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Over the last several years I have made supplemental income through Google Adsense. I logged into my Adsense account in late July 2015 and noticed my earnings were significantly lower than normal. I quickly checked my analytics to make certain I was still receive traffic to my websites. After confirming that my overall impressions had not dropped I knew there was something broken. I quickly realized what was wrong. My Google ads were displaying like this:
As you can see, the Google Adsense "block" was showing up behind the text of my WordPress blog. Obviously, there is no way a website visitor is going to click this ad because they cannot see it. Not only was it broken on desktop, it was broken on mobile as well. A very big percentage of Google Adsense income is now coming from mobile. The fact that my ads were broken on desktop and mobile meant I was missing out on plenty of income.
How I Fixed My Google Adsense Problem
If you are using older Adsense ads that are 336 x 280 or 300 x 250 you may find that your WordPress blog is overlapping the text with the ads. What you need to do is create a new ad that is "responsive". This is a great selection for many reasons. With a large number of people now using mobile the ad will automatically adjust to the size of the screen.
With all the different Androids and iPhones out there it is great that Adsense publishers do not have to change their ads. I have also noticed that a number of my visitors access my websites from tablets. The responsive Google ads will adjust based on the size of the screen of the tablet. This makes life so much easier.
WordPress Plugins May Help
Unfortunately, I manually install all of my Google ads. This means if one size breaks I have to go back in to all of my blog posts and update the code. This can be very cumbersome. In fact, I am still going through the process of updating the ads on a number of my websites. It is worth it in the long run but it does take quite a bit of time.
If you use Adsense on your WordPress blog you will be able to find plugins that automatically put ads on every single blog post. This may be something you want to consider if you do not want to go in and update the code on every single blog post. Remember that you can only have three ads per page so if you have two ads on your page and one on the sidebar there is a change the ad in the plugin is not going to show up. As always, test it and see what it looks like.
If it looks like the screenshot above you will need to address the issue as quickly as possible. The longer you wait to update your blog posts or websites the more money you are throwing down the drain.


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New York Fashion Week is upon us- embrace Donna Karan's unflinching ease with vintage pieces from C.Madeleine's!
Donna Karan, known as DK to some, has had her hand in womenswear since the 1970s when she worked for (and quickly moved up the ranks to head designer at) Anne Klein. After over 10 years at the helm, Karan started her own namesake line focusing on easy pieces that flow together in multiple ways. A true New Yorker, she understood completely the value of quick paced yet chic dressing in the city that never sleeps and beyond.
Years later in 1988, Karan created DKNY which which she has called the "pizza to Collection's caviar." Focusing on lower price points, the DKNY empire grew into denim and menswear lines that are still synonymous with street-chic today.
Tina is styled in two quintessential Donna Karan looks: The Donna Karan mustard yellow wool coat and pencil skirt set is paired perfectly with a mock-turtleneck Kenzo knit top and brown leather booties. A flowy, ruched midnight blue silk dress is belted by a golden DKNY leather belt and Giuseppe Zanotti bronze heels. All pieces are available in store.

subset: commoncrawl


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Students from the UNM Anderson School of Management earned top prizes at this year's Small Business Institute's Case of the Year Competition held recently in Las Vegas, Nev. Anderson Professor Dimitri Kapelianis and the Starlight FUNiture LLC student team captured first prize at the graduate level of the competition.
The student team, which consisted of Max Ebnother, Stacie Nowell, Peter Ray, Kevin Roybal and Drew Wayner won in the Comprehensive Consulting Category, which was the most competitive. At the undergraduate level, the Speakeasy LLC team of Jennifer Walker, Christine Shields, Andres Perez and Maximo Lopez won third prize in the Business Plan Category.
This is the second year UNM Anderson has captured top honors at the national SBI competition. Last year projects completed by Anderson SBI students earned second and third honors in their respective categories. These honors rank Anderson SBI as one of the top Small Business Institutes in the nation.
"Small businesses are the principal drivers of the New Mexico economy, and we are pleased to provide resources in support of their success," said Anderson School Dean Doug Brown.
"It's a great feeling. We have the best students and great professors, a combination that is always winning," said SBI Director Dr. Raj Mahto. "Our supporters and donors also deserve recognition for helping us in building this program. Congratulations to all of them as well and we look forward to continuing this momentum next year!"
The UNM Small Business Institute program, led by Mahto, was also awarded the prestigious 'Showcase Program of the Year' award. The Showcase Award identifies the SBI program and its director that is deserving of recognition for innovative development or management or because their SBI efforts contributed to a true small business client success story.
Michael Harris, past president and current vice president of Membership for the National Small Business Institute had praise for Dr. Mahto and the UNM program.
"I am pleased to let you know how impressed our Board of Directors is with the work of Dr. Raj Mahto," Harris said. "Raj won the prestigious Small Business Institute National Showcase Award, as well as two awards for his Small Business Institute projects. He has quickly become an outstanding leader and scholar in the field of entrepreneurship and small business management, and I am very proud of his work."
Founded in 1978, the SBI at UNM Anderson has successfully assisted more than 600 businesses including startup companies, expanding businesses, non-profit organizations, and family businesses. To participate in this program small business owners should submit an application online.
For more information on the Small Business Institute program, contact David Hammitt at firstname.lastname@example.com or (505) 277-8869.


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After watching the short film entitled "Most" or "Bridge" in Czech, access this link and read the short explanation of the short film. Answer the following questions:
- We meet a number of characters in passing in this movie. Beyond Lada and his father, whose story most intrigues you? Why? Answer in less than 4 sentences.
- One thing nearly all of the periphery characters in the movie have in common is that they areoblivious to what is going on around them. The troubled girl is more concerned about feeding her habits than about her sister's anguish over her condition. The college students are thinking only about having a good time. Brad from America is only focused on his broken heart. Read Colossians 3:12-17Why is it so difficult for us to turn our attention away from ourselves and onto the needs of others? Answer in less than 7 sentences.
- We see both the father and son finding joy in the seemingly mundane—on the job, drinking coffee and tea, bedtime, fishing. After Lada's death, the father is, as expected, dejected and downcast. Read 1 Peter 1:3-9 Does God promise those that follow him an easy path? Answer in 3 sentences.
- Why was the short film titled this way? Answer in 1 sentence.
Follow the prescribed format in posting your essay:
<(Surname, Firstname)>,Answer.
Mercado, Geoffrey, What struck me most was…
*Note the students with the best answers will be posted on the comments below.
You have until the 4PM to post your answers.


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McClintock Accepts Invitation to Debate
(Roseville, CA) Congressman Tom McClintock has accepted an invitation to debate challenger Art Moore at the Auburn Chamber of Commerce weekly "Meddlers" meeting on Tuesday, October 14th.
"Congressman McClintock is grateful that the Auburn Chamber has stepped forward to provide the candidates with an open forum to debate the issues," said Jon Huey, campaign manager for McClintock for Congress.
"The Chamber has agreed to allow questions of both candidates directly from the audience without interference and pre-approval by the sponsor, an issue that became a problem with the Placer County League of Women Voters" Huey said. "The public should have the right to ask their questions directly of the candidates, as has been the case in the more than 60 public town halls that Congressman McClintock has conducted throughout the district."
"Congressman McClintock looks forward to the debate on Tuesday, October 14 at 7:00 am at the Auburn City Hall (1225 Lincoln Way, Auburn, CA) in the Rose Room."


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Main character (the one you're playing the most, and the one who'll be joining us) information
* Name: Wumpscut
* Class(es) and level(s): SH lvl 57
* Clan history: no clan history
* Alternative characters (only those you're actually playing now and then and have equipped): no
Gaming habits
* Typical gaming schedule (which days in the week, which hours):most of the week several hours every day.
* Ready to fight? (PvP readiness, against all odds): indeed
* What do you like to do in the game? (PvE, raids, going red, crafting and so on): raids and massive pvp.....mostly evolving as a clan
You and Unity
* Were you a member in the past? If so, when and with which character(s)? no
* Where did you hear from us? looked for a clan in naia clan forums.
* Do you have friends in clan who could speak for you? nope


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Only 53 chairmanship candidates and 578 councillorship candidates are contesting today's local government elections in the 23 local councils and 200 wards in Kaduna State, the Chairperson of the State Independent Electoral Commission, Mrs. Hanatu Biniyat, has said.
Biniyat, who addressed the press on the preparedness of the commission for the conduct of the elections across the state, said "only 10 of the 50 registered political parties in the country are fielding candidates for the elections."
She disclosed that over 10, 000 adhoc staff had been recruited to assist the commission in the conduct of the exercise, adding that about 100 domestic and international observers had been accredited for the election.
She said "voting is expected to start by 8 am and ends by 4pm," adding that "the results of the councillorship elections will be announced at the ward levels, while those of the chairmanship positions will be announced at the local government levels by the returning officers after which I will collate all the election results and make formal and overall announcement at the SEICOM secretariat.
"The security has been beefed up because the arrangement is that every vehicle carrying all the voting materials will be fully guarded by security men.
"So we are fully prepared to conduct elections that will meet world standard even though we will be using the formal voter register because the INEC has not provided us with any new one."
She, however, did not give a breakdown of the contestants and their parties, but sources close to the commission said "only the PDP is fielding candidates for the chairmanship election in the 23 local government areas of the state."
It was also gathered that in seven out of the eight local government areas that make up zone three in the state (Southern Kaduna), the chairmanship candidates of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) are running unopposed, while the only contest is likely to be in the Sanga Local Government Area where the Congress for Progressive Change is said to be fielding a candidate.


