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Skills: Appraise 5 ranks, Profession (Merchant) 5 ranks, Use Magic Device 5 ranks
Hit Die: d8
Skill points: 6 + Intelligence modifier
Class Skills: Appraise, Bluff, Craft, Diplomacy, Disable device, Intimidate, Knowledge (Geography), Knowledge (Local), Linguistics, Perception, Profession, Ride, Sense Motive, Sleight of Hand, Spellcraft, Use Magic Device
Weapons and Armor Proficiencies: A Merchant Lord is not proficient with any form of weapons or armor
Spells: A merchant lord casts arcane spells drawn from the merchant lord spell list (see below). He knows all the spells on his list and cast them without preparing them ahead of time. To cast a spell, a merchant lord must have an Intelligence score equal to at least 10 + the spell level. The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against a merchant lord's spell is 10 + the spell level + the merchant lord's Intelligence modifier.
Like other spell-casters, a merchant lord can cast only a certain number of spells of each spell level per day. His base daily spell allotment is given on Table: Merchant Lord Spells below. In addition, he receives bonus spells per day if he has a high Intelligence score (see Table: Ability Modifiers and Bonus Spells).
A merchant lord's caster level is equal to his class level plus one half his levels in other classes (rounded down).
Cantrips: Merchant lords can cast any cantrip, or 0-level spells, listed on their spell list. These spells are cast like any other spell, but they do not consume any slots and may be used again.
Merchants Cunning (Ex): Where one finds inability to bargain, another finds the ability to make leverage…
At 1st level, a Merchant Lord is in tune with the price value of buying, and selling, of imports and exports throughout the world around them, having no limit to how high or how low a price can be to their astonishing book keeping. When buying or selling items (mundane or magical), the merchant lord receives a discount of 5% per merchant lord level (to a maximum of 25% at 5th level), and receives an equal markup when selling items.
Example: When buying a new +1 longsword at 2,310 gp as a level 3 Merchant Lord, Calculate the price of the item at 15% off, bringing the items price down to 1963 gold pieces and 5 silver pieces. Alternatively, when selling a +1 longsword for 1,155 gp gold pieces, increase the amount of gold gained by 15%. Thus, you get paid 1,328 gold pieces (and 2 silver and 5 copper) instead of the usual 1,155 gold pieces for selling it.
Catch Off Guard: Warning: Some goods in the merchants hands will be exposed to rough handling in emergencies…
At 1st level, A Merchant Lord is well aware of how valuable a brass statuette can be over the lack of a club, or a sturdy wood carved broom over the lack of a Bo Staff. As such, they gain the feat Catch Off Guard as a bonus feat.
Contacts in Reach (Ex): Who says having friends in low places doesn't help?
At 2nd level a merchant lord has a steady source of petty cash and can quickly procure even extravagant items with little trouble. The merchant lord gets 100 gp x their ranks in Appraise per session which can only be spent for mundane things, such as bribes, living expenses (such as inn stays and meals), transportation (such as renting carriages or paying passage on a ship), or spell-casting services (such as paying to be healed at a temple). This represents the merchant lord's ability to call in minor favors, run lines of credit, and so forth. Money not used in this way at the end of the session is lost, and the pool refreshes during the next session.
Additionally, the merchant can call in favors or wheel and deal to acquire valuable possessions for various lengths of time. The merchant lord gains gets 1,000 gp x their ranks in Appraise worth of additional equipment or possessions. The merchant can reselect new equipment if given a week to reallocate the wealth as long as the new value of the items are within this limit, representing him getting his deals in order. If the merchant sells any of the items he acquires in this way, the item's cost still counts against the gold piece limit of this ability until the merchant pays it back.
Example: A merchant lord with 10 ranks in Appraise (10th Character Level) can have up to 10,000 gp worth of extra possessions. The merchant lord might use this to purchase some extra magic items which he holds on him, only to later find that he needs a sailing ship for his party (which costs 10,000 gp) so he trades in these items and gets a ship instead. Later he sells the ship to pay for a ransom of a fellow party member, and no longer has his 10,000 gp worth of additional gear until he pays it back out of his own pocket.
Throw anything:Which do you think will make a harder impact, a carved sling pebble, or the salt and pepper shaker that's suppose to be sold to the high town nobles?
At 3rd Level, when becoming more familiar with their wares that they deliver and purchase, they can gauge how much heavier a pebble, or a paper weight, is by feel and eye alone. From this experience, they gain the Throw Anything feat.
Merchandise aptitude (Su): The longer you trade with an item, the more you know about it…
At 3rd level, it becomes certain that they attain higher antiquity, and familiarity, with wares they trade with, than what any ordinary adventurer would have familiarity with. To begin, they must spend 24 hours with a magic item they wish to be familiar with and roll an appraise check equal to DC 10 + the Caster level of the magic item. If successful, they gain a bonus to their use magic device check with that one object equal to half your ranks in appraise as an untyped bonus. This can be done onto one magic item per merchant level you possess.
Space For Everything (Su): With carrying goods and containers, a good profiteer finds every way to organize his things…
At 4th level, A Merchant Lord becomes a wizard at packing spaces to the limit, and beyond, so all his needed items and wares become all the more easily accessible, as well as making more room where others see no space for it. When carrying a handy haversack, bag of holding, or any other form of carrying item on their person, they may add their Merchants Cunning percentage bonus to how much more space your object can hold, and how much more weight they can carry with their current strength score. If their bag of holding, handy haversack, or other form of carrying item in question is given to anyone else, they do not gain the same bonus. Instead, all objects within that were fitted into the item in question become dumped out.
Supply and Demand (Ex): You have no idea the labor involved in my kind of work…
At 5th level, There are times when a Merchant Lord has a high understanding and capability of buying and selling goods at a level most others would never be able to reach in efficiency and profit. A merchant lord may now apply their merchants apptitude to the percentage to any business they own in terms of profiting and efficiency that comes from it.
Example: You own a Small business that grants one the ability to gain 10% income from their business per week. With 25% increase from a level 5 merchant lord, they may be able to attain 35% from a small income business instead.
Improvised weapon mastery:The most dangerous thing about a high chair is how deadly it is to a Merchant Lords hands…
At 5th level, A Merchant Lord is capable of looking into how more dangerous a mere common table lamp can be, or the proper way of using a letter opener no other person can. Because of this, the Merchant Lord grants Improvised Weapon Mastery as a bonus feat.
Harsh Appraisal (Su): When they say number crunching is painless, they never met a merchant lord.
At 5th level, the merchant lord finds the true value in everything, unlocking magical abilities latent in all things. The merchant lord treats any improvised weapon he wields as having an enhancement bonus equal to 1/4 his ranks in appraise (+1 at 4 ranks, +2 at 8 ranks, +3 at 12 ranks, etc). These enhancements can be applied to hit and damage, or may be substituted for equivalent weapon enhancements (so a merchant lord with 8 ranks in Appraise could have a +2 chair leg or a +1 flaming chair leg). The improvised weapons revert to their usual state if wielded by anyone other than the merchant lord or after 1 round away from the merchant lord (in the case of throwing weapons).
Level 0
Detect magic, Detect poison, Know Direction, Mage Hand, Mending, Message, Read Magic
Level 1
Alarm, Ant Haul, Comprehend languages, Crafter's fortune, Endure elements, Erase, Make Whole, Mount, Unseen servant
Level 2
Arcane Lock, Retrieve Item, Share Language, Locate Object, Communal Endure Elements, Misdirection, Bestow Weapon Proficiency
Level 3
Explosive runes, Phantom steed, Tongues, Glibness, Illusory script, Secret Page, Shrink Item


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Covers made of supple leather-like material bonded to heavyweight chipboard, blind deboss imprint with metal corners for a polished look. 100 sheets of 60 Lb. white offset with light gray rules printed on both sides. For 1000+ orders, No extra charge for logo in one standard color on front of each sheet with rules on back, or 2 colors printed one side with blank back. Wire-O bound on left side in black, pewter, or white. Choice of stock inside sheets – graph, ruled, blank. 6 1/2″ W x 8 1/2″ H
Setup charge: $55.00
Price includes: One color logo or text decorated in one location, embroidery limitations apply.
Packaging: Shrink-Wrapped 5 Per Package.

