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In one of the biggest technology mergers in recent years, cloud-based software giant Salesforce has agreed to acquire workplace messaging app Slack for $27.7 billion.
"This is a match made in heaven. Together, Salesforce and Slack will shape the future of enterprise software and transform the way everyone works in the all-digital, work-from-anywhere world," CEO of Salesforce Marc Benioff said in a statement.
We're thrilled to be acquiring Slack!
Combining @SlackHQ with #Customer360 will be transformative, creating the operating system for the new way to work. Together, we'll enable companies to succeed in the all-digital, work-from-anywhere world.
Important: https://t.co/bRXZ1Iu1fj pic.twitter.com/xcPH5hRb6J
— Salesforce (@salesforce) December 1, 2020
Founded in 2009 by Stewart Butterfield and Cal Henderson, Slack transformed from being just a startup to being one of the best and most loved workplace chat apps. It started off as an effective alternative to email to manage interoffice communication and at the time of its IPO in April 2019, it reported more than a whopping 10 million daily active users!
However, it failed to capitalize on its meteoric rise in the face of stiff competition from Microsoft, Facebook, and a host of other IT companies that launched their own versions of office chat and productivity platforms. And inspite of the increase in remove work, it did not succeed in being profitable in the past three quarters.
"As software plays a more and more critical role in the performance of every organization, we share a vision of reduced complexity, increased power and flexibility, and ultimately a greater degree of alignment and organizational agility. Personally, I believe this is the most strategic combination in the history of software, and I can't wait to get going," Butterfield said in a statement.
This is one of the most interesting tech mergers in recent times and will be transformative for both, the industry and customers.


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Your home and family are unique, and your security system needs to be, as well. You could just be looking for a simple security system in Central City with window and door sensors to help protect against break-ins. Then again, maybe you're looking for a total solution that includes outdoor security cameras, fire alarms, and remote access control. Regardless of the solution you select, it's reassuring to know you'll get 24/7 monitoring with ADT.
There are many different features you can select from to design your home security system, depending on the security bundle you pick. Equipment may include:
Both indoor and outdoor security cameras in Central City can help offer extra peace of mind. If there is an odd noise in your yard or a suspicious motion, you can get into your video feed to view what's going on. Just as importantly, a doorbell camera can notify you about visitors on your porch so you can see who they are as well as if a package was dropped off. Want to see how the kids or pets are doing? Inside cameras with wide angles help you keep on top of their behavior.
You can get notifications and see live feeds and recordings from your Central City security cameras through the ADT Control app. Then you can view what's going on at home when you're away from the house.
Break-ins aren't the only emergency you should be ready for. ADT-monitored smoke and fire detectors in your Central City house can help protect your family when there's smoke and the temperature is rising.
Normal fire and carbon monoxide detectors can alert your loved ones if there's CO or smoke present. However, a monitored alarm or carbon monoxide alarm notifies an ADT monitoring station when set off - whether someone is there to hear it or not. The monitoring center can then alert the appropriate authorities specific to your customized emergency plan. Water detection devices are great optional add-ons if you have a concern about potential leaks.
When your home security alarm has ADT monitoring in Central City, you can be reassured it is aided by a trusted security company in the US. When an ADT-monitored system goes off, one of ADT's many monitoring centers will be asked to quickly notify the necessary personnel. No matter if you're working, vacationing, or sleeping, you can know that your house is being monitored to help keep you and your family safe.
Each system has a central command keypad to control your alarm. But you can take it one step further with the ADT Control digital app. Activate or deactivate your security system, receive security warnings, and see video streams directly from your security camera -- whether you're at work or at home. The ADT Control mobile app is available for Android and iOS devices, phones and computers.
Should you opt for an upgraded package, you can integrate smart home features into your home security system. Central City home automation with ADT Control 5000 plus products, like lights, sound systems, locks, thermostats, and more. You will see that having a Smart Home can help your day run more smoothly while also helping to safeguard your home and increasing your energy efficiency.
When you pick your Central City home security system, a security specialist will schedule your installation time. Select an appointment time that fits your day], and don't waste your time waiting around all day. You can also book a same-day or next day install appointment in many areas!
Installers will quickly install your home with a professional alarm system, helping to monitor your important entry points. The installers will then double-check that the equipment and back-up systems work as they should, and that it all is connecting to the nearest ADT monitoring station.
Just fill out the form or call (270) 262-8554 to go over your home protection with a security rep. Once you fill out the form, you'll get a call from a friendly professional who will help personalize a system to fit your house's particular needs. Then arrange your installation. There are also many same-day and next-day scheduling options in most areas.

