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By Oren Liebermann
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) — The family of a North Philadelphia woman who was found murdered in May is still praying for answers and hoping for justice in the case.
Melanie Colon vanished seven months ago this weekend. Her body was found five days later on Mother's Day. Her family says she had been shot six times.
Colon's son Josh knows where his mom is on his 5th birthday.
"Mommy is in my heart," he says.
Josh's family knows where his mother should be.
"She was supposed to be the one doing this party for him," said Melanie's father, Louis Colon.
Melanie Colon was last seen with Reynaldo Torres, who remains missing. Colon's family has never given up hope that they will find out what happened one day.
"We pass out fliers," said Cynthia Colon, Melanie's aunt. "We do everything we got to do just to find out who did this, because it was a very, very, very horrible thing."
"We all love her and miss her," said Noellia Mendez, Melanie's mother-in-law, "We wish that whoever did this can be caught so we can have peace."
The family has kept up a Facebook page for Melanie, keeping thousands of followers updated. It is a way of keeping her memory alive and the search for her killer active.
"We just don't want her case to get cold," said Melanie's brother, Ralphiee Colon. "We're keeping her Facebook page as an awareness page."
Answers will not bring Melanie back, but her father says they will bring some closure to a family that has been incomplete for half-a-year and counting.
"The only thing I wish and I hope and I pray," said Louis Colon, "is that I can see my daughter again one day and hold her and hug her and love her."
For more information on Melanie Colon, click here.


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What Requires a Permit:
- Fireplace (Gas, Wood inserts) and solid fuel burning appliances
- Porches, decks, pools, towers
- Renovations and alterations to existing building, additions, new buildings over 108 sq. ft.
- Building systems: heating and plumbing
- Demolition of buildings
- Change of use of building
- Portable Buildings
Building without a Permit:
- Minimum Fine: Double Permit Fees
- Maximum fine: $50,000.00
- Section 36(3) of the Building Code Act
Other Risks of not getting a Building Permit:
- Structure not complying with the Building Code, may involve the removal of the structural
- All buildings/structures must be in compliance with the Township's Zoning Bylaw this could prevent a permit being issued, minor variance or zoning amendment maybe required in order to proceed.
The Building division of West Lincoln handles the permits required for building and/or renovating. The permits gives the builder the legal authorization to start construction. The application forms for permits can be found under the tabs below.
|By-law 2017-48 Swimming Pool By-law
|Package - Swimming Pool Permit

subset: commoncrawl


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On May 8th 2015 I met the lead singer from the band The Prodigy. What a thoroughly splendid guy.
As we started the sports massage he told me that he regularly has treatment when he is on tour. That evening he was playing at the Motorpoint Arena here in Cardiff.
We spoke about our hobbies: mountain biking and motor bikes, pets and his career. A much enjoyable 90 minutes of my life.
After the sports massage he did say that he felt 'ace' and that I was the first therapist to massage his arms (I figured with all that dancing it would help). How he had enjoyed his first experience of the new techniques I'd used to psyche him up for the gig and off he strolled as if totally prepared for the night's events!
Overall, a great night's work! :o)


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Superhero Bits: R.I.P.D., Nicolas Cage, Watchmen, Ghost Rider 2, Dark Knight Rises, Mark Millar
Posted on Wednesday, October 5th, 2011 by Germain Lussier
Geeks are Sexy lives up to its name with several photos of a German cosplayer who goes by aigue-marine and her cosplay of Batgirl Stephanie Brown. More photos at those links.
Get More: Movie Trailers, Movies Blog
Taylor Kitsch spoke to MTV News about his role as Gambit in X-Men Origins: Wolverine and whether or not he'll be appearing in The Wolverine or any spin-off movies.
Most girls would cosplay as Hit-Girl but this one, via ComicBookCosplay, is of a brutalized Kick-Ass.
Chris Evans spoke to Red Eye Chicago (via CBM) about his work on The Avengers and more:
Yeah, it was great. It was a great experience … It couldn't have gone better. I almost should knock on some wood. It was too good. We all got along so ridiculously well; that type of stuff doesn't happen in films. It's just so lucky for a franchise that it happened on a film that we're all going to be stuck together for quite some time.
You saw Nightwing above, and here's what The Mad Hatter looks like in Batman: Arkham City. Thanks to Arkham City Fansite via CBM.
A Batman-themed chess set is coming out from Eaglemoss (via Bleeding Cool) and you can head there to check out a bunch of the pieces including Batman, above.
Superhero Tooniverse (via Comic Book Movie) has a bunch of images from the Green Lantern animated series.
Finally, a /Film reader sent us this letter that was distributed to some Los Angeles residents about The Dark Knight Rises filming later this week. We've cut off the phone numbers mentioned. Sorry. Possible spoilers for an action scene below.
Pages: Previous page 1 2


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You are welcome to any service. You'll find people in jeans and t-shirts, you'll find people in suits and fancy clothes, so come dressed as you're comfortable. We'll try to respect your personal space, but we do have a habit of quickly turning people into family.
Folk Service – 8:30am
Join us for a lively, down-home service with our string band praising God with the music we grew up singing.
Sunday School – 9:30, all ages
We've got classes for everyone, whether you like to get deep into a Bible study, shed some tears with a spiritual mentor or jump into our kid's Geared Up program.
Sunday Service – 10:30am
Our 10:30 service is a blend of traditional hymns and contemporary music with a full praise band.


text:
Welcome to our portfolio of images.
You will find here our favourite Bristol, landscape and travel photography. Bristol offers lots of inspiration and opportunity to photograph this beautiful city and surrounds through all seasons. Our wider travel photography captures special places that we have had the privilege to visit and where we hope one day to return to.
All of the images featured are available in a variety of formats through our shop.


text:
11 March 2018
The Sri Lankan government continued to block access to Facebook, Whats App and Viber despite the lifting of the curfew in villages affected by the anti Muslim violence.
Social media websites were blocked by the government on March 7 following attacks against Muslims carried out by Sinhala Buddhist mobs.
The Telecommunications Regulatory Commission of Sri Lanka (TRCSL) said the decision to continue the suspension was made at the request of the Ministry of Defence.


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Nestlé still pumping after Ontario water permit expired two years ago
[ https://canadians.org/blog/nestl%C3%A9- ... -years-ago ]
July 31, 2018 - 3:31pm
Two years ago today Nestlé's Aberfoyle permit expired. Yet the multi-billion dollar water corporation continues to pump up to 3.6 million litres a day from the Aberfoyle well. Since the permit expired on July 31, 2016, Nestlé has pumped an estimated 1.4 billion litres of water and counting (see our counter for the latest number here). [ https://canadians.org/nestle ]
Nestlé's permit for the Erin well expired nearly a year ago on August 31, 2017 but Nestlé also continues to pump up to 1.1 million litres each day.
The current legislation allows companies like Nestle to continue to pump water on expired permits if they submit their application before the permit expires. But this problematic legislation allows pumping of groundwater to continue without community input, without the free prior and informed consent of First Nations like Six Nations of the Grand River and without consideration of the impacts on climate change and adequate data on water availability and future demands.
Nestlé purchased a third well, the Middlebrook well, in 2016. The former Wynne government's two-year pause on Nestle's plan to extract 1.6 million litres of water a day from Middlebrook is set to end on January 1, 2019.
The Township of Centre Wellington recently urged the new Ford government to extend this moratorium for four more years so that relevant studies could be completed. [ https://www.guelphtoday.com/local-news/ ... ing-976047 ]
As the Council of Canadians has previously noted, "Ontario PC leader Doug Ford does not appear to have issued a policy statement on the issue of bottled-water takings, but the Toronto Star has previously reported that clients of the Ford family firm, Deco Labels & Tags, includes Nestlé Canada Inc., Coca-Cola, Cara Operations and Porter Airlines." [ https://canadians.org/blog/doug-ford-go ... gs-ontario ]
Tragically, people in Ontario are seeing the Ford government support an economic system that puts unlimited growth above the vital needs of people and the planet. We must promote water security and alternatives to corporate power.
The Council of Canadians is deeply concerned that the Ford government will approve both the Aberfoyle and Erin permits.
Leading up to the June provincial election, the Council of Canadians conducted a survey with thousands of residents in Ontario to find out what mattered most to people across Ontario. For water, people residents want the government to:
- Eliminate permits to extract and exploit groundwater for bottled water corporations.
- Recognize the Human Right to Water: Prioritize community access to water over industrial uses and establish an Ontario Minister of Water Protection.
Local group Wellington Water Watchers has been calling for a phase out of bottled water takings.
The Council of Canadians calls on the Ford government to listen to people across Ontario and phase out bottled water takings and recognize the human right to water.
Take action by writing a letter to Premier Doug Ford [ https://secure.canadians.org/ea-action/ ... n.id=65375 ] and taking the Nestlé Boycott Pledge [ https://secure.canadians.org/page/20925/petition/1 ].
Blogs by Emma Lui
Water campaigner for the Council of Canadians
[ https://canadians.org/blogs/emma-lui ]


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Bucket list item: photograph a wedding.
Done! One item off my bucket list!
A few weeks ago I traveled to Mexico for Kara + Donny's wedding. I also had the honor of photographing their day. Let me tell you, I have a newfound respect for wedding photographers; it's not easy work. It's a lot of running around, trying to grab every shot. Hoping you don't miss anything. But so much fun at the same time! In the end I'm really grateful to have had this experience & to photograph our good friends on their special day. I hope the enjoy their photos as much as I enjoyed taking them!


