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The Four NBA Teams That Qualified For the Conference Finals If It Was The Sopranos
By Sam Hixson, Guest Contributor
The NBA is the world's greatest reality TV show. Besides the actual sport being incredibly entertaining, the drama is consistent and widely publicized. COVID has forced people to revisit some of their favorite shows from over the years. The Sopranos has come back in a big way and now even has a lot of scenes from the show trending on Twitter and a lot of people checking it out. This got me thinking about the high stakes drama in both the NBA and The Sopranos and how they have parallels between the players and the characters from the personalities and the roles they play on their respective teams/families. Bear with me on some of them, but I give you the four teams that competed in the conference finals in the bubble if it was the Sopranos.
LeBron James and Tony Soprano
LeBron James is the emotional leader of the NBA family much like Tony Soprano is of the New Jersey mob family. They are both successful men with fiery personalities and a knack for getting the job done no matter the cost. They both have trophy wives and kids to come home to and they have caught their son smoking weed on at least one occasion. Business wise, LeBron and Tony share similarities with how they operate. Tony has more beef going on than LeBron has on his tacos most Tuesday nights. So he always knows when to give someone's life the pink slip and LeBron isn't too shabby at "waste management" either (See Lonzo Ball, Josh Hart, Kyrie Irving). Tony has overseen construction work for the better part of his time as acting boss. Now, if LeBron really wanted to get into the business of stacking up bricks I'm sure he could; he would just have to hang out with Russell Westbrook a little more often. LeBron and Tony both sit at the head of the table of respect, both are strictly business and I wouldn't recommend pissing either of them off
Jimmy Butler and Christopher Moltisanti
This was a tough one because Rajon Rondo and Christopher Moltisanti share a similar lack of self-control but I ended up choosing Jimmy Butler for this one. Imagine Jimmy Butler and Christopher Moltisanti sitting in the same room at the same table, the animosity would be incredible. It would be more hostile than Happy Gilmore being a contestant on the Price is Right. Christopher and Jimmy are both excellent at what they do. Christopher is a top earner; Jimmy is a top basketball player. Christopher would thrive in the bubble. He would be able to plop right down and work on that movie script he started back in season one. Maybe he would even stop by Jimmy's room to get some of the famous bubble coffee Jimmy has been brewing. The cafeteria workers better not short him on the tater tots at chow time though. They might end up at the bottom of Lake Buena Vista after a stunt like that. They both have their good qualities too. Both leaders of men, both with a goal of establishing a legacy and a name for themselves. But at the end of the day both are loose cannons with a fuse that can be ignited if someone breathes weird.
Nikola Jokic and Furio Giunta
Nikola Jokic is a tough one to place as a character. I find him to be one of the most likable guys in the NBA. Guy is a straight baller. Furio Giunta is a person that is impossible to not like in the Sopranos. He's funny, loyal, sensitive…. Well that is unless you owe him money. If that is the case, you are probably getting your kneecaps taken out by a nine iron for betting two grand on the Jets to cover the spread. Furio was a character I always wish stuck around a little longer with the crew much like it would be cool to see Jokic stick around for the finals. Jokic looks like Big Bird wearing Oscar's trash can lids on his feet out there when he's moving around in the paint. But the guy does stuff that no other big in the NBA can do. The Nuggets have a true franchise player in Joker.
Jayson Tatum and Johnny Sack Jayson
Tatum is the guy in Boston and quickly turning into one of the best young players in the NBA. It wasn't always like that though. He had one thing in his way preventing him from being the guy and that was Kyrie Irving. That's much like Johnny Sack had to wait out Carmine before he could become the New York family boss. Johnny and Jayson don't exactly mesh with their personalities, but they are both guys who are at the top of the food chain in their organizations and have a common goal of staying at the top of that chain. I like to think Jayson Tatum and Johnny Sack would conduct business the same way if they were in the bubble. They'd be sitting around a table in a dimly lit corner of a room, top associates by their sides, waiting for some poor sap to cough up what he owes them. For Tatum that would just be collecting Joel Embiid's tears or Paul George's ankles.
Anthony Davis and Silvio Dante
Anthony Davis and Silvio Dante really strike me as a great comparison. AD and Silvio are what the show calls the strong, silent type. They both serve as the right-hand man to the boss. Even if LeBron has an off night, AD is going to be there to steer the ship on track with a cool 30/15/5 stat line, much like Silvio does for Tony when things are tough. Another similarity is the injury report. Anthony Davis has had times where he hasn't come up big for his team because he's been injured. Let's be honest. He's the type of guy to be walking down the street in Los Angeles minding his own business and get struck by an air conditioner toppling out of a 10th-floor window. The injuries have cost his team before and Silvio almost cost his team with his asthma not allowing him to act as a leader for the family when Tony was down. Two strong characters, bad health issues.
Danny Green and Richie Aprile
When you think of Danny Green, you think of a sniper who's been around the block a couple times and won a couple championships. Definitely a guy who has experience, but also a guy who has struggled to find his way at times in Los Angeles. When Richie Aprile got out of the can, he thought things would go back to the way they were all those years before Tony was running the ship and had a hard time finding his way too. That's where I can compare them. Both guys are respected people with a desire to win (earn) and are adjusting to the new settings they are placed in. Danny Green's personality compared to Richie's is very, very mild. Richie is a dude who acts before he thinks and consistently defies Tony despite him being the boss. Danny Green is a team-oriented role player who would never defy what a guy like LeBron is telling him to do. He just better hope his significant other isn't a Janice Soprano….
Jamal Murray and Paulie Gualitieri
Jamal Murray was the hottest player in the bubble for a while. A lights-out performance almost every time he touches the hardwood. Murray is also known for liking his Instagram models. Objectively it is hilarious, but you know when Murray started to take off? The second he accidentally put a video of him getting head on his Instagram story. A weird confidence builder, but hey I guess you won't have many nerves if 800k people know what you're working with. Even if accidental. I digress, the person I think Jamal Murray is most like is Paulie Gualitieri. Jamal and Paulie are both guys that are pretty great at getting results. They are both important people who have important roles on their team/family. Paulie is in Tony's inner circle and is known for being a top earner and Jamal is an up and coming superstar who has earned the respect of many people just based off his time in the bubble alone. I think Paulie would be the person most likely to get caught trying to sneak his Goomar into the bubble. Much like I think Jamal Murray has the urge to get some Instagram models down to Orlando. Would they get caught? Absolutely. Just ask Daniel House about that strategy.
Artie Bucco and Kyle Kuzma
Artie Bucco just can't catch a break it seems. He always tries to do right by what people ask of him, especially Tony. It's like he just doesn't know when to shut his yap. Artie is going through kind of a mid-life crisis with his restaurants and marriage and, on top of that, is always doing favors for Tony. That's why Artie is Kyle Kuzma. Kuz is a young player whose role got watered down with the Lakers in 2020. It's tough to keep him in the starting 5 when you have a guy like Anthony Davis join the team, so his minutes decreased off the bench and so did his scoring averages. Kuzma is the type of guy trying to do right by Bron but also has almost been sent away by him much like Artie and Tony's relationship. They both even had their mid-life crisis body changes when Artie gets a stud earring and Kuzma dyed his hair blonde to make himself look like a knock off early 2000s Eminem.


