text:
Here's what Fancy Fortune Cookies' raving fans have to say about us and our gourmet personalized fortune cookies.
My Brother Got Choked Up
Your fortune cookies were absolutely perfect! We used the fortune cookies in the gift box we gave out at the end of the night. My brother even got a little choked up when he saw the message inside.
~ Becky J.
Fabulous Product & Outstanding Customer Service
We are THRILLED with the fortune cookies!!! They are even better than we had hoped. We are going to be ordering lots more from you in the future!!! The fortune cookies were a SMASH HIT at our party/event!!! They were the highlight of the evening. We had given them as a gift to our son who was having a party. They served them with pink champagne and everyone just LOVED them!!! What a great way to end a festive evening. Your level of service was EXCELLENT!!! From start to finish…everything was done PERFECTLY!!! WE ARE IMPRESSED AND PLEASED! The guests just marveled at the Cherry Fortune Cookies….many of them did not want to eat them! They wanted to keep them to 'show' to people. We had to make copies of your email address to give to people so they can order too. Please don't change a thing! Just keep the same level of a fabulous product combined with outstanding customer service. Many times companies try to do 'new and improved' when what they were already doing was perfection. You have perfection….please don't change it. Good fortune to you and thank you for the fun you have made for us,
~ Antoinette Jucha
Tore Into Them and Got a Big Laugh
The fortune cookies were a little gift for my husband who is on deployment.
The level of service was fantastic and being in Hawaii and the time it took to make them, I was impressed with the speediness of service. It was pretty funny because my husband opened up the box and was really confused as to why I had sent him 100 fortune cookies. He did not realize that I had personalized them as I assumed he would. He started sharing them with his buddies. After they tore into them and started asking each other what they said, they realized they were meant specifically for my husband. It was a great laugh for all! And something they will tease him about for a while. ; )
~ Brittany Shultz
You Are Marvelous to Work With
The fortune cookies worked very well – – well prepared – – timely – -excellent quality and you are marvelous to deal with. Everyone wished that their local restaurants had such good cookies – – competitors wanted to know where we got them – – and our corporate offices – – who handle the 350 plus franchise stores are interested in our concept. We will be doing this again – -just be there for us as you were this time.
~ John T Spach
Advertising / Marketing Director, Furniture Homestores
People Were Taking Handfuls
The personalized fortune cookies were wonderful! I used the plain vanilla fortune cookies to promote the upcoming event – people were surprised by receiving invites inside a fortune cookie. The chocolate dipped fortune cookies w/ sprinkles were used at the event and were a BIG HIT with everyone. People were taking handfuls of fortune cookies saying how great they tasted! Service was Excellent! You all have communicated with me from start to finish and were very pleasant to work with! The ones we had were dipped in milk chocolate, and people said they had never seen fortune cookies like that before! Comments were "cool, fun, awesome, tastes like an ice cream cone!" Service was great, cookies shipped quickly and well packaged and I have already recommended Fancy Fortune Cookies to another campus to use for large events. Thanks so much for everything!
~ Angela Perkins
Original Vanilla Was Fresh
The fancy fortune cookies were used as a part of a gallery exhibition as a replacement for a card that visitors could take with them that listed the website address and my name as the "fortune". People appreciated the uniqueness of the fortune cookie concept and how it tied in to my website. I only had the original vanilla flavor, but people loved how fresh they were.
~ Jessica Roeckel
My art opening reception was yesterday and the giant personalized fortune cookies were a big hit, and surprised everyone with their great taste and special messages. Thanks again. I will spread the word and hope to have the opportunity to order some more one day.
~ Miggs B Design
The fortune cookies were a big hit–they were personalized for a wedding shower. The customer service rep I worked with was great—very helpful and I received them in plenty of time. Everyone loved the chocolate and the bride to be took home
all the extras. Thanks again.
~ Liz Turnbaugh
You Strive For Excellence and Attain It
The fortune cookies were perfect for our event – your company is a pleasure to work with and guests are always thrilled with the personalized fortunes!!! As my order was for a hockey team – one hockey player (aged 9) could not believe that his fortune was specific to hockey and how could the Chinese gods possibly know that he played hockey!!!! So cute! You strive for excellence and attain it!!! As always, thank you again for your company's professionalism and quality of work!
~ Lori Yau
Cookies Arrived Earlier Than Expected
The personalized fortune cookies were fantastic. They were part of a team building activity and it was a nice surprise for our group to have some of their "comments" in a fortune cookie. I had a few questions about the process before I ordered and they were answered with clarity and professionalism. Then when my "event" date was earlier than the ground shipping could provide, I received a personal phone call with options on how to have the cookies delivered in time. I appreciated the personal care and attention.
Everyone loved the original vanilla fortune cookies, thought they tasted good and loved the concept of personalizing them.
~ Nicole Gross
Your Service Was Off the Charts
Everyone loved the idea we put together. The Chinese take-out boxes and the personalized fortune cookie print were great, just how we wanted them to be. From a 1-10, you were off the charts!! I was very pleased with the Customer Service Fancy Fortune Cookies provided me with. The cookies tasted excellent, and it shocked people that fortune cookies came in other flavors than vanilla. Keep up the good work and keep treating your customers with the same courtesy.
~ Melissa Guerrero
They Were Addicting
The fortune cookies worked out great promoting our event. Your service, as before, was the best. It's kind of funny concerning the reviews of our fortune cookie promotion. A few students were bummed that there wasn't a real fortune inside, only the info for our event – ha! And they were delicious and addicting! We will always come to you if we decide to advertise with personalized fortune cookies in the future. Your company is terrific to work with and I could sit and eat a boxful of those yummy cookies any time of the day! Thank you for the great service and product!
~ Kim Jackson
The personalized fortune cookies were a hit & we'll definitely order them again! My youngest son is a Leukemia survivor & stem cell transplant recipient. We give small gifts all the doctors, nurses & support staff for all the great help & care Weston has received from them over the past 2.5 years. They all loved the fortune cookies–the idea, flavor, & custom messages. Thanks again!
~ Regina Rigsby Funk
Your Fortune Cookies Were Stunning
Once again you have MADE our event with your stunning fortune cookies!!!
EVERYONE LOVED THEM. We gave one cookie to each person at the end of the meal along with a lottery ticket!!! Everyone just loved the fortune cookies – MORE THAN THE LOTTERY TICKET! Your level of service was even MORE EXCELLENT than our last order! KEEP DOING EXACTLY WHAT YOU ARE DOING NOW. We are VERY PLEASED with how things have gone with these first 2 orders. THANK A MILLION & MAY GOOD FORTUNE BE YOURS ALWAYS!!! Cordially,
~ Antoinette Jucha
Thank you so much for the personal attention. We loved our fortune cookies and
people were so happy to see their dream fortunes come out of a tasty cookie. love you guys and will find new ways of using you again!
~ Michelle Singer
The Flavor is Amazing, It's Hard to Eat Just One
I wanted to tell you how fantastic the fortune cookies are. The flavor is amazing and the personalized fortune itself is very well done. I could not be more pleased with the cookies. They are for my husband's surprise birthday party on January 19th but many people have already sampled them and let me tell you, it was hard for them to eat just one! Great product, great service and communication and for the price, you have a superior product. I am not sure there is anything you could improve on. Everything is exactly how I wanted. Thanks again,
~ Michelle Frygier
Cookies Were Amazing
The personalized fortune cookies were absolutely amazing. We got nothing but compliments about how neat and gorgeous the Fancy Fortune Cookies were. Not to mention that they tasted fabulous, too! One of my bridesmaids came and asked me if she could eat them…I said of course. And she replied they are so neat looking she was afraid to eat hers. I think that the service, knowledge, and genuinity of the staff there that I spoke with were great! I really couldn't have asked for more. Thanks so very much!
~ Lindsey Arkenburg
Sooo Fresh!
They are the freshest fortune cookies we've ever had!
~ Jonathan Jellen
The fortune cookies were a Huge hit! Everyone thought they were unique and clever. Great job on service. From the very beginning the web and the attendants walked us through the process. Very hands on even from hundreds of miles away. We went with the original flavor and everyone was blown away with how fresh they tasted. We were using as client Christmas gifts. Our only problem is that we wish they came sorted by fortune. We wanted to make sure everyone got an assortment. But overall, not a big deal.
~ Mary Beth Hobby, Langstaff Marketing
Service Was Fast – Tasted Great
The Fancy Fortune Cookies were GREAT!!!!! They couldn't have been any better, they even tasted great. Service was fast AND accurate – all fortunes looked perfect, exactly as written to you. Comments were…."how did you get these done", "these really taste great", " What a great idea", and "where did you get these at…." The only thing that could have been made it better is if the cookies had been grouped by type of fortune, even at extra expense. You all did a great job, and will do again if the occasion calls for it!
~ Larry Bush
Will Order Again
The fortune cookies were great! It was a New Year's gift for friends! I put the cookies in Chinese takeout boxes with a tag on them! I then delivered them to friends (just like a Chinese food deliver!) Luck would have it that no cookies were broke but I was so thankful for the extras as I was able to give some to more friends! I only used chocolate fortune cookies but everyone seemed to love them. (I did have a friend who ate all that I gave to his family….he didn't realize he was supposed to share!). You had the fortune cookies here before I needed them (before you "promised), they were shipped securely, extras came, they were tasty…. I will definitely order again, and can't wait to try the different flavors.
Thank you for helping get my order here in perfect form! HAPPY NEW YEAR!!
~ Lisa Moran
The fortune cookies were great, I used them to kick off our school's New Year's
resolution "Great in '08" with our staff (being able to use custom quotes was
perfect.) Thanks for such efficient service and follow up –
~ Melissa Gorla
A Lot of Oohing & Aahing
Everything went beautifully. The fortune cookies were a big hit. I think most people were a little off-put at first, wondering why there were fortune cookies at a fancy reception, but as soon as one person opened theirs, then everyone started doing it. There was a lot of oohing & aahing and "how cute!". One couple said they wished they had done that at their wedding. Your service, shipping and follow up has been excellent. I will definitely recommend your company for any other occasion that calls for a unique attention-getter. Thanks again,
~ Ramona Owens
"Real Raspberry, Can You Believe That?"
The custom fortune cookies worked very well and people were surprised by the favor as it was not expected at a western wedding. The color was the first awakening, followed by the taste – I don't think (myself included) realized that fortune cookies could come in any other color or taste than the basic brown no taste. There was a lot of "oh wow, look at this. Have you tasted those fortune cookies yet? Real raspberry, can you believe that? Where did you get these?" I ordered last minute and then had a question about my order and you were right there putting my mind at ease and responding in a very pleasant manner. It was a delight to deal with you and we all thank you and wish you a very profitable new year.
~ Linda Smith
Very Satisfied
Fortune cookies arrived on time and in excellent condition. They were delicious. Many people commented how good they were. Wedding had an Asian theme so they were perfect. Your service was excellent. I don't know how you could improve. Very satisfied. Thanks!
~ Barb Brown
I Always Get Compliments On Purple
As always, at least for the events I attend, they are one of a kind and always get compliments! Your service is always outstanding! Most of the comments I get are that they have never seen a purple fortune cookie before. Plus I always get comments about the personalized messages. I am a DJ entertainment/wedding planning company. My company's color is purple and I use your cookies at the bridal shows, so they make an awesome accent to my display!
~ Dave Bettinger
They Were a Huge Hit!!!
The event was postponed, due to weather, car accident, and vacations plans, but — we had our celebration just this last Saturday, – January 12, 2008, and the fortune cookies were a huge hit!! They tasted great & were fun for all ages. Service was very fast, especially because it was during the Christmas rush when I needed them, so thanks much for that too. I am also passing along your website to those that asked for it, as everyone that asked me about them, thought the price was very reasonable for the amount of fortune cookies, level of service, and they liked the idea of personalizing the messages. I went to internet to find companies that did personal messages in fortune cookies, for celebrations, and as you know there were tons to choose from! But, I chose your company for the choices you had, the price, and that you are a "Midwest" company. Being from Iowa, I like to give business to anyone in the Midwest. It is like shopping "locally." After 30 years of working I am now retired due to health, so the internet has provided me my own "shopping mall," and you are now marked in "my favorites" on my computer. Thanks so much,
~ Joy Kay Slouha
Many People Asked Where We Got Them
The personalized fortune cookies arrived sooner than I thought they would (which was good) so we had time to put them in the Chinese take-out containers we gave them away in. People were surprised to see the red color and then didn't expect them to have personalized messages, one person bit into one and exclaimed "it's cherry!" not realizing that the fortune cookies would be flavored differently. many people asked where we got them and how we heard about them and had one person jot down the web site when I told him what it was. I'm sure we will order again from! I'm considering making it an annual Christmas tradition but with different flavors each year! I had fun writing my personalized fortunes and loved the flavor too!
~ Renee McCall
They Were Beautiful
The Fancy Fortune Cookies worked beautifully for us! We assembled "Welcome" bags for our New Year's Eve guests who were attending my daughter's wedding. Upon check-in, the hotel distributed the bags. One component of the "Welcome" bag was a Chinese take-out box of the personalized fortune cookies. The cookies were a hit! The quality and packaging were both fine.
~ Patty Nagle
Not Enough Businesses Care About the Customer
I just love the fortune cookies! I had the sample box to decide what flavor we
want to go with and it has been a hard choice, I think we will go with coconut and will be placing the order in the next few days. Thanks for the follow up, not enough business care about the customer.
~ Shellie Kremer
The personalized fortune cookies were a big hit! People were amazed to see pink fortune cookies to launch our new hospital campaign…"See Pink…Think!" They were tasty. Service was excellent and other people I have worked with want to order for upcoming conferences and fairs. Thank you.
~ Fenella Speece
I Hate To Say It But Nothing Can Be Improved
The fortune cookies were great! Everyone loved the unique favors. They enjoyed the funny fortunes and the yummy taste. Your service was great! They arrived at the perfect time to prepare them for the party. A few arrived broken and I noticed you already included extra just in case that happened. I also appreciated the call to remind me that it was 2008 and not 2007. That would have been embarrassing for me when everyone saw that on my fortunes. I had a couple of guests ask for the site and some tell me they were the best fortune cookies they ever tasted. They were surprised you could create your own personalized fortunes for your event. I hate to say nothing can be improved, but overall I had no problems. Our whole party was pleased. Keep up the great work, next time I will have to try a different flavor!
~ Sally Escuin
Business Associates Wanted to Steal Our Idea
The cookies were a great hit at our event. Your level of service was great as I placed the order with very short notice and we still got them on time. Other business associates said they wanted to steal our idea of the personalized fortune cookies to promote business as well. The cookies were delicious!
~ Lisa Buchanan, Health and HarMONEY
I'm a Wedding Planner
The fortune cookies were great. I'm a wedding planner, so I'm using them as promotional material at Bridal Expositions and as a give-away to my new clients at consultation meetings. It's something different, and they match my company colors, so people definitely see the connection. I got my fortune cookies right on time. The only problem was after my first event. I was afraid I'd
be short, so I didn't eat any, I just brought them straight to the event. No one expected it to be flavored…just colored. Everyone was pleasantly surprised. Didn't hear a single complaint!
~ Stacey Kallenberg
They Were Fresh and Tasty
The special personalized fortune cookies were a huge hit – and a perfect way to cap off our "Chinese New Year" party. When the cookies were passed around, the initial remarks were ones of surprise, then it became "fun" to see what other people got in their cookie. Everyone thought it was extremely clever, and besides that, the fortune cookies were FRESH and TASTY! The shipment was received exactly as requested.
~ Nancy Matia
Thank you very much for an excellent product and even better service!
~ Sukchan Lee
The custom fortune cookies were – Spectacular! They were a total hit with the guests. Everyone raved about not only how cute/different they were but also about how great they actually tasted! None were left over and I gave a bunch of people the website info (they asked for their own events/future reference). Shipment came early and we got great customer service from the company. Extremely pleased. Thanks for the great cookies!
~ Theresa S.
We Got So Many Compliments
The fortune cookies worked great! We got so many compliments at the event. We ordered pink cookies with pink boxes for a baby (girl) shower. You even called to clarify the order, and it made everything run smoothly. The mother to be was Chinese so it was so much fun to have personalized fortune cookies. The guest complimented the idea, the messages and the taste of the cookies. I would order from you again. Don't change 🙂
~ Alexis Gustafson
The fortune cookies have been a big hit. "Original" is one of the many repeated
comments. I am actually using them on sales calls, placing them in a Chinese
take-out container…… I will be ordering one of the giant fortune cookies in the near future. Thanks for the great service!
~ Shannon Stewart-Hill, Residence Inn
The fortune cookies were amazing! Everyone loved the 5 different clearly printed messages. They also raved about how delicious they were as well. One of the guests even said, "I'm not sharing my fortune cookies, they're so delicious and all mine."
~ Ben Fowler
About a week ago I ordered a Chocolate Dipped Giant Fortune Cookie from your online site and had it delivered to my boyfriend's house. I just wanted to say it was a BIG hit (pun intended =) ) and the love of my life loved it! He's a huge fan of fortune cookies and even finished eating the whole thing a day after getting it. He didn't even save any for myself… quite selfish I must say! Anywho, I just wanted to say THANK YOU for the wonderful, amazing service and the great product. I will definitely be ordering my fortune cookies from you guys. Much love and luck,
~ Kimberly Kline
Your cookies were a hit! They worked very well for our promotion and I am
sure we will use them again in the future. We were more interested in the
color than the flavor but the taste was great! We were very pleased with
the product, level of service and prompt shipment. Simply put, Keep up the
good work!
~ Sharon Norton


