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River Rock Hand Crafted Natural Soap
Our River Rock Soap changes just like the rocks when water washes over them. The 'Blue Water' has Sandalwood and Frankincense while the rocks are a bare natural soap with no scent. Our soap is made the way our grandmas use to make it. The two ingredients in the soap are sheep tallow and sodium hydroxide. When grandma made her soap, she used some form of fat and then some form of lye. The only difference is that we add a fragrance and a color to some of our bars.
This creamy bar soap will clean without drying. They are super-creamy, but not super-bubbly.
Our River Rock Soap contains Sheep Tallowate, Sodium Hydroxide, Cocoanut Oil, Sandalwood and Frankincense fragrant oils and Color.
Hand Crafted by Kitzan Family Farms of Nisland, SD 57762.


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If you would like to contact us and have an existing policy or are considering a new policy, please choose the relevant Business:
Tell Us About a Complaint
Call us on 0344 840 9517 or email email@example.com.
You can view our Complaints Procedure here.
We understand that sometimes thing don't always go to plan but we want to do all we can to resolve any queries or questions. Feedback is important to us; it helps us to be better. If you would like to talk to us about any concerns please call and speak to our dedicated resolution team.
Customer Feedback
We would like you to tell us your experience in dealing with us.
We really value our customers telling us how we did; it's always acted upon and used to improve what we do. Whether this is something we could have done better or even just to say thanks we would love to hear from you.
Emergency Out of Hours
We offer an emergency out of hours service to assist customers reporting claims which is available by dialling our dedicated New Claim Lines:
Policy Holder Enquiries

subset: commoncrawl


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Daelmans x Dutch Speakwords presents the 'Hold your Waffle' gift set! The set is a perfect gift for your friends, family or business relations. Or just get it as a gift for yourself. The set contains:
- Delft Blue tin Daelmans stroopwafels (1x)
- Waffle Warmer (1x)
- "Hold your waffle" mug (1x)
The set is a perfect gift for your friends, family or business relations. Or just get it as a gift for yourself.
The best stroopwafels are made by Daelmans! Our stroopwafels have a diameter of 8 cm, are filled with a creamy and buttery syrup filling, enriched with natural Bourbon vanilla. They are even better when you warm them up before you eat them. Place the Waffle Warmer and stroopwafel on the 'Hold your Waffle' mug and enjoy!
34% syrup (glucose-fructose syrup, sugar syrup), wheat flour, 14% butter (milk), sugar, vegetable oil (palm, rapeseed), soya flour, salt, emulsifier (soya lecithin), raising agent (E500), cinnamon, natural Bourbon vanilla, acidulant (citric acid).
Allergy information
Contains: wheat, milk and soy.
Nutrition Facts
Per 100 gram:
1899 kJ / 453 kcal
Fat: 21 gr.
– Of which saturated: 12 gr.
Carbohydrates: 62 gr.
– Of which sugars: 35 gr.
Fibers: 1 gr.
Protein: 3.5 gr.
Salt: 0.6 gr.