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Commercial or Custom Sales Quotes
Wholesale Application
This form is to apply to purchase BATT-MART product at wholesale pricing.
After you complete this application we will review for approval. We usually have this done with in one business day. If you have a business license and state sales tax number and agree to the minimum monthly purchase amount.we will approve your request. If you do not have either of these please explain why you do not and we will consider the application for approval. Your federal employer number is not the same as your
Cluster polyester fibers 10 lbs
Making the world a softer place
100% polyester fibers. They are processed in a way that creates small clusters of fibers (little balls of fiber)
28 pounds is the shipping weight for this product as determined by UPS and other carriers using actual package weight and dimensional consideration.
Item NumberBM-FF-C-10-BULK
This site was updated 06/01/2014
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text:
Here's a YouTube vid of a SNAG (Sensitive New Age Guy/Gal) circle meditation recently performed for serial scammer Kevin Trudeau, apparently in anticipation of his September 26 court hearing. In this meditation the participants are asked to envision Kevin walking out of that hearing in triumph. They are invited to visualize 37 million balloons (representing those 37 million dollars he owes the FTC) going POOF! and disappearing. They are encouraged to imagine -- and by doing so to create -- a scenario in which he is completely exonerated, all charges are dismissed, all fines are canceled... a scenario that ends with Katie emerging victorious at the GIN Family Reunion in Washington DC. I'm thinking a Return of the King scene, but without Hobbits and Elves.
The video was put on YouTube on September 24, presumably to spread the good vibe and help send out positive energy to Katie. The instructions -- and the meditation -- are simple enough.
Just a reminder...to keep saying this whenever you have a spare moment in your heads...So, did the meditation work?
"I Love THE Love OF GOD IN MY SOUL...AND
I Love THE Love OF GOD IN KEVIN TRUDEAU'S SOUL."
"I Love the Love of God in my soul...and
I Love the Love of God in Judge Gettleman's soul."
"I Love the Love of God in my soul...and
I Love the Love of God in Robb Evans & Associates souls."
"I Love the Love of God in my soul...and
I Love the Love of God in Kenton Johnson & Brick Kane's soul."
"I Love the Love of God in my soul...and
I Love the Love of God in Thomas L. Kirsch's soul."
"I Love the Love of God in my soul...and
I Love the Love of God in the Federal Trade Commission."
Well, Katie didn't get thrown in the clink on September 26, as some of his loudest detractors had been hoping. But he's far from off the hook. He got his allowance taken away -- for now, at least, though according to court docs filed on September 27, 2013, he and the FTC are still quibbling over details. According to an ABC News report filed on the evening of September 26, the receiver is leaning towards agreeing with the FTC that coercive incarceration might be just the ticket to shake some more bucks out of Katie. And he's due back in court on Tuesday, October 1, or possibly later, if the government gets shut down (see link to the September 27 court docs in the sentence above). Although I don't think he belongs in jail, jail seems to be looming ever closer. It's pretty certain that he won't be at the Family Reunion, should that event actually take place.
Here's the really sad part. While Kevin currently seems quite desperate and at this point might welcome prayers or meditations or magickal chants or even lucky charms or ePendants, I am pretty sure that when he was riding high he would have scoffed at this kind of stuff. I think that in their heart of hearts, at least some of these folks know this. (The guy in the purple shirt and hat looks a little cynical, if you ask me. I can't say I blame him.)
These people seem like sweet and well-meaning folks who are totally wasting their energy on someone who wouldn't give them the time of day under ordinary circumstances -- and indeed, would call them losers.
And he might be calling them losers even now. I can just hear Katie grumbling to his attorneys, "F--k the meditation. Why don't those losers send me some f-----g money?"
(I confess that I am also having flashbacks from my days of hanging around people like this, which I did for years. It was hanging around people like this that made me who I am today: the ironically Cosmic Connie, creator of this Whirled.)
Yet people such as these represent a significant and growing force in American spiritual life, and it's easy to see how Kevin pandered to them through GIN. (And for the record, I don't think they're losers. I think they've just been bamboozled by an expert bamboozler.)
Here's the direct YouTube link, in case you want to make comments. Be nice, though. These folks may be fragile and brainwashed.
|Clicking on the pic above won't lead you to the video,
but WILL provide an enlarged view.
Sadly, these meditators seem to be demonstrating the very type of gullibility that will make them an easy target for the next scammer to come down the pike. This willingness to believe, this deep but misplaced emotional and spiritual hunger -- along with the unwillingness to make "negative" judgments -- will keep Scamworld and the big sick machine fueled for many years to come. Kevin may fade away, GIN may die, but there will always be other scams and other scammers, and hungry, eternally hopeful people to take the bait.
"And so it is."
* * * * *
Some people have expressed puzzlement about whether the above meditation is actually typical GIN practice. Others who have been in GIN say they never saw things like that and it isn't part of the GIN teachings. Judging by what one of the women in the video said towards the beginning, it seems obvious that this is a vid of a private "mastermind" group of GIN folks with new-age beliefs -- and the two ringleaders, particularly the gray-haired woman leading the meditation, seem to have years if not decades of experience with metaphysical practices and belief systems.
Through GIN, Kevin chose to target this demographic as well as numerous others. And he certainly exploited new-agey concepts such as "vibrations," the "law of attraction," and so forth -- and also took full advantage of people's superstitions and their tendency to embrace magical thinking. In fact he has been practicing this sort of exploitation for many years through his promotion of various frauducts, but he brought it all together into one toxic blend in GIN.
I imagine that a more Christian-oriented GIN "mastermind" group might have a more traditional prayer circle and perhaps would implore Jesus H. Christ to help poor Katie. And maybe they have; we just haven't seen the video yet. The point is that people bring their own belief systems and practices to the table and integrate them into GIN as they see fit. And as indicated above, many people who were drawn to GIN experienced GIN from a new-agey perspective.
Not surprisingly, the GIN circle med has been a source of mirth on the "GIN Destroyer" Facebook page.
It's amusing to see the so-called GIN destroyers and their followers jeering at the new-age meditators for their touchy-feely and ritualistic way of trying to help Kevin. I know they are mostly jeering because they think the meditators are deluded for believing that Katie is a good guy or that their meditation will get their fearless leader out of this big mess. But the "destroyers" and some of the others as well also seem to be slamming the very idea of this ritual, as if it is some crazy thing only performed by people who are mentally disturbed. They seem to be ignoring, or ignorant of, the larger cultural and historical context.
The reality is that lots of people perform these types of rituals for all sorts of reasons both trivial and momentous, whether through meditation, visualization, or prayer. And they have been doing so for centuries. Moreover, the type of meditation that you see in the video above encompasses ideas that have become much more mainstream within the past few years.
I also recall that in 2011 the chief GIN destroyer had joined a Kansas City Wiccan and Pagan meetup group just so he could recruit them for GIN (the group's member profiles are now apparently closed to non-members, but some of his other profile pages indicate that he is still a member of this group, and that his interests include "meditation" and "energy healers"). And someone screen-capped his Wiccan group profile some time ago.
The point is that anyone who knows any Wiccans/Pagans knows that many of them are very much into rituals and chanting and circles and so forth. Some are solitary practitioners and some prefer groups, but rituals (and for some, spells) are a pretty big thing. In addition, Abe totes Rhonda Byrne's works around like a talisman, and recommends them, and her work is specifically geared to appeal to the very type of people we see in the circle-med video.
So I feel that our GIN destroyer is snarking from, at best, a place of ignorance or at the very least extreme shortsightedness. He's focusing on the fact that the meditators are trying to help Kevin Trudeau, and he is ignoring the fact that perhaps without fully realizing it, he has on several occasions promoted exactly the same kind of mindset these new-agers are demonstrating.
As for Loony Coldwell, he's up to his usual disgusting antics (or rant-ics), calling the meditators mentally retarded cult members, saying that they're broke or are trailer trash, and saying they have no sex lives. (He seems obsessed with sex and with proving to the world that he's a real player. But as many know, the truth is not nearly so glamorous.)
By now, it's easy to see the wheels turning in that nefarious little skull of his. He takes every opportunity to point out examples of what he sees as brainwashing and Jonestown-ish behavior so he can flog his own"anti-brainwashing" fiddle-faddle.
Not that I'm letting the meditators off the hook; it's just that I'm looking at their actions from a broader perspective. I will say that one of the eye-rolling things I saw in the video was that the meditators betray their own type of ignorance -- perhaps a willful ignorance -- of the legal trouble Kevin is in. They stumble over the name of the judge overseeing the civil case, they express confusion about the FTC's involvement, they seem to totally ignore the looming criminal trial with Judge Guzman (although I realize that they were specifically focusing on the outcome for the upcoming civil hearing with Judge Gettleman).
Their ignorance and blind spots are not really all that surprising, and seem characteristic of a cultish mindset that is often seen, and not just in new-age circles. (And any one of us is susceptible to being fooled by an expert con artist, given the right circumstances.) Even so, in light of the fact that they do seem to be new-agers, they seem to be as good an illustration as any of some of the more serious issues with new-age culture in general, which I've written about here before, and mentioned in the section above: the positivity mindset and the general mandate to be "non-judgmental." New-age culture encourages people to willingly suspend negative opinions along with general disbelief, and just "go with the flow." The emperor is fully dressed, by golly!
However -- and here's where I most definitely differ with the jeering group whose screenshots appear above -- some of the ex-GIN don't seem to realize that the phony "doctor" they are following, and to whom they now look for guidance, is many times worse, in many ways, than Kevin Trudeau.
As noted, I realize that the "non-judgmental" mindset is not limited to new-age culture or cults, but since the early 1980s or even before, new-agers seem to have raised it to new and often ludicrous (and sometimes dangerous) levels. It seems to me that one of the most extreme examples (besides, perhaps, James Arthur Ray and his deadly sweat lodge) was a certain most-wanted war criminal who was able to disguise himself as a new-age healer for years.
But the SNAG circle med above? It is not "the depths of madness" (as one participant in the above mentioned forum described it), any more than any other ritual practiced by well meaning if misguided people on behalf of a beloved leader or cause. It may be the height of folly, but it is not the depth of madness. On the other hand, following someone like Loony Coldwell... now, THAT'S getting closer to the edge of the insanity abyss.
- More reasons it matters if your guru is a liar: http://cosmicconnie.blogspot.com/.../11/lies-that-blind.html
- Creating "miracles" (group-med major fail): http://cosmicconnie.blogspot.com/2009/03/all-i-need-is-miracle.html
* * * * *
Now more than ever, your donation is needed
to help keep this Whirled spinning.
Click here to donate via PayPal or debit/credit card.
If that link doesn't work, send PayPal payment directly to
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If PayPal, be sure to specify that your contribution is a gift. Thank you!
to help keep this Whirled spinning.
Click here to donate via PayPal or debit/credit card.
If that link doesn't work, send PayPal payment directly to
or to email@example.com
If PayPal, be sure to specify that your contribution is a gift. Thank you!