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November is over, and so is National Novel Writing Month. I had set out to try myself in this project and, well.. I tried. I thought I would be ashamed to admit publicly that I had stepped out of the running in the middle of November. But I am not.
When I was working in the corporate world I once watched a retiring Chairman of the Board give a speech. He talked how he had achieved such great success in his career. And the message that I took away was to "quit early", before you invest too many resources into a project that is not going to succeed. Because then you can invest those resources into another project that may have better chances.
It did not come to me easily to apply this corporate wisdom to my NaNo. Every night I went to bed planning out my next day – what chores needed to be done, when and where I would write. And every day the same story repeated itself – I did my chores, then stared at the screen for a while, did more chores, stared at the screen, moped around the house, stared at the screen, wrote a paragraph and got stuck. I felt guilty, depressed, and just miserable.
After two weeks of misery I broke down and cried on my husband's shoulder about my "epic failure". To which he calmly suggested I give it a rest. "You have tried," he said. "Just focus on your music".
And at that very moment, I felt a wave of relief. Yes, I tried. It did not work. Better quit early.
Not sure why exactly NaNo did not work for me – too much pressure or not enough planning, or something else altogether. But it just wasn't meant to be, at least not this year.
Within the next few days serendipity brought me new piano students and a new performance gig. My piano teacher came back from Europe, and we re-focused on my studying for a certification. Life just became beautiful again. I don't need to preplan my day to include practicing piano. It just happens, naturally. I find myself at the instrument in the morning and when I get up I am starving because I had played through lunch. I am investing my resources elsewhere.
If that novel is meant to be it will happen anyway, in its own timeline.

