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During the Civil War, historic Beallsville was known as Monocacy Church, home to the 1748 Anglican "Chapel of Ease" from which the town acquired its name. Beallsville was a crossroads on the road from Rockville to the Monocacy River and Nolands ferry, making it a strategic spot for the Union. It is also home to the historic Darby Store and the Monocacy Cemetery, which dates to the American Revolution.
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Monocacy Confederate Chapel and Cemetery
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Agricultural Reserve
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Take a long walk through the landscaped pathways, enjoy the forest preserve areas while visiting the hallowed grounds of your…
Hyattstown Mill Arts Project
The mill was reconstructed in 1918 after a fire destroyed the original structure dating to the 1790s and is currently…
Little Bennett Campground
20 miles of trails for hiking, biking, and equestrian. 91 wooded campsites with grills, campfire circle, pit toilets.
Little Bennett Golf Course
Located at the north end of Little Bennett Regional Park, the course offers several scenic views of Sugarloaf Mountain. The…
Monocacy Confederate Chapel and Cemetery
Established in 1747 as an Anglican chapel in whose cemetery fallen confederate soldiers lie buried.
Poolesville Golf Course
With two scenic lakes and almost 7000 yards of championship golf, this course offers world-class practice facilities, 2-acre practice area…
Seneca Schoolhouse Museum
The Schoolhouse was built in 1865 of Seneca sandstone and operated as a one-room schoolhouse until 1910. A carefully researched…
Sugarloaf Mountain
Sugarloaf Mountain has been designated a Registered Natural Landmark because of its geological interest and striking beauty.
Sugarloaf Mountain Vineyard
On the border of Montgomery and Frederick Counties, Sugarloaf Mountain produces Bordeaux-style wines receiving numerous awards. Sugarloaf holds many events…
Torrid Enterprises
With a store in Germantown Plaza, Torrid Paintball offers all supplies needed for paintball as well as a field at…
Town of Brookeville
Stroll though this quaint town including the Brookeville Academy (circa 1810), the recently restored 19th-century one room schoolhouse, and the…
White's Ferry
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Upcoming Events in Town
Dirty Girl Mud Run
Ready for the muddiest day of your year? You can experience the premiere mud obstacle run at the Dirty Girl Mud Run in the Baltimore & Washington DC area. You'll run a mud 5k with thousands of other women with more fun, more girl power, more creativity, more high fives, more excitement and, of course, more mud than any other 5K run series can muster. Additionally, Dirty Girl Mud Run continues to support breast and ovarian cancer awareness through our partner Bright Pink, thanks to fun run lovers like you! So, are you ready? Grab your gals, costumes and excitement and meet us at the 2014 Dirty Girl Mud Run Washington DC…we'll bring you fun and challenging obstacles! Run, jump, hop, bounce and splash your way across the finish line and into the Dirty Girl Nation. Oh, and don't forget the after party, where you celebrate completing the mud run with your fellow Dirty Girls!


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crozer says
Parallelus said
For some reason the home page reminds me of just a generic web store. I stopped using eBay 10 years ago, Amazon is better now anyway.
Not at all, at least not in Europe.
gbs says
Parallelus said
I stopped using eBay 10 years ago, Amazon is better now anyway.
In most cases I find out items on ebay that have better price than Amazon. Using both, though .
And it's not e"B"ay anymore, isn't it? The branding is also focusing on making it e"b"ay
graphic4444 says
i like the new look better, it's nice to see a fresh logo
mudi says
MSFX Volunteer moderator says
I love it. Just got a pair of Brand New Mammut GTX Boots for £70! RRP £175!

subset: commoncrawl


text:
352 search results for Julia Roberts
Julia Roberts Getting Pelted in the Face is Inspiring
Type: Article | Date: Friday, Aug 1, 2014She's America's sweetheart and now Jimmy Fallon is throwing balls at her face.
Julia Roberts vs. Sally Field: Who Curses Best?
Type: Article | Date: Tuesday, May 6, 2014Sally Field and Julia Roberts exchange bad words for a few minutes. Who's the superior curser?
7 Times Julia Roberts was the Funniest Person Alive
Type: Article | Date: Monday, Apr 21, 2014Have you noticed that Julia Roberts is hilarious? Always?
7 Times Julia Roberts was the Funniest Person Alive
Type: Gallery | Date: Monday, Apr 21, 2014What would you do if Billy Bush stuck a microphone in your face? Here's w...
Roundup: Is Matthew McConaughey this year's Julia Roberts?
Type: Post | Date: Tuesday, Feb 18, 2014Also: Daniel Day-Lewis to present at Oscars, and Steve McQueen's UN date
2014 SAG Awards red carpet grades: Julia Roberts, Sandra Bullock
Type: Gallery | Date: Saturday, Jan 18, 2014Julia Roberts, Lupita Nyong'o and Sandra Bullock walk the red carpet at...
2014 Oscar nominee reactions: Leonardo DiCaprio, Julia Roberts, Michael Fassbender
Type: Article | Date: Thursday, Jan 16, 2014Sandra Bullock, Amy Adams, Chiwetol Ejiofor and others reflect on morning
Julia Roberts discusses the 'appealing' intimidation of 'August: Osage County'
Type: Post | Date: Monday, Dec 23, 2013Also, why no one but Tracy Letts could have restructured it for the screen
Julia Roberts not intimidated by 'August: Osage County' role
Type: Video | Date: Wednesday, Dec 4, 2013Julia Roberts sits down with HitFix to discuss the shooting of the ensemble 'August Osage County' and the challenges and pleasures of working with an all-star supporting cast.
The Normal Heart - DVD
Type: Event | Date: Tuesday, Aug 26, 2014The story of the onset of the HIV-AIDS crisis in New York City in the early 1980s


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Former Dolphins general manager hired Aaron Wilson
The Seattle Seahawks have hired former Miami Dolphins general manager Jeff Ireland as a draft consultant, according to FOX Sports.
Ireland was replaced by the Dolphins with Dennis Hickey following last season.
Ireland was the Dolphins' general manager from 2008 through last season.
Per the report, Ireland has a chance to obtain a full-time job with the Seahawks following the draft.
Ireland's addition comes as executive Scot McCloughan resigned from his job.
Follow me on Twitter: @RavensInsider
Aaron Wilson covers the Ravens for The Baltimore Sun
NFP's Introduction to Scouting Class is now registering for the Fall session! Save $200 if you enroll before July 31st. REGISTER NOW!
Check out our partners at TiqIQ for the best deals on all games on the 2014 NFL schedule.
SEP 02 Jeff Fedotin
The Chiefs' new quarterback approach
Kansas City re-signs Smith, stashes young backup QBs on roster.
AUG 28 Joel Corry
Between injuries, trades and positional battles, the financial landscape for several key players has shifted dramatically.
AUG 26 Joel Corry
The highly productive Dallas wideout is headed for a big-time payday.


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Preowned dublin volkswagen , dublin, Find preowned dublin volkswagen , dublin vehicle ? question? call internet sales (866) 604-9154. Used volkswagen jetta sale - usa - cargurus, Save $3,910 volkswagen jetta. search 43,900 listings united states find local deals. cargurus analyzes 4 million cars daily.. 2014 volkswagen passat tdi clean diesel se - price, specs, The volkswagen passat tdi se 4dr sedan (2.0l 4cyl turbodiesel 6m) starts $26,675, normal pricing 2014 midsize sedan, costs $25,925 average..
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Easter Eggs
Related Boards
12 Ways to Dye Easter Eggs {From Natural to Neon}
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Homemade Egg Dye that GLOWS in the dark to make GLOW Eggs. The colorful effects of this egg dye technique are AMAZING!
Graphic patterned eggs | 40 Creative Easter Eggs
3 beautiful and SIMPLE ways to dye Easter eggs
Easter Egg Decorating with ribbon. Love the idea!
Simple ways to decorate Easter eggs3.jpg
totally could modify this and not use real eggs. and it would look just as stunning without the cut outs. Just use the black puff paint on anything - wood, plastic, whatever, cover with a shabby white or shabby pink and then sand it off here and there for more shab fabs. I am so there I want to get started right now! :D
How to: Wet Felting Easter Eggs [with video]
Fun easter decorations Children will enjoy making these cute chicks. Simply wash some eggs and dye them with food colouring. Finally, cut out and glue on coloured-paper wings and beaks.
Easy Silhouette Easter Egg Tutorial -- all you need is white tissue paper, a printer, and Mod Podge. #Easter