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representing the creative future
Steven Tai AW16: exploring the divide between young and old souls
Entering the top floor gallery of the Elms Lesters Painting Rooms, in a quiet alleyway behind Covent Garden, one immediately encounters an atmosphere unusual to the Fashion Week hysteria. Steven Tai's Autumn/Winter 2016 collection featured a mode of presentation that aimed to relax its audience. On one end of the gallery, a table was laid out with an array of cupcakes and tea served to its audience in ornate tea sets, while on the other end, a room presenting the designer's new collection which saw a room filled with models dressed in his granny-inspired ensembles as they engaged in activities such as sewing and reading for leisure. The walls, draped from top to bottom in a range of floral prints, while the floors covered in Persian rugs, evoked an atmosphere that was highly reminiscent of the imagery portrayed in many of Henri Matisse's paintings, like La leçon de piano (1923) and La femme en jaune (1923).
We spoke with the designer about some of his ideas behind the collection, which is when he told us that "it kind of has to do with the idea that I always feel like I'm really old and boring, because my friends would be like "let's go out!" and I'm like "I'm just so tired!" and think, "why can't we just put on some Netflix?" From feeling this way, I then realised that actually a lot of my friends are like that too. I decided to play on the idea we see in Freaky Friday, where the mum and the daughter switch bodies, so on the outside you look young, but on the inside you have a very old soul." The collection "played around with materials that are nostalgic, and a bit granny-ish, mixing that with our own textiles and patchwork, and putting all of that together."
The identity behind the Steven Tai label wasn't conceived overnight nor clear from the outset. Rather, the designer tells us that "it was a long, soul-searching process trying to find out the identity." He goes on to explain that there were "many attempts that resulted in failure, and many attempts that were a success. Kind of similar to the design process: you don't know until you do it, and you learn from doing it. It did take a couple of seasons, but I think we're on the right track now."
Comparing the advantages of a presentation to a runway mode of presentation, he tells us that the former works much better in his favour as it provides a much clearer narrative, which simultaneously corresponds to the rhythm of his label's nature — calm, gentle and never hasty. "I think that in terms of building an image and an aspiring identity, the runway has less flexibility in terms of expressing a message for young designers like myself. It depends on the designer, but it does work really well for us, especially in terms of our budget and scale. It is more feasible logistically, and it is more practical." Immediately after expressing this, Tai went on to express that "setting up the space was probably a lot more effort, than it would be to set up the catwalk," immediately retracting his statement before.
With all of the controversy over the fast-moving pace in the fashion industry today, Tai's show certainly provided a pause to reflect on the time we spend stressing over external factors, often neglecting time to ourselves and our own needs. Indeed, Tai himself admitted to his work process being affected due to commercial pressure. The characteristics imbued in his work allude to a subtle empowerment of the woman, which serves as a gentle reminder that continuously encourages self-building qualities. The women portrayed in his collections are never unrealistic depictions of an empowered female, but according to Tai himself, "should always be someone very relatable, creating a kind of next door feeling to her. We want our communication to feel very welcoming and relatable, so as opposed to being superior, we like to do something that feels warm and welcoming."
Words Alysha Lee
Photography Lillie Eiger


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PAWS Takes in Homeless Dogs in the Wake of Hurricane Harvey
The human and animal victims of this year's storm season continue to struggle, but the Progressive Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) has stepped up to save dozens of more dogs that were impacted by Hurricane Harvey — and you can help them save even more lives.
Since it first made landfall at Rockport, Texas on August 25, Hurricane Harvey has caused catastrophic flooding, dumping more than 40 inches of rain in some areas. As of this writing, there have been at least 75 reported human deaths.
Beginning with the first emergency transport from the flooded areas of Texas on August 30, PAWS has taken in dozens of homeless dogs and cats via airplane, truck, and even a converted school bus. On Thursday, September 28, PAWS took in 14 homeless adult dogs because Texas shelters remain filled with displaced pets who were separated from their families in the wake of the Harvey disaster. Available foster homes and adoption demand are down, which further creates overcrowding in shelters that are already stretched to their limits.
In addition to helping animal shelters impacted by natural disasters, PAWS regularly transfers in dogs and cats who have run out of time in overcrowded shelters in Texas and throughout the country. Adult animals coming to PAWS Companion Animal Shelter in Lynnwood and Cat City in Seattle have a five-day average stay until they are adopted into a loving home.
You can help the animal victims of Hurricane Harvey by visiting PAWS.org today!
You can help PAWS help these animals by visiting PAWS.org to learn more about donating, fostering and adopting. These dogs are currently available for adoption; please visit PAWS today to meet them!