subset: commoncrawl


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Ring 50 does not meet in July to allow the members to attend the conventions and vacations during the month. Hope to see many of you at the combined IBM/SAM convention in Louisville Kentucky, July 12 -15.
Change in Venue
Ring 50 is changing its' meeting venue beginning with the August 2nd meeting from the present location to the Holiday Inn Alexandria – Carlyle, 2460 Eisenhower Ave, Alexandria, VA. Meeting starts at 7:30 PM. Unlike the former place, the Holiday Inn has a restaurant/bar and is more accessible to the Metro.
Ring 50 Officers for 2017-2018
President: Larry Lipman email@example.com
Vice Pres: Stan Hillard email@example.com
Secretary: John Roberts firstname.lastname@example.com
Treasurer: Marc Carrion email@example.com
Sergeant-At-Arms: Richie Klein firstname.lastname@example.com
Sergeant-At-Arms: Richie Klein firstname.lastname@example.com
Board of Directors
Sr. Director: Danny Selnick
Dir. at Large: Dwight Redman
Dir. at Large: Arnold Fuoco
Lecture Slated for August 2 Meeting
Ring 50 meets August 2nd with a lecture by Rich Marotta, the Comedian Who Does Magic. Rich has appeared on numerous Television shows as a great magician well established in the magic world. He has lectured on magic to his fellow magicians in in all fifty states and over 20 countries. You can find his comedy and magic effects for sale in every magic shop in the country.
The lecture is free to Ring 50 paid-up members. All other magicians may attend the lecture for a $20 fee.


text:
Many people unhappy in their relationship get to the point where they start to seriously wonder, "…should I break up with my partner?" Husband, Wife, Girlfriend, Boyfriend whoever you are there comes a point in your relationship where this question comes up.
There is a whole variety of reactions to this question.
- Some just feel so bad so they bolt from the relationship.
- Some wait a while, on the look out for more proof they are incompatible.
- Some put their head in the sand and focus on friends, family, or work in the hope it will sort itself out.
- Some separate hoping the space will help them miss each other, or give them time to reflect on what feels right now they are out of the pressure cooker.
Does any of this work?
The chances of this really working is slim, because the reason the couple were having problems has not been addressed. The reason is because the couple will be totally unaware of what is driving them at a subconscious level. This means behaviours and feelings are being created without conscious thought. [Read more...]


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- Recruiter
- Bramwith Consulting
- Location
- London
- Salary
- Negotiable
- Posted
- 11 Jul 2018
- Closes
- 10 Aug 2018
- Ref
- 1804-18
- Contact
- jobsEFK
- Specialist Area
- Category management, Procurement
- Job Level
- Manager, Specialist
- Sector
- Production & Operations
- Contract Type
- Permanent
- Hours
- Full Time
PROCUREMENT - GLOBAL MARKETING LEAD - FORTUNE 500 MEDIA & TECHNOLOGY CONGLOMERATE - LONDON - £75 - 85k + EXCELLENT BENEFITS
This globally renowned Fortune 500 Media & Technology firm has been delivering excitement and entertainment to the world for over 20 years, seeing truly remarkable growth since the turn of the 21st century. With accelerated growth plans for the next decade, this iconic organisation is gearing up its procurement function to ensure it plays a pivotal part in their success moving towards 2020.
With a colossal annual Marketing spend the firm is now in need of an innovative and skilled Procurement Specialist to identify cost/productivity improvement opportunities in Marketing Services spending. As Global Marketing Procurement Lead you will:
- Spearhead complex sourcing projects across the following sub-categories: Creative Agencies, PR, Media, Market Research, Events, Advertising & Digital
- Develop senior stakeholder relationships, expanding procurement's involvement and control of non-traditional spend areas
- Use your deep knowledge of sourcing and/or category management processes to drive transformational change and improvement
- Manage & mentor more junior procurement specialists in best-practice sourcing
If you have strong Marketing Procurement experience and are interested in finding out more, please email your CV to Emily at email@example.com or apply directly through this forum.
To keep up to date with all the latest procurement jobs, follow our twitter feed at http://www.twitter.com/BramwithProcure
Key skills: Procurement, Strategic Sourcing, Category Management, Purchasing, Stakeholder management, stakeholder engagement, project management, Marketing, Creative Agencies, PR, Events, Promotions, Digital, ATL, Negotiation, Contract management, Supplier Relationship Management, SRM, FTSE 100, Fortune 500
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shop policy and sizing
All Moccasins take 1-2 weeks for them to be shipped out. They are shipped USPS First Class.
If you order 2 or more pairs they will be shipped Priority with Insurance. Please be aware of the timeframe and order accordingly.
If you need them faster be sure to add the Rush Fee. This will ensure your Moccs are shipped within 3-5days.
little tammy two shoes sizes are as follows
2) 0-6 months is considered xs, 4.5 inches
3) 6-12 months is considered small, 5 inches
4/5) 12-18 months is considered size medium, 5.5 inches
6) 18-24 months is considered large, 6 inches
7 is considered 7 toddler and is 6.25 inches
8 is considered 8 toddler and is 6.60 inches
9 is considered 9 toddler and is 7 inches
PLEASE NOTE: WE have no control how long the Postal service takes to deliver items, time frames given are estimates only. Saturday-Sunday do not count into shipping time.
Refund & Exchanges: At this time, ALL SALES FINAL. Because of the personal nature of my items, once they are ordered, no changes may be made. Please have your address correct. I am not responsible if they are shipped to the wrong address.
Additional Policies & FAQ: All items are made in a smoke-free home. Please contact me with any of your questions


text:
Many thanks to the citizens of Lockport for the opportunity to serve as the mayor of our great city these last four years. There are a number of projects that council, staff, citizen volunteers, and I have worked on together these past four years; the kick-starting of the Lockport Square Retail Center, a revitalized Downtown, major fixes to our infrastructure, and a safe and enjoyable community that provides both jobs and recreation for all who live here.
Below are a number of project updates that people most frquently inquire about. You are invited to email me anytime with your questions and concerns on these or any topic.
|Upon taking office in 2013, Lockport Square had been in foreclosure since the start of the 2008 recession. By late 2014, the bank and city were able to come to an accord with a buyer for the property. By 2015, the first outlot building was under construction. The tricky part in seeing the plaza built, though, was a hesitancy by retailers and restaurants to commit to a green site in a city with flat housing starts and low weekday population numbers. The Council and I were able to turn housing starts around by lowering our home building tap-on fees. (At the time, it cost about $12k more to build a house in Lockport than in the neighboring communities). This move brought housing starts back to Lockport.
As of March 2017, Lockport Square has leased space to Mattress Firm, Sports Clips, and AT&T and contracts with Panera Bread and Holiday Inn Express have been signed.
|The Volz Building/Embers Tap House
There are no magic fixes when it comes to turning an old downtown around. Lockport's State Street had unique challenges. Poor infrastructure (inadequate fire mains and collapsing vaults under the sidewalks) were two major hurdles to overcome.
There was also the Volz Building. Gutted by a fire in 2008, one of the largest buildings in our historic district sat as a colossal eyesore. The property owner could not get a loan to fix the building as the bank deemed the building worthless. The city took steps to purchase the building and find a user with the personal capital to rehab the building for a use that would benefit the State Street business district and community. The results of those efforts are Embers Tap House. This effort by the city has primed the pump on development for downtown.
|New Construction
Today, there are two new buildings (the first in the historic district in over 50 years) that will soon be built. Demolition at State and 8th is currently underway for the first. These private investments would not be happening if the old Volz build was still standing windowless and neglected.
1122 South State Street. Passed the Heritage and Architecture review board on February 21
This three unit building will be constructed on the old Pete's Hot Dog site (Phil, the owner retired and put the land up for sale).
State Street Reconstruction
|Railway Quiet Zones
All of the quaint and historic downtowns in Chicagoland that have a rail line passing through them (Downers Grove, Wheaton, Geneva, etc.) have Railway Quiet Zones. Such a zone has long been part of the Downtown Master Plan but the cost has made implementation prohibitive. Why are Quiet Zones important for a vibrant downtown? For one, they make spending time in the Downtown and along the I&M Canal path far more enjoyable. Anyone who has had to stop their conversation and cover their ears when the Amtrak blares past understands this.
|Quiet Zones increase the opportunities for outdoor dining such as we have at the Public Landing. Also, Quiet Zones allow for higher rents in apartments, retail, and downtown office space. No one wants to spend $1,200 a month for an apartment that has a train horn keeping them up all night. Higher rents allow for building owners to put more money into their buildings and the net effect is positive. Also, there are many homes on the West Side that are between the rail lines that find the trains increasingly oppressive. The rail traffic has increased exponentially over the last few years with the Joliet Intermodal coming on line.
Back to the cost - $2.5 million. The reason a quiet zone is so expensive is that 1.) We have two rail lines in the Downtown – The Burlington Northern and Canadian National to mitigate 2.) We have a high number of grade crossings and everyone single one must be mitigated with expensive gate-arms and other equipment to reduce the possibilty of people driving around them.
An opportunity arose to fund the QZ when Duceer Oil wanted to run a pipeline from the Shell Tank farm to the other side of the Sanitary and Shipping Canal. They needed an easement from the city in order to reach their destination. The city was able to negotiate the $2.5 million from Duceer in order to pay for the Quiet Zone. As such, the construction of the QZ will be funded without tax payer money.
In the end, negotiating hard for the $2.5 million for an easement that was market valued at 1/10th that number was an effort to further realize our city's Master Plan for a revitalized Downtown and better living conditions on the West Side.
In 2013 I directed staff to layout all of our current infrastructure projects onto a timeline for completion that fell within our current revenues. This effort became our Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) which was voted in by the council in 2014. It was a blueprint that encompassed, watermains, roads, bridges, and wells. Projects were prioritized based on the findings of two independent engineering firms who rated problems from critical to bad. The estimated cost was to be $48 million dollars with a completion time of four years. To date, we have moved through the CIP having spent over $26 million.
As expected, the CIP is not perfectly on schedule. In a city as old as Lockport, every time you open a road up for reconstruction or pull off the lid on something, you find surprises that end up adding costs and slowing progress. An example of this happened last year when we went to install a new iron filtration system on Well 14. The well shaft was found to be in such poor condition that an entirely new shaft had to be dug. That delayed the Filtration System installation until this year.
Council, Staff, and I will continue moving forward aggressively making capital investments into Lockport. It really is a job that never ends though, for as soon as you get done, it starts all over again. Planning for this, we will allot new growth revenues to capital fixes. While new growth adds more burden, the net gain we are receiving from new buildings in commercial and retail, along with new sales tax, are a net gain and will allow us to establish long term viability to Lockport's infrastructure.
You can view the CIP here to see what projects are forth coming in 2017 and beyond.
I am very proud and honored to work with a City Council comprised of community members with a varied skill set and who have the best interests of the community in mind. Even though we may disagree on matters from time to time, we are able to do so with respect and find ways to move forward together. Anyone watching the circuses in Springfield and in Washington know how debilitating contentious government is to our communities (and sanity). I also want to thank the Lockport Prayer Warriors who meet monthly to pray for respect and unity of vision within our community.
Creating a community Police Department that works for all of Lockport has been an important goal of mine. The restructuring of the Department early on and the encouragement of programs that embrace citizens such as Lockport Love and our expanded chaplain corps have gone a long way in seeing Lockport rated as one of the safest cities in Illinois and America.
|During the 19th Century, the commerce and industrial district was between State Street and the I&M Canal. The Gaylord and Norton buildings, as well as the other structures that once lined the canal, were warehouses and manufacturing businesses. Downtown Lockport was the original distribution center for the region.
Today, that center of gravity has moved east where there is easy access to I-355.
|All of these businesses add jobs to our city along with millions of dollars in property tax revenue to our schools, fire departments, and city government. Taxes from these new businesses offset our home property tax bills even while increasing revenues that are used to fix our aging infrastructure.
A crucial element to growth, however, is balance. The zoning graph here shows that even with the unprecedented growth we have experienced in the last four years, industrial/office only makes up 24% of Lockport lands. That chart includes the Chevron property (220 acres) and the Prologis development when fully built-out.
There, of course, will be challenges to manage with such growth. This is nothing new. When State Street was the center of industry and logistics, cattle, lumber, grains, and a multitude of other goods frequently clogged the streets.
Today, truck traffic and automoblile congestion are the challenges. Keeping as much truck traffic on I-355 as possible is the primary goal. The Lockport police Department, in conjunction with the State Police, are working on a plan that encourages overweight trucks to stay off of 171 and interior roads with temporary scale stops. By no means are we looking to penalize truckers, who make up a vital part of our society, but we are seeking to keep them on the roads that are currently built to the highest standards for logistics.
|One of the impediments we faced to bringing development to our retail plaza at I-355 was the fact that our housing starts were flat upon taking office. The major reason Lockport housing was still flat after the recession was that the city's tap-on fees were almost $12,000 more per unit then in neighboring communities. Council and I lowered tap-on fees to make Lockport more competitive with the cities around us. As anticipated, housing starts are back up.
Sagebrook and Creekside II, both subdivisions that stalled in 2008, are now developing and performing even better than expected. Other infill homes throughout the city are being built as well.
Fox Hollow, the subdivision behind Crosspoint Church, east of Briggs, has recently been purchased from the bank by a developer. The Highlands, a Class 1 apartment complex with pool, clubhouse, and concierge services, was approved two years ago and is slated to break ground this year. This development, at 143rd and I-355 also has commercial lots and a hotel/office pad.
A copy of our report filed with the State Board of Elections is (or will be) available on the Board's official website (www.elections.il.gov) or for purchase from the State Board of Elections, Springfield, Illinois.
©Copyright 2017. Content on this website is copyrighted and may not be used or reproduced without the written consent of the Steven Streit For Lockport Committee.