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I've owned AFX FX39 DS Series 2 (that's a mouthful!) since the start of the year and it's high time I did a review on it. My review will cover both the medium and large sizes.
For those who don't know much about AFX, they are a smaller helmet company based in California, USA and London, Canada. From what I can see, they only sell in Europe, the USA and Canada ATM. They specialise in producing affordable helmets that aren't crap, sounds good to me!
I've used the helmet previously on my KLR650 and now my KLX250S. My typical riding involves riding approximately an hour of road to get to off road sections. Alright enough waffling, let's see if the helmet is a buy, wait for a sale or don't bother.
Features and Price
The FX39 DS is a dual sport/adventure helmet. It has all the bells and whistle too, especially for its price of $129 USD. What you are getting is basically a cross between a motocross and street helmet. The helmet is made of composite poly-alloy, has a three position face shield (open, half open, shut), an adjustable visor and removable cheek pads and lining. The helmet has four adjustable vents, 3 on the top and one on the chin. They have two settings, open or shut.
The large helmet comes in at 1.59kg's, neither heavy nor light. AFX do two shell sizes for the FX39 (more on that later) and you can mix and match cheek pads and liners to try and get the right fit. AFX say there is room for speakers, but I wear ear buds so I never tested it. I will say that taking the liner out of the large you should be able to, the medium I struggle to see any space for them.
The helmet is ECE and Dot approved. My medium helmet (Jan 2020 build date) has a seat belt style clip where my large (mid 2017 build date) has a d-ring system.
As I mentioned earlier, the price is $129 USD. I got mine for a bit cheaper, $125 with taxes from memory. I have seen them for as low as $95 online, so keep your eye out if you want a bargain. The FX39's competition is the Sedici Viaggio Adventure, GMAX GM11D, Fly Dirt Trekker and O'Neal Sierra. I've tried out the Fly and O'Neal helmets and found them to be much cheaper feeling, I haven't had a chance to try out the others.
Fit and Comfort
I'll start by explaining why I have a have a medium and a large. I initially ordered the medium (57-58cm) through my local shop based off the AFX sizing chart. I tried the helmet on it seemed a bit tight, but not too bad. I took it on a ride and immediately found out it wasn't working out, duh! The thing is, on the shell of the helmet has sharp edges that was rubbing my ears so much it actually cut my ears! I rung the shop and went to see if I could return the helmet for a large however no luck. I sent an email to AFX about my problem and they sent me a large helmet free of charge. Now that's some great customer service!
When I got the large, I tried it on and bingo, a little big but MUCH better. If you usually wear a medium helmet, I highly recommend trying it on before buying. AFX assured me they have never heard of this happening before, but just double check it. If you get one online, see if they have a free return policy just in case.
The large helmet is the big shell size. It has tons of padding on both the cheeks and the lining. It is a comfortable helmet. The cushion material is nice and soft and I like the way it feels. Interestingly, the material on the medium and large are slightly different in both texture and colour. I'm not sure if this is because of the slightly newer helmet or just the differences between medium and large helmets.
The fit is neutral and I think it's a very nice fitting helmet for the price. The large could be more 'snug', but it looks like I'm at the maximum thickness in padding so it'll have to do. Perhaps AFX need to look into doing three shell sizes (one for the small helmets, one for medium/large, another for the boof heads) as the jump up from medium to large is significant. But hey, I don't make helmets and I know they need to keep costs down.
The face shield works well and I'm pleased to say they there is no distortion when wearing sunglasses. I do wish it had a couple more positions, but you can't have it all for 120 bucks.
Another thing with the shield is, when it's open it sits just in my eye line. This is annoying as when I'm riding off road, I stand on the pegs a lot and try and look ahead. When I'm off road I nearly always have the shield open and the tip of the shield obscures a little bit of the vision for me. Your mileage may vary here.
The only issue I really have comfort wise and its minor, is the padding on the undersize of the helmet is quite coarse and scratches your face when you are taking the helmet on and off. It isn't bad, but worth mentioning.
Noise wise, for the style of helmet and price its average. I mean, this is practically a motocross helmet with a visor. I find a fair bit of wind gets in through the chin area. This isn't great in cold conditions as even with the visor down, the wind makes my eyes water and my face freezes! In slower riding the open style is a blessing.
The vents do a reasonable job however they are quite small and can be hard to find at times with gloves.
Overall, the large size FX39 is a comfortable helmet.
Build Quality & Looks
This is an area where I've been impressed. This doesn't feel like a cheap helmet at all. It feels solid and certainly isn't flimsy. Everything is put together nicely and I feel like the helmet will last a long time.
The only area I can see where they have skimped is on the adjustable wind vents. They just feel, well cheap and plasticky. They do work fine but are small and hard to find when riding.
Another annoying thing is the rubber, removable nose guard. AFX have really taken the removable part to heart as it constantly comes loose. I find on a ride or when I'm taking the helmet on or off I have to regularly shove it back into place.
Look wise, I dig the orange and black colour scheme, especially the matte finish. I thought it would be a pain to clean, but it's actually been easy as.
Buy, Wait for a Sale or Don't Bother?
Overall 0I think the large AFX FX39 DS is a definite buy. At $129 it's well-priced. Hell, I've seen it for $95 and at that price it's a steal. The medium helmet did not fit me at all, it was that bit too small. What does worry me though is the sharp edge on the shell, so I HIGHLY recommend you try that one on before buying (as you should for all helmets). The large FX39, while a bit big (it makes me look a bit like a bobble head), it's a good helmet. The build quality is way better than I expected and I like the features.

subset: commoncrawl


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When it comes to showcasing your business or medical practice, make sure you stand out from the clutter and create something that is Instagrammable.
Marketers are taking a cue from the success of pop-up experiences like The Museum of Ice Cream and Rosé Mansion. The new trend? Creating Instagrammable experiences on a micro-level for small to mid-size businesses for branded activations.
As publicists and social media marketers, we often ask clients, "Where do people want to take photos?" and "What is the photo opportunity for social media?" prior to launching any new experiential marketing business activation for an upcoming event, industry conference, or tradeshow booth.
Figuring out how to make something more Instagrammable for social sharing is now built into the initial business or new product launch plan. It is no longer an afterthought.
If it's not memorable enough to share on social media platforms, did it ever even exist?
What is experiential marketing?
Experiential marketing firms specialize in creating branded experiences between brands and consumers. This can include immersive experiences, publicity stunts, in-person events, or even digital activations such as virtual corporate headshots.
Ideally, the activation will help the consumer to "experience" a brand firsthand.
Research shows that consumers that have a positive experience at branded events are 74% more likely to purchase from that brand.
If you can't hire a Westchester Public Relations firm to create press-worthy activations for you, steal these tricks from us to make your corporate brand activation Insta-Worthy:
Leverage social media for corporate event ideas. If you have already chosen an event theme but need more ideas to bring the activation to life, search relevant hashtags on social media. For example, search "Corporate Event" on Pinterest, #CorporateEvent on Instagram or the full phrase on Facebook. If you are going with a unicorn theme, try searching under #unicornparty and create a mood board of everything you find to pull inspiration from.
Make it experiential. Think about how you can make the event more Instagrammable with user-generated content (UGC). Turn the brand activation into an experience that people want to share on social media. Add visual elements to make the activation pop, such as a flower wall, a balloon wall, or even a colored background to take photos against. Consumers today crave shareable social experiences, so think about how you can create this for them.
Create a custom hashtag. One way to capture photos and event content is to create a custom hashtag that attendees can use on social media. Be sure to make the hashtag visible with signage at the event. You can follow the hashtag on Instagram to keep up with all of the tagged images so people can view the images post-event.
Think visually. Sometimes the greatest ideas come from visual elements that are trending in pop culture. For example, we recently did a brand activation for Crowne Plaza White Plains for Westchester Magazine's 'Best of Westchester,' which included a pop-up bar and over 3,000 unicorn drink floaties. We promoted the drink floaties on social media before the event and during the event. Everyone wanted photos with the unicorn floaties and they were the hit of the event. Plus, people kept them after the event for pool parties, which was an added bonus! Think about how you can create a branded visual item that people will want to put on their own Instagram feed, and that they will want to keep long after the event has ended.
Don't forget the swag. The best part of any PR event is always the swag bag. You can create custom swag bags and include branded items with the name/details of the event. For example, if you are planning a corporate event, you can give guests custom branded cookies with your logo.
Last but not least, don't forget to invest in a good photographer.
Do not make the mistake of spending money on swag and brand activations and forgetting to photograph all of your hard work. These branded assets can be leveraged long-term for other press and marketing materials if you capture them on camera.
PR Tip: If you want to compete in a saturated Instagram market, you need a high volume of fresh content, which comes in the form of branded images.
More marketing dollars are being deployed for traditional photographers than ever before. In fact, there is a resurgence of hiring traditional photographers for Instagram marketing because having strong visual branding and fresh creative is key. Photographers working alongside social media marketers can help your business by creating a professional agency appearance on your social platforms without paying agency fees.
Sure, you can take some of these yourself on an iPhone, but if you want to make your Instagram feed stand out, you will need to invest in a photographer quarterly for branded assets. The photos should be distributed across all of your social media marketing platforms after the event.
Experiential Marketing Firm Checklist:
- Maintain a core brand aesthetic with your chosen event theme and swag.
- Make an impression with the digital assets you distribute.
- Choose a theme that reflects your company's core mission statement.
- Divide and conquer. Assign every component of the event to your social media marketing team. If everyone in the agency has ownership of a piece of the puzzle (set-up, registration, catering), details are less likely to slip through the cracks. Use a project management tool like Teamwork or Asana to keep track of all of the moving pieces.
- Pictures are the best way to showcase your companies brand activation at an event. Hire a photographer and create a specific shot list that includes room shots, creative shots, branded shots, team shots, swag shots, and more. Don't have a budget for photography? Assign a team member to the task and equip them with a high-quality camera.
How are you making your customer experience memorable or Instagrammable? Let us know!