text:
My illustrated house, pet, and people portraits are drawn and painted with pencils, watercolors, and my own two hands. A whimsical portrait is a fun alternative to a photo as a special keepsake.
This is a great piece to display in your own home, or a special gift, or even to celebrate a memory from the past!
Want your own illustration? Purchase through our Etsy shop, here: https://www.etsy.com/shop/cordiallycreative
* If you do not see Illustrated Portraits available to purchase, I may be booked up at that time! In that case, send me an email for availability.
I will need you to provide at least one clear photo for reference. Straight ahead works best. Also if you would like any specific colors or anything else (names, year, etc) included in your portrait, please let me know that as well.
Illustrated House Portraits will be created on 8×10″ heavy watercolor paper.
Pet and People Illustrated Portraits are done on 5×7″ heavy watercolor paper.
* I can also use your Portrait, once created, to make personalized stationery, upon request. Would be great for personalized, thank you, or Christmas cards!
** You do not own the rights to this illustration if you purchase, so you cannot legally copy or publish you art in any way.


text:
1. Leads can/will be delivered to you in 1 of 3 different formats, Email, Text, Or Phone Calls. Some clients may get a combination of 2 or more depending on how we approach your online campaign.
2. You should call or respond to your leads within 24-48 hours. We can't stress enough how important it is to call your leads back within in this time frame. Please always be on the lookout for text messages, emails, or incoming phone calls.
3. When calling, emailing or texting your leads you should respond saying or stating "How's it going? My name is _________I received your information today and I wanted to help answer any questions you may have about (say service requested )then we can set up an appointment to come over, so I can give you a proper quote." You can use your own rendition of this script. Please be advised that sometimes the customer on the lead doesn't remember where they found the information online.
4. Please make sure you use all methods of contact. You should also call/contact the lead early morning, mid-afternoon and in the evening. You can always send a text and email message, in response to you receiving the lead right away as well.
5. Even though we do our best to qualify our leads, the lead/lead generation system isn't perfect and never will be due to how consumers react, change their mind, mis-communicate or are being indecisive. Sometimes consumers contact more than one contractor on or offline without our knowledge, which is out of our control.
6. Please feel free to call your account manager right away at (866) 599-1355 to discuss any questions regarding your account. Do not wait weeks or months, to tell us about leads that were not satisfactory for your company. We need your communication as to how the leads are panning out for you to run a successful campaign for you.
7. Please call or email customer support for any questions or concerns regarding your lead campaign at (866) 599-1355 and speak with your account manager. You can email support at firstname.lastname@example.com. DO NOT CALL YOUR SALES REP OR SALES MANAGER WHO SIGNED YOU UP, AS THEY WILL NOT BE ABLE TO ASSIT YOU WITH ANY OF THESE NEEDS.
8. Please check your email spam/junk mail folder in the beginning of your campaign, as some emails will sometimes be sent there. This is out of our control and is controlled by your email provider. To fix this problem, you need to find or search for the email in your folder. It will be sent from email@example.com . Once the email is found, make sure to mark it "NOT SPAM" so your email provider will know, to start sending the leads to your inbox. If you need further assistance doing this. Please contact our support team and speak with your account manager at (866) 599-1355.
9. You will be billed each month from "EDC" not "LEAD CITY PRO". You will see the initials "EDC" on your bank statement. Lead City Pro is the name of the campaign, Please be advised.
10. Do not try and reply to text messages or emails sent from our LEAD CITY PRO campaigns, as those messages won't be received by anyone. If you have a question about a lead, please contact support and speak with your account manager at (866) 599-1355 or you can email support at firstname.lastname@example.com , with your questions.
11. Our Lead City Pro / EDC support team and account managers are available to speak with, Monday through Friday from hours of 6:30am-5pm PST.
12. If you find that our service does not provide a return on your investment within 60 business days, we will continue to work for free until you are completely satisfied.


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Ubuntu is open source, which on a basic level means pretty much free and unrestricted. You can read about it here:
Anyway, this means that restricted third party software is not included by default.
Installing Plug-ins, Codecs, etc.
Most of these are pretty straightforward to install once you have the basic settings in place. These are all settings for the main methods of installing software in Ubuntu which are Synaptic Package Manager, the Terminal, and Ubuntu Software Centre.
Synaptic Package Manager
The first thing to do is to check Synaptic Package Manager and make sure your repositories are in good working order.
System > Administration > Synaptic Package Manager
To access this Ubuntu will ask for your Administrator password. It may take a few seconds to load.
Now go to
Settings > Repositories
which will open a window called Software Sources.
Make sure you have all the boxes ticked. It is extremely important to have the fourth box, Software restricted by copyright or legal issues (multiverse), ticked.
We won't be using the other tabs but just so you know. As you add packages they will appear in the Other Software tab. In the Updates tab you can configure the system, security and software updates for your Ubuntu system.
The Terminal
Applications > Accessories > Terminal
The Terminal is the quickest way to do anything in Linux. It is extremely fast and efficient. On the downside, typing the wrong thing can create a lot of problems. So some people feel safer avoiding it, which is fine as you can get by without using the Terminal at all.
Ubuntu Software Centre
Applications > Ubuntu Software Centre
If you go to Applications and can't find Ubuntu Software Centre don't worry. Sometimes it is not included on the menu by default. Just right click on Applications in your panel and choose Edit Menus. Ubuntu Software Centre should be at the bottom of the main Applications list. Tick the box to ensure it appears on your Applications menu.
If you are uncomfortable using the Synaptic Package Manager or the Terminal this is a good option. Most basic software can be installed from here.
Ubuntu Restricted Extras
The first useful thing to have is the Ubuntu Restricted Extras package. This will install basic things like JAVA, Firefox plugins, Adobe Flash Player etc. The recommended way to install is via the Terminal. If you install it another way your installation may not be properly completed. You can read about that here.
To install this package using the Terminal go to
Applications > Accessories > Terminal
Then copy and paste the command
sudo apt-get install ubuntu-restricted-extras
Enter your Administrator password when asked and wait for it to finish. Now your basic media extras should be installed.


text:
4-8 Waverley Street, Southport, Merseyside, PR8 1PG
Southport is a seaside resort town lying approximately 20 miles to the north of Liverpool and 19 miles to the south west of Preston. . The town benefits from good communications being located at the junction of the A565 and the A570, which provide direct access to the M58 motorway, linking with the M6 motorway and Junction 26. The premises are situated on the northern side of Waverley Street, approximately 100 yards from its junction with Lord Street which is the principle route through the centre of Southport. The immediate vicinity of Waverley Street, Scarisbrick Avenue and West Street form an established A3 location within Southport, that comprises predominantly a mixture of bars, night clubs and restaurants.
Three storey building arranged to provide a bar on the ground floor, a self contained bar/nightclub on the first floor and storage accommodation approximately 469m (5,47 sq ft) plus residential accommodation on the second floor. Part of the property requires refurbishment.
We detail below the following approximate measurements: Ground Floor: Bar: 211 sq m (2,271 sq ft) First Floor: Night Club: 192 sq m (2,066 sq ft) Second Floor: Store: 66 sq m (710 sq ft) Total : 469 sq m (5,47 sq ft) Addition Residential Accommodation.
Approximately 245 sq m (293 sq yds)
Interested parties should consult directly with Planning Services, Sefton Council, Magdalen House, Trinity Road, Bootle, Merseyside, L20 3NJ. Tel: 0845 140 0845.
Energy Performance Certificate = C
The website plan is in correct and interested parties should refer to the Title Plan in the Legal Pack. The property is sold subject to the Lease dated 24th June 1890 but interested parties are referred to the comments in the Tenancies section of the Special Conditions.
PR8 1PG Open in Google Maps
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Do you have a query, or a property to sell? Complete this form and an expert will be in touch promptly.
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Saturday: Closed
Sunday: Closed