text:
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This is a discussion of the Partitioned Fact Tables feature. It does not represent current behavior of Mondrian and if implemented, the feature may differ from how it is described in this discussion.
-- jhyde
Peter Fopma writes:
I would like to put up some thoughts for discussion for a concept for partitioned tables.
Use case scenarios we expect
- every month/quarter/year, product (or similar) is in a single table
- for dimensions splitting a partition a lower or upper bound can be specified (as long as there is an order to the members)
- for dimensions splitting a partition a range can be specified
- ranges of a dimension can overlap for different partitions
- data in overlapping ranges can either be disjoint or not (eg. disjoint: the fact tables contain data from separate data sources. Not disjoint: The cube is created from overlapping partial cubes)
As a precondition the partitions must all have exactly the same columns (name and type). [I agree - Julian Hyde]
In BNF the definition of partitions would look something like this:
<Facttable> ::=
 | <Partitions>; <Partitions> ::= "<Partitions", [<Disjoint>], ">", {(<Partition> | <PartitionPattern> | <PartitionExclude)}, "</Partitions>"; <Disjoint> ::= "disjoint=" , ("true" | "false"); (* Default disjoint=false *) <Partition> ::= "<Partition", <Name>, <Cache>, ">",
, <Ranges>, "</Partition>"; <Name> ::= "name=", <Identifier>; <Cache> ::= "cache=", ("true" | "false");
 ::= "<Table" <Name>, <Schema> "/>"; <Schema> ::= "schema=", <Identifier>; <Ranges> ::= "<Ranges>" {<Range>}, "</Ranges>"; <Range> ::= "<Range", <Dimension>, ">" {<Rangemembers>}, "</Range>" <Dimension> ::= "dimension=", <Identifier>; <Rangemember> ::= "<RangeMember", (<LowerBoundMember> | <UpperBoundMember> | <BoundMember> | <Member>), "/>"; <LowerBoundMember> ::= "bound=lower", <Member>; <UpperBoundMember> ::= "bound=upper", <Member>; <BoundMember> ::= "bound=lower", <Member>, "bound=upper", <Member>; <Member> ::= "member=", <MemberName> <MemberName> ::= "[", <Identifier>, "]", [".", <MemberName>] <Identifier> ::= Any Characters <PartitionPattern> ::= "<PartitionPattern", <Pattern>, ">", <MappingFunction>, "</PartitionPattern>"; <Pattern> ::= "pattern=", <Identifier>; <PartitionExclude> ::= "<PartitionExclude", (<Pattern> | <Name>), "/>"; <MappingFunction> ::= "<MappingFunction name=", <Identifier>, "className=", <Identifier>, "/>";
The cache attribute is used to indicate whether or not the data of a partition should be cached. If data in a partition is changing it is useful to disable caching data from that partition.
Overlapping ranges, disjoint data
Disjoint or not can only be set for all partitions. Otherwise it would have to be specified for all possible combinations of partitions which would grow exponentially with the number of partitions. When the data is disjoint all partitions which contain the queried data must be aggregated. In the case of data being not disjoint only one partition needs to be queried.
Julian Hyde writes:
Note that 'disjoint' means 'not overlapping'; I think you may be using the term in the reverse sense.
For an example of a disjoint set of partitioned fact tables, look to the FoodMart schema. Foodmart's Sales cube is based on 3 partitioned fact tables:
- sales_fact_1997 year=1997
- sales_fact_1998 year=1998 and month != 12
- sales_fact_dec_1998 year=1998 and month=12
These conditions are disjoint - there is no value of year or month that satisfies more than one condition - but are not exhaustive - there are some values of year and month which do not fit into any fact table.
Lastly, partition tables will be handled by mondrian's SQL generation layer, which is not aware of members, only column values.
Here is how Foodmart's table would look using column-value-based predicates:
<Partitions disjoint="true"> <Partition>
 <Predicate> <Op name="="> <Column table="sales_fact_1997" name="the_year"/> <Value>1997</Value> </Op> </Predicate> </Partition> <Partition>
 <Predicate> <Op name="and"> <Op name="="> <Column table="sales_fact_1998" name="the_year"/> <Value>1998</Value> </Op> <Op name="!="> <Column table="sales_fact_1998" name="the_month"/> <Value>12</Value> </Op> </Op> </Predicate> </Partition> <Partition>
 <Predicate> <Op name="and"> <Op name="="> <Column table="sales_fact_1998" name="the_year"/> <Value>1998</Value> </Op> <Op name="="> <Column table="sales_fact_1998" name="the_month"/> <Value>12</Value> </Op> </Op> </Predicate> </Partition> </Partitions>
(I added a new element, Partition, to combine the table and the predicate, so that I did not need to change the
 tag.)
With this scheme, implementing the 'disjoint' attribute will be straightforward: on loading the schema, mondrian should examine the conditions and make sure that they are logically disjoint. The 'disjoint' attribute is just a sanity check for the schema designer: I don't think it will improve runtime performance.
By the way, the predicates do not deal with the problem that a partition table contains records that do not match the predicate. E.g. if sales_fact_1997 contains rows for 1996. Mondrian should assume that sales_fact_1997 contains only rows for 1997 and therefore should not generate 'where the_year = 1997', and so if there are 1996 rows in the table mondrian will give wrong results. This is justified for performance reasons. We might add a schema validation utility that checks that partition table contents match their predicates.
Peter Fopma replies:
With the disjoint attribute it is indicated whether data is exclusively in a partition or is duplicated in another partition. A partition could contain data for products starting with the letters A to E. Another partition might contain the data for the product [Product].[Aardvark]. When the data is disjoint the aardvark product is not in the partition with the products from A to E.
Disjoint data can be defined with predicates along another dimension but the dimension might not be specified for the cube and therefore all partitions must be queried and aggregated to get the result.
When partitions are not disjoint they result from partial cubes which overlap. A partition might contain a years data plus the ultimo month from the previous year, therefore data for December would be duplicated in each partition. During aggregation it must be ensured that the data for December is only taken from one partition.
Disjoint data:
<Dimension name="Location"> ... </Dimension> <Partitions disjoint="true"> <Partition>
 <Predicate> <Op name="="> <Column table="sales_large_stores" name="the_year"/> <Value>1998</Value> </Op> </Predicate> </Partition> <Partition>
 <Predicate> <Op name="="> <Column table="sales_large_stores" name="the_year"/> <Value>1998</Value> </Op> </Predicate> </Partition>
Analyzing the sales figures for stores with [Location].[West] requires the data from both partitions.
Not disjoint data:
<Partitions disjoint="false"> <Partition>
 <Op name="or"> <Op name="="> <Column table="sales_fact_1997" name="the_year"/> <value>1997</value> </Op> <Op name="and"> <Op name="="> <column table="sales_fact_1997" name="the_year"/> <value>1996</value> </Op> <Op name="="> <column table="sales_fact_1997" name="the_month"/> <value>12</value> </Op> </Op> </Partition> <Partition>
 <Op name="or"> <Op name="="> <Column table="sales_fact_1998" name="the_year"/> <value>1998</value> </Op> <Op name="and"> <Op name="="> <column table="sales_fact_1998" name="the_year"/> <value>1997</value> </Op> <Op name="="> <column table="sales_fact_1998" name="the_month"/> <value>12</value> </Op> </Op> </Partition> </Partitions>
Analyzing the sales figures from [1997].[Q1].[1] to [1998].[Q4].[12] requires to exclude December from one of the partitions.
Partition, PartitionPattern, PartitionExclude
It is possible to define partitions by specifying a regular expression for the table of each partition. As for the aggregate tables, PartitionExlcude is evaluated first to exclude unwanted tables, then the Partitions are evaluated and last the PartitionPattern is evaluated. Attributes of the first match are applied.
The problem here is to find a general compact mapping from the table name to the bounds or range of the dimensions. For automatic mapping each dimension with lower and/or upper bound must be encoded in the table name. Maybe a user-defined function could solve this by providing a mapping from the table name to a list of dimensions with lower and/or upper bounds!?
Representing partition bounds
Julian Hyde writes:
Regarding the bounds of partition tables. I think that the bounds should be expressed in terms of predicates on column values rather than members. How would you say 'this table contains all products whose manufacturer starts with A through E'? Difficult to achieve using members: you'd have to set the bound to something like [Products].[Adidas] and then change it if someone adds Aardvark as a manufacturer.
Also, the predicates can contain and, or, and not, and that flexibility is required in dealing with lists of partition tables.
Peter Fopma replies:
Predicates on column names make life simpler when it comes down to creating SQL. But wouldn't the predicates then be defined on the columns of the dimension table?
<column table="time_by_day" name="the_year">
Julian Hyde replies:
That's where my PhysicalSchema change comes in. When you have defined a physical schema, a column reference such as <Column table="time_by_day" name="the_year"/> has a table usage (in this case "time_by_day") which implicitly has a well-defined path to the fact table.
Aggregate tables
For aggregate tables the are three cases to consider
- the data is disjoint and therefore the aggregate tables contain disjoint data. In this case all aggregate tables must be queried independently from the others
- the data is not disjoint and aggregate tables are not disjoint, too. If a dimension along which partitions are defined is dropped in all aggregate tables which need to queried, the aggregate tables cannot be used. If the dimension is dropped in only one aggregate table it can be used and the other tables need to be restricted to data not in the aggregate table with the dropped dimension.
- independent from the cases above an aggregate table might exist for the union of all partitions. If a query can be fulfilled by this table it is probably a hot candidate.
A concept for handling drill-through (yes, some SQL with UNION ALL) and changes in the partitions list has not matured yet. I expect some other issues to arise during initialization (eg. cardinality, etc...) of mondrian.
Julian Hyde writes:
There are problems defining aggregate tables against a single partition table, because some aggregate tables are at a higher level of granularity: a particular row in an aggregate table may combine rows from more than one partition table. But requiring aggregate tables to be 'global' - contain all data - is problematic. There is an important use case where the aggregate table contains all data except for the current month (or day), and mondrian knows to generate a query that uses the aggregate table for old data, and accesses the fact table for new data.
I think the best solution would be for aggregate tables to have predicates, similar to the ones I described for partition tables. However, I don't think that we need to fix aggregate tables to get partition tables working. If <Partition> can contain the same aggregate elements (<AggName>, <AggExclude> etc.) that can be included in
, that would be fine. There is no need for tables inside a partition to have their own aggregate tables.
Peter Fopma replies:
I agree that aggregate tables should be defined on partitions with predicates. But I would first focus on the partitions.
My idea to implement the partitioning concept is to derive a new table class, eg. PartitionedTable which contains the information about all Partitions. A Partition in turn contains the name of the database table of the partition and information about bounds and ranges for the dimensions. When Segments are created in an Aggregation and loaded the Constraints provide the context information which table really should be used. Segments can then be created with Columns which refer to the 'real' Table of the partition. For the mesures the partition tables can then be queried in an extra loop (over the partitions). When the constraints are set (or extended in the case of non-disjoint data) to avoid duplicates the results from the partitions can be combined to yield the result.
Do you agree that this could be a feasible way to implement partitions?
Julian Hyde writes:
I am optimistic that by treating <Partition> as a set of tables UNION-ed together, and simply generating
(select * from "sales_fact_1997" union all select * from "sales_fact_1998" union all select * from "sales_fact_dec_1998")
where we currently generate "sales_fact_1997" we can quickly cover the main SQL generation cases, including drill-through.
Even so, I think we should trim the feature list to a minimum for the first cut. I think we can leave out the 'disjoint' attribute, if you agree that it does not add any performance. I would also defer implementing PartitionPattern and PartitionExclude, because deducing the bounds seems too complex, and if anyone really needs dynamic partitions, they can achieve the same effect using a DynamicSchemaProcessor.
Peter Fopma replies:
I tried the union all approach in an older version of mondrian. In my solution, as you suggest, I replaced the table name in the query by a subquery using union all for all the partitions. The problem with this solution is, that we could not get a consistent performance for the various database systems. We tried ORACLE, DB2 and MS SQL and got results in the range from milliseconds to astronomical time units...
I would rather adapt the segments to load and run simpler queries on each partition and only use the union all construct to access the data for drill through.
Julian Hyde replies:
Agreed, UNION queries can have terrible performance. Better to generate multiple queries, and combine the results using in a big UNION ALL, than to generate a JOIN or GROUP BY query with UNION inside it. The inner UNION may be necessary if the partitioned fact tables are not disjoint or if a grand total is being computed; but we should avoid wherever possible.
What is the minimum we could implement in the first version?
- Omit distjointness support?
- Omit cache support?
What is the time scale?
Peter Fopma replies:
Current Status
I do have a first version of the partitioning concept and would like to put it up for discussion. In this version I focused on determining the needed partitions and how these can be combined in a SQL-Statement with optimized UNION ALLs. I used Mondrian version 184.108.40.20671 as a base.
With an inner union all I mean an expression of the form
select ... from (select * from T1 union all select * from T2) as fact ...
an outer union all is a statement of the form
select ... from T1 where ... UNION ALL select ... from T2 where ...
I implemented the description in the schema as follows:
The facttable of a cube can be <Partitions> which is a collection of <Partition>s.
A <Partition> contains a
 and a <Predicate> to describe which data is contained in the partition. The predicate itself can be a combination of <BooleanPredicateExpression> and <CompPredicateExpression>.
A boolean expression can be an 'and' or 'or' combination of two expressions (boolean or comparison). A comparison expression compares a column of a table with a value. The operator can be one of '=', '!=', '>' or '<'.
The evaluation of which partition is to be used for a Mdx-statement is done in the class AbstractQuerySpec in the function nonDistinctGenerateSql. Query generation in other functions will follow the same schema.
Since each column restricted by a StarColumnPredicate is used in the group by clause of the final SQL-Statement a single line for each value of the StarColumnPredicate will be created in the result. The values can therefore be retrieved from different partitions and combined with UNION ALL without changing the result set (compared to a non-partitioned facttable).
The StarColumnPredicates are grouped according to the dimension which they restrict. For each StarColumnPredicate the predicate of the partition is evaluated. If the predicate evaluates to true (the partition contains data for the StarColumnPredicate) this is marked in a bitvector. For a StarColumnPredicate with multiple values a set of bitvectors (one for each value) is created. The bitvectors for each StarColumnPredicate of a dimension are combined using logical-and to yield a final set of bitvectors for each dimension.
If bits overlap in two bitvectors this indicates that data for a StarColumnPredicate is contained in two partitions. In an outer UNION ALL this creates two result rows for a StarColumnPredicate. Therefore overlapping bitvectors must be combined with logical-or.
Bits in a bitvector indicate which partitions must be combined in an inner UNION ALL statement. Bitvectors which do not overlapp indicate which partitions can be combined in an outer UNION ALL statement.
For partitions on multiple dimensions the bitvectors must be combined across dimensions.
The class SqlQuery is extended to handle partitions in the function addFrom. Here an inner union of the form
select * from T1 union all select * from T2 union all ...
is created. The class is also extended to support union all for multiple (outer) statements.
Evaluating predicates for a StarColumnPredicate
To evaluate a predicate the comparison expressions must be combined using the boolean expressions to form a boolean result. Unless a comparison expression indicates that data for the StarColumnPredicate is not in the partition, the partition contains data for the StarColumnPredicate.
For the comparison exprressions it might be neccessary to match the level of the predicate and the StarColumnPredicate. For a time dimension it could be the case that the StarColumnPredicate restricts to a quarter but the expression is defined for months or vice versa. Each StarColumnPredicate is shifted to the level of the expression. For example the quarter Q1 and an expression on months, Q1 is replaced by (Jan, Feb, Mar).
The comparison expressions are then evaluated as follows.
- Equal:
At least one of the values of the StarColumnPredicate must be equal to the value of the predicate of the partition.
- Not Equal:
At least one of the values of the StarColumnPredicate must not be equal to the value of the predicate of the partition.
- Greater:
At least one of the values of the StarColumnPredicate must be greater than the value of the predicate of the partition.
- Less:
At least one of the values of the StarColumnPredicate must be less than the value of the predicate of the partition.
The <BooleanPredicateExpression> and the <CompPredicateExpression> of the schema are only data containers in MondrianDef. The evaluation of a StarColumnPredicate is done in a separate class since data of a dimension might be needed which is not accessible in MondrianDef. This class could be created as soon as the schema is read. Currently this is done each time a predicate is evaluated.
The adoption of the level of the StarColumnPredicate to the level of the comparison expression should be done using the information about the dimension from the schema. Currently this is done in a class with fixed information. The approach to retrieve this information might be different when using the new physical star schema.
I am currently trying to find my way through the two todo points (maybe you could point me in the right direction!?). The result I got from the tests I made so far appear to be much better than the results from the first approach using only inner union alls.
1 Comment
Could you give me a short instruction where I can find the source code for the PhysicalSchema? Can I access it with the p4v client? Before giving a time scale I would like to have a look at the code and see whether I can recognize the parts I looked at in the current version.
For the first version I would suggest to implement the mapping to partitions i.e. find the right partitions and be able to load the data. Assuming that the data is disjoint and omitting the cache support.


