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|By Cloud Sherpas
Article Rating:
|October 31, 2013 02:00 PM EDT
Disclaimer: This post does not endorse or criticize healthcare reform in any way. It is not meant to be political in nature. Rather, it is solely a high-level analysis of the IT issues that affected the release of the healthcare exchange website.
On October 1, healthcare.gov, the healthcare exchange website authorized under the United States' new healthcare reforms, launched to the US population. The site has since received a reported 20 million hits, though it has not performed as expected due to a series of IT issues.
Although this poor performance was first attributed to high levels of traffic, the discussion has now moved to software issues that may be affecting the website's ability to operate properly. To IT service experts, the issues – and possible solutions – are fairly evident. Furthermore, the site's IT service problems reveal important lessons for anyone launching new IT services or functionality.
We'll use the ITIL (Information Technology Infrastructure Library) as a common reference point. Specifically we'll focus in on four ITIL areas and how (when working completely and in a systematic way) they could have helped avoid the issues, accelerate remediation and provide better production controls going forward.
1) Service Design
The service design portion of ITIL offers best practices on designing IT services and processes that focus not only on the technology, but also on the services delivered by this technology. Specifically, service design focuses on how service solutions interact with the technical environment, site architecture and supply chain. The areas of service design where healthcare.gov experienced issues include:
Service-level management, which works to make sure that the service-level agreements (SLA's) are met
Availability management, which focuses on the ability of the site to perform at the agreed service levels
Capacity management, which deals with strategic capacity issues such as system and component capacity
IT service continuity management, which reviews the planning and management of IT services to ensure that they can recover and continue operating after serious incidents
Where did healthcare.gov go wrong? Based on the widespread issues, it is clear that healthcare.gov has been unable to meet its SLA's. Initially the Department of Health and Human Services claimed that the issues were due to high levels of traffic and, if traffic did indeed play a role, then incomplete capacity management is also a major contributor to the problem. Finally, the fact that these issues are ongoing reveals that the site's IT service continuity management also needs to be improved.
2) Service Transition
Service transition deals with how the actual services are delivered during live use of the website. Healthcare.gov experienced service transition issues around change management and release and deployment management. Change management works to ensure that standard methods are in place to handle system changes so that any changes that do occur pose minimal disruption to services. Release and deployment management focuses on quality control during the development and implementation of the website to guarantee that it meets the demands that will be expected.
Where did healthcare.gov go wrong? The fact that IT issues initially occurred altogether and that issues have continued weeks after its launch reveals that complete change management and release and deployment management practices are not in place. Further, if these processes were operating completely and in an end-to-end manner, it is very likely that underlying issues would have surfaced and been corrected with greater control prior to the site's nationwide launch.
3) Service Operation
Service Operation works to deliver the agreed level of service to the website hosts and its end users. This portion of ITIL covers the actual delivery of services and monitors any problems with service reliability. The healthcare exchange experienced issues with application management, specifically, which delivers best practices around enhancing the quality of IT software development and support throughout the project lifecycle. Additional problems centered on problem management and root cause analysis. Problem management works to correct the root causes of incidents to minimize future occurrences while root cause analysis is the formal problem identification and solving process that takes place during problem management.
Where did healthcare.gov going wrong? As far as service operation, improved problem management and root cause analysis would enable the IT team to pinpoint the root causes of the site's issues and implement solutions to prevent their recurrence. Using formal processes for Service Operation and relying on service management systems would improve the ability to correlate these factors quickly and ensure even more rapid problem identification, isolation and correction.
4) Continual Service Improvement
As the name implies, continual service improvement (CSI) is responsible for the continued level of service delivered by the website. CSI ensures that IT services are in line with current and any changing needs and identifies possible areas for improvement.
Where will healthcare.gov need to focus? While rigorous problem identification and management of the issues occurring in real-time is needed reactively, it will be just as important that the ongoing service management system include a framework for continual alignment of service performance expectations and agreements with those of actual service performance. Both reactive and leading indicators of the system's performance should be established and monitored wherever possible to ensure the system is performing at a production level expectation.
The post Lessons Learned From Healthcare.gov IT Service Problems appeared first on Cloud Sherpas.
Read the original blog entry...
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It's a well-established fact that Seattle Seahawks fans are a loud bunch. But for a select few last Sunday, silence was golden.
Fox Sports' Joel Klatt issued a challenge to a handful of Hawks fans during the NFC Championship matchup with the San Francisco 49ers: Stay completely silent during the game and win $5,000 for Seattle-area youth football.
Could they handle the pressure of keeping quiet throughout the thrilling finish? Check out the video to find out how they fared.
Visit seattlepi.com for more Seattle news. Contact reporter Stephen Cohen at firstname.lastname@example.com or @scohencopy.

subset: commoncrawl


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Monday, June 13, 2011
Ruby Red by Kerstin Gier Giveaway
2 comments:
- April X said...
Thanks for the giveaway :D
- June 14, 2011 at 3:27 PM
- Portugal said...
There really were no true flaws with this book, other than the fact that the language took a little while to get used to. However, since this book is originally German, I'm chalking it up to the fact that some things may not translate to English perfectly. However, the characters really feel British, and you end up getting so absorbed in the story, you don't even notice! Besides that, there was an almost overwhelming amount of characters and names to keep track of, though there is a handy little index in the back of the book.
Truly, I was very, very impressed with Ruby Red. While the ending was a total cliffhanger (and might I add a little frustrating!), nothing was really thoroughly wrapped up. There are still a lot of loose threads, and plenty of mysteries to be solved in the next installments. While I would have liked one or two things figured out for certain at the end, it definitely makes me eager for Sapphire Blue to hurry up and get here!
- June 8, 2012 at 3:44 AM


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Bandwidth The number of radio frequency units, e.g. between the lower and upper frequency limits a receiver can detect.
Battery life configuration The pulse rate and lengths set to optimise the trade-off between the distance the tag can be heard from and the time it lasts.
Biotelemetry Recording biological data from a distance.
Coded Tags VHF tags that send codes rather than simple beeps, allowing for more than 200 tags to share the same frequency. This means that all tags can be recorded at the same time reducing the chances of missing an event. However, manual tracking is less easy with coded tags.
Geolocators Tags capable of measuring and storing data on light levels, e.g. Sunrise and sunset. Once retrieved this data can be used to calculate the latitude and longitude using a process known as light-based Geolocation
GPS Argos The Argos system is a set of satellites that can relay location and sensor information from the GPS Argos device to your e-mail inbox without the need to retrieve the collar.
GPS GSM Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) allows GPS locations to be sent via SMS message to a mobile phone or PC when the device is in a GSM coverage area.
GPS tracking Recording the location of an animal using the Global Positioning System.
GPS Tracking Collars use the global positioning system of satellites to determine the precise location of the animal. Locations are logged to the device and these can then be downloaded from the collar in various ways.
Micro-controlled tags Pulse characteristics are controlled by a tiny, single-chip computer (microcontroller) which gives flexibility for more sophisticated sensing and powering down of a tag when not needed.
PIT tags Passive Integrated Transponders that reflect back a unique number when interrogated using external energy. Typically used for pet identification.
Potting Protective layer around the transmitter and cell. Tags that might get chewed, or are likely to be submerged need heavy potting, whereas small birds need tags to be potted lightly, because they are unlikely to damage the tag and it is important to keep the weight down.
PTT Platform Transmitter Terminal, used for satellite tracking.
Radio tag Transmitter circuit, that may include a sensor, and a cell (battery) that provides the power, and it is then protected with potting and furnished to make attachment to the animals as easy and kind as possible.
Radio-telemetry Recording data (over and above the location) from a distance using a radio tag.
Radio-tracking Recording the location of an animal from a distance using a radio tag.
Remote Download GPS locations can be retrieved remotely from a tag, e.g. using GSM/Iridium phone networks, Argos satellites or UHF radio waves.
Satellite Tracking Signals from the tag are received by satellites and interpreted using the Doppler Principle to give a location. Good for migratory animals and global movements but low accuracy.
Store-on-board The GPS tag must be recovered and physically linked to a computer to download stored locations and other data.
Tag life The duration expected from a tag given the pulse characteristics and the capacity of a cell when under a pulsed load.
Tag range The distance from which you expect to hear the tag, but which is very environment dependent. The can also be known as detection range, or signal range.
Telemetry Recording information (over and above the location) from an animal at a distance.
Temperature Depth Recorders (TDR) These tags record ambient temperature and depth by water pressure, so can be used to tell you about the diving activities of seabirds.
Template Fit An advanced technique for estimating GEOLOCATION from light logs. It improves on threshold-based models by using a light curve that is less influenced by cloudiness, horizon details, atmospheric refraction and dust loading. For more information see the Template Fit paper.
Transmitter Small sealed units that contain the electronic circuitry needed to produce radio signals. To be built in to a radio tag, they must be fitted with a battery, antenna and mounting system. For more information, see the Radio Tags page.
UHF Ultra High Frequencies (> 300 MHz)
VHF Very High Frequencies (30 - 300 MHz)
Yagi Antenna Receiving antenna with a reflector element and one or more directors fixed in parallel on either side of a dipole antenna: see Yagi antennas (PDF).


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|My mom's sour cream crescents, magic cookie bars and Oakhurst's eggnog.
I love catching up with family and friends, although I usually start to feel sad that I can't see people more often and feel that I am relegated to fill them in on the three or four most current anecdotes about my life while giving them the same twenty minutes to fill me in on theirs. It makes me realize how fast time goes by when I see some people only once a year if I am lucky and so much happens during the in between times. I am glad that we can keep up easier than we used to through Facebook, e-mail and them checking in on my blog. Thanks for doing that everyone and I hope to see you soon!