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The latest episode of InsaniTV is here with our first interview! On the episode, we talk to Billie Jade and Howsie Noise from the band, Hatchet Dawn! In addition, we have videos from Love and a .38, Symbol of Orion, Rise to Fall, Revtend, and Dead Label!
Band Links:
Love and a .38- www.loveanda38.com
Symbol of Orion- facebook.com/symboloforion
Rise to Fall- www.risetofall.net
Revtend- facebook.com/pages/Revtend/155436151141403
Dead Label- facebook.com/DeadLabel
Hatchet Dawn- www.hatchetdawn.com
Special thanks to MissNic for use of her photos! http://missnic.net/


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Here's how it works.
1. Micro Segmentation
Throw away the five personas you have in your current segmentation deck. We need tons of personas to market to. That is the whole of point of digital, right? And we need to understand humans qualitatively, not just as data points. Make it personal for humans.
2. Custom Message
What are the need states of your audience? Where are they now, but where do they need to go? We need custom messages, narratives and ideas to personalize our messages.
3. Personalized Experience
Make the experience relevant to them. Present your audiences with a tailor-made environment displaying dynamic content based on our segmentation and contextual data.
4. Precise Target
How many data points do we have about our audience. Once we segment the audience, how do we overlay data for better context? Contextualization allows us to create precise categories of targets to help us reach the right audience.
5. Performance Measure
Put it all together: many segments, custom messages, human "wow" experiences, and precise targets. How does it perform? How do we tweak the journey to get better results? Now we can leverage our quantitate approach to optimize, iterate and excel.
We're fanatical about delivering the human touch for marketing.
If you are interested in seeing how to market to beings and not bots – contact us! We would love to discuss what Viewstream can do for you.


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Hide Forgot
Description of problem:
$ grep chkconfig: /etc/init.d/cups
# chkconfig: 2345 55 10
$ grep chkconfig: /etc/init.d/sshd
# chkconfig: 2345 55 25
I'd argue that sshd is more important especially when one tries to log in to the
machine as early as possible, and should be let started first.
I suggest changing that 55 in /etc/init.d/cups to 56.
Version-Release number of selected component (if applicable):
Looks like that might be harmless. It must be started after hplip (if hplip is
enabled), so starting it later won't affect that.
As the issue is present in RHEL 5 as well, I'm changing the Product to reflect that.
This request was evaluated by Red Hat Product Management for inclusion in a Red
Hat Enterprise Linux maintenance release. Product Management has requested
further review of this request by Red Hat Engineering, for potential
inclusion in a Red Hat Enterprise Linux Update release for currently deployed
products. This request is not yet committed for inclusion in an Update
An advisory has been issued which should help the problem
described in this bug report. This report is therefore being
closed with a resolution of ERRATA. For more information
on the solution and/or where to find the updated files,
please follow the link below. You may reopen this bug report
if the solution does not work for you.


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Drawn swords and bouncy castles, not two words you often hear together and to go one further definitely not something you hear of at a wedding!
Well it was at Olivia & Kyle's wedding at Weston Park (The grounds which hosts the V festival), Kyle knew there would be a carnival close by and was hoping for a jaunt on the dodgems, unfortunately there weren't any to be found so instead the groom's party decided it would be just as fun to try out the pink bouncy castle.
A lovely couple who found us at the National wedding show at the N.E.C, they loved the idea of my style of relaxed photos which was perfect for their amazing day!


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Southampton will ask for either Andros Townsend or Harry Kane to be included in any deal for Jay Rodriguez, should Tottenham Hotspur make a January move for the striker.
England international Rodriguez has not played since April due to a serious knee injury sustained at the Etihad.
The ligament injury ended the former Burnley forward's hopes of playing in the World Cup in Brazil, but has not put an end to the interest from his ex-manager, and current Tottenham head coach, Mauricio Pochettino.
New deal has been offered
The Evening Standard report that Southampton have offered Rodriguez a new five-year contract but there is no sign that Rodriguez will sign. Tottenham are known to be on the look out for a striker, with Roberto Soldado and Emmanuel Adebayor failing to make the grade at White Hart Lane.
However, Southampton are not going to roll over in negotiations and the Daily Mail continues, saying they will ask for England Andros Townsend or England U21 striker Kane.
Home grown stars a priority
Kane is tipped to have a big future at Spurs and a big favourite with the fans, while Townsend is only 23 and still has time to hone his game.
Both also help Tottenham meet the Premier League's rules on a home grown quota, and are on comparatively low wages compared to their team mates. Southampton have shown interest in both players before but a move for Kane seems highly ambitious. Townsend has not fully convinced under Pochettino though, and the Argentine may be happy to sell the Leytonstone-native if he can sign Rodriguez.
It is unlikely Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy will open the chequebook so a January move at this stage, because Rodriguez is still fighting to regain full fitness.. Add in the rarity of player-plus-cash deals in the modern era, and any move for Rodriguez may have to wait until the summer at least.


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Total Members Voted: 104
0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.
There was bound to be some "joker" no doubt tongue in cheek to ask this. We should have done everything to keep Moyes. That was the start of our downfall. Look at Moyes now. That is ridiculous I know, but in tune with the question, why not reply with something stupid? On the other hand Roberto was harshly dealt with, and the treatment of the fabulous Unsie was a disgrace.
Moyes was two seasons past his best. It was right he went. But our search for a successor is proving very difficult.
Have to say though whoever we had in charge would struggle.One of the worst equipped squads for modern era football in the prem I think. Our worst and least athletic back four for 15 years+
No doubt that we were a mess under him this season, conceding a ridiculous amount of goals but when you look at where we've ended up since sacking him, would you rather we'd have just kept with him until he got his striker in January or are we definitely doing better now?
I'm more trusting of fellas when they have my cock in their mouth
So 19/23 think we're definitely better off with Allardyce now?
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From Tyler Dillon
Saving America: Balkanization, Division, and Destruction of the USA
Every single day, there are people, most of them not from this nation, work on how to Balkanize (divide up), and gradually destroy the almost every positive element of the United States of America. I know that it is hard to think of why, why would a person overseas, or even amongst us, work to gradually chip away, to divide up, and gradually destroy the light that the United States has been for the world, with most of you being from the USA.
They destroy it, because they don't want "it," they picked a new way to manage people, or many times what are called sheeple, because at times,the Americans, have been a major pain the side for the people that really run the world, or literally own money, through a central national bank, that own and run the world, not to be confused with the elected national officials of the world.
They successfully Balkanize the USA by turning all of its elements against each other, in every single day, in every single way. They turn the middle class against the lower class, the races against each other, male vs. female, religion vs. religion, along with about 100 other sub divisions of America against each other.
They destroy our businesses with a complete quagmire of taxes, rules and regulations to obey, with almost no laws ever taken off the book that are, what the layperson would define as, completely stupid laws. There are two versions of America, what you were brought up thinking it was, and what it is, in its layers of taxes, upon taxes, upon taxes, much like a suffocating layer cake.
We , the actual people of the United States, are divided up, many times, by the national news media (TV, RADIO, corporate internet), which is of course, owned by the American Federal Reserve Bank owners, to manage you, and your life, cradle to grave, every single day. The Federal Reserve Bank, is not federal, or reserve or a bank, it is a printing press, of sorts, that prints the cash for the USA, in which, we then pay them the face value for the cash along with interest.
The Federal Reserve Bank of the USA was chartered (started), in London England, (yes, England), and yet, you will not find that in any history books. The Federal Reserve Bank of the USA reports to the IBS, or International Bank of Settlements in Switzerland, in which, you should of course know that its nickname is "The Nazi Bank," being instrumental in the escape of thousands of German Nazis after World War Two.
The Federal Reserve Bank system was pushed through congress two days before Christmas in 1913, in which, there were not enough votes to pass it with our representatives there. They, the privately owned FRB, hijacked out country fiscally, and if you own money, you own power and control, and literally, the future of the USA, and indeed the world.
The people that own money, your money, literally, want you to buy into the fact that someone else is getting more of your tax money. They want you to think that the farmers get too much in aid each year. They want you to think that the poor, or welfare class now, are going through your tax dollars like burning cash in a barrel.
The truth is, is that the system put in place by the families that own the Federal Reserve Bank now:
Still charges you the worth of a printed bill (masse counterfeiting)
Stole 140 trillion during the 2008 fiscal crisis and never got in trouble at all, in fact, they completely took over the entire DC system.
They are still able to destabilize fiscally the USA as nation if you start to rise up.
Through hundreds of layers of taxes each day, in which, you actually make about 35% of your income, the rest goes to "hidden" taxes in regard to what you purchase.
The tax money that is collected, if not sent directly to the Federal Reserve Bank, it is consumed by companies that those families own, through a series of corporations that are set up, to further suck out your tax dollars.
My name is Tyler Dillon, and at 45 years old, and I come from a middle class background.
My parents being retired now, my father a strength coach, my mother an administrative assistant at the local zoo.
I understand what really happened to the United States, behind all of the layers of treason, lies, individual murders and piles of hundreds of thousands dead Americans from November 1963 to present.
We, as a nation, must legally fire, which is our right to, The Federal Reserve Bank. It has been a giant Bernie Madoff scheme of sorts, in which, the USA, is about to hit its 100th year of true foreign rule due to it.
What must we do? We are mere normal, everyday Americans, with kids, and real jobs, and commitments to attend to, how can we legally fire the Federal Reserve Bank.
I came up with this acronym, a mere citizen from Kansas. TAIA, or terminate, asset freeze, investigate and asset seize.
Terminate – Legally the Federal Reserve Banks contract to print money.
Asset Freeze – All assets owned by the owners of the Federal Reserve Bank. You can buy a lot of things when the entire nation is your fiscal slave.
Investigate – Dig deeper in their network to identify their additional hidden assets.
Asset Seize – Seize all of those identified assets. Just like 284 Bernie Madoffs, you just have to sort them out.
This is a counter fiscal coupe (control), of the United States that would put the Americans back in control.
What can I do, I am a truck driver from Freeport?
How do I help, I work as a graphic artist in Eugene?
I am a grandpa from Houston, what can I possibly do?
On every single level, in regard to elected officials, school board, city, county, state and DC, they must all be measured in regard to their willingness to TAIA, or Terminate, Asset Freeze, Investigate and Asset Seize the Federal Reserve Bank.
The first thing, the most important thing, on every single agenda, for every elected body, is to regain control of America.
Every single person that you send to DC, must be for the termination, asset freeze, investigation and asset seizure of the Federal Reserve Bank.
There is no other issue more important than TAIA-FRB, in fact, the FRB will use their media outlets to try to prevent anyone coming to DC that is for it.
States must make their stand against the Federal Reserve Bank, and terminate the Federal Reserve Bank, in which the houses and governors of those states must make a stand. All states must bring the continued employment of the Federal Reserve Bank for the cash for their states to an overt vote.
Individual cities and counties drown by Federal Reserve Bank policies 1913 to present, must pass legislation against the use of the Federal Reserve Bank as a contractor to manage and literally own money for the entire USA.
I am 45, and I have two children, a mortgage, student loans, two gassy bassets and one American mutt. I am not going to leave my children a United States that has been destroyed for them to raise their children in, in which, with the current horrific trajectory of balkanization, division and destruction, America 2048, will not be America anymore, unless we, as individuals, make our stand. Sitting and yelling at the TV just isn't going to cut it anymore.
Most of us have to continue our 50-60 hour a week jobs, but here is some initial brain storming on what we, as a the mass, can do vs. the Federal Reserve Banks absolute fiscal rule of you and your children's future.
We must educate all Americans in regard to TAIA-FRB.
Understand that there is no "debt," it is all fictitious, and indeed made up, created by the Federal Reserve Bank to bleed America dry fiscally.
If you can run for office, are you are not a politician, run.
Contact and profile every single person representing you, from school board to DC politicians, and put them in two piles.
A. The elected officials that will introduce, support and force the voting on the termination, asset freeze, investigation and asset seizure of the Federal Reserve Bank.
B. Those that will not, that you will promptly legally fire them.
Some people still read the newspaper. Write your own article on why it is important for your community to promote the termination, asset freeze, investigation and asset seizure of the Federal Reserve Bank.
Post entries on your facebook, web pages and email lists, send out articles, and write articles yourself, on the TAIA-FRB.
Do YouTube videos on why it is important for the USA to legally terminate the Federal Reserve Bank from your point of view.
Go speak at a city council, county commission or school board meeting, and introduce legislation against the continued use of the Federal
Reserve Bank not only by DC, but within your city and states.
Make a list of the top 100 area local grass roots reporters for your area, and help them understand how the Federal Reserve Bank took control of the USA, and their role in the world, specifically November 1963 to present. They have quite a reach.
Get out, and talk to your neighbors, and encourage them to learn more about the current system that is in place.
We, the non-politicians must run for office, on all tickets, republican, democrat, independent, libertarian, you name it, to TAIA-FRB.
Remove from office, from every position, both elected and governmental employee wise, all of those that are against the legal termination of the Federal Reserve Bank.
This entry, could easily be 300 pages, but this is just an introduction, to what the American citizens can do, to free themselves, literally from slavery, giving the money you work for to people that do not care about you at all, that are in fact destroying your nation, from a little kid, that grew up in Kansas.
No, I didn't fall out of the Kansas sky within a meteor.
Yes, I have flown at high speed tree top level, not with a cape on, but with a patch on, the 101st Airborne Division.
I am not superhuman, I am but one man, but I will legally fight them.
We, the Americans, must legally fight them in the cities, where the citizens live.
We, the Americans, must legally fight them in the counties where the crops are grown, oil drilled, the coal mined and the trains and semi's roll along.
We, the Americans, must legally fight them in DC, where they are in a state of horrific absolute level of control.
Right now, Hillary Clinton D-NWO, is working feverishly on her 2016 campaign, which isn't about Democrat or Republican, or middle class or poor, black or white, or any other new division of America, it is about Elitist Federal Reserve Bank Enforcers vs. the Americans.
I look forward to defeating any representative of the Federal Reserve Bank, in Iowa, in Arkansas, in North Carolina, and all of the other states in the union.
We must heal the manmade divisions of America, and focus on the real enemy.
I am running against them, every, single day, in every single way that I can.
Please help me make a better America for our children.
We have no other choice, freedom, or slavery.
Tyler Benjamin Dillon


