible to shift resources to innovation. Find out how self-service workload automation can help you:
- Reduce incoming help desk calls and tickets
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Discover what self-service workload management can do for your organization—and how to implement it.


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Mexico's health authorities say cholera has killed one person and sickened at least another nine in central Mexico.
Mexico's Health Department says two cases were detected in Mexico City and the rest in the nearby state of Hidalgo, where one person died.
The department on Friday declared a health emergency for Hidalgo. Authorities said it's the same cholera strain that is sickening hundreds of people in Caribbean countries, including Cuba and the Dominican Republic.
Mexico City health authorities say they have intensified their surveillance of water treatment plants and water tanks and have launched a campaign to educate people about preventing getting infected.
Cholera is a waterborne disease can kill its victims quickly through severe dehydration, but it is treatable if detected in time.


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For over 50 years, De Monchy Aromatics has delivered reliable products, innovative technical expertise and up-to-date market intelligence to customers on demand, worldwide.
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Chapati is a popular Indian flat bread made with wheat flour. Easy chapati recipe that everyone can make at home that produces fluffy chapati.
I am so glad that my friend Simply Reem is back to share a very popular Indian flat bread or "chapati" recipe with us.
I came to know Reem last year and since then we have become good friends.
In one of our many meetings, Reem made me some homemade chapati and I was instantly hooked on the soft, fluffy wheat bread.
Reem promised to share her chapati recipe, and I can't be happier.
By the way, if you haven't visited Simply Reem recently, do check it out as it's refreshed with a brand new design with new contents.
Anyway, chapati is a staple in India and it's made of really simple ingredients: wheat flour and water.
The difference between a great piece of chapati and regular tasting chapati lies in techniques, and in the chapati recipe below, Reem outlined the exact techniques to make your homemade chapati soft, light, airy, and fluffy.
She even took some step-by-step photos to share with us.
You can eat these chapati as is, with some butter (my favorite), or with chutney and chicken biryani.
I will have to ask Reem to share her chutney and daal recipes with us one day. Enjoy!
Chapati Recipe
Chapati is a popular Indian flat bread made with wheat flour. Easy chapati recipe that everyone can make at home that produces fluffy chapati.
- 2 cups whole wheat flour or stone ground drum-wheat also known as "Atta"
- 1 cup water approximately
- 1 teaspoon salt
- Little extra flour in a shallow plate or pie dish to help with coating and dusting while rolling the chapattis
Sieve the flour, add salt to it and mix well. Place the flour in a large bowl and add ¾ cup of water. Stir lightly with fingers in a circular motion till the flour start to gather. Add 1-2 tablespoons of more flour if the dough looks too sticky or add little more water if it looks too dry and firm.
Knead the flour until you have soft and pliable dough that does not stick to your fingers. You can put little oil on your hand while kneading the dough to help with kneading. Cover with plastic wrap and let the dough rest for minimum 1 hour at room temperature. If keeping for longer period store the dough in refrigerator and make sure to bring it back to room temperature before using it.
Once ready to make chapatis, heat the griddle over medium-high heat. Divide the dough into 10-12 equal-sized balls and start working with each ball separately. Place the bowl in dry flour and flatten it a bit with help of finger tips. Transfer the flatten ball to any clean flat surface and with help of rolling pin, roll it into approx. 6-7 inch circle of uniform thickness. While rolling the chapati if the dough sticks to the rolling surface, dust it and the surface lightly with little flour.
Place the rolled chapati on the hot griddle and cook for 30 seconds or until tiny golden dots appear on the bottom, flip over to the other side. Once the other side is also covered with larger brown dots, turn it over again. Soon the chapati will start to puff up. With the help of a folded kitchen towel press gently on the puffed part, gently pushing the air to the flatten part of chapati until the whole chapati puffs up into a round ball (don't get disheartened if your chapati doesn't puff up like a ball, it will still taste as delicious as the puffed on. It may take a little practice to get perfectly puffed chapatis). You can puff up the chapati on direct flame too.
Transfer the cooked chapatis to the plate, if you want to baste it with little butter or ghee and serve hot.
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If you try my recipe, please use hashtag #rasamalaysia on social media so I can see your creations! Follow me on Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | Twitter for new recipes, giveaways and more.


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Fleur De Lys-clovis poster by Marilyn Dunlap. Our posters are produced on acid-free papers using archival inks to guarantee that they last a lifetime without fading or loss of color. All posters include a 1" white border around the image to allow for future framing and matting, if desired.