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This little girl, dressed in blue, is playing with a hoop and what appears to be a baton. The image is from A Child's Book of Old Verses, 1910. Click on image to enlarge.
All content copyright © 2012 · The Old Design Shop · Website built by Maof Dvora


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HBO Max is giving Blazing Saddles the Gone With the Wind treatment. The streamer, which serves as the streaming home for the classic 1974 Mel Brooks comedy, has added an intro by TCM's Jacqueline Stewart, who contextualizes both the plot and era in which the film was released. The decision to add a contextual intro arrives almost one month after HBO Max did the same for Gone With the Wind, a compromise after it temporarily removed the problematic 1939 film from its service.
In her four-minute intro, Stewart explains Brooks's comedy is "an overt and audacious spoof on classic Westerns."
"It's as provocative today as it was when it premiered back in 1974," she continues. "Racist language and attitudes pervade the film. But those attitudes are espoused by characters who are portrayed here as explicitly small-minded, ignorant bigots. The real and much more enlightened perspective is provided by the main characters played by Cleavon Little and Gene Wilder."
Blazing Saddles, which Brooks directed, cowrote, and starred in, is a satirical Western about a Black sheriff (Little) in a largely white, racist town. It is widely considered one of the greatest comedies in Hollywood history, and unlike Gone With the Wind—a film that openly glorified the antebellum South and presented a skewed view of slavery—it wasn't necessarily on the canonical chopping block.
But as the years have gone on, Brooks himself has said that Blazing Saddles was a product of its era and couldn't be made today. In an interview with Vanity Fair in 2016, he acknowledged that while the film does punch up, ultimately poking fun at the racist characters, there are some aspects that just couldn't work for a contemporary audience.
"It's possible. But I mean, using the N-word so devastatingly and so often—I don't know," he said. "I don't know if that's possible today. The movie itself, it's a period movie. But if you made a new one, like Blazing Saddles 2, and you threw the N-word all over the place, you might be in for a lot of trouble."
Still, the core message of the film means a modern-day Blazing Saddles could potentially work, Brooks added. "Different people in different places can be taught to think differently," he said. "I mean, we take a bunch of rednecks, and by the end of that movie, they love that Black sheriff. To begin with, they wouldn't take more than a minute to string him up—hang him 'til he's dead. But because of his personality, his actions, his damn goodness, they get to love him."
— Exposing the Fall of CBS Showrunner Peter Lenkov
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— An Exclusive First Look at the TV Drama That Will Enrage Trump
— Netflix's Indian Matchmaking Only Scratches the Surface of a Big Problem
— How Olivia de Havilland Learned Hattie McDaniel Defeated Her at the 1940 Oscars
— See Ryan Murphy and Sarah Paulson's Ode to an Iconic Villain: Nurse Ratched
— From the Archive: Inside Olivia de Havilland's Notorious Lifelong Feud With Sister Joan Fontaine
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Pas Reform do Brasil Opens New SiteBRAZIL - Just months after a landmark agreement to produce Pas Reform's complete range of hatchery equipment and technologies in Brazil, Pas Reform do Brasil has opened its new sales and manufacturing site at Rio Claro, São Paulo.
The new venture, partnered by José Antonio Campos Fracasso, president of Hygen Genética Avícola Ltda., sees the manufacture of Pas Reform's full suite of Hatchery Technologies outside The Netherlands for the first time in the company's 90-year history.
"Pas Reform's commitment to the Brazilian hatchery industry is very strong and long-standing," says Bart Aangenendt, CEO of Pas Reform Hatchery Technologies, "and the industry here demands high-quality technologies, to fuel what is forecast to be massive expansion over the next couple of decades. Brazil was a natural choice for this landmark development – and timing could not be better, in this our 90th Anniversary year."
Like its sister-operation in the Netherlands, Pas Reform do Brasil includes an 'Inspiration Centre', which is open to customers and has been created to represent a model hatchery setting.
The Inspiration Centre is fully operational, showcasing the full working of a complete hatchery system for customers – with incubators, setters, hatchers, hatchery automation systems and hatchery climate control, HVAC ventilation, chillers and boilers, for example – as well as demonstrating new and emerging hatchery technologies.
To arrange a visit to Pas Reform do Brasil, or for enquiries or further information, please contact Thomas Abdo Calil ([email protected]).


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Hooray!! Today we launched our website.
This is an auspicious day!
Do have a look and let us know what you think:
This is a very exciting moment for us, having begun this new business journey in early December 2019 with a Facebook page and Twitter account.
We are looking forward to serving you as best we can, making recommendations to you of quality events, products and services that will help you and your team to raise the bar in a variety of ways.
Sign up to follow our Blog via email, in order to be kept informed of news.


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We love these Lana's for their authentically worn-in feel, the full length leg and the comfy mid rise fit. The perfect vintage fit to complete your closet. Features a button fly, a true straight leg and s
uper-distressed medium blue-wash denim
Non-stretch mid-weight denim, washed down to be super-soft to the touch.
100% Organic Cotton
Machine wash cold
Tyrah is 5'8, size 6, wearing the 28. Waist: 28". Hip: 41"
About the brand:
AGOLDE is a premium denim label dedicated to setting the standard for advanced, directional denim. Continually seeking inspiration from the classics, their Los Angeles based design collective sets out to recreate them with a fresh reinterpretation in mind. An AGOLDE silhouette offers the authenticity and rarity found in discovering the perfect vintage pair. As we continue to aspire and push boundaries, we draw influence from many directions of today's emerging artists and creatives.


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Summer season from friday may 26th to sunday october 29th 2023
more >
Book your holidays
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Personally managed by owner Malvika, Moritz, Max und Daniel Bosshard-Jürisaar. More hotel information More
Located in the old village center, only 5 minutes from the lake. Discover the hotel and the surroundings here. More
Information about the event | informazione sull'evento More
Read the latest reviews on TripAdvisor More
Want some thai food, but not want to eat outside ? Order take away here. More
Homemade! According to a time-honored recipe. Refreshingly different from the normal commercially available More


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Some part of me is certain that the two wonderful people behind the GeekinHard Reverb11 List (Brad & Rita) were all too aware of the fact that today's prompt would be going out on a Friday. Of course, that could also be my own personal bias for showing love through creative and spammy measures using the twitter tradition of "Follow Friday." That might also be the reason that today's prompt really jumped out at me, grabbed me by the jimmies and forced me to write this, even if I am at work on a shitty computer and suffering from sever anxiety over the US turning into Stalin's Russia.
What can I say? I love my cyber-friends.
Of course, there are the usual crew, people I refer to in conversation as a "blogging friend" whenever I get asked who I am talking about. Yes, I mention my online friends in casual conversation with my local friends and family. It's not a big deal.
So, if you want some great people that will make you feel like a million bucks day in and day out, here they are:
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@InkyTwig – Who Writes "The Inky Twig"
@UncleTyperwriter – Who Writes "uncletypewriter"
@Ruby_Danger – Who… has a tumblr here.
@JinxingWinks – Writes "Love Letters and Suicide Notes"
@Chatterbox_Sara and her new Blog "Domestic Type"
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@GeekinHard – Who Writes "Geekin' Hard"
@streetlights94 – Who Writes "Street Light's Imagination"
@Telephonoscope – There is information on her: here.
@BrandeewineB – Who does her word thing here.
@Radio_Nowhere_1 – pens poems and prose on his blog.
And of Course, you can follow the half Drunk Crew: Both Chris and Myself.
If I have left you off of this list, I apologize. All you have to do to ensure that this harsh grievance never happens again is post a comment telling me about how horrible a person I am and why I should love you.
It must include both things.
Otherwise, we'll never grow as a community.