subset: commoncrawl


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In 1990, Nobel Prize-winning Indian economist Amartya Sen noticed something remarkable. By his count, there were approximately 100 million "missing women" in Asia. They hadn't been kidnapped or stolen or died as the victims of a female-specific plague or war . . . Yet a population equivalent to every single girl and woman in the United Kingdom, France, and Italy was missing. Using records collected by governments, Sen observed that relative to the number of men, there were far too few women. He estimated that 100 million girls who should have been born, and grown into women, had simply never existed.1
The number of men compared to the number of women, baby boys relative to baby girls, is called the gender sex ratio. It is measured at two intervals: recorded live births and the number of men and women across the population. Using both measurements is significant for observing trends in population health, family structure, and demographic planning. In most of the world, the number of women is slightly higher than the number of men—about ninety-eight men to every 100 women, mostly attributed to women's slightly longer average life span. In Asia, however, there are 106 men for every 100 women. The difference in number grows even more extreme among those born after 1985. In China, a study of more than five million births between 2012 and 2015 showed that 110 boys were being born for every 100 girls.2 In 2011, the Indian state of Haryana recorded 120 boys born for every 100 girls. Societies with dramatically unequal birth sex ratios can suffer a variety of problems, such as a lack of stable families, "bride kidnapping" of unwilling women, large numbers of unmarried men leaving the country to find wives, and an even higher rate of violence against women and girls.3 The dramatic differences reported across Asia are not an accident of biology, but evidence of a widespread pattern toward "son bias" or "son preference." The amount of preference families have toward sons instead of daughters is one of the metrics used to measure discrimination against women used by the Organization for Economic Development and Co-operation (OECD) on their Social Institutions and Gender Index (SIGI).
The SIGI, the OECD's analytical tool, uses complex statistical analysis to compare if women are treated fairly by comparison with men, country by country. Gender equality is sometimes only thought of as concerning basic rights: women's right to vote or girls' right to attend school as boys do. While these are vital human rights and far from a given in much of the world, they do not capture the whole picture of women's social status. To get a better global picture of women's equality, the SIGI uses a variety of analytical lenses and tools. Some of the tools they use assess the law toward women across the whole society: Do women have the same civil liberties as men, for instance, to speak freely without fear of persecution? Do women have the same physical integrity, for instance, to walk freely without fear of assault? In many countries, the answer is no; even in unstable contexts, when human rights are not guaranteed to anyone, the rights of women are comparatively limited in the public sphere.
The other tools the SIGI uses measure gender equality in the home: Is the family code discriminatory, awarding inheritance only to male heirs and allowing only men to head households? Are women capable of holding the same financial and property assets under the eyes of the law and common practice?
The SIGI describes son bias as unequal intrahousehold investments in caring for, nurturing, and allocating resources to sons and daughters reflecting the lower value given to girls. A family preference for sons over daughters can manifest itself in different ways, including higher mortality, worse health status, or lower educational attainment among girls.4
While families around the world joke about preferring a boy or a girl, the prominence of son bias in Asia is evidence of a bleak tendency to deprive baby girls of the necessities of life. When women are perceived as lesser to men, families apply a crude cost-benefit analysis to their newborn infants. Is it worth it to feed the baby an extra mouthful or take the baby to the doctor if that food or money could be more usefully spent on her brother? Is it worth it to send a girl to school if women are perceived as less intelligent, capable, or able to ultimately work
in a socially valued job? Families engaged in this type of thinking are performing a simple version of an economic assessment calleda cost-benefit analysis. They observe the costs of feeding, schooling, and raising children; they observe benefits, like family wealth. In their analyses, boys offer a higher benefit relative to their cost, so they are preferred.
For centuries, unwanted female children were treated more poorly than their brothers in times of plenty and plainly rejected in times of famine. Boys were needed for farm labor and to carry on family names; through marriage, they would acquire a wife who would join their family, meaning the parents could always rely on their sons. Conversely, girls would be taken by marriage away from their own families and could not serve their parents in old age. In the worst circumstances, baby girls were ritually killed or left to die of exposure. The cost and effort to raise them was perceived as disproportionate to the benefits a girl (and later, woman) could confer upon a family. Deliberate infanticide of female infants is mercifully in decline in many places.
However, despite this trend, Asia's total female live births began to significantly decline after 1985. This drop-off did not reflect a change in attitudes, but a change in technology: the ultrasound machine. A vital tool for maternal health, the ultrasound can be used to detect birth defects and problems with the fetus, allowing doctors to intervene early to save the lives of mother and child alike. As Asia, particularly China, began to rapidly develop in the 1970s and 1980s, health care access improved for millions of people, including expectant mothers. However, the ultrasound machine offered an "opportunity" to families with strong son bias—they could observe the fetus's sex before it was born. If the fetus were male, the pregnancy could continue; if the fetus were female, and therefore less desirable or even undesirable, it could be aborted. This spared families the medical risks of labor and delivery, as well as the legal risks of infanticide, while still ensuring that sons would be born. Family structure as desired could be maintained.
It might be tempting to assume that because son preference is common across Asia, the patterns of missing women might be similar across countries—more missing women in rural regions, for instance, or more missing women in major cities. In fact, the patterns of missing women in India and China are opposites. In China, rural areas are missing many more women than men, and poorer families tend to have fewer daughters.5 Urban Chinese families, who do not have farms in need of labor, are more likely to accept daughters, and this likelihood increases as families become richer. Conversely, in India, richer, urban, and highly educated demographics have more missing women.6 Wealthier families appreciate that they would be investing significant resources into their children—not simply food and care, but payment for high-quality education in the hopes of professional success.
The reasons for the birth sex disparity are also different. In China, they are likely the result of the law, whereas elsewhere in Asia, they were not influenced by overarching laws or policies, but predominantly by social attitudes.
In China, the rise of sex-selective abortion coincided with the emergence of the One Child Policy. Designed to manage the rapidly growing population, the 1979 policy only allowed the typical Chinese family—not of an ethnic minority or families where the father was a disabled veteran—to have a single child. The birth of additional children would cause families to be subject to significant fines. After giving birth in a hospital for the first time, Chinese mothers would be fitted with an intrauterine device, or IUD, a permanent contraceptive that prevented further pregnancy. After having their second child, mothers would be permanently sterilized through a procedure called tubal ligation. More than 400 million Chinese mothers endured these procedures, many against their will—noncompliance to the compulsory sterilization could be met with loss of their jobs or removal of their children from school.7 Suddenly, son preference went from being a question of resource allocation to a matter of urgency: if they were only allowed to have a single child, that child would have to be a boy. By the time policy was revised to a Two Child Policy, and repealed in 2015, more than eighty million Chinese girls had been selectively aborted.
The Chinese case is unusual, however. In India, no law prevents families from having as many children as they please, even though government messaging began to encourage family planning in the mid- to late-twentiethth century. Yet in some Indian states, particularly the wealthier ones with better access to maternal health care like Punjab, Kashmir, and the previously mentioned Haryana, sex ratios are just as skewed as in China. No law has controlled birth rates in Pakistan, but the country is estimated by some to have the highest percentage of missing women relative to its total population. Its son bias is measured at 0.669 by the SIGI—one of the highest in the world.8
Both India's and Pakistan's missing women represent a significant policy issue. Sometimes, like in the case of One Child, a government policy has one intended outcome, but unintentionally causes another with negative implications, or in economic terms, a "negative externality." The Chinese government's intent was to reduce the birth rate and control the growing population, but it had intended for the population to still be balanced male-female. To correct the problem, or at least to mitigate it, the solution the government (eventually) undertook was to amend the policy. In India and Pakistan, there is no policy that controls the birth rate, but the problem is nevertheless severe. Their birth sex ratio problems are not the result of a law or policy. However, the problem could potentially be corrected by a policy.
To date, there is no policy that has been implemented on a wide scale, but there is evidence to suggest that changing incentives can help deter sex-selective abortion and correct the birth sex ratio. As mentioned earlier, many communities place less value on their daughters, partly for social reasons and partly for financial ones. However, novel "girl-valuing" incentives are being developed to change the perception of girls. In the village of Piplantri, in the Indian state of Rajasthan, villagers took strides to increase the value of the girl child in the eyes of both her parents and the community. When Shyam Sundar Paliwal, the village's sarpanch (elected leader) lost his daughter, he wanted to ensure she would be remembered.9 He swore that each time a girl child was born in the village, the community would plant 111 fruit trees in her honor. As the trees grow, they generate food and revenue for the village; their growth as the girl grows symbolizes the girl as a symbol of wealth, not financial burden.
To solidify the relationship between girlhood and wealth even further, Paliwal established a fund of 21,000 rupees (about US $330 and the equivalent of roughly four months' wages in India). The fund cannot be opened before the girl turns twenty; to receive the fund, the girl's parents must sign a legal document guaranteeing that she will be educated and not sold as a child bride. While statistics about births cannot be gleaned at the village level, the project appears to be a success, with more than 250,000 trees planted since 2006.10 The trees have generated a small aloe boom for the village, helping it become both more ecologically and financially stable.
The story of Paliwal is a hopeful one—demonstrating how local-level policy can reverse longstanding social biases against girls, while also generating economic opportunity. China's 2015 reversal is positive, too, demonstrating how changing policies can help restore the birth sex ratio. What the Chinese and Indian cases can teach us is that, historically, son bias has been common throughout Asia, but varies significantly from country to country. It can have impacts for girls and women, and for couples trying to plan for their families. Ultimately, it has significant impacts for society. No policy can bring back the missing women, but with stable and consistent efforts on the part of local, regional, and national governments, the demographic crisis caused by bias and policy could be significantly reduced within a generation or two.
The women may be missing, but the girls are coming home.
1. Amartya Sen, "More than 100 Million Women Are Missing," The New York Review of Books, December 20, 1990.
2. Yan Huang, Wen Tang, and Yi Mu, et al., "The Sex Ratio at Birth for 5,338,853 Deliveries in China from 2012 to 2015: A Facility-Based Study," Public Library of Science (PLOS) One, December 12, 2016.
3. Therese Hesketh and Zhu Wei Xing, "Abnormal Sex Ratios in Human Populations: Causes and Consequences," Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America (PNAS) 103, no. 36 (2006): 13271–13275.
4. Organization for Economic Co-operation and Develpment (OECD), "About the SIGI," OECD Social Institutions and Gender Index (SIGI), accessed August 10, 2017, http://www.genderindex.org/team/.
5. Veronica Pearson, "A Broken Compact," China's Deep Reform: Domestic Politics in Transition (Lanham: Rowman & Littlefield, 2006).
6. Tina Rosenburg, "The Daughter Deficit," New York Times Magazine, August 23, 2009.
7. Sui-Lee Wee "After One Child Policy, Outrage at China's Offer to Remove IUDs," The New York Times, January 7, 2017, https://tinyurl.com/kdjuzqh.
8. Stephan Lausen and Claudia Wink, "Missing Women: Revisiting the Debate," Feminist Economics 9, nos. 2–3 (2003): 270.
9. "Celebrating Girl Child: Here's What India Can Learn From Rajasthani Village, Piplantri," FirstPost, last modified March 20, 2015, https://tinyurl.com/y85ga35w.
10. Andy Meek, "Indian Village Plants Future for Young Girls," Time Magazine, June 13, 2013, https://tinyurl.com/llxre2b.


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Add to the combo a $50 billion a yr unregulated cosmetics enterprise that places limitless quantities of chemicals into private care merchandise with no required testing or monitoring of health outcomes, able to revenue from these slim beauty standards to transform girls and ladies into life-lengthy prospects. Many of those companies go to nice lengths to market to youngsters and "tweens" (8 to 12 12 months olds) as a part of this purpose. Their emphasis is on creating low value merchandise that enchantment to this demographic with little or no regard for the potential health or environmental impression of the chemical compounds used to provide them. Using particular mixtures of meals you eat everyday, China's Great Therapeutic Master reveals you find out how to only about treatment any health downside with straightforward to make recipes. Be taught exactly which meals to eat – and keep away from – to fight cancer, heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, arthritis, and additional!
Within the event you're a sporty sort of particular person earth makes a number of probably the most comfortable breathable footwear for summertime. Earth padded tongue provides cushioning over your toes, whereas on the comparable time the mesh lets the cool air come and let the foot breathe a bit. Earth footwear usually function a foot bumper so when you are out and about you get the additional safety. To be worthwhile with Crew Beachbody , you want a system which will follow your down line how one can create wealth with this MULTILEVEL MARKETING opportunity. You need a system that teaches folks MULTILEVEL ADVERTISING AND MARKETING lead era strategies , simple strategies to market Group Beachbody, and the best way to look at up with prospects and enroll new distributors into your Staff Beachbody business. A uncomplicated duplicable MULTILEVEL MARKETING lead generation system will get you on your option to nice Employees Beachbody success. You should have seen the composition of a human cell.
You might develop your personal skincare routine.
Stop eating processed meals, such as snack meals, white flour, and mushy drinks. As an alternative, eat pure meals which are naturally ripened, grown locally, and are freed from pesticides. Eat natural. Non-pure foods have pesticide, herbicide, and fungicide residues that may get into your system. They're artificially fertilized and do not comprise the vitamins of natural meals. Lip Care: Gently wash your lips with heat water on a smooth material. It will remove any dry and lifeless skin. Apply a lip balm to soften and heal chapped lips. While you select a mask or an evening cream as part of your cleaning skincare routine, seek for one which accommodates a number of lively substances that work together synergistically. The easiest skincare routine will embrace products made with all pure and natural parts. There are a whole lot of lotions and lotions and potions in the marketplace, but the problem is discovering a superb one to make use of as a part of your male skincare routine.
The sound for me was Earthy and grounding.
Each your meals and lifestyle have an affect on how your skin ages. At Yumy Asia, you possibly can find simply the proper recipes so as so as to add to your food regimen and every really feel and appear younger by overcoming your age indicators. From recipes containing substances rich in powerful antioxidants to recent elements that improve your energy ranges, discover every little thing it would be best to guide a extra healthy life. Human body needs water to carry out correctly. By consuming the proper quantity of water, you'll be able to flush out toxins out of your physique. Several studies have revealed the fact that staying hydrated retains human body acting at an optimum diploma. Environment friendly medical waste disposal is the initially strategy to prevent undesirable disease and cease untoward an an infection in direction of human beings from medical wastes. All staffs in any hospitals or laboratories are equally accountable in housekeeping. Good housekeeping can scale back the infection to an ideal extent.
It accommodates the antioxidant nutritional vitamins A, E and D that kill of the free radicals that age your skin. A very scientific and comforting rationalization of the way it works, unlike that of the unreal emulsified oils, containing surfactants that may damage your pores and skin, fairly than help it, and other rather more poisonous substances.


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A tribute to the legendary Apollo 13 mission and the Silver Snoopy Award that Omega received from the astronauts upon their safe return to Earth, this timepiece is a coveted collector's item (€6,000).
We use our own and third party cookies to improve your experience and our services. If you continue, we consider that you accept their use. You can get more information on your website at cookies policy.