text: Palmer Center for Business Development Home > Students > Business Development Where your professional needs meet our professional solutions Post a job opening Post a job opening, sell your practice or equipment, mentor a Palmer student, and network with other professionals, all in one, easy-to-use system. Find a job Employers around the world are looking for a Palmer graduate. Connect with them through the Palmer CareerNetwork. Attend Business Training Events Check out our schedule of upcoming business training modules, brunch & learn seminars, chiropractic vendor showcases, and other special events. Build your resume Optimal Resume helps you prepare professional resumes, cover letters, e-portfolios, and video resumes. Practice interviewing With Biginterview, you can improve your interview skills anytime, anywhere. Browse the library Books, CD's, DVD's, and webinars. Get business coaching From business plans to employee communication, we have the experience to point you in the right direction. Find the perfect location Locus is a sophisticated demographic analysis program is dedicated to helping chiropractic students and alumni find potential practice sites. Be an Ambassador Are you a highly motivated future chiropractic professional? Then there are opportunities for you as a Palmer Ambassador. Career Fair information Meet employers and alumni who want to talk to you about their specific employment needs. Hours and locations Learn when, where, and how you can access our services What people are saying Wondering if it's worth your time? Read the opinions of current and former business center clients and decide for yourself. The Palmer Center for Business Development provides students and alumni with the business skills they need to build a successful career in chiropractic. The Center's programs are uniquely designed to meet the needs of chiropractors and incorporate instruction, mentoring and hands-on applications. Sophisticated, customized online programs-including the Palmer CareerNetwork, Locus, Optimal Resume and Interview Stream-offer high-tech networking and employment opportunities, plus career services such as practice location information and creating web and video resumes. By appropriately logging-in to any of the online services offered through the Palmer Center for Development website you acknowledge that you have read, understand, and agree to the Privacy Policy, Professional Opportunities Disclaimer, and Terms of Use. Main campus Staff Marsha Hardacre Professional Opportunities Coordinator Phone: 563-884-5858 Fax: 563-884-5103 Email: email@example.com Penny Hoker Career Development Center Coordinator Phone: 563-884-5521 Fax: 563-884-5103 Email: firstname.lastname@example.com Florida campus Staff Heidi Brodick Career Development Center Coordinator Phone: 386-763-2650 Email: email@example.com Contact Us Center For Business Development - Main campus 563-884-5521 or 563-884-5858 firstname.lastname@example.com Center For Business Development - Florida campus firstname.lastname@example.com ExpandCollapse All Palmer Center for Business DevelopmentFind a jobView Upcoming EventsBusiness ModulesStrengthsFinder 2.0 LIVE!Developing Financing and Business PlanningEthics Based PracticesEvaluating Insurance ContractsHiring and Managing StaffInsurance CodingInsurance ComplianceMarketing and FinancesMarketing Techniques from the Real WorldNetworking and MentorshipsOffice Flow - Systems and ProcessesResults Driven CommunicationStarting into PracticeStrategies for SuccessVital Aspects of Business Structure and Legal DocBrunch and LearnVendor Showcase SeriesResumes Etc.Practice InterviewingGet Business CoachingAsk the CoachBrowse the LibraryFind the perfect locationStudent Ambassador ProgramMap and HoursWhat People are SayingCareer FairParticipating Employers


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As part of the national celebrations of the 125-th birth anniversary of Srinivasa Ramanujan, TIFR has republished a digitally recovered version of the Notebooks of Srinivasa Ramanujan. TIFR has produced two editions: a Collector's Edition, which is a two volume set, hard bound with a specially designed outer box to hold the volumes and a cheaper paper back edition, without the outer box, but in every other respect the same as the Collector's Edition. The paperback edition is available only for sale in India. TIFR itself is distributing the volumes. For more information, click here.
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Eric Morecambe was born John Eric Bartholomew, and Ernie Wise was originally Ernest Wiseman.
After Bartholomew and Wise failed to draw in crowds, Eric also decided upon a stage name. Choosing the name of his hometown, Morecambe and Wise went on to entertain audiences for decades.
The Beatles had the good fortune to work with Eric and Ernie, and were clearly influenced by their 1963 collaboration on Moonlight Bay. The band went on to global success, of course, having taken a few tips from the duo.
Crafty Eric once suggested performing Hamlet, noting that Lawrence Olivier and John Gielgud charged three quid a seat for the same play every night "and they don't even get any laughs."
Bring Me Sunshine was not always the song they sang at the end of their show. Positive Thinking sometimes replaced it, though it never caught on quite as well.
Des O'Connor was the target of many well-meant pot-shots:
"There was no-one in the British theatre wouldn't have given their eye teeth to work with Morecambe and Wise" said Glenda Jackson. Andre Previn (Preview), Burt Bacharach (Backache), Elton John, Angela Rippon, Shirley Bassey, Diana Rigg, and a galaxy of stars would agree. Even good sport Des O'Connor appeared!
Their 1977 Christmas special was watched by over 27 million people, more than half the UK population at that time. The Queen herself is believed to have put the turkey roast back an hour to watch their festivities.
A commemorative statue was unveiled by Her Royal Majesty the Queen in 1999. The statue is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Morecambe... "don't laugh"!
Smile website conducted a survey in which Eric Morecambe was voted Funniest Man of the Century in 1999. Let's not forget it was Little Ern 'wot wrote' the plays too though!
The BBC's 1996 poll saw Morecambe and Wise voted 'Best Light Entertainment Performers of All Time.' A title that rightly tributes the talents of both Eric and Ernie.
Check out this Morecambe and Wise fansite
Visit Eric's statue at Morecambe Online
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
Titles - Morecambe and Wise at the BBC
Des O'Connor - Finally gets his big chance
Piano fingers - Tinkling the ivories
Ernie's advice - Eric's got a little problem
Falsetto - You hum it, I'll play it
Wot Ernie Wrote - Diana Rigg performs a script by Ernest Wise
Breakfast - As made by Eric and Ernie
Musical talents - Can you spot Barry Norman?


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This week, I read Organic Church: Growing Faith Where Life Happens by Niel Cole. He writes about spontaneous church planting and leans towards a viral house church model. The church should be spreading the DNA of the kingdom spontaneously, thru planting new and smaller churches.
It was quite a contrast after reading Confessions of a Reformissional Rev by Mark Driscoll, who is pastor of Mars Hill, a mega church in Seattle and their dreams to keep growing by adding new people into the Kingdom.
Both have a passion for seeing people come to faith in Christ, though both go about it in different ways.
I enjoyed Cole's thinking outside the pizza box, his passion for evangelism, and his rather sound explanations of new testament era churches. He does a good job in explaining the biblical idea about the priesthood of believers. I liked the critical thinking about engaging the culture.
I found two challenges with Cole's book.
1. What makes a church?
It didn't go into much detail about the individual churches themselves, how they are structured, or what makes them definably different than a traditional small group. It read as if any small group of people that organized themselves would have been called a church. Perhaps he lays out further development somewhere and I've not yet come across it.
But I'm not sure what separates these little churches from small groups disconnected from a church. He doesn't interact with the rich theological history of the marks of a church, which in my confessional tradition (Presbyterian) are
1. The pure preaching of the Word of God as sound doctrine,
2. Administration of the sacraments,
3. The exercise of discipline
The point here is not to debate tradition, the validity of how many marks define the church visible or invisible, but rather how to blend the material in the book into the richness of good sound theological tradition.
If you are more familiar with his writings elsewhere, I invite you to chime in with comments.
2. Church Leadership
There are variety of historical understandings on church leadership and plenty of good books. Driscoll's book devotes a chapter to exploring church leadership given that Mars Hill is hosting over 10,000 people a weekend.
From reading this book, there is no clear discussion of leadership other then a good discussion on the priesthood of believers. But New Testament ideas of "appointing elders" or "pastors and overseers" is not developed in this book. Some of the illustrations indicate perhaps the premature elevation of immature leaders, or the lack of protecting churches from wrong doctrine.
For our family, we will setting up shop in a new town (and a new country) in the not too distant future.
Our current ministry plan is to link up with a local church, but start new small groups in our section of town.
We will live in a 14 story apartment building, in a neighborhood with more condos in nearby towers.
Our group will be made up of mostly non-Christians who are seeking a relationship with God and want to discover their faith. I hope they as they find faith, they would get involved with the local church, instead of seeing themselves as a local church as Cole seems to indicate.
Once such folks are established and connected to the local church, we'd start another small group.
Let me ask you this?
Would you pray about starting a small group with your neighbors?


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As much as we would like for you to keep your own teeth for a lifetime, the fact is that sometimes a tooth is simply too damaged or infected to save, and removing it is the best option to protect the rest of your teeth and your oral health.
We understand that the prospect of having a tooth extracted can be scary. You probably have a lot of questions about the process and about what happens afterward.
Before we make the decision to extract a tooth, we'll discuss all of your options and the probable outcomes of each so that you understand why we are making this recommendation. We'll also walk you through the process we expect to take (because not every tooth extraction is the same), and we'll give you specific instructions to help you care for the extraction site while you heal and help prevent complications.
Why Do I Need a Tooth Extraction?
At our Edmond, OK dental office, we extract teeth for a number of reasons. We may recommend an extraction if you are dealing with any of the following situations:
- A tooth has decayed to the point where it cannot be repaired.
- Your tooth is so infected that root canal therapy can no longer help.
- Your tooth has broken below the gum line or is not intact enough to hold a dental crown.
- You are preparing for dentures.
- You need orthodontic treatment, but your teeth are too crowded for the size of your mouth.
- You have wisdom teeth that are impacted (partially or completely covered by gum tissue) or are causing other problems.
How Are Extractions Done?
Depending on the particular situation, we may recommend either a simple extraction or a surgical extraction. Simple extractions are done when a portion of the tooth is still present above the gum line. Using instruments specifically designed for this purpose, we gently wiggle the tooth to loosen it and then lift it out of the socket.
A surgical extraction is done when the tooth is impacted or has broken beneath the gum line. During a surgical extraction, we will have to make an incision in the gum to reach the tooth, and you may require stitches afterward. These extractions do take a couple of extra days to heal, but we will provide you with the information you need to stay comfortable during your healing period.
I'm Still Worried About My Incision
We completely understand. We will make sure that you are completely numb before we begin your procedure, and if you ever start to feel uncomfortable or worried during your extraction, just raise your hand, and we'll stop what we are doing to check on you. Simple extractions can often be completed so quickly that it will be over before you even realize that we've started!
Dr. Gray also offers sedation dentistry for his patients who need some extra help feeling calm about their dental care. If this sounds like you, let us know, and we can discuss your sedation options to see what will be the right choice for you.
If you have a tooth that is causing you pain or you've been told that you need an extraction, don't hesitate to give us a call.