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« AnteriorContinuar »
good and wise men (especially among ourselves, where it is so much needed) are about to unite to save the Church of God, in this eventful day of its history, by rebuking the extremes to which we are exposed, and recalling the spirit with the success of the apostles.
There is one aspect of the general subject which we regard with peculiar hope, and which we cannot close this article without noticing. It is, that the friends of order and truth in New England, and in the Presbyterian Church, are beginning to understand each other better, and to act more in concert. Such men have too long been strangers to each other, and fostered mutual and ill-founded prejudices. The best men of the Congregational Churches of New England, and of the Presbyterian Church, think and feel very much alike on most subjects, and entirely alike on fundamental ones. It is time, that burying jealousies, without the surrender of principle, they should unite their labours, influence, and prayers, to arrest the progress of those errors in doctrine, and excesses in measures, which are now rampant in their respective denominations; and which, by abuses of revivals, by corrupting the fountains of religious knowledge, and turning to their account the power of the periodical press, threaten to overrun the land. We conclude with the memorable words of Robert Hall, in reference to another subject: "A growing unanimity has begun to prevail among the good in different parties, who, finding a centre of union in the great truths of revelation, and in a solicitude for their interests, are willing to merge their smaller differences in a common cause. The number of the sincerely pious, is, we trust, increasing among us, whose zeal, far from suffering abatement from the confidence of (those opposed to them) has begun to glow with a purer and more steady flame than ever. These are pleasing indications that the presence of the Holy One of Israel is still in the midst of us.'
A FRIEND TO REVIVALS. Philadelphia, Oct. 3d, 1832.
Note.—The Preliminary Essay is worthy, in all respects, of its distinguished author; and the letters, to which little or no reference is made, are also truly ex. cellent. But it so happened that the train of thought which the writer pursued led him to select topics, which called more specially for the extracts which have been introduced.
vol. Iv. No. VI.—3 Q
Delivered at Princeton, by the appointment of the Board of Directors of the Theological
Seminary, at the close of the annual examination of the Students, in May, 1832. By Rev. Gardiner Spring, D.D.
I have never appreciated the embarrassment of addressing you, my young friends, until I am now, in the providence of God, called to this service. I shall not probably suggest a thought that has not frequently been suggested by those who have been called to this service before me. But if I shall be so happy as to present a few topics before your minds in such a light as shall have the least tendency to increase and extend your usefulness as men, as the ministers of Christ, I shall be abundantly gratified in the few moments I am allowed to enjoy with you.
The tendencies of piety are to produce good. "A good tree bringeth forth good fruit." The high aim of the true Christian is to be useful. This is the tendency of his spirit, his affections, his desires, his hopes, his efforts, his whole renewed character. It is not that he may be a splendid man, but a useful man.
A minister of the Gospel presses after a prize of very questionable lawfulness, when he aims at being a splendid minister; but he has no misgivings of conscience when he honestly aims at being a useful minister. He will be very apt to be disappointed if he aims at being a great and splendid minister; but he will rarely, if ever miss his mark, if he aims at being a useful minister.
You have a thousand times been told, that to meet the high claims of the work for which you are preparing, you must possess ardent and uniform piety. Your usefulness will, in a great measure, depend upon the power which the religion of the Gospel exerts upon your own soul. To this, more than any other cause, may be traced the secret power of such men as Baxter, Edwards, Brainerd, and Payson. One reason why so many ministers live to so little purpose is, that while they may perhaps be good men, they are obviously deficient in that personal piety which has a transforming effect upon the heart and deportment. God and heaven are not the point of attraction toward which their minds and efforts are
perpetually tending. I have known ministers of splendid talent not half so useful as many of their humbler brethren; and who probably will not be found in those illumined departments of the heavenly city, where they "that turn many to righteousness shall shine as the stars for ever and ever. You never can be faithful ministers, and therefore
you never can be useful ministers, without fervent piety. You will not be faithful to the truth of God, nor to the souls of men. You will not take pleasure in your work, nor endure its trials, nor be eminently successful in winning souls to Christ, without fervent piety. Piety, my young friends, must be your great adornment, and give your character its lustre. The bare hopes of piety, and even its predominating graces, ought not to satisfy you. Her self-denying spirit, her heavenaspiring affections, her exalted and humbling joys, her unreserved self-devotement, her increasing purity, her sweet sensibility and tenderness, her absorbing confidence in the cross, and her deep and restless solicitude for the best interests of men; this, under a wise direction, will not fail to make you useful ministers.
It is almost too obvious a remark, especially to you, to say, that to be a useful minister, a man must be well instructed in the oracles of God. But there are several reasons for making this remark, just at this time. You have the best opportunity for religious instruction of every kind. To say nothing of the excellent instructions you are receiving in the different departments of divine learning, immediately from the Holy Scriptures, which we all know to be the only infallible rule of faith and practice, the standards of faith adopted in this Seminary, I am more and more persuaded, must commend themselves to every reflecting and sober man. I know there is a growing prejudice against forming and subscribing creeds or confessions of faith; and it is not surprising that this prejudice should exist in a youthful mind. But, if there are essential doctrines of the Gospel, and if these doctrines can be ascertained and defined, where is the impropriety of embodying them in some well digested formula? By nothing has the baneful influence of error been so generally counteracted, and the cause of truth so generally promoted, as by judicious confessions of faith. New England owes her orthodoxy, under God, to the Assembly's Catechism ; and not until that excellent summary of doctrine fell into disuse, did some of her churches decline from the faith
Dr. Spring's Address. of their fathers. Old England, too, owes its remaining orthodoxy to the thirty-nine articles. And, where will you find a formula which more clearly ascertains and defines the system of doctrine taught in the Holy Scriptures, than the Catechisms and Confession of Faith of the Presbyterian Church? I am confident you will appreciate these remarks, gentlemen, and you will do so the more, the more you reflect upon them, unless you yourselves are carried about with every wind of doctrine, and fall away from the stedfastness of the Gospel. Equally confident, am I, that you have special cause for appreciating them at the present crisis of the American Church. Already are there such departures from the essential doctrines of the Gospel among us; already have so many become wavering and unsettled in their religious sentiments; that there is peculiar obligation on those who are preparing for the sacred office, to investigate and understand the meaning of the Bible. Do not allow yourselves to be satisfied with vague notions of the truth of God. To this we have seen, to our sorrow, not a few of the youthful ministry are exposed. As the guardians of this sacred Seminary, the Directors have not a little solicitude that no youth should go from these walls before he has formed a well digested system of religious truth. Let it be a maxim with you to have no views, only so far as they are definite. It were unspeakably better to understand a few truths well, and to know them certainly, than to expatiate vaguely over the extended fields of christian science. The certainty of knowledge is a very different thing from the extent of knowledge. Because you may have but a partial and imperfect view of divine truth, it does not follow that you must of necessity be in darkness and uncertainty in relation to those truths with which you are familiar. Though no man that ever lived, should perfectly know all that God has revealed, this would not prove that he does not know many things with perfect definiteness and certainty. Though our natural eye-sight is limited, so that we cannot see beyond a certain circle, nor all things at once in any circle, yet, we can see one thing at a time, and that clearly. The same is true of the understanding. Though we may have no knowledge about some truths, and though we cannot contemplate and compare many truths at once; yet, we can contemplate one thing at a time, and compare a few things together, and hence come to a definite and certain knowledge of such things as we can discern and compare, and from one truth clearly discover another,
and so make slow, but progressive, advancements in knowledge. And thus it is that we shall see clearly, and exhibit impressively the harmony, connexion, and consistency of the great truths which the Gospel reveals. It is this definiteness of view which we affectionately and urgently recommend to you. One doctrine of the Bible consistently understood, will almost necessarily lead a devout and inquiring mind to perceive and appreciate the harmony and connexion which run through all the peculiar and essential doctrines of the Gospel. The student who thoroughly understands one doc
. trine of the Gospel, will be very apt to understand another and another. Once let your views of divine truth be definite, and there is little danger that they will long remain distinct and prominent. Clear and definite views of God's truth, combined with ardent piety, go far to make a useful minister. If the treasures which infinite wisdom has accumulated in the Bible, abundantly enrich, and adorn, and give practical utility to the Christian character, how much more to the ministerial? Aim at high attainments in Christian knowledge. If you cannot excel in every thing, excel in this. Labour, study, pray, to excel in this. To be burning and shining lights, you must feel the pre-eminent claims of religious truth.
Another characteristic of a useful minister, is untiring diligence and energy of action.
energy of action. It was not by his talents merely, nor simply by his fervent piety, nor was it only by his enlarged views of the truth of God. hut by his indefatigable diligence and action, combined with these, that the Apostle Paul accomplished a greater amount of good, than was ever accomplished by any other man. The life of a useful minister is an eventful life. It is fruitful in benevolent results. His energy is not developed so much upon set occasions, or by studied effort: his whole life is full of labours and events that are intimately connected with the best interests of men. I know of no class of men who labour more, or more severely, than FAITHFUL ministers of the Gospel. There are good ministers, pious men, who are called to contend with most inactive and sluggish habits, both of body and mind; and there are those who are never satisfied and happy unless they are in some way actively employed: and the difference in the aggregate of good accomplished by these two classes of men, will be found, in the course of years, to be immense, and almost incalculable. Let every young man who is looking toward the sacred office, settle it in his mind,