subset: commoncrawl


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Despite the fact that kettlebells and bodyweight workouts might win the gym popularity contest right now, fitness pros agree: Not only are exercise machines totally fine to use, they might be especially helpful if you're new to working out.
"It's true that if you're using free weights you have to recruit so many stabilizing muscles," says Shannon Fable, certified trainer and programming director for Anytime Fitness. "But when you're getting started, using selectorized equipment (the machines with weighted plates) and just learning the movement pattern is OK."
Another bonus: "If you haven't got full strength, or balance, or full range of motion, machines are much safer," says Stuart Munro, certified personal trainer for the New York Health and Racquet Club.
For those who have been on a gym hiatus or are gaining back strength post-injury, weight machines are an easy way to get back in the game—without the risk of dropping anything heavy on your foot, Munro says. And, as you've likely noticed, weight machines remove the guesswork since they usually have helpful how-to cards right on the machine.
With that in mind, here are the top machines the trainers we spoke with suggested. Each one will help you build strength and train your body to use the right muscles, so you can be on the leg press one day and do weighted squats with perfect form the next. (And if you want trainer-led workouts to take with you to the gym, check out Aaptiv).
1. Horizontal Seated Leg Press
What you're working: quads, glutes, hamstrings, calves
Why it's worth it: All of the trainers we spoke with agreed this was their go-to lower-body machine. "If people use this with correct technique, it can help you move toward squats off the machine," Munro says.
2. Lat Pull-Down
What you're working: latissimus dorsi ("broadest muscle of the back"), shoulder girdle
Why it's worth it: If you're interested in ever doing a pull-up, this is a great place to start. You'll build your back muscles and start activating the entire posterior chain. "Beginners can start with an under grasp (palms facing you), which uses more biceps and tends to be a little easier," Munro says. You can also bring your hands closer together, or spread them farther apart (so your arms make a "V" shape) to make the move more challenging.
If your gym doesn't have a lat pull-down machine or you don't feel comfortable using it, you can also hit your back muscles performing a reverse pec deck fly or a seated cable row.
3. Cable Biceps Bar
What you're working: biceps
Why it's worth it: "These are great for avoiding the swinging that happens with dumbbells," says Rachel Mariotti, certified trainer and Precision Running coach for Equinox. As with all of these movements, you'll get the most out of it when you slowly raise and lower the weight. The cable here helps force you to do that.
4. Cable Triceps Bar (or Triceps Pushdown)
What you're working: triceps
Why it's worth it: Like the lat pull-down or the cable biceps bar, you can switch the grip here—using a straight bar, V-bar, or even a rope—to help keep this move varied. Building strong triceps are uber important for push-ups, pull-ups, and for maintaining balanced strength in you arms.
5. Chest Press
What you're working: chest, biceps, triceps
Why it's worth it: "The chest press machine is a similar motion to a push-up," Munro says. If you're new to working out, building up your chest, biceps, and even your triceps will all be helpful for more compound movements later on.
6. Hanging Leg Raise
What you're working: core, hip flexors
Why it's worth it: "This is easy to operate and a great way to work your abs by propping up on your forearms and simply lifting—not swinging—your legs up," Mariotti says.
7. Cardio: Rowing Machine
What you're working: total body, particularly the posterior chain, and building cardio endurance
Why it's worth it: While there's nothing wrong with a treadmill, the rowing machine can be a great way to change things up, Mariotti says. "It's got the upper body and lower body aspect of resistance training and will help balance the whole hunch-forward-from-sitting-at-computers," Munro adds. Learn more about how to use all these machines and get trainer-led workouts here.
Special thanks to our model, certified trainer and Precision Running coach Rachel Mariotti. Rachel wears her own Nike top and RYU pants. Shot on location at Equinox at Brookfield Place in New York City.
Just a heads up that on occasion we partner with awesome brands to bring you products that we know you'll love and, if by chance you click on a link and purchase it, we may collect a referral fee as a result. But don't worry, it doesn't cost you anything extra and we wouldn't recommend a product if we didn't love it as much as we love puppies.


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American Bach Soloists Take Intimate View of Bach Oratorios
April 26, 2016
The great J.S. Bach (1685-1750) only deemed three of his large-scale liturgical compositions worthy of the title of 'oratorio' and it was not without a sense of pride that the American Bach Soloists announced that, after the Christmas Oratorio last December, the ensemble would complete the entire trifecta this season.
It did so with the performance of Bach's Easter and Ascension Oratorios last weekend, in a concert that was perfectly themed for this Eastertide - the 50 days between Easter and Pentecost, which includes Ascension Thursday, 40 days after Easter.
The festive and brilliantly executed program was completed by two thematically connected cantatas by Bach contemporaries Dietrich Buxtehude (c. 1637-1707) and Johann Kuhnau (1660-1722). Buxtehude's Heut triumphieret Gottes Sohn (Today God's son triumphs) is an upbeat celebration of Christ's victory over the cross, and in Ihr Himmel jubiliert von oben (Your heaven rejoices from on high), the composer describes how heaven rejoices at the imminent arrival of Jesus.
Both Bach oratorios and the cantatas are written for chorus, vocal soloists, plus a full orchestral complement of strings, woodwinds, trumpets, and timpani. In spite of these relatively massive early-music forces, Music Director Jeffrey Thomas managed to create several moments of deep intimacy during the evening.
One of these remarkable moments occurred during Bach's Easter Oratorio (BWV 249), in the aria "Seele, deine Spezereien" (O soul, your spices), where a gorgeous flute solo, eloquently played by Sandra Miller, intertwined beautifully with soprano Clara Rottsolk's clear voice over a simple, punctuated accompaniment of the continuo (cello, violone, organ). Jeffrey Thomas' already succinct style of conducting came to a complete standstill and he just allowed things to unfold in their own splendid way.
Prominently featured among the vocal soloists was countertenor Eric Jurenas who demonstrated why he is the recipient of the 2017 Jeffrey Thomas Award. The award consists of a cash prize and an invitation to perform with ABS and is given annually "to recognize and encourage young leaders within the Early Music community."
Jurenas' performance, although initially somewhat uneven, peaked in the Kuhnau cantata after intermission, where he soloed in two recitatives and the aria "Jesu, wenn ich dich nur habe" (Jesus, if I only have you), and created one of the other intimate moments of the concert, together with bass-baritone Joshua Copeland (who also had an excellent evening) in the duet "Hilf mir es, Jesu, auch vollbringen" (Help me, Jesus, to also accomplish).
One of tenor Zachary Wilder's highlights of the concert, and yet another moment of great intimacy, was his aria "Sanfte soll mein Todeskummer" (Gentle shall my sorrow be), meandering tenderly above a murmur of strings and recorders in Bach's Easter Oratorio.
The singers and instrumentalists of the ABS Choir and Orchestra were, as always, magnificent. There are simply not enough superlatives to adequately describe their mastery and musicianship, and do justice to their dedication and artistry.


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Cured Greek Olives on Flaky Pastry Crust with Carmellized Onions and Herbs.
50mm 1.4 Sony. Handheld.
I tend to write about the big, exciting event shoots because I perceive that it's what you want to read about, but my favorite shoots are the kind where I drop into a business or a project and try to capture the essence of the people, the space and the products in a less frantic and more measured pace. So today I thought I'd write about one of my favorite shoots from the last quarter, my website project for the Spa at The Lake, here in Austin, Texas.
I did this job before I acquired the a99 and, in looking back I am almost surprised a what a proficient and transparent tool the a77 cameras have turned out to be. For this job I packed simply. A bag of cameras and a bag of small, LED panels that run off batteries. I packed two Sony a77's, the Sigma 10-20mm lens, the 16-50mm Sony lens, the 50mm 1.4 Sony lens and the 85mm 2.8 Sony lens. Three small Manfrotto micro light stands and my wooden, Berlebach tripod.
We worked on a cold Sunday. We choose that day as one on which the Spa was least busy. I worked without an assistant but with a very bright art director. We did the whole shoot as a stream of conscious exercise. We knew we'd need a frame work of shots, the "must haves" but we kept our eyes constantly moving; looking for nuance and new angles. Because in projects about beauty and brands every detail tells part of the story.
Cucumber Infused Mineral Water. 85mm
A great example is something as simple as the jug of water above. I saw it and immediately cleared clutter out from behind it. The jug is lit solely by direct sun. No reflectors or diffusers. And it's one of my favorite shots. I like it even more since I tasted the water. The infusion of cucumber is subtle but so refreshing. I can taste it now whenever I see this image.
Dressing Rooms. 16-50mm
Part of the assignment was to document all of the facilities. Interior architecture with and without people. The dressing room shot is simple. I like the inclusion of the blue towels on the orange stool. We used all three of the LED panels to make the shot. The setup took just a few minutes because we could gauge light placement so quickly with the continuous light sources. The lights were the Fotodiox 312AS panels that I've written about so often.
Olive Pastry from the Artisanal Bistro. 50mm 1.4
The Spa at the Lake is located in a shopping center just off the entrance to the Lakeway community that sits next to Lake Travis. In the same shopping center is one of my favorite recent restaurant finds, The Artisanal Bistro (and bakery). The restaurant is run by and cooked for by a chef was professionally trained in France. The Spa's owner had our snacks and lunch catered by The Artisanal Bistro and it's probably the best food I've ever had in a shoot that wasn't directly engaged by a restaurant! I drove back out a few weeks later to have dinner there with Belinda and we are now officially addicted. Funny how the message of comfort and luxury ends up being reflected by all the little touches, like wonderful food or fresh flowers in all the treatment rooms.
Sony a77, 16-50mm
When I work with locations that have good natural light coming through the windows or really good interior lighting design and implementation I try to use the LED panels just to fill and reinforce the intention of the existing light. My goal in most advertising shots is to show off the product or the person and to make the lighting look as though it's all natural; even when I have two or three fixtures on at once. Having lights with changeable color temperatures and infinitely adjustable output levels makes it easy to use your eyes to carefully supplement what is already there.
Bread, Dates, Preserves and Cheeses. Craft Service Snack.
Yes, they did serve a very nice red wine with our afternoon snack. As the day went on we photographed women getting manicures, couples getting massages, people having their hair done and a number of spa treatments. In all I delivered about 24 set ups with people in the spaces and about 10 nice details that we just grabbed as we went along during the day.
A Bit of Hair Craft Before the Final Photographs.
The image above was done in one of the massage rooms and we were able to mix LED panels with the existing incandescent lights almost seamlessly. The image was shot at ISO 160 with the 16-50mm lens at f4. The shutter speed was down around and 1/8th of a second but it didn't matter, this was hardly and "action" shot.
A Post-Massage Glass of White Wine overlooking the Hill Country.
The Spa has a beautiful deck with a sweeping view of one of Austin's nicest golf courses so we wanted to include exterior shots as well. I built a small softbox from the three LED panels and balanced the color temperature in order to add a bit of fill even outdoors in open sun. If we needed to control contrast even more I was ready to put up a large one stop diffuser between our model and the sunlight.
An Alternate Use for Cukes.
The Sony a77 gets a bad rap for having too much noise in high ISO situations. But it's not entirely true. The image just above, with the model and her cucumber eyes was shot at ISO 1600 but the LED panels, set at a color temperature of around 4400K seems to help keep noise out of the blue channel and decrease the overall appearance of chromatic noise. I wrote a blog many years ago talking about how little of the blue spectrum exists in incandescent light and how it causes cameras to over amplify the blue color channels to compensate for the deficiency. It's the amplification of the blue channel signals that causes the appearance of noise in digital files. That's why shooting a digital camera at high ISO's in bright daylight doesn't illicit the same noise effects as shooting in low light situations that are lit mostly by orangey-red light bulbs. In the old days we used to add corrective blue filters to our higher ISO shots. We'd lose a stop but gain back maybe two stops in noise control. When you did the math we were generally one stop better off than with an unfiltered light (82C).
Professional Photographers and Art Directors do break for lunch.
My most used tools in this project were the 16-50mm lens, the LED panels and the tripod. Everything else could have largely been interchanged with Canon or Nikon product and done just as well. But it wouldn't have been nearly as much fun. I just can't go back to the optical finders. Not enough feedback. Not enough information.
On another note my friend, Frank, met me for coffee yesterday and surprised me by pulling two really cool lenses out of his camera bag. He shoots with Olympus OMD EM-5 cameras and has all the cool prime lenses. Well, now he also has the two, new Panasonic zoom lenses that I consider the first truly professional zooms for mirrorless cameras, the 12-35 2.8 and the 35-100mm 2.8. He was indulgent and let me play with them for a while. I can only say that I wish it were possible to use these on the Sony Nex cameras. They cover the 24-70 and the 70-200 focal lengths that are the standard gear for most working photographers. But they do it in a fraction of the size and far less than half the weight of their full size competitors.
These lenses, coupled with the soft thump of the OMD shutter have me sitting on the fence. We'll see how my will power holds out. And we'll see if Sony ramps up production on some useful, professional lenses for the system. I'll give it a little while.
Have fun out there and don't forget to stop for a nice lunch.


