text:
(hidden for your protection)
comments sponsored by
Small Law Firms, Solo Practitioners
Yesterday I went for a run, my usual 5k. I had given some thought to going farther than normal but when I got to the point where I could keep going, the trail crossing over the creek was flooded. I was stymied. Guess I'll be sticking to 5k. Time to turn around.
I made it two steps before I stopped. Was I really going to let some water stop me from pushing myself? Give up at the first obstacle I came across? I pivoted and made my way through the woods away from the trail and towards the road.
I had to run a few blocks on the road away from my usual route to get to a different bridge over the creek. Then back to the trail and on my way — 10k instead of 5. Double my regular run. My lungs burned, legs tired. I felt great. And I almost didn't do it because there was a trickle of water in my way….
Frank A. Clark once said, "If you can find a path with no obstacles, it probably doesn't lead anywhere." That has always rung true to me.
Anything that has been worth having in my life has been an uphill battle. Black belts, law degree, writing a book, starting a practice. The things worth having, the things that truly matter are worth it. You have to push through obstructions, push through the hardships, and fight for what you want.
It's so easy to run into obstacles and be beaten back. There are so many things that will block your path, preventing you from pushing forwards. Your daily customs, habits, and ruts. Established patterns of behaviour. Family and friends. Your "routine." Because if you are going to go after something worth having, some sought-after goal, you will have to alter your routine. You will have to set things aside and cut things from your life. It will involve sacrifice.
It's so easy to give in and give up. And no one can help you push past it but yourself. No coaching, no mentors, no classes or workshops you take will actually force you to push past your perceived limitations. All these things do, all these people can do is show you a way. Not "the way." All people can offer is "this is what worked for me." Maybe it will, maybe it won't. And that is from the people that want to help.
Many people will see you striving for something and tell you to quit. They'll tell you it's not worth the time. That the pain is too great, the effort too great. Don't shift practice areas. Don't do that type of work. Don't take that case. Don't leave for a different firm. Don't start your own firm. Other people will try and drag you down. That's not to say that you should listen to the counsel of select people who you trust, but it's likely that those people are few and far between. The majority of people who will attempt to discourage you will do so out of fear of change.
But as Bill Cosby once said, "I don't know the secret to success, but the secret to failure is trying to please everyone."
You can't please everyone. Especially when you choose a difficult path. Other people will view the attempt as futile or foolworthy. But you have to set their voices out of your mind. You have to set aside your own fear. Believe in yourself, believe in your goal, and put everything else aside. Doubts will still attempt to raise themselves in your mind, holding you back. You have to find a way to re-focus on your goal and set aside self-limiting thoughts and beliefs.
Yet there is no perfect path for quieting the timid voice in your mind. No surefire way to kindle a burning desire. No singular guide to forging the will to ignore pain. You've got to keep trying things until you find what fits. Then dig and and demand that you be better. Don't take no for answer. Don't let others drag you down. Don't let anything stand in your way. If you want it bad enough, make it happen.
Impose your will on the world.
Keith Lee practices law at Hamer Law Group, LLC in Birmingham, Alabama. He writes about professional development, the law, the universe, and everything at Associate's Mind. He is also the author of The Marble and The Sculptor: From Law School To Law Practice (affiliate link), published by the ABA. You can reach him at email@example.com or on Twitter at @associatesmind.
comments sponsored by


text:
Trade resources
Trade and investment topics
Trade agreements
innovationXchange is DFAT's development innovation hub.
To help Australians avoid difficulties overseas, we maintain travel advisories for more than 160 destinations.
The Australian Passport Office and its agents are committed to providing a secure, efficient and responsive passport service for Australia.
The information you provide will help us contact or find you in an emergency.
Latvia, one of the three Baltic States, covers an area of 64,589 square kilometres. At the time of the 2011 Census, Latvia's population was 2.07million, a fall of 13 per cent on the 2000 figure of 2.38 million. This demographic shift reflects factors such as emigration, an ageing population and a falling birth rate. The capital of Latvia is Riga. Latvia celebrates its national day on 18 November (Independence Day).
Latvia regained its independence from the Soviet Union in August 1991. Under the Constitution, the President is elected by members of the unicameral Parliament (Saeima) for a four-year term and has limited powers. The President appoints the Prime Minister, approves the Cabinet and may return legislation to the Saeima. The Saeima has 100 members, who are elected. Elections are held on the first Saturday in October every four years.
Latvian President Andris Berzins (Greens/Farmers Union Party), was elected on 2 June 2011 for a four-year term, commencing 8 July 2011.
Elections for the Saeima were last held on 17 September 2011. Harmony Center (SC) won 31 seats, followed by the Reform Party (22), Unity (20), National Alliance (14), and Greens and Farmers Union (ZZS)(13). The next parliamentary elections are due in October 2014.
Mrs Laimdota Straujuma (Unity) was sworn in as Latvia's first female Prime Minister on 22 January 2014. This followed the 27 November 2013 resignation of former Prime Minister Dombrovskis and his cabinet to take political responsibility for a supermarket collapse in Riga on 21 November 2013, which killed 54 people. Prime Minister Straujuma leads a coalition government comprising the Unity Party, Reform Party, National Alliance, nine independent MPs and the Union of Greens and Farmers.