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Android apps have limited permissions associated with them by default. If your app selected to apply "normal" permissions, the system automatically grants those without user input.
For permissions that extend beyond the scope of normal permissions, the user must explicitly grant those permissions. These are classified according to the following groups.
Permission groups
Permissions are divided into nine groups, allowing users to grant all permissions encompassed by a single action by bundling them together as a group. For...
Permissions are divided into nine groups, allowing users to grant all permissions encompassed by a single action by bundling them together as a group.
For example, to provide a user with permission to view, edit, and add Contacts, it's more efficient to group these permissions into a single permission group (called Contacts) than to request each individually.
Permission Group
Managing calendars
Taking photos and recording videos
Managing contacts
Current device location
Audio recording
Dialing and managing phone calls
Body Sensors
Heart rate and similar data
Sending and viewing messages
Accessing photos, media, and files
Demonstrated intent
A user may perform an action that demonstrates clear intent, such as: In these cases, the user's action clearly demonstrates their intent, and no permission...
A user may perform an action that demonstrates clear intent, such as:
- Taking a picture
- Selecting a contact
- Starting a call or text message
In these cases, the user's action clearly demonstrates their intent, and no permission dialog is needed or authorized.
Permission group icon
App name
"Never ask again" check box (This is displayed if a user denies a permission twice)
Indicator for multiple dialogs
Request types
Your permissions strategy depends on the clarity and importance of the permission type you're requesting. Each strategy offers a different way of introducing permissions to the user.
Critical permissions should be requested up-front.
Secondary permissions can be requested in context.
Permissions that are less clear should provide education about what the permission involves, whether done up-front or in context.
Educate before asking
If your app has a "warm welcome," use it to explain what your app does and why unexpected permissions will be requested.
Ask up-front
Only ask for critical and obvious permissions on first launch.
Because users expect a messaging app to request SMS permissions, requesting it up-front makes sense.
Ask in context
Wait until a feature is invoked to request permission.
Users are more likely to allow a permission when they want to use the feature it enables.
Educate in context
Explaining a permission in context helps gauge user interest and improve comprehension of the permission.
Provide an immediate benefit
Provide instant gratification to make accepting a permission feel justified.
Only ask for relevant permissions
When more than one permission is needed for a feature to work, only ask for those permissions and nothing else.
Runtime permissions
Apps may request permission to access information or use device capabilities at any time after installation. When a user needs to perform an action in an app, such as using the device camera, the app may request permission at that moment.
Users may also allow or deny the permissions of any app from Android Settings anytime after installation.
Denied permissions
Provide feedback whenever a permission is denied. Because denying permissions may prevent a feature from working as intended, whenever a permission is denied it should be explained to the user.
Permission denials occur in one of two ways:
- A permission request is denied by the user
- A permission is silently denied without warning because a user once selected "Don't ask again" from a previous permission request
To ensure that features requiring permission always behave as intended, the app should state that permission is needed and provide a way to allow it.
Critical permissions
If the app can no longer run because a critical permission has been denied, explain why that permission must be allowed and offer a button to open Settings so the user can allow it.