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Opening Remarks at Launch of Academy in Space Initiative
April 14, 2016 at 6:41 am by Frank White
The following are a portion of my opening remarks at the launch of the Academy in Space Initiative at Framingham State University on April 6, 2016:
"As you will see in the film we are about to show, the idea of the Overview Effect came to me on a cross-country flight in the late 1970s. I had the insight that seeing the Earth from orbit or the moon might fundamentally change one's identity and worldview. So I began interviewing astronauts to see if they had indeed had such an experience. The book by the same name was published in November 1987 and is now in its third edition.
"The Overview Effect is not about me, or our panel members, or any one individual—it is about all of us as human beings. The Overview Effect is a message from the universe to us about who we really are and what our future is all about.
"The first person to have this remarkable experience was Soviet Cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin, who orbited the Earth on April 12, 1961, just about 55 years ago. He said:
The point was not the distance but the principle. (Humanity) had overcome the force of Earth's gravity and gone out into space.*
"As Apollo astronaut Rusty Schweickart said of his experience:
You're out there on the forefront and you have to bring that back somehow. That becomes a rather special responsibility and it tells you something about your relationship with this thing we call life…And all through this I've used the word "you" because it's not me, it's you, it's we. It's Life that's had that experience.
"This message was first passed to the astronauts, and then to many others, including myself, who have been working to interpret it, and now to the filmmakers at Planetary Collective, and we are now passing it to you.
"Let me just say a few things about that message:
"First, it is true that there are no borders or boundaries on our planet except those that we create in our minds or through human behaviors. All the ideas and concepts that divide us when we are on the surface begin to fade from orbit and the moon. The result is a shift in worldview, and in identity.
"Second, our planet is, in the words of former astronaut Ron Garan, a fragile oasis and we need to take care of it. So there is a strong environmental component to the message.
"Third, we are one species with one destiny as we move out from the Earth and begin to explore the universe. Survival of the planet and exploration of the solar system should both be seen as global concerns.
"Finally, we need to understand that we are in space, we have always been in space, and we always will be in space, whether we leave the planet or not. In a very real sense, all of us are astronauts, members of the crew of spaceship Earth, and the time has come to realize that this is so.
"So, do you want to change the world? It begins with how you see the world. It begins with your worldview.
* Gagarin used the term "man," which I have updated here.


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Contact Information
Personal Property Specialist
Phone: (540) 658-4132 ext. 1127
Fax: (540) 658-4120
Live Chat
Office Hours:
Monday - Friday
8:00 am - 4:30 pm
Phone Hours:
Monday - Friday
9:00 am - 3:00 pm
Physical Address
1300 Courthouse Road
2nd Floor
Stafford, VA 22554-1300
Mailing Address
PO Box 98
Stafford, VA 22555
The Commissioner's office is responsible for the remittance of the food and beverage, transient occupancy, and short-term rental tax. These are consumer taxes that are collected by businesses in Stafford for the county and remitted monthly. This office is required to monitor these taxes to ensure that all businesses required to collect the tax are doing so and that all remittances are reported in a timely manner.
Meals Tax*
Meals tax is a tax in the amount of five percent (5%) levied on food and beverages purchased in or from a food establishment, whether prepared in such food establishment or not, whether consumed on the premises or not and without regard to the manner, time or place of service. This tax is collected from the person or persons paying for such at the time payment for such food are made. Available to file and pay online with instructions (PDF).
Transient Occupancy*
EFFECTIVE JULY 1 2022: The tax rate is increasing from 5% to 7%.
Transient Occupancy is a tax levied on hotels in the amount of a percentage of the charge or amount paid for the total room rental. This tax is collected from the person paying for such room rental at the time payment for such rental is made. Available to file and pay online with instructions (PDF).
Short-Term Rental Tax
Short-Term Rental is a tax in the amount of one percent (1%) levied on the rental of equipment and tools, owned by a person certified as being engaged in the short term rental business in Stafford County. The quarterly return and payment of this tax shall be filed with the Commissioner of the Revenue on or before the twentieth day of each of the months of April, July, October and January, representing the gross proceeds and taxes collected during the preceding quarters ending March 31, June 30, September 30 and December 31.
Forms & Additional Resources
- Short Term Rental Form
- Meals & Transient Occupancy Filing Instructions (PDF)
- Link to Online Filing and Payment for Fiduciary Taxes.


text: After liking Alpine (from Australia) so much I decided to search for more music from the wonderful country and I came across this song.It was released in Australia early this year but being in the UK I have never heard of it before. if you listen to the song you will think straight away that it is Rihanna – trust me you will. However it isn't Rihanna, it's Elen Levon and this video clearly shows why she will be big in the music world. Hope she visits the rest of the world soon. Check her out on Twitter here.


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A video review of the Helium 4, a hydration belt by FuelBelt:
Lightweight helium 3-D Ventilated Foam Pads
Four 8 oz. bottles evenly distributed
Knit elastic with velcro closure
Detachable race pocket
Reflective piping keeps you visible
Bottles are dishwasher safe
Total Volume: 32 oz.
Sizes: S (27-29), M (30-32), L (33-35), XL (36-38)


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This time I am reading Dirty Dealings by Rachel Harrison, a 21-page tale of shady dealings in the Underhive. Before I give my feedback here is the official blurb:
A Necromunda story
Weapons dealing is an infamously dangerous business – and Kora Zekk knows that. When she and her comrades deliver a crate of guns to a House Orlock stronghold, she expects to be betrayed and prepares accordingly. So she's far from surprised when it all goes wrong and the Enforcers crackdown on them. Even then, it will take her ingenuity, skill and will to survive to get out of the situation intact…
My Review
Written like a pulp crime novel, we spend the tale enjoying it from the viewpoint of Kora Zekk. This first-person viewpoint gives us a pretty in-depth view of the Underhive. This style of writing allows the author to hold our hand through the entire going on, starting with the selling of weapons to an Orlock gang.
Kora Zekk is an excellent lead in a solidly written story, the plot is clever and not forced and the characters met are engaging and interesting. Overall an impressive little short that makes good use of the 21-page count. For a tiny $5 CAD price for the kindle, I see no reason to not treat yourself and enjoy the read.
Thanks for reading and check out these links below if you wish to support the blog:
Amazon (I get a commission, win, win): Dirty Dealings Kindle Edition
Instagram: Adventures with Peps
Youtube: Adventures with Peps
Ko-fi: Adventures with Peps


text: Lil Yachty stopped by Street Swagg Sunday during his Boat Show Tour in Dallas and chopped it up with me on Street Swagg Sunday! After his candy overdose, he spoke on never wanting to return to Alabama State University and old people who say he's "messing up Hip-Hop". Check out this exclusive!!! Part One: Part… Read more »