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The trade left Miami with one less second round pick, but it gave them the best defensive player in the draft and a potentially elite pass rusher to go alongside Cameron Wake. Jordan constantly draws comparisons to Jason Taylor, so he has some pretty high expectations.
Today the Dolphins will have three picks to work with (barring a trade, which I expect will happen). Their picks are:
- Round 2, Pick 22 (54 overall)
- Round 3, Pick 15 (77)
- Round 3, Pick 20 (82)
There is still the very real possibility that Miami could swing a trade for offensive tackle Branden Albert. The Chiefs drafted tackle Eric Fisher with the first overall pick, so Albert is no longer their starting left tackle. I would be happy with Miami trading their second or one of their third round picks for him. Obviously I would prefer one of their thirds, but I don't know how realistic that is and I believe that Albert is worth the second simply because he is better than any other tackle that the Dolphins would be able to draft with that pick.
Let's say for the sake of this piece that Miami trades their second round pick for Branden Albert, which is what I think will ultimately happen. What then? My guess is they take the best available cornerback in the third round, and I'm thinking there will be some good ones left.
What about their other third, then? That's where it gets a little trickier, and I think it a lot will depend on if we trade Davone Bess by that point. If we do trade Bess then I think our move is a slot receiver, and specifically Texas A&M receiver Ryan Swope. I was wholly unimpressed by Swope as an outside receiver, but I think he could be a very good slot guy. Plus, he has the connection of playing college ball with Ryan Tannehill.
|Would be an adequate Bess replacement
If Miami doesn't trade Davone Bess then it is extremely hard to know what they will do. Maybe they draft another cornerback or maybe they just take the highest player left on their board. It is incredibly difficult to say.
We'll see what happens. I'm just as excited for the draft tonight as I was for last night. Miami is going to be adding a lot of new talent tonight.
Thanks for stopping by. Email me at firstname.lastname@example.com. I'm also on twitter @PaulDSmythe.


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On Nov 10 2015 NYS Attorney General Eric Schneiderman announced that his had issued a cease and desist order to Fan Duel and Draft Kings, the two largest operator of Daily Fantasy Sports. He gave them five days to voluntarily close, which they did not do. The November 10 order got much notice in the NY papers, with an editorial in the NY Times essentially supporting it, though talking about "strict regulation." The Daily News had a 2-page news article and an editorial saying that the AG is correct, plus an op-ed. The news article had a sidebar by the writer of this post.. The Post had a front page article, though their editorial took issue with the AG's action.
The Times article on Nov 11 provoked a flood of comments, most angry at the decision. Dissenters generally used one or more of four basic arguments (1) skill is involved; so, it's not gambling (2) the NYS lottery holds a much higher proportion of users' losses than do DFS operators, yet the AG does not try to enjoin it (3) no one is being hurt by participation (4) the AG wants to get money for the state by imposing regulation.
My comments on these comments:
"Skill" certainly determines success, but relatively few participants have that skill, It lets them exploit the vast majority. As the AG memo below says, this is still gambling. Take a few minutes to watch TV satirist John Oliver on this. A recent lawsuit in Alabama gives a another useful perspective on gambling.
The NYS Lottery is an abomination, but it is technically legal with enough seniority in that status that even I can't fault the AG for not now going after every aspect of it. The floridly illegal aspects, like hybrid table games with physical dice, I do wish he would challenge.
Full-blown cases of gambling addiction already spawned by DFS are not numerous, are still largely hearsay to my ears. It is still early. Yet the exploitation of "fish" (less expert participants) by "sharks" with their computer routines is no less predatory than the behavior of a casino or a state lottery. It's just that in DFS there are two types of predator, not one. Besides the operator there are the sharks. The ad blitz of the last few months is meant to recruit millions of fish by deceptive advertising.
To the fourth argument I would reply that the AG has not proposed to regulate DFS. He has said they are illegal and should stop operating in NYS. Devising regulations to legalize is not his job. His motivation is to protect New York's people from being exploited by illegal gambling and to enforce existing regulations. It is up to the legislature to regulate.
Daily Fantasy Sports herniated through a loophole in the 2006 Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act and should be surgically reduced. It is a strong bridge to two activities that are at this time illegal in New York State and in most jurisdictions in this country: internet gambling not on sports, such as i-poker or internet casino "games" and betting on sports. The bridge could reach further, to the gambling entrepreneurs' promised land of legalized internet betting on sports. DFS should not be "regulated." It should stay illegal.
Below is a forwarded message from the AG to the public and press, a strong summary.
If you read this post, please send a comment to the AG to counter the pickets and telephone chains of complaint his office has been dealing with from DFS partisans.
Click here for a link to the AG's office
Below is a press release from the AG dated November 17. On Nov 19 Mr. Schneiderman had an op-ed in the Daily News that complements the press release. Either is a great source for writing a letter to the editor of a paper near to you.
News from Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman
November 17, 2015
New York City Press Office / 212-416-8060
Albany Press Office / 518-776-2427
Twitter: AGSchneiderman
NEW YORK—Attorney General Eric Schneiderman filed an enforcement action this morning in New York State Supreme Court in the County of New York, seeking a preliminary injunction against DraftKings and FanDuel. The Attorney General's suit details alleged violations of law by DraftKings and FanDuel.
The Attorney General's memorandum of law and complaint against DraftKings can be found here and here. A copy of the memorandum of law and complaint against FanDuel can be found here and here.
The following are excerpts of the memorandum of law filed by the Office of the Attorney General:
- The New York State Constitution has prohibited bookmaking and other forms of sports gambling since 1894. Under New York law, a wager constitutes gambling when it depends on either a (1) "future contingent event not under [the bettor's] control or influence" or (2) "contest of chance." So-called Daily Fantasy Sports ("DFS") wagers fit squarely in both these definitions, though by meeting just one of the two definitions DFS would be considered gambling. DFS is nothing more than a rebranding of sports betting. It is plainly illegal.
- Yet FanDuel and DraftKings insist that DFS is not gambling because it involves skill. But this argument fails for two clear reasons. First, this view overlooks the explicit prohibition against wagering on future contingent events, a statutory test that requires no judgment of the relative importance of skill and chance—they are irrelevant to the question. Second, the key factor establishing a game of skill is not the presence of skill, but the absence of a material element of chance. Here, chance plays just as much of a role (if not more) than it does in games like poker and blackjack. A few good players in a poker tournament may rise to the top based on their skill; but the game is still gambling. So is DFS.
- FanDuel and DraftKings' current denials about DFS constituting gambling are belied by how the sites depicted themselves in the past and how they portray themselves behind closed doors. FanDuel's DFS contests were designed by a veteran of the legal online betting industry in the United Kingdom, Nigel Eccles. The company admitted to an early investor that its target market is male sports fans who "cannot gamble online legally."
- DraftKings depicts itself to investors in a similar fashion. For example, in one investor presentation, DraftKings pitched itself to a prospective investor by noting the "Global opportunity for online betting," pointing to the massive revenue of the "global online poker market," and making direct comparisons throughout the presentation to poker and sports wagering.
- The CEO of DraftKings previously spoke openly about DraftKings as a gambling company. He called DFS a "mash[-]up between poker and fantasy sports," suggested that DraftKings operates in the "gambling space," and described its revenue model as "identical to a casino."
- The rejection of the gambling label by the DFS sites is particularly hard to square with the overt strategy of recruiting gamblers. For FanDuel, this has meant hiring a former top executive from Full Tilt, the online poker company, and affiliating with gambling industry stalwarts like "Vegas Insider" and BetVega, a sports betting and handicapping website. For DraftKings, this has meant aligning itself closely and negotiating sponsorships with other gambling ventures, like the World Series of Poker and the Belmont Stakes.
- DraftKings has also embedded gambling keywords into the programming code for its website. Some of these keywords include "'fantasy golf betting,'' "weekly fantasy basketball betting," ''weekly fantasy hockey betting," "weekly fantasy football betting," "weekly fantasy college football betting," "weekly fantasy college basketball betting," "Fantasy College Football Betting," "daily fantasy basketball betting," and "Fantasy College Basketball Betting." This increases the likelihood that search engines, like Google, will send users looking for gambling straight to the DraftKings site.
- FanDuel's advertisements commonly showcase testimonials from ostensibly ordinary DFS players (g.,"Zack from Fairfield, California"), and play up the ease of playing and of winning huge cash prizes…The reality is that like poker, blackjack, and horseracing, a small percentage of professional gamblers use research, software, and large bankrolls to extract a disproportionate share of DFS jackpots. With poker and DFS, professional players, known as "sharks," profit at the expense of casual players, known as "minnows." The numbers show that the vast majority of players are net losers, losing far more money playing on the sites than they win. DraftKings data show that 89.3% of DFS players had an overall negative return on investment across 2013 and 2014.
- While irresponsibly denying their status as gambling companies, the DFS Sites pose precisely the same risks to New York residents that New York's anti-gambling laws were intended to avoid. Experts in gambling addiction and other compulsive behaviors have identified DFS as a serious and growing threat to people at risk for, or already struggling with, gambling-related illnesses.
- Jeffrey L. Derevensky, Director of the International Centre for Youth Gambling Problems and High-Risk Behavior at McGill University, notes that, among other things, false or misleading representations of the skill involved in DFS "can lead players to a preoccupation with DFS, chasing of losses, and developing symptoms and behaviors associated with a gambling disorder."
The illustration reproduces a painting by Tiepolo with a timeless theme. The opinions expressed in this post, aside from the quote by the AG's office, are entirely those of the editor, Stephen Q. Shafer and do not necessarily reflect those of any or all other members of Coalition Against Gambling in New York. Permission to reproduce in full or in part is hereby granted on condition that the permalink above is cited.