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by Karen Coppock
Had the pleasure of having breakfast with Lawrence Zikusoka and his wife, Dr. Gladys Kalema-Zikusoka (and their two lovely children) this morning. Lawrence and Glady are the founders of Conservation Through Public Health in Uganda.
The couple was in town to present and exhibit their work at the Wildlife Conservation Network expo and to present at UC Davis.
CTPH leverages the expertise of their two founders - Lawrence is a telecommunications specialists and Gladys a veterinarian (both are conservationists) - to offer programs in wildlife health (primarily gorillas), human health and information, education and communication. Their innovative work in disease transmission control and increasing economic opportunities for people that live in protected areas in Africa has been recognized by a long list of awards including San Diego Zoo Conservation in Action Award, World Summit Award for Digital Inclusion, Conservation Fund Award from Skal International Kampala, Whitley Fund for Nature Gold Award and an Ashoka Fellowship.
Computers and gorillas seem like an odd mix, but CTPH recognizes the value of the wildlife and public health data they are collecting and technology can facilitate its widespread dissemination. Technology can also assist with providing economic opportunities for the people that live in or near remote wildlife parks to stem urban migration and hopefully poaching. Perhaps it is not such an odd combination.
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
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Over the years I have tried an assortment of pet care products, and many of them lie unused in a cupboard out in the garage. I have found two items that I'd like to share with you. I like them so much I've given them to many of my pet sitting clients. Both are inexpensive and practical.
Litter Lifter
Years ago, I would complain to my husband that none of the litter scoops were heavy duty enough for cleaning multi-cat litter boxes. Since he worked for Petco, he started brining home samples for me to try. Inspired, he fashioned a metal prototype, which I found to be so heavy I was going to end up with carpal tunnel syndrome. On the other side of the problem, many of the plastic scoops were flimsy and the tines broke easily.
The Litter Lifter is the answer to my prayers. It is large and made of heavy-duty plastic, with peaked tines that allow the sand to flow through easily. It's not heavy, but it deals with even the biggest clumps. When I have a client who needs it, I usually "gift" one to them while they are on vacation. They've all loved it.
I found the Litter Lifter at a pet expo and bought a dozen for my clients. Now I'm happy to report it is available at Petco. Price: $5.50
The Tangle Wrangler
This item is a horse supply, and you will probably have to order it online or go to a tack and feed store. I love this brush because the rows of plastic tines fan out as you brush through the dog's coat (or the horse's mane).
I use the Tangle Wrangler on Golden retrievers, Aussies, Cavalier Spaniels and other dogs with long silky coats. It also removes a lot of undercoat on my shelties. My only complaint is the tines start to break after a few months of use. Then again, mine looks like it was chewed on, so that may be the problem! Price: About $5.95.
I don't get paid for plugging these products. I just like them.
© 2011 Terry Albert. All Rights Reserved.