text:
|Ed Snyder (Photo by Robert Reinhardt)
The Greater Philadelphia area is replete with cemeteries, big and small. I've traveled quite a bit around the area in the past fifteen years and have not visited them all! Back in the olden days – like ten years ago – you had to rely on paper maps and written directions to find the graveyard you were after. One of the new technologies that makes these sacred tracts of land easy to locate these days are the GPS map Apps in smart phones. For example, with the Apple iPhone 6, simply type in the words "cemetery near Philadelphia" and the map lights up with little red push pins all over (indicating cemeteries in this region) and a cursor showing your location (let's assume you are driving a car). Simply drive toward one of the red pins, and your cursor on the map will follow!
|Toy cars on a child's grave
|Water pump, Lake Park Cemetery
|Photo by Robert Reinhardt
Trinity Episcopal Church Cemetery
|Trinity Episcopal Church and grave yard
|Mortonson-Schorn Log Cabin, Swedesboro
|Ivy, ferns, flowers, and other leafy designs
|Reverend Antonio Cassese's grave marker, St. Joseph's Church Cemetery
|Passion Flower engraved in granite


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China's "debtbook diplomacy" uses strategic debts to gain political leverage with economically vulnerable countries across the Asia-Pacific region, the US Department of State has been warned in an independent report.
The academic report, from graduate students of the Harvard Kennedy school of policy analysis, was independently prepared for the state department to view and assessed the impact of China's strategy on the influence of the US in the region.
The paper identifies 16 "targets" of Beijing's tactic of extending hundreds of billions of dollars in loans to countries that cannot afford to pay them, and then strategically leveraging the debt.
It said that while Chinese infrastructure investment in developing countries was not "inherently" against US or global interests, it became problematic when Beijing's use of its leverage ran counter to US interests, or if Washington had strategic interests in a country which had its domestic stability undermined by unsustainable debt.
The academics identified the most concerning countries, naming Pakistan and Sri Lanka as states where the process was "advanced," with deepening debt and where the government had already ceded a key port or military base, as well places including Papua New Guinea and Thailand, where China had not yet used its amassed debt leverage.
Papua New Guinea, which "has historically been in Australia's orbit," was also accepting unaffordable Chinese loans.
While this was not a significant concern yet, the country offered a "strategic location" for China, as well as large resource deposits, the report said.
While there was a lack of "individual diplomatic clout" in Cambodia, Laos and the Philippines, Chinese debt could give China a "proxy veto" in ASEAN, it said.
The academics also warned that the 2023 expiration of the compact of free association between Micronesia, Palau and the Marshall Islands could "threaten the unfettered basing access and right of strategic denial the US has enjoyed since World War II, and help the Chinese navy extend its reach past the first island chain into the blue-water Pacific," it said.
China's methods were "remarkably consistent," the report said, beginning with infrastructure investments under its US$1 trillion belt and road initiative, and offering longer term loans with extended grace periods, which was appealing to countries with weaker economies and governance.
Construction projects, which the report said had a reputation for running over budget and yielding underwhelming returns, make debt repayments for the host nations more difficult.
"The final phase is debt collection," it said. "When countries prove unable to pay back their debts, China has already and is likely to continue to offer debt-forgiveness in exchange for both political influence and strategic equities."
As a case study, the report cited specific concerns about Sri Lanka granting China an 85 percent stake in a 99-year lease on a major port in Hambantota.
The deal, which the report described as "opaque and contentious," came after a decade of deepening debt ties with China.
In 2007, China offered financing for the US$361 million port at a time when other entities were concerned about human rights and commercial viability, and then loaned a further US$1.9 billion for upgrades and an airport.
By last year, when the port deal was signed, Sri Lanka owed more than US$8 billion to Chinese-controlled firms. The port, which was yet to generate a profit, became a "debt trap."
"Once Sri Lanka made the initial commitment, the sunk cost and need to generate profit to pay off the original loans drove it to take out additional loans, a cycle that repeated itself until it was finally cornered into giving up the port in a debt-for-equity swap," it said.
"This has sparked fears that Hambantota could one day become a Chinese naval hub, and sent a worrying signal to other debt-strapped developing nations," it said.


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Autonomic Nervous References
Thank you for consulting our scientific reference section. Below is just a small sample of the supportive studies regarding your particular area of interest. Studies may be directly or indirectly related to this area of health care. We pride ourselves upon "thinking outside of the box" such that we base much of our wellness approaches upon a scientific evidence base. It is important for you to realize that the references below are not provided to necessarily support the particular approach described within this section of our website. If you would like further evidence or support or simply have questions please feel free to email us directly at: email@example.com or call us at 94-242-8844 (Ext. 1).
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22006687 - Exercise training improves autonomic profiles in patients with Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22002186 - The relationship between cardiac autonomic function and clinical and angiographic characteristics in patients with coronary artery disease.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21996103 - Heart Rate Variability in Assessment of Autonomic Dysfunction in Patients With Chronic Prostatitis/Chronic Pelvic Pain Syndrome.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15923026 - Analysis of heart rate variability in female patients with overactive bladder.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15649231 - Heart rate variability in patients with essential hyperhidrosis: dynamic influence of sympathetic and parasympathetic maneuvers.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/14639860 - [Changes in autonomic control of heart rate after ischemic cerebral stroke].
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22014539 - Exploring autonomic nervous system dysfunction in patients with cancer cachexia: A pilot study.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21388744 - Sympathetic and parasympathetic activity in cancer-related fatigue: more evidence for a physiological substrate in cancersurvivors.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21123449 - Treatment of obstructive sleep apnea improves cardiometabolic function in young obese women with polycystic ovary syndrome.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20676323 - Heart rate variability and length of survival in hospice cancer patients.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20413055 - Association between cardiovascular autonomic functions and time to death in patients with terminal hepatocellular carcinoma.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20224872 - Heart rate variability during and after peripheral blood stem cell leukapheresis in autologous transplant patients and allogeneic transplant donors.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21985749 - Inspiratory muscle training reduces blood pressure and sympathetic activity in hypertensive patients: A randomized controlled trial.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21748930 - Impaired heart rate variability as a marker of cardiovascular autonomic dysfunction in multiple sclerosis.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21306747 - Abnormal left ventricular torsion and cardiac autonomic dysfunction in subjects with type 1 diabetes mellitus.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21089445 - [Prospects for the assessment of cardiac rhythm variability in patients with rheumatoid arthritis and systemic lupus erythematosus].


