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Cindy Maddera
I feel like I've been pretty quiet this week. The few posts I've done have been easy fluff pieces quickly written to fill up space. I have things to write down. I swear it. I'm just not ready to write them down. Also, to be honest, I'm tired. I have yet to fully recover from our weekend. I feel behind. Like my usual routine is off just enough to make every thing feel delayed. I should have done this by now or this should be finished by now. And I have plans for the weekend, big working plans that are contagious because Michael started talking about building a fire pit in the backyard. He showed me where he thought it should go and everything. As contagious as those plans may be, he still asked me if there will be sleeping this weekend. I promised that I would not wake him at all on Monday. Memorial Day weekend for many is the kickoff to summer. Indeed this week has definitely had a warmer, summer time feel to it. Most of us are thinking of that long weekend and barbecues. It's easy to forget the reason why we have a Memorial Day holiday at all. It's just an excuse for department stores to host big sales events right? Memorial Day used to be known as Decoration Day. It was a day that families set aside to remember soldiers lost during the American Civil War. In some southern states, they still hold the tradition of picnic gatherings at grave sites where they also take time to clean up the stones and place new flowers. Memorial Day remembers all of the men and women of the US Armed Forces who have died while serving their country. Today at Floral Haven where J is buried, they will raise over 3000 flags in remembrance of the soldiers buried there. For those of us who know the loss first hand, every day is Memorial Day, but I am thankful that others take time to remember. People who never ever met J will raise a flag in his memory. They will remember that this man died doing a good dead in the name of our country. I am thankful for this. I have had so many people thank me for my sacrifice in regards to J and it always makes me angry for reasons that I just won't get into here. I will probably never admit that J died for this country; he died in service to his country. There's a difference. But what I can be thankful for is knowing that J was a good man. I am thankful that he did his duty and service with integrity and bravery. I am thankful that he was passionate in his beliefs and ideas. I am thankful for him in general. So maybe take a moment while standing in the check out line at Macy's to remember those who died while serving this country.
I am thankful for the things we've eaten from the garden this week. I am thankful for scooter days and evening walks. I am thankful for the air conditioning unit mom gave us that Michael installed in his room (it was one dad had put in the garage to keep peanuts cold). I am thankful for the time spent with family last weekend. I am thankful for you. Here's to a wonderful weekend and a beautiful Thankful Friday!


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Thursday, May 24, 2012
I See Red
One of the other topics cover was terraforming, or the process of "converting" a planet from an unliveable place to one more like Earth. One of the intriguing ideas mentioned in the series was the idea of building hundreds of factories on Mars that would produce greenhouse gases (carbon dioxide) for decades on end in order to trigger a planetwide greenhouse effect.
There's a couple of issues with doing that, however. First, you'd have to transport all the factory material to the planet, land it all on the surface, and then set it up. Second, Mars' atmosphere is already full of carbon dioxide. Hmmm.
Whatever the case, it has been interesting to see where the research has been, where it is going, and all the throught going into the process. I'm starting to think, too, about setting some stories on the red planet, after having written a short story that will be likely be included in my next short story collection, Corridors (coming later this summer). The story is tenatively titled, "The Mines of Mars", and deals with a pirate who comes across some unusual cargo being transported via rail. What's been unusual, though, is that the story seems to want to mushroom into a full-blown novel, or at least several interlinked short stories.
It's also been instructive to now go back and look at some other Mars-related fiction I read years ago, such as Ray Bradbury's The Martian Chronicles. Ray has admitted in an interview that it wasn't so much meant to be a series of science fiction stories, but rather fantasy. This makes sense, given that Mars' daytime temperatures may never get above zero, and if the cold doesn't cause problems, there's always the dust storms or radiation from the sun.
Then there are the tornadoes. Narrow, towering, whirling columns of dust that grow to be as tall as Mt. Everest and as wide as a city block. The dust is finer than talcum powder and can build up huge electrical charges that could easily fry electronic equipment. Sometimes the storms have been beneficial, such as when they've cleaned the dust off the solar panels of the Mars rovers.
There are also signs of a great deal of water just below the surface of the planet. In addition, there are also exploratory discussions occuring about setting up settlements above and/or below the surface. Hopefully, we'll see some of these become reality in the coming years, but until then, it opens up a lot of possibilities in terms of fiction writing.
2 comments:
If you haven't yet read the Mars trilogy by Kim Stanley Robinson ("Red Mars," etc.), it's worth a look. I hate to admit that I finally gave up on it, despite the very intriguing ideas about settling Mars. The social/political aspect and "cast of thousands" was just not to my taste. Anyway, I'm very intrigued by the idea of manned exploration, and possible eventual colonization, of Mars, and in space travel in general. That goes back to being inspired at a very young age by watching the Moon landings. Sparking that same kind of interest was a key motivation for writing my (first, and probably only) children's book ("Two Boys, Two Planets"), which I hope will spark a Mars interest in impressionable young minds. :)ReplyDelete
I haven't read the Mars trilogy, although it sounds like it could be interesting. I'll have to check it out. I still have some more books I'm checking out, too...both fiction and non-fiction. I've noticed there have also been a lot of advancements made of rocket engines, which could potentially shorten the time to travel to any given planet and maybe even cut down on some of the hazards due to the reduced travel time.ReplyDelete
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-- Dear Mr/Mrs, Thank you for your reply. Please and please reply me on my private email: email@example.com for it to get to me What I meant in short is that I work for the Ziraat Bankasi Bank of Turkey as the present External Auditor. And so just last week, I discovered a very large sum of money belonging to a late customer of the bank.This account has been dormant for a very long time since 1999 (12years now). The Investigation and personally research I have conducted shows that he died along
his entire family in a fatal plane crash 12years ago and has left nobody to benefit the funds totaling 11.3 Million GBP.So I contacted you having found your email address and am proposing if you will be interested to stand in as the next-of-kin. I have all the legal documents to
put you forward as the sole beneficiary of the funds, being a barrister at law.As well all files purporting to the funds in the bank are in my possession so you do not have even one little cause to worry about. All you have to compensate me with will come as your personal will. I am notgoing to task you. If I can not see any one to stand in, then my bank will send
the money to the bank treasury as unclaimed funds. Looking to receive from you with these details to proceed. Full Name..................... Sex........................... Age....................... Occupation.................... Mobile No..................... Email Address....... Residential Contact........... Marital Status................ Region............... State and Nationality......... With kind regards, Call me on:+44-70-4573-9682. Email me on: firstname.lastname@example.com if you want your email to get to me. Barr. Peters Smith
What Is This?This Email with the Subject "Dearest Friend! My proposal!" was received in one of Scamdex's honeypot email accounts on Sat, 10 Sep 2011 09:53:27 -0700 and has been classified as a Generic Scam Email. The sender shows as "Barr. Peters Smith" <firstname.lastname@example.com>, although that address was probably spoofed. We recommend that you do not attempt to contact any persons or organizations referenced in this email, as you may expose yourself to scammers and, at the very least, you will be added to their email address lists for spam purposes.


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38 Results
St. Patrick's Day
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If you're planning a visit to Mexico in the future, why not plan a stay at the Hacienda Los Cabos in Cabo San Jose in the beautiful Baha?
This new 2 bedroom, 2 bathroom condo is situated on the top floor with 180 degree ocean views, and is located just minutes from the airport and town.
J.J.Condo comes with fully equipped :
*In-suite washer & dryer
*Room service
*3 swimming pools /swim up bar
While staying at J.J.Condo there are many sights and activities as all the ammenities are at your disposal. Perhaps you'd like to visit the many sun-drenched beaches. Each of them is different with many things to do such as - swimming, snorkelling, surfing, sailing, fishing, scuba diving and windsurfing. There are many exellent sightseeing tours on land where you can visit many areas of Baha. Or just take in the sights in town such as shopping in the markets or land activities like cycling or horse back riding.
Or for those that want a golf holiday! Los Cabos is home to five of the most beautifully maintained golf courses in the world. It boasts a Jack Nicklaus signature course, as well as Robert Trent Jones II and the Dye Corporation designs. Each has taken special plans to blend fairways and greens into the natural beauty of the area and capitalize on the spectacular views. Even if you don't golf, join your golfing friends just for the ride. You will enjoy the unmatched solitude and beauty. What ever your level of golf, you'll find the course to meet your needs. Future plans assure that this area will be considered one of the premier golf vacation destinations.
If you would like more information about J.J.Condo, contact your hosts
Phone (604) 596-6869
Fax (604) 596-6869