text:
Just for you... with love
Roses are red, violets are blue, sugar is sweet, and so are you.
But the roses are wilting, the violets are dead, the sugar bowl's empty and so is your head.
After you, my love, my only prize
Would be a bullet between my eyes
Of loving beauty you float with grace
If only you could hide your face
I thought that I could love no other
Until, that is, I met your brother
I want to feel your sweet embrace
But don't take that paper bag off of your face
Every time I see your face
I wish I were in outer space
I saw your face as you walked by
but then I saw a better guy
My darling, my lover, my beautiful wife:
Marrying you screwed up my life
Beauty is on the inside, but some may doubt,
If it's true, I'd prefer you inside out.
I see your face when I am dreaming
That's why I always wake up screaming
What inspired this amorous rhyme?
Two parts vodka, one part lime
More Funny Jokes
Last month, a survey was conducted by the U.N. worldwide. The only question asked was, "Would you please give your most honest opinion about solutions to the food shortage in the rest of the world?"
The survey was a HUGE failure.
In Africa they did not know what "food" meant.
In Western Europe they did not know what "shortage" meant.
In Eastern Europe they did not know what "opinion" meant.
In the Middle East they did not know what "solution" meant.
In South America they did not know what "please" meant.
In Asia they did not know what "honest" meant.
Down under they did not know anything except sheep.
And in the USA they did not know what "the rest of the world" meant.
In the smoking-car the conversation turned to the merits and demerits of various ways of preserving health. One stout, florid man held forth with great eloquence on the subject.
"Look at me!" he said. "Never a day's sickness in my life, and all due to simple food. Why, gentlemen," he continued, "from the age of twenty to that of forty I lived an absolutely simple regular life.
No effeminate delicacies, no late hours, no extravagances. Every day, in fact, summer and winter, I was in bed regularly at nine o'clock and up again at five in the morning. I worked from eight to one, then had dinner - a plain dinner, mark my words: after that, an hour's exercise; then ... "
The old geezer was suddenly interrupted by the sarcastic stranger in the corner, "Excuse me, sir, but what were you in prison for??"
TEACHER: Why are you late?
WEBSTER: Because of the sign.
TEACHER: What sign?
WEBSTER: The one that says, "School Ahead, Go Slow."
TEACHER: George, go to the map and find North America.
GEORGE: Here it is!
TEACHER: Correct. Now, class, who discovered America?
CLASS: George!
SILVIA: Dad, can you write in the dark?
FATHER: I think so. What do you want me to write?
SYLVIA: Your name on this report card.
TEACHER: How can you prevent diseases caused by biting insects?
GEORGE: Don't bite any.
Teacher: Now, Sam, tell me frankly do you say prayers before eating?
Sam : No sir, I don't have to, my mom is a good cook.
Teacher: Desmond, your composition on "My Dog" is exactly the same as your brother's. Did you copy his?
George: No, teacher, it's the same dog!


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Maria B Spring Kiss Rangoli Luxe Lawn Collection are lunched with huge variety. Maria B Spring Summer lawn Collection consist such as Arabi Lawn, Egyptian Lawn, Pure Lawn, Chinese Silk and Chinese Silk Chiffon.
This is special formulation for women that is softer, lighter and extra luxurious that gives you comfort as always. Some of the dresses are made with pure Egyptian Giza Cotton.


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Become a Wesley Andrews Cultivator
Cultivate (cul·ti·vate): to foster the growth of; to further; to encourage. // We're looking for partners (Cultivators) to build our brand & shop.
This fall, Wesley Andrews will be opening a coffee shop & tea bar at 109 E 26th St. We are very excited to join the Whittier neighborhood and become part of their welcoming & diverse culture!
To make our shop happens, we need people who are just as passionate about great coffee & tea as we are -- people who are willing to cultivate the business & brand of Wesley Andrews. Becoming a Cultivator is a great way to invest in our business, the Whittier neighborhood, and the farmers we partner with.
We will be offering exclusive events, ongoing perks & free swag for those who choose to invest in our brand through our Cultivator community.
Keep your eye on our social media pages this week for more information on how you can become a Wesley Andrews Cultivator.
Sign up below to be notified as soon as our Cultivator program becomes available!


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Shipping - I require that the person supply the cost for the return trip of the package in a check or money order. This will usually be around 3.50 for priority mail through USPS for packages at or less than three pounds. Although that does not include any insurance so it is best to add some to allow your package to be protected from posiable harm.
Basing and Clear Coating - The regular basing process is the regular flocking material. The regular coating is a coat of flat sealer. These are optional. So if you have your own style you like to give your bases the price will be lowered. If you choose to do the finishing on your own special care will be taken with the miniatures. The finished miniatures will be sent so that they are in perfect condition for when you finish the project as you see fit.
Condition of miniatures to be sent - To save painting time you can send your miniatures already assembled and primed. This will shorten the time until you receive your miniatures so you can get them back in your armies as soon as possible. This also allows you to have any pose or specific weapon you might want.
Condition on larger miniature - This is for large multi part miniature such as dragons or other large multi part metal miniature. It will be better that they are properly pinned and assembled. This is to prevent them from falling apart during shipping to me and especially back to you once the painting process is complete. The same as smaller miniatures you can get the exact pose you would like the miniature to be in.
Updates on painting progress - If you desire to get an update on the progress of your miniatures or see a picture of the miniatures you can send me an email. I can supply a picture of the miniature at its current state and email it back to you as soon as possible.
E-mail at: email@example.com
Or E-mail at my new account: email@example.com
For references you can search my email at ITL and it will give you posts people have made about me from past trades.
ITL Website
My home address
Keith Damien
NDSCS 1475 323 Babcock
Whapeton, ND 58076


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9th Ward Pickin' Parlor
- Country
- 2007
- Buy the CD
Reviewed by Mike Farley
Now he is back with 9th Ward Pickin' Parlor, and while there are sing-along-while-we-sit-by-the-campfire tracks like "Cold Black Heart," "Homemade Wine" and "Kelly's Song," there is also a good bit of the pop/rock stuff that made Mullins an overnight success. "Blue as You" is the opening track and is a throwback to the late Jim Croce, what with smooth, baritone melodies and precision acoustic guitar work. Mullins then successfully blends Americana twang and rock with "Beautiful Wreck," while singing "At the dark end of this bar/What a beautiful wreck you are." Who among us hasn't seen a friend cause his or her own train wreck? Mullins just manages to sing about it with his own unique storytelling ability. "Find Love" is an uplifting melodic gem, but for some reason is buried at track number nine. There's also a version of "House of the Rising Sun" which is the perfect cover song for Mullins and his deep, hypnotic voice.
Shawn Mullins has certainly paid his dues in the music biz, and is probably living comfortably off of the royalties of "Lullaby," thanks in part to the Clear Channels of the world that keep recycling the same hits of the last 20 years over and over again. So name recognition will certainly help Mullins' cause in selling a bunch of new records, and not just out of his trunk. But 9th Ward Pickin' Parlor shows that he's still a very good singer and songwriter, one that has certainly earned his place in the pop/rock landscape.
You can follow us on Twitter and Facebook for content updates. Also, sign up for our email list for weekly updates and check us out on Google+ as well.