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I am very much interested to know about the different treatments and disease conditions etc.. so I used to read many article in the net, recently I have gone through Protein urea and found Foamy urine can be an early symptoms of the same. So started observing same and find that most of the time my urine is foamy, most time the foam or bubble disappears in few second to 5 min, many time urine is colorless and I tried to reduce the urinating force.
I did spot urine check up the result is 20mg/l of protein and creatinine is 547 mg/L protein to creatinine ratio is normal, it is .03:1 and no blood cells or any other abnormality like sugar, cast or crystals is observed other than faint trace of albumin. my serum creatinine is 0.8 and HBA1c is 6.1 and fasting glucose is 95. My Blood pressure is in the range of 110/70 to 140/100, as I have taken different measurements at different time in different days and it falls in the above range. I took an ultra sound and find that my kidneys are normal in size and no abnormality is found. I have elevated LDL ( Fasting) = 172. And I am obese height 164cm and weight 86 kg.
I consulted nephrologist they told that I am fine and as my BP in good control and PCR is normal so no need to worry, and I have been given statine and medicine to reduce BP.
But I found I am tensed due to the foamy urine as I am tensed my Bp elevated to 140/100 some time. I request to help me to understand about the foamy urine.


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No Conversion Left Behind: Why National Brands are Shifting Dollars to Local
December 19, 2016
It's expected that businesses are going to spend $15 billion per year on mobile, location-based advertising by 2018. While smaller businesses are expected to increase their local marketing budget by 8% from 2013 to 2018, it's national brands that are making the biggest shift to local with an estimated 37% increase from 2013 to 2018.
It almost seems counter-intuitive for a brand to grow from a small idea to a powerful enterprise only to focus in on smaller customer bases in their marketing. But hyper-targeted advertising is becoming more prevalent among big and small brands alike. Why? Consumers have come to expect a personalized marketing experience. Consider the statistics below:
- 66% of people want ads customized to their location.
- Only 16% of brands don't do any store localization at all.
- In local search, national brands are showing less often than small business in 4 out of the 5 tested industries.
- 70% of national brands have invested heavily in local marketing.
As consumers continue to expect personalization and relevancy, local marketing will likely be one of the key factors in determining the success of a brand. Though local marketing requires more resources to implement — especially in the beginning — it's ultimately what makes advertising more relevant to the consumer.
By focusing on relevancy to the customer, national brands are able to drive a higher ROI per dollar and are ultimately seeing better results in the process.
What can be gained from local marketing?
Particularly for enterprise and national brands, local marketing can require a higher level of problem-solving compared to generic, national ads. But the payoff for doing so can be huge, largely because local searchers are often the most likely to take action.
When an online user conducts a search for a local brand, product, or service, they are usually doing so because they are ready to visit the store and make a purchase. Consumers who conduct a local search — especially on their phone — are some of the most motivated buyers out there:
- 78% of local mobile searches result in offline purchases.
- Half of all mobile searches are performed in the hopes of discovering local results and more than 60% of those lead to a purchase.
- 50% of consumers who conducted a local search on their smartphone visited a store within a day.
- 18% of local searches on smartphones lead to a purchase within a day (compared to 7% of non-local searches).
- 4 in 5 consumers want ads customized to their city, zip code, or immediate surroundings.
Brands that are most effective at local marketing are able to successfully capture these users' attention when they're most interested, and they provide the user a clear path to becoming a customer.
Example: Big brands Extra Space Storage & Public Storage consistently rank well in their local markets
Extra Space Storage has more than 1,400 facilities nationwide and Public Storage has more than 2,200 facilities nationwide. They are the two largest brands in the self storage industry, and they have each devoted large portions of their budgets to localize their efforts.
A 2015 study compared national brands and small businesses in Google's Local Stack across seven industries. In 6 out of the 7 industries, small businesses dominated the Local Stack and national brands were rarely placed in the top three spots. Self storage was the industry that bucked the trend thanks to the local marketing efforts of Extra Space Storage and Public Storage.
Both brands have managed to have:
- Moz Local Scores consistently in the 80s or 90s
- Domain Authority scores consistently near 70
- NAP (name, address, phone number) listed on all major citation directories
- Positive reviews for each of their locations
These factors allow them to consistently rank well in online local searches, which is certainly a contributing factor in their revenue of $782.3 million (Extra Space Storage) and $2.3 billion (Public Storage).
Extra Space also implements a variety of hyper-targeted marketing tactics. They adjust bids and ads across channels based on the customer's device, location, and time of day. Some of their local marketing strategies include:
- Using location-based solutions to show users where the nearest facility is in the ad, which boosted ROI by 184% and increased click-through rate by 77%.
- Targeting mobile users within a given radius of a facility, which boosted ROI by 269% and increased conversions by 234%.
According to Scott Jensen, the senior director of interactive marketing, "Digital marketing allows us to operate on a local, neighborhood level, considering the needs of individual communities, yet do things at a much greater scale."
How enterprise brands can reap the benefits of local marketing
Local search marketing can be trickier for enterprise brands with 50 to 1,000 storefronts. But with organic search, social media advertising, paid local search, and display advertising tactics, big brands can still dominate local marketing. Some of these tactics include:
- Localize creative marketing, search ads, and online landing pages. This can be as simple as updating the location based on your target customer base and as complex as creating separate landing pages with unique title and meta tags, appropriate Schema, photos, Google Local Map, and an optimized URL.
- Automate paid search campaigns across all locations. Set individual budgets for each storefront that reflect the market and your business' goals. This step will go a long way in maximizing your local marketing ROI while minimizing the effort to do so.
- Try display advertising to hyper-target customers by interests and geography. Location isn't the only factor you can use to hyper-target your customers. Paid search and social media advertising both allow you to target customers by factors like age, gender, interests, and more.
- Be proactive about your links, citations, and reviews online. Ever since Google's Local Pack shrunk from 7 results to 3, these factors will be some of the most important for small businesses and national brands alike. Identify store locations that need more links, updated citations, and online reviews.
- Build citations around the internet and clean up all existing citations. Focus on NAP (name, address, phone number) and aim for high-authority websites like Google+, Bing Local, Foursquare, and Yelp. Add new listings, clean up duplicates, and verify that all citations are accurate.
- Ensure that your store locator and store locator results pages are mobile-friendly. Mobile customers will likely be looking for these pages, so make them easy to find and easy to use on a mobile device.
- Consider social media advertising to tailor specific messages to local demographics. With hundreds of thousands of targeting combinations and 89% reach accuracy (compared to the average online reach of 38%) for narrowly target campaigns, Facebook provides an unmatched ability to unite customers with the brands they are most likely to shop.
A key step for succeeding in local: Test your metrics
Testing is a critical step in any marketing plan, and it is particularly important in local efforts. Many users conduct searches on their phone and then visit the physical location to make a purchase, which doesn't provide a definite connection for data-loving marketers.
To measure the effectiveness of local marketing efforts:
- Measure conversion rates of non-sales calls to action. When measuring the conversion rates of local searchers on your website, remember to look at the rates for smaller calls to action, including links like "Find a Store," "Contact Us," and "Phone Calls." Concentrate on the full process of customer acquisition to identify pages with low conversion rates and to view the full customer cycle for mobile users.
- Measure ROI with a variety of metrics. It can be all too easy to look at sales as your only metric for measuring ROI. Instead, try creating a waterfall flow of consumer behavior to determine ROI. Look at impressions, clicks, store visits, in-store conversion rates, and average order size to more accurately estimate the success of your local marketing efforts.
Local marketing can lead to better results with fewer wasted dollars
Hyper-targeted marketing with a local context is much more relevant to the consumer than generic, nationwide advertising. Especially on mobile devices, where highly motivated customers expect to see customized content, localized marketing can lead to a drastically higher ROI — even for brands with hundreds or thousands of storefronts.
Brands who implement hyper-targeted marketing efforts are seeing better results with fewer wasted dollars, especially when they use tools to quickly launch 10,000 micro-relevant campaigns.
Paid search software can improve your KPIs, remove 90% of manual tasks, launch tens of thousands of powerful digital campaigns, and increase Adwords Quality Scores by up to 35%. That's not to mention the ROI these efforts will have for your business.
The most successful national brands recognize the importance of thinking local in their marketing. By localizing your creative marketing, paid search ads, and landing pages and by targeting customers through display advertising, your brand can drive a higher ROI per dollar.