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I have compiled a very useful (as I think) 64bit kernel for Slackware 12.0 – 14.0. The kernel is compiled exactly the same way as Slackware's latest kernel 3.2.29 huge. "My" kernel 3.7.3-exton has even more support for new hardware, etc. Kernel 3.7.3 is the second latest stable kernel available from Kernel.org. Kernel 3.7.4 was released today.
If you want to install my kernel in your Slackware 64bit system, do this:
1. Download linux-kernel-3.7.3-x86_64-exton.txz
2. Install it with the command installpkg linux-kernel-3.7.3-x86_64-exton.txz
(The kernel is packed just like Slackware's original kernels so that everything ends up in the right place)
3. If necessary, change your Grub configuration
4. If you have an Nvidia graphics card in your computer, you may need to look over your files in /etc/modprobe.d before restarting the computer. That is remove the "blacklisting" of Nouveau's kernel module in the appropriate files blacklist.conf and nvidia-installer-disable-nouveau.conf. With "my" kernel functions the Nouveau "free" driver works just fine.
Restart your computer and enjoy!


text: Kim Jung Gi is a Korean artist based in Goyang-Si, South Korea. He studied 3 years at the Dong-Eui university of Busan, and majored in Art and design. Following his studies, Kim served 2 years mandatory military service. This experience allowed him to get up close to a multitude of weapons, which he memorised and draws upon as reference.


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Business and culture
I have a friend, who works for an electronics related company in Europe. This company has recently bought another company in China. The European headquater is quite happy about the work done by the Chinese engineers, but they do have some difficulties in cooperating.
There are many facets of this, here is one. The main office in Europe would like to be informed as early as possible about emerging problems - but as it is, they will never hear anything from the China branch except that everything is going well. Even if it is not. To the Europeans, it seems that the Chinese are afraid of loosing face and hide difficulties from the main office as long as possible. Which is not what the company wants.
My theory is that this is about break down of communications, and about cultural differences. Does anyone here have an idea about how to solve the problem, so that the main office gets early warnings about problems, and the Chinese branch does not loose face?
Comments (22)
New lesson idea? Please contact us.


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A place to stay in luxury accommodation, just one hour from Dublin. Ideal base to explore many of Irelands beauty spots.


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What is Addison's disease Symptoms Diagnosis Treatment
What is Addison's disease?
Also known as hypoadrenocorticism, Addison's Disease is an endocrine disorder caused by a deficiency of corticosteroids which are produced by the adrenal glands. The cause is the destruction of the adrenal cortices, which are responsible for producing a number of hormones.
What is the adrenal gland?
Located on top of the kidneys, the adrenal cortices (also known as suprarenal glands) have an outer and inner layer.
- Adrenal cortex: The outer layer of the gland, called the adrenal cortex, produces hormones including cortisol, DHEA, estrogen, and testosterone. Cortisol is essential for life, it plays several important roles, some of which include converting proteins into energy, releasing glycogen and has pronounced anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive effects.
- Medulla: The inner portion of the adrenal gland which produces epinephrine and norepinephrine (adrenaline). During a stress response, adrenaline raises blood glucose levels, blood pressure, and cardiac output.
The most common cause of Addison's disease is the destruction of the adrenal gland cells by the cat's own immune system. Other causes may include cancer and long-term glucocorticoid withdrawal, trauma, infection and internal bleeding.
Symptoms are often vague and can wax and wane, but may include:
- Loss of appetite
- Irregular heartbeat
- Dehydration
- Depression
- Episodic vomiting
- Lethargy
- Shaking/listlessness
- Weight loss
- Increased thirst and urination
- Sudden collapse
Without treatment, a life-threatening Addisonian crisis (or adrenal crisis) may occur, where the cat collapses in a state of shock. This is a medical emergency and requires immediate veterinary treatment.
Addison's disease has many symptoms similar to other disorders so diagnosis can sometimes be difficult. Your veterinarian will perform a physical examination and obtain a medical history from you. The exam may reveal a slow pulse, irregular heartbeat and signs of dehydration.
Diagnostic workup:
- Complete blood count which may reveal anemia as cortisol is required for red blood cell production and elevated eosinophils, a type of white blood cell.
- Biochemistry profile may show elevated potassium and phosphorous levels, low sodium and blood sugar levels and elevated liver enzymes.
- Urinalysis which commonly shows mild to severe dehydration.
- ACTH stimulation test: This test measures the ability of the adrenal glands to respond to a hormone known as adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH). Produced in the pituitary gland, ACTH travels through the bloodstream to the adrenal glands where it stimulates the secretion of other hormones such as hydrocortisone from the cortex. The ACTH stimulation test measures levels of cortisol in the blood before and after an injection of synthetic ACTH.
- Abdominal radiographs or ultrasound may show smaller than normal adrenal glands.
- Treatment is lifelong administration of the deficient adrenal hormones (corticosteroid and mineralocorticoid). Electrolytes will be closely monitored initially and where necessary, adjust the dosage.
- Sodium (salt) added to the diet.
Addisonian crisis:
- Intravenous fluid therapy to correct dehydration and electrolyte imbalances.
- Medication to replace deficient steroids.
[1] The Cornell Book of Cats.


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Wednesday, February 13, 2013
i am an OLD peevish lady and I will keep capitalizing OLD until I get my hair dyed and feel young again
on facebook today I said I had cabin fever. My friend (hi emily!) said, Get out! I contemplated why I didn't simply just leave the house and there were a few reasons I came up with: Normally I would love to get out of my house but when I am trying to be frugal I stay home to avoid temptation (or last minute snack purchases or kid wants etc.). Does anyone else do that? Does it drive anyone else crazy to know you shouldn't go anywhere--does it make you want to go somewhere even MORE just because you know you shouldn't??
Also, I don't think I phrased it correctly. It wasn't cabin fever. It was kid overload fever. John has been gone every night this week either due to work or taxes and I have had the kids all day. I've had chronic headaches every day this week. Oh, and we thought we owed over $2,000 in taxes to the state of North Carolina and that was depressing the heck out of us. I needed a vacation from my problems Bob.
My last reason is that sometimes it is worse taking little kids out and about. My kids are often mutants at stores. That's the long answer to a situation that no one really cares about. But hey folks, that's the point of these random thoughts--I can talk about useless junk that no one cares about. Woo hoo!
I think I need to detox from the internet. but then who would i have conversations (albeit fakey internet ones) with all day?? I think this means i need to meet more real people. hey, don't make fun of my lack of friends and my plethora of imaginary ones. no, but seriously, don't.
I was a doubter, but now I am a believer in the green smoothie. but I am not a believer in flax seed. flax seed is gross. a necessary gross sometimes, but gross. but hey, at least I have inched over the line into healthy right?
my hair is SO gray (no really, even John couldn't look me in the eye and deny it). and it is coming in from the last time I had John dye my hair for me which was a long time ago. it looks terrible. I asked John if I could pay someone to professionally do it and he was so happy not to have to do it himself that he agreed even though he knows what it costs. ladies, if you ever want to get your hair dyed without feeling guilty, have your husband do it a few times.
speaking of gray hair, when the heck did I get SO OLD. I'm sorry to any of my family that is reading this and is older than I am, but all of the sudden this year I feel like I look really old and I move around like an oldy, and suddenly I get all tongue-tied around the hip young women that babysit my kids because I suddenly realize that I'm the mom with two kids and gray hair and I'm supposed to be OLD and know stuff. except that I'm just OLD and don't know nothin'.
i should probably mention that we don't owe $2,000 in taxes. Why in the world do I bother to pay H.R. Block if all they are going to do is get my taxes WAY wrong and give me secondary heart problems? Oh mylanta.
in good news, we probably owe nothing, we got a check in the mail for about a hundred bucks from our house closing back in august (weird) and aetna is going to pay a bill that I got just recently, but was from an E.R. visit back in 2011. That was a shocker to get in the mail. And a pain to track down the right people to figure things out. but it was worth it because now I don't owe them either. being a full-time mom is basically code for being a full-time "call-the-insurance-company-and-wait-on-hold-for-half-your-life-while-your-kids-are-crying-in-the-background-with-runny-noses-so-the-insurance-will-pay-what-it-says-it-will-pay-in-their-handbooks."
now, on to bigger and better things. namely, sleep.
10 comments:
- Anne Lake said...
I feel you about the gray hair thing. I was just thinking the other day that I need to give in and accept it rather than "highlight" it away. I had to laugh about being around the young women babysitters. I just started having a 12 year old watch Cillian and it is so funny/awkward to be around her. She is so different than I was at that age. She is confident and talks!Half the time I don't know what to say to her. Glad you had a few bright moments with the check and insurance. It is always nice to have those moments. And if you need human interaction more, call me :)Much love!
- February 13, 2013 at 6:16 PM
- Melanie and Jared said...
I'm going to get on an h&r soap box. I had them do mine one year (on my birthday, what a mistake) and I watched him enter numbers wrong repeatedly. I had to tell him to make the right deductions, he didn't care how much I donated because he said it didn't matter, it way did. I was in tears. I don't like them. Thank you, that is all.
- February 13, 2013 at 9:46 PM
- jane said...
You need a good laugh, so here are few....
Should we tell you that T hardly does ours anymore--it's almost all done by turbotax but the signatures. Would you trust a computer program? (hehe!)
I kept the color I was born with til the youngest was out of high school, because I really didn't want people to think I was his grandma! You might like the color rinses, which I hear tell are pretty easy to use but I have no knowledge of that, directly. (hehe)
The only thing I like about speaker phone is when I'm waiting on hold--the muzak is bad, but wearing out the outer ear is worse. The only funny thing about runny noses is that it's just about unbelievable to me, how fast they run away, because the owners of said noses grow up. (no joke!)
So is NC lookin' a little better, with the adjusted tax rate?
love and hugs
- February 13, 2013 at 11:35 PM
- Kelly said...
The last part is SOOOOOO true! I am on hold a lot and it usually is with insurance companies! Wish we didn't have that in common...lol
- February 14, 2013 at 4:54 AM
- Erin said...
I just randomly clicked on your blog off of Teagan's blog and good grief did I laugh at this post.
This is EXACTLY how I've been feeling lately - stir crazy and home bound due to lack of cash.
Oh, and also gray. Very, very gray. And when you're a mother to a two-year-old, you shouldn't be gray...you should be 24 and blonde and perky. :)
- February 14, 2013 at 6:27 AM
- maugers said...
I love that you get tongue -tied around young women! I feel old too! But I recently started playing pickleball, and that made me feel so young! The average age of players is 70 :) Seriously, their weekly newsletter also talks about funerals that week! haha (maybe not haha, it's kind of sad). Anyway, my advice? Pick up some pickleball!
- February 14, 2013 at 7:31 AM
- Lindy said...
I just died my gray (out of the box), and am rather pleased with the oerall color, though it probably won't last long.
I H-A-T-E waiting on hold, and I hate most companies' customer "service"...nothing gets me grumpier faster.
- February 14, 2013 at 2:18 PM
- Lindy said...
*dyed (not died)
- February 14, 2013 at 2:19 PM
- RaeLynn said...
I totally hear you. I think I need a break from the internet right now but it's pretty much my only connection to the outside world when I have a not-so-great bladder day. And being on the phone all the time? Yeah, SUPER LAME.
I'm so glad you got the taxes worked out. What a pain!
- February 15, 2013 at 3:56 PM
- Robin said...
If what you say is true and you have found a green smoothie recipe that doesn't taste like pureed grass, I so want the recipe. Post it on Facebook for the world to enjoy because, seriously, I've tried lots of "good" recipes only to want to gag and I LIKE salads!
And yeah, it does seem like I am constantly on hold while kids are crying in the background. Glad to know I'm not the only one!!!
Yes, it is an exclamation point day!!!
- February 16, 2013 at 2:34 PM