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Genre: Fiction
The future is coming… for some sooner than others
Ellis Rogers is an ordinary man who is about to embark on an extraordinary journey. All his life he has played it safe and done the right thing, but faced with a terminal illness he's willing to take an insane gamble. He's built a time machine in his garage, and if it works, he'll face a world that challenges his understanding of what it means to be human, what it takes to love, and the cost of paradise. Ellis could find more than a cure for his illness; he might find what everyone has been searching for since time began…but only if he can survive Hollow World.
Welcome to the future and a new science fiction thriller from the bestselling author of The Riyria Revelations.
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Southern Grampians Shire Council is working to support Greater Hamilton businesses during COVID-19.
In this rapidly changing environment, Council's Economic Development & Tourism Unit has refocused the team on to Business and Economic Recovery whilst still looking to deliver the longer-term strategic projects required for our region to bounce back.
Our plan is simple:
1) Provide advice and support to businesses in response to the immediate issues they are facing
2) Work on strategies to allow our region to bounce back when recovery begins.
Initiatives activated to support our business community and local economy during this challenging time include:
Local business/community members have the opportunity to participate in the above initiatives. All details are contained within our COVID-19 Portal; Business Greater Hamilton, which hosts these resources alongside:
Council continues to work on several longer-term Strategic Economic Projects to ensure the Greater Hamilton region is poised for a strong recovery.
Key projects include;


text: The DML array feature does not support tables with triggers. As a work around, the request can be turned into a multi-statement request by appending a no-operation SQL statement. This causes ODBC Driver for Teradata to emulate the array request as a series of SQL requests that work on tables with triggers, but without the performance benefit of the DML array request.


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Adventure Bibles for Kids
The Adventure Bible is a popular kids Bible recommended by many Christian schools and churches.
Introducing the Adventure Bible for Kids
Ready for Adventure? Embark on a fun, exciting journey through God's Word with the Adventure Bible – now in full color throughout! Along the way you'll meet all types of people, see all sorts of places, and learn all kinds of things about the BIntroducing the Adventure Bible for Kidsible. Most importantly you'll grow closer in your relationship with God.
Recommended by more Christian schools and churches than any other Bible for kids! Available in NIV, NIrV, and NKJV.
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Story by
Tuesday ChutterCopywriter
Tuesday is a brand marketing specialist living and working in Amsterdam. Tuesday is a brand marketing specialist living and working in Amsterdam.
A planetary crisis looms large. Last summer's heatwave in Europe melted enough arctic ice to measurably rise global sea levels. In a single event.
Luckily the board is primed with big-thinking tech players ready to make their next move. Rather than balking in the face of an uncertain future, we're energized by the progress achievable in tackling environmental challenges through green tech. Can innovation combat the climate crisis, while promoting economic growth?
We know that emerging technology has a key role to play in achieving our global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) within the next decade. Discover three main themes and exciting speakers shaping our climate resilience roadmap at our 15th annual flagship tech event, TNW2020.
Global architecture in the 4th industrial revolution
Sustainable governance models will be integral to securing the future of climate-vulnerable populations worldwide. How can tools like cloud computing, biometric data, blockchain, and AI inform sustainable development — and what ethical questions will we need to address? Award-winning author on socioeconomic inequality, Branko Milanovic, will be joining us at TNW2020 to explore "political rewilding" or reshaping global architecture for the challenges of our times.
Big data intelligence for climate resilience
From locating harmful emissions to identifying supply chain pressure points, data intelligence can help us respond to threats and protect the environment. But where can industries adopt these technologies; and how can companies satisfy both financial goals and SDGs?
Dexter Glavin supports the development of a sustainable economy through environmental impact reporting as Global Director of Corporations and Supply chains at CDP. At TNW2020, he will share insights on how businesses can align Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) standards with our SDGs.
Citizen engagement in the digital age
New digital technologies enable companies and policy makers to act on consumer discourse. How can tech and data be used to close the business and consumer intention-action gap, driving sustainability through positive social influence?
Nadine Galle is on a fascinating mission to renature cities through Green City Watch — tech that monitors and improves the urban forests in megacities worldwide through geospatial AI and computer vision. At TNW2020, Nadine will be presenting on citizen engagement, climate crisis, and consumption models.
Feeling inspired? Arm yourself with the knowledge and motivation to forge a green path forward with us and ABN AMRO at TNW2020's Sustainable Societies track. Get your tickets now and join us in Amsterdam on October 1 & 2.
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Gladys Maccabe
Gladys Maccabe was born in Randallstown, County Antrim, in 1918 to artistic parents. Her mother, Elizabeth, was a designer in the linen business, and her Scottish father, George Chalmers, was a former army officer and artist specialising in calligraphy and illumination. It is perhaps not surprising, therefore, that she began drawing and painting at an early age, having a picture published in the Royal Drawing Society's magazine when she was 16 years old, and going on to study at Belfast College of Art. In 1941 she married childhood friend, the artist and musician Max Maccabe. The couple held joint exhibitions, firstly in Belfast's Robinson and Cleaver's in 1942 and then in London's Kensington Gallery in 1949; they exhibited regularly together thereafter. Alongside fellow artists such as Dan O'Neill, George Campbell, Gerard Dillon and William Conor, they were members of The Contemporary Ulster Group. Gladys' portrait of Conor (1957) hangs in the Ulster Folk Museum.
The lack of recognition afforded to local female artists inspired her to form the Ulster Society of Women Artists in 1957. Beginning with just ten members, the Society's first major exhibition was in the Belfast Museum and Art Gallery in 1959 and has continued to thrive. Maccabe's own work is varied, including flowers, still life and abstracts, with many depictions of events such as race meetings, fairs and markets. Witnessing the Belfast 'Troubles' of 1969, she depicted scenes such as Barricades, Blazing Warehouse, Petrol Bomb Sequel and Funeral of a Victim, which were included in the annual exhibition of The Royal Institute of Oil Painters in London in October of that year. During the 1960s she also worked as a fashion and arts correspondent for both newspapers and television.
In 1989, a retrospective exhibition of her work, entitled 'Gladys Maccabe, A Lifetime of Art, The Retrospective', was held at The George Gallery, Dublin. She has also exhibited at the Paris Salon, and examples of her work are in The Ulster Museum, The Royal Ulster Academy, The Arts Council of Ireland Collection, The Imperial War Museum and many other permanent collections.
In 1961, Gladys was elected a Member of the Royal Institute of Oil Painters, and in 1980, she was awarded an Honorary MA degree by Queen's University Belfast. She is also an Honorary Academician of the Royal Ulster Academy, a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, and has received many other accolades, including the 1984 World Culture Prize. Gladys was awarded an MBE for services to the arts on 21 November 2000.
Susan Stairs, Drawing from Memory: The Life of Irish Artist Gladys Maccabe, (Shortall-Stairs Publications 2004)


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Eid by bike - celebrate the Muslim festival by donating food
Eid by bike - celebrate the Muslim festival by donating food
Earlier this month, we talked about the Buddhist festival of Dharma Day which took place on Sunday 5 July, the day of the full moon, and marks the beginning of Bhudda's teachings - we encouraged cyclists to visit places of quiet contemplation to mark the occasion.
Now, we are looking forward to Eid al-Adha, which is considered the holier of the two Islamic festivals of Eid, and this year begins on Friday 31 July and continues until the evening of Sunday 2 August. It will be celebrated by the UK's 2.6 million Muslims. Eid al-Adha falls on the tenth day of Dhu al-Hijjah, the twelfth month of the Islamic Hijri calendar, which is determined by the lunar cycle so moves forward every year to coincide with when the new moon is first visible, making it hard to predict in the Gregorian calendar.
What is Eid?
The first festival, Eid al-Fitr, took place on 23-34 May and marked the end of Ramadan, the Muslim season of fasting. Eid al-Adha on the other hand marks the occasion when the prophet Ibrahim (known to Christians as Abraham) offered his son in sacrifice to God before Allah provided a lamb to be sacrificed in his place instead. Traditionally, an animal is sacrificed and divided between the poor and immediate family and relations. Some people give money instead to charity to enable poorer families to enjoy a feast. There is also often an exchange of gifts and food is shared between family and friends.
How will it be celebrated?
With many coronavirus restrictions still in place, we asked some of our Muslim cycling groups how they were planning to celebrate Eid al-Adha this year.
Ahmadiyya Cycling Club
Dr Anas Rana of Cycling UK affiliated group Ahmadiyya Cycling Club (ACC) says they are planning to deliver food prepared by the Muslim community at mosques in East London and Morden in South London by bike to the homeless in the middle of Eid on Saturday 1 August. The club is an off-shoot of charity the Ahmadiyya Muslim Youth Association UK (AMYA), the largest Muslim youth group in the UK, and Anas, a cancer researcher by profession, is the volunteer director of its department for Charities and Welfare. ACC regularly organises long distance rides such as Glasgow and Paris to London with and for charitable causes such as the British Heart Foundation, Cancer Research UK and Humanity First. It was founded in 2014 andis aimed at Muslim men and boys aged between 15 and 40.
Anas says there is a lot of enthusiasm amongst the community for cycling, so much so that there are now three different groups riding regularly and catering for different sectors, including a women's group and one for the elderly.
Ahmadiyya Cycling Club has around 30-40 members turning out for regular group rides and they are mainly based in and around London and the Surrey Hills. While the focus is mainly on road riding, some of the group also enjoy mountain biking. Although mostly a social cycling club, the spirit can be competitive, with riders pitting themselves against each other on the iconic Box Hill Zig Zag climb!
Every year, a group of around ten cyclists also makes its way by bike to the faith's base in Farnham in Surrey from their branch in Frankfurt. Follow their exploits on Twitter @AhmadiCyclingC and on Instagram at ahmadicyclingclub.
'Love for All Hatred for None'
As part of its commitment to integration and helping others, AMYA has a long history of raising large sums of money for British charities. The organisation lives by the motto 'Love For All Hatred For None'; its purpose is to revive the 'true Islamic values' of Loyalty, Freedom, Equality, Respect and Peace by breaking down barriers and building trust, thereby enabling a better understanding of Islamic beliefs and their role in modern life.
Founded in India in 1889, and established in the UK since 1913, the Ahmadiyya Muslim community built London's first mosque in Putney in 1926 and now has 100 branches across the UK, including the Baitul Futuh mosque in south London, the largest in Western Europe. The aim is to serve humanity while upholding the tenets of Islam in a peaceful and charitable way.
This Eid, the focus for AMYA will be on supporting the pandemic effort by distributing food and essential hampers to the homeless and key workers in major cities across Britain. Rather than gathering together at mosques to pray and share food, as would be the norm, Ahmadiyya Muslim communities will be tasked with distributing aid to the needy. So far this year already, AMYA has helped 13,390 households, 24 charities and food banks, 21 local councils and delivered 205,228 items of PPE on behalf of the government to NHS staff. Additionally, in 2019-2020 it has also donated 7,700kg of food and 4,100kg of clothes, made 4,000 welfare visits, donated 750 units of blood, planted 37,000 trees and done much more besides.
Cycle Sisters
Meanwhile, another Cycling UK affiliated group, Cycle Sisters, which is aimed primarily at Muslim women, will not be doing anything specific for Eid al-Adha this year due to the season falling in the school holidays, when many of its riders would be unable to meet up anyway. However, usually over Eid their WhatsApp group is very active and sends each other Eid greetings and prayers. Some of the group might also do family rides, and last year, the group's found Sarah Javaid delivered all her family Eid presents by bike. And one year rider Nailla Majid received a bike as an Eid present from her husband!
Cycle Sisters have also been supporting each other through the pandemic with bike buddies, Zoom calls, a Destination of the Week and lots of tips on their own YouTube channel.
Good Deeds on Bikes
Cycle Sisters trustee Emma Pajarillaga, who was included in Cycling UK's 100 Women in Cycling list last year, is the lead for Good Deeds on Bikes, part of the Walthamstow-based Hornbeam Café and Centre. They are not doing anything specific for Eid but have, however, been doing some fantastic work to get shopping and hot food by bike to people isolating at home since the start of lockdown, on top of their food rescue work.
Get involved
Why not celebrate Eid al-Adha this year too by making a food delivery by bike to a homeless charity, local foodbank or someone in need then share your photos and stories with Cycling UK using #eidbybike? If there is nothing suitable local to you, perhaps have a socially distanced picnic ride with your group, friends or family instead?
If you are a volunteer registered with Cycling UK's, you can find it as a task on our volunteer platform Assemble.