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This painting is an accurate depiction of the Fleur De Lys symbol used by Clovis. See total of 4 in collection.
Marilyn Bast Dunlap With a passion for art and history, Marilyn started painting at a very early age. Growing up in a small town, she often dreamed of far away places. This longing to escape is reflected in her art. As a graduate of University of Florida with a major in Exercise Science and a minor in Art, she would teach in the Winter and travel to Europe in the Summer. Over the years she has painted in oils, water colors and acrylics. She now paints exclusively in acrylics on masonite, as this medium allows her to pay meticulous attention to detail. As a Romantic Realist, Marilyn strives to find a delicate balance between magically contrived images and realistic details. Her brightly colored scenes stimulate the senses, yet leave the...
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'Eastbound & Down' final season release talks local filming
The final season of the locally filmed HBO comedy, "Eastbound & Down," has arrived on Blu-ray and DVD and with it comes a host of extras highlighting the raunchy show's outrageous moments in front of and behind the camera.
The series, which ran for four seasons, followed former baseball player Kenny Powers (Danny McBride) as he tries to make his way back into the Major Leagues after a less-than-graceful exit.
In addition to the last eight episodes of the series, the set, in stores now, includes deleted scenes, outtakes from the production and audio commentaries for every episode, featuring star and co-creator Danny McBride, fellow creators Ben T. Best and Jodi Hill, and stars Steven Little, Ken Marino and Jillian Bell.
In season premiere episode commentary, McBride briefly spoke about the perks and disadvantages of filming in Wilmington.
"We shoot in the summer in Wilmington. The reason why we shoot there is so we all can just live at the beach. The only price you have to pay is when you shoot in parking lots like this and it's like 170 degrees," McBride said about filming a scene outside Cameron Art Museum.
In the commentary, the group also discuss working with local actor Cullen Moss, who appears in a guest role in the episode. Best reveals in the audio that he forgot to invite Moss to the wrap party.
Throughout the insightful commentary, the cast and crew discuss the fourth season, which was not supposed to happen.
"We weren't going to do this season but HBO wanted one more. So many ideas were thrown around abotu what it would be about," McBride said.
They did have one request for the final season.
"All we said was that we must have Katy Mixon back," said McBride of his onscreen wife, who was unavailable to participate in season three.
The series shot portions of all four of it seasons in the region, and shot almost the entire fourth season in Wilmington.


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Westhill boys rout New Canaan
NEW CANAAN -- Put the past behind you and don't look toward the future.
Maybe, Howard White did not preach such a contradiction to his Westhill High boys basketball team before Tuesday's game, but that was, in so many words, the message.
And, unfortunately for New Canaan High, the mentality worked to perfection for the Vikings.
The Vikings needed to forget that their 11-game winning streak ended in their last game to Staples, while at the same time Tuesday loomed as a trap game for Westhill. Powerful and city rival Trinity Catholic is up next on Thursday.
So, how would the Vikings respond?
Just the way White had hoped.
With DJ Donaldson leading the usual balanced attack with 15 points, Westhill concentrated on the here and now, routing the Rams, 54-35.
"I wanted to see how we would play after a loss," White said. "And we showed we weren't worried about Trinity. I'm very happy right now."
New Canaan coach Mike Evans was not so happy.
"I was hoping they would be (looking ahead to Trinity)," Evans said after his team's losing streak reached seven.
Westhill (15-2, 14-1) entered play Tuesday in a three-way tie for first place in the FCIAC with Trinity and St. Joseph. The Vikings get St. Joseph and Ridgefield next week following Trinity to close out the regular season.
Donaldson had 10 of his 15 points in the first half and Yveson Cassamajor added 10 points and seven rebounds for the Vikings, who played terrific defense for the final three periods to turn it into a rout.
"We needed to bounce back and play a complete game and we did," White said. After the first period the Vikings forced 18 turnovers and held New Canaan to 5-for-27 shooting until the Rams made three of their last four shots. "When we want to play great defense we can, and we've got it in their minds now to play great defense."
Tuesday's game was close for one quarter because the Rams (5-12, 5-10) were hot from the outside. Westhill led 20-17 but a 10-0 run to end the half gave Westhill a 36-20 lead and the Vikings led by as much as 25 in the fourth quarter.