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Performer Barb Jungr has been appearing regularly in Corby with friends at The Core since it opened. Now Barb and musicians from Corby celebrate the town in song. With a new song cycle inspired by the people and stories of the town, written by Barb and by musicians alongside local traditional song, performers, musicians and singers come together for a concert to celebrate the second birthday of The Core@Corby Cube, the town's superb new Arts Centre. Jungr has spent time in Corby working alongside artists and musicians, meeting people and recording their stories. A choir and musicians comes together especially for the concert.
Barb Jungr is a singer, recording artist and writer, who works internationally and writes for theatre. Originally from the northwest of England, she married the Barnwell and later, Oundle based writer, Paddy Kitchen's son, Dan, and spent many years visiting and staying in the area. Jungr runs an evening season for Corby Cube, Barb Jungr and friends, with guest musicians from all over the UK.
For a full biography and more on Barb's work please visit www.barbjungr.com
For more information call Kate Dyer at Corby Community Arts on 07547040764 or firstname.lastname@example.com
This project is supported by Northamptonshire Community Foundation and The Arts Council England
We're meeting on the 12th of September to bring together a choir to perform on November the 10th, to celebrate The Core's second birthday.
Working with Choir leader Gareth Fuller, you will be performing a set of new songs about Corby written byinternational jazz star Barb Jungr with a group of local musicians.
Our first meeting will be 7.00pm - 8.30pm on Wednesday 12th of September, when you can meet Barb and Gareth, and we'll have our first informal sing-together and an introduction to the project. There is no charge for the rehersal sessions.
If you've always wanted to try and singing, then do come along to find your hidden talents.
Wednesday 12th, 19th and 26th of September 7.00-8.30pm at The Core
Friday 5th of October Barbs Concert 7.30-9.30pm Royal & Derngate (tbc)
Fridays 12th, 19th and 26th of October 7.00-8.30pm The Core
Thursdays 1st & 8th of November, Friday 9th of November 7.00-8.30pm The Core
Video of the culmination of 2012's Deep Roots Tall Trees project.
Filmed by Andy Eathorne
To listen to the entire concert follow the link below to Soundcloud:


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Angelina Jolie's article in the Washington Post should have been labeled a public service advertisement — it was just another UN fundraising appeal, certainly written by a UNHCR hack, but falsely disguised as a newspaper article.
Entitled "Staying to Help in Iraq", with a subtitle saying "We have finally reached a point where humanitarian assistance, from us and others, can have an impact", Angelina Jolie, or her flack, engage in a shameless bit of name-dropping — why else would you want an "actor", as Jolie aparently prefers to designate herself — doing this?
"In Baghdad, I spoke with Army Gen. David Petraeus about UNHCR's need for security information and protection for its staff as they re-enter Iraq, and I am pleased that he has offered that support. General Petraeus also told me he would support new efforts to address the humanitarian crisis 'to the maximum extent possible' — which leaves me hopeful that more progress can be made … During my trip I also met with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, who has announced the creation of a new committee to oversee issues related to internally displaced people, and a pledge of $40 million to support the effort. My visit left me even more deeply convinced that we not only have a moral obligation to help displaced Iraqi families, but also a serious, long-term, national security interest in ending this crisis…
"What we cannot afford, in my view, is to squander the progress that has been made. In fact, we should step up our financial and material assistance. UNHCR has appealed for $261 million this year to provide for refugees and internally displaced persons. That is not a small amount of money — but it is less than the U.S. spends each day to fight the war in Iraq. I would like to call on each of the presidential candidates and congressional leaders to announce a comprehensive refugee plan with a specific timeline and budget as part of their Iraq strategy.
"As for the question of whether the surge is working, I can only state what I witnessed: UN staff and those of non-governmental organizations seem to feel they have the right set of circumstances to attempt to scale up their programs. And when I asked the troops if they wanted to go home as soon as possible, they said that they miss home but feel invested in Iraq. They have lost many friends and want to be a part of the humanitarian progress they now feel is possible. It seems to me that now is the moment to address the humanitarian side of this situation. Without the right support, we could miss an opportunity to do some of the good we always stated we intended to do".
At the bottom of the article, it says this: "Angelina Jolie, an actor, is a UNHCR goodwill ambassador".
This supposed newspaper article in The Washington Post, signed Angelina Jolie, though certainly not written by her, is posted here.


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by Kathe Koja
Good book! One day one of our librarians, Lisa, handed this to me and prepared me with the knowledge that this book was written in stream of consciousness style. I had heard scary things about this mode d'emploi, so I sat down with it, ready for a battle.
Instead I eased into a pleasurable narrative about some teenagers dealing with a controversial school play and the emotions running below the surface.
{From PinkBooks.com: Kit Webster is hiding a secret. Carma, his best friend, has already figured it out, and pushes him to audition for the high school play, Talk. When he's cast as the male lead, he expects to escape his own life for a while and become a different person. What he gets instead is the role of a lifetime: Kit Webster. In the play, Kit's thrown together with Lindsay Walsh, the female lead and the school's teen queen. Lindsay, tired of the shallow and selfish boys from her usual circle of friends, sees something real in Kit – and wants it. But Kit's attention is focused on Pablo, another boy in school. The play is controversial; the parents put pressure on the school to shut it down. And when Kit and Lindsay rally to save Talk, they find themselves deep into a battle for the truth: onstage, and inside themselves.}
I would recommend this to anyone interested in LGBT or stream-of-consciousness style writing.


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Join the Club!
Building and flying radio-controlled aircraft is a rewarding and enjoyable hobby for people of all ages. Your initial thought might be that you don't possess the skills or patience, but it is not as difficult as you may think. You can now buy "ready to fly" models that require no construction and have built-in stabilisation to make the flying experience stress free and enjoyable. To make the entry even easier, our Club offers a free training program that lets you use our state-of-the-art models and radio equipment, so you don't need to buy anything to get started.
Once you become more proficient, you can then decide to purchase your own model and radio, confident that it isn't a wasted investment. As a Club member, you have the opportunity to share your interest with other like-minded hobbyists who will gladly share their knowledge and experience with you. You can progress at your own pace, choosing to remain a leisurely flyer or join in various levels of competition ranging from pylon racing to aerial combat, pattern flying and aerobatics.
So come along to the field on any Sunday morning, make yourself known – you will be more than welcome. We can get you started straight away with some free flying lessons and provide you with more information on how to join the Club and avail yourself of the associated benefits.
Follow these links for details of our Low cost Integrated Flight Training (LIFT) program and membership information:
About the LIFT Program
Membership Information
Application Form
HMAC is in the Adelaide Metropolitan Area fire ban district.
Members need to be aware that DEWNR will close the O'Halloran Hill recreation park and hence our field on catastrophic fire danger days and may close the park on extreme fire danger days. Under the terms of our lease we are required to comply with any such closures. In any case it makes good sense to do so.
CLICK HERE to view the current CFS Fire Danger information.
DEWNR also posts park closure information. CLICK HERE to view.
Proudly sponsored by


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COLEMAN 15000 btu RV ROOF AIR CONDITIONER Top Unit S/D[48204B876]
About this product...
Manufacturer's Number: 48204B876 48204C866 ***S/D***Calculate Shipping
Coleman MACH 15 15000 btu Air Conditioner Upper Unit. 2 Year Factory Warranty.*
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You can count on the Mach 15 for reliability. All-copper tubing and gas-flux brazed joints ensure durability and long life for your RV air conditioner.Add the optional Heater Assembly, and youâ??ll have 5,600 BTUs of heat for cool-weather outings.
Coleman RV AC Other Information:
- Full load amps 16.0 cooling and 16.0 heating w/optional heat strip.
- Weighs only 110 lbs.
- Operates on 110 Volts AC power
- 2 Speed fan for flexible control of air flow
- 2 Years parts and Labor warranty...be sure to send in warranty card.
Fits standard 14 x 14 roof opening.*Does not include interior ceiling assembly
Also purchased with this product:
- Marine
- Mobile Home Parts/Accessories
- RV Accessories
- RV Antennas & Satellites
- Electrical
- Truck Camper Accessories
- Truck Camper Parts
- Major Appliances
- Furniture & Books
- RV Electronics & Gauges
- RV Maintenance
- Awnings & Covers
- Hardware
- LP Gas
- Plumbing
- Towing
- Specials
- Housewares
- Lighting
- Suspension
- Open Box Buys
- Scratch N Dent