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Domain Smoke Polarized MAXX Sunglasses
The Domain Style is the MAXX brand's best selling pair of sunglasses. Fishermen everywhere love the Domain Black for its stylish design, comfortable fit, and of course our amazing high definition lens. The Domain is the world's greatest pair of sunglasses for on the water. This Style comes in Black, Blue, Red and White Color Options.


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GRAIN VALLEY, Mo. (KCTV) – An intoxicated pilot who ran out of fuel had to make an emergency landing on Interstate 70 east of Grain Valley early Friday morning, hitting no vehicles and causing no serious injuries in the process, according to the Missouri State Highway Patrol.
The highway patrol and local authorities were called at 2:34 a.m. to the westbound lanes of I-70, where a small aircraft had made an emergency landing on the interstate. The pilot—the only person on-board—suffered minor injuries, according to the highway patrol.
Westbound lanes of I-70 remain closed for multiple hours after the incident. The plane was removed and westbound lanes reopened shortly after 5 a.m.
Online flight records indicate the plane is a single-engine Piper Cherokee craft owned by Warrior Aviation LC in Prairie Village, KS. It had made several flights over the 24-hour period before the emergency landing, going from Kansas City to Florida, and then back up.
The plane last took off near Warrensburg at 2:15 a.m. The records indicate the flight lasted 19 minutes, with the plane making a landing on the interstate at 2:34 a.m.
The pilot radioed in to say he ran out of fuel and had to make an emergency landing on the interstate. The plane had a minor collision with a guardrail during the landing but otherwise didn't hit anything.
The highway patrol said the pilot was found to be intoxicated. He was treated at a local hospital for minor injuries and arrested.
Flight records indicate the craft took off from Wheeler Downtown Airport in Kansas City Thursday at 3 a.m. and flew to Daytona Beach, FL, with brief stops in Mississippi and Alabama along the way. It then turned around and headed back to Kansas City, stopping in Mississippi, Tennessee, Arkansas and Warrensburg, MO.
Highway patrol arrest records later identified the pilot as 35-year-old John Seesing, of Prairie Village. He was facing charges of operating a vehicle while intoxicated, felony possession of a controlled substance, felony unlawful possession of a firearm, possession of marijuana and unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia.
KCTV5 will update this story as more information becomes available. Stay with us on-air, on social media and online at KCTV5.com
Copyright 2022 KCTV. All rights reserved.
Quoted from Various Sources
Published for: Mr Blow Up


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città storica strategic planning networks welfare neighborhood Community culture tourism sociology urban renewal history anthropology creativity large scale plans & projects European policies urban form ricerca city transport & logistics safety & security job premio gubbio 2018 urban theory premi tesi di dottorato simulation
3 | To encourage participation
by Leonardo Ciacci
This new update of Archive Movies takes the 'reader' to a historic moment considerable closer to us than those of the 1930s on which the column has focused until now, and to which it will in any case have reason to return. If the images that the town planners' filmed archive allows us to see again are considered together, the fifties do not seem much closer to us than those preceding the second world war. The move from subtitles to sound superimposed on every frame of the film does not help to make any significant time distance. Rather, the commentary to the images often weighs down the filmed interpretation with narrative and rhetorical themes that take much from the immediacy of the mute black and white of the first attempts at filmed town planning and architecture communication. Given that we are now completely surrounded by the graphic language of video and multi-media presentations, we frankly have some difficulty in noting differences that are flattened within the 'genres' established by the usual chronology of cinema periods. The three documentaries of the 1954 Trilogia (thirty minutes in all) are in this context nevertheless a special case. One of the three films, Una lezione d'urbanistica, is still capable of provoking a clear reaction from the audience, which inevitably applauds at every screening and easily remembers (when made up of students) both the images and themes presented. The takes of La città degli uomini in their turn give rare proof of how this little appreciated genre of cinema is part of the same language that has largely made up the visual memory we share.
Cronache dell'urbanistica italiana, finally, the hardest to accept in its ideological reasoning and tone, offers important proof of what town planning could be when it is not experienced as the knowledge and action of initiates. This is where the topicality of these three old films lies: in the freshness of wanting to communicate their knowledge, considered as an instrument available to all and one that is ineffective if separated from the daily procedure of transforming what has been constructed, whose specificity lies in always and inevitably being a collective project. The project of the creators of the Trilogia destined for the Milan Trienniel of '54 is called: "participation". There are no longer town planning schemes to be carried out and on which agreement must be encouraged. Innovative signs to be asserted against others of a past to be rejected are not shown. Rather, they reflect and invite reflection. They invite participation and at the same time demand a political role, of participation in political life, for town planners and architects. The controlled definition of the subjects and the detailed writing of the screenplay perhaps weighs a little on the images of these films, but in the light of the technological simplifications seen in new video products, they make you look back nostalgically to a time when town planners and film directors worked together, albeit sporadically.
Related articles:
- Town planning scheme and participation
- Trilogy, X Triennial of Milan - 1954
- Film and Video for Urban Planning & Design | New Section Introduction
- Film and Video for Urban Planning & Design | Una Nuova Introduzione (ITALIAN VERSION)
- Abstract of the Giancarlo De Carlo conclusive intervention at the conference "The films and the journal of Giancarlo De Carlo on-line in Planum.net"
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Dipartimento di Architettura Università degli Studi di Roma Tre
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Printable Sign In Sheet from visitor sign in sheet template , image source: www.vertex42.com
Every week brings job lists, emails, files, and new jobs. How much of this is totally different from the job you have done before? Odds are, not much. A number of our tasks are variants on something we have done countless times before.
Don't reinvent the wheel every single time you start something new. Use templates–as starting point for new work standardized documents with formatting and text. Once you save a version of the template add, eliminate, or alter any data for that document, and you are going to have the new job.
Templates work everywhere: in word processors, spreadsheets, project management programs, survey platforms, and also email. Here's to generate documents from a template — and the way to use templates from your favorite apps –so it's possible to get your ordinary tasks done quicker.
Programs take the time to construct, and it's easy to wonder whether they are worth the investment. The short answer: absolutely. Editing a template takes far less time than formatting something. It's the distinction between retyping it, or copying and pasting some text.
That's only one advantage: Using a template means you're not as likely to leave out key information, too. By way of example, if you want to send freelance writers a contributor arrangement, changing a standard contract template (instead of writing a new contract every time) guarantees you won't leave out that crucial clause about possessing the content once you've paid for this.
Templates additionally guarantee consistency. You send clients or investors regular project updates. With a template, you understand the upgrade will always have the same formatting, design, and structure.
How to Create Great Templates
Not all templates are created equal–and some things do not need a template. Listed below are a few tips to follow.
First, templates must be comprehensive. It's more easy to delete info than add it , so err on the side of adding also instead of too small.
Imagine you're developing a template of your resume. You'd want to list facts about your responsibilities and achievements, and that means you'll have all the info you want to apply for almost any job.
You can always delete notes later on, but you might forget it if it is not in the template.
Some applications will automatically fill in all these factors for you (more on this in a bit). But if you need to fill in the data by yourself, add some text that's simple and obvious to search for so it is possible to locate text that has to be altered without much work.