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Who was it that criticized Oracle for being late with Cloud Computung service offerings for their clients? This statement is no longer true and better yet sometimes IT strategies just need to evolve over time - naturally in response to services your customers are requesting, not what you may think they want.
Oracle Corporation announced that it has agreed to buy Corente, a leading provider of software-defined networking (SDN) technology for wide area networks (WANs), for an undisclosed sum.
As Oracle explained in a statement on the purchase, Corente's software "accelerates deployment of cloud-based applications and services by allowing customers to provision and manage global private networks connecting to any site, in a secure, centralized and simple manner."
Corente does this by managing the distribution of software applications over networks. Oracle reveals that it is buying the company in order to marry its own technology portfolio with Corente's expertise in delivering these products to customers via the cloud.
We recently wrote how this was the same strategy that IBM was undertaking. IBM has no interest in selling low-margin cloud commodities and is taking a different route. Instead of competing against Amazon and Microsoft by selling commodity cloud computing and storage, IBM is focusing instead on delivering software via the cloud. IBM's recent acquisition of SoftLayer, along with several other recent cloud-related acquisitions, has allowed the company to quickly build up their cloud computing business.
In a letter to the company's customers and partners, Oracle Chief Corporate Architect Edward Screven said Corente deployments have " "dramatically decreased time to deployment of cloud-based applications and services, and increased security and manageability across the enterprise ecosystem."
This is at least the third major purchase of a cloud-based platform for Oracle, representing a gradual shift in strategy over the last few years. The company has historically generated the bulk of its revenue from selling hardware and installed software, and has hesitated in the past to back a competing business model.
"Oracle customers need networking solutions that span their data centers and global networks," Edward Screven, Oracle's chief corporate architect, said in a statement. "By combining Oracle's technology portfolio with Corente's industry-leading platform extending software-defined networking to global networks, enterprises will be able to easily and securely deliver applications and cloud services to their globally distributed locations."
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|Jam cookies
by Louisa Loring
What makes Italian cooking so wonderful is its simplicity. Italian food prizes itself on freshness and simplicity, which makes cooking a snap for anyone after learning a few tricks. During Christmas, it is hard to stay away from the luring smells of freshly baked cookies that waft from bakery windows and cafes so here is a recipe that is sure to satisfy. Whether it is your first time in the kitchen or you have been baking your whole life, these cookies will have you experimenting by changing the jam or substituting Nutella. Try adding cocoa powder or flavoring like almond or lemon for a twist. The sky is the limit!
180 grams of flour
A pinch of salt
140 grams of butter, softened
2 egg yolks
1 small bag of vanilla
70 grams of sugar
Powdered sugar
In a bowl, mix the flour and salt until well combined. In another bowl, beat the butter, egg yolks, vanilla and sugar until smooth and pale yellow, either by hand or with a mixer. Add the flour mixture in three batches, stirring well in between each addition. Form the dough into a ball, wrap in plastic wrap and let rest in the refrigerator for at least one hour.
When you are reading to bake, preheat oven to 200° and remove the dough. Roll into a log about 3 cm wide and cut into pieces 1 1/2-2 cm thick, working quickly as to not warm the dough too much. Place on a baking sheet leaving 3-4 cm between each cookie. With your thumb, lightly press in the center of each cookie to create a small indent, being careful not to break through the dough to the baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes until golden brown and the edges are crisp. Transfer to a cooling wrack and let cool. Once cool, fill with jam of your choice and lightly dust with powdered sugar.
|Polenta with creamed mushrooms
For something to soak up all the sweets and keep you warm, try this simple recipe of polenta with creamed mushrooms. Polenta traditionally comes from Northern Italy but is eaten all over the country today. Like most Italian recipes, this can be adapted to your likings. If you prefer a ragu, top with that or even a hearty tomato sauce.
Peanut oil or any oil without flavor
200 grams of frozen mushroom (or dehydrated, reconstituted)
Pinch of salt
Polenta flour
500 grams of prepared polenta
100 ml of whole milk
Juice of half a lemon
1 egg white
In a skillet over medium heat, sauté the mushrooms in olive oil with salt until golden. Meanwhile, cut the polenta into slices about 1 cm thick and coat in the polenta flour. When the mushrooms are cooked, remove from heat and chop finely. Cover the bottom of another skillet with peanut oil and over medium heat pan-fry the polenta slices until crisp, being careful not to burn them. When cooked, transfer to a paper-lined plate to rest.
While the polenta is browning, mix milk with the lemon juice to form a thick cream. Add salt and pepper to taste, the chives and the chopped mushrooms. Beat the egg whites with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form. Fold the egg whites into the cream being careful not to deflate them too much. Top each slice of polenta with a bit of the cream or transfer to a bowl and serve alongside the polenta crisps.
Adapted from http://www.imenudibenedetta.it/chips-di-polenta-e-funghi/
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You saw tonight why they are the No. 1 team in the world. We just simply hit a far better team tonight.
You saw tonight why they are the No. 1 team in the world. We just simply hit a far better team tonight.
The semi-finals of the Copa America Centenario pits the gritty and hard-working USMNT against the refined and ridiculously talented Argentina squad tonight at 9pm on FS1. Argentina is ranked #1 in the world and for good reason. They have talent and depth at every position on the pitch and can put a few balls in the back of the net before you can turn your head to watch it happen. They are the only team in the tournament to win all 4 games they have played, winning by a combined 14-2.
Argentina has arguably the best player in the world in Lionel Messi, who can beat you in so many different ways. He can make his own space and get his own shot or draw the defenders and dump the ball off to Gonzalo Higuain for the finish. The only chance the USMNT has to beat Argentina is to score first and put a lot of pressure on their back line, while playing an A+ game in their own defensive zone. The Argentinian back line is very good, but can be exploited with an aggressive speed attack (if you can get past the strong midfield).
To make matters worse, Jermaine Jones, Alejandro Bedoya and Bobby Wood are all suspended for this match due to yellow card accumulation or a red card (Jones). A monumental task made even more difficult thanks to the suspensions.
As much as I would LOVE to see a USMNT victory resulting in a huge international statement, I have to take Argentina in this match-up 3-1. If the US can pull off a victory over Argentina, it will be one of the greatest upsets of all time for the USMNT.
USA, USA, USA, USA!! A huge win from the USMNT over Ecuador on Thursday night 2-1. They move on to the Copa America Centenario Semi-finals on Tuesday to play the winner of Argentina/Venezuela Saturday. They are guaranteed at worst a 4th place finish, at least matching their best Copa result ever.
After an amazing turn of events to close out the group stage in the Copa America Centenario, the US Men's Soccer team emerged as the group A winner. That gave the US a quarterfinal matchup against the 2nd place finisher in group B, which would help them avoid Brazil. We didn't know at the time that Brazil would ultimately lose and be eliminated from the Copa America tournament in the group stage for the first time since 1987. As a result, the US gets to play Ecuador in Seattle tonight at 9:30pm ET.
In the group stage, Ecuador played to a nil-nil draw with Brazil, a 2-2 draw with Peru and then beat Haiti 4-0. Ecuador is a formidable opponent, ranked #13 in the FIFA world ranking. They have not had much success in the Copa America, reaching the quarterfinals in 1997 and nothing much since. The World Cup has also not been their friend, reaching the Round of 16 in the 2006 World Cup, reaching the group stage in 2002 and 2014, and not even qualifying in 2010.
On the other side of the pitch, the USMNT hasn't exactly set the world on fire. After a 2-0 loss to Columbia, they beat Costa Rica 4-0 and then Paraguay 1-0 to advance. Both wins were big for their confidence, but can they translate that into a good game tonight? The last time the US made any headway in the Copa America was a 4th place finish in 1995. In World Cup play the US has had some mild success, reaching the Round of 16 in 1994, 2010 and 2014 and the quarterfinals in 2002.
Tonight should be a tightly contested match and will be a true test of where the USMNT is at this moment. A win could propel them into a matchup with Argentina in the semi-finals, which would likely be where their Copa run ends. Either way, the Copa America tournament has been a good test for this young USMNT as they set their eyes on the 2018 World Cup in Russia.
What a night in Phillie with our amazing #USMNT fans @AmericanOutlaws ! Now we need Seattle to step it up !!!
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Redbridge Alternative Provision provides an education for a range of KS3 & 4 students who have been, or are at risk of, permanent exclusion from their mainstream school. We are an "outstanding" provision (Ofsted, December 2018), situated in a specially adapted and newly-refurbished building in the London Borough of Redbridge in North-East London.
At RAP we aim to work with our students in a holistic way, supporting not only their educational needs, but also their social and emotional needs. We recognise the increasing pressure placed on young people today and take a restorative approach based upon helping them to take ownership and responsibility for their learning and behaviour.
Through my attendance at monthly meetings of the Redbridge Inclusion Panel I work with the Headteachers and Deputies of secondary schools within Redbridge to arrange for students, when they are ready, to recommence their secondary mainstream education and to support them to their future success.
Congratulations to Mr Onireti
Science museum visit a big hit