Obviously, Staples and Trinity were the farthest things from the Vikings' minds.
"They do everything right," Evans said. "They're deep, show good leadership and are well-coached. And when they pick it up on defense, watch out."
Andrew Read had 11 points for New Canaan, which needs to beat Ludlowe, Greenwich and Wilton in its final three games to qualify for the states.
"It's a three-game season now," Evans said. "The seniors deserve postseason play and it's right there for us."
Westhill, meanwhile, is only concerned with the here and now, and that's Trinity Catholic.
"We are absolutely where I want us to be," White said. "Trinity is a big game, a rival and it's for the city championship. We're ready for it."
Jeremiah Livingston 2 2-2 6; Terell Middleton 1 0-0 2; Yveson Cassamajor 2 6-6 10; Guyveson Cassamajor 3 0-0 8; Ariel DelaCruz 1 0-0 2; CJ Donaldson 6 2-3 15; Evan Skoparantzos 3 0-0 8; Jesse Kortez 0 0-0 0; Peter Horn 1 0-0 3; Nigel Belizair 0 0-0 0; Jordan Young 0 0-0 0; Luke Herritt 0 0-0 0. Totals: 19-42 10-11 54
Andrew Read 4 0-0 11; Paul Hagopian 1 0-0 2; Erik Jager 2 2-3 8; Zach Allen 4 0-0 8; Beau Santero 1 0-0 2; Henry Lavieri 0 0-0 0; Matthew Swift 0 0-0 0; Andrew Penchuk 1 0-0 2; Chris DeWaele 1 0-0 2; Alex Curto 0 0-0 0. Totals: 14-43 2-3 35
3-pointers: W--G.Cassamajor 2, Skoparantzos 2, Donaldson, Horn; NC--Read 3, Jager 2.
Highlights: W--Y.Cassamajor 7 rebounds, Donaldson 4 steals; NC--Lavieri 5 rebounds.


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Fred Phillips Receives GSA's Kirk Bryan Award, Dec. 19, 2005
by George Zamora
SOCORRO, N.M., Dec. 19, 2005 – New Mexico Tech hydrology professor Fred M. Phillips recently was named the co-recipient of the Geological Society of America's (GSA) 2005 Kirk Bryan Award for Research Excellence.
The prestigious international honor, which is awarded each year by the GSA's Quaternary Geology and Geomorphology Division, was presented to Phillips and his research colleague, John C. Gosse, formerly of the University of Kansas and now at Dalhousie University in Nova Scotia, for their seminal research paper, titled "Terrestrial in situ cosmogenic nuclides: theory and application." The 85-page paper was published in 2001in Quaternary Science Reviews.
"This comprehensive review paper provides a remarkable, in-depth summary of all aspects of terrestrial cosmogenic nuclide research from both theoretical and applied perspectives," said Edward Evenson of Lehigh University, referring to it as "the bible" in its research field. Evenson provided the citation for the Kirk Bryan Award during the award presentation made at the 117th annual meeting of the GSA in Salt Lake City.
Phillips, who has been at New Mexico Tech for 25 years, has been the past recipient of numerous national and international awards for his research contributions made to the scientific fields of hydrogeology, geomorphology, and Quaternary geology, which covers the last 1.7 million years of Earth's geologic history.
The GSA alone, for example, previously honored Phillips with the O.E. Meizner Award for advances in hydrogeology and also named him as one of the organization's Birdsall-Dreiss Distinguished Lecturers, a geological trifecta of sorts that no one else has previously achieved.
Most of Phillips' diverse research in the geosciences stems from a technique he pioneered of using measured ratios of radioactive isotopes of chlorine formed by cosmic-ray reactions in rocks and other landforms to more accurately date geological events of the past million years such as earthquakes, landslides, and glaciers.
"John [Gosse] and I both recognize that through this [Kirk Bryan] award the scientific community that has worked to make cosmogenic nuclides a routine tool for the sciences of geomorphology and Quaternary geology is also being honored," Phillips said in accepting the award.
In addition to his teaching and research at New Mexico Tech, Phillips also recently assumed the post of principal investigator and coordinator of the CRONUS-Earth Project, a multi-year, multi-disciplinary research project funded by the National Science Foundation. The acronym CRONUS stands for Cosmic-Ray Produced Nuclide Systematics.