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Obtaining your Receipt of Payment(s)
How can I obtain a copy of my Receipt of Payment(s)?
To view and print your receipts of payments click on "Received Payments" under the Finance Option in your studentConnect. Click on the PDF icon in the Payment Receipt column.
Note: Bank and Credit Card payments may take up to 2-5 working days to be processed.
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Eurostar to Offer Amazon Prime Video For Free!
Access to Prime Video Now Available For Eurostar Passengers
Eurostar connects countless passengers from the UK to the continent every single year. Its high-speed train service links London with Avignon, Brussels, Lille, Lyon, Marseille and Paris. As a result, it has never been easier to travel to France and Belgium without taking to the air.
What's more than that? a train arrives in the city centre, not at an airport. So, in short, you can get to where you need to be in the city quicker when you get off.
They look after their passengers too it seems. Their latest deal with Amazon gives people taking a trip with Eurostar the opportunity to watch Prime Video content.
What is Prime Video?
Prime video has revolutionised on-demand shows, movies and video content since its launch in 2006. Originally showing popular movies and shows, the platform has developed over time. Today, you can find lots of Amazon created award-winning shows and movies. Examples of these include: Golden Globe-winning and Emmy nominated Mr Robot and Emmy winning Transparent.
One of their most famous moves was to hire Top Gear presenters Jeremy Clarkson, James May and Richard Hammond in 2015. This was to create a brand new show to rival the BBC's long-running car programme. Along with former Top Gear producer Andy Wilman, they created The Grand Tour.
The show has produced more than one series already. It has been really positively received by critics and called "Top Gear on Steroids". As a result, many die-hard Top Gear fans have taken to the platform to enjoy it.
How do I Get Access Onboard?
The free access to Amazon Video will be available on the Eurostar e320 fleet of trains. This catalogue of video content will be available via an app created by the rail service. This can be accessed by connecting to the onboard Wi-Fi service on the trains and loading up the Eurostar App.
There will be around 300 hours of content available to view. In addition, the company has promised to refresh this on a regular basis. There will also be kid-friendly content available too. Great for keeping the children busy on the journey into Europe.
Aswell as video content, the app also offers: Information on train times, booking management and the ability to purchase mobile tickets. Also, there is a loyalty scheme associated with the users Eurostar account.
So, whatever colour your British Passport is in the future, you'll be able to enjoy great shows while speeding across the English Channel into Europe.


text: Sexual tension is the bread and butter of many dramas and sitcoms. Week after week, the two characters trade barbs and tease the audience with "will they or won't they" situations in which they come so close to getting together but never quite take the leap. The classic example of this show is Moonlighting, starring


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Hi BasuNivesh,
I have two different UANs both from different employer. I have resigned from both the companies and working with third employer.
My question to you is:
I have two different UANs out of which one is maintained by Trust.
How to process for pf transfer and merging the UANs.
Please help me in this.I am looking for your help.
How to merge two UAN?
Hi BasuNivesh,


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Once your condition has stabilized and your pain is significantly reduced, Dr. Rasmussen can begin to help you correct the condition. You will begin to make changes where the objective is to achieve a lasting correction. Inflammation and muscle spasms that have limited your range of motion or daily activity is no longer present. Limited movement associated with pain, or injury often causes muscles to become imbalanced. Rebalancing those muscles with the use of gentle stretching, specific home exercise and treatment such as massage or active myofascial release techniques may be recommended at this time. Activity and lifestyle modifications such as sitting, sleeping or working postural changes may also be a part of home care. The frequency of your office visits will be reduced at this time as well.
It is important to remember that many of the conditions for which people seek chiropractic care have developed over many years; therefore, correcting these problems is a true rehabilitative process. It helps to understand that it takes time to correct these conditions.


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It is fire season in the Western United States. The past few days have brought a major fire to a small town in Southern Utah that my ancestors settled. The fire is in really rugged territory above the historic town of Pine Valley, Utah. Then, we woke up this morning to discover that there is a local fire in Boise. We have had a week of 100 degree temps. In fact, all of the roads surrounding our house are closed to fire personnel since we live near the blaze and the water source. Since our home was shuttered for a/c, we opened the windows for morning air and quickly discovered how unpleasant the smoke smell was for us despite the relative safety of a mere few miles. We quickly shut the windows. Most of the Boise blaze is in the hills, but we just discovered that the one house so far destroyed belonged to a member of our church congregation. They are safely with relatives. The location of the fire is above our church building where we were just hours before the blaze started. Anyway, we have a lot of beauty in the American West, but the summers bring a kind of fear. FIRE. Firefighters have such an incredibly hard job. Every year, brave men and women live out near the fires and fight them in treacherous conditions of sweltering heat and rugged territory. Sometimes, they lose comrades. Superheroes.
Month: June 2016
Where would you go?
Where would you go when you sell your app and make millions or in the even less likely event; you win the lottery? It is all the rage in the blogs I follow to hear about people leaving their jobs … Continue reading
Flowers of Southern Utah
A bit of floral awesomeness on display from our hiking adventures the other day.
Hiking in Color Country
My dad taught me to hike. Though he is still quite mobile and active at 74, he is no longer my hiking partner and prefers an ATV/side by side. I enjoy both. ATVs are quick and fun ways to experience things and on foot is a sweaty slower more communing with nature way to enjoy the earth. A healthy body is the biggest blessing in the world because you can use it to move around some pretty awesome places and do some amazing things. I like to move my body to go hiking. It requires no skill and only as much effort as you want to exert.
Teachers are awesome!
Yesterday, I was a chaperone on my 3rd grader's field trip. The planned activity was a hike. Although my daughter didn't necessarily want me along, I signed up to chaperone. There was a lot of parent involvement so the ratio of children to adults was pretty great. One parent behind me said that the teacher was so cool because she never did a hike with her school. I said that I figured it was the benefits of having a male 3rd grade teacher. Despite the fact that I'm a female who blogs about the merits of hiking. 🙂 My 6th grade daughter was NOT at all impressed with the option of a hike for an end of year activity. ha ha 🙂 Anyway, these 3rd graders did amazing on our 2+ hour hike up varying terrain to Boise's hike called "Table Rock." I did NOT hear one single complaint and they all kept up. The teacher said that 5 out of 7 of the years they had done that activity, they had had an injury so he was equipped with a large first aid kit with him at all times. We added a plus 1 as a minor injury from our group so next year the injury count will be 6 out of 8 years. We had a lunch at the park afterward. Then, we visited the old Idaho state penitentiary.
It was a very interesting place with a lot of history. I have never been to Alcatraz, but this place has a lot of history of the Wild Wild West. VERY AWESOME!! At the end of the day, I was pretty much exhausted and teachers spend every day with a lot of active children in a job where the rewards are not financial, but meaningful. Teachers are awesome!


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Marketplace ServiceNowTim Brocato2019-07-24T10:43:03+00:00
ServiceNow automates enterprise services by optimizing IT, Customer Service, Security Operations, and HR processes
Popular Integrations with ServiceNow
Issues Management
Automatically sync incidents, cases, and issues (e.g., Jira, Salesforce, Workday)
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Integration Templates
Integration Templates are pre-packaged integration flows to jump start integrations. Simply install the template to configure, modify, duplicate, or delete any included flows. (Integration Apps vs Integration Templates)


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Modern Fabric Storage Bins Plan
Organizations come naturally to some, while others are really struggling to find a place for everything. In fact, the biggest problem is ensuring that everything finds its way to where it wants to be. If you are one of those people who are constantly struggling with chaos, a great solution is storage. They are affordable and make organizing sudden. There is a wide range of storage available on the market, so you can start by looking at the different types available. You can find them made of plastic, wood, bamboo and even fabric. Fabric storage bins are interesting because they are made of cloth, usually cloth that last long. They are often sold in groups of three, although you can purchase them in larger groups as well. Those are suitable for linen cabinets and bedroom cabinets.
Keeping toys in place is the constant struggle of most parents, so it is not surprising that there is storage space specifically designed to store toys. One of the most popular examples are colored fabric storage bins. You can find them in basic colors and pastel colors, so it is easy to fit this piece with decor your baby's room. The system maintains a surprising number of toys, making it a good deal when dealing with game problems. Stacked storage bin is the best choice for kitchen and garage. These types of packages are available in different sizes, but these are the largest containers suitable for storing materials such as baseball gloves and other sports equipment in the garage. In the kitchen, they are suitable for onions, potatoes and other bulk materials.
12 Photos Gallery of: Modern Fabric Storage Bins Plan
Once you leave, you may find that you cannot stop until you organize each room in your home. Fortunately, it will not be difficult to do because there are enough storage containers to complete all the needs of your organization. Whether you prefer plastic, cloth or bamboo, you will soon be left wondering how you can survive in this irregular place. This storage is a great way to organize your home. It can be stacked or tucked from the point of view. No matter how you choose, they are great in almost every room in your home and can help organize it in no time. These nice boxes come in different sizes and shapes to suit your needs and personal tastes.
If your bedroom and wardrobe require a bit of organization, contact the professional – storage area. If you want to clear the wrinkles from the drawers of your wardrobe and wardrobe, do not look further. These practical crates are the things you need to wear your winter clothes during the summer or summer clothing during the winter, so it is easy to find them during seasonal changes. You can easily keep them under your bed or stack them in the closet, or anywhere else for the problem. You can even use a fabric storage bins for your vanity. This will help you quickly find your favorite color lipstick or the right color nail polish to go with the amazing dress that you plan to face on this big party this weekend.