Latvia joined NATO on 2 April 2004 and acceded to the EU on 1 May 2004. It was accepted into the eurozone on 1 January 2014. Latvia joined the World Trade Organization in 2009 and was invited at the May 2013 Ministerial Council meeting of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) to begin the OECD accession process.
The global financial and economic crisis of 2008-09 hit the Latvian economy extremely hard. After years of double-digit growth, mainly funded by external borrowing by the country's banks, the lack of further readily-available credit brought the economy to a halt. Latvia's GDP contracted by 24 per cent in 2009. With the assistance of an IMF and EU-approved bailout package, the Dombrovskis Government turned the economy around through a program of deep public spending cuts. Latvia's economy rebounded, growing by around 5 per cent per year from 2011-13 and becoming the EU's fastest growing economy. The IMF/EU Program concluded in December 2011, with Latvia repaying its loan ahead of schedule. The IMF predicts further growth of just over 4 per cent in 2014, which places it as the fastest growing economy in central and eastern Europe. Despite this, unemployment remains an issue. Unemployment in Latvia rose dramatically during the financial crisis, from around 7 per cent in 2008 to a peak of over 20 per cent in the last quarter of 2009. It has since fallen gradually, with 9.8 per cent recorded in March 2014.
Australia recognised Latvia's regaining of independence on 27 August 1991. Latvia and Australia enjoy friendly, co-operative relations with strong people to people links flowing from large numbers of Latvians who migrated to Australia in the twentieth century, primarily at the end of World War II. At the time of the 2011 Census, there were 20,124 people in Australia of Latvian ancestry.
The Australian Ambassador in Stockholm is accredited to Latvia. The Latvian Ambassador based in London has non-resident accreditation to Australia. Latvia is represented in Australia by Honorary Consuls in New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, South Australia and Western Australia.
The relationship between Australia and Latvia is underpinned by bilateral agreements covering Trade and Economic Cooperation (1993), Extradition (2005) and Social Security (2011).
Latvia's then-State Secretary for Foreign Affairs, and now current Ambassador to Australia, Mr Andris Teikmanis, visited Australia for bilateral consultations in October 2012. The Australian Prime Minister's Special Envoy, Dr Russell Trood, visited Riga in September 2011, during which he signed a bilateral Social Security Agreement.
Two-way merchandise trade in 2012-13 between Australia and Latvia was A$17.99 million. Australia exported A$8.9 million worth of goods to Latvia during this period, primarily alcoholic beverages. Imports from Latvia in this period totaled A$9.07 million, primarily telecom equipment and parts and alcoholic beverages.
Please contact Austrade for information on doing business in Latvia.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
New Jersey Hurricane Sandy (DR-4086)
Incident period: October 26, 2012 to November 8, 2012
Major Disaster Declaration declared on October 30, 2012
Preparedness Information
Follow the Hurricane Sandy recovery on social media:
- @FEMASandy on Twitter
- FEMA Sandy on Facebook
- More FEMA social media channel
Resources for Survivors
- Sign up to receive New Jersey recovery information by email
- Identifying rumors and combatting misinformation
- Filing your flood insurance claim
- NFIP Helpline and Information
- Video: Preliminary Work Maps of Flood Zones in New Jersey
- Hazard mitigation resources for Sandy survivors
Visit FEMA.gov/sandy for an overview of full Hurricane Sandy recovery efforts.
For a video timeline of response efforts in New Jersey, click here.
For news releases in Spanish, please visit comunicado de prensa.
Updates and Articles, Blogs, and News Releases
January 14, 2013
News Release
TRENTON, N.J. -- The quickest way to get a Small Business Administration disaster loan approved is filling out an online application. The online application is the most user-friendly way for homeowners, renters and business survivors of Hurricane Sandy to request a loan from the SBA. An electronic loan application is a convenient alternative to visiting a disaster recovery center or mailing a paper loan application. Regardless of the method, the deadline is the same: Jan. 30, 2013.
January 14, 2013
News Release
TRENTON, N.J. -- The Federal Emergency Management Agency and the state of New Jersey will continue to help the dwindling number of families needing transitional sheltering assistance during a two-week extension of the program. FEMA has continuously been in contact with households in the transitional sheltering program to determine their housing needs and how to help them. From those contacts, FEMA and the state of New Jersey recognized the declining need for the program.
January 14, 2013
News Release
TRENTON, N.J. -- If your house is not livable and you have insurance, the Federal Emergency Management Agency may be able to provide temporary housing or rent under certain circumstances. FEMA may be able to help if any of these situations apply:
January 11, 2013
Mitigation is the effort to reduce loss of life and property by lessening the impact of disasters.