text:
BATON ROUGE, LA (WAFB) - Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal has signed two bills into law that affect the use of cell phones while driving.
Under the new laws, all drivers are prohibited from text messaging while driving and drivers under the age of 17 are prohibited from using a cellular phone at all, unless to report an emergency.
The laws take effect immediately.
The fine for text messaging while driving is $175 for the first offense and $500 for each offense after that.
The fine doubles if the offending driver is involved in an accident while text messaging.
The fine for minors using a cellular phone while driving is $100 for the first offense and $250 for each offense after that.
844 Government
Baton Rouge, LA 70802
(225) 383-9999
EEO Report
Closed Captioning
WAFB FCC Public File
WBXH FCC Public File


text:
Senior Member
Passive: Spirit Stride
As Sicht paces he leaves an essence behind which grants temporary vision untill it dissipates. In addition he has a 7th inventory slot which may only be used for consumables
Q: Healing spear
Sicht hurls a spear imbued with the magic of the godly soraka, on impact it will explode and all allies hit will be healed. The amount healed increases exponentially the further away they are. The spear will not impact on, nor affect enemies.
W: The Horror!
Sicht injects visions of horrors into the enemies mind, fearing them directly away from himself.
E: Proximity mine
Sicht in his days with heimerdinger has managed to secure a store of proximity mines. Once placed they are invisible to enemies, however should an enemy come within 150 range it will activate, blinking red then detonating 1 second later in a 250 range radius.
R: The Vortex "Send them to disney land!"
When activated a swirling vortex will consume all enemies in the area (lasting 5 seconds), when consumed they take no damage and become immune to all damage. If an enemy walks into the vortex he to will be consumed by it. At the end of the vortex all enemies are returned to this dimension and silenced for 1 second.
FEEDBACK!!! please please please
© 2013 Riot Games, Inc. All rights reserved. Riot Games, League of Legends and PvP.net are trademarks, services marks, or registered trademarks of Riot Games, Inc.


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Nice and warm weather is upon us and that means Summer is here soon and it will once again be wedding season!
Below is the fabolous venue of Ruby Hill Golf Club in Pleasanton
Nice and warm weather is upon us and that means Summer is here soon and it will once again be wedding season!
Below is the fabolous venue of Ruby Hill Golf Club in Pleasanton
Paula and Thuan were referral by her maid of honor whom I have known for a very long time. I got to know Paula and Thuan pretty well from their engagement session last year. They were a pleasure to shoot with because they are a fun and easy going couple. The day started with a Chinese tradition where the groom goes to pick up the bride. The chinese wedding door games consist of the bridesmaids giving the groom and his groomsmen challenges to complete to earn entry into the house to see his bride. A tea ceremony follows where the bride and groom offers tea to the more senior relatives. After the tea ceremony we made our way to Legion of Honor for bridal party photos. In traditional San Francisco fashion, it was overcast and cold but the bridal party remained in high spirits ad we still managed to capture some great shots.
The ceremony and reception was at Ruby Hill Golf Club in Pleasanton. This is a gorgeous venue with the rolling hills of the golf course in the backdrop. The weather was beautiful with clear blue and warm temperature. The ceremony was special as Paula and Thuan personalized it by including their dog Gizmo and writing their own vows. We finished off the night with a twilight shot where we were able to capture some intimate moments between the newlyweds.
Simpson's shot
Skittles and egg rolls make for an awesome lunch!
Not exactly sure what kind of pose she is doing but it looks cool!
Denise and Cisco had an awesome wedding. They had 23 classic cars from Duke's Car Club join in on the fun to escort the bridal party around and it was a big bridal party. The bride and groom also rode around in the father of the bride's awesome classic 63 Chevy Convertible which was in such a perfect condition. The cars definitely got some attention driving from St Joseph's Catholic Church in Mountain View to the reception at the Holiday Inn Mediterranean Grand Ballroom in San Jose. I also shot Denise's cousin's wedding last year as Denise actually referred me to her cousin before her own wedding! I would love to shoot another Olmos wedding soon because they definitely know how to party!
So clean!
Father of the bride helping the bride tie the wedding dress
The beautiful bouquet along with some mementos from her grandmother.
Enjoying the moment of the first glance
Classic cars are awesome!
St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Mountain View
Simpson's shot
This is a big bridal party!
It was a gorgeous and sunny Spring day at the Orinda Country Club for Cherree and Todd's wedding. The day went by perfectly and the country club was so beautiful that we could have easily just spent the whole day taking pictures outside.
Having both the ceremony and reception at a beautful place is awesome since you dont have to worry about getting from destination to destination. I am glad that Cherree and Todd decided to see each other beforehand as it really helped the schedule and also get some great shots that we could not have gotten if they didn't do the first glance.
I love this shot!
Melissa and Adam's storybook wedding took place at the Woman's Club in Palo Alto. I second shot for Robert Her of NLighten Images. It was not your traditional wedding which always makes it a fun wedding. The wedding had a children's theme and the bride and groom never failed to entertain the guests throughout the evening.
Cant miss the shots of the custom Converse Shoes for the Groom and Groomsmen.
Full set here
This past weekend, I shot at Adam and Cindy's wedding. I was the second shooter for Cate Corbitt. I had a good time shooting the wedding and even though it was pretty tiring, I enjoyed it and will definitely want to shoot more weddings. It is nice to help take part in the supposedly biggest day of their life and to be able to capture moments that they can reflect back on. It is also nice to be around happy people the whole day. Being the second shooter can also be nice because it is not as stressful and at the end of the day, you just dump all your pictures to the main shooter. Of course you also dont get as much control of the day and the shots.
The ceremony took part at the Treasure Island Chapel and the reception took place at the Italian American International Club in San Francisco. In between, we also made a stop near Pac Bell park to get some shots.
More shots and bigger size shots are here:


text:
RATS programs to replicate Hansen's GARCH models with time-varying t-densities
AbstractReplication of Bruce Hansen (1994), "Autoregressive Conditional Density Estimation",International Economic Review, vol 35, no. 3, pp 705-730. This estimates GARCH models with student t errors with time-varying degrees of freedom, and introduces the skew-t density.
Download InfoIf you experience problems downloading a file, check if you have the proper application to view it first. In case of further problems read the IDEAS help page. Note that these files are not on the IDEAS site. Please be patient as the files may be large.
Bibliographic InfoSoftware component provided by Boston College Department of Economics in its series Statistical Software Components with number RTZ00086.
Programming language: RATS
Requires: RATS 7.30
Date of creation:
Date of revision:
Handle: RePEc:boc:bocode:rtz00086
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Web: http://repec.org/docs/ssc.php
Related researchKeywords: ARCH-GARCH with student-t errors;
Other versions of this item:
- Hansen, Bruce E, 1994. "Autoregressive Conditional Density Estimation," International Economic Review, Department of Economics, University of Pennsylvania and Osaka University Institute of Social and Economic Research Association, vol. 35(3), pages 705-30, August.
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text:
Lake Land College invites public to meet seventh president
The Lake Land College Board of Trustees is hosting a welcome reception for the seventh president of Lake Land College, Jonathan "Josh" Bullock, on Thursday, Sept. 5 from 4 – 6 p.m. on campus in the West Building Atrium. Community members are invited to attend.
Bullock was named president on March 6 and took office July 1, following the retirement of Scott Lensink.
Bullock came to Lake Land from Moraine Park Technical College in Fond du Lac, Wis., where he served as the vice president for strategic advancement. He has an extensive background in strategic planning, new program development, marketing, grant funding and entrepreneurship.
Bullock has received several awards for his personal and professional achievements. The Fond du Lac Area Association of Commerce recognized Bullock as the 2008 Volunteer of the Year. In both 2006 and 2010, the Moraine Park Association for Career and Technical Education recognized Bullock for his leadership in linking career education within the district. Additionally, in 2010 he was recognized by the Wisconsin Association for Career and Technical Education for outstanding leadership in career and technical education throughout Wisconsin. He also received the 1997 Joint Venture in Education National Outstanding Facilitator of the Year Award for excellence in teaching from the New Ventures of Regis University.
During his short time as president, Bullock has been travelling the 15-county region that comprises the Lake Land College district, getting to know the communities and constituents of the college.
"It's very important to me to know the people the college serves," said Bullock. "Lake Land College is their community college and we want to know what they would like their college to be. Everyone at Lake Land is committed to delivering outstanding quality service and educational opportunities to students and I look forward to working together toward one goal, which is helping students succeed."
For more information about the welcome reception, contact Lisa Dittamore at 217-234-5329 or firstname.lastname@example.com.
Media Contacts
Jennifer Forneris
Media Specialist
Office: Bookstore - 12
Kelly Allee
Director of Communications and Creative Services
Office: Bookstore - 11
Paula Rosine
Graphic Designer
Office: Bookstore - 12
Megan Nelson
Assistant to the Director of Communications and Creative Services
Office: Bookstore - 12
Jenny Osborn
Graphic Specialist
Office: Bookstore - 12
News Releases08/04/14
LLC's Dual Credit lets high schoolers jump start college career
Calling all green thumbs: Lake Land College's horticulture programs sprout viable career opportunities
Lake Land College hosts Transfer Day
Student realizes college and career goals through Lake Land College's Work and Learn Program
Lake Land College holds extended registration
Receive senior citizen tuition waiver at Lake Land College
Students advance project development and troubleshooting skills through Lake Land College's Human Computer Interaction class
Joines named as Lake Land College's executive director for college advancement
Non-traditional Lake Land College student returns to school for better future
Lake Land College expands Basic Nursing Assistant Program to Pana
Lake Land College closes successful federal grant project
Lake Land College expands Basic Nursing Assistant Program to Effingham
Lake Land College ranks well in national community college listing
Lake Land College offers a variety of community courses this September
Lake Land College library to host presentation on K-12 learning standards
Lake Land College announces practical nursing site review forum
Lake Land College welcomes new admissions representatives
Lake Land College, Delta Dental offer free dental care for children 5 and under
Deadline for Lake Land College's Belize trip fast approaching, informational meeting planned
|5001 Lake Land Blvd.
Mattoon, IL 61938-9366