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Pope Francis Quotes About RealityQuotes about: Reality
The family is threatened by growing efforts on the part of some to redefine the very institution of marriage, by relativism, by the culture of the ephemeral, by a lack of openness to life. These realities are increasingly under attack from powerful forces, which threaten to disfigure God's plan for creation.
No one must say that they cannot be close to the poor because their own lifestyle demands more attention to other areas. This is an excuse commonly heard in academic, business or professional, and even ecclesial circles. While it is quite true that the essential vocation and mission of the lay faithful is to strive that earthly realities and all human activity may be transformed by the Gospel, none of us can think we are exempt from concern for the poor and for social justice
Above all I ask leaders and legislators and the entire international community above all to confront the reality of those who have been displaced by force, with effective projects and new approaches in order to protect their dignity, to improve the quality of their life and to face the challenges that are emerging from modern forms of persecution, oppression and slavery.
To be prophets, in particular, by demonstrating how Jesus lived on this earth, and to proclaim how the kingdom of God will be in its perfection. A religious must never give up prophesising Let us think about what so many great saints, monks and religious men and women have done, from St Anthony the Abbot onward. Being prophets may sometimes involve making ruido [Spanish for noise]. I do not know how to put it Prophecy makes noise, uproar, some say 'a mess.' But in reality, the charism of religious people is like yeast: prophecy announces the spirit of the Gospel.
Sometimes we are tempted to be that kind of Christian who keeps the Lord's wounds at arm's length. Yet Jesus wants us to touch human misery, to touch the suffering flesh of others. He hopes that we will stop looking for those personal or communal niches which shelter us from the maelstrom of human misfortune and instead enter into the reality of other people's lives and know the power of tenderness. Whenever we do so, our lives become wonderfully complicated and we experience intensely what it is to be a people, to be part of a people.
I believe that it is truly important for everyone to confront in dialogue the historical reality of the Reformation, its consequences and the responses it elicited. Catholics and Lutherans can ask forgiveness for the harm they have caused one another and for their offenses committed in the sight of God. Together we can rejoice in the longing for unity which the Lord has awakened in our hearts, and which makes us look with hope to the future.


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Comcast Roars In 1Q
Given the optimism expressed by its chairman and CEO, Brian Roberts, at the National Show in early April, Comcast Corp. was under pressure to report stellar results for its first fiscal quarter.
Last Thursday, Comcast delivered in spades, reporting that basic subscribers rose by 47,000 (its best first quarter since 2003); digital customers rose by 340,000 customers (its best first quarter in its history), high-speed Internet subscribers increased by 437,000 (its best first quarter on record) and digital telephony customers were up by 211,000 in the three months (more than it added in all of 2005).
The performance drove its stock up nearly 5%, nearing $31 a share at one point. The results lifted stocks throughout the cable industry, in hopes that Comcast's success is a preview of things to come.
"Let me be corny and say this was a 'Comcastic' quarter," Roberts during a conference call with analysts to discuss quarterly results on April 27. The comment played off the slogan of the cable operator's latest advertising campaign.
During one panel session at the National Show, Roberts had said he felt strongly that the business is poised to enjoy sustainable double-digit growth across all metrics. That prompted at least one analyst — UBS cable and satellite analyst Aryeh Bourkoff — to increase his basic subscriber target from 5,000 to 45,000 additions in the period.
Those subscriber numbers also translated into strong financial growth — revenue for the quarter was up 10%, to $5.9 billion; and operating cash flow increased 11%, to $2.2 billion. That made it 23 consecutive quarters of double-digit revenue and operating cash-flow growth for Comcast.
Banc of America Securities cable and satellite analyst Doug Shapiro subsequently wrote in a research report that the across-the-board growth signals that cable is outpacing satellite and other competition, in pulling in television, phone and Internet business.
"We viewed today's results as a turning point, because we think they illustrate that Comcast, and the cable industry generally, has a material speed-to-market advantage," Shapiro wrote. "While we think secular threats are legitimate, we also think they are years away from materializing and it is increasingly evident that cable is putting up numbers today."
Comcast stock soared on the results, reaching as high as $30.92 per share (up $1.82 each or 6.3%) in early trading April 27, before closing at $30.44 per share (up $1.35 each, or 4.6%). The rest of the publicly traded cable operators also saw their stocks climb — Time Warner Inc. shares rose 47 cents each (2.8%) to $17.36; Cablevision Systems Corp. gained 85 cents (4.5%) to close at $19.79; Charter Communications Inc. rose 3 cents each (2.6%) to $1.18 and Mediacom Communications Corp. rose 23 cents (3.5%) to $6.90 per share.
In the conference call, Comcast chief operating officer Steve Burke said that the basic-subscriber growth was a continuation of a trend that started in the fourth quarter (when Comcast added 40,000 basic customers) and that all signs point to more growth.
Burke said it was too early to tell the impact of Comcast's voice-over-Internet Protocol telephony service — dubbed Comcast Digital Voice — on basic subscriber growth. But he said the company is signing on an average of 15,000 new phone customers per week, with some weeks topping 20,000 additions. VoIP service is currently available to 20 million homes and that should increase to 30 million by year-end.
Burke said that in markets where Comcast is aggressively marketing its $99-per-month triple play package — Boston, Philadelphia, Indianapolis and Pittsburgh — the results are even better. Burke said that average revenue per unit with those promotional customers is ranging between $120 and $130 per month, as they take more expensive digital and premium channel tiers.
Comcast also is gaining ground on digital subscriber line services offered by the telephone companies. Burke said that 34% of Comcast's net high-speed Internet additions in the quarter were former DSL customers, up from 23% in the same period in 2005.
"We now get as many customers from DSL as we do from AOL narrowband," Burke said.


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Far Grape Vape 100ml
Full-bodied juicy medley of Concord, Ruby and Red Globe grapes.
A palate-pleasing union of bright and fragrant grapes coming together for a delicious vape certain to satisfy your sweet tooth
2 x 18mg 10ml nic shots are required to make the overall nicotine strength to 3mg
You must be at least 18 years old to purchase from this website. Use all products at your own risk and please follow any advice offered on our website. Please refrain from vaping if you are pregnant or breastfeeding. Do not use electronic cigarettes if you have an allergy to Propylene Glycol or Vegetable Glycerine. Nicotine should not be consumed by people who have not smoked in the past due to its highly addictive nature. If you have any adverse effects from vaping, please consult your GP. Keep away from children and pets.


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James Cameron To Take on The Informationist: The Post-Avatar Adaptationby Micah J Gordon at . Comments
Despite insistence earlier this year that James Cameron would focus solely on Avatar from here on out, he's taken up another project. Did anyone really believe him anyway?
Cameron has been tabbed to produce and direct an adaptation of the Taylor Stevens novel The Informationist. The novel follows an Information Specialist who is hired by an oil tycoon to find his missing daughter.
Cameron will finish his work on Avatar 2 and 3 before beginning The Informationist. Those films are currently in pre-production, and are scheduled to be released in December of 2014 and 2015, respectively.


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I apologize for the lack of posting this month. It's been tremendously busy, as I've been preparing for a big event I'm part of, had a bit of computer problems, and put everything on hold in order to take the once-in-a-lifetime chance to meet one of my heroes (more on that in a future post).
This will be a bare-bones post - the old-time ads will return next week. But I heard the following record for the first time last week, and something about it really caught my ear, and I wanted to share it:
What caught my ear was the first track, "Everybody Wanna Dance!". This submission seems to have forced Halmark into the 1970's. Because none of their tired, MOR flavored, or Muzak flavored backing tracks would have fit this lyric at all - it's quite a different lyric than the flowery, sometimes thoughtful, sometimes ridiculously overblown lyrics they usually got. Even the word "Wanna" seems quite a ways out of their typical audience's wheelhouse. And those lyrics: It's about dancing to the latest beats. Click on the Halmark link (or just listen to the other three tracks here) if you want to hear what they usually produced.
No, for this one, they had to actually find someone who could come in and create a backing track that sounded moderately like 1974, complete with a chugging drumbeat, synth effects, guitar parts and live backing vocals. If it weren't for actually seeing the label, I'd have never thought this was a Halmark release. Have a listen!:
And that uses up just about all my time. I'll let you discover the joys of the remaining three flaccid numbers on this EP for yourself. Here they are:
Download: Halmark Productions: My Rainy Day Man
Download: Halmark Productions: Under the Stars
Download: Halmark Productions: Open Your Eyes