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When a case goes to court that involves a child, such as divorce, the court sometimes appoints a person to represent the child's interests. They're called Guardians ad Litem, or GALs. And while Maine's 318 actively rostered GALs are seen as playing a vital role in some of the most contentious family court cases, some complain that there's a lack of oversight on a profession that can have a profound effect on a family's future. Maine Chief Justice Leigh Sauffley is working on a plan to strengthen the system.
When a guardian ad litem–or "GAL"–is appointed to a case, their job is to gather facts about a child's situation and report back to court. This can mean home visits, interviews with school personnel and pediatricians–anything that can help inform what is in the best interest of a child.
In the past two years, GALs have been appointed in about 6 to 7 percent of family matter cases in Maine. And while talk about the need for reform has been brewing for years, things have come to a head lately. A newly-formed group called Maine Guardian ad Litem Alert is part of the reason. It was started by Paul Collins of Rockland after he had a bad experience during his divorce case. His father, Dr. Jerome Collins, is also involved in the effort.
"We had, like many people, witnessed with growing disbelief the operations of a particular guardian ad litem," he says. "At first we thought it was us. We thought we didn't understand the process, and then gradually came to the conclusion that this was just plain crazy. It didn't make any sense."
Collins says the guardian ad litem appointed in his son's divorce case made unprofessional statements about his 7-year-old grandson in reports, and drew inaccurate conclusions about his and his wife's ability to care for him.
"Although I have been in clinical practice as a psychiatrist for 36 years, and though I have taught at Harvard Medical School, worked for the surgeon general of the Army, and my wife was a dietician at Mass General, we were told that we were unable to see our grandson without supervised visits," he says.
Collins says complaints went nowhere. He says he and his wife eventually challenged the guardian ad litem's recommendation in court and won, after spending $5,000 in legal fees. Collins says major reforms on the GAL system are needed: Most importantly, establishing a formal complaint resolution process and better oversight on the profession.
"Now I'm not saying that there aren't some that are doing their function that don't have integrity and so on, but there's no regulation, it's strictly a matter of individual character," he says. "There's no oversight."
"I think that isolation and lack of support is a real problem for us," says Toby Hollander, a guardian ad litem and a lawyer. In fact, most of the guardians ad litem in Maine — 78 percent — are lawyers. Most of the rest are mental health professionals. To become a GAL, they must complete at least 16 hours of specialized training and receive approval from the Chief Judge.
Hollander says most guardians ad litem do a good job, and numbers from the state support that assertion. In the past two years, there have been complaints in only one percent of all cases. Nonetheless, Hollander agrees that improvements are needed. To that end, he formed the Maine Guardian ad Litem Institute eight years ago, which connects GALs through a listserve, study groups and mentoring program.
""We want supervision, we want support, we want someone to go to when we're having problems. We want feedback on the work that we do, and we don't get it now.""
Maine Chief Justice Leigh Soufley is well aware of concerns about the GAL system. In 2009, she asked the Legislature to create an oversight board. But at an annual cost of $400,000 dollars, she was told the state didn't have the money.
""When you have a professional who it is alleged has not done what a professional should have done in those settings, there should be an independent body that reviews the standards for that profession, finds the facts as to what happened, and then decides whether or not the professional has done something inappropriate," Saufley says. "Just as would happen if you had a complaint about your doctor or if a social worker were alleged to have acted inappropriately, there is an independent body that looks at all of that. And that's what should happen here."
Another problem, says Justice Saufley, is confusion about exactly what role a guardian ad litem should have. She says while the law states GALs are to gather facts and report to court, their responsibilities have gradually expanded beyond that.
"What do we really want these guardians to be doing? Should they be in fact acting as people who are similar to counselors or social workers? Are they acting in the nature of a mediator?" she asks. "In many instances they volunteer those services along the way. Or are we going to identify them as investigators who report back to the court?"
Justice Saufley says another complaint about GALs is cost — in family court cases, it's the parents who are responsbile for paying GALs, at rates that typically range between $100 to $200 per hour. Toby Hollander points out that parents could avoid those costs by reaching agreement, thereby eliminating the need for a GAL.
Still, Justice Sauffley says she'll look at options to reduce costs. Maine Department of Health and Human Services officials say they support increased accountability for guardians ad litem. Justice Sauffley says she'll work with stakeholders over the coming months to draft her recommendations, and present them to the Legislature in October.
We would like to thank MPBN and reporter Patty B.Wight for writing this report.
Like us on Facebook at Megalalert or Megalhelp or send your questions or tell your story at firstname.lastname@example.com email@example.com
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S&P review prompts Goldman, Citi to pull CMBS deal
Changes to the Standard & Poor's approach to rating commercial mortgage-backed securities conduit/fusion transactions led Goldman Sachs (GS) and Citigroup (C) to pull a deal from the secondary markets. However, the total impact of the S&P decision may hit the entire CMBS market. For the moment, the ratings agency's internal review only impacts the one deal, but analysts at Barclays Capital said the revised methodology eventually will be assigned to all CMBS conduit deals S&P rates. "On the individual deal level, this action might be viewed as negative for both the underwriters and investors," Barclays Capital analysts Julia Tcherkassova and Keerthi Raghavan said. "Specific impact will vary depending on how the hedges were executed on both sides." "It is also unclear at this point if the deal will be eventually brought back to the market and whether its collateral will be fully or partially replaced on top of structural changes," the BarCap analysts added. The joint Goldman, Citi deal — GS Mortgage Securities Trust 2011-GC4 — was expected to close and settle today, but has been withdraw from the market. S&P informed clients that its application of debt-service coverage ratio calculations may require "technical changes." In the interim, the ratings agency said it could not confidently assign new ratings to conduit/fusion deals, so-called because of the funding methods the CMBS employs, based on previous S&P criteria and methodology. "Because of the early stage of the review, the potential impact on outstanding ratings is uncertain," said S&P primary credit analyst Mark Adelson. "Until the review is completed, Standard & Poor's will not assign new ratings to transactions that are based on the conduit/fusion criteria." S&P currently rates five so-called CMBS 2.0 deals using the conduit/fusion structure. CMBS 2.0 refers to commercial securitizations marketed after the economy collapsed in 2008. The deals are remarkably different and some market players worry about risks associated with CMBS 2.0. Typical conduit/fusion CMBS 2.0 deals are spread out among several commercial properties across the nation and typically more than 40 loans. There is also a heavier reliance of "B-piece" buyers to hold the riskiest parts of the securitization. Investors in this space are highly diversified and include investment firms employing various strategies, such as BlackRock, Elliot Management, H/2 and Rialto to name a few. Analysts at the Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) said the S&P review is the result of using an incongruous approach within the credit ratings agency. "Prior to 2011, (debt-service coverage ratios) used in the criteria were based on the worse of actual debt-service amounts and loan constants," the RBS analysts wrote. "Starting around January 2011, S&P started using a simple average of the two methods in the analysis of new deals, but surveillance continued to use the earlier approach." David Viklund, counsel in the Paul Hastings real estate practice said the S&P move is only one aspect of the CMBS market facing uncertainty. "Every securitization that has come out in the last 60-days or so has priced well below expectations," he said. "If CMBS lenders can't predict how their bonds will price with any degree of certainty, it becomes virtually impossible to quote spreads on new loans." "As a result the pipeline for new loans has significantly dried up," he said. "In just the last 48 hours, one cmbs lender cut the pool size of its upcoming securitization by more than a third in part due to inability to agree on pricing with Borrowers. Another lender had to go back to the drawing board on a bond sale that was supposed to close today as S&P essentially said that they will not rate multi-borrower pools while they reconsider their underwriting criteria." Write to Jacob Gaffney. Follow him on Twitter @jacobgaffney.


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A recent survey taken by Likeji, a professor at the School of Public Health at Peking University of 218 parents in Beijing regarding the use of calcium supplements in children has revealed that "70 percent of babies under 4 months old and 90 percent of those older than six months were being fed calcium supplements" and this unnecessary use of calcium supplements could actually be causing the children harm. This high statistic is thought to be due to the predominant role that rickets once played in children in China, which has now resulted in worried parents overusing calcium supplements despite the fact that a recent survey taken from 1990-1996 showed that the percentage of rickets among of Chinese children had dropped to 26.7% (compared with the 40.7% concluded from a national survey taken between 1977-1983). This overuse of calcium supplements in children could result in health problems such as kidney stones and various other problems.
Photo by shuri via Flickr


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"Only" a 60-Day Extension for National Flood Insurance
Last week during the 2012 Mid-Year Meetings a contingent of CABOR members met with Members of Congress and urged action on NAR's priority issues, including the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). Later today the United States Senate is expected to pass a 60-day extension of the NFIP. This extension will avoid a lapse in the program when the current authorization expires on May 31, 2012. A lapse would have affected thousands of real estate closings across the nation. While this extension is a positive development and will ensure program continuity it is not the long-term solution that NAR has been advocating.
NAR has been firmly committed to working with our Congressional Allies on passing a 5-year National Flood Insurance Program reauthorization and reform bill. That bill, H.R.1309 the Flood Insurance Reform Act of 2011, has passed the House of Representatives and awaiting action in the United States Senate. Despite media reports that are indicating "progress" in the Senate on passing the reauthorization and reform bill, there a number of legislative hurdles that remain.


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Give us a call to get our secret deals 1-800-293-2602
Property Location
With a stay at Knights Inn Charleston in Charleston, you'll be within a 15-minute drive of Charleston Town Center and Charleston Civic Center. This motel is 3.8 mi (6.2 km) from University of Charleston and 5.6 mi (9 km) from West Virginia State Museum.
Make yourself at home in one of the 115 air-conditioned guestrooms. Complimentary wireless Internet access keeps you connected, and cable programming is available for your entertainment. Bathrooms have showers and complimentary toiletries. Conveniences include desks and irons/ironing boards, as well as phones with free local calls.
Enjoy the recreation opportunities such as an outdoor pool or make use of other amenities including complimentary wireless Internet access.
A complimentary buffet breakfast is served daily from 6 AM to 9 AM.
Business, Other Amenities
Featured amenities include a 24-hour front desk, laundry facilities, and an elevator (lift). Free self parking is available onsite.