The CRONUS-Earth Project is tasked with rigorously and systematically identifying and investigating sources of uncertainty in cosmogenic-nuclide production so as to improve the accuracy and reliability of geochronology techniques and other scientific applications that rely on analyses of cosmogenic surface exposure.
In addition to New Mexico Tech, 12 other research institutions are directly involved with the CRONUS-Earth Project, which recently teamed up with a European counterpart, making the five-year research project a multi-national collaboration.


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A few weeks ago I wrote a blog post explaining how I was willing to franchise my intellectual properties. In short:
1. Test out new writers by having them do a Jack Daniels short story, teaming Jack up with a character from their series.
2. The writer writes the story, without input from me. If my wife likes it (she's my first reader and knows my universe better than I do), I'll do the rewrite and editing, pay for the cover art and proofing and formatting, and then publish the story through my agent, Jane Dystel. Jane will pay us monthly and provide royalty statements. She'll also seek out interest in audio and foreign rights.
The author and I split the profits 50/50, and then do the same thing with a novel (novels sell much better than shorts.)
3. If my wife doesn't like the story, the writer can self-publish it without me, changing the names of my characters. So Jack Daniels would become some other female cop, and the writer would have full rights to the story.
I've gotten over twenty stories in response.
And I've rejected roughly half of them.
And I hate it.
I know what rejection feels like. I've been rejected over 500 times. And many of those rejections were for books that went on to make me rich, so I know that the gatekeepers were indeed wrong.
Now I'm the guy saying, "Thanks for the submission, but it's not for us" and it makes me feel shitty. I also may be wrong, passing up some good stories. In fact, I hope I am wrong.
If I rejected you, here's the best revenge: self-publish the story and get rich and famous with it. Then you'll be happy you didn't have to share any royalties with me. And I truly hope you do get rich and famous.
That said, it makes me wince when I send a rejection email. Especially since some of them were close calls.
Here's the deal with close calls: A close call means I have to put in more time on the rewrite, and I simply don't have time to do that. That's why I said, in my original blog post, to send your best work the first time, because there will be no resubmitting the same story to me.
I'm not a publishing house. I can't spend a lot of time turning every story I get into something I think my fans will like. As it stands, I'm putting in lots of hours on the stories I got that I loved. I can't put in even more hours on the stories I only like.
So I feel like a bully and a jerk, and maybe I am, and maybe I'm dead wrong, but it is what it is.
For the record, a lot (not all) of the rejections fall into one of these categories:
1. Not enough of my IP/characters are in the story. They seem added as an afterthought, or just so they're part of my universe. 70% your characters and 30% my characters won't work. Readers are going to buy these stories to read my characters. If the story is all about someone they don't recognize, the reader is going to write bad reviews.
Joe's advice: Try to make it at least 60/40. Better still is 50/50. I've also gotten a few that were 100% my IP, and I accepted them.
2. I don't think it'll work replacing a character from one of your older works with Jack Daniels. It might, but my hopes aren't high. If Jack Daniels was such a sterotypical character that a simple Find and Replace could turn any cop story into a Jack Daniels story, then my writing sucks worse than I fear it does.
Joe's advice: I think I write unique books, with humor, scares, charm, and memorable, idiosyncratic, unique characters. If you want to be a part of this program, read as many of my books and stories as you can, and start from scratch. Don't cut and paste.
3. Pay attention to my style. I write from various POVs, using a particular tone. I have plenty of action and dialog. There is plenty of white space on every page, and not much description. I use a lot of suspense, and humor, and twists.
Joe's advice: If you wrote KILLING TIME by Lee Child and instead had Jack Daniels as the hero, I'd reject it. Lee's a great writer, and that's a great book, but that isn't how I write or the kind of book I write. Jack Daniels is not Jack Reacher. Ditto if you write like Evanovich, or Grafton, or Patterson (thank you everyone for not sending me a 20 page story with 65 chapters), or Clancy. Please don't attempt to write one of my IPs unless you not only have read it, but are a fan of it and understand my tone. I'm not simply searching for good writers. I'm searching for good writers who can write like me.
I will say this: I've worked with some terrific writers, but no one can write my character Harry McGlade like I can. It's okay to use Harry in a story and then put (JOE PUT A HARRY LINE HERE) instead of trying to write it yourself. But if you do that fifty times, maybe it would have been better just to leave Harry out of the story.
To wrap up this blog entry, I'm surprised to see I've become the very thing I hate: a gatekeeper. And it gives me a little more respect for the gatekeepers, because it isn't pleasant rejecting someone.