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I was born and raised in Naples, Florida. My father died when I was young. My mother became the main breadwinner and opened a small antique shop one block from the trendy shopping and eating area of Fifth Avenue.
My father gone, my mother and grandmother became my rocks doting on me while giving me love and confidence.
When I was twelve, my Grandma gave me a most beautiful doll house, a replica of Chenonceau Castle in the Loire Valley of France. It's one of the most romantic castles in Europe with a river running beneath it. She told me on many an occasion that our ancestors were from that castle and we were of royal lineage. As a child, even as an adult, I found this hard to assimilate, but I didn't want to hurt her feelings so I listened to all her stories.
When Mom retired she gave me her shop. I was an art-history major in college and jumped on her offer. I was twenty –eight and wanted to expand her inventory to more pricey, rare, and historical antiques. I moved the store to Fifth Avenue and my clientele grew to include very wealthy patrons. Everything was beyond wonderful until that day when a very peculiar customer came into my store.
He was dressed oddly and had a very rare and old piece for me to appraise. It was summer and business had slowed down. I was greedy anxious to oblige.
As I completed my appraisal, its owner, a wizard, cast a spell whisking us both back to 1559 and the home of my ancestors, Chenonceau Castle.
I was kept a prisoner, a royal prisoner, the wizard indicating I was a princess. What kind of princess is kept under lock and key? What does this horrible man want from me?
It's during this awful time that I met the love of my life, a handsome knight in the service of his queen. His name was Aidan and he was stationed as my guard from the first moment I arrived. He was brave with piercing eyes that held me captive. The only time we met occurred when he delivered my meals or was sent to deliver messages. We made the most of our time together and fell in love even though we were from different times and places.
We both knew we wanted to stay together for the rest of our lives planning to leave the castle together in a risky escape. I would have gambled everything I had to be with him. He would have done the same for me including risking death if he was caught helping a royal prisoner escape.
We had assistance from those outside the castle grounds but would their help be enough?
Georgina one of my most unique purchases was a mannequin dressed like a gypsy. Unbeknownst to me, she had been turned to wood by that same wizard hundreds of years before. Her body stiff: her mind and powers sharp, she pledged to do anything to help us, but warned us if she failed, the wizard would destroy all three of us.
Imagine being kidnapped and transported back in time to a 16th century French castle.
Danielle deForet, a beautiful rare antiques dealer, is tricked into completing an appraisal on a rare French piece, when to her surprise its owner casts a spell sending them both back to 1559. Danielle learns she is the crucial link for a royal spell and finds herself guarded by a handsome knight, Aidan. They soon fall in love, and he plans a risky escape.
Georgina, once a seer, now a mannequin in Danielle's shop, was turned to wood by that same wizard. Her body stilled, her mind sharp, she is the lovers' only hope to escape. If she intervenes, and the wizard finds out, he will stop at nothing to make his spell succeed, even if it means destroying Georgina, Danielle, and Aidan.
Aidan looked deep into my eyes. "You are unlike any woman I have ever met. I loved your strength and beauty the first day I lay eyes on you. Every time we meet, those feelings intensify. I no longer care about my fate—only of being with you."
His gaze said it all. I leaned in and gently kissed him again. This time he was eager to return my advances. Our lips locked in a long passionate kiss. He deepened the kiss before moving his lips down my neck.
Aidan took a sudden step back. "This is quite improper. Forgive me your highness. I must come to my senses. You are of royal blood while I a commoner."
I took his hand and squeezed it. "Aidan, Alasdair kidnapped me. I am as common as you."
He listened, surprised at my comment. "How can that be? He says you are a future queen."
I held his other hand wrapping his arm around my waist. "Trust me. I am telling you the truth. Please, I need to feel your strong arms around me for comfort."
When he held me again, I melted in his arms. His muscular hands were gentle as they caressed my body. He kissed me, devouring my lips in his. For some reason, I felt the urge to show him my true feelings. I was scared not as I was of Alasdair, but afraid of being abandoned by love again. I haven't been able to open my heart completely to a man since I lost Josh. Aidan's feelings were as shaky as mine because he pushed me away again even though his eyes were filled with desire.
"I apologize for my boldness, Danielle. I mean no disrespect. I loved you the first day in Alasdair's workshop. I admired how brave you were to stand up to that powerful wizard. You looked beautiful. Your golden hair glistened in the filtered sunlight coming through the small window. I knew my feelings would be considered treasonous, but not knowing how much time we will share together, I want to show you how I feel with every beat of my heart."
His eyes glazed over with passion. I believed that with every beat of mine, he would risk everything to save me. I had fought falling in love for years, fearing I would be left with a broken heart again. However, for some reason I couldn't explain, I wanted to hold him close to me.
Love at first sight? I don't know what happened to me, but my feelings were too strong to ignore. Deciding to give love a chance, I leaned in kissing his nose before moving my kisses down to his lips again.
All buy links available www.MariahLynne.com
Ever dream of traveling through time? Mariah Lynne does. She writes stories that take her readers along on exciting journeys. Travel to distant times and beautiful places with strong willed independent heroines whose memorable tales will entertain with twisted plots that dabble in the paranormal. SHADOWS ACROSS TIME fits that description to a T as do her previous works THE LOVE GYPSY and THE DUCHESS'NECKLACE.
A graduate of Syracuse University, Mariah lives on a beautiful Florida Gulf Coast island. Before writing fiction, she wrote weekly entertainment columns for two island newspapers. Because she adores where she lives, Southwest Florida takes center stage in her stories.
She is a member of Romance Writers of America and the Southwest Florida Romance Writers who recently published an anthology: "From Florida With Love: Sunsets and Happy Endings." Mariah's short story "Love At First Flight" is included. Her cozy mystery Claws For Justice was published in a mystery anthology "Nine Deadly Lives". "The Kaine Mutiny", a fun look at match making will be included in Sunrise and Stormy Skies set for release this summer. THE DUCHESS' NECKLACE is scheduled to be released in print in early 2017.
When she is not writing, she enjoys swimming, travelling, and spending time with her husband and dolphin hunting dog, Max. To learn more about Mariah visit her at:
WEBSITE: www.MariahLynne.com
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/pages/MariahLynne/295721153858612


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primire of the new font!! i found out how to make my hand wrting into a font so maybe this will look less sloppy from now on. but the only thing is it maybe a little too small, i may have to redo the font :')
also look its gin.