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Our office handles failure to yield cases in Chicago on a regular basis. Often the collisions involve a driver failing to yield turning left at a stop light intersection or failing to yield while coming out of a stop sign.
The "right of way" is a priority given to one driver over another. A driver at a stop sign on a road that intersects with a through street must give this priority to vehicles on the through street. This is commonly known as yielding the right of way. A driver must yield the right of way to pedestrians, bicyclists and vehicles when emerging from a stop or yield sign, an alley or parking lot. We yield the right of way to emergency vehicles. What it literally means is we wait. We wait while someone else takes a turn driving where we want to be.
It sounds like common sense, but there are a lot of drivers that roll through stop signs or rush to beat oncoming traffic while turning left. I myself often fear the bad driving habits of others. Traffic signals direct who has the right of way and in a perfect world we should all be able to travel safely to our destinations. However, there were 281,788 reported traffic accidents in Illinois in the year 2011 and 65,334 of those crashes were at locations controlled by traffic signals.
So what causes all of these accidents? Accidents occur due to a variety of reasons. Drivers in a hurry, talking on a cell phone, texting, putting on make-up, impaired drivers, or weather conditions can all be factors contributing to collisions where drivers fail to yield the right of way. It could be argued that a driver's level of patience or aggressiveness has a role in his or her chances of being involved in an accident. When a driver fails to yield the right of way, or otherwise fails to wait their turn, they increase the odds of being involved in a crash.
Turning at an intersection can be dangerous. There were 42,971 crashes in Illinois in 2011 that involved vehicles attempting to turn. This type of collision was second only to read-end collisions where 79,674 accidents were reported.
Motorcyclists are put at extreme risk by drivers who fail to yield. For obvious reasons, motorcycle riders are at a much higher risk of being seriously hurt if involved in a collision. While only 1.3 percent of all Illinois collisions in 2011 were attributed to motorcycle accidents, the number of fatalities involving motorcycles was a staggering 15.8 percent.
Our office has represented several motorcyclists that have been hurt due to drivers failing to yield, and in 2012 our office settled a case where a motorcyclist was killed by a driver who failed to yield while turning left at a green light.
Liability in accidents involving a failure to yield is not always clear and it can be difficult to determine who was at fault. It is common for a driver to be negligent for failing to yield the right of way, while another driver involved is also at fault to some degree, such as attempting to proceed through an intersection late on a yellow light. Unfortunately those involved in an accident and witnesses often give conflicting information to police and a quick determination of fault cannot be reached at the scene. Some intersection collisions become a matter of "he said/she said" and this makes it easy for insurance companies to cast the blame away from their insured and deny a claim.
In cases involving serious injuries, it is imperative that liability be thoroughly investigated. This requires investigation at the time of the incident and afterwards as well. It is a good idea to take photographs and obtain witness information at the scene of the occurrence, but afterwards there is still other information to look into. When liability is disputed, current technology allows for review of intersection photography & video, and any video footage from local security cameras. Further, actual interviews by investigators with witnesses can yield more information than is generally contained on the standard accident report.
The above facts are good reasons as to why it is important to start working with an injury lawyer immediately after an accident. Often video is only preserved by municipalities and local businesses for a short period of time. Also, witnesses tend to change addresses and phone numbers. The sooner you retain counsel, the better job they can do at protecting evidence and your rights.
Relief Possible for Victims of Failure to Yield Car Accidents
The facts of the occurrence are not the only things that need to be considered in resolving an accident claim. The nature and extent of the injuries sustained, pain and suffering, loss of earnings and loss of a normal life should be factored in before a settlement is reached. The process can be a stressful and confusing ordeal to go through, as if being in an accident were not bad enough. We often tell our clients to let the attorneys worry about their case, and all they have to do is concentrate on recovering from their injuries.
The Chicago accident attorneys at Abels & Annes, P.C. are experienced in investigating collision cases and handling negotiations to obtain the best possible outcome. We only represent those who have been hurt in collisions and we never represent insurance companies so our clients know that we always put their interests first, regardless of the type of accident. Contact us for a free consultation if you or a loved one has been injured in a failure to yield accident in Illinois. There is no fee unless you win, so give us a call at (855) LAW-CHICAGO (529-2442) or locally at (312) 924-7575 for a free consultation.
If a failure to yield accident has left you hurt in Chicago or has injured your loved one, call Abels & Annes, P.C. today and let us provide you with a free case consultation.


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My name is Maya and as the name of my blog might give away, I'm Belgian! I am married, have two children and our family is now settled in The Netherlands after living in France for 4 years.
In another lifetime I was an HR professional. For 14 years I worked in international banks in varied function: recruitment, compensation & benefits, payroll, reporting and finally project management.
It all changed when we moved to the country next door mid 2013, from the bubbling Brussels life to the somewhat calmer, greener and well, let's say it, countryside life in Chantilly, just North of Paris. Fast forward to August 2017 and we are now in The Netherlands, ready to face new adventures!
In November 2014, to reinvent myself, I started blogging (in French) about food at www.atableavecmaya.com. I really enjoy writing, cooking and eating so this was the perfect opportunity to combine all these ingredients and get myself out there. I thoroughly enjoy this activity but feel there are others subjects I would like to tackle and my food blog is not the right place to do so. Moreover, this time, I'd like to write in English.
So don't hesitate to tag along.
To get in touch with me, send me a message: maya(at)abelgianabroad.com
Hope to hear from you,


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Archived and Closed
This conversation is no longer open for comments or replies and is no longer visible to community members. The community moderator provided the following reason for archiving: Resolved.
First I want to say God bless you for all that you do there at Compassion. Unfortunately at this time I cannot financially afford to continue with the monthly payments. My family is going through some hard times and I know God will provide and it breaks my heart to have to not sponsor Idania but I have to help my family where I can. I cannot find anywhere to do that one here, can you let me know how I can go about doing that?