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As well as programme information, we are pleased to publish information which will inform the public about higher education, and may help provide potential students with information so that they can decide whether or not to make an application to study with us.
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CCAD Learning Teaching Assessment Strategy 2014-2017
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Arts University Bournemouth (AUB) validates awards offered by Cleveland College of Art & Design (first cohort entering 2012/13). Arts University Bournemouth holds ultimate responsibility for the standards and quality of these awards, and the detailed arrangements are set out in a Memorandum of Understanding signed by both institutions.
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AUB's Quality Assurance Handbook contains the procedures for programme approval, monitoring and review. It also contains procedures for external examination. The outcomes of these processes are considered by the HE Quality & Academic Standards Committee, and are available on request once they have been approved by the Committee.
The Undergraduate Student Complaints Procedure, Undergraduate Academic Appeals Policy and Procedure and Undergraduate Academic Dishonesty (Cheating) Policy and Procedure can be accessed through the staff and student portal, and are available on request.


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Associates - Lori L. Gliva
Lori L. Gliva joined Mosteller & Associates in 1998 with over 17 years of diversified Human Resources experience. Prior to joining Mosteller & Associates, Lori was Vice President and Human Resources Business Partner to the Asset Management function of a premier financial institution. Her responsibilities in this capacity included the alignment of people strategies with Human Resources products and services and coaching and consulting with executive management on business issues and Human Resources strategies. She also provided leadership on the seamless delivery of all aspects of employee relations coaching and consulting, recruitment, change management, organizational development, and compensation for an employee population of 850 in 17 locations.
Lori's Human Resources expertise also includes development and facilitation of the introduction of a flexible benefits package, design and implementation of an in-house outplacement facility, and the facilitation of all stages of the 360 degree evaluation process, teambuilding programs and employee surveys.
As a Senior Associate with Mosteller & Associates, Lori's assignments have continued to expand her expertise in all facets of Human Resources. Lori has partnered with public, private and non-for-profit organizations as both an on-site management resource and managed and implemented Human Resources projects which have included: leadership development programs, compensation strategy and program design, department operations and process establishment, software selection and implementation, data integrity, all levels of recruitment, employee relations investigation, department audit and action plan implementation, benefits design and selection, and employee communication, coaching and development. Lori is at ease collaborating at all levels of an organization and is comfortable as an active member of a team or leading a work group.
Lori graduated from Alvernia College with a degree in Personnel Management. She also completed the coursework at University of Colorado Graduate School of Human Resources Management, Central Atlantic Advanced School of Banking, is a certified Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR), certified Society for Human Resources Management - Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP) and is certified to administer the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator and the Strength Deployment Inventory (SDI) assessment tools. Lori is a member of the Society for Human Resources Management.
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Associate Profiles
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HR Training
Mosteller & Associates provides modular based supervisory, management, and leadership development programs along with many stand-alone courses. Learn More »
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Many organizations have benefited from outsourcing their HR function, which ultimately has improved their most important resource - their employees! Learn More »
Compensation Consulting
Mosteller & Associates has extensive expertise and experience in both executive and regular compensation. Learn More »
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The firm's depth of experience and knowledge in the executive recruiting function enables clients to acquire the right kind of expertise in filling their staffing needs. Learn More »


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Get the True Facts on Buying in Spain, Staff Training & How it Affects Our Clients
Since we opened our UK offices in 1985, we have had a well earned reputation for being the most professional of all Spanish Property Companies. We ensure all our staff both here and in Spain know every aspect of Spanish property purchasing, we give you the true facts not educated guesswork. Every person in our large U.K. organisation constantly goes to Spain to be updated on property availability, new developments and phases, we strongly believe knowledge is king. Shown here are numerous recent training trips from the U.K. offices and our exhibition staff, you want best advice, with us you get it…
Our Spanish based staff that show you around are bi-lingual, well mannered and must have lived in the Costa-Blanca / Murcia region for more than 5 years. All have family & relatives in this area and they know every single aspect of property purchasing, they are totally knowledgeable and supply you with invaluable answers at all times.
We ensure they are continually up-dated with current information, special offers, availability, new releases, future plans, literally everything appertaining to advising you factually & honestly.
We consider staff training to be of the utmost importance, it is crucial all our staff are totally au-fait with every aspect of our business and the properties we offer.
Our internal Spanish administration and office staff are continually updated on our entire property porfolio, we ensure all our staff know the product range, the areas we promote & all relevant costing on each and every property. All our office staff are constantly instructed in the very latest Spanish legislation, planning matters and all relevant legalities required appertaining to a trouble free purchase. In fact our entire administration department presides over your purchase, everything is conducted in a 100% legal manner ensuring you receive your title deeds (Escritura) without any encumbrances whatsoever. All our staff have just one commitment, to ensure our clients gets exactly what he pays for with no hassle or sleepless nights.
We believe no other Spanish Property Company puts so much effort & emphasis on staff training as we do. No gimmicks just the facts!


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Today I visited the Montessori Children's House in Lewiston. This school opened in 2011 (I think), just over two years ago, by Ms. Megan Chavez, a former teacher at our school, the Montessori School of Pullman. I could not be more proud of Megan. I feel almost like her Mom – that's how proud I am! Already she has outgrown her first building, expanded to add a half day primary option and an elementary program, and has plans for future expansion to include upper elementary. WOW!
Sometimes people ask about competition. Were we worried when a Montessori school opened in Moscow or when Megan opened her new school in Lewiston? The honest answer is that we welcome the fact that Montessori education and options are growing in our community. Montessori education is just too good to be kept a secret or a privilege for a lucky minority. We want to see and work towards more opportunities for more children! We look forward to collaborating, hosting conferences, and special events for parents.
So, what are three things I really loved about the Children's House in Lewiston?
I loved the location! The school has easy access to a park for nature studies, PE, and play. There is a bandshell for impromptu and scheduled performances. From the playground, you can see the river, train tracks, eagles and osprey flying overhead, tall evergreens . . . The school is close to the college and the hospital, making it convenient for many parents. The new public library is, at most, five minutes walk away from the school.
I loved the building. The school is in an historic building ~ the former library, I think. It is quirky, large, and has a lot of character. There are beautiful windows in all of the classrooms. The central area is a great gathering and multi-purpose space. I can see how much effort the teachers have put into making the school a beautiful and attractive space for children – nice colors on the wall, photos of families in the entrance hall, fresh flowers, fossils on the window ledges of the elementary classroom, framed art prints, a bead cabinet made by a teacher (Again, WOW!)
I loved the welcome we received, from a cup of coffee on arrival to a few of the elementary girls singing me their favorite songs from the movie 'Frozen.' This means a lot to me. When visitors feel welcome, I know that the school is a warm, caring place, just like a home.


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Home > The Mercury > 2008
Class Year
Author Bio
Sara Thomas is a member of the class of 2011. During her first year at Gettysburg she participated in B.O.M.B. squad, Italian club, Law and Justice Society, and Mock Trial. She choreographed for Dance Ensemble and acted as treasurer of Paul Hall. She changes her mind about her future very often, but right now her plan is to major in English and minor in either philosophy or studio art and ultimately work for a fashion magazine. Her favorite things in life are dancing, her family, warm weather, and New York City.
Recommended Citation
Thomas, Sara M.
The Mercury:
Year 2008, Article 31.
Available at: https://cupola.gettysburg.edu/mercury/vol2008/iss1/31


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International Students
The National Theater Institute is committed to diverse educational and theatrical experiences and welcomes students from across the globe. A program of the two-time Tony Award-winning Eugene O'Neill Theater Center, the National Theater Institute is ideally located on the Connecticut shoreline two hours from New York City—the epicenter of American theater. NTI offers English immersion and strong connections to the United State's top theater, film, and television community. NTI also has partnerships with theater companies in London, England, and the Moscow Art Theatre School in Russia. NTI's credits are accepted by New York University, Yale University, Harvard University, University of Southern California, Princeton University, and hundreds of other highly-respected colleges and universities across the world. Students study with master teachers and professional artists at NTI. Faculty includes Tony Award-winners from Broadway and New York City; actors from the London's Royal Shakespeare Company, directors from Hollywood, dancers from Moscow, and writers from Chicago. Graduates of the program work in theater, television, film.