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Mentorship – So It Begins
This summer, I have the unique and privileged opportunity to be a mentor for an intern at work. I am excited and nervous of the opportunity. I do not yet know much about this person and can only hope for someone with an open mind.
As I look back at an old mentorship entry I wrote nearly 3 years ago, I see the truths in my past values now resonating in my preparation for this experience.
In thinking about the concepts I'll try to instill upon the mentee, I have asked him to start a blog. I asked this because I believe that writing is a key skill that will be needed in many facets in life and career. In the future, it will matter less what you write or how you write, so long as you create the momentum of doing.
In doing so, I am reminded that I have not written in my own blog in quite some time. I must try to be prepared and willing to do myself what I ask of others. Though not always capable, where I can, I must try.
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Now, I have no issue with being good-natured and kind-hearted. But that has to be balanced with independence, courage, and -- yes -- the ability to know when to stand up for oneself.
In the Grimm brothers' retelling of the tale, Cinderella is still a passive character, but (as was true with almost all their tales), the wicked are punished. The stepsisters are blinded by birds at the end of the tale. (Oddly enough, Cinderella's father was not dead in the original tale, but did not protect his daughter either. I think it's fitting that history has forgotten about him and let him mercifully pass away.)
I love fairy tales. I always have. I remember a big red hardback book with gorgeous illustrations that I'd read over and over as a child. My favorite stories were Donkeyskin and Cinderella. (As an aside, there seriously needs to be more retellings of Donkeyskin. That story is amazing. If anybody knows of another retelling other than Robin McKinley's Deerskin, please let me know!) And since then, I've read many Cinderella retellings and watched many movies based on the tale. I like most of them but my favorites are the ones which breathe life into Cinderella the character, giving her agency and intelligence and, importantly, a spine. And, I admit, I love the ones where the stepmother and stepsisters get their just desserts.
Below are some of my favorites:
The last book in this series is coming out next month and I am super excited because I have loved every single one so far. Cinder is the book that started it all. Cinder is a cyborg, and her glass slipper is her cybernetic foot. There's a handsome prince, a cruel stepmother and stepsister, a sympathetic stepsister, one kick-ass robotic sidekick, and an evil queen. Highly recommended.
I remember when this book first came out and I loved it to pieces (not literally, though--I treat my books very well). Ella is cursed at birth by a fairy with obedience, which just doesn't sit well with her naturally independent and free-willed spirit. Her stepmother and stepsisters are appropriately horrible, the prince suitably charming, but it's Ella who steals the show. She's smart and determined to do the right thing, even if it means losing her own happily ever after.
This one is a bit different. It starts after where Cinderella-the-fairy-tale ends. Ella finds palace life too restrictive and boring, and decides being a princess might not be for her.
I describe this book, and it's subsequent sequels, as the Brothers Grimm meet Charlie's Angels. Danielle (aka, Cinderella), finds out her new mother-in-law is the leader of a group of operatives, who just happen to be Snow White and Sleeping Beauty (but not as we know them), on missions of importance to the kingdom. Lots of action, some pretty dark moments, and some hints that Snow and Talia's fairy tale pasts were not so happily ever after.
This is hands-down my favorite Cinderella movie. I remember watching this in theaters as a teenager, soaking up every wonderful moment like a sponge. It wasn't until I was older that I realized just how amazing the story was because this Cinderella movie broke from the passive heroine trope and made Danielle (Drew Barrymore) a fiercely independent and intelligent woman who went behind her stepmother's back to try and save her family's legacy and those she considered hers. And she didn't need a prince to ride in to save the day. No, she saved herself, grabbing a sword and demanding her own freedom. And, very importantly, the evil stepmother and the wicked stepsister got suitably humiliated and punished. If you haven't seen it, go watch it.
Yes, I'm talking about the Hilary Duff movie. Yes, it's a teen movie. No, I'm not ashamed how much I love it. Sam (Duff) has spirit, hopes, and aspirations. She's intelligent, and it's shown that the only reason for her passivity is how downtrodden she is by being bullied at school and by her step-family. Once she is given something to fight for, however, she stops being a passive character in her own life and begins to assert her control.
I love that all the above stories show that being a good person, a good-natured person, even a nice person, is not mutually exclusive with being independent and strong. I really wish Disney had not regressed in message in its newest film and presented us with a new Cinderella: one who can proudly march forward into the future on her own two feet instead of sitting in a cold and empty attic, merely a plot-point for other people's stories, and a grossly ill-conceived parable for young girls.


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Dec 062016
RG held another live event today in the chat room, this time a continuation of recent forum discussions on using point and figure or reversal bar plotting to effectively view price action intraday. The importance of learning how to normalize periodicity to "see" the same true price action regardless of the PNF chart parameter setting was discussed referencing the current day educational example. This was followed by the usual question and answer segment dealing with a variety of topics.
Thanks again to FatFish for providing us with the recording.
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Z and E's school was the last one to announce they were closed yesterday, when Bristol awoke to a deep blanket of snow. We sat listening to radio broadcasts of an ever longer list of school closures. Theirs wasn't on the list. So we dressed them in their uniform, popped them on the sledge and headed for school. When we got there they were turning everyone away. At the last minute they had decided to close. Annoying for some but a giant WHOOP! from us. J and I both took the day off work and headed to the Downs for snow
We spent the whole afternoon tobogganing. I love unusual weather in Britain. It makes everyone behave differently and there were so many smiles from strangers as we pulled our three around Bristol on their sledges.


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The war is won.
The first time I listened to 30 Seconds to Mars, I was a fifteen-year-old high school junior who was just beginning to discover music that existed outside the sphere of the FM radio frequency. At a time where everyone else was bopping their heads to "Sexyback" and "Promiscuous" I was busy downloading albums off Limewire (RIP) from artists most friends haven't even heard of. It was the beginning of my new relationship with music, I suppose, the time where I discovered that there is more to songs than just their words or rhythm alone, more than just the sum of all its parts: there is always an experience waiting to happen in those four or five minutes of complete abandon. I was just about to truly find that out for myself in 2006.
A friend lent me a burned CD of 30 Seconds to Mars' second album, A Beautiful Lie. True, the first few seconds brought on a sense of hesitation - would I like this? Is this worth my time? I was to find out soon enough. The title track "A Beautiful Lie" did it for me. The opening notes of the song seemed like the calm before the storm. The moment the bass and drums struck, it was just an explosion. The anger, the confusion, and the pain - the way they burst these all out through song was beyond me. "It's a beautiful lie, such a perfect denial, such a beautiful lie to believe in..." I needed that song during that time in my life, and it found me. That moment, I knew I wanted to see that song live. I had to.
Last night has got to be one of the most epic nights of my life. I was just about ready to give up on tickets when a very good friend of mine won two Gold tickets through a contest. The entire week I was in this state of shock and disbelief: is this finally happening? Am I really going to watch them? It has been raining for the last couple of days and I must admit a part of me was giving in to hesitation, much like I did almost five years ago. But this was 30 Seconds to Mars, and if there is anything to be said about this band, it's that they are a spectacle. And what a spectacle last night was. The rain was pouring heavily, and we were soaked for almost the entire duration of the concert. Yet pumping my fists in the air, jumping like crazy, singing their songs with them, just being there, in the crowd, looking on - I really could not think of anything less hackneyed but more true than this - I felt most alive. (There was nothing like actually being part of the "No no no no! I will never forget!" part of Closer to the Edge. And all there other anthems, really.) This was what music meant to me - it was an experience. It was a sensation. It was being there and feeling like you could be anywhere outside the time-space continuum, and still be one with the strangers, the crowd, the band. It was surreal.
Their playlist was a good mix of songs from their previous album and the current, This Is War, which is more communal than personal, and consequently is more dramatic to see live. What brought goosebumps for me, aside from them opening remarkably to "A Beautiful Lie" was the acoustic part in the middle of the set, with just Jared and his guitar on the spotlight. He sang "The Kill" with all of us - only with the chords and the slight quiver in our voices as accompaniment. "I tried to be someone else, but nothing seemed to change I know now this is who I really am inside," - this was infinitely more exciting than just belting it out on Rockband. I also got a bit emotional with "Alibi" because it hit close to home, much like their song "A Modern Myth" from the second album. (I just wish they sang that too.) But closing the show with "Closer to the Edge" was the perfect ending, complete with elaborate smoke, lights, and confetti. When we begged them to get back on stage, "Kings and Queens" felt like for about eight beautiful minutes, we all indeed were, in fact, regal.
"Rocket into highness."
More than just seeing Jared Leto up close and finally being able to be in a moshpit, I went to the concert not as the biggest 30 Seconds to Mars fangirl there was, but as a fan who through their music has gotten this overwhelming sense of collectiveness, like I was a part of something bigger - their songs were about action, about moving forward after the misery, about going out there and doing something, about liberation. Taking part in the collective effervescence of the moment affirmed my sanguinity, I suppose - nineteen years old, I am here, I am happy. "I will live my life," we all sang.
At least, even for a while, all drenched and covered in rain, mud, and confetti, I truly felt brave again. Young. Free. I think I owe my fifteen-year-old self that feeling, too. And it was great.
Wall Photo
I found a picture of
me by your bed, my face on
the wall greeted me hello. I
was disarmed for a while
because it wasn't my best
angle, and my hair was up
just the way I don't like it.
But from where my head
rested, I felt it looked
worthy of your every good
night. I pressed my thumb on
the wall. Sleep came easily,
knowing that even when I leave,
I don't.
Labels: Feeble attempts at poetry
The things I carry
Phone, keys, umbrella, coins, I.D. (picture with red background), pens, more pens, colored pens, a highlighter (in pink), The Likhaan Book of Philippine Literature, notebooks, paper, letters, sentences, thoughts: like the color of your shirt or what you ate for breakfast, MRT card, hairpins, the scent of your hair, perfume, tissue, handkerchief, tears of all kinds (for laughing and also crying but I don't fancy that kind), smiles fake and otherwise, camera, iPod, speakers, earphones, the sound of crisply folded letters being opened from dark pockets, wallet, SM Advantage Card, receipts, tickets, your fingerprints on the tickets (you bought them for me), your hands on my cheeks, the heat, a jacket, a scarf, a cold biting fear of the unknown, a compromise, a resolution, envelopes, folders, readings, theories, Post-structuralism, binary oppositions: black and white, one and zero, antonyms and synonyms, the way we both lean in after the door is closed, open-minded view on things, more coins, band-aids, lipstick, the day we both stopped hating the red light, lime, line, life, lib, alliterations, a list of things to not forget, the way you said Me too the day you sat behind me after I said I've never tried this before.
Labels: finger exercises
Mischief managed.
When I was in Grade 3, I remember one of my mom's officemates, who was one of the "cool titas" that actually talked to me like an adult instead of the naive nine-year-old I really was, telling me about this new book that was taking the literary world by storm. It was starting to become popular in the States and in London, she said, and she thought it might interest me because she knew I loved books even then. When I asked her what it was about all she said was, "Magic."
That was almost eleven years ago. In between that time there had been six succeeding books, eight blockbuster films, a skyrocketing of sales in the broomstick department, and a hysteria that hit everyone from pre-pubescent teens to old, graying men who found hope in the renewed appreciation for their beard swagger. I must admit that I haven't been exactly an impassioned fan: I was never lined up at midnight on book releases or film premieres and I never got into fights with haters who tYpE lYk tHiS at forums. But I think I sufficiently dipped my foot enough in Potterland to consider myself well-versed in the universe. In grade 4, my classmates and I used to play with the "stick" part of the sliding folder and pretended they were wands - saying the now famous "It's levi-OH-sa, not levioSA," line over and over again. One Christmas, I got a Quidditch board game, and the next one, a howling notebook that screamed every time anyone without the "password" opened it. (Both from Santa, though I actually wished for an invisibility cloak.) And ever since Sorcerer's Stone, I had my eyes set out on Ron Weasley. The only person I was willing to share him with was Hermione. (Ron/Hermione shipper since the beginning!) I was just a simple fan, a mere reader, but I felt every bit a part of this fascinating new world as Harry was.
But as in all things, it has come to an end.
The last time I was this affected over a movie series was after Toy Story 3. After watching the Deathly Hallows Part 2 last Friday (and bawling my eyes out), I've come to realize that probably the biggest reason I'm feeling awfully sad about this is the fact that this conclusion finally affirms the end of our childhood. So we turned eighteen and learned to drink beer straight out of the bottle years ago - but we still subconsciously identified ourselves under the "kids" category. But now that huge chapters of our childhood have finally been finally brought to a close, it's like the universe is frantically pushing us out of our safety bubble. This is it, it taunts. No more toys, no more magic. Just reality and its unending battle of good versus evil.
I am now nineteen, just a little older than Harry and the gang when they won the epic battle against Voldemort. I guess you could say I really did grow up with them. I saw the story unfold before me; the narrative got as complicated and twisted just as much as my life did. (Although mine had a dark lord that kept me up at night named Stress.) It was such a reflection of our generation that saying goodbye without shedding a tear just isn't possible. More than anything, it gave us a glimpse of a realm we never could have imagined possible, a world so far-fetched but still so real. At the end of it all, wizards or Muggles notwithstanding, it's the classic tale of good overcoming the evil. It's a story of friendship, love, and loyalty. And wands and spells. These, I'm sure we will always carry with us, at nineteen and up until ninety.
Thank you for the stories, Harry Potter. Thank you for the magic.
The spaces you fill.
Last night, I found myself still awake by half past midnight, my thoughts aimlessly drifting to prose then equations then finally, hunger. I went up to the fridge, like I always do, but I was welcomed by a leftover box of chicken I couldn't remember eating. Beside it was a can of diet soda, a beverage I don't allow myself to drink. There was an opened pack of gummy bears, which I eventually reach for and behead one by one, but junk food of this variety I don't buy for my own.
And that was it, that was when it hit me: I couldn't not find you in my room. Not a place where a piece of you wasn't left behind. Not my pillow where our heads rested after a night of watching films on our stomachs. Not my wooden spoon that I used to mix the pancake batter, because we chose to have breakfast for dinner. Not the paper clip that held together your reading "Places & Landscapes for a Changing World" which you will never bother browsing for class. Not my mirror that revealed to you the man who has me wrapped around his finger. Not the shampoo you used that threatened to linger on my hair, my clothes. Not even in the song that played inside my head over and over and over again, the sound of the waves colliding on the ocean of skin that barely separated me from you.
You had no problems littering everyday with traces of you, attaching yourselves to songs I mouth with my eyes closed. My clothes are your clothes, your perfume my own. The pronouns you have permanently replaced, no more "I" or "you," only "us." I try to look for a piece of my space that you haven't yet found, but your fingerprints are everywhere, your heartbeat, always just a whisper away. My blanket holds me in your embrace and the cool blow of the fan scratches my back like your hand spelling out my name.
No, you are everywhere, I realized, and I finally fell asleep, in the comfort of the promise you kept the other night when I said can we stay here a little longer?
I wrote this in about twenty minutes, the story having been in my head for the entire day now. There's just a sudden enchantment about this Thursday snuggle-weather that brewed something up inside my head. Consider this my apology for being away for too long: working on my thesis is taking up most of my time, and not having an Internet connection at the dorm is not helping at all. On the contrary, this gives me a legitimate enough excuse to just sleep and hop around from one college library to another. Here's to wishing I can (still) survive the absence of wi-fi.
Labels: fiction, finger exercises