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You don't have to fork over a fortune to transform your RV! All you need is the do-it-yourself mentality and a burst of inspiration! Bring your old and outdated RV into the current century by trying out some of these affordable RV makeover ideas with spray paint!
Wait, Did You Say Spray Paint?
Yep, that's right! Spray paint offers an inexpensive DIY alternative to a complete RV demolition and renovation. Not only is it a product that's easy to work with, but it also offers a variety of project possibilities. Some of the reliable brands we've seen used are Rust-Oleum® and Krylon®, both of which provide an extensive collection of spray paints that are compatible with a broad range of surfaces in a broad range of colors and styles. Get creative, the possibilities are endless!
Prepping the Project Area
Before you start shaking that spray can, you'll first need to take the time to prep your project area. This will involve removing any dirt or grime from the object or area you aim to spray paint. If the item can be removed from your RV, take it outside so you can paint it in the fresh, open air without worry of overspray or fume inhalation. If your item can't be removed, tape off all the areas around it that you don't want sprayed. Hang up drop clothes or newspapers to protect from any accidental overspray. Be sure to scuff your surface with sandpaper before spraying. Don't rush through these steps - patience when starting out your project will only help it turn out better in the end.
Basic Restorations For Big Improvements
Completely transform the look and feel of your RV with these basic RV makeover ideas using nothing but spray paint and a little sweat:
Outlet Covers - Upgrade dingy, sun-dulled outlet covers with a dousing of clean white universal spray paint or metallic universal spray paint for a more trendy look.
Shower Fixtures - Get rid of water stains and rust on your shower head, knobs, and drain with Rust-Oleum's fade/chip resistant and rust preventive metallic spray paints.
Lighting Fixtures - Give those outdated brass lighting fixtures a modern update! Transform already existing fixtures or spray paint something new to better match your design tastes.
Cabinetry - Painting your cabinets will completely change the look of your RV's interior. Remove the doors and drawers to paint them outside, and label them with masking tape so you can remember where they go back once finished.
Hardware - Upgrade cabinet handles, hinges, and knobs with a fresh coat of spray paint in a chic color that accents your newly painted cabinetry! We like oil-rubbed bronze or iced gray!
Countertops - Get the illusion of high-end countertops with a simple can of spray paint! Rust-Oleum's stone spray paint offers a natural stone look in a textured and multi-toned finish. Excel's granite spray finish and marble spray finish are also stylish alternatives.
Some Inspiration To Get You Started!
Use spray paint to think outside the box with these original and atypical ideas for giving your RV an avant-garde makeover that sets it apart from the rest!
Chalkboard Change Up - Use chalkboard spray paint in combination with a magnetic primer to transform your fridge front into an interactive grocery list! You can also use chalkboard spray paint on a few of your cabinet doors too for a fun, funky, and functional accent!
Seduce With Stainless Steel - Krylon stainless steel finish spray paint can give your old RV appliances the renewed look they need to match the rest of your renovated kitchen. For the oven, be sure to use a high-heat spray paint and avoid applying it to areas that are directly exposed to flame.
Repurpose and Redecorate- Recycle old tin cans by making decorative and practical use of them! Coat a few with a chic metallic copper spray paint and embrace your green thumb by planting an herb garden for your RV's window sill!
Stencil a Masterpiece - Use Rust-Oleum's FlexiDip Removable Rubber Coating to make zero-commitment designs on your RVs windows and doors. Be sure to use a stencil adhesive spray for clean and clear lines. This product is great for adding temporary seasonal adornments to your rig.
Create a Cosmic Glow - Take your RV bunkhouse from average to awesome with glow-in-the-dark spray paint! Coat the fronts of wardrobe drawers, spray cardboard stars and create a speckled sky on the ceiling, or paint fan blades for a funky and unique look your kids will love!
Completion and Aftercare
Regardless of which projects you choose to undertake, you'll want to make sure you give your spray paint plenty of time to dry before adding on another coat. After you've let your paint cure completely, use a polyurethane paint sealant or another protective finish to preserve its look and longevity.
Just because your RV was made in a previous decade doesn't mean it has to look that way! These affordable RV makeover ideas with spray paint let you enjoy luxury on a smaller budget, so you don't have to sacrifice your savings to live in style!
Let us know how your projects turned out in the comments, and share photos with us on Instagram! We'd love to see your RV makeovers!


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I'll be keeping the blog around for others to glean from. If any of you ortho-buddies-to-be need some insight you are welcome to leave a comment and it should still forward to my address.
Again, thanks to everyone who has helped me, and encouragement to those yet to take the journey.