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You are currently browsing the tag archive for the 'sewing' tag.
My friend here is designing bags/purses from burlap, hemp, and local embroidery (some machine, some hand). The main fabric is recycled burlap sacks, so the bags are very environmentally friendly! She wants to know what foreigners think about her work so please comment with your thoughts.
Bag #1: Black Teddy Tote
Bag #2: Local Embroidery & Buttons
Bag #3: Rainbow Teddybear Tote
Bag #4: Local Embroidery Messenger Bag
Bag #5: Hand Embroidery & Hand-woven Hemp
You can see more photos here.
I'm having a great time working on projects that our baby will one day soon enjoy. Finding the right materials can be a challenge, but I'm learning lots of crafting terms in Chinese and locating the best stores to buy the various supplies I need!
I began my first project for baby in July, and am finally done! I found the pattern "Nightingale Lap Quilt" in Aimee Ray's Doodle Stitching book and, though I liked the overall idea, I didn't like the specific style: it's all creamy pinks, and I wasn't a huge fan of the pink nightingale.
So, I sketched it out in my craftbook with the colors in fabrics I found at a local shop, used the "Two Trees" embroidery pattern from a different part of the book (a pattern for a scrapbook cover), and combined them all into the blanket you see above. I'm so glad it's done, and cuddling with it gives me one more reminder of the little one we'll have in our home next year!
You can see more photos of the process and finished quilt on flickr.
I'm not sure if it qualifies as nesting, but pregnancy sure has peaked (if that was possible) my interest in making things. I ordered a baby knitting book in the same shipment as my pregnancy book, and dog-eared all the baby projects in my other craft books (embroidery, patchwork quilting, general knitting). I only have to complete 7 blankets, 7 toys, 4 stuffed animals, 6 diaper covers, 3 sweaters, 2 sets of leggings, 2 sets of sleepwear, 1 baby hat, and about a kazillion washcloths! Good thing the baby's not coming for more than 5 months. Even better thing: I've prioritized the baby projects and don't expect to actually complete more than 9 of the projects listed above. One for each month, right?
I've added a page where you (and I!) can keep track of Baby's Projects. Comment with encouraging words of motivation!!! Or, to share even more projects for me to add to my list!


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Merrick Kiwanis Club Donates AED device to North Merrick Public Library
The Merrick Kiwanis Club has donated an automated external defibrillator to the North Merrick Public Library with the help of Merrick Kiwanis member Susan Helsinger, president of the Jason Gruen Foundation.
Presentation of the AED took place on Thursday evening at the library before members of the library and members of the library Board of Trustees.
"There are no AEDs in the local libraries," Michael Reid announced to Your NewsMag, saying there was a "real gap" between the libraries and the schools in being able to help someone suffering from sudden heart seizure. An AED provides a life-saving electrical jolt to those experiencing otherwise-fatal sudden heart arrhythmias.
Susan Helsinger, at left, is joined by North Merrick Public Library Director Tom Witt, Michael Reid, Kim Sharoff, president of the Merrick Kiwanis, Bill Pezzulo, library board of trustees president, and members of the board of trustees.
Reid, a firefighter and paramedic for the Merrick Fire Department and EMS instructor for the North Shore-LIJ Hospital System, said the idea to place defibrillators in the local libraries – Merrick Library will receive one in March – had been about a year in the making. He said the need was first identified by Past-President Marty Valk, and the project was carried out under current President Kim Scharoff.
"Once the club determined it was something that should be done, we began fundraising efforts" to raise revenue that could both acquire the AEDs and train personnel to use them, Reid continued.
Reid maintained that two AEDs would cost roughly $4000 – $2000 per library – with training for 12 employees at each library, at $100 to train, bringing the cost to around $6000.
With February being Heart Month, and the Kiwanis club known for being the "club with a heart," it made sense to donate the AEDs during February, Reid said. He added that the mission of the Merrick Kiwanis was indeed to provide the benefits of both CPR and AEDs to all the residents of the Merricks.
Bill Pezzulo, president of the Board of Trustees, said the donation of the AED was 'wonderful," because it would protect the patrons and other community residents who come to use the library, which he called a "very community oriented place."
Meanwhile, as president of the Jason Gruen Foundation, Helsinger has helped diagnose heart issues in young students in the district to enable them to receive treatment to eradicate or reverse the symptoms.
The foundation was formed in memory of her son Jason, who died suddenly of cardiac arrest from an otherwise undetected heart ailment. The foundation works with area hospitals and local schools to test young students for heart irregularities. If irregularities are detected, they can be treated to save the life of the student as he or she grows into adulthood.
Merrick Library staff will complete their CPR training on March 19, and an AED will be presented by the Merrick Kiwanis Club to the library soon after.


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Building the Organization
Strategic Planning | Goal #1 | Goal #2 | Goal #3 | Goal #4
Strategic Goal #2
Formulate organizational systems, structures, policies, and procedures that emphasize collaboration, inclusion, shared responsibility, civility, and diversity.
Key Strategies
- Assess organizational structures and recommend modifications that increase collaboration, communication, and effectiveness.
- Provide systematic professional development and leadership training for the college community to support strategic initiatives.
- Evaluate and modify governance systems in order to improve shared responsibility, inclusion, and cooperation.
- Deploy a model of continuous assessment to measure effectiveness and institutional climate.
- Devise a succession planning process providing a framework for recruiting and retaining faculty and staff who reflect the diversity of the community.
- Improve inter-office and intra-office procedures to streamline enrollment processes.
Strategic Outcome
By 2019, RCC will implement a framework for continuous assessment using PACE to achieve a one-level improvement against baseline data in institutional climate, shared responsibility, and esprit d'corps.