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Many locals and tourist guides in Cusco said it was not possible to ride a motorcycle up to Machu Pichu and that instead I would have to take a train or a bus. Fortunately, I met an Australian motorcyclist named Tim who knew otherwise. Tim told me that you could follow the route the busses take up to Machu Pichu and than walk 2 hours a long the train tracks to get to the ruins. Not wanting to pay a $170 train ticket or a similar bus ticket I followed the advice that Tim gave me and set off to Machu Pichu.
The ride up to Machu Pichu was treacherous. I took the mountain route that goes through Chinchero and Ollyatamba because I thought it would be faster. As soon as I got up into the mountains it started to rain. Mistakenly, I thought that the rain would be fine because I had the thermals and the rainsuit that my parents just sent me. After putting on 5 layers of clothes, 2 pairs of socks, a extra pair of gloves, a neck warmer, and my rainsuit I was still freezing. Part of the problem was my non waterproof leather boots which were soaking up water likea sponge.
Once I reached the dirt road at Santa Marta the fun really began. The rain makes jungle roads very hard to drive on. Jungle mud forms for long stretches on the road and without knobbies (offroad tires) it is very hard to keep from falling into a nice big mud puddle. It was funny how rediculously easy this road was to drive when dry on the way back.
After a few challenging hours of dirt roads I made it to Hydroelectrica. This town has no roads and was basically just a big hydro electricity plant with a few houses close buy. After unsuccessfully trying to ride the railroad tracks for 20 minutes to get into town (there is no road) a local man who was an engineer for the dam helped me push my bike out of multiple obstacles (railroad tracks, rocks, garbage, etc.) and than took me to the police station.
The police kindly let me store my bike on a concrete pad behind the police station. Normally I would be worried leaving my bike outside, but here I was perfectly okay with it. I thought to myself ¨If a thief can ride this out of here he can have it.¨ The police let me stay in a spare bedroom that they had at the station. It was pretty nice to stay at a Peruvian Police Station. They had hot water, comfy beds, alpaca blankets, and good lighting. It was better than a lot of the hostals I have stayed at.
The next day I set out for Machu Pichu following the railroad tracks. It was quite the walk to Agua Calientes (town closest to MP).


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Posted Thursday, October 29th, 2009
Posted Wednesday, October 28th, 2009
Posted Tuesday, October 27th, 2009
I have always wondered how to figure out the exact amount of ribbon you need for a present. Well – today my answer was solved. (Gift box length) x 7 = Length of Ribbon Needed Love ...
Posted Thursday, October 22nd, 2009
Ever have people over for dinner or a party? Are you serving on a buffet or having appetizers out on the table? Do people ask you what a dish is or what it is in it? Want a simple way to let ...
Posted Tuesday, October 20th, 2009
Posted Wednesday, October 14th, 2009
Posted Tuesday, October 13th, 2009
Posted Tuesday, October 13th, 2009
Having a dinner party? Need placecards and holders but dont want to buy them. Take old corks and slice them down one side, cut up a sheet of paper and write the guests name on them (about ...
Posted Sunday, October 11th, 2009
Housewarming gift… Are your friends registered? Check that first. Go to Crate and Barrel or Bed Bath and Beyond or wherever they are registered. Look on the registry and see if they are registered ...
Posted Friday, October 9th, 2009
Hi Everyone – The idea for this blog started because pretty often someone asks me a question about how to make something more creative. I thought why not let more people have access to my ...
At the heart of Bluming Creativity, you will find an eye for detail, extreme organization, a commitment to customer service, a sincere love of planning, and the deep desire to make every event and celebration our clients' dreams come true! Most importantly, we provide you the ability to truly enjoy your events and celebrations knowing that every last detail has been handled.
So, what are you waiting for? Read more about our events.
Or, contact us about becoming a client.
"I am an extremely organized person so I really didn't think I needed any help in planning my daughter's wedding. I decided to call Bluming Creativity for some ideas and I am so happy that I did. Tara gave us the piece of mind that all was well and truly allowed me to enjoy the special day with family and friends; not worrying about wedding details. She guided us through every aspect of the wedding plans and when we were stumped for ideas, she came through beautifully. I could not have asked for a more personable, energetic, artistic and capable planner."
— Judy, Atlanta
Read more testimonials >>>