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Val Vigoda is the newest Artist Mentor to join the Electrify Your Strings team and we're thrilled that she's returning this summer to bring her incredible talents to MWROC. Val is a live-looping, electric violinist, singer/songwriter, and a founding member of the band GrooveLily. She has toured the world with Cyndi Lauper, Joe Jackson and the Trans-Siberian Orchestra and is now touring the solo, multimedia, music concert Just Getting Good.
Her latest venture is Ernest Shackleton Loves Me, an off-Broadway show that she co-wrote and stars in.
Val studied at Princeton University and has taught at Stanford University, Emerson College, and the Berklee College of Music. She has co-written songs for Disney's Tinker Bell movies as well as the scores for ten stage stage musicals which have been produced from McCarter Theatre to Off-Broadway. Valerie won the Jonathan Larson Award, the LA Ovation Award for Best Musical, and the ASCAP Richard Rodgers award.
Val lives in LA with her 10-year-old son Mose.


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News Release
NASD Board Approves Steps Toward a Broader Stock-Based Restructuring of The Nasdaq Stock Market
New York, NY—The National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. (NASD®), today announced that its Board of Governors continued its consideration of restructuring The Nasdaq Stock Market® into a more broad stock-based ownership structure. NASD Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Frank G. Zarb said, "The overriding reason for considering this move is to better serve investors and to protect the interests of investors, NASD members, and issuers by fostering the continued growth and strength of The Nasdaq Stock Market."
Zarb explained, "Our equity markets are one of America's crown jewels. Investors' expectations of what markets should do and be are changing as new technologies make more things possible. Our vision is a market that gives investors extraordinary visibility into what is available to be bought and sold, the ability to set the inside price in the market, and the ability to execute their own orders instantaneously. We will continue to change our market to reach these goals. We need to change our order display window to give more investors more visibility into the market. We need to change our governance to make decisions more quickly in an increasing competitive environment that values speed. We need to change our ownership structure to align the interests of the market with the interests of the market participants who bring it their business."
Today's Board Action
The NASD Board today authorized the staff to proceed with steps that move closer to a broad stock-based structure for The Nasdaq Stock Market. The Board approved, in concept, a stand-alone Nasdaq Stock Market, and authorized the staff to:
- Continue consultation with the membership on all aspects of the restructuring.
- Further develop the business model for the Nasdaq market to assure its future competitiveness as the market of choice.
- Reach preliminary agreements on possible equity investments with key participants.
- Take necessary steps to modify existing by-laws and governance to accommodate any potential new structure.
- Begin work required to file with the SEC for exchange registration.
Also, the Board appointed an ad hoc committee of the Board to provide an independent assessment of the fairness of any proposed restructuring ("Fairness Committee"). The Fairness Committee will be composed of a cross section of NASD Board members who have not been part of the Baxter Committee (see below) process to develop the restructuring.
The Baxter Committee
The discussion at today's Board meeting was part of a ten-month evaluation by a special committee of the Board headed by NASD Board Member Frank E. Baxter. The Baxter Committee was charged with the task of studying governance and restructuring options for The Nasdaq Stock Market in the face of the challenging, dynamic, and increasingly competitive environment. Zarb commented, "The process was set up to be deliberate and thoughtful. We're clearly moving in a new direction, and we're making progress on the details." The committee has been working with outside investment bankers and is composed of NASD Board members representing a cross section of interests. The Baxter Committee consists of the following members:
Frank E. Baxter
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
Jefferies Group, Inc
M. LaRae Bakerink
First Vice President and
Chief Compliance Officer
Pacific American Securities, LLC
Michael W. Brown
Retired Chief Financial Officer
Microsoft Corporation
E. David Coolidge, III
Chief Executive Officer
William Blair & Company, LLC
Herbert M. Allison
Former President
Merrill Lynch & Co., Inc.
James Dimon
Former President of Citigroup Inc.
Former Chairman and Co-Chief
Executive Officer of
Salomon Smith Barney
Phillip Frost, M.D.
Chairman and CEO
IVAX Corporation
Arvind Sodhani
Vice President and Treasurer
Intel Corporation
Commenting on the rationale for a possible stock-based structure, Baxter said, "The stock-based structure will allow Nasdaq to compete successfully in today's highly competitive market environment for three fundamental reasons: First, it better aligns the interests of the Market with the interests of its key participants. Second, it provides both an initial infusion of capital and easier ongoing access to capital. Third, as a for-profit stock-based company governed by the Market's leading participants, Nasdaq should be more agile, flexible, and effective in responding to industry and market conditions."
Benefits to Members
Nasdaq, today, is owned by the NASD, a nonprofit membership corporation, with over 5,500 members. About 500 of NASD's members act as Market-Makers in Nasdaq stocks. Recapitalization will strengthen The Nasdaq Stock Market financially without burdening the existing members with the required cost. In summary, the benefits of recapitalization to existing members are as follows:
- Responds to the major market challenges facing us in a new, electronic, highly competitive environment;
- Strengthens our self-regulation model and protects the existing regulatory funding support for small broker/dealers;
- Creates a strong financial base for Nasdaq, the NASD and NASD Regulation;
- Ensures NASD members are treated fairly and appropriately in return for helping to build Nasdaq;
- Preserves and grows our asset value in Nasdaq;
- Allows the NASD leadership to concentrate on its membership to build upon the self-regulatory model unimpeded by market concerns.
Strategic Considerations
Michael W. Brown, retired CFO of Microsoft, a NASD Board member, a Baxter Committee member, and chairman of the Nasdaq Board of Directors explained, "Beyond the direct benefits of the restructuring, the idea improves Nasdaq's focus on its value proposition significantly. Improved price discovery is the real goal here. Pulling together the key market participants as we are doing, results in more than just a stock-based market. It gives us a consensus to do the following:
- Electronic price discovery. We expect to build a consensus for offering, in one place, the transparent price discovery needed by the market to address the tendency toward market fragmentation.
- Improved market technology. The opportunity to partner with key technology companies should enable The Nasdaq Stock Market to move more quickly to a low-cost, internet-based technology platform.
- Improved regulation. Regulation that is both better funded and independent of the operations of the marketplace.
New Organizational Structure for NASD
By the end of the process, NASD's ownership of Nasdaq could shift from 100% to a minority stake. The majority portion of the Market could be owned by current NASD members, securities firms, issuers, buy-side firms, technology partners, and the public as illustrated in the diagram below:
A remaining minority NASD ownership stake should provide a continuing voice for the NASD membership in the operations of The Nasdaq Stock Market.
Benefits to NASD Regulation
One goal of a recapitalization would be that NASD/NASDRSM become the best funded financial industry self-regulatory organization (SRO) in the world. In summary, the benefits of restructuring for NASD would be as follows:
- A better capitalized, more independent NASD Regulation would extend the vision of the Rudman Commission to its logical end and provide better-funded self-regulation over all NASD members for the protection of all investors.
- This action should strengthen the NASD regulatory capabilities without economically over-burdening the membership.
- In fact, a substantial portion from the initial private placement raised by NASD is expected to be used specifically to support NASD
- Regulation and hold down the costs of regulation for all members.
Next Steps
Today's Board action was not a final GO/NO-GO decision but a continuation of the process toward a new for-profit broader stock based Nasdaq Stock Market. The next steps will include:
- Proceed with preliminary agreements on equity investments with key participants.
- Proceed with necessary governance changes.
- Begin the process of registering as an exchange.
- Continue to consult with NASD membership and determine member equity participation.
- Continue Baxter Committee work on deal structure.
- Continue formal NASD Board consideration.
- Continue consultation with the SEC.
- Move toward a possible private placement to key participants (members, key broker/dealers, issuers, buy-side firms, and technology partners).
- Consider a possible IPO.
The National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. (NASD®), is the largest securities-industry, self-regulatory organization in the United States. It is the parent organization of NASD Regulation, Inc., and The Nasdaq-Amex Market Group, Inc. Through its regulatory subsidiary, the NASD develops rules and regulations, provides a dispute resolution forum, and conducts regulatory reviews of member activities for the protection and benefit of investors. Through the Nasdaq-Amex Market GroupSM, the NASD operates The Nasdaq Stock Market® and the American Stock Exchange (Amex®). The NASD oversees the nation's over 5,500 brokerage firms and more than half a million registered brokers. For more information about the NASD and its subsidiaries, please visit the following Web sites: www.nasd.com; www.nasdaq-amex.com; or the Nasdaq-Amex NewsroomSM at www.nasdaq-amexnews.com.