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Hard Rock Stadium
|Former names
Joe Robbie Stadium
Pro Player Park
Pro Player Stadium
Dolphins Stadium
Dolphin Stadium
Land Shark Stadium
Sun Life Stadium
|347 Don Shula Drive
|Miami Gardens, Florida
|25°57′29″N 80°14′20″W / 25.95806°N 80.23889°WCoordinates: 25°57′29″N 80°14′20″W / 25.95806°N 80.23889°W
|26,718 cars
Stephen M. Ross (95%)
H. Wayne Huizenga (5%)[2]
|Miami Dolphins
65,326 (Football)[3][4]
78,363 (Wrestling)
|Record attendance
(2013 BCS National Championship Game)
|Platinum TE Paspalum
|Broke ground
|December 1, 1985
|August 16, 1987
|Construction cost
US$115 million
($240 million in 2016 dollars[5])
|Populous (then HOK Sport); HOK (2016 renovation)
|Project manager
|George A. Fuller Company[6]
|Structural engineer
|Bliss & Nyitray Inc.
|Services engineer
|Blum Consulting Engineers
|General contractor
|Huber, Hunt & Nichols[7]
Miami Dolphins (NFL) (1987–present)
Champs Sports Bowl (NCAA) (1990–2000)
Florida Marlins (MLB) (1993–2011)
Orange Bowl (NCAA) (1996–present)
Florida Atlantic Owls (NCAA) (2001–2002)
Miami Hurricanes (NCAA) (2008–present)
Hard Rock Stadium is a multipurpose football stadium located in Miami Gardens, Florida, a suburb north of Miami. It is the home stadium of the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League (NFL), and the Miami Hurricanes from the University of Miami. The facility also hosts the Orange Bowl, an annual college football bowl game. It was the home to the Florida Marlins of Major League Baseball (MLB), now known as the Miami Marlins, from 1993 to 2011.
The stadium has hosted five Super Bowls (XXIII, XXIX, XXXIII, XLI and XLIV), the 2010 Pro Bowl,[8] two World Series (1997 and 2003), four BCS National Championship Games (2001, 2005, 2009, 2013), the second round of the 2009 World Baseball Classic, and WrestleMania XXVIII. The stadium will host Super Bowl LIV in 2020.[9]
The facility opened in 1987 as Joe Robbie Stadium and has been known by a number of names since: it has been called Pro Player Park, Pro Player Stadium, Dolphins Stadium, Dolphin Stadium, Land Shark Stadium, and Sun Life Stadium.
History and facts
Conception and construction
For their first 21 seasons, the Miami Dolphins played at the Orange Bowl. Joe Robbie, the team's founder, led the financing campaign to build a new home for the team. He believed it was only a matter of time before a Major League Baseball team came to South Florida. At his request, the stadium was built so only minimal renovations would be necessary to ready it for a baseball team. Most notably, the field was made somewhat wider than is normally the case for an NFL stadium. The wide field also makes it fairly easy to convert the stadium for soccer.
Because of this design decision, the first row of seats is 90 ft (27 m) from the sideline in a football configuration, considerably more distant than the first row of seats in most football stadiums (the closest seats at the new Soldier Field, for instance, are 55 ft (17 m) from the sideline at the 50-yard line). This resulted in a less intimate venue for football compared to other football facilities built around this time, as well as to the Orange Bowl.
At the time it opened in 1987, the stadium was located in an unincorporated area within Miami-Dade County, and had a Miami address. Miami Gardens was incorporated on May 13, 2003.[10]
The first preseason game for the Dolphins was played on August 16, 1987 against the Chicago Bears. The first regular season game was scheduled for September 27, a week 3 game against the New York Giants, this game was canceled and not made up due to the 1987 players strike. The first regular season NFL game played there was a 42–0 Dolphins victory over the Kansas City Chiefs on October 11, 1987. The game was in the middle of the 1987 NFL strike, and was played with replacement players. The stadium hosted its first Monday Night Football game on December 7 of that year, a 37–28 Dolphins victory over the New York Jets. In addition to the Super Bowl, several other playoff games have been played in the stadium, including the 1992 AFC Championship Game, which the Dolphins lost to the Buffalo Bills, 29–10. The Dolphins are 5–3 in playoff games held here, losing the most recent one in January 2009, against the Baltimore Ravens. The team is unbeaten here against the Minnesota Vikings (3–0), San Diego Chargers (7–0), Los Angeles/St. Louis Rams (4–0), and Washington Redskins (4–0); they are winless here against the Dallas Cowboys (0–3) and New York Giants (0–3).
The Marlins move in
In 1990, Wayne Huizenga purchased 50% of then-Joe Robbie Stadium and became the point man in the drive to bring Major League Baseball (MLB) to South Florida. That effort was rewarded in July 1991, when the Miami area was awarded an MLB expansion franchise. The new team was named the Florida Marlins, and placed in the National League. On January 24, 1994, Huizenga acquired the remaining 50% of the stadium to give him 100% ownership. Since 1991, several million dollars have been spent to upgrade and renovate the stadium.
The first Marlins game played at then-Joe Robbie Stadium was on April 5, 1993, a 6–3 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Renovations and configurations
After Huizenga bought part of the stadium, it was extensively renovated to accommodate a baseball team, as part of his successful bid to bring baseball to South Florida. Purists initially feared the result would be similar to Exhibition Stadium in Toronto; when the Toronto Blue Jays played there from 1977 to 1989, they were burdened with seats that were so far from the field (over 800 feet in some cases) that they weren't even sold during the regular season. However, Robbie had foreseen Miami would be a likely location for a new or relocated MLB team, and the stadium was designed to make any necessary renovations for baseball as seamless as possible.
Aside from baseball renovations, the stadium has undergone some permanent renovations. In April 2006, the stadium unveiled two Daktronics large video boards, the largest in professional sports at the time.[11] The east display measures 50 ft (15 m) high by 140 ft (43 m) wide, and the west end zone display measures 50 ft (15 m) high by 100 ft (30 m) wide. A new 2,118-foot (646 m)-long LED ribbon board, again the largest in the world at the time, was also installed. These have since been surpassed in size.[11]
In addition, the upgrades include vastly widened 40,000-square-foot (3,700 m2) concourses on the stadium's north and south sides. Bars, lounges and other amenities have also been added. The renovation has three phases, with the second and third phases of renovation taking place after the Marlins left the stadium. These remaining phases include the addition of a roof to shield fans from the rain, as well as remodeling the sidelines of the lower bowl to narrow the field and bring seats closer, ending its convertibility to baseball.[12]
The stadium contains 10,209 club seats and 216 suites. When the Marlins played at the stadium, 2,400 of the club seats and 216 suites were available.
A privately funded $350 million stadium renovation project began in January 2015. The project plan allows the stadium to be used for football games during the 2015 season, with completion planned for the 2016 football season.[13] Stadium upgrades include video boards in each corner of the stadium, additional suites, and an open-air canopy over the main seating areas.[14] As part of the renovation, the stadium's seating capacity will be reduced from 75,000 to 65,000 seats. Personal seat licenses will not be used, and a preview center opened at the stadium in February 2015 to help current and prospective season ticket holders select their ticket packages. Luxury packages will be used in place of PSL revenue to help finance the stadium. 32 four-seat pods will be located in the lower bowl at the south 30-yard lines, with an additional 16 pods at the south end zone.[15] The pods feature a living room arrangement, including premium furniture and television screens that show the NFL RedZone channel and NFL programming.[16]
Seating capacity
Permanent seating
The 65,326 permanent seats for football and soccer configurations break down as follows: For the general 19" seats with chair back and armrests, there are 27,397 in the lower deck and 34,736 in the upper deck. There are 10,209 of the bigger club 21" seats with chair back and armrests. In the 193 executive suites with 10, 12, 16, 20, and 24 seats, there are a total of 3,198. There are also 300 seating locations for disabled persons, 150 seats for working press, and 10 radio/TV booths.[17]
The parking around the stadium takes up 140 acres, featuring parking for 24,137 cars, 171 buses, 90 RVs, 85 limousines, and one helipad on site.[17] The parking fee was $30 per car/truck/SUV for the 2013 and 2014 seasons.
Notable events
The stadium has played host to five Super Bowls (1989, 1995, 1999, 2007, and 2010). There has been a kickoff return for a touchdown in each Super Bowl played at the stadium, except in the most recent game. The stadium also hosted the 2010 Pro Bowl.
The 2007 Super Bowl at Dolphin Stadium—when Indianapolis defeated Chicago 29–17—was marred by heavy rains. An estimated 30% of the lower-level seating was empty during the second half.[18]
In 2010, the NFL threatened to take the stadium out of further consideration for a Super Bowl or Pro Bowl unless significant renovations were made. One of the upgrades desired was a roof to protect fans from the elements. In 2012, the Dolphins scrapped plans for pitching a $200-million hotel tax proposal that would have included a partial stadium roof.
In 2016, construction began on an open-air canopy that will protect all fan seating areas from rain. However, the canopy will have a football-field sized hole in the middle, and will not protect the playing field itself from rain. The renovations are scheduled to be completed by the first Miami Dolphins pre-season home game in September 2016.
Since the field runs east–west (rather than north–south as is the case in most other stadiums), the north stands are exposed to the full force of South Florida's oppressive heat early in the season. The issue has become so problematic that Stephen Ross, who owns the Dolphins and the stadium, successfully petitioned the NFL to have all September home games start at 4 pm. Although the heat gave the Dolphins a substantial home-field advantage against opponents unaccustomed to the sweltering heat, Ross was willing to give that up in order to ensure a more comfortable environment for fans.[19]
|Super Bowl
|Team (Visitor)
|Team (Home)
|January 22, 1989
|Cincinnati Bengals
|San Francisco 49ers
|January 29, 1995
|San Diego Chargers
|San Francisco 49ers
|January 31, 1999
|Denver Broncos
|Atlanta Falcons
|February 4, 2007
|Indianapolis Colts
|Chicago Bears
|February 7, 2010
|New Orleans Saints
|Indianapolis Colts
The stadium has hosted both the 2009 BCS National Championship Game and the 2013 BCS National Championship Game.[20] The 2013 game between Alabama and Notre Dame set a new attendance record for the facility, with 80,120 on hand to witness Alabama's third BCS Championship in four seasons.[21]
The stadium has hosted the Miami Hurricanes beginning in 2008. The stadium was the home field for the Florida Atlantic Owls (2001–2002).
Between 1990 and 2000, the stadium hosted a bowl game variously known as the Blockbuster Bowl, CarQuest Bowl, and MicronPC Bowl. After 2000, that bowl was moved to Orlando, where it eventually became known as the Russell Athletic Bowl.
The stadium has been the site of the Orange Bowl game since 1996, except for the January 1999 contest between Florida and Syracuse, which had to be moved due to a conflict with a Dolphins playoff game.
Until 2008, the stadium was host (in even numbered years) to the annual Shula Bowl, a game played between the Florida Atlantic University Owls and the Florida International University Panthers, when the game was hosted by FAU as the home team (FIU hosts the game at its own stadium, FIU Stadium, every other year). In 2010 the game was moved to Fort Lauderdale's Lockhart Stadium, and in 2011 the Owls opened FAU Stadium on its Boca Raton campus, and started hosting the Shula Bowl there biennially in 2012.
WrestleMania XXVIII
On February 9, 2011, The Miami Herald announced that Miami had won the right to host WrestleMania in 2012.[22] WWE later officially announced the event in a press conference held at the Fontainebleau Miami Beach.[23] WrestleMania XXVIII was the second Wrestlemania event that was hosted in the state of Florida, the fourth open-air event, and the third event to be held entirely outdoors.[22] For hosting the event, WWE received a $250,000 cash incentive from the Miami-Dade Sports Commission raised through grants and sponsorships.
The event, which took place on April 1, 2012, drew a record 78,363 fans in attendance. Also, at the time, the event set a new record for the highest-grossing live event in WWE history, grossing $8.9 million.[24]
The crowd witnessed the end of an era as The Undertaker defeated Triple H in a Hell in a Cell match, with WWE Hall of Famer Shawn Michaels as special guest referee. Also, CM Punk retained the WWE Championship against Chris Jericho. Miami native The Rock defeated John Cena in the 'Once in a Lifetime' main event set one year in advance but, they would face each other again at Wrestlemania 29 for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship WrestleMania XXVIII earnered 1,217,000 buys,[25] making it at the time, the most purchased wrestling event in history, surpassing WrestleMania 23's buyrate of approximately 1.2 million, with global gross sales in excess of $67 million.[26]
Two National League Division Series have been played at the stadium:
- 1997 against the San Francisco Giants: Marlins win 3 games to 0
- 2003 against the San Francisco Giants: Marlins win 3 games to 1
Two National League Championship Series have been played at Hard Rock Stadium:
- 1997 against the Atlanta Braves: Marlins win 4 games to 2
- 2003 against the Chicago Cubs: Marlins win 4 games to 3
Two World Series have been played at New Miami Stadium:
- 1997 against the Cleveland Indians: Marlins win 4 games to 3
- 2003 against the New York Yankees: Marlins win 4 games to 2
When the Marlins began play in 1993, baseball capacity was initially reduced to 47,662, with most of the upper level covered with a tarp. In addition to Huizenga's desire create a more intimate atmosphere for baseball, most of the seats in the upper level would have been too far from the field to be of any use during the regular season. The stadium's baseball capacity was further reduced over the years, and finally settled at 38,560 seats. However, the Marlins would usually open the entire upper level for the postseason. In the 1997 World Series, the Marlins played before crowds of over 67,000 fans, some of the highest postseason attendance figures in MLB history, only exceeded by Cleveland Stadium, home of the Cleveland Indians during the 1948 and 1954 World Series, old Yankee Stadium prior to its mid 1970s renovation, and the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, the temporary home of the Los Angeles Dodgers (before Dodger Stadium was opened) in the 1959 World Series.
Although it was designed from the ground up to accommodate baseball, the stadium never was a true multipurpose stadium. Rather, it was built as a football stadium that could convert into a baseball stadium. Most of the seats in the baseball configuration were pointed toward center field – where the 50-yard line would be in the football configuration. As a result, even with the reduced capacity, the sight lines for baseball left much to be desired. This was particularly evident during the Marlins' World Series appearances in 1997 and 2003. Some portions of left and center field were not part of the football playing field, and fans sitting in the left field upper-deck seats were unable to see these areas except on the replay boards. Even with the reduced capacity, during years the Marlins were not contending, they often drew crowds of 5,000 or fewer—a total that looked even smaller due to the cavernous environment.
The stadium was notorious for its poor playing conditions. The lights were not located in optimal positions for baseball visibility. During August and September, when the Dolphins (and later, the Hurricanes) shared the stadium, the field conditions were, according to both Marlins and visiting players, among the worst in the majors. Indeed, several Marlins players said that at times, they "couldn't wait to go on the road." Visiting teams hated coming to the stadium as well. For instance, when the Atlanta Braves came to the stadium for the last time in 2011, Dan Uggla, who played for the Marlins from 2006 to 2010, said that he was probably the only Brave who was going to miss it.[27][28][29] The stadium's problems as a baseball venue became even more stark as time wore on, as the Marlins' tenure in the stadium coincided with a wave of new, baseball-only parks. By the time the Marlins left the stadium, it was one of only three in the majors (and the only National League stadium) that played host to both a baseball team and an NFL or CFL team. The others were the Oakland Coliseum and Toronto's Rogers Centre.
For most of the Marlins' tenure at the stadium, it was the hottest stadium in the major leagues. The Marlins played nearly all of their home games from late May through mid-September at night due to South Florida's often oppressive heat and humidity. They also got waivers from MLB and ESPN to play on Sunday nights.
The stadium was the venue where Mark McGwire hit his NL-record 57th home run to best Hack Wilson's 68-year-old record of 56 in 1998. Ken Griffey, Jr. hit his 600th career home run off Mark Hendrickson of the Marlins on June 9, 2008; and where Roy Halladay of the Philadelphia Phillies pitched the 20th perfect game in Major League Baseball history on May 29, 2010, against the Marlins.
A number of soccer matches have been in the stadium, including a number of international friendlies featuring Central or South American sides. (Miami is home to some of the largest populations of Central and South Americans in the United States.)
The stadium hosted a match between FC Barcelona and C.D. Guadalajara on August 3, 2011, as part of the 2011 World Football Challenge. Guadalajara won the match, 4–1, in front of 70,080 attendees.[34]
Colombia beat Mexico, 2–0, in a friendly international in front of 51,615 spectators at the stadium on 29 February 2012, and a year later they beat Guatemala, 4–1.
A.C. Milan and Chelsea faced each other at the stadium on July 28, 2012. A.C. Milan won the match, 1–0, in front of 57,748 fans.[35]
Brazil beat Honduras, 5–0, in a friendly match in front of 71,124 spectators on November 16, 2013. The attendance was the highest for a soccer match at the stadium.[36]
Free Kick Masters 2013 Tournament and Entertainment Spectacular was held at the New Miami Stadium on 28 December 2013.
England played Ecuador and Honduras at the New Miami Stadium on 4 June 2014 and 7 June 2014 respectively.[37]
South Korea played against Ghana on 9 June 2014.
Brazil beat Colombia, 1-0, in front of an announced attendance of 73,429 fans, a new attendance record for a soccer match at the stadium.
The 2014 International Champions Cup final was held at New Miami Stadium with Manchester United defeating Liverpool F.C. 3–1 on 4 August 2014 to claim the tournament's second title.
Matches at the stadium
|August 4, 1989
|April 22, 1990
|United States
|February 18, 1994
|Joe Robbie Cup
|United States
|February 20, 1994
|United States
|August 3, 2011
|2011 World Football Challenge
|October 8, 2011
|United States
|February 29, 2012
|June 23, 2012
|World Soccer Masters Tour 2012
|July 28, 2012
|2012 World Football Challenge
|February 6, 2013
|July 12, 2013
|2013 CONCACAF Gold Cup
|Trinidad and Tobago
|El Salvador
|July 21, 2013
|August 6, 2013
|2013 International Champions Cup
|1–1 (8–9 p)
|August 7, 2013
|LA Galaxy
|Real Madrid
|November 16, 2013
|June 4, 2014
|June 7, 2014
|June 9, 2014
|South Korea
|August 4, 2014
|2014 International Champions Cup
|Manchester United
|September 5, 2014
Monster Jam
The monster truck touring series Monster Jam used to go to the stadium every year. The last show performed there was in 2015, and no shows have been announced since. In 2012, the show was filmed and shown on SPEED Channel.
|Racing Winner
|Freestyle Winner
|January 26
|El Toro Loco
|January 25
|El Toro Loco
|Grave Digger
|January 24
|Grave Digger
|February 5
|Grave Digger
|El Toro Loco/Grave Digger (tie)
|February 4
|Blue Thunder
|February 17
|El Toro Loco
|Grave Digger
|February 2
|Blue Thunder
|Grave Digger
|January 31
|Stone Crusher
|Grave Digger
|February 20
|Maximum Destruction
|February 12
|Mohawk Warrior
|Grave Digger
|February 11
|Bounty Hunter
|Advance Auto Parts Grinder
|February 9
|Bounty Hunter
|Grave Digger
|February 8
|Grave Digger The Legend
|El Toro Loco
|January 3
|Grave Digger The Legend
|Grave Digger The Legend
|No Show (Stadium Renovations)
|No Show (Unknown Reasoning)
Other events
Other events held at the stadium have included international soccer games, Hoop-It-Up Basketball, RV and boat shows, the UniverSoul Circus, Australian rules football exhibition matches, and numerous trade shows. It has also hosted religious gatherings.
In 2006, it hosted the High School State Football Championships, sanctioned by the Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA). Movies have also been shot there, most notably Ace Ventura: Pet Detective, which starred Jim Carrey and featured Dolphins great Dan Marino as himself; Marley and Me, starring Owen Wilson and Jennifer Aniston; and the Oliver Stone-directed Any Given Sunday, starring Al Pacino.
Naming rights
The stadium has gone through many name changes, bringing up a question of the value of corporate naming rights.[38]
During the planning and building phase of the stadium, the stadium was referred to as Dolphin Stadium. The stadium was named after Joe Robbie, the original and then-owner of the Miami Dolphins and stadium in 1987, when it opened. In the early 1990s, Wayne Huizenga gained control of the stadium. Huizenga first sold the naming rights to Pro Player, the sports apparel division of Fruit of the Loom, and Joe Robbie Stadium became Pro Player Park on August 26, 1996 and shortly later Pro Player Stadium.
Fruit of the Loom filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in 1999, and the Pro Player brand was ultimately liquidated in 2001, but the stadium name held for several more years. In January 2005, the Pro Player name was replaced with Dolphins Stadium, coinciding with a renovation of the stadium. Dolphins was changed to Dolphin in April 2006, in an update of graphics and logos.[39]
From February 2008 through January 2009, Stephen M. Ross gradually acquired 95% of the stadium and surrounding land. He then partnered with Jimmy Buffett to change the name once more, this time to Land Shark Stadium after a beer brewed for Buffett's Margaretville restaurant chain. The renaming was announced on May 8, 2009, but would last less than a year as the deal did not include rights for the upcoming 2010 Pro Bowl and Super Bowl XLIV.[40]
On January 20, 2010, Canadian-based financial services company Sun Life Financial announced that it had acquired the naming rights.[41] Sun Life Financial announced in 2012, that it will be exiting the U.S. annuity business and focusing on its employee benefits business in the U.S.[42] On August 14, 2015, the Dolphins told the Miami Herald that Sun Life's deal would expire in January 2016 and that the team had no plans to renew, wanting to position their renovated stadium as a brand new entity. The team also stated that they would remove Sun Life's signage upon expiration of the deal, regardless of their ability to find a replacement sponsor before then.[43]
On August 17, 2016, the Dolphins announced that the naming rights had been sold to Hard Rock Cafe International, and that the stadium would be renamed Hard Rock Stadium.[44][45] The new name was notably ridiculed by fans of the Florida State Seminoles, as their namesake are the owners of the Hard Rock Cafe chain, but the stadium is actually the home field of their rivals, the University of Miami Hurricanes.[46]
|Start Date
|End Date
|Joe Robbie Stadium
|August 16, 1987
|August 25, 1996
|Pro Player Park
|August 26, 1996
|September 9, 1996
|Pro Player Stadium
|September 10, 1996
|January 9, 2005
|Dolphins Stadium
|January 10, 2005
|April 7, 2006
|Dolphin Stadium
|April 8, 2006
|May 7, 2009
|Land Shark Stadium
|May 8, 2009
|January 5, 2010
|Dolphin Stadium
|January 6, 2010
|January 19, 2010
|Sun Life Stadium
|January 20, 2010
|January 31, 2016
|New Miami Stadium
|February 1, 2016
|August 16, 2016
|Hard Rock Stadium
|August 17, 2016
- ↑ "Ross said the agreement to change the name from Dolphin Stadium is for this season only and expires before the stadium plays host to the Super Bowl in February." "Dolphins' home renamed Land Shark Stadium in deal with singer Buffett". National Football League. Associated Press. May 10, 2009. Retrieved May 11, 2009.
- ↑ Ross' percentage is approximate. Small stakes are also known to be owned by the following sports and entertainment celebrities: Marc Anthony, Jennifer Lopez, Jimmy Buffett, Gloria and Emilio Estefan, Fergie, Serena Williams, Venus Williams
- ↑ "FAQs". Miami Dolphins. Retrieved April 7, 2016.
- ↑ Akopyan, Manouk (January 18, 2015). "Dolphins unveil $400M renovation plan for Sun Life Stadium". National Football League. Retrieved April 7, 2016.
Sun Life Stadium's capacity will decrease from 76,018 to approximately 65,326 seats in 2015.
- ↑ Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis Community Development Project. "Consumer Price Index (estimate) 1800–". Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. Retrieved October 21, 2016.
- ↑ Cosco, Joseph (August 2, 1985). "Head Of Dolphin Stadium Project Quietly Resigns". South Florida Sun-Sentinel. Retrieved December 3, 2011.
- ↑ Ballparks.com – Sun Life Stadium. Football.ballparks.com. Retrieved on June 19, 2012.
- ↑ "2010 Pro Bowl moving to Miami, will be played before Super Bowl". Retrieved December 30, 2008.
- ↑ Adam Stites (May 20, 2015). "The South will host 2019, 2020 Super Bowls". SB Nation. Retrieved August 28, 2015.
- ↑ Miami Gardens: Demographics
- 1 2 "Sun Life Stadium: Fast Facts".
- ↑ "Plans Unveiled for Dolphin Stadium Renovation". January 8, 2010.
- ↑ "Stadium renovations underway". January 6, 2015.
- ↑ "Miami Dolphins show off Sun Life Stadium renovations". January 14, 2015.
- ↑ "New pricing plan set for Miami Dolphins seats at Sun Life Stadium". February 5, 2015.
- ↑ "Dolphins making fans feel at home". February 5, 2015.
- 1 2 http://www.sunlifestadium.com/stadium-facts
- ↑ Thompson, Edgar (January 7, 2010). "Miami Dolphins Propose Partial Roof for Stadium in Effort to Attract Future Super Bowls". The Palm Beach Post. Retrieved January 7, 2010.
- ↑ Vikings among teams facing major stadium issues Archived July 4, 2010, at the Wayback Machine.. Fox Sports. Retrieved June 19, 2012.
- ↑ "Orange Bowl Committee – Sun Life Stadium". Retrieved January 11, 2012.
- ↑ "Single Game Attendance Report". Retrieved January 8, 2013.
- 1 2 Varsallone, Jim (February 9, 2011). "WrestleMania 28 headed to Sun Life Stadium". The Miami Herald. Retrieved February 9, 2011.
- ↑ Chang, Daniel (February 9, 2011). "WWE's WrestleMania heading to Sun Life Stadium in 2012". The Miami Herald. Retrieved February 10, 2011.
- ↑ Mrosko, Geno (April 2, 2012). "WrestleMania 28 results: WWE breaks gate and attendance records in Miami". Cageside Seats. Retrieved May 27, 2012.
- ↑ "WWE Reports 2012 Second Quarter Results" (PDF) (Press release). WWE. August 2, 2012. Retrieved August 5, 2012.
- ↑ "WrestleMania XXVIII sets pay-per-view record". WWE.com. April 16, 2012. Retrieved May 27, 2012.
- ↑ "Players Won't Miss Marlins' old Home". ESPN. Associated Press. September 26, 2011. Retrieved September 27, 2011.
- ↑ Gonzalez, Alden (September 28, 2011). "Marlins bid farewell to Sun Life Stadium". Major League Baseball. Retrieved September 28, 2011.
- ↑ Davis, Craig (September 23, 2011). "Marlins, Opponents Eager to Bid Adieu to Sun Life Stadium". South Florida Sun-Sentinel. Fort Lauderdale. Retrieved September 28, 2011.
- ↑ "Billboard Boxscore". Billboard. New York City. 2009-01-03. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved December 31, 2008.
- ↑ "Billboard Boxscore". Billboard. October 16, 2010. Retrieved October 9, 2010.
- ↑ "Billboard Boxscore – Current Boxscore". Billboard. July 23, 2011. Archived from the original on April 21, 2011. Retrieved 15 July 2011.
- ↑ "Billboard Boxscore". Billboard. New York. October 2, 2013. ISSN 0006-2510. Archived from the original on October 2, 2013. Retrieved October 2, 2013.
- ↑ "August 3, 2011: Barcelona vs. CD Guadalajara". Major League Soccer. MLSsoccer.com. August 3, 2011. Archived from the original on October 13, 2012. Retrieved September 6, 2011.
- ↑ Fernandez, Andre C. (July 28, 2012). "Alive and Well: AC Milan Tops Chelsea in Front of 57,748 Fans". The Miami Herald. Retrieved July 28, 2012.
- ↑ Brazil routs Honduras 5-0 from Yahoo! Sports, 16 November 2013, retrieved 14 December 2014
- ↑ "World Cup 2014: England's friendlies will have a Latin accent". The Guardian. 16 January 2014.
- ↑ Are Naming Rights Deals A Good Buy? Archived June 10, 2011, at the Wayback Machine.. CNBC (January 20, 2010). Retrieved June 19, 2012.
- ↑ History. Sun Life Stadium. Retrieved June 19, 2012.
- ↑ Evans, Simon (May 8, 2009). "Dolphin Stadium renamed Land Shark Stadium". Reuters. Retrieved May 9, 2009.
- ↑ Sun Life stadium named. Sunlifestadium.com. (January 20, 2010).
- ↑ "Sun Life Financial to sell U.S. annuity business for US$1.35 billion".
- ↑ Jackson, Barry (August 14, 2015). "Heat adds center; Dolphins Friday analysis, postscripts; New stadium name coming; Loria rejects overtures; Marlins issues; Heat". The Miami Herald. Retrieved August 15, 2015.
- ↑ "Miami Dolphins sell stadium naming rights to Hard Rock International". Sun Sentinel. Tronc. Retrieved 22 September 2016.
- ↑ "Is Hard Rock Stadium a Strange Naming Rights Deal?". Inc. Retrieved 22 September 2016.
- ↑ "FSU Fans Are Already Trolling UM Over Hard Rock Stadium Name". Miami New Times. Retrieved 22 September 2016.
New renovations and modernization project: http://www.miamidolphins.com/newstadium.html
External links
|Wikimedia Commons has media related to Hard Rock Stadium.
|Wikimedia Commons has media related to Sun Life Stadium.
- Official website
- Hark Rock Stadium at StadiumDB.com
- Hard Rock Stadium – Hurricanesports.com
- Hark Rock Stadium Seating Charts