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Pumpkin pancakes and cinnamon rolls are well and good, but what about those of us who like something savory instead of sweet for our weekday breakfasts? These Paleo muffins prove that pumpkin plays just as well with cumin and paprika as it does with cinnamon and nutmeg.
These muffins make a great grab-and-go breakfast or a healthy afternoon snack. They are also grain-free and very nutritious!
I used a small pie pumpkin in these muffins, though you could use any hard winter squash or carrots. Just avoid pumpkin puree because the muffins will end up too wet. (Also avoid the giant pumpkins used for carving jack-o-lanterns; those aren't very tasty!)
If Paleo baking feels daunting, this is a great recipe to start with. You only need a few special paleo flours and the recipe is really easy to mix together. Be sure to let the batter rest for a few minutes before baking the muffins to give the flour time to absorb the moisture.
Here's a brief run down of the flours we'll be using in this mix:
Ground Almond Flour: Ground almond flour is made from blanched almonds with the skins removed. Look specifically for "fine ground" flour for this recipe. This is key for muffins with a light texture. Coarse almond flour will be heavier and have a tendency to clump.
Almond flour a great base flour for Paleo baking because it has a very neutral flavor. It also gives baked goods a tender crumb and it has pretty good binding power (something non-gluten flours are often missing). Because of the high fat content of almond flour, we don't need as much other fat in the recipe.
Coconut Flour: Coconut flour is made from the fibers of ground coconut. It will absorb up a TON of moisture in recipes, so it's usually used in conjunction with other flours. Coconut flour tastes mildly of coconut, but because we're using just a small amount, it won't add a lot of flavor to this recipe.
Tapioca Flour : Tapioca flour, also known as tapioca starch, is the pure starch of the cassava. It has very good binding power and also lightens up a batter made with the almond and coconut flours. It is neutral in taste.
You can find all these flours at natural food stores, like Whole Foods. Many nationwide grocery stores are also starting to stock them more regularly. Look in both the baking aisle and the bulk bin section.
The muffins are also very forgiving to first-time Paleo bakers and quite versatile. I've made them with carrots instead of pumpkin and even added a 1/2 cup of crumbled feta into the batter – both versions turned out great. You could even add in some cooked sausage or crumbled bacon for extra protein!
The muffins are moist, flavorful, and keep well. We stored them covered at room temperature for a couple of days. For longer storage, wrap tightly and refrigerate.
Spicy Paleo Pumpkin Muffins
You can substitute any hard winter squash or carrots for the pumpkin.
To grate the pumpkin, cut it into large pieces, scoop out the seeds, and grate the flesh on a box grater until you hit the skin. Alternatively, you can cut away the skin and grate in a food processor.
This recipe calls for a 12-cup muffin tin
- 2 1/2 cups almond flour
- 3/4 cup tapioca starch
- 1 1/2 tablespoons coconut flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon crushed chili flakes (I used chipotle chili flakes)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 4 large eggs
- 1/2 cup olive oil, melted ghee, or melted butter
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 1 packed cup grated raw sugar or pie pumpkin (avoid jack-o-lantern pumpkins)
- 1/2 cup diced red bell pepper
- 1/2 cup diced onion
- 3/4 cups toasted pepitas or pumpkin seeds (divided)
Preheat oven to 350F:
Line a muffin tin with muffin papers
Sift together the dry ingredients:
Sift together the almond flour, tapioca starch, coconut flour, baking soda, baking powder, spices, and salt. I like to sift at least twice with Paleo baked goods to make sure there are no clumps and everything is well-mixed.
Mix together the wet ingredients:
In a separate bowl, beat the eggs, then whisk in the oil, honey, and vinegar.
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix gently until combined
Gently stir in the grated pumpkin, bell pepper, onion, and 1/2 cup of pepitas:
Save the rest of the pepitas for topping. Rest the batter for at least 10 minutes so that the flours can hydrate.
Fill each muffin wells up to the top:
Top each muffin with a few of the remaining 1/4 cup of pepitas.
Bake for 18 to 20 minutes:
When done, the muffins should look toasted around the edges, be dry on top, and a toothpick inserted in the middle will come out clean.
Cool and serve (or store):
Transfer the muffins to a cooling rack. Cool briefly before serving, or cool completely and store in an airtight container at room temperature for 3 days (or refrigerate for up to a week).


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SEOUL–Samsung stood by its new Galaxy S10 5 G model on Tuesday after a South Korean smartphone owner posted online photos of a charred handset claiming it was mysteriously "burnt."
The tech giant, who was forced into a costly and embarrassing global reminder of his Galaxy Note 7 devices over exploding batteries three years ago, told AFP that the damage had been caused by an "external impact" rather than an internal crash.
But the user of the smartphone, who asked for his surname Lee to be identified, claimed that his Galaxy S10 5 G phone had been burned "without reason."
"My phone was on the table when it started to smell burnt and smoke soon swallowed up the phone," Lee told AFP, adding: "I had to drop it to the ground when I touched it because it was so hot." He said he hadn't done anything on the phone that was left unrepaired because "everything was burnt inside."
Samsung declined to pay the $1,200 telephone, Lee added.
The electronics giant has touted its new Galaxy phones as the world´s first available smartphones with built-in 5G communications.
The model was released on April 5 as South Korea aims to take the lead for millions of people in new technologies that experts say will transform their way of life.
The claim came after the South Korean company posted a 56.9 percent drop in year-on-year net profit on Tuesday in the midst of a weakening chip market and rising competition.
Last week, Samsung delayed the release of its $2,000 foldable phone — Galaxy Fold — over screen issues, saying it "needs additional improvements."
The 2016 recall cost billions of dollars from Samsung Electronics — the world's largest smartphone and memory chip maker — and broke its global image.


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Sheldon H. Jacobson
Past Awards
Professor Sheldon Jacobson has been a prolific writer and communicator of operations research for more than 30 years. His 300+ articles include not only academic journal papers but also opinion pieces in newspapers and other public media.
His research and expositions have made significant impact on aviation security policies. The 2006 Naval Research Logistics article, "Multi-level Passenger Screening Problem for Aviation Security," the 2007 Transportation Science article, "A Sequential Stochastic Security System Design Problem for Aviation Security," and his other papers provided the theoretical underpinnings that informed the design of TSA PreCheck, the risk-based airport-security expediting system deployed by the Transportation Security Administration at airports across the United States. His work on aviation security has been recognized by the IATA Aviation Security Research Award (2002) and the 2018 INFORMS Impact Prize.
Over the decades, Professor Jacobson has dedicated his effort to draw the attention of the general public to the power of operations research and analytics for informed policy and decision making. He has written on a broad range of subjects: aviation security, healthcare, transportation, political redistricting and elections, etc. The writings of Prof. Jacobson have reached such a wide audience due to his expository talent for explaining intricate scientific theories in an intuitive way so that the policy implications become clear. As his nominators note: "Sheldon's gift for making complex technical concepts and analysis accessible to the general public is the hallmark of his writings and communications."
For the expository excellence, broad accessibility, and far-reaching impact of his work, Professor Sheldon Jacobson is richly deserving of the Award.
Sheldon H. Jacobson is founder professor in computer science, director of the Simulation and Optimization Laboratory, and founding director of the Bed Time Research Institute at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He holds appointments in Industrial and Enterprise Systems Engineering, Electrical and Computer Engineering, Mathematics, and the College of Medicine.
He has made several seminal research contributions, all focusing on applying operations research and advanced analytics to address societal problems of national interest. For example, his research on multilevel aviation security passenger screening at airports was the precursor to risk-based security, providing the foundational concepts that informed the design and implementation of TSA PreCheck. His contributions have been recognized with numerous awards, including a 2003 Guggenheim Fellowship and the 2018 INFORMS Impact Prize, given biennially to recognize widespread impact of operations research.
His research has been widely reported and communicated in the national press, including the Washington Post, Chicago Tribune, Los Angeles Times, and the Boston Globe, editorialized in the New York Times, and discussed in Business Week, Forbes, Kiplinger, and The Osgood Files on CBS radio. He has appeared on CNBC's Street Signs and The Closing Bell, MSNBC's Weekends with Alex Witt, Washington Post Radio, CBS This Morning, and CBC Canada News (television and radio), and BBC World News (television and radio).
Professor Sheldon Jacobson's service to operations research and INFORMS spans many dimensions. His notable contributions include serving as INFORMS Treasurer, program director for operations research at the National Science Foundation, serving on National Academy of Science and National Academy of Medicine committees, general chair for the 2022 INFORMS Annual Meeting in Indianapolis, authoring numerous articles for OR/MS Today and recording podcasts for INFORMS, and briefing policymakers about the value of his research on issues of national concern, and working with the media in communicating his research findings to the general public as an expert.
His service has helped elevate the recognition of the operations research profession through media and outreach, advanced opportunities for the operations research profession through advocacy and service to national funding agencies and continues to help INFORMS thrive.
For his distinguished service to the Institute and the profession of operations research, the Institute for Operations Research and the Management Sciences expresses its sincere appreciation to Sheldon Jacobson by awarding him the 2020 George E. Kimball Medal.
Laura Albert, Kenneth C. Fletcher, Sheldon H. Jacobson, Adrian J. Lee, and Alexander Nikolaev
Aviation security is composed of methods and techniques used to safeguard aircraft, their passengers, and their crews. The events of September 11, 2001 had an enormous impact on aviation security in the United States. One of the most significant changes was the creation of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), and the responsibilities they assumed for security operations at commercial airports throughout the United States. For the next decade, essentially all travelers were assumed to have the same level of security risk, and as such, subjected to the same level of security screening. In October 2011, the TSA launched the TSA PreCheck© program—a risk-based security strategy that aligns passenger risk with security resources.
More than six million passengers are enrolled in TSA PreCheck, with an additional seven million travelers participating as members of other trusted populations and many more passengers receiving TSA PreCheck benefits from airlines. Approximately one million passenger screenings at commercial airports across the
United States every day are TSA PreCheck qualified passengers. TSA PreCheck screening lanes are available at nearly 450 domestic airports with more than 50 U.S. and major foreign airlines participating. Similar programs patterned after the TSA PreCheck model are functioning in Canada, Germany, Israel, Netherlands, and the United Kingdom, extending the application of this concept globally.
Implementing TSA PreCheck is widely heralded as transforming aviation security. The design and implementation of this program relied on operations research to transform an abstract concept into a practical tool. The early work in this area involved collaboration between academia and personnel at the TSA. Dynamic optimization models were formulated and applied to capture and improve the effectiveness and efficiency of aviation security systems. The approach uses real-time assignment policies to adapt to variations in the day-to-day airport threat environment. This combined work provided insights regarding risk-based security, had direct impact on the implementation of
the TSA PreCheck system, and laid the groundwork for further academic research on risk-based security assessment.
For their pivotal role in the creation and widespread adoption of risk-based aviation security strategies, INFORMS is pleased to award the 2018 Impact Prize to Laura Albert, Kenneth C. Fletcher, Sheldon H. Jacobson, Adrian J. Lee, and Alexander Nikolaev.