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By David P Shirk
Of all the founding fathers, Hamilton is the one I have least respect for. Taking all of the worst policies of all the other founders, and then compounding them in an effort to re-establish some type of Monarchy in the newly established states, he worked endless hours trying to accomplish what we have today. It is truly sad that of all the founders, we have sought (and have almost completely succeeded) to follow, it was him.
I cannot fathom how a man like Hamilton, one who favored the British system so much for its perceived sound money, war-making capability, and Aristocratic sensibilities, came to be part of our revolution. Taken under George Washington's wing at a young age, he grew to become quite a scholar and warrior. Unlike Washington though, he sought for a highly centralized state that left little power to the states themselves. Washington was a bit of a pessimist as far as human nature, but not so much that he would want the kind of system Hamilton envisioned.
Such was Hamilton's attitude that he would make course remarks about Madison's and Jefferson's views and ideals with no regards to what truth was behind them. He believed Jefferson's faith in people to be misplaced and naïve. He believed Madison's dim view on the countries development was not nearly dim enough, and made it plain that he was going to try to change it. He believed that in the form of Government Jefferson advocated, that the people would seek to become to politically involved, and elect officials who would make ignorant decisions that would further weaken the young country. He believed that the government Madison advocated was not nearly powerful enough, and lacked the backbone needed to keep the 'citizenry' in check. It was only through his despicable actions that he turned out to be right.
Washington was president at the time, and had a strict policy for sticking to the constitution as much as possible, and was highly cautious when making any changes. Hamilton saw how little Madison and Jefferson were able to influence politics, and that his position of Secretary of the Treasury would not be enough to get his way. He saw how in Britain that by forming ties between Government and influential companies and bankers, that the states power could be greatly increased without a perceived coercion by the people. From taxes to military power, Hamilton saw Britain as the perfect model.
So in the 1790's, he petitioned Washington to allow him to establish a Central Bank. Now Washington was not immediately moved by his request, and sought advice from Jefferson and Madison, who both strongly argued against the idea. He then gave Hamilton the opportunity to defend his position, and asked Hamilton to submit his rebuttal. Hamilton knew that the new country was not currently able to pay off its war debt, and played on Washington's fears of being militarily too weak to handle a foreign attack from Britain and France, or ever becoming economically stable. He knew that Washington's grasp on economics was his weakest point, and used it to get Washington to agree with his proposal. He used the constitutional clause 'To make all Laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into Execution the foregoing Powers' (Section 8, Article 1), to overcome Washington's last argument on a constitutional basis.
Thus was Hamilton able to establish our first central bank – The First Bank of the United States. Though its charter would not be renewed immediately after it later expired, it created a powerful force that set a precedent that would later become the blueprint for the central bank we have today – The Federal Reserve. This first central bank was the beginning of the marriage between politics and our nation's monetary system – something that the modern day one refuses to admit. Yet through this early example we are quickly able to see beyond this disaster, and better understand its full power.
Upon its inception, this new entity gave Hamilton more power then anyone, even George Washington. With the new lines of credit extended to the country, the bigger companies who were able to repay loans more quickly then the private citizens got the lion's share of the money lent. Their support to Hamilton's policies enabled a whole slew of lobbying groups and special interest, much like we see today. The larger companies who stood to benefit from Hamilton's whims would rally public support to whatever policy they wanted, and a good majority of the people would elect their officials accordingly.
To many other founders, this was nothing short of tyranny. They watched with pained hearts as the people they sought to empower made such choices. This was especially painful to Jefferson. We need to remember that in the early 1780's, a split was made between ones personal life, and political one. When we hear references to Jefferson's want of a democracy, it was not meant one of government, but rather for every individual to have a say to their own lives – remember that Jefferson wanted a Republic small enough to only offer protection of liberties, not to force public action through political policies. This stark contrast to what he wanted and what he ended up with was nothing short of a knife in the back. He felt as though all he had sought to give the people was taken. In the critical phase of our nation's development, it was the people who gave themselves to the political mess due to lack of knowledge and understanding of political power plays that would continue to drive the knife deeper.
Politics began to grow so much in power that it actually became popular – something even Madison feared from the beginning. Even though Madison and Jefferson had different views on the role of government, both were very much upset of this whole turn of events.
Yet Hamilton was not even close to finished. He wanted an alliance between the US and Britain, and sought to make France the new public enemy – the very same country that aided them in their fight for independence against Britain. To do this, he knew that he must make America seem like a match for Britain in every way – which included a military that was capable of waging war anywhere in the known world. So it came about that during Shays rebellion, and a number of other civil uprisings, he continued to play upon Washington's ignorance in such matters in order to erect a stronger military. Having served with Washington before in wartime, he knew exactly what buttons to push. He consistently pushed for a standing army and other assorted nonsense, and in many cases, got his way.
Yet in spite of all his seeming success, there was enough opposition at the time to put a leash on him. His arrogance and conduct led him to be alienated (even if only at a small level) to those whose help he would have required to finish the job. From Washington to Jefferson, his mouth and temperament often put them off of an idea that they might otherwise have given more thought. We are emulating the same behaviour shown by the people of that time – seeking government involvement where it should not be – involvement that helps us in no way, but rather the select groups who stand to benefit. So the powers of the political world continue to grow as they did then. Yet the modern day Hamiltons have learned and learned well. Many of the power brokers have learned not to put off their potential allies with their harsh disagreements, but have learned to wine and dine them into submission, playing the proverbial pipers flute.
One point here, is that no central bank will ever admit to being politically involved, yet by its very nature, is bound to the government in every way. Another point is that what we are seeing today is hardly new, yet because it has been widely forgotten or ignored, our history in such a matter can hardly provide a guide which we can learn from. This needs to be remedied, and quickly. We are following the blueprint made by a man over 300 years ago, and if we remain true to it, have only one thing to look forward to – a complete loss of freedom of more then just our physical beings, but our mental ones as well. As each generation wears on, it becomes more and more lost to the ideals of free thought as it becomes acceptable to just go with the 'norm'. When people seek to keep their personal freedoms, the only thing the government can do to let it happen is to stay out of the way. When people seek government as an answer to their problems, they quickly become its slave. We have to break this mental slavery before it completely destroys every last vestige of freedom we have left. This starts from learning where it started, what makes it work, and how it continued for so long with no one stopping it. This will be continued in my next article.
I will continue this in my next article due to attention span issues, but a lot more happens later that made matters even worse. I will not argue that Hamilton did have a point when it came to the states neglecting to pay their debts, banks being slack in their policies, and people being ignorant of the political systems, but I could never agree to his solutions. My next article must be read to understand what other options were available, and what we could learn from them today.


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Company also launches new edition of Waggle Smart Practice for Texas
To recognize outstanding blended learning models, Triumph Learning, producer of K-12 curriculum and interactive digital tools, has introduced a grant program to award up to $5 million to school districts across the country.
Announced at the 2015 TCEA Convention & Exposition, the grant coincides with the launch of Texas Waggle, the first state-specific smart practice solution from Triumph Learning.
With the awarded grant, districts will receive funds to support Waggle, Triumph Learning's personalized, smart practice solution, professional development, and hands-on implementation. The grant payouts can vary between $10,000 and $50,000 depending on the size of the district and implementation. Multi-year grants may be awarded as well.