But I'm not a publisher, or an agent. I'm a writer who has made over a million bucks writing these stories, and has accrued a nice-sized fanbase, and is willing to share that fanbase with other writers so we both make money.
And to that end, I should have the collaboration agreement from my lawyer soon, and I'll blog about it to get feedback.
Until then, keep those stories coming.


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SANTA ANA, California (Reuters) - Hundreds of snakes and rodents were found on Wednesday in the home of a Southern California elementary school teacher after neighbors complained of a stench from the house, police said.
The teacher, William Buchman, 53, was arrested on suspicion of felony animal cruelty, said Santa Ana police Corporal Anthony Bertagna, who added that the snakes were all believed to be pythons and many were dead.
Police said Buchman, who teaches sixth grade at a Newport Beach elementary school, had told them his intent was to breed the snakes but that his collection grew out of hand and he was unable to care properly for the reptiles.
Police called it a case of animal hoarding.
"It's definitely a house of horrors in there," Corporal Sondra Berg, a supervisor for the police animal services branch, told Reuters at the scene. "Snakes suffer, too. It makes me sick all the way around."
Buchman lived at the house alone since his mother died in 2011, after which "he went downhill and stopped socializing," Berg said. "Unfortunately for him, he started hoarding junk and the snakes, and just kept on and on."
Video footage provided by police showed animal control officers dressed in white hazardous-materials suits and respirators raiding the home at about 7 a.m. to find rooms lined with shelves stacked floor to ceiling with plastic bins containing the snakes.
Police said they expected to find as many as 500 snakes, alive and dead, once they had finished combing through the interior of the home in a middle-class section of Santa Ana, an Orange County city about 30 miles southeast of Los Angeles.
The largest live python recovered by midday was about 6 feet long. None of the snakes was loose in the house, which was infested with rats and mice, some of which apparently had been brought in as food for the snakes, police said. A freezer packed with dead mice also was discovered.
The exterior of the house was well maintained, and the lawn was manicured, offering little evidence of anything unusual inside. The strong stench of decay, detectable from the street, was the giveaway.
Neighbors said they had seen Buchman outside his house holding a python but had no idea he kept hundreds in his house.
One neighbor, Karen Long, told Reuters she noticed when strong winds blew several months ago that "it smelled like something was dead," and she called police asking them to check on Buchman, whom she had not seen in some time.
Berg said she visited the home and met with Buchman nine months ago, but the snakes she saw then appeared well tended. After further odor complaints, police got a warrant allowing them to raid the home.
The surviving snakes were being turned over to the Southern California Herpetology Association and Rescue, whose president, Jason Haywood, said his organization would seek to place the reptiles with nature centers, museums and schools.
(Reporting by Tori Richards; writing by Steve Gorman; Editing by Cynthia Johnston, Leslie Adler and Cynthia Osterman)


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The ancient art of belly dancing has been captivating party guests for years, and your event should be no exception! Their bright and beautiful costumes and flowing dance style lends a sense of mystery and culture to the atmosphere. Some belly dancers even add extra flair with bells, swords, or cymbals. Belly dancers are perfect entertainment for parties that need some worldly elegance.
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Whether you're planning a birthday party, festival, or community event, a professional belly dancer can add just the flair you need. The price for a belly dancer can vary depending on your location, the type of event, the length of performance, and the dancer's costume and show quality. An exotic belly dancer with dazzling moves is worth every penny! Contact belly dancers in your area to get more pricing information and compare quotes customized for your event.
To find just the right dancer, do a search online for artists available near you. You'll want to browse through photos and videos of their performance to see if they can provide the entertainment you're looking for. If possible, read through reviews from their past clients. Reviews are a great way to see the professional's experience as well as their client relationships. When you're ready to contact a belly dancer for a quote, make sure to give as many details about your event as possible. This helps them create a quote that's customized just for you. Discuss important details like length of performance, attire, scheduled breaks, and venue space, and confirm the agreement in writing. When you use GigSalad, you can easily compare service and prices from local belly dancers, and securely book the professional all within one simple platform. And with our Worry-Free Guarantee, you can rest easy knowing the professional you booked will dazzle all of your guests!