text:
1Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, Fudan University, China
2Atmospheric Sciences Research Center, State University of New York, USA
3Department of Environmental Science, Wuhan University, China
Abstract. A spatial-temporal analysis has been conducted using satellite observed distributions of rain frequency, NO2 concentration and aerosol, with focus on the spring season in East Asia. As NO2 is a key precursor of secondary aerosols, especially in urban areas, an increase of NO2 emission is generally accompanied by an increase of fine aerosol particles. Comparison between trends in rain frequency and in precipitation amount shows that the changes in precipitation are more due to changes in precipitation occurrence than in precipitation amount. The overall feature emerged from the region-by-region analyses is that there is an inverse relationship between the rain frequency and the pollution and associated aerosols at continental scale in spring. The change in rain frequency is associated with changes in pollution-produced aerosols and long-range transport mineral dust. The inverse relationship at large temporal and spatial scales illustrates potential climatological consequence of changed pollution and aerosols on precipitation.
Citation: Lin, Y., Min, Q., Zhuang, G., Wang, Z., Gong, W., and Li, R.: Spatial features of rain frequency change and pollution and associated aerosols, Atmos. Chem. Phys. Discuss., 11, 8747-8776, doi:10.5194/acpd-11-8747-2011, 2011.


text:
Security Loopholes Plagued Modi's Kashi Show
By Yatish Yadav - NEW DELHI
Published: 27th Apr 2014 08:56:30 AM
How safe is Narendra Modi? After a bomb blast at a Patna rally venue in October last year, the UPA government introduced an elaborate VIP protection regime for the BJP Prime Ministerial nominee, involving an Advance Security Liaison (ASL) drill and three-tier ring of highly experienced commandos. The impressive plan, however, appears riddled with gaps and glitches when it comes to finalising operational security planning. According to top sources, evaluation of raw intelligence data for Modi's road show in Varanasi on Thursday was done hours before the event despite the fact that Intelligence input in March forwarded to all the states indicated high threat to his life.
"On Wednesday, security and Intelligence agencies were asked to forward inputs related to possible threat to Modi's Thursday road show in Varanasi. It was too short a notice for any agency to go through entire intercepts, pick up relevant data and compile it for execution. As ASL drill is supposed to be executed four-five days in advance. This kind of delay in providing feedback to security agencies involved in VIP protection is appalling," a source said.
The security snag appeared in the operational planning despite Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde's assurance to BJP on March 23 that the government had ensured foolproof security. After the Patna blast, Shinde had ruled out Special Protection Group (SPG) cover to Modi who has been target number one of the ISI-funded terrorist organisations, including Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM), Lashkar-e-Tayyiba (LeT), Indian Mujahideen (IM) and SIMI. Central Intelligence agencies had earlier intercepted phones and emails revealing plans to target Modi.
Sources said an Intelligence note based on monitoring data was generated in March indicating that Khalistan Tiger Force and a LeT 'fidayeen' unit (suicide squad) were also planning to carry out spectacular strikes at Modi's events. IM terrorist Tehseen Akhtar alias Monu, who was recently nabbed, admitted during interrogation that Modi was the main target, and he along with other IM cadres were planning to carry out serial blasts at Modi's election rallies in Uttar Pradesh.
"For Modi's security, an audit was also conducted to evaluate threat from political rivals and Maoists in the first week of April. The Intelligence note which is being forwarded for security liaison is examining all possible threats," a top officer said.
As per standard operational security planning, at least four-five ASL meetings with stakeholders, including state police, Intelligence Bureau (IB) and NSG, are conducted in advance. The meetings also discuss intelligence data received from various agencies regarding threat. An Intelligence official said in Modi's case, Gujarat Police commandos are also involved in mine sweeps, threat identification and close protection during public events. The ASL meeting for Modi, which should have taken place a week in advance, should have fixed itinerary, including flight landing, route and hotel, if he was staying overnight. The security audit of route and sanitising process of high rise buildings was to be prepared well in advance and shared with NSG and Gujarat Police.
The final ASL meeting—the most sensitive security deliberation—is supposed to be conducted 24 hours before the programme and an elaborate plan for traffic and access control is finalised. Since Modi has the highest level of security in the country besides SPG protectees, three-tier security ring is thrown around the venue. The outer periphery is secured by the additional forces of the state, 2nd tier is secured by Gujarat Police and the third-tier or close protection is secured by a team of 36 NSG and Gujarat Police commandos. The close protection group is also responsible for extending a security net around Modi during emergency and to execute plan for safe evacuation.
Apart from security ring, spies (spotters) from IB and local Intelligence units are deployed to watch suspicious movement to ensure that access control is not breached during public event.
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text:
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Ks spend money well on Laidler (From Surrey Comet)
Contact us: Got a photo? Text 'SLPICS' to 80360. Got a story? Call the newsdesk: 020 8722 6318
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Ks spend money well on Laidler
6:00am Friday 18th April 2014 in Sport By Stuart Amos
Alan Dowson believes midfielder Steve Laidler is the man behind Kingstonian's Ryman Premier League play-off charge.
The former Farnborough man moved to Kingsmeadow for a nominal fee in March and is yet to finish on the losing side for his new club.
Ks have won four and drawn five of the games in which he has featured and they have conceded just two goals in the process.
"Steve is in the top two of the best signings I have made," said the manager.
"He has given us that boost just when we have needed it and his arrival has been money well spent.
"He passed the ball intelligently and is a ball winner. His work rate and desire to win is second to none."


text: ESPN Feed: outside the lines http://assets.espn.go.com/i/tvlistings/tv_espn_original.gif ESPN en-us 10 ESPN Inc. http://espn.go.com/ Copyright 2010 ESPN Inc. An Outside the Lines investigation reveals how multiple women became victims of violence by former Missouri tailback Derrick Washington.]]> August 20, 2014 15:55:39 PDT Dr. Deborah Stroman, Chair of the Carolina Black Caucus on UNC's campus, and Phillip Jackson, executive director of the Black Star Project, discuss the allegations of academic fraud at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill.]]> March 26, 2014 05:32:12 PDT Michael Sam, All-American defensive end and SEC Co-Defensive Player of the Year, talks to Chris Connelly about his decision to announce that he is gay.]]> February 10, 2014 09:34:19 PST Former NFL quarterback Vince Young is looking for a new start on and off the field.]]> December 06, 2012 08:32:08 PST Outside the Lines examines the issue of concussions amongst high school football players. Are players becoming more aware of the problem? Ryan Hockensmith and Chris Coyne discuss the issue with Bob Ley.]]> August 24, 2012 12:06:57 PDT Former NFL receiver Al Toon and his son, Nick, talk about the game of football as Nick embarks on his rookie season with the New Orleans Saints.]]> August 23, 2012 08:31:02 PDT Former Penn State Administrator Vicky Triponey questions the culture Joe Paterno created, reflects on the veil of secrecy she observed and discusses her battles with the former coach.]]> August 03, 2012 04:57:51 PDT NCAA president Mark Emmert joins Outside The Lines to discuss the penalties imposed against Penn State in the wake of a shocking abuse scandal and findings in the Freeh Report.]]> July 24, 2012 15:00:54 PDT Outside The Lines examines Penn State football in the wake of abuse scandal and NCAA penalties.]]> July 24, 2012 15:03:22 PDT Outside The Lines examines Penn State football program in the wake of abuse scandal and NCAA penalties.]]> July 24, 2012 14:37:11 PDT Tom Farrey profiles NCAA President Mark Emmert]]> July 12, 2011 16:16:46 PDT Steve Delsohn examines BYU's controversial honor code]]> June 26, 2011 06:42:44 PDT "Outside the Lines" reported in June about allegations that quarterback Terrelle Pryor received extra benefits from an Ohio businessman, including thousands of dollars for signing memorabilia while he played for Ohio State.]]> June 12, 2011 05:14:01 PDT Dismissed from UNC's football team in 2010 for violating NCAA rules, Marvin Austin has been preparing for the NFL draft.]]> April 20, 2011 08:04:55 PDT Ralph Nader discusses his plan to abolish all athletic scholarships]]> April 04, 2011 10:21:59 PDT