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As we get closer and closer to mid-July I start to panic a little; before we know it, it will be the end of August, September will be here and then shorty after that….. the snow. I've lived in Canada my entire life and I'm still not used to these cold, cold winter months which is why I try to get outside as much as I can in the summer. I love taking a walk in the park with the hubby on a nice sunny day, then heading to the patio for some nachos and drinks; nothing screams summer like drinks outdoors. This is just what Derek and I did today, nothing fancy, just some one on one time with each other and the great outdoors. Of course no day would be complete for us without a trip to the mall to do a little shopping. I found some great deals, got some new shirts, few pairs of pants, new pair of heels and some accessories. I swear we can't hang out with each other without doing a little shopping… I think we both have a problem?
What are your favourite activities to do in the summer?
Dress- Winners- $20- Feb 2013
Necklace- H&M- $13- July 2012
Watch- Guess- Gift from hubby
Bracelet- Forever 21- $13- March 2012
Shoes- Spring- $30- June 2012


text: Kita goes on a hot date. Pick her up and head to smoke shisha, then off to the hotel room for a no limits fuck! Kita almost gets an entire fist up her gaping asshole, then her dilated rectum is filled with a slick bareback cock. Kita loves the alternating of a cock and hand in her willing ass. Kita lays on her back missionary and is railed hard. Her asshole gapes while she strokes and cums all over herself. Kita's ass stays open for a deep breeding then pushing the sperm out of her puffy Ladyboy hole. After fuckfest is over spend time with Kita in the shower then get dressed to head back outside with this wonderful dickgirl. Kita is truly the best of both worlds.Show me MORE Amateur GFs


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This is a guest post by Avantika Saxena
Messi may be the greatest footballer in the world, but he still has a coach. So is the case for stock investors – traditionally, newbie investors seek mentors to taste success. But thanks to some incredibly resourceful online tools, anyone could now become a stock market guru.
Here are five must-have online tools for driving success in the stock market.
Seeking Alpha
Seeking Alpha is an investment information platform crowdsourcing stock market insights from investors and industry experts.
Seeking Alpha serves as the social media platform for investor opinions featuring articles on their website and app. Individual contributors share their own financial analysis predicting future stock returns and earning surprises.
The views expressed in the articles along with other online resources could help you predict future stock market behavior and reduce the risks involved in trading.
A disruptive new tool, Stockal, provides valuable investment tips after combining information from thousands of online resources through big data analysis and artificial intelligence. With Stockal app installed on your mobile phone, all other stock newsletters, tips and advisory subscriptions become redundant.
Stockal is an app only service for now available for download on the App Store and Android Store.
Motely Fool
Motely Fool is an organization providing investment advice through comprehensive research of stock markets.
While Seeking Alpha gives you insights from the buy side of the market, Motely Fool provides research-backed advice from the sell side. You can either log on to their website fool.com or get financial advice through their mobile app.
StockTwits has emerged as a major social networking platform for stock markets. Their growing community of investors and traders can help you make the big investment decisions.
StockTwits was designed to be like the Twitter for stock trading. But might we say that it has grown to be also like LinkedIn and Facebook for stock investors. You can join the Stocktwits community through their website or app.
News breaks first on Twitter. Smart stock investors use the popular social networking site to stay on updated with the market. Twitter allows you to do simple things like connecting with other investors and learning from their mistakes and success.
You could also use tools like socialmention.com and Warble alerts for real time stock market chatter on Twitter.
Hope these online websites and apps help you rise above the average investor mindset and become a market guru
Disclaimer: This is a Guest post. The statements, opinions and data contained in these publications are solely those of the individual authors and contributors and not of iamwire and the editor(s).


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Qualifications: BDS Bristol 1981
GDC registration number: 55911
Data protection number: Z9065365
Mr Collard joined the practice in 1985. His interests include travel and keeping fit. He does not work on a Wednesday. He is married and lives near Bristol.
Qualifications: BDS Bristol 1983
GDC registration number: 57607
Data protection number: Z8106131
CQC service provider: ID 1-350103918
Mr Roberts joined the practice in 1998. He lives in Bristol with his wife. His hobbies include photography, music, small engineering and cars. He enjoys all aspects of dentistry. He now owns the practice with Mr Rautenbach.
Qualifications: B.Ch.D. Stellenbosch, South Africa 1983
GDC registration number: 57994
Data protection number: Z770362x
CQC service provider: ID 1-350272761
Mr Rautenbach joined the practice in 1986. He is originally from South Africa and qualified at the university of Stellenbosch near Capetown. He lives in Nailsea with his wife and four children. His interests include all outdoor activities and camping. His patients call him Rauti! He does not work on a Tuesday afternoon. He now owns the practice with Mr Roberts.
Mr Rautenbach can provide you with Cerec crowns and inlays.
Qualifications: CEB Cert. in Dental Hygiene
GDC registration number: 1480
Lyn joined our practice in October 2010. She works here all day on a Tuesday. She qualified at Guys hospital in 1977. Lyn has several pets including a dog, cat, rabbit and fish! Lyn has an active family and likes going to the coast!
Qualifications: Dip Dent Hygiene Brist 2007
GDC registration number: 113522
Having trained and worked as a dental nurse in Suffolk for 4 years, Hannah came to Bristol to study Dental Hygiene and qualified from Bristol Dental Hospital in 2007. Since her qualification, Hannah has worked in a variety of Dental Practices in and around Bristol. As a hygienist, Hannah gets the most satisfaction seeing the vast improvements in patients oral health when successfully treating periodontal disease with particular aim of helping nervous patients overcome their fear of treatment. Hannah manages her time between her hobbies such as upholstery & various other crafting, spending time with family & friends and working at Dental Care at Nailsea on Thursdays.
Qualifications: Dip Dent Hygiene
GDC registration no: 102884
Helen has been working local to the area after graduating in July 2006 from Newcastle University School of Dental Hygiene. Whilst studying Helen was awarded the General Dental Councils Prize for Professionalism as well as an in house merit from the Dean of the Dental school for her clinical work. Helen gets great rewards from working with her patients to improve their knowledge and understanding of periodontal disease.
When not at work Helen enjoys spending quality time with her young family, looking after her horse and playing hockey for Nailsea ladies.You can book in to see Helen for an appointment with us on Wednesday's.
We have 3 part-time receptionists – Karen, Sandra and Carolyn. All of our receptionists are friendly and approachable. They have many years of dental experience between them and are more than willing to help you with any queries you may have.
We have a team of 4 fully qualified nurses. They help the dentist and look after the surgery. They are all registered with the General Dental Council and undergo regular professional development. Sally and Verbena are also part of our reception team
Helen also job shares the role of Practice Manager with Wendy and acts as the Practice Marketing Manager, she joined the Practice in May 2000 and has a Dip.PM qualification
Qualifications: Dip.PM
Wendy joined our practice in June 2014 after almost 20 years experience as a dental manager in the Bristol area. She also acts as a consultant to other practices and is delighted to have joined the team at Nailsea. As complaints officer she will endeavour to address any problems that you may have.


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We are a company dedicated to bringing back the high quality 2-d RPG games that we all love and miss. Come join in on the fun! WE are currently looking for volunteer staff members.
Only registered members can share their thoughts. So come on! Join the community today (totally free - or sign in with your social account on the right) and join in the conversation.
This is just a little concept art. Its main purpose is to add some content so we aren't just a blank page. Enjoy!


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Didsbury Engineering approved Service Centre
Pro Tech complete comprehensive training course.
"On behalf of Robert, Conrad and myself I would like to thank you and show our appreciation for your full support, cooperation and assistance during our training course at Didsbury.
We would like to thank Steve Crone for delivering such an excellent and meticulous training program and professional method of approach which was fully understood and appreciated from us all.
I am strongly confident that my team is now more technically fulfilled and prepared with the necessary knowledge and technical experience.
We look forward to visit you again in the coming years for more course updates.
Let me know when you or any of your colleagues happen to visit Malta in the future so that we can show you our hospitality."
Best Regards
John - Managing Director -Pro Tech
Pro Tech are an approved Service Centre of Didsbury Engineering. Find out more about them here.


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Perfect for the youngest naturalist, Who Lives Here? is an engaging visual journey to the habitats of a variety of creatures. "I'm very tiny and I have a long beak, just right for drinking the nectar from flowers. What am I?" Inviting riddles introduce facts about each creature and invite children to guess which animal the clue is for. Lift-the-flaps reveal the answers. Includes a glossary with more information in the back of the book.
A member of the Society of Wildlife Artists and an illustrator for the London Zoo, Maggie Silver is the illustrator of many books for children including Nature Hide & Seek: Woods & Forests.