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A Bristol based personal stylist with a passion for working with people to get them looking and feeling their absolute best!
Clothes and how we look have a massive effect on our lives, It's simple if you look good on the outside you feel a whole lot better in the inside. Not only that the image you will give out to the world is one of confidence and positivity, from then on it's an upward cycle.
We have so much going on in our lives and of course we want to look good but opening the wardrobe in a state of panic is not conducive to a stress free outfit. Imagine how great it would be to face getting dressed with confidence and excitement instead of stress and boredom. Well I intend to make sure that you can do just that.
It's my goal to make the positive impact of style accessible to everyone no matter their age shape or budget. As a Stylist I can show you how to make the most of your existing wardrobe with a Wardrobe Detox, introduce you to new brands, shapes and colours that will totally rejuvenate the way you look and feel with your own Personal Shopping & Styling session.
Our lives and bodies are constantly changing, Its easy to get stuck in a style rut or loose identity via the changes in our life be it children, illness, divorce, weight change. Maybe you are going back to the workplace, have a change of career, getting back to dating or need an amazing outfit for that special occasion. Whatever your reason for taking that well earned time to re-invest in yourself, together we can assess your individual needs and aspirations to upgrade your style and celebrate the New You. Dress the person you want to be!
My own career history has included fashion, marketing, and fitness; working in both the private and corporate world, across London and Bristol. This experience has given me the life tools to understand the many different style needs and how to make that wardrobe work harder. Being well established in the Bristol area, I hold an enviable black book of the best grooming/health/lifestyle contacts in Bristol, so if required we can look at a real top to toe experience. My styling skills were honed by studying with the amazingly talented Nicky Hambleton Jones ('10 years younger' TV show), I remain part of her style network – which ensures my knowledge is continually updated – and in the forefront of industry training and trends.
Prices are affordable and start at just £100 so contact me for a quote that will depend on your personal needs.
Please read my blog for regular life and style updates…
There is no such thing as an ugly woman – there are only the ones who do not know how to make themselves attractive. Christian Dior


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Sally Bailey, MFA, MSW, RDT/BCT
I earned my BFA in directing, summa cum laude, at the University of Texas at Austin in 1976 and my MFA in directing and playwriting at Trinity University at the Dallas Theater Center in 1981. I worked in professional theatre for thirteen years as a technician and administrator at such places as Houston Stage Equipment, NORCOSTCO Texas Costume, Theatre Virginia, and The Shakespeare Theater at the Folger before discovering drama therapy.
After training in drama therapy in the Washington, DC area, I created the Arts Access Program (now the AccessAbility Program) at the Bethesda Academy of Performing Arts (now Imagination Stage) and served as the Arts Access Director from 1988 to 19http://www.imaginationstage.org/accessability.htm98. While there I had the opportunity to work with a wide array of children through adults who had various physical and cognitive disabilities. They taught me how to make theatre accessible to everyone.
I also worked as a drama therapist at Second Genesis, a long-term residential drug rehabilitation program in the Washington, DC area, from 1988 to 1999. For the first six years I was the "itinerant drama therapist," traveling to all six facilities to run drama therapy groups with residents. Then after massive state funding cuts for drug treatment programs in 1994, I was able to work part- time only at Second Genesis' Melwood House for Women and Their Children until 1998 when I took a full-time position there as an Addictions Therapist.
Other educational credentials: In 1992 I received a certificate in Gestalt therapy from the Washington Gestalt Training Institute under the training of Rudy Bauer, Ph.D., and in 1998 I received a Masters in Social Work from the University of Maryland at Baltimore.
I became a Registered Drama Therapist with the North American Drama Therapy Association in 1990 and a Board Certified Trainer in 1997. I served on the board of the NADTA: 4 years as Membership Chair (1995-1999), 2 years as President-Elect (1999-2001), 2 years as President (2001-2003), and 2 years as Education Chair (2007-2009). I also served on the Registry Committee for three years, 2 of those years as the Registry Chair (2005-2007).
Currently, I am a professor at Kansas State University in Manhattan, Kansas (yes, we are known as The Little Apple) where I am the director of the drama therapy program. I teach drama therapy courses, creative drama, and playwriting as well as direct the Barrier-Free Theatre, an integrated acting company of adults with and without disabilities, co-sponsored by City of Manhattan Parks and Recreation Department and the K-State Theatre Department.
Intensive drama therapy courses are offered at K-State every June (Current Offerings) through the Division of Continuing Education. These courses are a great way to "get your feet wet" and discover if drama therapy is the career for you. They are also a way of getting Alternative Training in Drama Therapy. In addition, K-State offers an MA in Theatre with a concentration in Drama Therapy.
I serve as the Office Manager of the Drama Therapy Fund, a non-profit 501(c)3 charitable organization founded to support the field of drama therapy in education and research through grants, awards, and scholarships.
Books: Wings to Fly: Bringing Theatre Arts to Students with Special Needs (1993), Rockville, MD: Woodbine House, currently out of print.
Dreams to Sign (2002) co-written with Lisa Agogliati, published through the U.S. Department of Education. It is available from Lisa at email@example.com.
Barrier-Free Theatre (2010) published by Idyll Arbor, winner of the American Alliance for Theatre in Education's 2010 Distinguished Book Award.


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Charter our trolleys to go anywhere in Wilmington. The Wilmington Trolley Company customizes services for private group outings, such as:
- Business Functions
- Conventions
- Entertainment
- Reunions
- School Trips
- Shuttle Service
- Tours
- Weddings
Our professionally conducted charters and guided tours serve the transportation needs for groups large and small. Our classically styled trolleys, our open air trolleys seat 25 to 32 passengers per vehicle. For a safe, dependable ride, your Wilmington Trolley includes a qualified driver who will transport guests around Wilmington, nearby beaches, and the Southport area. Whether you're touring Port City or hopping to the hot spots around town, you're sure to experience true southern hospitality aboard a Wilmington Trolley.
Chartered trolleys are also perfect for helping visitors stay together on multi-day excursions and navigate the city more easily. Charter them for business trips or special events to impress clients or guests with a one-of-a-kind ride around the Port City.
We have charter packages that range from one hour to all day, simply call or email us to discuss the rates and terms.
Trolleys are available to rent seven days a week 24 hours a day.
Contact Us today to charter a Wilmington Trolley for your next group outing.


text: The Bank of Greece has decided to put the small cooperative bank (with less than 0.1% market share in Greece) into resolution because it had a capital shortfall and did not succeed in raising new capital from private investors. Under the resolution plan, the existing entity will be put into liquidation, including all its activities except deposits. All deposits of Cooperative Bank of Peloponnese will be transferred to National Bank of Greece (NBG), which acquired at market value the deposits in a bidding process. Depositors therefore remain fully protected. The transfer of the deposits will be financed by the Greek Resolution Fund. The Commission has found that the support provided by the Greek Resolution Fund does not constitute aid because the deposits of Cooperative Bank of Peloponnese are transferred at market value and the rest of the bank is liquidated without any State aid. The Commission also observed that the acquisition of the deposits reinforces the liquidity position of NBG, and hence is not contrary to the amended restructuring plan of National Bank of Greece approved on 4 December 2015. The non-confidential version of the decision will be published in the State aid register on the competition website under the case number SA.43886 once eventual confidentiality issues have been resolved.


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Asianart.com | Associations | Articles | Exhibitions | Galleries | Message Board | Calendar
|Exhibition Public - USA & Canada
Detail: Western scholars and artists converged on the tropical island of Bali, Indonesia, in the first half of the 20th century attracted by its unique culture and vibrant artistic practices. This exhibition considers the making and use of textiles as ceremonial objects that operate within a unique Balinese Hindu cosmology while exploring the role of textiles as symbols of cultural resilience and continuity. On view will be exquisite and rare pieces assembled from collections in the United States, including examples from the American Museum of Natural History that were collected by anthropologists Margaret Mead and Gregory Bateson during their fieldwork in Bali. Deriving their aesthetic and ritual powers from techniques of fabrication and use in various lifecycle ceremonies, these textiles also serve as records of an important period in Balinese history. Drawing on information from the 1930s and recent research, the exhibition presents an overview of Balinese textiles and encourages visitors to consider the value of these objects as they are made and used today.
Phone No.: 212.501.3023
Contact Email: [email protected]
Site URL: https://www.bgc.bard.edu/gallery/exhibitions/82/fabricating-power-with-balinese-textiles
Asianart.com | Associations | Articles | Exhibitions | Galleries | Message Board | Calendar