text:
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Mahogany (Khaya invorensis): Heartwood varies fron light to deep redddish-brown. Flat cut. Africa.
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South Buffalo Alive's 14th annual Garden Tour, showcasing more than 40 beautiful properties throughout South Buffalo and the Old First Ward neighborhood, will take place from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday, July 20.
The Garden Tour includes a wide variety of homes and businesses showcasing amazing gardens, landscaping and other outdoor features. Tours begin at Tim Russert's Children's Garden located at 2002 South Park Ave., between Choate and Whitfield avenues and next to the Dudley Library. Participants are encouraged to make this their first stop, where they will receive a tour brochure and information to make the tour very simple to follow.
State Senator Mark Grisanti and Hamburg Town Supervisor Steven Walters will hold an electronics recycling event from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, July 19 at Hamburg Town Hall, located at 6100 South Park Avenue in the Town of Hamburg.
The event will allow residents to drop off old computer laptops, desktops, cellphones, video game consoles, television sets, printers, scanners, MP3 players and other electronic items for disposal without charge.
"By recycling, computer monitors and much more, we can keep these items out of landfills and lighten our impact on the environment," Grisanti said.
Explore Buffalo, a nonprofit organization providing tours and other opportunities where guests can discover Buffalo's great architecture, history and neighborhoods, has announced an extensive lineup of June events.
The Western New York Land Conservancy held its 23rd annual Membership Meeting and Reception on Friday, May 16, at the Buffalo Yacht Club on Lake Erie. With 175 attendees, this was the most well-attended annual meeting in the Land Conservancy's 23-year history.
The Western New York Land Conservancy is hosting a birdwatching hike at the future home of the Stella Niagara Preserve from 9 to 11 a.m. Saturday, June 7. The 29-acre property on Lower River Road along the Niagara River in Lewiston sits across from the Stella Niagara Education Park and is owned by the Sisters of St. Francis. The Land Conservancy is working with the Sisters to acquire the property and create a publicly accessible nature preserve.
The Niagara River is considered a globally Important Bird Area, a designation shared with Yellowstone and the Everglades, and the 29-acre property itself has forests, a large meadow and a quarter-mile of shoreline, all contributing to high bird diversity.
Daemen College has been presented a Certificate of Recognition for Outstanding Environmental Stewardship from the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) New York Upstate Chapter in honor of its campus-wide green initiatives.
Daemen President Gary A. Olson accepted the award on behalf of the college from Aliesa Adelman, who serves on the chapter's board of directors, at a presentation held April 22 in the college's Research and Information Commons. Also in attendance was Dr. Brenda Young, chair of the global and local sustainability program at Daemen.
"This honor underscores Daemen's steadfast dedication and support of campus sustainability and green initiatives that are important to improving our environment," said Olson. "We are proud of the culture of sustainability that exists at Daemen and excited to have the collaborative efforts of our faculty, staff and students recognized by the USGBC."
A grant from New York State Senator Mark Grisanti will provide perpetual savings to the Lake Shore Central School District and taxpayers.
Senator Mark Grisanti awarded $50,000 in funding to the District in the form of bullet aid for the 2013-14 school year with the designation the funding as being for one-time expenditures.
"Senator Grisanti's grant allowed Lake Shore to replace exterior lighting at five facilities in the District, continuing our efforts in energy conservation as well as improving safety and security by increasing visibility on our campuses," Mr. Przepasniak said.
"We were delighted to receive this additional funding and sought to use the money to make a lasting investment in our District," Superintendent of Schools James Przepasniak said.
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Current and upcoming Road Closures
Details of upcoming road closures can be found below:
- *ongoing - Whitchurch Bridge - closed for strengthening works, currently expected to reopen in July
- *28 July for 6 months - Didcot - diversions will be in place around Foxhall Rd to allow for improvements to be made to the railway bridge. The alternative route for traffic affected by the closure is via B4493, A4130 Didcot Perimeter Road and Basil Hill Road
- *14 August - Wallingford - eight day closure of St Leonard's Lane for emergency gas works
- *18 August - Henley - temporary closure from Greys Road from its junction with Duke Street and Church Street for eight weeks for gas mains renewal works
- *18 August - Goring Heath - temporary speed limit of 30mph at B471 Crays Pond to Whitchurch Hill for three days
- *27 August -Benson - Littleworth Rd will be closed between 9pm and 5am to allow for sewer cleaning
- *20 - 25 August - Mapledurham - one-way restriction between Lilley Farm and Cross Lanes for Reading Festival
- *26-28 August - Henley - Gillot's Lane will be closed to allow tree works to take place
- *8 September - Stadhampton - footpath closure at Ascott Park for three weeks
- *1-5 September - Binfield Heath - Emmer Green Road will be closed to facilitate carriageway maintenance work
- *1-5 September - Ewelme - The Pighties will be closed to allow for edge strengthening
- *8 September - Beckley - temporary closure of Bungalow Close for up to five days for carriageway maintenance works
- *10-12 September - Binfield Heath - closure of Dunsden Way to facilitate a new service water connection
- *12 September - various locations - rolling road closures (100.5 KB) will be in place during the day between Wantage and Chinnor for the Tour of Britain Cycle Race
- *15 September for eight weeks - Sonning Eye - temporary closure for through traffic on Playhatch Rd for carriageway maintenance works.
Please note - road closures marked * have been authorised by Oxfordshire County Council and not South Oxfordshire District Council please click on OCC Road Closure Map for more details. To discuss OCC closures, please call 0845 3101111.
Queries regarding temporary road closures put in place by South Oxfordshire district council can be emailed to firstname.lastname@example.com.
Last reviewed: 27 - 08 - 2014