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Belly Dancer
Springfield, VA
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Recent review: Hired her for a Holiday event. She was very easy to work with, was thorough and followed up to…
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Sterling, VA
3 Verified Bookings
Recent review: Watching her dance is breath-taking. She becomes one with the music. She interacts with her audience.…
Belly Dancer
Fredericksburg, VA
5 Verified Bookings
Recent review: Kyiaana was wonderful. The people at the Virginia Home were amazed. They loved every minute of…
Razilee - Award Winning Professional Belly Dancer(19)
Belly Dancer
Springfield, VA
13 Verified Bookings
Recent review: Razilee was awesome; she was on time and worn the colors of my retirement party, red. She tastefully…
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A.J. Burnett toed the rubber Wednesday night looking to extend the Yankees recent string of good starting pitching. The Yanks' current five-game win streak had been fueled by a 5-0, 2.25 ERA run by "CC and the question marks" (Burnett was the last starting pitcher before the streak, and was coming off a horrible, winless July). They had also jumped out to early leads in most of those games, 23-2 in the first three innings of the last four games. In Gavin Floyd, the Bombers were facing someone who had gone 3-0 with a 0.81 ERA in his last three starts, and 2-1 with a 3.06 and 32 Ks in 35.3 innings in his last five games versus the Yanks.
Brett Gardner started the game with a perfect bunt on the grass near the third base line and then Derek Jeter followed that up with his own perfect bunt that stayed fair in the dirt portion of the third base line. (So when is the last time a team has started a game with two bunt singles? Anyone? Bueller?). After 90 total feet of singles, Curtis Granderson got badly jammed on a Floyd fastball, but muscled it out into short center, dunking it just in front of Alex Rios to put ducks on the pond.
Hot-hitting Mark Teixeira lofted the first pitch he saw to deep center for a sac fly, and Rios inexplicably tried to nail Jeter going to third. Jeter made it safely, and Granderson moved to second on the throw. The White Sox elected to pitch to, and not pitch around Cano with first base open, and he made them pay with a three-run shot to the right-field bleachers on an 88-mph cutter.
So Burnett had a comfy 4-0 lead as he took the mound. Juan Pierre led off with a line drive down in the right field corner that bounced into the stands for a ground rule double. Omar Vizquel then offered up his own bunt down the third base line that was moving from foul territory back fair. Eric Chavez tried to pick it up while it was still foul, but was too late, putting runners on first and third. Carlos Quentin lofted a sac fly to Gardner, and Burnett escaped the inning still leading 4-1.
The Yanks extended the lead to 6-1 in the second on a Gardner hit-by-pitch, a Jeter single to right and a Granderson double, all coming with two out, as Floyd's breaking ball was sitting up in the strike zone and being hit hard. But Burnett was still not comfortable as he yielded consecutive one-out singles (both on 3-1 counts) to Rios and Alejandro de Aza. But he recovered to get Brent Morel to ground into a force, and Pierre to fly to center to end the threat.
New York decided to put Floyd out of his misery in the third as four of the first five batters reached base, including Chavez's first homer as a Yankee, a 404-foot shot to right. Will Ohman came in and was no better, allowing a single to Gardner and a 2-run single to Jeter. After Granderson struck out, Teixeira lined a shot towards center field. Rios took a bad route to the ball (even though it was in front of him), and played it off to his left side. The ball bounced just in front of Rios, and skipped past his glove, rolling all the way to the wall. It was mysteriously scored a triple for Teixeira, and after Cano singled him in, the Yanks had a seemingly-Burnettproof 13-1 lead.
But the enigmatic and frustrating Burnett yielded five runs on five hits in the bottom of the fourth, capped by a Carlos Quentin three-run shot on a hanging curve. So the Jets led the Bears 13-6. Chicago drove down the field again the next inning, knocking Burnett out of the game after a single, a double and a hustling double by de Aza pared the lead down to 13-7. Joe Girardi walked to the mound, Burnett shoved the ball in Girardi's hand, and A.J. then tore off his uniform top as he descended the dugout steps into the tunnel. Cory Wade put out the fire without any more runs scoring. Burnett's final line: 4.1 IP, 13 H, 7 R.
Wade kept things quiet in the sixth, and the Yanks pounded former teammate Brian Bruney, and then Matt Thornton, for four more runs on five hits in the 7th to take the pressure back off. Jeter collected his fifth hit (and fourth run) of the night in the 8th as the Bombers tacked on another run, and the Yanks had an 18-7 win.
But the big question remains, "what to do with Burnett?"


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