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Seizur aged 20, born in Bar-le-Duc in the East of France. He will make his childhood nomadic by moving at least once a year until he is 16 years old. Coming from a rural background he will grow between excesses, drama and financial difficulties.
Without a real diploma in hand he will start working immediately exit of the school curriculum, in order to provide for the needs of his family. Seizur made his rap debut in 2012 officially. He participates in many open mic, joined several MC's on independent compilations and released several Tape in the privacy at the fûr and over the years.
Active for 6 years now, he has a traditional career before becoming professional in early 2018 with the collaboration of the East'Art Nancy production company and the invaluable help of other stakeholders. He is now mainly rapping on Trap, but keeps a unique feather and particularly worked. Owner of a flow and a unique voice, verses full of alliterations, the most advanced styles of figures will give way to energetic, dynamic refrains that will make crowds jump.
Highly influenced by the US sounds produced by Dr. Dre, or by the ability to adapt to the Niro. Seizur is a true blend of precision and spontaneity, it reinforces the image of the rap said "conscious" by adapting it in its own way. Hip-Hop in attitude and in his dress style, smiling and arrogant, he places himself very well in his character detached from himself.


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E Business Manager
1. 担当企業の売上・利益目標の設定と進捗管理と達成 / Achieve Sales & KPIs
● Delivering Result Strongly
● Planning Key Account's Business Plan; Key Initiative, Sales Plan with Building Blocks
● Tracking and Analyzing Key Account's KPI; Sales, Sales Allowance, Stock, Media,
● Managing Budget and Ensuing Profitability
2.担当企業の販売戦略立案・実施・改善/プロモーションプランの企画、立案 / Strategic Planning and Execution
● Planning Customer Business Plans with Right Understanding about Key Accounts Strategies
● Planning Customer Promotion Plans; Festival, Brand, Category
● Optimizing Media Strategy and Merchandizing Strategy; Catalog, Trade Promotion, in Link with the Marketing Plan
● Planning Accuracy Forecast
3.担当企業のサイトの管理 / Manage e-Commerce site
● Developing and Maintaining e-Commerce site
● Managing Site Fundamentals; A+, Customer Review, Pricing, Stock
4.担当企業とのパートナーシップの確立/ Joint Business Plan with Key Account
● Negotiating and Selling Discussion with the Buyers and other key players
● Sustaining and Developing good relationship with E-Retailers
5.社内関連部署との連携とチームマネージメント/ Team management & collaboration
● Maintaining Collaborative Relations with Internal Teams; Sales Division, Supply Chain, Logistics, Marketing, Trade Marketing, CDO, etc.
● Lead and manage Indirect EC team, about 3-4 people.
● Maintain understanding of the latest digital opportunity and trends on @cosme and DS EC, inspire the brand with those possibilities and share best practice


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James Lindsey Parish
Ph.D. The University of Chicago 1985
Dissertation: Maximal-Isotropy Divisors on Abelian Varieties
Mathematics Subject Classification: 14—Algebraic geometry
Advisor: Spencer Janney Bloch
No students known.
If you have additional information or corrections regarding this mathematician, please use the update form. To submit students of this mathematician, please use the new data form, noting this mathematician's MGP ID of 86594 for the advisor ID.


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Human Subjects Research Project Manager- Digital Team - The Seattle Epidemiologic Research and Information Center (ERIC)
Human Subjects Research Project Manager- Digital Team
The Seattle Epidemiologic Research and Information Center (ERIC) Digital Team within the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is accepting applications for a full-time Project Manager.
The Seattle ERIC Digital Team is focused on two goals:
- Reducing the complexity of research by consolidating and clearly presenting information about human subjects protection and conducting VA research
- Clearly communicating Seattle ERIC research and Seattle ERIC-led VA Cooperative Studies Program (CSP) initiatives in a compelling way on public facing VA websites
This position reports to the Digital Team Program Lead
Key duties for this position include:
- Implementing and managing content strategy for multiple VA research sites including internal SharePoint sites and public facing websites, such as
- Documenting operations processes so there's clarity around the structure, purpose, boundaries, accountability, and workflows for each site
- Quality control through page audits and recommending changes based on results
- Thinking strategically about how content is produced and managed to promote efficiency
- Designing content in a way that makes complex research language and research-related processes easier to understand, such as
- Synthesizing human subjects research policies and research guidance information from multiple sources or breaking down that information into more manageable pieces
- Partnering with subject matter experts in Institutional Review Board (IRB), Research and Development (R&D), Privacy, Information Security, IT, and Data Management to create clear and accurate information
- Implementing internal style guides and following VA content principles
- Researching, confirming, and sourcing content ideas (often drawing on professional relationships with subject matter experts)
- Participating in team content reviews and providing critique based on plain language
- Writing using plain language concepts
- Creating materials about research or operations activities for non-VA, non-research audiences, such as
- Doing independent background research including informal interviews and reviewing other source materials
- Writing using storytelling for business skills to promote a concept, set a vision, or educate readers
- Maintaining multiple VA websites and publishing all content within those sites (currently SharePoint Online and TeamSite), such as
- Creating, modifying, and customizing SharePoint pages, libraries, lists, or views
- Confidently problem solving in a web space bound by regulatory restrictions
- Documenting maintenance and publishing processes
- Approaching and understanding problems through human centered design principles and methods, such as
- Understanding basic human centered design or user experience (UX) research methods and when to use them
- Carrying out user research and then analyzing and following through on results
- Understanding the needs of and building ongoing relationships with site stakeholders, such as
- Understanding how to work with different stakeholder groups
- Communicating strategies, user research evidence, and suggestions effectively
- Maintaining awareness of stakeholder needs
- Ongoing relationship building across CSP, facility, and other research groups, such as
- Participating in calls or workgroups to learn about user needs and identify content opportunities
- Maintaining existing and establishing new connections with a variety of subject matter experts for collaboration and consultation
- Contributing to cross functional group efforts to improve research processes and efficiency
Qualities and skills of an ideal candidate
- BA/BS or higher degree in a health-related or social sciences discipline required; Master's level degree preferred
- If BA/BS, 5+ years of research-related experience required
- If higher degree, 3+ years of research-related experience preferred
- Demonstrated experience with federally-funded human subjects research and ability to show an understanding of its complexity
- Demonstrated empathetic, clear, and thoughtful communicator
- Demonstrated ability to effectively lead and manage projects
- Experience building internal systems that support attention to detail and quality control
- Strong Microsoft Office Suite skills, especially SharePoint Online, Office365, and OneNote
- Confidence with web technology
- Understands the challenges of and skilled in problem solving technology issues within an environment that's bound by regulatory restrictions
- Experience publishing material through a web platform or content management system
- Demonstrated curiosity and willingness to learn
About Seattle ERIC and VA Cooperative Studies Program (CSP)
The Seattle ERIC is a research center within the VA Puget Sound Health Care System that works to improve the health and health care of Veterans through epidemiologic research. We are part of the VA Cooperative Studies Program, a national VA research group of 12 epidemiology and clinical trial research centers.
For more about the Seattle ERIC: https://www.seattle.eric.research.va.gov/
For more about the VA Cooperative Studies Program: https://www.vacsp.research.va.gov/
Application information
Candidates must be U.S. citizens. Education and experience will be evaluated by Human Resources to determine if the top candidate meets the criteria for GS-11, per the Office of Personnel Management General Schedule table at opm.gov.
The position is at VA Puget Sound in Seattle, however, remote work may be considered.
Please send a cover letter and resume to email@example.com. Applications will be accepted until the position is filled. Only complete applications will be considered.
Diversity enriches research and promotes the best healthcare. We are committed to building and sustaining an equitable and inclusive environment for our Center. We encourage individuals whose backgrounds or interests align with this commitment, as well as individuals from all backgrounds that are underrepresented in research, to apply.