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Through a petition for certiorari to the United States Supreme Court, upheld a municipality's right to impose safety regulations on municipal towing services.
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Transform your photos into one-of-a-kind, hand painted masterpieces!
by Greg Fortier
Lines by Greg Fortier - 10.000" x 6.625"
Glossy Finish Canvas
Gallery Wrap Stretched Canvas Print - 1.5" Stretcher Bars - Mirrored Image Sides
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Canvas Print
Lines canvas print by Greg Fortier. Bring your artwork to life with the texture and depth of a stretched canvas print. Your image gets printed onto one of our premium canvases and then stretched on a wooden frame of 1.5" x 1.5" stretcher bars (gallery wrap) or 5/8" x 5/8" stretcher bars (museum wrap). Your canvas print will be delivered to you "ready to hang" with pre-attached hanging wire, mounting hooks, and nails.
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Corner Detail: Stretched canvas print with 1.5" stretcher bars and mirrored image sides. Also available with black sides, whites sides, and 5/8" stretcher bars.
Bring your artwork to life with the texture and depth of a stretched canvas print. Your image gets printed on one of our premium canvases and then stretched on a wooden frame of 1.5" x 1.5" stretcher bars (gallery wrap) or 5/8" x 5/8" stretcher bars (museum wrap). All stretched canvases ship within 3 - 4 business days and arrive "ready to hang" with pre-attached hanging wire, mounting hooks, and nails.
Stretched canvas prints look beautiful with or without frames.
Pixels is one of the largest, most-respected giclee printing companies in the world with over 40 years of experience producing museum-quality prints. All of our prints are produced on state-of-the-art, professional-grade Epson printers. We use acid-free papers and canvases with archival inks to guarantee that your prints last a lifetime without fading or loss of color.
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May 18th, 2019
Stairs under Lawrence Stadium.
I have been photographing the world around me for as long as I can remember but I have only been doing it professionally for 20 years. From my first 126mm camera through a number of point and shoots that my parents bought me when I was young because they thought it was just a passing phase, I have always tried to capture the world as I see it. Like a lot of artists, I see the scenery around me in terms of light and shadow, dark and bright, saturated color or flat. My real job is working for a portrait studio but I still pick up my own camera on the weekends and go out and shoot any chance I get. As you can see from my work, I love the reflections and perspective shots that draw you into the photos. Those photos that make you think you...
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It gets a little overwhelming when there's so much choice, doesn't it? So many styles to choose from, so many things to add to your wardrobe. The "must-have" list keeps getting longer and longer. That's how it was for me when I started shopping for transitional coats for this season. I've had a few from last seasons but I don't really remember when it was last time I shopped for coats. I am a type of person who needs to see all my options first before making a decision. Nerd alert! That's why I've made a list of all the styles available (at least I've tried) and shopped similar items afterwards.
You will not find duffle or swing coats in my list simply because it is not the types of coats I usually wear so I wasn't even considering it but what you will find is a lot of classics and minimalistic designs. Those types are very close to my heart and my style.
I also did not include trench coats and fur coats because although they are considered coats the designs are totally different from what I was looking for. The best way to describe my list would be wool coats.
coat: MISSGUIDED // sweater: BANANA REPUBLIC // leggings: EXPRESS
shoes: PRADA // bag: MICHAEL KORS // sunglasses: RAY BAN // earrings: SWAROVSKI