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When my son was hospitalized a couple months ago for a respiratory problem, he was seen by many nurses and doctors. As my wife and I witnessed the medical personnel parade in and out of the room, the typical comments and advice was passed along.
But then, after a couple days, a trio of doctors came in and one of them did something different: With her Irish dialect she offered some observations of my son over the days. Amidst a handful of statements she made describing him, I caught the words: "vibrant," "hard-working," and "inquisitive." Her exact words. My mind immediately went to the thought that she seemed to be spotting his character strengths. I was hearing particular character traits like "zest," "perseverance," and "curiosity
I asked her to explain her view of each observation. She readily did. She explained how he is full of energy and is always moving his arms and legs and turning his body with force (i.e., zest). She noted how he is quick to look around in the room, albeit a limited space, in an exploratory way, and is ready to interact with people when they approach him (i.e., curiosity). And, she added, he works hard at whatever challenge he is given whether it's to reach a toy, sit up, or finish eating and that his congestion and wires hooked up to his body do not get in his way (i.e., perseverance).
Even though she was not aware of it, she was offering strengths-spotting. And this had an immediate positive effect on my mood. I felt lighter and happier. My perception of her, a physician looking at all aspects of my son and not just his illness, widened and strengthened. I will never forget that physician, or her Irish accent.
Oh, did I mention that at that time my son was only 8-months-old? Strengths-spotting can start anytime….any place….with anyone.
Knowing that this physician had probably not heard of positive psychology or of the new science of character strengths, I explained to her what she had done: amidst the problems and difficulties she had taken time to notice the good, to spot what is strong, to shift from weakness to strength. I told her, in front of the other medical staff and physicians at the "morning rounds," how much I appreciated what she had done. This feedback seemed to give her a mood boost and I noticed her physician colleagues suddenly jumping on the bandwagon too and wanted to offer their positive feedback as well.
A virtuous circle had been created. The strengths-spotting of person to another led to positive feelings which in turn led to further strengths-spotting and positive feelings and so on.
Want to get better at strengths-spotting? It will lift your mood and the mood of others. Here are some tips to help you get started:
VIA Institute (the nonprofit organization)
VIA Classification (the system of strengths and virtues)
VIA Survey (the research-validated test)
VIA resources (for practitioners, managers, educators, and other professionals)]]>
These are questions asked by humans throughout history. You might be asking these questions yourself. Following the groundbreaking scientific VIA Classification of human strengths (which some call "The Periodic Table of Character Strengths"), there is now a framework for discussing these questions.
And, what would be a better way to explore character strengths than to watch a movie about it!?
Join people all over the world today in premiering Tiffany Shlain's new film The Science of Character. The 8 minute film explores the social science and neuroscience behind character development and how we can shape who we are. Individuals and groups (over 1500 schools and organizations are screening) can watch the film, join the global Q & A, and dive into free online discussion guides and curated lists of media that can help develop each character strength at letitripple.org/character
Watch the full film (8 minutes) here. You'll be glad you did.
There are so many misconceptions and stereotypes about character, about character strengths, and about the science of character. But it is refreshing to see someone get it right.
Take Action!
After you have watched the film, your appetite will be whetted. Don't stop there, take action! You have many choices for continuing your learning, self-development, and positively impacting others. I offer a number of questions below to help you find the next course of action that might be the best fit for you.
Want to identify your highest strengths of character?
Curious to learn more about these character strengths and where they come from?
Ready to dig deep into learning and applying these character strengths? … With yourself or with employees, students, or clients?
Ready to receive personal coaching on your character strengths?
Want to learn more about the nonprofit organization that initiated the science of character and champions these character strengths?
Instead of viewing which is "more," we can attempt to learn from both sides and make this immediately practical. Clearly, both have played an important role in our lives. I can think of how I genetically share similar strengths to my biological mother. Both of us are high (signature strengths) in love and fairness. And, it is just as interesting to consider the impact the environment has had on helping me to develop my core traits.
For example, perhaps my strength of curiosity was influenced by frequent questioning by my parents as to how my day was, who I interacted with, and what I learned? It is entirely possible that I developed and honed this strength by answering these questions and then internalizing the strength to then be directed toward myself and others. Maybe my strength of hope was fostered by the generally positive, optimistic environment my parents created in which there was encouragement for me to pursue any dream or area of work that I might be interested in? There were no rigid expectations or professions that I must pursue. Instead, I was left to consider possibilities and to feel that there were many pathways to success. If I wanted to be the first in my family to graduate from college – great; if I wanted to get a full-time job instead – that's good too; and so on. This supportive environment no doubt could conceivably influence other character strengths such as judgment/critical thinking, love of learning, and perspective…probably any of the 24 character strengths.
On a practical level: Your genes set up who you are, but how do you express these genes? How do you express those traits that characterize your core self? The most basic set of concepts in the field of genetics are genotype and phenotype. Genotype is our genetic makeup while phenotype refers to the physical expression of that gene in our behavior.
Positive psychology researchers have examined the genetics of the 24 character strengths within the VIA Classification. In studying 336 twins they found significant genetic effects for most of the 24 character strengths. They were able to determine this by looking at monozygotic (identical) twins and dizygotic (fraternal) twins and found very strong correlations for the former twins but not the latter. Therefore, genes play a strong role. But they also found that there is an important role for the environment in accounting for our character strengths.
The phenotype, the expression of our genes (genotype), is seemingly infinite. Let's say there are 10 people in a room who have creativity as their highest character strength. The expression of that creativity is likely to vary widely. One person expresses creativity through writing poems and short stories, another person is great at coming up with numerous creative ideas during team brainstorming meetings, a different person is an artist who paints brilliant watercolors, and yet another person is great at finding unique ways to solve problems.
To offer a metaphor, there are a finite number of universal facial expressions, such as showing happiness and sadness, but the expression of those facial gestures varies widely and is unique to the given individual.
Phenotypes are determined by observation. Your environment and your genes play a role in impacting the phenotype. Phenotypes are constellations of observable traits.
If you watch the behavior of someone, it is unlikely you will identify only one trait that they are expressing, even if you limit yourself to the strengths in the VIA Classification.
For example, a professor giving a lecture is unlikely to just be using his or her leadership strength when they speak to students. Many professors will also use zest as they enthusiastically offer the material with energy and gusto. They may also be curious as they infuse the lecture with exploratory questions for students; social intelligence as they are sensitive to not drone on and on about one topic; prudence as they manage time appropriately to cover all of the material; creativity by infusing movie clips into the lecture; and so on. Thus, they present a constellation of strengths. It is the synergy among the strengths and the impact of each strength upon the others that offers further uniqueness.
Explore and embrace your genetic heritage and the role of your environment as you account for the unique constellation of character strengths that makes up who you are.
Biswas-Diener, R., Kashdan, T. B., & Minhas, G. (2011). A dynamic approach to psychological strength development and intervention. Journal of Positive Psychology, 6(2), 106-118.
Peterson, C., & Seligman, M. E. P. (2004). Character strengths and virtues: A handbook and classification. New York: Oxford University Press and Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.
Steger, M. F., Hicks, B., Kashdan, T. B., Krueger, R. F., & Bouchard, T. J., Jr. (2007). Genetic and environmental influences on the positive traits of the Values in Action classification, and biometric covariance with normal personality. Journal of Research in Personality, 41, 524-539.
VIA Institute (the nonprofit organization)
VIA Classification (the system of strengths and virtues)
VIA Survey (the research-validated test)
VIA resources for practitioners]]>
When it comes to creating more happiness in life, experts usually tell us to add more things—get a dog, build a friendship, add a gratitude list, etc. But, what about taking things away? Subtraction. Could that make us happier?
Researchers have studied the effect of "mental subtraction"—mentally taking away a positive event. One study found people who contemplated what their life would be like without their health, safe neighborhood, support from others, or achievement had higher life satisfaction than those who did not subtract the event. To show the power of subtraction, these people were also happier than others who focused on existing positive events and how these occurred in their life.
Subtraction seems to be a back-door intervention for boosting gratitude. People who do this exercise tend to feel an enhanced sense of appreciation. One argument could be that you become more mindful of the good that is already present. To be mindful of the good means to put your attention on that aspect of your life and be open and curious about it.
These researchers also looked at the impact of mental subtraction on relationships. People who imagined their life as if they'd never met their romantic partner reported an increase in their relationship satisfaction.
None of us are free from the vulnerability of going through the motions of our life, pushing through the daily grind on autopilot. Not paying much attention to the taste of our food at lunch, the beautiful trees and sky as we walk, or the smile on our co-worker's face. Likewise it is far too easy to take the good in our life for granted…it's as if we temporarily forget about the myriad of good people in our life, the many little (and big) accomplishments we have had, and the many freedoms that exist in our country.
Mental subtraction, or undoing, can counterbalance this "taking-things-for-granted effect" that we are prone to.
Want a happiness boost for the New Year? Take out a pen and paper (or fire up your laptop) and follow these steps:
1.) Select something good in your life that falls under one of the following categories: education, health, safety/security, possessions, weekends/holidays, support from others, or personal achievement.
2.) Imagine your life without that one good thing. Picture the impact clearly. How do you feel?
3.) Write down how your life would be different. Describe your feelings.
4.) Refocus on the present moment. Re-evaluate how you feel about that good thing.
5.) Have you activated any of your character strengths?
Share your response in the comments below! And, may you have a fulfilling New Year in 2014!
Koo, M., Algoe, S. B., Wilson, T. D., & Gilbert, D. T. (2008). It's a wonderful life: Mentally subtracting positive events improves people's affective states, contrary to their affective forecasts. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 95, 1217-1224.
Take the free online VIA Survey of character strengths here.