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Although "speculative fiction" is sometimes used as a catch-all term that includes fantasy, science fiction, horror, and superhero literature, Margaret Atwood identifies speculative and science fiction as different genres. While science fiction, according to Atwood, "has monsters and spaceships", speculative fiction is about things that "could really happen". We can find speculative fiction in many contemporary forms of popular culture, in podcasts (e.g. FlashForward), movies and tv shows (e.g. Black Mirror), and books (e.g. Handmaid's Tale and Parable of the Sower), to name only a few. I contend that speculative fiction has a role that goes beyond entertainment purposes. It can be used to reimagine online spaces as inclusive spaces for women and minorities as academics and activists.
Academic scholars such as Sarah Kember and Donna Haraway have discussed the role that writing plays in world-building for academic use especially through irony and parody. I have recently read Kember's book iMedia: The Gendering of Objects, Environments and Smart Materials and was struck by her intertwining of speculative fiction with her work on the gendering of smart objects and technologies like Google Glass and smartphones. By doing so, she has turned writing to what she describes as "a mode of reinventing the world without having to affirm or deny it."
Community activists, inspired by Octavia's Brood, have also dabbled in speculative fiction writing. Through short fiction stories, these activists have tried to build new ways of thinking and new imaginings around current issues facing their communities.
From these works, I gather that speculative fiction is more of a way to engage in and be reflexive to draw out our imaginations to re-world; it's not as much as convincing other people that our world will come about. It is about bringing forth possibilities based on our reflections and experiences and of what we want out of our world and to draw attention to this.
Speculative fiction in my own practice:
My colleagues and I worked last year with speculating futures, fictions and designs on topics of interest to us. It was useful for me to be able to think beyond the apps that exist today in order to think about new apps to potentially make new worlds tomorrow. I used speculative fiction to help me think through a speculative design of apps that could be useful for women who experience violence. We can't just look at the technology in isolation but rather at its entanglements with behaviours and culture
Below is an excerpt of my speculative fiction, inspired by Sarah Kember's use of writing fiction around technology alongside her theoretical ideas. I created my imagined future of a Canada free of online harassment. This example, I hope, illustrates the often overlooked physical effect of experiencing online harassment that has been pushed aside and ignored by tech developers, law enforcement, and news media who continue to reinforce violent behaviours instead of preventing and ending them:
"It's Friday morning, as you head into the kitchen, grunt a barely comprehensible "good morning" to your family already there waiting for you. "Can I please get extra lunch money for doughnut day?" "Sure, kid" you reply and using just your thoughts, deposit money into your child's online bank account. As you do so, the child's dopamine and serotonin levels start to rise, heart rate and breathing rate have increased, and the exact levels of elatedness the child is feeling is transmitted through the microchip you have implanted in your brain to induce an emotional event equivalent to the experience being felt by the child. Both of you, feeling pleasantly content, continue with your day, interacting with others. It's March already and only a few months since the bio-implants were made mandatory to access the Internet by the Canadian government. As you're sitting in your self-driving car, you browse through your news feeds being shown through one part of your eye, you come across a photo of a friend of a friend, a woman who looks pretty happy in the photo and a discussion that's already starting to get a bit heated between the woman in the photo and another friend of hers. You watch for a while, chuckle to yourself, and then decide to jump in with something that would be much more attention-grabbing .. you call her some foul names with your mind, but that's not really enough, you're not getting the reaction you want. So you urge others to continue to taunt her, and you share her home address, threaten her and her family and go on until … until the chip in your brain begins to detect how you are causing another person to feel through your interaction. Your bio-integrated social networking induces an emotional trauma equivalent to the levels of trauma the other person is experiencing. The chip in the brain is set up to lock you out of the Internet once you've passed the threshold of trauma being inflected and simultaneously experienced. You are locked out until that other person returns back to their neutral state before you had interacted with them, for however long it takes, if it ever even happens."
I hope to spend more time with speculative fiction in my future work to start rebuilding these online spaces. How do you use or hope to use speculative fiction or design in your academic/activist/community work? Or for yourself?
Thumbnail: Pinterest


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SIB Releases 2014 Stats
The Statistical Institute of Belize (SIB) today released the 2014 External Trade and Consumer Price Index stats which show that imports went up while exports went down. At December of last year, domestic exports totaled twenty-eight point six million dollars, which represents over a two million dollars drop from December 2013. Of Belize's five major exports, marine products had the sharpest decline of over five million dollars, while banana exports remained the same. Also to note, citrus exports were down by more than sixteen million dollars which was impacted by the decline in export of orange concentrate. The SIB reports that although there were no exports for crude petroleum during December 2014, it had sales in excess of six million dollars. **The total exported goods for the year stood at a little over six hundred and two million dollars, falling by almost sixty million dollars when compared to the previous year. On the upside, sugar and banana sales have increased with just under one hundred and eighty-five million dollars compared to last year December. Merchandise imports for the entire 2014 totaled just over two billion dollar, which has gone up by almost eight percent over last year's total. Machinery and Transport Equipment, Mineral Fuels and Lubricants, Food and Live Animals and Goods accounted for majority of the overall increase recorded for 2014. SIB says that the US continues to be Belize's largest source of imported goods. As it relates to the Food and Fuel prices, in December the inflation was pushed down by zero point four percent when compared to December 2013. The SIB says that this represented the first overall decline in consumer prices since May 2013 and was driven down by a sharp drop in fuel prices and a slower but steady decline in food prices. Similarly, international airfares were down by seventeen percent. Inflation in the category of housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels remained at one percent. Notwithstanding the slowdown in inflation recorded during the last five months, the national inflation rate for the year 2014 was one percent, with home rentals, transport, some food items, and insurance premiums driving this increase through the year.


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Fredrik Marine carries various maritime grade accessories for marine PC computers.
Power Module: Power supply 115/230 Volt AC 60 watt
Power Cable: Provides power to the NMEA 2000 network
Portable laptop keyboard foldable, compact, with soft silicone rubber and waterproof design, easy to clean. Broad Compatibility backlit connect with USB connector
Wireless, charged by battery (not included), easy to install. Can be used – left or right hand. Press the button then appear a laser pointer for presentation. Off table and without limitation of operational space with maximum radius 100 ft. Button function can be controlled simply by thumb. No software required.
Wireless keyboard, connect with USB with up to 100ft range. Silent to press and rebound quickly, effectively improve your work efficiency. This wireless keyboard provides a remarkably comfortable, precise and sensitive typing experience.
Sorry, we couldn't find any posts. Please try a different search.


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The 5 best bike trails in Rotterdam
1) Explore the Nieuwe Maas
The Nieuwe Maas really is the heart of the city. Follow its banks and explore the imposing architecture, the green parks and an uninhabited island, industrial sites, grand boulevards and most of all enjoy some stunning views. The entire trail, including bridges, tunnels and a ferry crossing is 28 kilometres long, but you can easily divide it up into smaller parts.
2) Follow The Rotte
Follow the river Rotte, to which Rotterdam owes its name, northwards out of the city, starting from Noordplein all the way to the beautiful Rottemeren recreation area (a little over 12 kilometres). On your way there you'll pass old dike houses, windmills and green meadows. There are few cars along the way and lots of places to stop for a drink or to admire the view.
More hidden secrets of Rotterdam?
Discover all 500 hidden gems and interesting facts in this clever guide to Rotterdam, written by two locals. The perfect companion for a trip off the beaten track.
3) Waalhaven
Get a real feel for the port by cycling around Waalhaven. Take your bike through the Maastunnel and resurface on the southern bank of Nieuwe Maas. Bike on the left bank of the river towards Waalhaven. You can bike all around it until you reach the dry docks and the historic village of Heijplaat. Take the ferry back to the city centre from here.
4) Historic Delfshaven/Schiedam/Maassluis
This trail will take you from Eendrachtsplein westwards across Nieuwe Binnenweg into historic Delfshaven. From here, follow the signs to Schiedam and visit the modern art (Stedelijk Schiedam) or Jenever Museum. Return to Rotterdam or continue for another 13 km to the picturesque village of historic Maassluis. The whole trail is 20 km one way, with plenty of interesting stops along the way.
5) Overschie/Midden Delfland/Delft
From Hofplein bike along Schiekade and Schieweg to Rotterdam Airport (8,5 km). Admire the Rotterdam skyline from a distance amid the green fields of Midden Delfland. Here you can enjoy fantastic views of the city. Delft is another 6,5 km from here. Stop midway at brasserie Waalhaven at the airport (Malpensabaan 3) for a drink and some plane spotting.
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Researchers say a juvenile shortfin mako shark tagged more than eight months ago off Ocean City Maryland is tracking a highly unusual path directly south in the mid-Atlantic – a fast track to a mystery destination.
"I've never seen one act quite like this one," said Dr. Mahmood Shivji, Director of Nova Southeastern University's (NSU) Guy Harvey Research Institute (GHRI) and Save our Seas Research Center. "The mako is displaying an amazingly directed movement – as if this shark has a specific destination it wants to get to in a hurry," he added, pointing to a computer screen showing the nearly straight vertical path of a young male mako dubbed I-NSU.
The public can also follow I-NSU as well as other tagged sharks in near real-time, courtesy of an interactive online website set-up by GHRI (www.nova.edu/ocean/ghri/tracking/).
Shivji and his GHRI team have satellite tagged and tracked several species of sharks. I-NSU is among 16 mako sharks tagged with special satellite-linked devices allowing GHRI researchers to monitor their movements. The research team has a particular interest in mako shark behavior and conservation. In addition to being the NSU athletics mascot, this fast swimming species is also under heavy fishing pressure. In fact, three of the nine mako sharks GHRI started tracking in 2013 were captured in commercial longline fisheries.
The tracking website is an educational outreach component of GHRI's quest to study shark migration patterns, with the ultimate goal being to better understand and protect them, as some species are threatened or endangered.
NSU's GHRI began tagging mako sharks in 2009 to study their migratory patterns and now undertakes expeditions worldwide to study these amazing animals. The school's marine experts have tagged mako sharks as far away as Mexico and New Zealand. In addition to makos, GHRI and Save Our Seas Shark Research Center scientists are also tracking tiger, oceanic white tip and sand tiger sharks, as well as blue marlin.
Shivji said tagged sharks, though many do traverse thousands of miles, often move in irregular patterns, sometimes even crossing over previous tracks and frequently changing directions.
"I-NSU also showed an irregular and looping pattern for four months when it was exploring northern latitudes, but at some point it decided it was time to get somewhere directly south and has been on a virtual straight track for the last nearly 1,100 miles," he said.
Is the shark on a mission to reach a destination?
"I guess we will just have to wait and see," said Shivji. "It certainly hasn't been meandering for the past 26 days. It sure looks like it's focused on getting somewhere specific."