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The lightweight precast concrete panels would be your best bet for all kinds of construction material needs. The product has been deemed of great importance for all kinds of building construction needs available at a reasonable price. The Lian Wang Trading would ensure you get the best construction materials without burning a considerable hole in your pocket.
The construction material supplier has been serving the needs of the construction industry for a significant length of time. Their experience in the industry would ensure that you get the best materials in the least possible time. They would cater to your specific needs with high-quality products.


text:
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text:
Your smart online assistant for daily tasks and frequent queries
PeopleSoft delivers setup pages which can be used to develop and deploy chatbots on PeopleSoft systems. Oracle Digital Assistant (ODA) is leveraged to enable chatbots on PeopleSoft systems. For more details on Oracle Digital Assistant please refer to:
However, if your ODA instance version is below 19.10, then refer the documentation for PeopleSoft Chatbot Integration Framework for ODA instance below 19.10 version.
Chatbots can be configured as Tiles or as a Widget to PeopleSoft Application pages. It can also be accessed through external messaging client (like SMS client) buy sending a message directly to the Twilio number of the skill. Get the PeopleSoft chatbot here.
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Category: Journal
Autumn tea.
Listening to the tunk, tunk, tunk of a large crow hopping on the roof tiles. Down to the drainpipe, where it pauses to scrape its beak, before tunking back up to the ridge-cap. Flip back the covers and down to the kettle. Not wanting to turn on any lights, I pause before the single deep…
Questions Before Dark
" As this day ends, and before sleep when the sky dies down, consider your altered state: has this day changed you? Are the cornerssharper or rounded off? Did youlive with death? Make decisions that quieted? Find one clear word that fit? At the sun's midpoint did you notice a pitch of absence, bewilderment…
Lake Wanaka, in the Southern Lakes Region of New Zealand, is one of my favourite places on the planet. In this short film snowboarder Will Jackways, shares his simple philosophy of life. Im not a philosopher of life, I'm not going to sit here and preach what is right and what is wrong….this is…


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This episode is dedicated to all Band Room listeners in the great band state of Texas. Join Dylan in an episode entitled, Don't Mess With Texas, as he explores wind music of Texas, with works by Kevin Puts, Scott McAllister and Donald Grantham. Featuring the Baylor University Wind Ensemble with Dr. Eric Wilson, Michigan State University Wind Symphony with Dr. Kevin Stedatole & The University of Texas Wind Ensemble with Jerry Junkin.
Please scroll down the page to learn about where you can donate to the Hurricane Harvey relief efforts. Let's help our band geeks to the south, when they need it most.
Big thanks to Mark Records for the use of the recordings used on today's episode. Come back next week when Dr. Gillian MacKay from the University of Toronto will be joining us, as we talk about Being the Best Musician You Can Be | A Conductor's Perspective.
Kevin Puts, Arranged by Mark Spede | Millennium Canons Baylor University Wind Ensemble – Conductor Dr. Eric Wilson Mark Records | 2016 Texas Music Educators Association (TMEA): Baylor University Wind Ensemble
Scott McAllister | Gone
Michigan State University Wind Symphony – Conductor Dr. Kevin Stedatole Mark Records | 2013 Midwest Clinic: Michigan State University Wind Symphony
Donald Grantham| Symphony for Winds and Percussion: III. Stomp
University of Texas Wind Ensemble – Conductor Jerry Junkin Mark Records | Band Music 2010 Texas Music Educators Association: University of Texas Wind Ensemble)
Kevin Puts
Millennium Canons http://www.kevinputs.com/program/millennium_wind.html
The Baylor University Wind Ensemble http://www.baylor.edu/music/index.php?id=859387
Scott McAllister
Michigan State University Wind Symphony http://music.msu.edu/event-listing/wind-symphony
Donald Grantham
Symphony for Winds & Percussion - Stomp http://piquantpress.com/?page=storeItem&id=619
University of Texas-Austin Wind Ensemble https://bands.music.utexas.edu/wind-ensemble/
Help Support the Band Room Podcast by Becoming a Patron Through Patreon


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The selection of the right development framework is vital to deliver a quality application. When we think about the right development framework, the name that triggers in the mind at first is Laravel. A number of top brands have already adopted this framework due to the amazing features it offers. Laravel is viewed as one of the best development framework for a number of reasons.
In this article, we are going to discuss the most important reasons for choosing Laravel to develop your upcoming project but before this let us understand the Laravel framework in brief.
Introduction to Laravel
Laravel is an open-source PHP framework that has emerged as a highly adopted framework among the developer community in the latest years. This framework comprises a strong and vigorous syntax that eventually provides the quick and stable development of web applications. It contributes a lot towards easing the job of developers by presenting techniques to perform fundamental tasks such as routing, caching, authentication, and sessions very comfortably. This platform proposes a very robust set of features that makes the development process very easy.
Topmost Reasons To Opt Laravel Framework For Your Next Project
Laravel contributes a very powerful and unique set of features towards the development of web applications. These features can be seen as the main reasons behind its excessive popularity. The most powerful features of Laravel are included below
Easy Programming
Laravel lessens the programming overhead by offering a feature called Laracasts which is a collection of free and paid video tutorials that allow developers to learn and utilize the Laravel framework in the simplest manner. The quality of the available videos is excellent, and the lessons are valuable and influential. The availability of necessary tutorials is one of the important reasons that has made Laravel an excellent choice for the development of web applications.
Built-in Project Environment
Laravel offers a combined project environment that makes it easy for developers to handle things properly. The framework provides an organized and transparent way of coding for web development of different kinds. The pace and the comfort of development that Laravel provides is making it the favorite among the business owners as well as the developers.
MVC Support
Laravel follows MVC architecture pattern that guarantees the disconnection of business logic and presentation layers. The MVC pattern of Laravel comprises several built-in functions that support developers in performing their tasks in a more enhanced way. It aids in improving the performance of the application and guarantees better protection as well.
Templating Engine
Laravel framework offers a number of built-in lightweight templates that help in generating attractive designs by adding unique and appealing content. It also provides several widgets comprising CSS and JS code with strong structures. These templates aid in creating beautiful designs for both simple as well as complicated pages.
Database Migration
The database migration system offered by Laravel is capable of extending the database structure of a web application without the requirement to create it again whenever the modifications are introduced to the code. This feature significantly lessens the likelihood of missing crucial data. Additionally, It enables the developer to modify the database structure by utilizing the PHP code rather than using SQL. The structure builder offered by Laravel helps in making the database tables and adding columns to them without any difficulty.
This requires extensive knowledge of Laravel because a single mistake happens and the whole process stops working. Recommend to Hire Laravel Developer to perform database migration.
Extensive Community Support
Laravel has a huge community support all over the world. This means whenever the developer or the team gets stuck at any point during the development, they can find the solutions to their problems very easily by taking help from the community in no time. This eventually fastens the development speed.
Unit Testing
This framework provides strong support for unit testing that not only aids in making the application easier to test but raises the possibilities of delivering a bug-free product as well. A number of other tests are also accomplished to prevent any sudden failures if the developer doing the project introduces a new change to it anytime.
Libraries and Configuration
The libraries offered by Laravel are strong and comprise of auto-complete features that are not provided by any other PHP framework.
Although no framework is fully shielded against online hazards still the degree of security parameters offered by Laravel is not given by any other PHP framework so far. However, the security of the application is completely dependent on the structure and the formulation of the application code written by the developer. Laravel proffers CSRF tokens to keep a check on security perspectives related to a project. These tokens check each request on the POST and do not allow a POST request to get changed into a GET request that ultimately helps in improving the overall security of the application.
Supports Front-End/Back-End
As Laravel is an MVC framework, it can be utilized right from the front-end to the back-end to create a full-fledged web application.
In the term MVC, the Model is meant for database entity models, View indicates the frontend pages and Controller act as the logic adapter that links the Views with the Model.
Appropriate to Develop eCommerce Applications
Laravel can be easily utilized to develop a variety of applications from scratch and eCommerce applications are the one among them. It provides a number of features such as durability, versatility, scalability, and simple customization required to develop eCommerce applications with ease.
Ease of Getting Started
Oftentimes, people adopt Laravel because of the ease it provides to get started with. Using this framework, even a 5-page website can easily be created in only a few hours even if the developer is not too sound with the basics of PHP.
Laravel development is in trend today and the reasons for this are many. Although the most important reasons for the same are mentioned above but still it is not the complete list. There is a lot more that Laravel has to offer.
Pick Laravel framework for your next project to enjoy the benefits it offers and contact us to hire the best and experienced Laravel developers!