Peruse free resources on character strengths here.
Learn about the connection between mindfulness and strengths here.]]>
And on and on my thinking would go. It would immediately focus on what is wrong and then tirelessly replay the parts that went wrong. My mind would then attempt to solve what was wrong. But how can I fix something that already happened? I would deliberately think of what went right too, but it certainly took a back-seat. In other words, I seemed to automatically put what was right in the trunk.
And what was the result of replaying what went wrong and trying to find a solution? Little to nothing gained. In addition, I was left feeling worse about the meeting.
One day I took a different approach. After a business meeting while driving back to my office, I immediately asked myself what went well? Then, my second question: What character strengths did I bring forth in the meeting? I carefully listened to what my mind had to say.
I observed my mind as it traveled through a panoply of strengths. This meeting was no different than the previous meetings. What was different was my follow-up thinking.
The character strengths that were used swelled and swelled to the point where there was almost no room to even consider what went wrong!
My mind considered how my basic approach was one of humility linked with curiosity because I placed the focus on the other person, allowed them to share widely and deeply, and encouraged them to continue sharing by asking them a variety of questions. I used love of learning to gather knowledge about their organization and the various programs and outreach. I deliberately used self-regulation and perseverance together (some might call this patience) to not interrupt or quickly share my reaction. Instead I persistently held back this natural impulse and listened and asked questions. When I did share my comments and experiences, it was from my signature strengths of love and hope. These core strengths were my drivers – or the motor – that fueled what I said; therefore, warmth, genuineness, future-minded planning, and positivity drove the conversation from my end.
And, what went wrong? I did leave a little bit of focus in my thinking to consider the meeting from a deficit perspective. I had already mentally processed many dimensions of the conversation that only one new area popped up. There was one point in the conversation where I felt I could have been a bit smoother in the transition, namely when I introduced a discussion point around how our two organizations might collaborate in the future. I considered I might bring forth greater strength of social intelligence in future scenarios during transition points. For example, rather than blurting out a general question of how might we work together more, I could shift to context-driven comments such as: "Wow, we sure do seem to have a lot in common. I appreciate our similar vision and hard work. This makes me wonder about how we might collaborate in the future. Do you have any thoughts about this?"
I've outlined a simple approach to take with your thinking following an event or situation that takes place in your life. Perhaps mindfulness is the key? If we aren't aware of our thinking and how rapidly our thoughts can fire from one thing to the next, then we don't stand much chance in shifting the focus of our thoughts.
After your next meeting, ask yourself: What went well? What character strengths did I just bring forth?
Make these your first and second questions. Be sure to listen to the response.
VIA Survey (the research-validated test)
VIA Institute (the nonprofit organization)
VIA Classification (the system of strengths and virtues)
VIA resources for practitioners]]>
The science of positive psychology has revealed several character strengths that are particularly connected with higher levels of happiness. Over and over again studies show these five strengths might be considered "the happiness strengths":
Are you high in any of these character strengths? According to research by the VIA Institute, over 75% of people have one of these strengths in their top 5.
Looking to boost one of these strengths? No problem. There are plenty of tips to go around and research studies are revealing good benefits for people that focus on boosting these strengths. Here are some activities to get you started:
Activity to Boost Zest:
Get active! Engaging in physical exercise has been shown to increase energy levels and improve endurance. All you need is 30 minutes a day and you will notice a difference in your spirit and vitality. Pick a physical activity that sounds fun to you, such as ice-skating, hiking, touch football, skiing, etc. and do it! You will be boosting your strength of zest AND improving your physical and psychological wellness.
Activity to Boost Hope:
Take a moment to think about the upcoming year and imagine your best possible self coming forward. Imagine that you are engaging in activities that are pleasing and you are working towards goals that are important to you. After you get a clear image write out the details. Writing about your best possible self helps to create a logical structure for the future and can help you move from the realm of foggy ideas to concrete, real possibilities.
Activity to Boost Gratitude:
Put you pen to paper (or your fingers to your keyboard) and write a letter to someone you are grateful to. Think of a person who has had a particular impact on you that you have not properly thanked. Reflect on how you have positively benefited from their actions and then write them a letter expressing your gratitude. You might consider taking an additional step by calling the person on the phone or arranging to meet them in person and read the letter aloud to them. The experience will likely be rewarding for you and the other person!
Activity to Boost Curiosity:
Think of an activity that you dislike, such as washing dishes, paying bills, or folding laundry. Next time you are engaging in this activity focus on 3 novel or unexpected features of the action. For instance, if your low-interest activity is dish-washing, maybe focus on the smell of the soap, the heaviness of the pot, and the warmth of the sudsy water. Can you find one thing surprising about this humdrum activity?
Activity to Boost Love:
Engage in loving-kindness meditation. Find a comfortable space to sit quietly and practice wishing yourself and others happiness and peace. The standard loving-kindness mediation studied by researchers and used in mindfulness programs is as follows:
This type of meditation has been connected with many physical and psychological benefits.
Try one of these exercises and watch the benefits unfold.
Let me know what you observe in yourself and others. Add your comments below!
Want to learn more about character strengths?
VIA Institute (the nonprofit organization)
VIA Classification (the system of strengths and virtues)
VIA Survey (the research-validated test)
VIA resources for practitioners
Fredrickson, B. L., Cohn, M. A., Coffey, K. A., Pek, J., & Finkel, S. M. (2008). Open hearts build lives: Positive emotions, induced through loving-kindness meditation, build consequential personal resources. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 95(5), 1045–1062.
Gander, F., Proyer, R. T., Ruch, W., & Wyss, T. (2012). Strength-based positive interventions: Further evidence for their potential in enhancing well-being. Journal of Happiness Studies.
Langer, E. (1989). Mindfulness. Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley.
Layous, K., Nelson, S. K., & Lyubomirsky, S. (2013). What is the optimal way to deliver a positive activity intervention? The case of writing about one's best possible selves. Journal of Happiness Studies, 14(2), 635-654.
Niemiec, R. M. (2014). Mindfulness and character strengths: A practical guide to flourishing. Cambridge, MA: Hogrefe.
Park, N., Peterson, C., & Seligman, M. E. P. (2004). Strengths of character and well-being. Journal of Social & Clinical Psychology, 23, 603–619.
Peterson, C., Park, N., Hall, N., & Seligman, M. E. P. (2009). Zest and work. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 30, 161-172.
Peterson, C., Ruch, W., Beermann, U., Park, N., & Seligman, M. E. P. (2007). Strengths of character, orientations to happiness, and life satisfaction. The Journal of Positive Psychology, 2, 149–156.
Peterson, C., & Seligman, M. E. P. (2004). Character strengths and virtues: A handbook and classification. New York: Oxford University Press and Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.
Proyer, R. T., Ruch, W., & Buschor, C. (2012). Testing strengths-based interventions: A preliminary study on the effectiveness of a program targeting curiosity, gratitude, hope, humor, and zest for enhancing life satisfaction. Journal of Happiness Studies.
Salzberg, S. (1995). Lovingkindness: The revolutionary art of happiness. Boston, MA: Shambhala.
Shimai, S., Otake, K., Park, N., Peterson, C., & Seligman, M. E. P. (2006). Convergence of character strengths in American and Japanese young adults. Journal of Happiness Studies, 7, 311–322.]]>
Last week, I sat down and watched my mother and my wife express love to my 2-month old son who had not yet expressed verbal coos. The love they expressed was so genuine and pure. Warmth and care radiated from them as they passed this warmth on to my son. They cupped their hands behind his little head and placed their face about a foot from his face and gave him full attention. They talked to him, made noises, and encouraged him. He returned their gaze, offered an original smile, and began to coo.
This is extraordinary, actually, as he hadn't been cooing the prior 2 months. These simple loving expressions seemed to catalyze his interaction. He cooed (i.e., talked) back. They continued this process, over and over. Emanating joy and love. Suddenly, a conversation emerged! Words to coos, coos to words, words to coos. Back and forth.
I watched this and felt inspired to use my strength of love more. Interestingly, love is perhaps my highest signature strength (signature strengths, you might recall, are those character strengths that are most core to who you are). I use my strength of love all the time, especially with my two boys. But, this doesn't mean I use it enough. It doesn't mean I don't have strength "blind spots." And, it doesn't mean I can't continue to improve this signature strength.
As I observe this strength of love in action, I feel inspired to mimic the behavior. Observing this love in action tunes me in more mindfully to my strengths. This leads me to then want to imitate the behavior I'm observing – or, at the very least, to tap into one of my strengths of character. As the father of observational learning, Albert Bandura has said, "Most of what we learn is through observation."
What emerges is what I call a virtuous circle:
This mindful awareness (observing others express love) leads me to feel love (my signature character strength). This felt love then drives me to want to be more mindful (watch my own behavior closely and find more opportunities for strength expression), which leads me to be more deliberate in my behavior (consciously expressing love in the near future). This virtuous circle becomes clear: mindfulness → character strengths → mindfulness → character strengths. Each positively influencing the other.
Lesson learned: Never take your signature strengths for granted. There's always more to learn.
Lesson learned: Watching others can make your signature strengths even stronger.
Lesson learned: Mindfulness practice and character strengths use create a virtuous circle of goodness to benefit yourself and others.
I'd like to express gratitude to Rachelle Plummer, Sue Popson, and Donna Mayerson, who inspired this blog entry because of their expression of love.
Niemiec, R. M. (2014). Mindfulness and character strengths: A practical guide to flourishing. Cambridge, MA: Hogrefe.
Want more info on character strengths?
Learn more here.
And, take the VIA Survey of strengths here.
I learned an important lesson about character strengths this week. I was reminded that one of the core messages about strengths is this: unleash who you are by emitting your strengths out into the world.
While watching free movies about people with developmental disabilities online, I came across a 2.5 minute video that floored me. It is a music video of the pop rock band, Rudely Interrupted, from Australia. The band formed out of a music therapy group, led by band manager, Rohan Brooks. The band, now wildly popular, tours Australia and several other countries.
Take a listen to some of their music here.
What is it that I find most inspiring?
From the perspective of character strengths, each individual is expressing their signature strengths – those strengths of character that are most core to who they are. Sam, the bass guitarist, is known for expressing himself with a sense of playfulness, enthusiasm, high energy, and mischievousness (the character strengths of zest and humor). The lead singer, Rory, brings an original sound and captivating lyrics with a deep sense of heart (the strengths of creativity and love). To learn more about the "language" of these character strengths classified by scientists, click here.