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Back and neck pain is the leading cause of disability and lost work time in the United States and are among of the most common reasons patients seek medical expertise. Four out of five adults will experience some kind of back and/or neck pain episode in their lifetime.
Spine pain may be the result of an injury, caused by a sudden movement, lifting something heavy or just reaching or bending over.
Symptoms of a Back or Neck Condition
Symptoms of a back or spinal medical condition are varied and many are not indications of a serious problem. However, if you experience any of the following back or neck pain symptoms, you should seek the advice of a qualified neurosurgeon.
- Severe or shooting pain in your neck or back
- Pain, weakness or numbness in an arm or leg
- Pain that wakes you in the night
- Any of the above symptoms in association with difficulty urinating or with bowel movements
A herniated or ruptured disc is a common source of back, neck, or arm or leg pain. Discs are the soft rubbery, shock-absorbing material that separate the vertebrae and allow your back to move and bend. When a disc is damaged, fragments of the disc can push on the spinal cord or nerves, causing back pain, weakness or numbness.
When a patient is diagnosed with a spinal disorder, the physicians will provide information about the benefits and risks of the treatment options. If surgery is recommended, the patient will receive counseling about the procedure being recommended. Surgeries are performed by the patient's neurosurgeon, not by a resident or fellow.
Non-Operative Spine Treatments
- Medications
- Physical Therapy
- Exercise and Conditioning Programs
- Interventional Pain Management
- Epidural Steroid Injections
- Selective Nerve Root Blocks
- Facet Joint Injections
- Sacroiliac Joint Injections
Operative Spine Treatments
- Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery
- Microdiscectomy
- Laminectomy
- Spinal Fusion
- Reconstructive Spinal Surgery
- Scoliosis Correction
- Kyphoplasty
The ONS philosophy centers on a team approach. Patients are matched to the physician specialist best suited for their condition. Call (203) 869-1145 to schedule an appointment with one of our Spine Center physicians.


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Mexican Hot Chocolate Muffins
2 cups flour
1 cup brown sugar
1 TB baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/3 c unsweetened cocoa
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 stick (1/4 pound) butter, melted
1/4 cup canola oil
3/4 cup milk
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups chocolate chips
1/3 cup of sugar
1/4 cup of flour
2 TB cocoa
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
2 TB of melted butter
Heat oven to 350. Grease a 12 cup muffin pan.
Sift the dry stuff together, and make a well in the center.
Add the butter, oil, milk, eggs and vanilla and chocolate chips.
Mix well, but don't overdo it.
Fill the muffin cups evenly.
Mix the streusel stuff until it's crumbly and top each muffin with some.
Bake for 17 minutes or so, and check for doneness.
Cool in pan for a few minutes then remove to a rack.
A cooling rack, not the old torturing device.
And really, I hope you don't have one of those lying around.
Because then you're probably too mean to make nice little streusely muffins.
Elle's New England Kitchen
Tags: chocolate, cinnamon, Muffins, streuselYou can comment below, or link to this permanent URL from your own site.


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For devices
Unveiled the first trailer for Warhammer: Storm of Magic
Warhammer universe is replenished with new and new games, this time turn Battler card with a prefix to the name of Storm of Magic.
The development studio is engaged Supersense news from Shanghai, and the work of the guys many more. The highlight of the Warhammer: Storm of Magic will be unusual for the gaming world of card games: cards will come to life and fight among themselves as real heroes. This will add the game dynamics.
Gamers will be able to take part in battles online against other players to join the alliance and play in multiplayer, as well as fight against the computer alone. Players from Android devices and iOS promises Cross-Platform capabilities Storm of Magic. Game created as a free-to-play and promises high-quality implementation of the Battler.
Wait for the release is still long, but the trailer is already available:


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Website Design & Development
ISEA Media offers custom website design and development services for all types of businesses. Whether you are an ecommerce business or brick & mortar store selling products and services we can design something to fit your needs.
The user experience is pinnacle. Websites should have unique and relevant content, be transparent, have ease of use, be easy to navigate and be mobile friendly. If the user does not have a good experience on your website, it could lead to high bounce rates and low conversion rates.
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Egypt Begins Second Day of Voting
It feels good to vote: millions have already turned out to vote in what is hoped to be the first free and fair elections in recent memory in Egypt. Voting continued into the second day Tuesday, with lines reportedly around the block, following a "huge turnout" on Monday. While there were some logistical problems at the polls Monday, fears of violence went unrealized as people voted in what the parties believe will be a record turnout. The Muslim Brotherhood estimates turnout at around 30 percent—a number it is apparently pleased with. However, some activists are boycotting the election, with one blogger calling it a "circus."