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I honestly feel like I am fighting a constant battle when it comes to my health. My doctors are awful and I seem to always leave with more questions that I went with. One time, my doctor even GOOGLED my symptoms in front of me and diagnosed me from that. AS IF I HADN'T ALREADY DONE THAT!!
The reason for this blog post (rant) is because of my PCOS that I have been aware of (battling) for 8 years now. I have read so much material my brain feels muddled with all the information I try and take in on this subject. I think it probably makes sense to fill you in on my story and go back to the beginning…
I started my periods at quite an early age, I was 12 years old. From the day I first started my period until the age of about 17/18 I was on the dot regular. When I say I came on my period at 11:05am on a Saturday each month it is no exaggeration. I went on the pill at 16 and even this didn't affect the timing of my period I was still like clockwork. I then had some problems with my pills, first I was put on Cilest and I gained a ton of weight and had SERIOUS water retention, honestly I was wobbling around everywhere! I came off of Cilest and then was put on Microgynon. The weight fell off but the migraines… oh my god. I persevered with Microgynon until I was about 20 years old at which point I decided to have a break from the Pill (and contraception altogether). I broke up with my boyfriend at the time and I didn't sleep around so I felt like it was a good opportunity to give my body a break.
I didn't have a period for a 2 years! I thought my natural cycle would take a while to adjust to being off of contraception but I did panic and book a trip to my doctors after 6 months because along with the absence of my monthly visit from the painters I broke out in acne. It was getting me down, making me feel insecure and I didn't want to leave the house. I was referred to the hospital and low and behold I was told that I have PCOS. I had the most unsympathetic doctor ever, who, when I asked what this is and how it would impact me replied… "Your'll have trouble conceiving…" Thanks a lot. How insensitive.
I was confused and went back to my doctors who I felt was no help at the time. I was put on Metformin and told "don't worry forget about it until you want to try for kids." But how could I forget about it? I was put on medication for my skin which were no help at all, I was well and truly fed up.
One day last year my periods came back (alternative months but hey it was something!) I wasn't on the pill so this was my real period not the artificial period that the pill provides. I was over the moon. I felt like my body hadn't given up on me and although I used to moan about my periods when I had them, there is something about getting my period that makes me feel reassured and like I am a woman (as silly as this sounds).
I got into another relationship at this point so I had to think about going back onto contraception – I was so confused as to what would give me the fewest side affects and keep my period. The doctor I saw recommended the mini-pill (Noriday) – The mini-pill is Progestogen only. The doctor assured me that I would continue to get my period and I should give it a go – I trusted her so I agreed, this was a mistake. After 3 months of taking it I hadn't had a period and when I went back to the doctors (a different doctor might I add) she said I wouldn't get periods with the mini-pill. I cannot describe the anger I felt, I felt betrayed!
Anyway a year on and I am actually getting on with the mini-pill really well (aside from the fact I have no period). I booked an appointment more recently however because I've been experiencing extreme fatigue (literally so bad I fall asleep on the toilet at work if I shut my eyes!) Poor immune system, Aches, bland skin and hair, and finding it IMPOSSIBLE to lose weight when for the last year my diet and exercise has been very healthy and balanced (Yep…not even a pound shed). My doctor referred me for blood tests and I am waiting for the results but it got me thinking.. has this got anything to do with my PCOS?! Any thoughts and comments are much appreciated… I am pulling my hair out!


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Research Summaries: Capital Controls »
Source: IMF Research Bulletin, December 2001
Volume/Issue: 2/4
Series: IMF Research Bulletin
Author(s): International Monetary Fund. Research Dept.
Publisher: INTERNATIONAL MONETARY FUND
Publication Date: 26 November 2001
Keywords: capital controls, capital flows, capital inflows, capital account, capital mobility
The IMF Research Bulletin, a quarterly publication, selectively summarizes research and analytical work done by various departments at the IMF, and also provides a listing of research documents and other research-r...


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Purchased For 37 Percent Less, Sold For 90 Percent MoreMay 15, 2014
The 475-square-foot "junior one bedroom" condo #629 at 177 Townsend Street was purchased for $466,000 in August of 2007 and resold for $295,000 in November of 2011.
With "over 35K" since invested in the unit, including new floors and refinished cabinetry, the South Beach condo with parking was returned to the market this past March listed for $550,000.
Yesterday, the sale of the 475 square foot unit closed escrow with a reported contract price of $560,000. Call it a 90 percent gain in value for the condo from 2011 to 2014, a gain which includes both market appreciation as well as the investment in – and returns from – remodeling, versus a 37 percent decline in value from 2007 to 2011 on an apples-to-apples basis.
Comments from Plugged-In Readers
Location, location, and well…. timing.
Also, FWIW, you could have bought the S&P 500 at 1,158 in November 2011 and today it's around 1,869, that's about 61% higher, with fewer headaches, no cap ex and no carrying costs. And yes, you can also lever stocks with margin, if not quite as much as mortgages.
…but you can't sleep (or party) in your stocks.
The $295k purchase in 2011 was particularly bright.
"…but you can't sleep (or party) in your stocks.
The $295k purchase in 2011 was particularly bright."
Bright?! Come on, any A-hole with the $ could have purchased the condo. I'd hardly call that "bright".
If you want to see "bright" why don't you some of returns the less desirable neighborhoods in the east bay where an investor could have made 3x return from 2011 and 5x from 2009.
If this is "bright" the East Bay investor deserves the Nobel Prize.
Wow, anybody who sold in 2011 was a loser. Let's be real.
Buy and hold people.


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Discussion in 'Games, Gaming & Game-demos' started by PhazeDelta1, Jan 3, 2014.
Yea you probably can.
Yes, there is one more above, it will boost you're speed to 310 instead of 280.
I think it's around the same as artisan riding, but can't say for sure.
And for pandaria you have to wait till 90, and that costs 2.5k, so use the 3,5k for that, 280>310 isn't worth it.
The last skill is 5k and is subject to faction discounts. So if you're exalted with the faction reigning in the city where you buy the last 310% skill, you'll get a discount down to 4000g. (This last skill has nothing to do with Pandaria)
I wouldnt worry about flying mount for now. You will get money later on, its not an issue at level 90.
Cant wait to try more LFR tonight and get friendly with Shado Pan Assault so i can buy 500+ gear
Meh, I'll have the gold when I hit 90 to buy the flying skill
Quick kip now, then I'm all over it! 90 here I come!
The speed of leveling is redic these days. It should have taken you guys months like olden times.
#hardcoreforlife #wowisntwhatitusedtobe #welfaregamingexperience
Yea it is very fast these days! Did you manage it Eclap?
Im so annoyed, i got Shado Pan Assault rep to 2999/3000, killed more trash and another boss in LFR and didnt get any rep so im stuck now
ElFishoIII - I started this toon on the 9th of Jan, will ding 90 today, so pretty much a month later. I was pushing for 90 pretty hard. The thing is, the more you know the game, the faster you'll level. Also with heirlooms, you get an advantage. Still, none of my professions are at 600 (although skinning is at 595) so there's still a lot to do. I rushed to 90 if I'm honest. If I played this back in the day, for the first time, I would probably be lvl 50 now. But I've seen the content over and over so I rushed it.
@Andreas - nope, got to 89.5% and gave up. It was like 2am and I could have done it, but I thought I'd go to sleep and do it today. Had some stuff to do last night, so was distracted. About to log in now and smash it out
EDIT: Ding dong
Yeah I took a character from 1 to 72 in about a month doing nothing but BGs and dungeons (this was right after MoP came out) and I know the game pretty well (played for three years) so I know what you're saying. It still shocks me how fast people can hit 90 though. Anyways... GRATS
yeah, people who powerlevel, minmax stuff, have heirlooms and a lot of time, they'll smash out 90 in a day or 2. it took me 7days+ of play time, so some 180 hours. that's by no means fast imo. I enjoyed the journey, now I can enjoy the end game in WoW for the first time ever.
Congrats mate! Actually there is quite a lot to do in the end game now. I haven't really done of the MoP high level stuff, only just getting into raiding.
Yeah, there seems to be a ton of content. I'm 2 item levels short of being able to do heroic dungeons now (need 435, have 432 lol). then there's raiding, scenarios, dailies etc. Looking forward to gearing.
You will get it easily mate. Yea i havent even done all the scenarios, need group of 3 to do heroic so i havent done any yet. The reason i got so bored last time coz i was doing dailies for mount and doing actual farming dailies. Didnt do any other stuff.
Few things to do if you havent yet or arent aware of.
- Run the Arena of Annihilation scenario as it gives you a solid item level 459 placeholder weapon plus its quick, easy and quite fun. This should be the first port of call for every freshly dinged 90.
- Get your ass over to the timeless isle and you'll be at ilvl 480 or so in no time. My tauren hit 90 last week and I was ilvl 490 in a pretty short time. Just make sure to save up the coins you get from the isle for a weapon ( 2h or 1h + offhand depending on class ) as the weapon will set you back 20k coins which can seem a bit daunting at first but this is easily achieved if you just run around and hunt for the various rare mobs that spawn on the island. The cool thing is that you dont have to group up for the rares as its enough that you get some damage to them and you get the loot and credit as long as you stay near the mob when it dies so dont release your spirit if you die.
- I find trinkets the toughest bits to come by, chances are that you'll find a pretty decent one from the isle but this still leaves you with 1 trinket slot to upgrade. The thing I tend to do is grind justice points through dungeons or scenarios so I can then afford an epic trinket from the justice vendor at Townlong steppes. The trinket is ilvl 489 and costs 1750 justice points which shouldnt be too hard to come by. Also if you got a bit of extra Valor points kicking about ( 825 points to be exact ) you can spend them at the same place for a nifty ilvl 522 necklace.
Following the above steps should see your item level increase pretty quick and get you into LFR to gear up for raiding. There might be quicker ways like buying pvp gear etc. from the AH to sort of artificially boost your ilvl but its not something I personally like doing since the pvp gear isnt that great for pve obviously.
[Edit] As theres too much to cover about the timeless isle in a forum post, heres a link to a decent guide on WoWhead: http://www.wowhead.com/guide=1902
Holly, Damn. I can't reach my account. It asks for u know that tool. Authenticator. I used one of my old android phones for it but now that phone is long gone. Deleted stuff Indeed. Anyway. How can I access my my battle account. Damn.
Call tech support?
GO to the battle.net and raise a ticket. My account got locked and they sorted it out within a day!
Yay im friendly with Shado Pan Assault and can get 500+ gear now! Switched from tanking to healing now, dont know if i can tank those LFG just yet. Second boss in Fall of Zandalari is tough, that big Dino. Mainly coz nobody was nuking adds. Feeling WoW again, but horde on my server is dead, hardly any around, but loads of allys.
My personal 1-90 record is ~5 days (played time)
Done with RAF, Heirlooms (excluding cape and helmet) and rested bonus.
Can be done even faster with 200% XP boost pots (use them 85-90 with mob tagging).
Been gearing slowly, got il 474 atm. Did a raid yesterday yay gonna try to do a lfr before work today, also will get a weapon with timeless coins.
I think once I get home from work today I will resubscribe. I can only play BF4 so much while I wait for Thief to come out. And the D3 Exp... and all the other games I've preordered, haha.
I heard they combined a bunch of servers; I'm on Vek'nilash and my friend told me now it's like there's just a herd of 10 year olds running a muck While I don't really have that to look forward to, I definitely want to level my mage. I haven't had a DPS class in a long time (normally tanks - sometimes healers).