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A huge thank you to all of the hard-working small business owners who have survived and thrived one of the most challenging years ever to be in business. Here is the latest on a slew of entrepreneurs taking the new business plunge, as well as a pair of Old Town businesses celebrating milestones.
Happy Anniversary!
• Maggie and Me, 6 Bruin Road, Bluffton, 843-707-9083: This boutique offering "sophisticated but casual" clothing, shoes and accessories for women, teens, infants and toddlers, recently celebrated its one-year anniversary in Old Town Bluffton. Rebecca Mancini already had an established boutique in Circleville, Ohio, and was looking for a "next chapter" after 20 successful years up north, so like many Ohioans, she looked to the Lowcountry. Her sorority sister, Leslie Trenta, lives in Stock Farm and saw the storefront post a "For Rent" sign. She alerted her fellow Marshall University alum, who had visited Old Town a few times through the years. Within 48 hours, Mancini was in town to sign paperwork and four weeks later, she opened the doors of the converted cottage. Hats off to Mancini for betting on Bluffton in the middle of the pandemic and for hitting the one-year mark in town.
• Joe's Ice Cream and Beverage Company, 15 Bruin Road, Bluffton, 843-707-9514, joesicecreambeverage.com: Just across the street from Maggie and Me, owner Joe O'Rourke is celebrating two years serving his unique blend of traditional flavors along with four wine-based ice cream flavors and shop specialties. Wine flavors, for adults 21+ only, include chocolate cabernet and a boozy shake, along with a number of off-menu daily specials. Joe's also offers more classic offerings like soft serve, sundaes, milkshakes and floats. On the beverage side, you'll find coffees, teas and espressos with a number of add-on options. Joe's has won numerous awards for his concoctions and we're thrilled he's hit the two-year mark as a hometown ice cream option in Old Town. Joe's is open Wednesday through Sunday serving via its window and is both pet and kid friendly.
The Newbies:
• Harmonic Egg of the Lowcountry, 23 Plantation Park Drive, Suite 301, Bluffton, 843-865-0107, lowcountryharmonicegg.com: Welcome to a new chapter in advanced energy healing. The Harmonic Egg is named in part due to its egg-shaped chamber created to promote mental, emotional, physical and spiritual healing and wellness. The resonance chamber utilizes sacred geometry, light, color and sound frequencies to restore and rebalance the body. Owner Shembra Carter has brought the technology to the Lowcountry after 20 years of serving as a registered nurse and seeing the need for alternative modalities. She decided to bring the Harmonic Egg to Bluffton after flying to Colorado to meet with inventor Gail Lynn and experiencing the positive impacts of the therapy herself.
• Coastal Carolina Smoke Shop, 24B Palmetto Bay Road, Hilton Head Island, 843-757-3339, CBDStoreBluffton.com: Larry Moran has been busy educating Lowcountry customers about the health benefits of hemp and cannabidiol, and is now preparing to open his third location after opening at Berkeley Place in Bluffton and Boundary Street in Beaufort. Moran has become as trusted source of CBD oils, edibles, gummies, smokable hemp bud flower, vapes and roll-on pain creams for humans, and veterinarian-formulated CBD calming chews for dogs. Moran and his team are experts in all-organic CBD, hemp, Delta-8, Delta-10 and Kratom products.
• 5th and Mill: Lisa DiTroia, her husband and two kids visited Bluffton from New York in February 2020 and fell in love. She launched her online clothing boutique on Nov. 20 after years of planning. The store offers the latest trends in women's and children's clothing, shoes and accessories from more than 100 curated vendors, and is offering a slew of grand opening and holiday promotions. Visit the online boutique at 5thandmill.com.
• May River Boat Detailing, 843-505-8822: Alexander Matos made a life-changing gamble when he moved his family to Bluffton after many years serving all over the world in the Navy. Matos has long been a fan of boating, so he set out to combine his military work ethic with his passion for the water in opening up his new business. May River offers wash and wax serves, oxidation removal, metal polishing, paint correction, seat restoration and ceramic coating. He offers new customer specials and an ongoing discount for veterans.
• May River Pressure Washing, 843-415-6545, mayriverpressurewashing.com: Bubba and Krista Flanders were raised in the Lowcountry, each coming from families that owned successful construction companies. As they dreamed of launching their own business, they decided to focus on bringing out the true value of the gorgeous properties they saw popping up around them. The bonded and licensed team uses a hot water wash system that works beautifully for house washing, driveways, fences, pool decks, gutters, patios and porches.
• Cupcakes 2 Cakes, 108 Buckwalter Parkway, Berkeley Place Suite 2C, Bluffton, 843-415-5678, cupcakes2cakes.com: This is a mother-daughter-owned bakery that was born out of years of Linda Ashby honing her love of baking while teaching middle school kids overseas. What began as a home-based business has spawned a brick-and-mortar location where Linda and her daughter Erica display Ashby's latest creations – from ham and cheese scones to cookie pies, cocoa bombs to muffins, and the centerpiece of Ashby's portfolio, her custom-made cupcakes and cakes. Check out her website for designs, pricing and serving guide before visiting the store to avoid being overwhelmed with all the deliciousness.
• E-Z-GO Carts Factory Direct Store, 25 Sherington Drive, Suite F&G, Bluffton, 706-250-9372, ezgohhi.com: The iconic Augusta-born golf and utility cart company has opened its latest store in the former Stooges Breakfast Café location in Sheridan Park. The new dealership will feature an expert service department to provide parts and accessories, maintenance and cart care. The factory-trained service staff can customize E-Z-GO carts, giving every client the opportunity to own a one-of-a-kind vehicle. The store will offer a range of financing options on new vehicles and will accept all trade-ins, regardless of the brand. They also have a wide variety of cart rentals available for tournaments, weddings, parties and other special events.
• The Kneady Cat Books And Gifts, 108 Buckwalter Parkway, Berkeley Place Suite 2D, Bluffton, 843-504-0973, thekneadycat.org: Carla Onofrio is a proud mother of two girls and four sweet kitty cats. She wanted to help drive awareness to the cat overpopulation epidemic and the need for having cats spayed and neutered. She is fulfilling that mission and dream by opening a used bookstore and gift shop where customers can drink some coffee, pet some cats, and read (and buy) donated books. A portion of the store's profits will go to the Palmetto Animal League. Gifts at the store include every feline creation you can dream up, from teapots to ornaments to puzzles, toys and games, kitty pens, journals and kitty gift baskets.
Tim Wood is a veteran journalist based in Bluffton. Contact him at email@example.com.


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A World-class Space with a World-class View
West Elm Headquarters opened their doors this fall and the views are stunning, inside and out.
West Elm HQ - Brooklyn, NY: A georgous space that houses the West Elm team in a renovated, abandoned coffee distribution building in the DUMBO District of Brooklyn. Views of both the Brooklyn Bridge and the Manhattan Bridge frame their spectacular view of lower Manhattan Island. Furnished with beautiful West Elm product, it is the energetic, creative hub of this dynamic & innovative team. So grateful to have been a part of a group that spent a few days learning and being inspired by their vision.


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Tipton County, Indiana
Some county roads have been omitted to avoid clutter. Some roads are not drawn completely. A few cemeteries shown here do not exist today. If you wish to visit a cemetery, please check out one of the online mapping sites.
Last Updated: January 24, 2016
This information is provided for non-commerical use only and may contain inaccuracies. Please report any inaccuracies to:
Robert Kincaid
Return to Cemeteries of Tipton County
Web Pages Created With Cemetery DataSource Software © 2015
John C. Anderson


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Commercial Electrical Troubleshooting Miami, FL
Call Us Today:
(305) 455-1377
Commercial Electrical Troubleshooting Miami, FL
Tasco Miami FL provides commercial electrical troubleshooting for all types of commercial and industrial facilities including REO, Manufacturing Facilities, Apartment Communities, Retail Stores, Restaurants, Warehouse Facilities, Auto Dealerships, Hotel, Motel, Resort Properties and Office Buildings.
Whether your lights, electrical outlets, electrical switches or other lighting controls, a tripping electrical circuit breaker, or any electrical device isn't working properly, the licensed electricians at Tasco Miami FL can troubleshoot all your electrical problems. We have almost four decades of experience troubleshooting electric switches, electric plugs (outlets or receptacles), lights, electric wires, and electrical connections in commercial buildings. Our courteous, licensed, trained electricians will safely repair all of your electrical problems.
Electrical problems can come up at any time and for many reasons; remodel work, poor installation, or simple failure due to age and deterioration just to name a few. Tasco Miami FL can find and repair the problem and in most cases we can be out the same day. We can also work around your schedule so that it is as convenient as possible. If you can't wait, you can call anytime because Tasco Miami FL offers 24-hour emergency service. Proper electrical wiring is a major priority since faulty electrical wiring can cause unpredictable, and in some cases, irreparable damages. Call Tasco Miami FL today for all your commercial electrical troubleshooting and electrical repair needs!