In the end, listeners and viewers are left feeling elevated. Elevation is an emotion that causes us, the observers, to feel a sense of warmth in the chest and tingling sensations of inspiration. Most important, when we feel elevated, we are motivated to do good. Scientists find that elevation motivates us to be altruistic and kind to others. Said another way, we become motivated to express our best qualities (i.e., our character strengths) for the service of others.
This is "musical elevation" at its best.
I wonder how many people have become elevated after watching or listening to the music and performances of Rudely Interrupted as these musicians express their true selves? Because of this, how many people have then positively impacted another person as a direct result?
It's impossible to know.
But perhaps you will be next.
Want more info on Rudely Interrupted?
Go to their site here.
On YouTube: Rudely Interrupted – "No Goodbyes"
Want more info on character strengths?
Learn more here.
And, take the VIA Survey of strengths here.
Want more info about this blog's author?
Go to his site here.
Algoe, S. B., & Haidt, J. (2009). Witnessing excellence in action: The 'other-praising' emotions of elevation, gratitude, and admiration. Journal of Positive Psychology, 4, 105-127.
Aquino, K., McFerran, B., & Laven, M. (2011). Moral identity and the experience of moral elevation in response to acts of uncommon goodness. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 100(4), 703-718.
Cox, K. S. (2010). Elevation predicts domain-specific volunteerism 3 months later. Journal of Positive Psychology, 5(5), 333-341.
Haidt, J. (2003). Elevation and the positive psychology of morality. In C. L. M. Keyes & J. Haidt (Eds.), Flourishing: Positive psychology and the life well-lived (pp. 275–289). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.
Landis, S. K., Sherman, M. F., Piedmont, R. L., Kirkhart, M. W., Rapp, E. M., & Bike, D. H. (2009). The relation between elevation and self-reported prosocial behavior: Incremental validity over the Five-Factor Model of Personality. Journal of Positive Psychology, 4(1), 71-84.
Niemiec, R. M., & Wedding, D. (2014). Positive psychology at the movies 2: Using films to build character strengths and well-being. Cambridge, MA: Hogrefe.
Niemiec, R. M. (2010, May 12). The true meaning of character. [Review of the motion picture Invictus]. PsycCRITIQUES – Contemporary Psychology: APA Review of Books, 55(19), Article 9.
Peterson, C., & Seligman, M. E. P. (2004). Character strengths and virtues: A handbook and classification. New York: Oxford University Press.
Schnall, S., Roper, J., & Fessler, D. M. T. (2010). Elevation leads to altruistic behavior. Psychological Science, 21, 315-320.
Schnall, S., & Roper, J. (2011). Elevation puts moral values into action. Social Psychological and Personality Science.
Then, consider one way you will bring greater mindfulness to the habit or vice and one way you will use one of your strengths with it.
Finally, apply the strength and mindfulness to your autopilot mind as you do the activity.
This exercise is called "From Mindless to Mindful" and is one of the exercises discussed in my new book, Mindfulness and Character Strengths: A Practical Guide to Flourishing
What Underlies This Practice?
Habits, by definition, have a mindlessness component and can operate on their own, without much conscious awareness required by us. We can understand this with the metaphor of "autopilot." When an airline pilot has the plane at a nice cruising speed, he or she can turn on autopilot so the plane can fly itself. Our habits work the same way. Our autopilot mind takes over and flies our habits wherever our mind wishes to go.
As we understand more about these habits of mind, we can take more skillful action in the way we think is best. This means we can get more control to choose a path toward greater virtue, happiness, or care for others.
Examples to Get You Started
When selecting a vice or "habit," consider situations in which you typically display mindless behavior, where you are quick to react with anger or frustration, or behaviors you wish you could stop but feel you somehow cannot. Perhaps you notice that you seem to have a lot of arguments with your spouse? Numerous tense discussions with a colleague? A habit of over-eating or over-drinking in the evening? Yelling at your child to get them to settle down? Anxiety or stress every time you drive to work?
Example #1:
Example #2:
Important tip:
The target with this "from mindless to mindful" exercise is your own, personal autopilot mind. In other words, the focus is placed on your tendency to mind wander, your distractedness, your reactivity. You can keep this in check. Focusing on your autopilot is under your control. Trying to change another person's behavior is not.
What are the Benefits?
This exercise will not only help you better understand patterns that are driving your habit or vice, but you will also learn more subtle ways of applying mindfulness and strengths. Rather than just applying mindfulness and strengths like a blanket to any problem, this exercise will help you learn the appropriate "dosage" of mindfulness and strengths. Some situations will call for a specific type of mindfulness (e.g., mindful speech), others will call for a certain intensity, duration, or frequency of use (e.g., prolonging strengths use; intensifying your mindfulness practice).
When this exercise is practiced regularly (e.g., each day), you will notice you are making a shift toward cultivating virtue, making strength use more routine, and using mindfulness to do so.
Final Comment
Traditional approaches to mindfulness focus on the practice of sitting meditation, where you focus on your breathing for a certain period of time – and when your mind wanders – you bring your focus back to your breath. This is a wonderful practice, however, as with all rituals (religious or otherwise), if you only practice the principles at a church 1 day a week or when you are on a meditation cushion then what good are you doing?
I personally expect much more out of my mindfulness practices and strengths work. How about you?
Niemiec, R. M. (2014). Mindfulness and character strengths; A practical guide to flourishing. Boston, MA: Hogrefe.
VIA Institute's practical resources: www.viapros.org
Free VIA Survey of strengths: www.viame.org
Mindfulness articles and resources: www.ryanniemiec.com and www.viacharacter.org/mindfulness
Hence, round and round mindfulness and character strengths go – each influencing the other in a positive way. This is a virtuous circle.
Until recently, mindfulness and strengths have been treated as separate areas of practice and research. My argument is that these robust areas of well-being are inseparable.
What follows is my rationale for why it is beneficial to integrate these areas. Mindfulness can help your strengths practice and strengths of character can help your mindfulness practice.
Here's a micro-look at what appears to be going on when we integrate these areas:
1) Provides mindfulness practitioners a common language to capture positive states and traits, many of which are organic outcomes of mindfulness.
2) Offers individuals who practice mindfulness a way to deal with the vexing obstacles and barriers that naturally emerge during mindfulness practices (e.g., mind wandering).
3) Elicits a greater awareness of the positive potential within us, and, taken a step further, offers a pathway to explore and develop character strengths.
4) Creates a positive synergy of mutual benefit that can foster a virtuous circle of positive impact. Mindful awareness boosts strengths use which, in turn, enlivens mindfulness. This synergy might actually be what underlies successful positive interventions.
5) Fosters individuals' ability to respond appropriately and successfully in different situations; that is, the integration may promote psychological flexibility, help individuals find balance and practical wisdom in situations, and engender a growth mindset.
6) Facilitates increased self-awareness and potential for change activation by bringing one's character strengths more clearly into view. Recent research shows that mindfulness serves as a path to see oneself as one really is.
7) Offers an anchor to the practice of character strengths as individuals often are uncertain what direction to take and how to work with strengths.
8) Motivates individuals to use their signature strengths more, which is particularly relevant since some research has found that only 1/3 of individuals have a meaningful awareness of their strengths. And for those that are aware, there is likely the issue of strengths blindness and taking one's strengths for granted by downplaying them as "ordinary." Mindfulness may be the ideal approach for remedying this "taking-strengths-for-granted" effect.
9) Provides a pathway for balanced character strength expression and a way to practice bringing them to fruition. Mindfulness can serve as a way for individuals to improve their management of strengths overuse and underuse.
10) Helps individuals get off the "hedonic treadmill," which states that humans quickly adapt to the good or bad that is experienced in life. Mindfulness and character strengths help to counter this habitual nature of adaptation.
11) Offers a counterbalance to the pervasive human tendency to focus on and become impacted by what's wrong or bad.
12) Gives a direct and indirect boost to many strengths at once. One strength cannot be expressed without using other strengths. For example, how can a person practice cultivating gratitude without employing the strengths of perspective (e.g., reflecting back on their day with a wider lens when counting one's blessings) or bravery (e.g., using courage to deliver a gratitude letter to someone)? Each strength has elements of the others within it, and moreover, each strength requires the use of other strengths to deploy it. Thus, mindfulness focused on boosting one strength is automatically assisting other strengths to some degree.
These topics are explored in greater depth in my new book, Mindfulness and Character Strengths: A Practical Guide to Flourishing.
Baumeister, R. F., Bratslavsky, E., Finkenaeuer, C., & Vohs, K. D. (2001). Bad is stronger than good. Review of General Psychology, 5(4), 323–370.
Biswas-Diener, R., Kashdan, T. B., & Minhas, G. (2011). A dynamic approach to psychological strength development and intervention. Journal of Positive Psychology, 6(2), 106–118.
Carlson, E. N. (2013). Overcoming the barriers to self-knowledge: Mindfulness as a path to seeing yourself as you really are. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 8(2), 173–186.
Cloninger, C. R. (2007). Spirituality and the science of feeling good. Southern Medical Journal, 100(7), 740–743.
Diener, E., Lucas, R. E., & Scollon, C. N. (2006). Beyond the hedonic treadmill: Revising the adaptation theory of well-being. American Psychologist, 61(4), 305–314.
Dweck, C. (2006). Mindset: The new psychology of success. New York, NY: Ballantine Books.
Fredrickson, B. (2001). The role of positive emotions in positive psychology: The broaden-and-build theory of positive emotions. American Psychologist, 56, 218–226.
Gander, F., Proyer, R. T., Ruch, W., & Wyss, T. (2012a). Strength-based positive interventions: Further evidence for their potential in enhancing well-being. Journal of Happiness Studies. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1007/s10902-012-9380-0
Kashdan, T. B., & Rottenberg, J. (2010). Psychological flexibility as a fundamental aspect of health. Clinical Psychology Review, 30, 865–878.
Linley, A. (2008). Average to A+: Realising strengths in yourself and others. Coventry, UK: CAPP Press.
Louis, M. C. (2011). Strengths interventions in higher education: The effect of identification versus development approaches on implicit self-theory. Journal of Positive Psychology, 6 (3), 204–215.
Niemiec, R. M. (2012). Mindful living: Character strengths interventions as pathways for the five mindfulness trainings. International Journal of Wellbeing, 2 (1), 22–33.
Niemiec, R. M. (2014). Mindfulness and character strengths: A practical guide to flourishing. Cambridge, MA: Hogrefe.
Niemiec, R. M., Rashid, T., & Spinella, M. (2012). Strong mindfulness: Integrating mindfulness and character strengths. Journal of Mental Health Counseling, 34 (3), 240–253.
Schwartz, B., & Sharpe, K. E. (2006). Practical wisdom: Aristotle meets positive psychology. Journal of Happiness Studies, 7, 377–395.
VIA Institute's practical resources: www.viapros.org
Free VIA Survey of strengths: www.viame.org
On mindfulness and character strengths (new website): www.viacharacter.org/mindfulness
On mindfulness and character strengths (new book): Niemiec's Mindfulness and Character Strengths: A Practical Guide to Flourishing