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PK Release Date : 19 December, 2014, Directed By Rajkumar Hirani Upcoming Bollywood Actress Anushka Sharma and Actors Aamir Khan, Sanjay Dutt, Sushant Singh Rajput HD Indian Movie Wallpapers Images pics. Latest Hero Heroine Hindi Picture Film Cinema Photo Gallery Download hdfinewallpapers.com provide total: 28 glorious superb PK Wallpapers.
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Reds v Crusaders, Super Rugby Final, Brisbane, July 9
Crusaders told to keep emotions in check
ESPNscrum Staff
July 8, 2011
Blackadder plots the Reds' downfall alongside assistants Daryl Gibson and Dave Hewett © Getty Images
Crusaders coach Todd Blackadder has warned his side that games are not "won on emotion" ahead of their eagerly-anticipated Super Rugby Final showdown with the Reds in Brisbane on Saturday.
The Crusaders have defied the odds to reach the season finale having played every game on the road in the wake of the earthquake that devastated their Christchurch home back in February. The plight of quake-tormented Cantabrians and the motivation their suffering provides his team has been a key topic as their unprecedented road trip reaches its conclusion, but Blackadder has demanded his players keep their emotions in check.
Blackadder said while the events of February 22 and the on-going trauma in Christchurch has been an effective rallying point the squad had to focus exclusively on preventing the Reds blighting what would be a remarkable achievement at the Suncorp Stadium.
"There's a lot of emotion and these games aren't won purely on emotion," warned Blackadder, who led the Crusaders to the first three of their seven championships. "That's (the earthquake) a motivation but we've got to be clinical when it comes to executing the game plan and delivering a performance on the field."
Veteran lock Brad Thorn's availability during in an otherwise closely monitored pre-match build-up was an astute move by the Crusaders management. The 36-year-old wears his heart on his sleeve and, as an adopted Queenslander, he also had empathy with the state's flood crisis in January and tomorrow is his Super Rugby swansong.
In the absence of Daniel Carter and Sonny Bill Williams he struck a chord though the All Blacks lock will be relieved to return to the second row and let the Crusaders' superstars emerge from a week of virtual anonymity.
Carter and Williams have been in seclusion since arriving from Cape Town. And now there could hardly be a more opportune time to do their talking on the pitch. Both will have to play decisive roles if the Crusaders are to upstage the Quade Cooper show in a much-anticipated sequel to the Reds' 17-16 victory on May 29.
Williams was surprisingly ineffectual against the screen constructed by the unheralded Ben Lucas and Ben Tapuai. His combination with Robbie Fruean looms as a critical offensive weapon when Cooper retreats to fullback as the Crusaders initiate a set piece.
Carter, meanwhile, has his own point to make now his game is constantly weighed up against Cooper, his heir-apparent as the code's premier playmaker. Their duel will be the second of five potential meetings in 2011 - the 28-year-old shaded his young pretender in game one, round 15, but it is the Tokoroa-born stepper that is attracting all the superlatives after mesmerising the Blues last weekend.
His goal kicking might currently be inferior to Carter's but there is no denying Cooper's ball playing can be breathtaking. Cooper has also maintained a low profile this week but there will be no disguising his impetuous nature alongside the clinical, calming influence of halfback Will Genia.
Despite the gravity of the occasion, Cooper vowed to persevere with his high-risk, ad-lib attacking game, setting the scene for a spectacle to rival the Wednesday's State of Origin rugby league decider.
"No changes will be made, that's how we've played all year. Our mindset is always to go out there and express ourselves. Where better to do it than in front of 50,000 people in a massive backyard?" he asked.
Reds coach Ewen McKenzie, a pragmatic prop in his playing days, was looking forward to Cooper's match-up with Carter. "Carter's influence on the game over time is probably without peer. Quade is doing it a different way and with different skills. He'll get there too. It will be fascinating to see who gets their game plan on the park in this final," he said.
Cooper's freedom of expression will be governed by the his forwards ability to lay a platform - one area where the Crusaders appear dominant. The Crusaders scrum made a statement against the buckling Stormers eight in Newlands last weekend; it is no secret a repeat performance and the ability to exploit a vulnerable Reds lineout underpin the Crusaders strategy to squeeze Cooper.
"We have to get the scrum, lineout and kicking right so he doesn't get time and space," captain Richie McCaw said. "He's like anyone, you put skills under pressure and mistakes come."
McCaw and Blackadder were forced to grit their teeth in the aftermath of a controversial by Australian referee Stuart Dickinson when the two sides met in May but the Crusaders skipper was more philosophical yesterday when asked if the outcome still gnawed away.
"It's disappointing, but you put that behind you because we have an opportunity to turn things around," he said. "I know the guys are pretty motivated, perhaps there's a wee bit of an edge there because we were tipped up here a few weeks ago."
© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
Communication error please reload the page.


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Oh, your're back and did you practise your iambic feet? If you don't do this, it is a bit like trying to play the piano when you don't know your scales. Today we're going to add a second line:
I always write my poems on my computer, but you can write them by hand also. A good idea is to keep Rhymezone open, so that you can find a good rhyming word:


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Evelyn Copelman (4 September 1919 – 10 January 2003) was the artist who illustrated the 1949 edition of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz for publisher Bobbs-Merrill. She was the first of the "second generation" of Oz artists, who produced new artistic interpretations of Oz stories and characters.
Bobbs-Merrill allowed the original version of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, with the artwork of W. W. Denslow, to pass out of print in 1944. Five years later, after the paper shortages of World War II had given way to the post-War economic boom, the publisher released a fresh edition of the book, with Copelman's pictures and with the title The New Wizard of Oz. This was the version that a generation of children in the 1950s knew firsthand.
The project was Copelman's first book illustration job. The publisher stated that Copelman's art was "adapted from the famous pictures by W. W. Denslow" — a false claim. Influence from the 1939 film is more easily detected in Copelman's work. In 1956 Copelman revised her artwork for an edition of Wizard released by Grosset & Dunlap.
Copelman also illustrated an edition of Baum's The Magical Monarch of Mo (1947). Later Evelyn Copelman Baker, she was a professional illustrator with many books to her credit. Curiously, she also provided graphic art for the 1953 Department of the Army Field Manual on the "155-mm Howitzer M1 Towed (FM6-81)." In the 1970s she left graphic art for a career in interior design. She died of heart failure in 2003.
Once Baum's book had passed out of copyright and into the public domain in 1956, other artists interpreted the book; in the half century that followed, dozens of new versions appeared.
- David L. Greene and Dick Martin. The Oz Scrapbook. New York, Random House, 1977
- L. Frank Baum. The Annotated Wizard of Oz, Michael Patrick Hearn, ed. New York, W. W. Norton, 2000.
- William Stillman. "The Lost Illustrator of Oz (and Mo)." The Baum Bugle, Vol. 40 No. 3 (Winter 1996).


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116 miles
10,800 feet of climbing
104 degrees in parts
70+% humidity
12 bottles of fluids that's a bottle every 10 miles
2 flats not mine his
One faulty back break 60 miles in - his
One step closer to Kona for my partner - the Kona bike ride will not be this hard and that's the point of the ride.
Big congrats to James at www.jameswalshracing.com he got engaged over the weekend. Two Ultra Running, Dog loving people.
Also huge congrats to Javier Gomez on his 70.3 World Championship victory. I am lucky enough to visit Javi in his home in Spain, his Spring training grounds in the Canary Islands and was there when he took Silver in London. He is obviously highly talented but he is also very gracious. He respects those who have come before him.
It's a good life.....