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The monarch butterfly is in serious danger of disappearing from North America?
This much beloved butterfly, voted the state butterfly of seven different states and the symbol of cooperation between Canada, the United States and Mexico is in deep trouble. The monarch lives during the summer months in the northeast part of the United States and the southeast parts of Canada, drinking nectar from flowers and reproducing. The generation that is born during the late summer will begin their spectacular migration to Mexico, a journey of up to 3,000 miles. This generation is called the Methuselah generation because they can live up to 8 months. The monarchs living in the spring and summer have a life span of about 4-5 weeks. The monarchs spend the winter in Mexico preserving their energy high up on mountains that they have been visiting for 1,000's of years. However, the evolutionary history of the monarch migration remains largely unknown to science.
The population measured in Mexico this winter was the lowest on record. See the graph below.
There are three main reasons for the decline of the monarch population. The first is because of the adoption of herbicide tolerant crops, or GMO crops (genetically modified organisms). These are plants that have been genetically modified so that they can be sprayed with herbicides and it doesn't kill the plant, but the herbicide does kill all of the weeds. This seems like it would be wonderful, except for the fact that monarchs need a plant called milkweed to lay their eggs on. They can't lay eggs on any other plant. Their caterpillars eat milkweed for food when they hatch out of the egg. When the crops are sprayed with herbicide, it kills all of the milkweed that used to grow in the fields with the corn and the soybeans. It is estimated that we have lost up to 150 million acres of monarch breeding ground due to the planting of GMO crops. The second factor is the ethanol mandate from the Federal Government that was passed as the Clean Energy Bill in 2007. Since that time another 20 million acres of land have been cleared as farmers have anticipated the price of corn increasing. Many of those acres were hedgerows, native prairies, and CRP's, Conservation Reserve Program land. This is land that the Government pays farmers a small fee to hold and not farm for conservation use. The final factor is development. Development consumes about a million acres of farmland a year. Another million acres of woodland and other types of land are lost to the endless shopping strips, suburbs and roads that are continually being built. This has added up to over 17 million lost acres since 1996.
This is a huge loss of breeding habitat for monarchs, and with such a low overwintering population, scientists are worried about what will happen this spring. It is clear that efforts must be made to plant milkweed across Mexico, the United States and Canada if we want to help bring back the monarch population.
How can you help?
- Plant a butterfly garden, include milkweed and native nectar plants
- Avoid the use of pesticides
- Report monarch observations
- Limit mowing in open fields, especially in late summer
For more information please visit: http://www.learner.org/jnorth/tm/monarch/conservation_action_resources.html
Monarchs and pollinators need our help due to habitat loss. If your school or non-profit organization is interested in this conservation measure, we can help you create a habitat for monarchs and pollinators. Please apply using the form below. If your organization qualifies, we will provide a free flat of 32 live milkweed plugs as well as guidance on how to create a new habitat or enhance an existing garden.The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) has provided funds for this project.
Download an application for free milkweed.
The application and supporting documents can be emailed directly to Angie Babbit at firstname.lastname@example.com.


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Show notes for the December 21st episode of Teacher Bytes:
Boo Ring, manager of the Bluffton Branch of AAA Travel, discusses the AAA Travel High School Challenge. This contest is an effort by AAA to increase student literacy in geography and generate interest in travel industry careers. Ms. Ring also discusses how to plan now for summer vacations. There are some holiday surprises as well.
Click here to get your own player.


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Careers at American Orthodontics
American Orthodontics is a company built on integrity. It is evident in how we treat our customers and our associates. By fostering a caring corporate culture, American Orthodontics has been able to attract and retain top talent. It is through our commitment to our associates and their hard work and dedication that we've grown to be the world's largest privately held manufacturer of orthodontic appliances.
Learn more about us by clicking on the tabs below.
Our Current Job Openings
Click the link below to see our current job openings.
Our Mission and Core Values
Invest Efficiently & For Value - Consider the return on every investment and maximize it.
Practicality - Apply common sense to everything we do.
We are a global network - Seek to understand and meet the needs of our customers and colleagues around the world.
Dependability - Be true to your word in product quality, customer service and collegial relations.
Respect - Be conscientious and empathetic - treat everyone as you would like to be treated.
Accountability - Take ownership of your work.
Open & Candid Communication - Be curious, ask probing questions, create dialogue, express your thoughts.
Seek Opportunity - Keep growing, changing, improving and looking for the next challenge.
Our Culture
Our company values focus on what is right. We believe every individual should be treated with respect. We encourage open, candid communication. We don't just hear you; we listen. We offer a positive work environment that recognizes and rewards individual efforts. We think people should feel good about where they work and we do everything we can to achieve this.
Our Benefits
American Orthodontics offers the following benefit programs to all full-time employees:
All full-time regular employees and their eligible dependents may participate in the American Orthodontics medical plan which includes vision benefits. If elected, coverage is effective after 30 days of employment.
All full-time regular employees and their eligible dependents may participate in the American Orthodontics dental plan, which includes coverage for orthodontic services. If elected, coverage is effective after 30 days of employment.
American Orthodontics offers employees basic term life insurance equal to one times their annual salary up to a maximum of $300,000. Full-time regular employees are eligible to participate after 30 days of employment. Employees may also elect additional life insurance for themselves, their spouse, or their dependent children.
American Orthodontics offers employees short and long term disability insurance which provides for partial income replacement in the event of a disability. If elected, coverage is effective after 30 days of employment.
FLEXIBLE SPENDING ACCOUNTS (FSAs)
FSAs allow employees to set aside pre-tax dollars to pay for a variety of out-of pocket health and/or dependent care expenses not covered through your other benefit plans. By anticipating your health care and dependent care costs for the next year you can actually lower your taxable income. Full time and part time regular employees are eligible to participate the first day of the month following 90 days of employment.
401(k) & PROFIT SHARING PLAN
American Orthodontics provides employees the opportunity to save for their own retirement under the 401(k) plan. Employees are eligible to start saving immediately and may contribute up to 50% of their pay not to exceed the annual limits established by the IRS. American Orthodontics will contribute a company match in the amount of 100% of the employee contribution to a maximum of 4%.
American Orthodontics may also make an annual profit sharing contribution based on Company performance. Employees are eligible for the company match and profit sharing contributions after one year of service.
American Orthodontics believes employees should have opportunities to enjoy time away from work and help balance their lives. We also believe that paid vacations are earned by working and thus should bear a relationship to your length of continuous service with the Company. American Orthodontics offers a generous vacation plan with new employees earning up to 10 days of vacation in the first year.
Full time or part time regular employees who are actively employed are eligible for holiday pay.
American Orthodontics observes 11 paid holidays throughout the year. They include:
New Year's Day
Labor Day
Christmas Day
Good Friday
Thanksgiving Day
New Year's Eve
Memorial Day
Friday after Thanksgiving
Floating Holiday*
Independence Day
Christmas Eve
Service awards are distributed to recognize the years of service associates have contributed to help build and sustain the success of American Orthodontics. Service awards are presented at an annual banquet to those employees who have completed five years of service and at each subsequent five-year milestone.
American Orthodontics will reimburse certain costs related to courses or course materials up to an annual maximum.
All employees and their dependents are eligible to participate in the Employee Assistance Program. The program provides completely confidential assessments, counseling, and referrals for employees and their families who may need assistance in a variety of areas including, but not limited to; legal, professional, or financial counseling, divorce, dependent and elder care, adoption, behavioral health benefits, stress management, etc.
American Orthodontics offers all employees the option to participate in various wellness challenges throughout the year.
American Orthodontics also offers a fitness program reimbursement which includes reimbursement of membership fees to various fitness centers.
For your birthday dinner is on us! Employees will receive a gift certificate to an area restaurant. There are six restaurants to choose from so you are sure to find something you like.
About Sheboygan, WI
If you are considering Sheboygan but don't know much about it, click on the Someplace Better logo below to visit the Sheboygan County Economic Development Corporation.
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Do I dare call liberal artists attention whores?
Down in my neck of the woods, a Miami local artists got all hot and bothered about a display of international art at an area museum, and took it upon himself to smash a $1 million chinese vase on the floor.
Get this. The dude broke the vase because he felt as if the museum displaying the exhibit was showing "favoritism" over local art.
What a dingbat!? He now faces criminal charges (Don't think he really cares)
Caminero, a painter who lives in Miami, declined comment when reached by telephone Monday. He said he will have an afternoon


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There were a lot of you who enjoyed the New Look summer patterns from my last post about as much as I did! Thank you for your comments on those patterns! I have gotten a slow start to this week because I have been pondering what to sew next. It seems that I have gotten into a groove with sewing for my children and others, but I have totally neglected myself!!
So I am dedicating this month to sewing nothing but...
All fun aside, I really am in need of some nice tops--especially since I just bought some beautiful fabric from Gail K's just a few weeks ago.
This brings me to my present dilemma..."Which top will I sew next?"
I thought about this question all this past weekend, and decided to do some digging in my pattern stash in order to see what I could find. The ones I came up with were nice, but I kept finding something wrong with each choice I made. For example, I looked at this pattern from a year or two ago, and thought it had great potential:


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Practice + feedback – an algorithm that changes sales performance
We've all heard that "practice makes perfect". But is that true? In reality, "practice + feedback makes perfect". We just posted an article on trainingindustry.com about this: Changing Sales Performance: Practice Doesn't Mean Perfect. Continue reading
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Moving from good to great sales presentations
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by Veronica Gordon on Saturday 4th April 2015 at 3:45pm
Unity 101 would like to thank the mystery person who nominated us for the National Diversity Award for Community Organisation for Race/Faith/Religion.
The nomination has set the ball rolling for the race to be crowned this year's NDA Community Organisation for Race/Faith/Religion. This much-coveted Award recognises diverse organisations across the UK who work tirelessly to promote unity across the areas of race, faith and/or religion.
The next stage is to reach the NDA's short-list so Unity 101 is calling for all our volunteers, supporters, partners and friends to vote for us to win.
Please vote via the link nominate.nationaldiversityawar.... It will only take a few minutes.
Unity 101 strives to promote unity and community cohesion across Southampton and, in 2012, our efforts were recognised at the highest level when we were given the Queen's Award for Voluntary Service for "promoting community cohesion via a multilingual broadcasting service".
This isn't the first time Unity 101 has been nominated for the National Diversity Award. Last year, after tremendous community support, we reached the final. The Award went to the African Caribbean Leukaemia Trust (ACLT), a highly deserving winner, a voluntary charity who tirelessly campaign to increase the number of Black and Asian donors on the UK bone marrow, blood donation and organ donor registers.
This year, will we be crowned the NDA Community Organisation for Race/Faith/Religion? Please vote for us now.