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As Christians we have the words of life and yet when we get in a philosophical discussion it can get muddled and confusing where all parties get lost in the semantics. This doesn't need to happen.
If we learn to listen, we can become expert at planting and watering the Word of God.
When we engage folks when we are out and about, it's fun to get to know people and share our lives with them. These moments can provide fantastic opportunities to deliver the Gospel.
The scriptures tell us that we are to be wise as serpents and harmless as doves. Paul reminded us that time is short and Jesus directed us to deliver the Gospel and make disciples. This all seems like our Father is telling us to go in with a strategy!
Listening is a critical piece of our strategy for taking advantage of opportunities and creating opportunities where they may not seem to exist.
Get In The Cool ZoneThe value of In The Cool Zone is in the techniques that place our mind, emotions and body in a position to prepare and support your thinking. We do this so we can walk in the Spirit and do the work the Lord has given us to do.
That work as we define it is thinking like Jesus thinks, delivering the Gospel and teaching what we have learned, as outlined in our Vision Statement and Mission Statement.
When we dig into the Word of God we need to be expert at listening. When we engage people, we need to be expert at listening. The more skilled we are at listening, the better we think like Jesus thinks.
Renewing The MindPaul said he did the things he did not want to do and didn't do the things he knew he should be doing. That is crazy! Yet it is the reality that we often find ourselves in.
But there is another power within me that is at war with my mind. This power makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me. Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death? Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord. - Romans 7:23-25 NLT
This is why we want to keep listening, continuing to learn and keep becoming more and more like our Lord and Savior Jesus. We also want to put ourselves in a fantastic position to help others get there as well. This process is described as being transformed by a new way of thinking.
There is the point! Listening leads to thinking. Let's practice being an expert listener with God and with those we engage. It will reveal a world around us that we may not even know exists.
Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God's will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. - Romans 12:2 NLT
A good listener is a good thinker. A great listener is a great thinker.
Pay close attention to what you hear. The closer you listen, the more understanding you will be given--and you will receive even more.
To those who listen to my teaching, more understanding will be given. But for those who are not listening, even what little understanding they have will be taken away from them. - Mark 4:24-25 NLT
Take Action!
What is your greatest obstacle to being an expert listener?
Think this one through. Write down your thoughts on how you can improve your listening skills. Then practice them. Easy! :-D
Identify someone you know who is a great listener and ask them these questions:
- Why are they are great at listening?
- What is so important to them that they are patient enough to listen?
- What do they listen for?
- Why do they care?
Please, add your thoughts in the comment section.