January 11, 2013
News Release
TRENTON, N.J. -- The disaster recovery centers located at Bay Head Fire Station No. 1 in Bay Head and the William Heart Community Center in Newark will close Saturday, Jan. 12, at 7 p.m. State and federal officials have been paying close attention to how many applicants are visiting centers throughout the state. Over the past weeks, the number of individuals seeking help at the Bay Head and Newark centers has dropped, indicating the information needs of survivors in the area have mostly been met.
January 10, 2013
News Release
TRENTON, N.J. -- Renters who need to repair or replace essential items lost in Hurricane Sandy can get help from the Small Business Administration. Many survivors are learning that their insurance is not enough to cover all of their losses. Only 43 percent of renters have insurance, according to the Insurance Information Institute.
Main Content
State/Tribal Government:


text:
Senior Member
Last Activity: 2 Hours Ago
- User Lists
- Add to Favorites
Likes Given
jgeissinger liked post by sethpool On thread : Music Etiquette at the DockThe gentleman cares more about the comfort of those around him than his own. Thus in this setting good manners dictate not imposing one's music on others nor an ongoing loud conversation nor "wine...Liked On: 07-28-2014, 12:21 PM
Posted On: 07-28-2014, 01:14 AMjgeissinger liked post by NewportNewbie On thread : Catalina Video Up!Finished (for now) the video detailing my recent Catalina trip...pics and vids... On my site: Catalina Video! | Cuajota (http://cuajota.com/?p=1007) comments welcome!Liked On: 05-23-2014, 12:02 AM
Posted On: 05-22-2014, 07:16 PMjgeissinger liked post by denverd0n On thread : moving chain platesSmart choice. Unless you are a qualified naval architect yourself, it is usually a very bad idea to start thinking that you know better than the person who designed the boat in the first place.Liked On: 12-06-2013, 11:56 AM
Posted On: 12-06-2013, 11:29 AMjgeissinger liked post by xymotic On thread : Is flying a pirate flag lame?The other day it was raining pretty hard, and the temp dipped to the 40's. Generally crappy weather. I suited up in my rain gear and MX boots and rode my dirt bike to a local sports bar. I...Liked On: 11-29-2013, 11:19 AM
Posted On: 11-29-2013, 10:29 AMjgeissinger liked post by zeehag On thread : Slip or Mooring Can?you may enjoy this lifestyle longer if you do the slip first thing....when you decide you enjoy being a pioneer in the 1820s, then progress along....Liked On: 08-31-2013, 11:21 AM
Posted On: 07-07-2013, 08:40 AMjgeissinger liked post by Petar On thread : Non wood interior sole alternativeMy 3/4" plywood sole with Teak veneer top needs TLC. Instead of sanding, and varnishing 6-7 coats which would take most of the winter to complete, i am interested in potential non wood alternatives....Liked On: 12-10-2012, 01:09 AM
Posted On: 12-09-2012, 09:27 PMjgeissinger liked post by WDS123 On thread : Our hull is WET! Ammonia washing???How much water ? The chopped strand outer Matt of this era hull will take eons to 'dry' And why do you want to dry out this hull which has been happily wet for decades ?Liked On: 07-29-2012, 03:05 PM
Posted On: 07-29-2012, 12:39 AMjgeissinger liked post by JoeDiver On thread : Is she bluewater? Interesting story to help with these questions.Me too....they're everywhere.... On the Jeep forum....it's "if you don't have a Rubicon it's a mall crawler" On Scuba Forum....it's "if you depend on computers you'll die"..... On an RV...Liked On: 06-13-2012, 01:24 PM
Posted On: 06-13-2012, 10:49 AM
Mini Statistics
Recent VisitorsThe last 10 visitor(s) to this page were:This page has had 1,233 visits
All times are GMT -4. The time now is 02:36 PM.


text:
BOSTON ( TheStreet) -- Morningstar covers more than 1,700 stocks, only 34 of which receive its highest five-star rating. Of those, the following 10 trade at a deep discount to fair value. As the economy gains steam, these companies' businesses will improve and their shares will reflect intrinsic value. The stocks are predicted to rise at least 49%, and as much as 120%, in the next year. Below, they are ordered by potential return, from good to great.
10. International Speedway (ISCA) promotes motorsport entertainment. The company owns 13 racetracks, including Daytona and Talladega. It hosts more than 100 events a year, generating sales from tickets, concessions, merchandise and broadcasting. It has a wide "economic moat", or sustainable competitive advantage, given its monopoly of big-name tracks and their annual events.
Using a discounted cash flow model, Morningstar estimates International Speedway's fair value at $38, implying 42% upside. The major risks to its investment thesis are a decline in the company's bargaining power, which will be necessary in 2014, when long-term media contracts are renegotiated, and a still cyclically-injured NASCAR fan base. Also, NASCAR television viewership declined in the past few years.


text: So far I have written as a social scientist, one who has spent much of my life studying human societies, seeking reliable patterns and clear concepts better to understand our world. But I am also a Pagan, and my outlook is decisively shaped not only by what I have learned as a traditional scholar, but also what I learned as a Wiccan, one who also worked for many years in an African Diasporic healing tradition, as well as shamanic work rooted in Indian traditions. What I learned here takes my d … [Read more...]