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PLEASE HELP THE EAR. IF YOU LIKE A CERTAIN BLOG POST, SPREAD THE WORD. FORWARD A LINK TO IT OR, SHARE IT or TAG IT (not just "Like" it) ON FACEBOOK. Performers can use the extra exposure to draw potential audience members to an event. And you might even attract new readers and subscribers to the blog.
By Jacob Stockinger
The Ear loves Franz Schubert, who wrote supremely beautiful music. And one of his most sublime pieces comes from his first set of Impromptus for solo piano, the one in G-Flat Major, D. 899, No. 3.
This beautiful music was superbly performed here in 2018 by the Irish pianist John O'Conor (below), who specializes in the composers of the Classical era — especially Beethoven, Schubert and Mozart. He also has revived the music of the Irish Romantic composer John Field and appeared in Madison with the Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra.
Here is the introduction from the Salon Piano Series at Farley's House of Pianos, which booked, hosted and recorded the live solo recital performance (below) on May 12, 2018.
"During these uncertain times, we appreciate remembering time spent together enjoying music.
"Please take a break from your day to see and hear John O'Conor perform Franz Schubert's Impromptu in G-flat, D. 899, No. 3, in the YouTube video at the bottom that was recorded live at Farley's House of Pianos as part of the Salon Piano Series on May 12, 2018.
"To see how the 1908 Chickering concert grand played by John O'Conor was restored, click here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a5RJWeve6R8
"Over the years, you have supported Salon Piano Series with your attendance, individual sponsorships and donations (you can link to https://salonpianoseries.org/donate).
"We look forward to bringing you world-class musical performances in our unique salon setting again soon.
Salon Piano Series
IF YOU LIKE A CERTAIN BLOG POST, PLEASE SPREAD THE WORD. FORWARD A LINK TO IT OR, SHARE IT or TAG IT (not just "Like" it) ON FACEBOOK. Performers can use the extra exposure to draw potential audience members to an event. And you might even attract new readers and subscribers to the blog.
By Jacob Stockinger
Perhaps you heard one at Bach Dancing and Dynamite Society concerts (below), where they have become a kind of signature.
Or perhaps you heard one at a concert by the Ancora String Quartet or the University of Wisconsin-Madison's Pro Arte Quartet.
What we're talking about are scaled-down chamber versions of symphonies and piano concertos by Franz Joseph Haydn, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Ludwig van Beethoven.
Today they seem like curiosities, perhaps programmed to keep budgets smaller and use fewer performers.
But historically those same arrangements were more than conveniences or compromises. They proved vital in securing the works and reputations of those composers for posterity up until today.
Recently, The New York Times published a record review by Zachary Woolfe that provides valuable background about these rearranged works.
Here is a link:
If you would like to experience one for yourself, you have the chance this Saturday and Sunday afternoon at 4 p.m. at the Token Creek Chamber Music Festival.
That's when and where pianist and Harvard University professor of musicology Robert Levin (below) will perform a chamber version of the Piano Concerto No. 4 in G Major, Op. 58, by Beethoven. It is part of a program by Levin and pianist Ya-Fei Chuang that explores the piano and concludes this year's 30th anniversary festival. (You can hear the opening movement of the Beethoven piano concerto in the version with string quartet in the YouTube video at the bottom.)
Here is a link with more information about tickets ($32) and the festival:
IF YOU LIKE A CERTAIN BLOG POST, PLEASE SPREAD THE WORD. FORWARD A LINK TO IT OR, SHARE or TAG IT (not just "Like" it) ON FACEBOOK. Performers can use the extra exposure to draw potential audience members to an event.
By Jacob Stockinger
Just two weeks before he mounts the podium on Friday, Jan. 25, for the first Masterworks Concert by the Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra this season, maestro Andrew Sewell (below) has launched his own website.
Sewell, who was born in New Zealand and became a naturalized American citizen, is the music director and conductor of the WCO, and is also now in his second season as music director and conductor of the San Luis Obispo Symphony in California. Plus, he has many guest appearances, from London to Hong Kong, and numerous awards to his credit. (You can hear an interview with Sewell in the YouTube video at the bottom.)
The homepage of his new website, which features becoming black-and-white photos of Sewell, looks deceptively simple to navigate.
But there is much more than is apparent at first to learn there.
Under BIO you can read about his life in detail and also listen and watch archival videos of him conducting the Wichita and the San Luis Obispo orchestras in major works by Haydn, Beethoven, Berlioz and Brahms, along with critical praise for his performances and programming.
Under SCHEDULE, you see concert dates and soloists but no programs — at first. But if you click on the yellow words for PURCHASE TICKETS and either MASTERWORKS or CONCERT, you will be directed to full information about all the concerts by both of the orchestras he heads.
And by clicking on GALLERY you will find a generous montage of color photos, both serious and playful, of the friendly and talented Sewell at work and at ease.
Here is a link to the website:
The Ear finds this a useful and appealing tool to learn more about a Madison maestro whose achievements have consistently stood out for almost 20 years and have altered the landscape of local music-making for the better.
The handsome new website is a job well done, and is well worth your time to check out, bookmark and use regularly.
Bravo, maestro!


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Originally from France, Pierre first came to the United States to study Architecture and received a Bachelor of Design in Architectural Studies from Florida International University in 2005.
Upon graduation, he moved to Los Angeles and joined the firm of Jeffrey M. Kalban & Associates. During his 7 years at JMKA, he worked on a variety of project types, which included institutional, commercial and residential. Pierre honed his design ability by working with the principal designer but also garnered valuable experience through involvement in the CD and construction phases.
His passion for 3D visualization and design eventually led him to accept a partnership with Alain Yotnegparian Architects in 2013 to work on the unique projects commissioned to the firm. As a senior member of the firm, Pierre serves a variety of project leadership roles in the office with a focus on design.


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For 2012, Jaguar has brought forward new exciting features for the XK Coupe, making it even more luxurious and comfortable, if you can believe that was even possible. The 2012 XK Coupe has been fitted with new, contemporary headlamps, LED running lights, and the front and rear fascia that have been slightly altered from previous years. Of course, the oval grille is one of the first things you notice as soon as you see the car. The exterior of the XK Coupe offers a new sleek figure surrounding an intricate interior of high quality leather and the latest electronic features. Speaking of the leather seats, not only are they vented and heated, they offer 12-way power adjustment so you are guaranteed to find a comfortable position!
Jaguar has given the XK Coupe a firm aluminum structure and a finely tuned suspension allowing this luxury car to have outstanding handling and a most comfortable ride. The aluminum keeps the vehicle extremely light so it responds well, handles itself with a great deal of composure and can take corners at high-speeds like they were made for it. Pair that up with an automatic adjusted suspension that prioritizes ride handling and comfort based on the situation and you have a ride that is smooth as silk. Add in the fact that the cabin is virtually silent and you have a dream come true!
Jaguar drivers will likely appreciate the gas usage of the XK Coupe, as it averages around 24 miles per gallon on the highway and 16 miles per gallon on the city. While this may not sound that great to some, it is impressive for this segment. The 2012 Jaguar XK Coupe is powered by a 5.0-liter V8 engine that delivers 385 horsepower and 380 pound-feet of torque. This engine is paired up with a standard six-speed automatic transmission, which may be the vehicle's only downfall, as some drivers prefer the control of a manual transmission.
The 2012 XK Coupe comes loaded with many new features on both the interior and exterior to maximize the style and comfort of the car. On the exterior, Jaguar enthusiasts will appreciate large 19-inch wheels, front and rear parking sensors, and a rear view camera for back-up visibility in those hard to see places. Additional safety features that come standard on this stealth vehicle include pre-collision safety system, tire pressure monitoring, emergency interior trunk release, electronic brakeforce distribution, stability and traction control, turn signal mirrors, cornering lights, engine immobilizer, dusk sensing headlamps, emergency brake assist and child seat anchors.


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I had a fun-filled day shooting new headshots for E! Online Style Expert and Fashion Blogger Jennifer Chan today. What a classy lady! She's so intelligent, motivating, and inspiring. It was an honor to be able to spend time with her, doing what we both love.
We started in the studio with some high-key looks, where she got right to it, it was awesome! She hit the ground running, I had to catch up with her! So much fun!
After the studio, we went exploring around Elysian Park and found some cool woodsy spots at golden hour. Gorgeous!
Following that was some more studio time, this time with my DIY lightbanks with a punch of color. Stunning catchlights in Jenn's pretty eyes! Why did that day have to end??!!
I even had the fabulous Sarah Liz Photo assist me. What an amazing day!
I'm really looking forward to what Jenn has in store for her future. She's my new hero!
Fashion Blogger/Stylist: Jennifer Chan
Photography: Rich Jhong Photo
Makeup Artist: Jennifer Santibanez


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Make a style statement in a glamorous, red carpet look with a gothic twist. These two bold outfits will get everyone talking, for all the right reasons, at your next special event!
Look fierce in the Ikon Sweetie Dress. This drop-waisted gown juxtaposes a gothic influenced black studded bustier with a chic and feminine ruffled pink skirt, pair this with a vampy lipstick for a truly dramatic look!
Keep it cool in the Ikon Stud Outfit. A head-turning, collarless, studded jacket paired with skinny black jeans make this outfit the go-to look for that laid-back Rockstar aesthetic!
Available now in the #Avakin store!


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In partnership with Blommer Chocolate Co., the 2021 report was released during NCA's virtual State of the Industry Conference on March 9 and combines shopper insights and sales results to provide a dynamic and comprehensive look at the confectionery industry and the special connection that consumers have with chocolate, candy, gum and mints.
"When we debuted the 2020 State of Treating report at the beginning of March last year, we never could have imagined the tectonic shift in consumer behaviors and the retail landscape that was about to occur," said John Downs, NCA president and CEO. "This year's report offers an important insight: people turn to chocolate and candy as a special way of bringing us together and play a critical role in finding safe and creative ways to stay connected to those we care about."
According to the report, confectionery is the fifth-largest grocery category. Chocolate rang up $15.2 billion in sales, followed by non-chocolate at $7.9 billion and gums and mints at $3 billion. NCA predicts category sales to increase to $39.5 billion by 2025.
Key trends from the report include:
- Sales of chocolate grew 4.2% and non-chocolate grew by 2.9%.
- 77% of consumers feel that good emotional well-being leads to better physical health and makes it possible to enjoy life and be happier.
- 61% of shoppers changed up their confectionery purchasing patterns during the pandemic.
- 41% of people bought more value packs with individually-wrapped treats.
- Households purchasing chocolate and candy online at least twice in 2020 increased 76%, and the annual online dollars per buyer increased by 14.3%.
"Amidst the uncertainty this year, the confectionery category has remained resilient—which is a true testament to how chocolate and candy remain an important aspect of our collective emotional well-being," Downs said. "Whether it's a quick escape for parents from the chaos of balancing work from home with virtual school, a celebration of a milestone moment or simply sending a treat to a friend from afar, chocolate and candy have helped Americans stay connected even when we couldn't be together."
The release of the 2021 State of Treating report coincides with the second year of NCA's "Thrive in 2025" five-year strategic plan that outlines NCA's goals, such as strengthening its advocacy and communications capabilities, identifying the disruptive trends of the future, and developing positive and meaningful thought leadership for the industry. Specific objectives also include a long-term focus on sustainability; addressing supply chain issues including cocoa and child labor; and addressing diversity, equity and inclusion in the industry.
Food & Beverage Insider's Permissible indulgence: Strategies for better-for-you confectionery – digital magazine recently examined suppliers, formulators and finished goods brands are bringing innovative ingredients, formats and sustainability efforts to the confectionery space, helping to take some of the guilt out of these guilty pleasures.