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Back to the Basics, and I decided we are so passionate about letting others know about the dangers of GMOs that Mary created a Facebook page.
This is a place to share any and all news concerning GMOs and our food. It is also a place to share how to better educate others about GMOs. I have talked to some people who have literally said, "I don't want to know." What?????? I don't understand how someone would not want to know what they are eating.
I have also shared with others who have said that their child keeps getting sick and their white blood cells are low. Studies done on rats who were eating GMO foods showed that their white blood cell count decreased. White blood cells are the back bone of our immune system.
Others have complained that they are gaining weight, can't lose weight. However, when I share my story of how I have lost 5 lbs since eating organic, and did it effortlessly, they make excuses why they can't buy organic.
I want to know from others how to deal with these issues, and wake these people up to see that what they are eating is nothing but GMO junk. So, will you join us at our new Face page GMO Free Worldwide, to share, and learn? Please spread the word the more people we can get together the more we can learn from each other and find ways to educate others.
Thursday, April 25, 2013
GMO Free Worldwide
Posted by Heavenly Bodies at 11:09 AM
3 comments:
Absolutely YES!!!ReplyDelete
Good job! I'm with you. My 15 yr. old was shown "SuperSize Me" in her health class at the beginning of the school year and that viewing had a larger effect on her than any of the information I've shared with her. Go figure. But, what ever works! It's so nice to not here the "can we buy this?" from her now. (Found you at the Aloha Friday blog hop :-> ).ReplyDelete
Thank you for sharing with the Clever Chicks Blog Hop this week!ReplyDelete
Kathy Shea Mormino
The Chicken Chick
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I stumbled across this insane makeup case here, and was immediately taken aback by the beauty of this simple, but incredible luxe piece by Natalia Brilli. It's stylish and quirky and would certainly demand attention (no cooping this baby up). Kind of amazing hey?
For $450, this black leather makeup case may just have to stay being admired by me… I don't think I could justify a $450 makeup case to my boyfriend.
[Image Source: finalepisode.com.au ]


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Church Sends Aid to Thailand Flood Victims
Flood waters swamped Thailand's capital three weeks ago, yet the chest-deep murky water refuses to go. Besides Bangkok, one quarter of Thailand's 76 provinces are still affected by flooding. The death toll has risen to 527.
Setting out at 6 a.m. our team snailed through traffic; major roads were impassible, with dozens of cars and trucks submerged and abandoned. Military checkpoints, government officials, closed roads, and flood restrictions caused a 10-mile bottleneck. People traveled the streets of Bangkok in canoes, the city was at a standstill. These people needed help and we were determined to give it to them.
Eager to get out of the jeep and help, we arrived to the sight of smiling, waving villagers happily welcoming our team of international students as we unloaded supplies.
Four feet of stagnant waters cover most of the fifty wooden huts that make up the village.The once quiet river running alongside the land suddenly inundated by heavy rainfall turned it into a torrent of devastation as it burst past village banks.
We knew that rebuilding begins with instilling hope in people so we quickly organized ourselves into our allocated roles. Relationships were built through visiting people's homes, playing games, and painting children's faces. We showed them the church was in action and ready to respond, demonstrating the love of Christ in a time of crisis.
One woman, at age 60, came by canoe to the village square. She stated in the fifty years she had lived in Poh Sai Rom village (name meaning 'Tree on the left gives cool shade') she had never seen anything like this; her furniture, her lifetime's worth of possessions all lost. She said how overcome she was at volunteers traveling so far and bringing food supplies that were a lifeline for her and her family.


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The school you so generously helped fund is nearly built! The hard working people of Franchipagne have all but completed construction of the school in three months!
Erin runs all of the buildOn school chapters in the South and West in the US and so yay for being in Florida! She's going to provide the logistical support, guidance and leadership to get our three high schools up and running in the upcoming month.
I believe so much in the work of both buildOn and Give Something Back International and I have no doubt that this is the beginning of a partnership that will change lives both here and in Haiti.
Donate to Give Something Back International to further out work of 'education to change lives'.GSBI is an NGO whose entire program is run by volunteers, so all funds go directly to fulfill our mission.