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A former employee of Kilsyth Medical Practice has admitted in court that she falsely obtained over 4,000 prescription pills over a three year period.
Aileen Barrie (56), of Braefoot Avenue, Milngavie, pled guilty at Airdrie Sheriff Court to forming a fradulent scheme to obtain prescription-only co-codamol tablets.
In October 2015 Kilsyth Medical Practice had been forced to confirm it had fallen under the scrutiny of NHS counterfraud services.
The issue had been the subject of much speculation in the town. The investigation did not involve any doctors.
The court heard this week that on various occasions Barrie, who worked at Kilsyth Community Health Centre on the Burngreen, presented prescriptions at various pharmacies knowing they were fake.
She induced employees at the pharmacies to dispense to her and obtained 4,494 tablets by fraudulent means between January 17, 2011 and November 18. 2014.
The offences happened at D. Charetris in Main Street, Kilsyth, William Morrisons on Glasgow's Crow Road, Boots in Bearsden's Baljaffray Shopping Centre, Lloyds pharmacies on Glasgow's Milngavie Road and the Cowgate in Kirkintilloch, Gordon's Chemists of Douglas Street in Milngavie and Boots on Milngavie Main Street.
Barrie's lawyer, John McGuire, told the court: "The value of the tablets was £409.50. She was under a lot of pressure.
"She is totally ashamed and embarrassed and feels that she has let a lot of good people down. She was well respected. All this has gone.
"It is a very sad end to an excellent career. It is a tragic situation.
"She resigned from the practice in December 2014 and has been fully cooperative with requests from the NHS. She knew the way it had to end.
"Very few people know of this matter. She has kept it to herself and has been dreading this day in court.
"The whole thing has been a massive reality check for her."
Sentencing, Sheriff Brian Cameron told her: "I will put you on a Community Payback Order. Be under no illusion, this is a sentence."
Barrie, who is now unemployed, will have to complete 100 hours of unpaid work in the community.
This sentence has been reduced from 150 hours as she admitted her guilt at an early stage in proceedings.
The work must be completed within four months.


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Advisers must take action to ensure the beneficiaries of deceased clients are not locked out of the pension freedoms, experts warn.
Money Marketing previously revealed how some of the largest pension providers do not allow beneficiaries to access savings passed on to them using flexi-access drawdown.
Some older contracts only allow beneficiaries to take pensions as lump sums, which could incur extra tax charges, or a lifetime annuity.
Old Mutual Wealth pensions expert Jon Greer warns that while customers can move to more modern plans to access a wider range of flexible options, this cannot be done after death.
He says: "This will be problematic for some customers, who may not recognise that it isn't possible to move pension assets posthumously. In effect, family members may be locked into a sub-optimal arrangement, with no option to move the inherited assets into a beneficiary's flexi-access arrangement.
"A sensible move is to ensure the incumbent provider can offer beneficiaries flexi-access to avoid inflexibility and unnecessary tax when passing on assets."
Moving funds to another scheme that does offer beneficiaries flexible ways of taking income will not be treated as a recognised transfer and could be subject to a tax charge.
Santorini Financial Planning managing director Matthew Walne says: "When we request information that's something we would add into the letter of authority request now.
"Death benefits on pensions are a growing issue, quite a few clients have cottoned on to the fact leaving money in pensions is a good planning tool – if you lost all that you're potentially leaving yourself open to being sued by beneficiaries."


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Bev Byron's hats
Bev Byron loves a good hat, which is just as well because she's got over 200 of them crammed into a shed out the back of her house.
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Bev Byron has many interesting stories to tell - the room where she keeps most of her hats, for example, was once home to Bev and her parents and brothers and sisters - they lived in the tiny space while their house was being built after they moved to Allansford in the 1950's.
Bev's collection started when one of her aunts passed away. The aunt in question was, like Bev, a bit of a hoarder and had managed to amass eight boxes worth of hats.
She started showing them when the Allansford CWA decided to have a hat day to raise some money.
Since then she's become something of a drop off centre for old hats from all kinds of people, including the Archdeacon of Bendigo.
Bev's collection does include a few men's hats, but the real excitement is to be found in women's headwear where styles have come and gone and all kinds of adornments have been added.
After doing a course in millinery several years ago, Bev is also able to repair her hats and says many of the materials used are still readily available.
Many of her hats are tagged with the name of the hat's original owner, the person who gave it to Bev, and when she received it - this helps her remember details when she's giving talks or holding displays.
Bev's hats will be on display next month as a part of the Collect-a-bool event in Warrnambool.
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Department of Mechanical Engineering,
Indian Institute of Science Bangalore,
Bangalore 560012, India
Research and Development Division,
Tata Steel Ltd.,
Jamshedpur 831007, Indiae-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com
Department of Mechanical Engineering,
Indian Institute of Technology,
Guwahati 781039, India
1Corresponding author.
Contributed by the Heat Transfer Division of ASME for publication in the JOURNAL OF HEAT TRANSFER. Manuscript received June 22, 2013; final manuscript received January 2, 2014; published online March 7, 2014. Assoc. Editor: Giulio Lorenzini.
The entropy generation due to mixed convective heat transfer of nanofluids past a rotating circular cylinder placed in a uniform cross stream is investigated via streamline upwind Petrov–Galerkin based finite element method. Nanosized copper (Cu) particles suspended in water are used with Prandtl number (Pr) = 6.9. The computations are carried out at a representative Reynolds number (Re) of 100. The dimensionless cylinder rotation rate, α, is varied between 0 and 2. The range of nanoparticle volume fractions (ϕ) considered is 0 ≤ ϕ ≤ 5%. Effect of aiding buoyancy is brought about by considering two fixed values of the Richardson number (Ri) as 0.5 and 1.0. A new model for predicting the effective viscosity and thermal conductivity of dilute suspensions of nanoscale colloidal particles is presented. The model addresses the details of the agglomeration–deagglomeration in tune with the pertinent variations in the effective particulate dimensions, volume fractions, as well as the aggregate structure of the particulate system. The total entropy generation is found to decrease sharply with cylinder rotation rates and nanoparticle volume fractions. Increase in nanoparticle agglomeration shows decrease in heat transfer irreversibility. The Bejan number falls sharply with increase in α and ϕ.
Variation in relative viscosity of Al2O3-water nanofluid as a function of nanoparticle volume fraction
Schematic of the cylinder and the physical domain
Time-averaged contours of (a) frictional and (b) thermal entropy for different α at n = 5, ϕ = 5%, and Ri = 0.5
Time-averaged vector plots at Ri = 1.0, ϕ = 3%, n = 1, and for various α; (a) α = 0, (b) α = 1, and (c) α = 2
Time-averaged contours of (a) frictional and (b) thermal entropy for different n at α = 1.5, ϕ = 3%, and Ri = 1.0
Time-averaged contours of (a) streamlines and (b) isotherms for α = 1.5, n = 5, ϕ = 3%, and Ri = 1.0. (c) Time-averaged isotherms at α = 0, ϕ = 3%, n = 5, and Ri = 1.0.
Variation of ST: (a) with α at ϕ = 5% for various n, Ri and (b) with ϕ at α = 1.5 for various n, Ri
Variation of Bejan number (Be): (a) with α at ϕ = 5% for various n, Ri and (b) with ϕ at α = 1.5 for various n, Ri
Time-averaged local Nusselt number distribution over the cylinder surface at Ri = 1.0 for (a) various α at n = 5, ϕ = 5%; (b) various ϕ at n = 3, α = 1.5; and (c) various n at α = 1, ϕ = 4%
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- Description
The 22.3.3 is a RJ12 telephone jack electrical receptacle. The 22.3.3 can be inserted into any of the 22.2 series mounting plates.
The 22 is a complete suite of interior wall accessories that challenge the traditional, tired and ubiquitous cover plate concept. The 22 is designed to "mud" directly into drywall without a visible cover plate or trim. Alternatively, it may be set flush into millwork, marble, glass or any other wall surface. 22 operative components include: power outlets, data/telephone receptacles, cable connectors, line voltage on/off switches, and low voltage intelligent controls.
The 22.3.3 is a RJ12 telephone jack electrical receptacle. The 22.3.3 can be inserted into any of the 22.2 series mounting plates.
- Polycarbonate
- Height: 3.55 cm / 1.4 inch
- Width: 3.55 cm / 1.4 inch
- Brand
Based in Vancouver, Canada, Bocci is a world leader in contemporary lighting design. Led by creative director Omer Arbel, Bocci creates stunning lighting solutions of the utmost quality and craftsmanship. Starting with the 14 series cast glass chandeliers, Bocci continued to create beautiful lighting with the ceramic 21 series and the blown glass 28 and 38 series. In addition to lighting, Bocci creates modern furniture and electrical accessories.
Obviously architectural, the conceptual chandeliers are available in a range of different colours and unlimited configurations.
- Designer
Bocci 22.3.3 RJ12 Telephone Receptacle Designed by:
- Omer Arbel
Omer Arbel
Jerusalem, 1976
Omer Arbel graduated from the University of Waterloo's School of Architecture in 2000, and, after apprenticeships with several architectural companies, founded Omer Arbel Office, a Vancouver-based design practice, in 2005. The practice produces designs for buildings, objects, furniture, lighting and electrical accessories.
Arbel is also the creative director of the manufacturing and design company, Bocci that produces cast glass lighting features. Cast glass is an organic process, imperfect by nature and each piece is hand made to the client's specifications. Bocci is now featured in buildings and homes worldwide and has won several high profile international design awards.