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Archive for July 2008
Republicans issue 2nd Amendment challenge to Democrats
The Missouri Republican Party is firing a shot across the bow … well … it's firing a shot, so to speak, over the recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling involving an individual's right to bear arms.
The High Court's ruling overturned a District of Columbia ban on individual ownership of guns and – in effect – guaranteed the rights of all Americans to own guns. Some Missouri Democrats were quick to issue press releases and e-mails expressing support for the decision. Those expressions of support came from Attorney General and gubernatorial candidate Jay Nixon, State Representative and Lieutenant Governor candidate Sam Page, and former Kansas City Mayor and congressional candidate Kay Barnes.
But the Republicans say they want to hear from other Democrats – especially those running this year. A press release from Missouri GOP Communications Director Tina Hervey states, "Missouri Democrats are invited to submit a press release detailing their position on the rights of Americans to keep and bear arms."
It's a "gotcha" challenge … with Hervey saying of those who have stated their views … and those who have said little: "This silence and unexpected support for the protection of Missourians' 2nd Amendment rights is shocking because it appears as if Democrats have abandoned their desire for stricter gun laws."
The challenge is actually a contest, of sorts. Tina wants Democratic candidates to send submissions to email@example.com.
I must admit something similar had crossed my mind in the wake of the Supreme Court ruling – not the contest … but the desire of some and the reluctance of others to express views on the subject. I noticed that the three main Democratic candidates for Attorney General had not issued press releases … nor had they – to my knowledge – commented publicly on the ruling. So, I contacted Chris Koster, Jeff Harris, and Margaret Donnelly to find out where they stood.
The first of the candidates I asked was Senator Chris Koster. His response: "When the founders wrote the Bill of Rights they didn't just throw the amendments up in the air and see where they landed. They put the right to bear arms second. The right to bear arms is fundamental. The Supreme Court recognized that right in the D.C, case and they made the correct decision. It benefits all Missourians and all Americans."
I next spoke to Representative Jeff Harris (back on July 2nd), who told me he had not had a chance to read or review the opinion, and had only read a brief summary. Harris' response: "To me the Court's ruling basically affirms what I think most people believed, which is that there is an individual right. That right is not unlimited."
I then heard from State Representative Margaret Donnelly who said, "I support the 2nd Amendment with certain common sense restrictions like background checks and waiting periods. And, I think that the Supreme Court decision has raised questions which I think will mean that we'll have future decisions giving us guidance as to whether states do have the right to enact these common sense restrictions like the background checks and the waiting periods."
When contacting each of the AG candidates I suggested their silence on the issue (at that time) might have something to do with the fact the gun rights issue is a "toxic" one for Democrats who face the task of having to appeal to many conservative Democrats in rural Missouri – supporters of gun rights … and many liberal Democrats in places like St. Louis – opponents of gun rights. All three rejected that assertion. But let's face it … few Republicans would have trouble shouting from the rooftops that the Supreme Court ruling was a victory … Such is not the case with Democrats – especially those in tight primary races.
– Steve Walsh
Dems eager, hungry for power, and finally organized
I was sitting at my desk earlier this week when Melissa Nitti from the Barack Obama campaign called to check on our coverage plans for Wednesday's Obama tour of rural Missouri. Before I had a chance to relay everything we planned on receiving from our affiliates, Melissa offered up a one on one interview with the man who might be the next President of the United States. No … not Bob Barr … but Barack Obama.
My conversation with Melissa gave her the chance to tell me the Obama campaign is hoping to make strides in many places in rural Missouri (which we had already been told). What was interesting is Melissa was aware of Missourinet's impact in these areas that are now being targeted by Democrats.
This was refreshing … not just because someone who is not from Missouri (Melissa is from Oregon originally but now lives in Southern California) has some knowledge of this state … but because – on a much larger scale – the Democratic Party at the national level has learned that the St. Louis Post-Dispatch and the Kansas City Star are not the only media outlets in the Show-Me State.
I thought to myself … they get it. The Democrats are coming around to the realization they already own Missouri's big cities … and that there are votes be mined in the rural areas … and most of the folks in those areas don't get their news from the Post-Dispatch and the Star. This is a big difference from elections past, with the Obama candidacy taking aim at many of those votes often ignored by Democrats. Brilliant!
Fast forward to Wednesday and Obama's I-44 trip from Springfield … through Rolla … and finally into Union for a barbecue. It was at this final event that I was to have my interview with Obama. The event was scheduled to get underway at 6 pm. At around 5:55 … the bus pulled up to where Obama emerged to wave at and shake hands with some of his supporters. He was joined by Senator Claire McCaskill and Secretary of State Robin Carnahan. Not that I want to make a big deal out of this … well, then again, of course I do … the bus was on time and the event could get underway on time!!! Some of the Democrats with whom I spoke at the event even joked that being organized was not their party's strong point.
Anyone who remembers John Kerry and John Edwards' campaign stop at the State Capitol in Jefferson City four years ago remembers waiting … and waiting … and waiting … and waiting. For that event and others it seemed as though Democrats were not inhibited by the need to be punctual. That ain't happening with Obama.
Anyway … I did my interview (as did Jo Mannies of the Post-Dispatch who was given a one on one, as well) … with no delays. In fact, Melissa and other organizers asked if I was ready to go early because Obama was ready. Impressed? You bet!
The Dems are hungry and want to take back the White House. And, not only is the guy at the top of the ticket organized and on time … he's determined to go into the belly of the beast – traditionally Republican strongholds – to push his message and to try to take as many GOP votes as he can. This by no means guarantees that in November Obama will carry Missouri … or even win the election. But it's impressive to see Democrats realizing that Missouri extends beyond the western border of St. Louis County and the eastern border of Jackson County.
– Steve Walsh
If not a Missourian … how about a former Missourian on the Dem presidential ticket?
There's a lot of buzz, this week, over presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama's choice as a running mate. And a good many Missourians – even those who might not be inclined to vote for Obama – have the cockles of their hearts warmed by the thought of the Show-Me State's junior U.S. Senator – Claire McCaskill – being considered as a VP choice.
Okay … the talk of Our Claire being Obama's choice for the number two spot is being eclipsed, somewhat, by talk of other Democrats in Washington and elsewhere whose names are being tossed around. If what's coming out of the rumor mill is accurate … the choice could be from a short list that includes Senator Evan Bayh of Indiana, Senator Joe Biden of Delaware, Senator Chris Dodd of Connecticut, and Governor Tim Kaine of Virginia.
Most Missourians might not be aware that if Our Claire is bypassed … we could still see a Missourian … or at least a former Missourian … as Obama's running mate. The Governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia (my favorite former state) was born in Minnesota … but moved to the Kansas City area at an early age and attended KC's Rockhurst High School. He then moved onto the University of Missouri-Columbia, graduating in 1979 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in economics. He later attended Harvard Law School.
So … we might not get a current Missourian in the VP spot … but we could see a former Missourian as the choice … and those Missouri roots might be attractive to the Democrats as they try to put this "red" state into the "blue" column in November.
– Steve Walsh
Little money … and little organization … but Nader supporters are a determined bunch
The Missouri Capitol press corps is a little bit spoiled in that we are used to dealing with the well-oiled machines that are the Democratic and Republican Parties. Occasionally, somebody with one of these parties will drop the proverbial ball … but for the most part … these are well-trained pros who know what they're doing.
Third parties are not as polished … but some, like the Libertarian Party, do a pretty good job of getting their candidates ready for election campaigns … and the staff members will work long hours to try to get as many votes as possible.
Enter the independent candidates. Ralph Nader announced in February that he would be seeking the White House again – as an independent candidate. Missouri law states that any independent candidate for President earns access to the November ballot by collecting 10,000 valid signatures from registered Missouri voters.
Bob Delaviras, the Missouri State Coordinator for the Nader-Gonzalez '08 Campaign submitted more than 20,000 signatures to the Secretary of State's Office on Monday. Officials there will verify and authenticate the signatures in the coming weeks to determine whether the required number of valid signatures has been met. The Nader folks with know by August 19th.
What stood out to yours truly and a couple of other members of the Capitol press corps with whom I spoke is that the Nader effort does not appear to be all that organized. This is not to say that Delaviras and others don't have their hearts in the right place … it's just that their effort is a stark contrast to what we see from the Democrats and Republicans … parties with so much organization … and so much money.
I asked Delaviras about the Missouri organization … and learned the Nader effort in the Show-Me State doesn't have a campaign office.
Nader has run for President a number of times in the past … picking up 38,515 Missouri votes in 2000 … but dropping to only 534 Missouri votes as a write-in candidate in 2004. Assuming Nader wins a spot on the ballot, there's a good chance that with a lack of money to buy advertising time and to get out the word … Nader might not pick up much more in the way of votes than he did four years ago. But if the McCain-Obama race is as close in Missouri as some political observers think it might be … those 500 plus votes could be the difference this year … and wouldn't that be some kind of statement for independent candidates?
– Steve Walsh
"The Architect" sees McCaskill as attractive VP choice
Missouri's junior U.S. Senator is already making headlines as a national campaigner for presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama … and there have been comments from the pundits that Claire McCaskill would bring a lot of positives to the ticket as Obama's VP choice. And, while some of the Capitol Hill reporters and pundits like to think of themselves as all-knowing … it means a heck of a lot more when praise comes from someone who has actually been in the political trenches and played a big role in winning political wars.
Our Claire was a guest on this week's edition of Fox News Sunday … and took advantage of the opportunity to praise Barack Obama on his trip abroad to such places as Iraq, Germany, and England. No secret that our junior Senator likes what she saw. After all, she was one of the early supporters of the Obama presidential bid … and that was back in the days when conventional wisdom was that the nomination was Hillary Clinton's to lose.
Anyway … during the course of the interview Our Claire was asked about the possibility of her being Obama's running mate … and suggested – with her usual candor – that anyone who says they would not be thrilled to serve as Vice President is not being completely straight.
Now … to the comments of one of the Washington pundits whose thoughts might actually matter. Karl Rove, who has earned the moniker "The Architect" because of the roles he has played in President George W. Bush's political triumphs, is now a Fox News political contributor. Following McCaskill's appearance on Fox News Sunday, Rove talked to FNS host Chris Wallace about running mates and how a Missourian like Claire McCaskill – from what is seen as a "red" state – could bring this state into the Obama column in November.
A lot of Republicans really love Karl Rove – primarily because he has been so successful in his political endeavors. Conversely, a lot of Democrats really hate Karl Rove – primarily because he has been so successful in his political endeavors. (Funny how that works). Likes and dislikes aside … there is no getting around the fact that Karl Rove is a winner whose thoughts on politics probably mean a little more than those written or voiced by most of the talking heads in the Nation's Capital.
It's anyone's guess as to whether Our Claire will be asked to be Obama's running mate. Conventional wisdom (there's that old conventional wisdom thing again) says a freshman Senator would not choose another freshman Senator to fill the number two spot on the ticket. But, let's face it, as political years go … this one has been very UNconventional.
– Steve Walsh
Idolatry coming to KC
Well … it's the weekend … and the time is perfect for a little bit of less than serious stuff on the old blog. So, let's focus on American Idol – a show I have no desire to watch … but is one that is loved by so many Missourians. And, the victory by David Cook of Blue Springs – the reigning American Idol – adds something to this story.
The search for the next David Cook is getting underway. And, the search for the new Idol makes its way to Kansas City on August 8th … with Season 8 Auditions scheduled for Kemper Arena. Organizers are starting registration August 6th and expect to attract thousands of people to Kansas City to demonstrate their talent … or lack of same … for judges.
It's thought that approximately 15,000 people will audition for … the chance at stardom … The chance to be … a TV icon … The opportunity to be … the Last Comic Standing! Oops … wrong show and wrong network. Make that … The American Idol!
To find out about auditioning and how to register go to the American Idol website at http://www.americanidol.com/.
– Steve Walsh
Competing claims of victory as GOP gubernatorial race heads into homestretch
One of the first things I was asked as I returned to the metropolis of Jefferson from Wednesday's Republican gubernatorial debate in Springfield is … "What do you think?" … which is code for "Who won?" I don't know who won. I can say that both Sarah Steelman and Kenny Hulshof got in their points as they answered questions for the better part of an hour. But I really can't say who came out on top.
That is not a problem for the campaigns which have been quick to proclaim victory in the wake of the debate. Former Missouri Republican Party Executive Director John Hancock – with the Hulshof campaign – was the first. He approached several reporters immediately following the debate to claim his guy had won. Spence Jackson with the Steelman campaign saw things differently, claiming it was a "knockout" for the State Treasurer over the U.S. Congressman from Missouri's 9th Congressional District.
Adding to the confusion are the comments of the Missouri Democratic Party which read, in part, "Neither candidate could defend their record tonight and neither could lay out a single new idea." Well … we don't really expect the Dems to say much good about the Republicans, do we? And, interestingly enough, the Republicans don't usually have much good to say about Dems in their debates. Go figure.
Back to the Hulshof-Steelman tilt … I know John and Spence well enough to believe that each sincerely thinks his candidate was the winner of the debate. And that's the way it should be. Would you really want to support a candidate whose campaign claims, "We really got clobbered tonight!" … or a campaign claiming the opponent really got the best of it? Of course not!
Members of both the Steelman and Hulshof campaigns believe they are backing the candidate who can best represent the party against Democrat Jay Nixon in November. And they're working hard to secure victory. Not that I want to sound corny … but that really is one of the great things about our political system. And it's a big part of what makes covering politics such a fun job.
– Steve Walsh