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Christmas Day is a day that is celebrated on a once a year scale. Therefore, Christmas always has a special element in it. Christmas, which is celebrated by many people, requires media or property to make everyone who has a relationship can be connected. One way is to use a Christmas teacher card. It is hoped that it can strengthen the relationship between students and teachers, even between parents and teachers. The contents of it are written greetings to welcome and celebrate Christmas.
There are many types of Christmas teacher cards that students have created. This is because the creativity possessed by each head is certainly different. In order to become a worthwhile and meaningful object, it would be better to insert an emotional element in it. The way to achieve this is by making the Christmas teacher card with their own hands. In the manufacturing process, this scope was quite broad. You can compose personal words, or you can try coloring the cards. Anything that is done with a personal touch will definitely leave an impression and are also memorable for the recipient.
Having Christmas coloring for teacher cards can be achieved in many ways. From those that are easy enough to those that require additional equipment. To have it easy, you have to provide basic materials such as paper for cards, writing tools for writing content, and also designs that can be filled with various colors using coloring techniques. Each of these elements can be put together and become a valuable object such as a coloring for teacher cards. After becoming a unit, you will find how easy it is to own and even create.
We also have more printable coloring you may like:
Dot Rainbow Printable Coloring Pages
Reindeer Printable Coloring Pages
Printable Easter Egg Basket Coloring Pages Emty
A more efficient way to achieve goals in the creation process is to use templates. With templates, many people hope that the process will be easier without having to start from the first step. In the Christmas coloring for teacher cards, this also applies. Until now, there have been many free and paid templates circulating related to these items. You can try to find it in sources that give a lot of space to have like the internet. Many kinds of sites will appear as recommendations on the search tab.


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Every story has a beginning, and of course, so does my own Arctic adventure. Talking about how I got into this seems like a fitting first post on our blog. Of course, everyone getting into any kind of adventuring has different motivations and backgrounds. Lauren's story is already entirely different from mine, and your own story will be different too. So reading about my motives will probably be one of the least helpful posts to appear here. What's important for this blog is that eight months ago I was just an average guy, nowhere near thoughts of Arctic expeditions or greater adventuring in general. So what I want to cover on this website is my journey from zero to seasoned Arctic explorer. Hopefully, this will prove helpful and inspirational to you if you find yourself in the position of planning an adventure yourself, but doubting you can do it or not knowing where to start.
The first time I heard about anything regarding Arctic exploration was on a Norway cruise I did with my wife a couple of years ago. Of course, I roughly knew about Amundsen and Scott, but never really bothered to get into it in detail. On this cruise, I learned about Fridtjof Nansen and the first Fram expedition. For me as a huge history nerd in general, that was enough to make me curious to research more about this topic, and so I did. I believe in the next year every one of my friends heard about the story of Nansen's Greenland crossing and the daring Fram expedition at some point. I was starstruck by the spirit he displayed, by his ability to inspire others, and by the innovative solutions to problems that were thought to be unsolvable at the time. I couldn't help but admire his unshakeable determination to reach his goals, and simultaneously his ability to keep a level head and realise what still lay out of his reach. The thought of being all alone in the great white, braving the harshest conditions known on our planet, is weirdly romantic in an old-school adventuring sense. It's a throwback to the golden age of exploration when the maps still had a lot of blank areas, and brave pioneers were racing to be the first to fill them.
About a year after our cruise I visited Oslo on business. My day job is for a company belonging to a large Norwegian corporation, and I was booked for a project leadership course at our headquarters. On that occasion, I visited the Fram museum, where my fascination for Polar exploration really grew into the desire to experience this on my own. I wanted to step into the footsteps of Nansen, Amundsen, Shackleton, and well, probably not so much Scott. I wondered what it would take to get close to what they did today.
By pure coincidence, it turned out that the person teaching my course on that weekend was Thorleif Thorleifsson. He's a sailor and Arctic explorer himself and built his lessons around his successful circumnavigation of the Arctic in 2010. The way he and Børge Ousland approached this project does not only provide valuable insights for business projects, but more importantly, it gave me a glimpse into the world of modern Arctic exploration and showed me that even today there are things left to explore and feats not yet accomplished.
Needless to say, this was one of the most exciting courses I have ever done for work so far. The three days in Thorleif's company helped convince me that my dreams of experiencing the Arctic did not have to stay just dreams. By the time I was sitting at the airport waiting for my flight back to Vienna, a signed copy of Thorleif's book in hand, I had already made the decision to get into an Arctic expedition. This one crazy chance encounter in Oslo pushed me down the path I am on right now. Of course, I still had no clue how to actually tackle everything required to turn my plan into reality, and what exactly I had gotten myself into. But I had made a decision and would stick by it, and that is arguably the most important step when planning an adventure.
Keen hiker and ÖAV trekking and hiking guide, in love with Nansen. Owner of the most walk-averse rescue dog ever. Ice cream lover, kit junkie, runner and mad software genius.


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Wachau Valley, Austria
by Gil on Sep.19, 2015, under Happenings
Saturday morning we arrive at Melk, Austria at the head of the Wachau valley. We will spend the morning visiting the Melk Abbey one of the most famous cultural sights in Austria. Melk Abbey has been an important spiritual and cultural center in Austrial for over 1000 years. Once the residence of the Babenberg family, it became a Benedictine monastery where for 900 years monks have continued to work and teach up to this day. In the afternoon we cruised the Wachau valley with pictures vineyards, villages and castles. In the afternoon see the famous Durnstein blue and white tower then dock at Krems, then traveled a short distance back to Durstein, with ancient castle ruins overlooking the quaint village known for its wine and apricot brandy know as Marillenschnaps which is a regional specialty.


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Add this one to the list of must-go venues for sporting cheer as you enjoy an absolutely sports-packed summer. Hackney Bridge is getting in on the outdoor screenings game by installing an outdoor screen bigger than my living room for patrons to enjoy. Patrons of Hackney Bridge, that is, not my living room. The canalside multi-use community space will prove to be one of the places to be this summer. It's perfect for relaxing and hanging out with friends all whilst keeping an eye on all the action.
The UEFA Women's EURO will be shown on the massive outdoor screen, with plans to show the Commonwealth Games as well. They're also eagerly looking forward to September and the Anthony Joshua and Oleksandr Usyk Unified World Heavyweight rematch. On-site food and drink vendors will keep you fed and hydrated no matter what you're craving. They've got crisp refreshing pints, gyoza, bao buns, pizza, and more. The Hackney Bridge food hall is full of choices from around the world, and with multiple bars you're never waiting long for your next drink.
As well plenty of sports, there will also be movies playing on the outdoor screen as the summer progresses. Don't miss the August screening of Grease, where the movie's songs will be accompanied live by the Babel Brass Band. Does that mean a tuba-tinged rendition of Greased Lightning? Time will only tell. We've got our fingers crossed though.
Head to the website to check out the screening schedule for the Hackney Bridge outdoor screen, and find out what else is on.


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Petition To Euthanize Enda Kenny Gaining Ground With Crucial Mayo Embalmers Demographic
ON THIS DAY…November 6, 2014: A new poll reveals the Taoiseach has lost the support of the key Mayo Embalmers demographic, a constituency that now supports having him euthanized sooner, rather than later.
Backbench Fine Gael TDs however, said they were not alarmed.
"Have you heard him speak?" one sniggered. "He sounds like he's already been embalmed!"
Another claimed "in public we say he's formidable, in private we say he's formaldehyde". Asked about losing the support of a group of voters that were once devoted to the Taoiseach, he answered, "the embalmers will come running back to us, the minute he gives their annual dinner one of his 'talking-plank-speaking-through-a-chloroformed-rag' impressions."
The poll interviewed almost a thousand people face to face and generated an unprecedented amount of saliva.
When Morning Ireland's Aine Lawlor asked the FG leader if the protests would topple the government, he became evasive.
If I were a carpenter, he replied, and you were a lady, would you marry me anyway, would have my baby?
Asked what this meant, he said it wasn't for him to say, before claiming "I can't hear you, the line is breaking up".