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Can't tell you how much we appreciate your friendship not to mention your excellent professional counseling that made our Roanoke Reef purchase possible...like you (as I'm sure you know by now) we need and want to live on or very near the water...and knowing that someday we will have to give up the 'big boating' thing, it is very exciting for us to be able to transition to a place that is still on the water and that a dream that we both have had has really come to be...and now that we actually have our very own "Pied de Mer" we are just getting more and more thrilled about it...and we thank you so much for helping to make it all happen. 'You really do make dreams come true.'
Peg and Ed S.
You know, you are about the best Realtor we have ever encountered......and believe me after buying over 100 million dollars of real estate, we know.
Alan B.
Thank you for all of your tireless effort to help us purchase our new home and sell our previous one. Everything you did was truly exceptional...from the wonderful photos & layout of advertisements to generating interest...we always were confident you were working for us. Most important, though, to us was the time and attention you spent on us. We always felt reassured at the right times throughout both the purchase and sale process, and our confidence in you only grew as time went on. You set a high standard of excellence that is evident in everything you do & the way you treat people whether they are your clients or someone else's. You've got our strongest endorsement and we are very satisfied clients.
Bob and Larina D.
Like master artist, Dale Chihuly, Rick Miner orchestrates, directs, and captures more in your home than your eyes have ever seen. Rick delivers buyers who have found their dream through his eyes. He's the "quintessential artist" of real estate presentations and sales.
Earl and Charyl Kay S.
Rick & Joyce, we don't know how we can express how wonderful the experience of buying our home has been. Thank you for your weariless efforts & time spent with the both of us. We were always impressed with your vast knowledge of Seattle and its neighborhoods . You took the time to get to know us, what was important to us, and ensure that we found a home that exceeded any & all of our expectations and was within our budget. We can honestly say we enjoyed the entire process. When it rains, as it often does in Seattle, there is an expression... "today is a good day for ducks." Rain or shine, any day is a good day with DUCKIN! Thank you both once again!
Anne and Dustin R.
Thanks again for another great real estate experience. Even though the economic waters were choppy, you helped us sail right out of our condo into a wonderful new nest that had everything we were looking for. When others had given up trying to sell in this market, we trusted your savvy marketing techniques would soon find us a buyer. You have expertly guided us through two purchases and one sale since we moved to Seattle and we truly appreciate the personal touch and professionalism that you have provided us from listing to closing. We might be in our new place for a while, but we will definitely recommend you to anyone who might be looking for the next home of their dreams in Seattle.
Kevin V. and Travis M.
Joe and I would love to let everyone know that Duckin.com is everything its' quacked up to be….and more! I guess that we have had more real estate transactions than most folks, as this is our 11th property - and 4 of the homes were purchased as raw land, over 4 different countries. While other people travel - we just move! If our Quackamomial helps even one client to realize that the right agent is the most important factor in their sale or purchase, then we're happy.
Joe and Betty L.
Greg and I had no idea what we were getting into when we enlisted Rick and his team to sell our farmhouse in Kirkland. We had just spent 2 years lovingly restoring our craftsman home and were thrilled with the presentation that was put together to showcase the house. Not only is Rick an artist, but he is also a true business professional who treats his clients with the utmost respect. In a very depressed economic environment, he was able to turn the difficult task of buying and selling a home into a pleasurable experience for both of us. We would definitely turn to Rick again for support on future real estate projects.
Greg and Stephanie M.
Rick and Joyce, It has been a pleasure working with you over the years through the purchase and sale of two properties. The consistent advertising, the open houses, and promoting my property with brokers and agents from other firms helped immeasurably. You were always available to answer questions, kept me well-informed and returned my calls promptly. Your tireless, ever thinking and continuously optimistic attitude and personal efforts resulted in the sale of my home. Our professional relationship has developed into a wonderful friendship that I will always value.
Doreen Bognar
My wife and I finally decided to sell our family home of 25 years. During that time of wrestling with downsizing, looking at every conceivable kind of property, and ultimately moving, Rick and Joyce Miner generously stuck with us. They opened all-too-many real estate lock boxes with patience and good humor, and often held our hands with kindness and knowledge. In the long process of selling and buying they became trusted friends. Available 24/7, out of town or not, they always answer the phone with a courteous and reassuring voice. If they don't know what's quacking, they find out. If you have ruffled feathers, they smooth them out. They find joy in their work and it is contagious. Rick and Joyce are honest, intelligent, reliable, and service-oriented professionals, which makes them real estate brokers par excellence!
Dr. Ken Bakken
Rick is a great guy and proves over and over how good he is with clients, past and future. No wonder he is so successful. Thanks Rick! You are the best Realtor I know!
Tom Barghausen
When we decided to sell our precious houseboat we chose the pros who sold it to us five years earlier, Rick and Joyce Miner. They know the Seattle market and understand the intricacies of the floating home world so well. We wanted a team approach. One where we could have input into how our home was staged and marketed and we got just that and more. Their real estate connections are extensive and they have a deep understanding of the use of various media. Rick set up gorgeous magazine quality photos and Joyce was a good support person with a flair for understanding our needs. When it quickly became time to make the deal, we were lucky ducks to have them by our side working for our best interests.
Pam and Tom Brown
Looking for a new place was not something we were looking forward to when we started out. Rick made the whole experience very enjoyable and relaxed. No pressure and allowed you to have your own thoughts about the many impressions. We ended up finding a beautiful place and a new friend: Rick. Rick thank you again for everything.
Huib and daughter, Emily
Rick Miner showed us homes for almost 5 years. Together, we must have seen at least 50 houses before we bought and Rick was always good-natured, patient, and kept his sense of humor with us. He made himself available to us, night and day, and never minded all of our calls. Rick is very knowledgeable about real estate and we always felt we were in good hands. I would highly recommend Rick and his wife Joyce as agents who have their clients' best interests in mind. And they are fun to work with!
Tracy L. and Werner S.
Rick is a wonderful agent and really knows houseboats. He helped us sell our houseboat in a very timely manner in spite of dealing with some difficult situations with prospective buyers. He was professional throughout the process and went way beyond what most agents do in using the internet, photos, etc. My husband and I would definitely refer him to other sellers and buyers.
Ron and Nancy Clark
Rick's vast knowledge of the Seattle market was instrumental in my first home purchase. He did his best to find me the perfect place. He also went above and beyond, even coming over after I had closed to help correct some minor imperfections. Rick is one of the most caring agents around. I highly recommend him to prospective buyers and sellers.
Alex S.
From the moment I spoke to Rick a few months ago from my old office in Chicago, I had a feeling that he would be the perfect ally in my real estate adventure and move to Seattle - and I was right! Rick has lived in Seattle for many years and embraces the unique waterfront lifestyle it has to offer. Coming from the shores of Lake Michigan, I knew I wanted to be by the water, so Rick focused our real estate search on that. Since I couldn't be in Seattle during most of the search, Rick would go to my favorite properties and take photos and videos and post them online with notes for me. When I was ready to make an offer, that's when Rick's real expertise shone through. He truly helped manage price expectations, inspections, and other significant details. The next few days and weeks were a flurry of long-distance negotiating and Rick was a pro throughout. His integrity and honesty are unmistakable. In the end, I got my dream home for a great price, and I have a lifelong friend in my new Seattle neighborhood. I had to be away from home shortly after my closing, and Rick went over and made sure the place was secure and even did a little drywall repair for me that the seller's had left un-done. Finally, to welcome me to my home, Rick and his wife Joyce presented me with a great gift basket full of goodies. I truly believe I wouldn't be sitting here in my new home if it hadn't been for his real estate expertise and skillful negotiating. He made the process easy for me from start to finish! Rick Miner proved that he is one of the best real estate agents in Seattle, if not the entire region and even the country. At the moment, I can't imagine moving again, but if I ever do, I will look forward to working with Rick again!
Emily Z.
I recommend Rick Miner without reservation. I have known Rick for about 1.5 years. I first found him via his website, duckin.com. We were in the market for waterfront, and Rick shuttled us around the Seattle and outlaying areas - to see traditional waterfront, and houseboats - always with an excellent attitude, which was amazing given the number of houses we visited! He even showed us houses using his boat, in addition to his car!! When we did finally buy our waterfront place on three tree point, rick was a great asset. We were in a multiple offers situation, and rick's many years of experience paid off! Also, we had a very tight close, and I did not think it would be possible to accomplish this, and rick did great in making sure it happened! Also, I recommend rick as a seller's broker too. This past summer we had to sell my mom's townhouse in Bellevue. After Rick Miner and his excellent marketing team prepared the home for sale (including pictures, videos, staging, etc...), we were fortunately to have multiple offers, and we ended up with a final price of approx 10% more than asking. Rick was also great with communicating with multiple family members, because it was an estate sale. Not an easy thing! Rick is a real pro and a fun guy. We have become good friends.
Matthew M.
For several years, Bruce and I have noticed Rick Miner's real estate successes with his creative marketing concepts. When it came time to select a Realtor to sell our beautiful, remodeled home in Magnolia there was no doubt in our minds who would meet our highest expectations of achieving top of the market sales results. I was a Realtor in San Marino, California prior to moving to Seattle and I know what great marketing can achieve. Rick's branding, Duckin.com, is fun, recognizable and says, "results!" I have worked with Rick for nine years as a stager. He has special "Hollywood" magic in his work with his web site, photography and virtual tours. Rick's extraordinary peoples skills are an asset at open houses and networking with associate brokers. Those assets ultimately achieved a happy ending for our buyers and for us (sellers). Rick and Joyce Miner are a joy to work with as friendly and confident professionals. We will always remain friends with them and continue to talk their praise. Give Rick a quack! Duckin.com
Bruce & Lina R.
When you came down the channel the other night in your new boat, it reminded me that I haven't talked to you in a while. I assume all is well in your world with the improving real estate market. I never hesitate to tell people h...ow lucky I was when I first made contact with you when we were looking at floating homes, and how you continued to show me property after we ended up passing on No.18 after we had negotiated a deal. It had to be Karma! We would not have been as happy in that unit as we are in No. 11. I still recall when you showed me this house in the winter and we came up on the roof. You knew this house was perfect for us and you were 100% right! It is an awesome property and I swear it is the best on the dock—regardless of us being on the back row. We have the most open floor plan of all the units I've looked at on the dock, plus the full rooftop deck that we obviously use all the time. Thank you very much for helping make this possible and believing that I had the ability to pull this off! You helped make a huge difference in our lives and I'll always be grateful. Thank you....
Tom & Sandy
Newly back to the Seattle area with 2 small children and not much free time or connections to the real estate market, we were referred to Rick & Joyce Miner through a friend. Rick was just the seasoned, yet patient, realtor to give us the time and space to find the home that was best fit for our family in the long run. Rick spent months taking us to numerous properties from Ballard to Cedar Lake to Broadview to Lake Forest Park, providing us with a great idea of the market and different neighborhoods, He then gave us time to "wait" for the perfect property to pop up (it took us a year to find the perfect home). And as soon as that home popped up, Rick put his sales skills to work to help us put together a winning bid out of 5 total offers. Rick will be there for you throughout the buying process - a trusted friend and advisor. We enjoyed working with him and hope you do, too!
Victoria & Matt


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Kenya looks to history for title inspiration in familiar Poland
Tuesday March 19 2013
The national Cross Country team returns to Bydgoszcz, Poland, tonight hoping for a repeat of the 2010 exploits when Kenyan runners dominated, taking all four individual titles and all four team titles at the competition.
Kenya took the top four spots in both junior men's and junior women's races to finish with a perfect team score.
The 24-man team that has been camping at the Kigari Teachers College in Embu for the last one month, concluded its preparations yesterday and is all set for Sunday's championships, according to Athletics Kenya Public Relations Officer, Peter Angwenyi.
"The team may appear to be comprised mainly of new talents but still they have what it takes to bring back a good result," Angwenyi told Daily Nation.
The squad, under team manager Paul Mutwii and head coach Sammy Rono, was in Siakago for its final training yesterday morning after one month-long alternate sessions in Mount Kenya region, Mwea and Runyenjes.
The star-studded Kenyan team has World Junior 1,500m and 3,000m golden pair Faith Chepng'etich and Conceslus Kipruto, who are expected to light up Bydgoszcz by replicating the form that won them gold medals during the World Junior championships in Barcelona in 2011.
Chepng'etich was just 17 at the time
Chepng'etich, who will be taking part in the junior women's 6km, was just 17 years old when she won the junior women's title in 2011 during the IAAF World Cross Country in Punta Umbria, Spain.
World junior 5,000m bronze medallist Agnes Chebet, a favourite to bag gold in Poland is also in the team.
She has finished behind Chepng'etich in many of the AK cross country meetings and therefore has potential to pull a surprise in Bydgoszcz.
Newcomers Pauline Kaveke, Sheila Keter and Caroline Chepkoech are also on the junior women list.
The 2012 World Junior championships 10,000m bronze medallist Geoffrey Kirui, Hosea Mwok Macharinyang, who won three consecutive World Cross country championships titles for Kenya (2006, 2007 and 2008) as well as 2011 Eurocross champion Japheth Korir, will headline the 12km men's contest.
Timothy Kiptoo, the 2012 Africa Championships 5,000m champion, 2009 Africa Junior championships 3,000m winner Jonathan Ndiku and Philemon Rono, winner of 2011 Tilburg ten miles gold medal will complete in the men's 12km race.
School boy, Moses Mukono, and World Junior 3,000m steeplechase champion Conceslus Kipruto, Michael Bett, Emmanuel Bett, Leonard Barsoton and Ronald Kwemoi are the juniors to watch in the 8km men's race.
Mukono, a form four student at St. Patrick's High School in Iten, should draw some inspirations from world 800m record holder David Rudisha with whom they come from the same village, Masurura village in Kilgoris. Mukono finished eighth during the World Junior championships 5,000 m race.
Aware of the tough opposition
"I am aware of the opposition I am likely to face in Poland from athletes from other countries but I am ready for it," said the 18-year-old Maasai moran.
With the 2010 World Cross country medal (one she bagged in Bydgoszcz's Myslecinek Park in 2010) still safely tucked in her cabinet, Emily Chebet headlines the list for the 8km senior women contest.
Chebet hopes to repeat the feat she achieved in Poland three years ago, when she won individual women's title in 24:19 ahead of compatriot Linet Masai (24:20) and third placed Ethiopian Meselech Melkamu who timed 26:26.
However, Chebet will have to watch out for her compatriot Viola Kibiwot, a high altitude athlete from Iten, who says she is determined to break an eight-year streak without world cross medal. Kibiwot last won in Dublin in 2002.
Janeth Kisa, Margaret Wangari, Beatrice Chepkemei and Irene Cheptai are new some of the new faces in the senior women's squad.
"I am very thirsty for a medal. It has been long since I competed in such a big race. I am almost the only veteran here, but I will not underrate the young talents that will be competing with me," Kibiwot said.