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Job Information
Allied Universal DoD Cleared Swing-Shift Security Officer in Dulles, Virginia
Allied Universal Services is seeking a Department of Defense (DoD) Cleared Security Officer .
An Allied Universal Security Officer assigned to this specific job position will be responsible for the protection of and access to highly classified and sensitive equipment, technology and information. Protection of this equipment is extremely regulated in a controlled environment and only highly qualified Professional Security Officers are charged with this critical responsibility. Rigorous adherence and understanding of security protocols is mandatory, as is a US Government security clearance.
Essential Tasks (list not all inclusive):
Protect persons, assets and information
Respond to and assess security alarms or emergency alarms, emergency situations, medical aid, fires, oxygen deficiency alarms, first responder; secure classified information, escort visitors and contractors, secure ingress and egress situations
Ensure the highest quality security services in the protection of personnel, property and information with professionalism; fulfill duties politely, without fear or favor
Preserve order and enforce rules, regulations and directives for the viability of the site and the safety of personnel, equipment and sensitive information
Greet guests and employees in a cheerful and welcoming manner
Answer questions and assist guests and employees
Patrol the facility, internal and external
Report safety concerns, security breaches and unusual circumstances, both through written and verbal means
Know site-specific operations performance manuals and post orders
Open/close, lock/unlock sensitive rooms and areas
Conduct personal sweeps in closed areas; monitor prohibited items in certain areas
Conduct "person lookups" for rights and permissions to specific areas and rooms
Correspond and interact with corporate security personnel regarding orders and execution
Foundational requirements:
Minimum of 2 years high-level security experience on DOD site or similar in military
High School Diploma or GED required; Associate Degree or higher (preferred)
Ability to write clear concise incident reports
Understand proper radio protocol
Possess a good working knowledge of Excel, Word and PowerPoint
Be articulate and able to explain a situation coherently
Be a leader and self-starter
Have experience managing or leading a team of individuals
Understand accountability and lead by example
Possess a minimum of a Department of Defense (DoD) Secret security clearance
Allied Universal is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to hiring a diverse workforce. Allied Universal will provide qualified individuals with reasonable accommodations pursuant to the Americans with Disabilities Act and/or any other applicable state or local laws. We are committed to hiring veterans and reservists. Since 2013, we have hired over 25,000 heroes.
Job ID: 2019-289586
Location: United States-Virginia-Dulles
Job Category: Security Officer - Secret Clearance, Security Guard, Armed & Cleared


text:
Homs remains under siege
Syrian forces maintain their siege of opposition-held areas of Homs as China warns of civil war in the country. Nick Rowlands reports.
RESENDING STORY TO CORRECT THUMBNAIL IMAGE Explosions ring out and smoke once more fills the sky in this amateur video footage purportedly shot in the Baba Amro district of Homs, Syria. Reuters is unable to independently verify the content of the video, which was obtained from a social media website. Activists say President Bashar al-Assad has also continued his crackdown in other opposition strongholds, with dozens of military roadblocks set up in Hama, and a series of arrests and raids in Deraa. This man says it is the sixteenth day of bombardment in Baba Amro. As the uprising against Assad's rule nears its first anniversary, tensions are rising on the international stage--China's main newspaper accused Western countries of stirring civil war, and two Iranian warships docked at a Syrian naval base. Despite the continuing violence, Assad is forging ahead with plans to hold a referendum on Sunday on a new constitution that could lead to multi-party parliamentary elections within 90 days. Nick Rowlands, Reuters.


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It's been a strange 38 days. I haven't had that many days to myself, with no work or school obligations, since I was old enough to get a job. That was fifteen years ago. The first couple of weeks held some freelance work, but ever since then I've been pretty footloose and fancy free. Even in the summers in high school and college I didn't sit at home idle, so I have barely known what to do with myself from day to day.
My unemployment thankfully seems to be drawing to a close, but despite my stress over finding a new job and the possibility that it might take a long time, the break has been kind of nice. I almost hate to admit it, but it's true. I wish I could say I've been super productive and cleaned my house from top to bottom, made amazing meals every day, and written an entire novel, but I can't. I have let myself relax and do as I please. I've spent time with friends and family, read books, watched a lot of TV, applied for a lot of jobs, gone on interviews, written, slept, and generally remembered what it is like to not be a ball of stress who dreads going into the office. Like I said before, I think it was a blessing in disguise that I was laid off, because I really wasn't happy. It opened me up for the amazing opportunity ahead of me that I feel will really utilize my talents and help me to grow.
I've been lucky to have amazing family and friends surrounding me and supporting me through it all. They've made it so much easier on me. 38 days isn't so bad, considering that the average unemployment length is about as many WEEKS. It hasn't been a cakewalk, but I am glad in a way that I had time to clear my palate, so to speak. I feel refreshed and energized. I'm ready to pick back up on all our plans…moving, decorating, enjoying Christmas and New Year's and my birthday. I'm ready to move on.


text: Back to results Scroll Items 10168 of 13450 Main view Product Details Mr. & Mrs. you will forever be my always. A beautiful reminder that a new partnership has begun. Linen mat with silkscreened inscription. Displays: 2 - 4"x6" prints 1 - 4"x4" print Very pretty hardboard backing and contemporary mat. Glare resistant glass lens. Crafted by Malden®. Mr. & Mrs Expressions frame by Malden® Model #87144964 $17.50 This item can be expected to ship by 05/31/2019. Order now by clicking ADD TO CART (below); you are only charged when we actually ship. Or, Click here to be automatically notified when it comes back in stock. Your Price Match is Active Your request for a price of $0.00 for a minimum quantity of has been accepted. You have [time] left to purchase this item for $0.00 Find a Lower Price? We BEAT All Authorized Retailers [?] Shipping details Brand: Malden Designs® Material: Wood Color: Ivory/Cream, Natural Approx. Overall Dimensions:18"x11"x1" This item ships in its own box SHARE THIS ITEM Share on Facebook View more items Different Size, Similar Look Tags - Similar Searches Different Size, Similar Look Tags - Similar Searches 4"x6" - Mr. & Mrs. - $12.00 4"x6" - you and me - $9.50 4"x6" - you & me silver-glass - $12.00 Bridal valentine romantic words & whimsy


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It's a crazy little whimsical place where any person or creature can learn to fly! And hey- Eileen Hull's ATB Sizzix dies could not make this process any easier! Once I had the box pieces cut, I cut out a door and a window in two of the boxes and then I covered my blocks with fabric scraps cause that's just how I roll.
I added some "flight students" and used some Martha Stewart butterfly punches to make their wings. I cut some triangular roof pieces and stamped them up. I made my school sign with fabric, a toothpick pole and alphabet stamps. I smeared on some Distress Ink for some bursts of color, assembled the boxes and and wah-la!
This project was so fun and these block shapes are so full of possibilities! And of course, 100 Proof Press stamps are packed with potential, too. Here are links to all of the stamps I used on my ATB:
For the flight students and their wings:
For the roof decor:
Thanks for stopping by and be sure to check out what the other crafty 100 Proof Press Design Team members have been up to with their blocks!


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If you want to secure a personal and creative style in your wedding photos, then make contact and let us talk about pictures of your choosing.


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Master of Fine Arts
Academy of Art University, San Francisco CA
Currently attending part-time
Graphic Design
Master of Design
Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA
Interaction Design
Honors Bachelor of Science
University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
Specialist, Artificial Intelligence and Cognitive Science
Major, Computer Science
Minor, Linguistics
Senior Strategist
Nurun (formerly Odopod), San Francisco, CA | September 2012 to present
Shaping the future of great products and services.
Product Designer
Groupon, Palo Alto, CA | March 2012 to May 2012
Responsible for new design of checkout flow for groupon.com, and enhancements to Groupon Goods.
Senior Interaction Designer
Nokia Advanced Design, Sunnyvale, CA | September 2008 to January 2012
Responsible for clarifying and translating business opportunities through design.
- Major role in creating a new mobile service to improve medication adherence for HIV+ youth. Led research activities, concepted with developers as well as target users, created wireframes and worked with developers to release a pilot test in Brazil, with very successful results.
- Responsible for redesigning commonly used mobile apps, by rethinking people's behaviors around them. Turned everyday actions into fun, simple experiences. Influenced thinking that went into some of the new apps in the new Windows Phone platform.
- Did in-depth explorations around audio interactions and interfaces. Am a listed inventor in two patent filings for this work.
- Spent lots of time advocating design and the design process in the company. Helped forge long-term relationships between Nokia Design and other groups within the company.
Lead Interaction Designer
University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA | Summer 2008
- Lead interaction designer on a six person multidisciplinary team designing an at-home health care business. Gave direction and led user research, concept development, and provided guidance for the final business pitch to VCs.
Service Design Researcher
IBM T.J.Watson Research Center, Hawthorne, NY | May to August 2007
- Developed new ways for visualizing service engagements from the customer perspective to include customer satisfaction and emotion.
- Educated and advocated design in the corporate setting.
- This work was accepted to the DMI Education Conference 2008.
- This work is also written about in Don Norman's Living With Complexity (Chapter 6, pg. 156-158).
Interface Design Researcher
Pittsburgh Science of Learning Center & CMU, Pittsburgh PA | June to August 2006
- Researched, tested, and redesigned the interface for PSLC's cognitive tutor authoring tools. The final redesign allowed for a more productive, friendly, and fulfilling experience for the user.
Cognitive Development Researcher
University of Toronto Cognitive Development Lab, Toronto Canada | September 2004 to September 2005
- Designed and performed research experiments for three to five year olds.
- Developed skills in psychological research methods.
- Learned to do research with families and young children.
publications + other appearances
Chan, C., Bruce Hanington and Shelley Evenson. "From Stravinsky to Starbucks: Learning from Classical Music to Create Better Service Experiences". Design & Emotion 2008 Conference Proceedings, Sustaining Dare to Desire, 6-9 Oct 2008, School of Design and Design & Emotion Society. [I also gave a presentation of this paper at the Design & Emotion 2008 conference in Hong Kong]
Spraragen, S. and Carrie Chan. "Service Blueprinting: When Customer Satisfaction Numbers Aren't Enough". DMI Education Conference 2008
My work at IBM is featured in Don Norman's Living With Complexity, pgs 156-158.
Spoke at SexTech2009 about Nokia's design process for an HIV+ medication adherence project
Presented my thesis work at the Design and Emotion conference 2008, Hong Kong
Spoke about the role of service design on a panel for CMU's President's Weekend 2007
methods + skills
user research, competitive analysis, territory and stakeholder maps, brainstorming, service blueprinting, journey mapping, persona development, contextual inquiry, interviewing, surveys, concept development, participatory design, scenario development, storyboarding, wireframing, prototyping, UI design, usability testing, videosketching
… but most importantly: asking the right questions. No sense in designing a great solution if it's not solving the right problem in the first place!
Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, InDesign, AfterEffects, Dreamweaver, Flash and AS
HTML, CSS, PHP, Java
Sharpies, Pilot Hi-Tec-C's, paper, and post-its
Mac and Windows friendly… but prefer Mac :)