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Amazon.com Inc. is cracking down on the way marketplace sellers get their products reviewed.
With hundreds of millions of products listed on Amazon.com, it can be a challenge for shoppers to find what they want, and a challenge for Amazon sellers to ensure their products show up high in search results. Some sellers offer customers discounted—sometimes even free—products to customers who agree to post a review of the product. Amazon allowed this practice so long as the reviewers disclosed within the reviews that they received the product in exchange for promising to write a review.
That's no longer the case.
Amazon now prohibits "offering compensation or requesting compensation (including free and discounted products) in exchange for creating, modifying or posting content," the online retailer told its U.S. sellers this week. Sellers can still offer discounts and promotions as long as they are not in exchange for reviews. This has only been announced in the U.S. thus far. Changes apply to all product categories except books. Amazon will continue to allow publishers to provide advance review copies of books.
But Amazon is not applying the policy to goods it sells itself. The e-retailer operates a service called Amazon Vine that provides certain customers free samples of items Amazon sells on its own behalf to review. Amazon selects customers based on their reviewer ranking, "which is a reflection of the quality and helpfulness of their reviews as judged by other Amazon customers," according to Amazon, No. 1 in the Internet Retailer 2016 Top 500 Guide.
Suppliers that sell items to Amazon on a wholesale basis pay Amazon a fee for the service and can't influence whether the rating is positive or negative, Amazon says. Customers aren't paid to write the review, and Amazon says it limits the number of Vine reviews on products. For now, Amazon Vine is not available to Amazon's third-party marketplace sellers; it's only available to manufacturers that sell inventory to Amazon.
"This is a huge deal," Eric Heller, CEO and founder of consulting firm Marketplace Ignition, says. "If Amazon enforces this not just by policy but by systemically monitoring it, meaning they build out a system to monitor if the order that generated the review was at a discount, it could have a widespread effect. I would guess a high proportion of sellers, and certainly the savviest ones, are using these methods."
This rule comes at a time when Amazon has been taking heat for biased reviews on its site.
Technology research company ReviewMeta in September analyzed 7 million Amazon reviews and concluded that 30% of those reviews were "incentivized," in that the reviewer received the product for free or at a discount. The incentivized reviews, which totaled more than 2 million in ReviewMeta's dataset, had an average rating of 4.74 stars on Amazon. More than 5 million other reviews that weren't incentivized averaged a lower rating of 4.36 stars. The company says the 0.38 difference can determine whether a product is considered average or becomes a top-rated product because the average product on Amazon is rated about 4.4 stars, according to ReviewMeta.
Further breaking down its data, ReviewMeta says incentivized reviewers are 12 times less likely to give a 1-star rating than non-incentivized reviews, and almost four times less likely to leave a critical review in general. What's more, incentivized reviews account for more than half of new reviews submitted to Amazon, based on ReviewMeta data.
The practice of giving free merchandise to reviewers is not limited to Amazon. Some review sites, such as ILoveToReview.com, AMZ Tracker and many others, allow sellers to determine which reviewers will receive their discounted products, and may make that choice based on the reviewer's average star rating. As a result, buyers that received discounted or free products in exchange for reviews may be motivated to leave mostly positive reviews so that they are more likely to continue receiving discounted products, says technology and research company ReviewMeta.
"Amazon's intent with this change is to maintain the integrity of their review system," says Jeff Cohen, director of business development at Seller Labs, which offers services to marketplace sellers. One service Seller Labs offers is Snagshout, a platform that enables sellers to offer heavily discounted products to shoppers who had the option to write reviews on those products. Although it was never required for shoppers to write reviews, it was implied that they would, Cohen says.
After Amazon's announcement this week, Snagshout has since removed Amazon review requests from its website, and notified shoppers that they can get discounted products without posting reviews.
"It freaks everybody out when Amazon makes a change because they [sellers] were taught a system," Cohen says. "It is really important for sellers to get reviews. They won't get them [as quickly], but that's OK. That's the big thing here: The world has changed, and that's OK." That's because sellers can still get reviews on products organically—meaning without providing discounted items to reviewers—Cohen says. "The ones that succeed on Amazon are the ones that can adapt when Amazon makes changes to its platform," he says.
The fact remains that reviews are important for marketplace sellers, particularly when launching new products. An Internet Retailer online survey of 200 consumers in May found that 52% of shoppers always look at ratings and reviews when shopping on online marketplaces and usually base purchase decisions on them. 42% said they sometimes look at ratings and reviews, and only 6% said they never look at reviews.
"You can still discount your products, and there are no restrictions on requesting reviews. You just can't receive one in exchange for the other," Heller says. "Sellers can still do those two things without violating Amazon's policies."
Review groups or websites like the ones Amazon banned were often used by sellers when launching new products, Heller says. Amazon sellers can still benefit from using these websites, like Snagshout, to offer discounted products (without requesting reviews in exchange) because it's one way to get new products in front of buyers, both Heller and Cohen say. Increasing paid search marketing and bolstering social media marketing are also ways Amazon sellers can launch new products and still abide by Amazon's new rules.
From the marketplace seller's perspective, this restriction isn't all bad news. "We think it will begin to restore faith that customer reviews are not paid for," Jason Boyce, co-founder and CEO of online sporting goods retailer and manufacturer Dazadi Inc., which sells on Amazon. "It will hurt us when launching a brand-new item, but there may be other ways to give those items more support."
Dazadi Inc., No. 673 in the Internet Retailer 2016 Top 1000 has used private product review groups, such as those Amazon is now prohibiting, for some of its products. The retailer used review groups because they provided data on delivered goods, which helped it improve products and packaging, Boyce says. They also helped Dazadi get more product reviews, and provided temporary spikes in Amazon search rankings when the merchant launched new items.
"We will likely continue to use [review groups] to help our product development team fine-tune our products, but we will no longer allow the product review groups to leave reviews," Boyce says.
Retailers that sell small-ticket items that tend to give away large volumes of products a month in order to maintain sales rank are more likely to be hurt by this change, Boyce says. For instance, if a merchant sells a $14 product, it's more able to give away 100 or more of those products for free in exchange for reviews—something that has helped sellers boost their Amazon search rankings. But Dazadi, which sells more expensive items such as fitness equipment, is unable to give away lots of products to reviewers, Boyce says.
Some say Amazon's new ban will affect newer sellers on Amazon more than those that have been selling on Amazon for some time. "I don't care about this new rule—it doesn't affect me because I've been grandfathered into Amazon. I've been selling on Amazon for years," says Will Tjernlund, an Amazon seller that lists his products on Amazon as a marketplace seller, and sells inventory to Amazon, which then sells the products itself. "I have maintained rank on my products and already have a base of customers and legitimate reviews," he adds. But for new sellers, it will be more challenging to get their products noticed on Amazon, he says. Tjernlund sells a variety of products across different categories on Amazon, including ventilation and cooling equipment, which his family manufactures.
For David Rifkin, president and CEO of Microfiber Products, Amazon's new rule is good news. While his company has never offered discounted products in exchange for reviews, Microfiber Products' competitors have, and that has hurt his company's rankings, margins and sales on Amazon, Rifkin says.
"We noticed that the competition has come with artificial reviews and lower prices. We didn't want to have those reviews, so we've had to lower our prices," he says. One mop, for instance, has lost ranking in Amazon's search results in the past year and a half, and the retailer has lowered the price to $12.95 from $18.95, he says.
"The product used to be one of the top-five ranked mops, but now it has been bumped down to the second page because it doesn't have as many reviews," Rifkin says.
Other sellers took to Amazon's web community forum to comment on the policy change, and their responses were mixed.
One unnamed seller is happy with the new review policy: "I wonder what took so long. I can't compete with these sellers giving away thousands of products and driving me out of the catalog listing."
But other sellers say that without reviews their products will be difficult to find: "For sellers in high-competition markets competing with name brands, how do we get reviews now?"
Another person on the forum expressed concern about the number of changes Amazon has made in the last few months: "So, given the massive Amazon catalog, new products come out. How do you get that found? Sure, you can do PPC, but that costs, and often advertisers go after the broad keyword/phrase, meaning you still won't be found.
"The size and scope of changes Amazon has been making lately scare the @##@ out of me," the seller continued. "Brand gating. Review changes. Nov./Dec. FBA fee increases. They happen suddenly, and impact the businesses of Amazon's main profit center in a big way…What's next?"


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|My presents from Tania - Indian block printed fabulousness!
|Photos of me courtesy of Tania
|Life imitating art
|I'm wearing a 1970s cotton maxi dress Curtise sent me two years ago, it's taken me that long to fit into it. The Mexican-style retro basket is a recent acquisition (I'm blaming Lynn and her jelly shoe obsession!)


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A Review By: Bookgasm
The following review appeared on the "_blank">Bookgasm website edited by Rob Lott in July 2008.
Unlike the previous comics collections in the Mammoth line, The Mammoth Book Of Best Crime Comics features a ton of big names instead of unknowns and never-weres. That's no slam against the others, but it's amazing to see rare graphic work from the likes of Ed McBain, Mickey Spillane and Dashiell Hammett under one roof, not to mention alongside Will Eisner, Max Allan Collins, Neil Gaiman and Alan Moore.
At nearly 500 pages and less than 20 bucks, this is one of your better book values of the year. Edited by comics historian Paul Gravett, the heavy tome of heavies is a colorful tour of black-and-white stories from the gutter, dating as far back as the 1930s.
It's bookended by two brief bits from Moore, both adult in nature. Set in the worlds of gangster and strippers, they're like little tone poems, serving as the perfect appetizer and dessert. Sanchez Abuli and Jordi Bernet's Torpedo 1936: The Switch is the first find - a hard-boiled revenge tale from 1982 with curvy waitresses, shots to the head and viable threats.
Marvel vets Joe Simon and Jack Kirby are represented with 1948's The Money-Making Machine Swindlers, a true-confessions-style account of a woman who pays the price by getting involved in a con-artist's scheme. She tells her story from the confines of prison, of course.
McBain wrote a ton of procedural novels set in the 87th Precinct, but who knew there was a short-lived Dell comic based on his characters? From 1962, the first issue, Blind Man's Bluff, from the first issue is here, and it's a semi-surreal gem. It has nothing in the wacko department, however, compared to Plastic Man creator's histrionic Murder, Morphine and Me!, featuring the infamous needle-toward-the-eyeball panel and more overwrought melodrama packed into 14 pages than you thought possible.
The great Charles Burns — whose recently re-released Black Hole is a masterpiece — spotlights his masked-wrestler detective El Borbah in the delightfully insane Love in Vein, while none other than The Spirit inhabits the pages in Eisner's The Portier Fortune. No crime comics anthology would be complete with him.
Hammett collaborated with Flash Gordon artist Alex Raymond for the Secret Agent X-9 daily comic strip, and here we get a complete story arc from 1934 - nearly five months' worth - running 80 pages. It's everything you'd expect from Hammett, who seemed not confined by telling a story in four-panel chunks.
After hearing about Collins' and Terry Beatty's Ms. Tree character, it was nice to finally actually read one, and 1992's Maternity Leave from DC is a riot. The female detective is nine months pregnant, yet that doesn't stop her from getting into trouble, as someone's trying to off her. It ends with a slam-bang finale and her genius line of "I just killed two morons… and my water broke."
From 1948, Who Dunnit? is a curosity and a novelty - a mystery in which the reader is given all the clues, and must flip the last page over for the solution. The only problem is that the panels are crammed with so much dialogue, the characters threaten to drown under their own word balloons.
Spillane's first comics sale is reprinted, with 1942's Mike Lancer and the Syndicate of Death, a Mike Hammer prototype that's unpolished. It's followed by Hammer himself in his Sunday strip from 1954 - a stark improvement. Another crime icon - that of EC Comics - gets its due with Johnny Craig's The Sewer, from the pages of Crime Suspenstories.
With such name talents, true grit and real bang for your buck, this collection is an absolute winner that future Mammoth graphic volumes will be hard-pressed to top. Book it!