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Tandem de choc - Neige et Soleil
AddressLa Lombarde IsolaSee nearby area
For rates, enter dates/guests
Services & facilities
- Family rooms
- Skiing
- Free parking
Description provided by property
Tandem de choc – Neige et Soleil is a self-catering studio located on the edge of Isola 2000 ski resort. It is in a residence with a shopping arcade and features lift access and free private parking on site.
The studio has an equipped kitchenette including a dishwasher, vitroceramic hotplates and a microwave. The living area has a dining table and a TV, and convertible sofas. The bathroom is fitted with a shower.
You will find a choice of shops and restaurants in the shopping arcade. Laundry facilities are available. There is also a cinema, a night club, a well-being centre and a ski school.
Important information
Please note that prepayment is due by bank transfer or cheque. Please contact the property in advance to organise this.
If you expect to arrive outside reception opening hours, please inform the property in advance. Contact details can be found on the booking confirmation.
Please note that a EUR400 damages deposit will be requested upon arrival. This may be used to charge for any damages incurred to the accommodation during your stay.
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An American Time Capsule: Three Centuries of Broadsides and Other Printed Ephemera
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American Women: A Reference Guide
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American Memory Timeline
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American Landscape and Architectural Design, 1850-1920
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American Indians of the Pacific Northwest
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African American Perspectives: Pamphlets from the Daniel A. P. Murray Collection, 1818-1907
This site presents a review of African-American history and culture as seen through the practice of pamphleteering. The site includes sermons on racial pride and essays on segregation, voting rights, and violence against African-Americans.
A Century of Lawmaking for a New Nation, U.S. Congressional Documents and Debates, 1774-1873
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Beyond Black History Month
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General Quiz in Greek
The quiz includes 5 levels of general questions (History, Arts, Athletics, Geography, Sciences, Music). The difficulty of the questions increases depending on the level. Each level includes 10 questions, that are marked proportionally (Level 1:1 point, Level 2:2 points, etc). The maximum points a player can gather is 150. In order to pass to the next level, 50% of correct answers is needed. The quiz is addressed to individuals who are preparing for examinations in general knowledge subjects.
European Rulers of the 1st Millennium AD
This is a gapfill quiz. The idea behind the quiz is to help a player acquire an overview of European history through looking at some of the leaders that have shaped Europe's history. The project is far from complete and so far only includes leaders up to the tenth century. Anyone who wishes to edit this quiz is free to do so. The information about the leaders has largely come from wikipedia. All I have done is cut and paste the page then edit it down to an even briefer description of the leader'
British History from the Romans to the Normans
A learning module about early British history, orientated towards primary school. The module is intended for use in conjunction with a suitable children's book on the subject. When using this module, it is recommended to make books available to the child for reference while working with the module. It may be helpful to work with your child and help them find the answers in the book(s) at first. The module includes questions from the departure of the Romans and the first arrival of the Angles and
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Twenty years ago Peter Buxtun, a public health official working for the United States Public Health Service, complained to a reporter for the Associated Press that he was deeply concerned about the morality of an ongoing study being sponsored by the Public Health Service--a study compiling information about the course and effects of syphilis in human beings based upon medical examinations of poor black men in Macon County, Alabama. The men, or more accurately, those still living, had been coming
Breakingviews: Impenetrable Chesapeake
April 27 - Richard Beales and Breakingviews columnists discuss the echoes of Enron in the complexity of Chesapeake Energy as the company struggles with a governance scandal.
Global Competition: How We Can Win
6th Annual Berkeley in Silicon Valley Symposium In his recent best selling book, The World is Flat: A Brief History of the Twenty-first Century, Pulitzer Prize-winning author Thomas Friedman writes that the lowering of trade and political barriers and profound technological advances in global connectivity have enabled a "flat world" where it is possible to do business or almost anything else instantaneously and with billions of people. According to Dean Richard Newton, it is perhaps ironic that
Reading and vocabulary: Know Sie do Roetgen?
You practice reading comprehension using a text about Roetgen. You practice your vocabulary to describe the physical location of a city/village; make use of points of the compass.
What the Ancients Did for Us - The Aztecs and Maya 3/3
Many ancient societies set the stage for our arrival in this world. These series of video documentaries show what ancient civilizations and societies contributed to our current lives. Suitable for older middle school and high school students.
Conversations with Berkeley Faculty: Ira Lapidus (1/14/03)
Conversations with History Presents Faculty Research at the University of California, Berkeley A Conversation with Ira Lapidus Professor Emeritus of History "Islamic Societies" This interview took place on January 14, 2003. Complete transcript is available. Ira Lapidus, Professor Emeritus of History at the University of California, Berkeley, and the founding Chair of the Center for Middle Eastern Studies on the Berkeley campus. Professor Lapidus has traveled extensively across the Muslim worl
This Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI) website provides comprehensive scientific information about Pseudo-nitzschia, an important toxin-producing species associated with Amnesic Shellfish Poisoning. Information is organized into the following categories: taxonomy, morphology and anatomy, chemistry, toxin production, reproduction and life history, motility, ecology and natural history, identification methods, field work, and acknowledgements. The website also has a link to general
Episode 12 - McCoy's specimens: zoological illustrations of Victoria
Superb 19th century zoological illustrations of natural history specimens are a visual delight and it may seem like an odd topic for a podcast as it take us to the limits of the audio medium. At Access all Areas we aren't scared to go there, trust me when you hear the stories and dramas behind these 19th century pictures you'll never look at these zoological illustrations the same way again. The best thing about the audio medium is that it captures, not only the telling of
Superb 19th century zoological illustrations of natural history specimens are a visual delight and it may seem like an odd topic for a podcast as it take us to the limits of the audio medium. At Access all Areas we aren't scared to go there, trust me when you hear the stories and dramas behind these 19th century pictures you'll never look at these zoological illustrations the same way again. The best thing about the audio medium is that it captures, not only the telling of