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This One Is For The Outcast, The Forgotten & The Person Held Back By Their Past
Mephibosheth lived in Jerusalem, taking all his meals at the King's table. He was lame in both feet. 2 Samuel 9:13 (MSG)
Do you ever feel like an outcast?
This story is found in 2 Samuel 9 and goes something like this:
When God, our King, seeks us out, we can find ourselves dining at the King's table as though we are a son and not the crippled child of an outcast family.
You can share this devotional on twitter by clicking here. I'd also love for you to stop by and say hi on facebook and twitter or leave a comment here.
|photo credit: D. Sharon Pruitt via photopin cc
Design: Wendy van Eyck
Have you ever felt forgotten?
Are you the person who feels crippled by your past?
Believe it or not there is a story in the Bible written just for you. It's a story of seeing invisible people, being kind to the forgotten and sharing life with a person marked by the burden of their past.
This story is found in 2 Samuel 9 and goes something like this:
David, now Israel's King, sets out to discover if any of the previous Kings descendants are still alive.
Only one grandchild was still alive. His name was Mephibosheth and he was a cripple.
With the rest of Mephibosheth's family murdered, and he himself having been disabled while running away from a massacre at 5 years old (2 Sam 4:4), it is understandable that he was shaking when he entered the Kings' court.
"Don't be afraid," King David said to him, "for I will surely show you kindness for the sake of your father Jonathan. I will restore to you all the land that belonged to your grandfather Saul, and you will always eat at my table."
Mephibosheth was living in obscurity just the day before: forgotten, broken and alone. Then the King seeks him out and changes his fortunes forever.
I love this story because it reminds me that when we deserve no blessing, or think we are nobody, God comes and finds us and blesses us with more than we can imagine.
When God, our King, seeks us out, we can find ourselves dining at the King's table as though we are a son and not the crippled child of an outcast family.
God doesn't invite us to the table because we are an outcast, forgotten or limping, he asks us to sit with him because of who our Father is, simply because we are a part of his family.
If you feel like an outcast: God says, "Come sit with me, you are one of the family."
If you feel forgotten: know that God has remembered you and he's searching for you, longing to bring you back.
If you feel crippled by your past: God is looking beyond that to your future. He is giving you what you need for the right now and enough to take care of you into the future.
You are loved, seen and whole. (Tweet this)
If you are feeling alone, forgotten or overlooked know your King is out there looking for you, seeking you out to lavishly bless you, for no other reason than that you are related to him.
What others have said about you, your family name or your past no longer defines you. (Tweet this)
God does.
God has noticed you, your inheritance has been restored and he has completely changed your future.
Question: What holds you back from living like you believe this?
A prayer for the outcast, the forgotten and the person crippled by their past:
A prayer for the outcast, the forgotten and the person crippled by their past:
|photo credit: D. Sharon Pruitt via photopin cc | Design: Wendy van Eyck


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Real changes don't just sound good.
Unsustainable green initiatives make no sense. To be embedded in a business model, they need to impact on two things: cost and volume. Either they save money, or they produce more by using less.
It sounds simple, but sustainability is a tricky subject at any level.
The big picture is confusing. Peak oil may make alternative fuels more attractive. Yet a rising oil price subsidizes improved extraction technology, in turn boosting the use of oil.
Sustainable substitutes like ethanol take resources away from agriculture, bringing about food shortages, forcing food prices higher and exacerbating health and starvation issues in poorer countries.
The world could switch to nuclear but proven resources of high-grade ore only amount to a dozen years of global demand. It takes more power to mine low grade ore than it produces.
More reactors mean more chance of failure and more contaminated waste. The last time I looked, the
Here's the positive aspect of the nuclear debate
If the world went nuclear, CO2 emissions would only fall about 30%. That's because most emissions arise when we use power, not when we produce it.
The positive? We have the whole other 70% to work with, without the risk of going nuclear. That means using energy more efficiently and recycling more waste – which brings us back to lower costs and higher volume from the same inputs. Those are the sound reasons why business should examine green initiatives. They can be a source of profitable innovation.
You won't be solving global warming today
Ask some simple questions
What can you do with what you've got? British Sugar generates lots of waste hot water and CO2. It now pipes them to massive glasshouses where it grows tomatoes. Doing so has lifted production from
What can you do with someone else? You don't have to be a major corporation. Is your delivery van underutilized? It probably goes to the same places as someone else. Can you join forces?
Or if you can't, can you outsource to a logistics provider who consolidates deliveries and does so using less fuel, fewer vans and therefore lowers the cost to you? Who can you collaborate with to do more with less?
What are the strategic opportunities? ANZ bank has targeted Asian growth. Applying its existing technology to an underdeveloped market, it launched a branchless banking system in Cambodia offering retail banking and payment services over mobile phones. Called Wing, it captured 20% of the bank account market in less than two years.
Moving onto a more sustainable footing does not have to wait for a major restructuring. What else can you do with the skills, people, resources and customer base you've already got? If it reduces costs or does more with less, it will be a sustainable initiative.


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Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization
Mission: The GSA OSBU has nationwide responsibility for GSA's small business programs, and is the chief advocate for small and disadvantaged businesses. We promote increased access to GSA's nationwide procurement opportunities, and engage in activities that make it possible for the small business community to meet key contracting experts and to receive counseling on the federal procurement process.
GSA's Goal is to be a model for outstanding customer service in government and to fulfill the agency mission of providing the best value in real estate, acquisition, and technology services in support of the American people.
Key Priorities of our Administrator, Emily Murphy are: Ethical Leadership, Improve Transparency, Reduce Duplication, and Increase Competition.
The GSA OSBU monitors and implements small business policies within GSA, and manages a range of socioeconomic programs mandated by law, and in support of the Small Business Administration, such as the:
Small Business Procurement Preference Goaling Program
Section 8(a) Business Development Program
Woman Owned Small Business (WOSB) Program
Historically Underutilized Business Zone (HUBZone) Program
Service-Disabled Veteran-owned Small Business Programs(SDVOSB)
Subcontracting Assistance Program
We collaborate across the agency and partner with many GSA offices including the following business lines:
We also work closely with agencies outside of GSA, plus organizations such as Small Business Coalitions and other small business advocacy groups, like the Procurement Technical Assistant Centers (PTACs) and various Chambers of Commerce. These groups, located across the country, help contribute to OSBU's success.
This is just a snapshot of our vision to contribute to the hard work of bringing small businesses to the forefront, and to market their capabilities as a source of success for our agency buyers and customers. To view specific ways the GSA OSBU helps the small business communities, which helps contribute to their success, visit our How We Help Tab.
The shortcut to this page is gsa.gov/aboutosbu


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A few issues ago, I drafted an article about redefining what it means to be whole, touching on how we often create gaps between who we are and who we think we need to be. But additional ink needs to be spilled on this whole wholeness idea.
After all, just how does one redefine what it means to be whole? Does wholeness as a state of being actually exist, or is the idea itself an illusion? Isn't this just another way of escaping an unforgiving, mechanical universe rooted in insignificance?
From the day I was born, people have been eager to tell me how to be complete person. As a teenager, I was taught that worshiping God, attending a Baptist church, and denying my homosexuality was the path to true peace both in this life and the next.
During basic training, the Air Force beat into my brain that integrity, excellence in all we do, and service before self were the three core values that cultivated the model airman.
In college, I read the works of philosophers who wrote and wrote and wrote on what it means to be human, a self that some argued was locked away in the skull watching everything inside the theater of the mind. Still others argued that any attempt to define wholeness was an exercise in futility.
The Roman philosopher Seneca replied to a friend who asked how to be free of "mental disturbances." He claimed that we all seek something "very close to the state of being a god: to be unshaken. This constant state of mental composure the Greeks call euthymia… I call it tranquility."
Seneca's definition comes very close to how I've seen nirvana defined. He talks about a mind that "may take pleasure in regarding its state and have no interruption mar this joy, but remain in a peaceful condition, at no time raising itself up or casting itself down: this will be tranquility."
Notice a pattern here? Whether it's true peace or euthymia or nirvana, everyone is telling me what it is to be whole without asking me what I think it is to be whole. Hell, I don't even ask myself!
Because I wonder: Can one be tranquil with not being tranquil? And what do you do when you actually achieve this magic wholeness? Isn't the idea of being perpetually tranquil a horrifying thought?
I might never discover what wholeness is, but I'm finding out what it isn't by including myself in the dialogue. And for me, it wasn't becoming a Baptist, closeted youth pastor or a career airman, or embracing the idea that I can somehow be eternally unshaken.
Maybe wholeness involves giving ourselves permission to be broken at times, depressed and weeping alone in our rooms at the frequent horror and isolation of being human. To dismiss the idea that to be whole is to live continuously without depression.
I try not to hinge my tranquility on cultivating a solid definition of what it means to be tranquil. I work to be okay with not being okay, yet still carve out time to enjoy lunch with a friend, dinner with a lover, or just a night in my own company.
I see wholeness as trusting ourselves in the process of seeking, and not investing solely in some distant destination painted and framed by the words of another (even my own words).
What is it to be whole? I have no f*cking clue… not yet anyway. I only have fragments of answers, and maybe that's enough.