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Barbecue is an all-season proposition, but the toil of pitmasters is best appreciated during late summer, when the glorious slabs and shreds and chunks of smoked meat get paired with farmers market corn and backyard tomatoes and coleslaw from Colorado cabbage.
So it rocks that New York City's 10th annual Big Barbecue Block Party is rolling into Denver this summer, for the first time (the Big Barbecue Block Party gets staged in a handful of other cities, too).
The event brings eight top pitmasters to Denver, where they will cook whole hogs, thousands of sausage links, mountains of pulled pork, and visitors will inhale, engorge, devour, and then settle down for a long nap on the grass in Skyline Park in Denver, beside the Platte River, where the event is being staged Saturday and Sunday, August 4 and 5.
And the cost?


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Mazubi Island
- Customer Micarna
- Completion 2017
Micarna SA produces meat for the Swiss Migros Group. But that's only half of the story. Did you know that Micarna offers 18 different jobs for more than 100 trainees? No? This is exactly why Zense created a campaign addressing prospective apprentices and other young adults. At its centre is Mazubi Island, a place full of talents. The campaign consists of films, an extensive mobile video game, collector cards and much more. You cannot imagine how much fun we had producing all of that.


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Must-have skills for ecommerce business owners
So what does it take to be a successful ecommerce business owner? In addition to a great website on the Neto platform, business owners need skills in accounting, cash flow and inventory management, marketing and recruitment. But where can an ecommerce business owner acquire these "must-have" skills?
Neto Partner – Consolid8 – has developed a 12 month business improvement program specifically designed for women in business to improve the profitability of their ecommerce store.
Delivered by Tanya Titman (business turnaround specialist and mother of four) this face-to-face education course focuses on empowering women by improving their financial literacy. When you understand your business' financial position, you are able to make informed, strategic decisions.
Join other like-minded women for a 6 hour workshop every month for 12 months, to learn:
- Financial strategies – understanding your business' finances, setting KPIs, budgets and developing strategies to achieve your goals.
- Improving cashflow – understand the drivers of cashflow and how to unlock your cash reserves.
- Where did my profit go? – on paper my business made a profit but the money is not in my bank account.
- Business growth – strategies to develop new revenue streams and increase your turnover.
- Target market – identify your ideal client and ways to attract more to your business.
- Building a great team – when and how to employ more staff – what tasks can be outsourced? How to do this?
- Leadership style – understand your communication and leadership style, plus how to get the best from your staff.
- Funding decisions – investment decisions, the smart way to invest money in your business.
- Business value – what's your business worth now, what could it be worth and strategies to achieve this goal.
The program is tax deductible and comes with a guarantee – "We are so confident our 12 month Business Improvement Program will either increase your business' revenue, profitability, cashflow or value that if it doesn't we will refund your investment."
As a BONUS for Neto clients, if you sign up before Friday 27 February you will receive a FREE business cashflow report card (valued at $1,500).


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It's Called What?
A few weeks ago Washington City Paper picked up on a scuffle going down on Twitter and Instagram over a DC ice cream start-up's new packaging for a vegan frozen dessert. Milk Cult decided to showcase the new packaging for one of their frozen treats: Bangkok Brothel.
Yeah. That didn't go down so well, at least after some of us noticed it. Owners Ed Cornell and Patrick Griffith said their vegan frozen dessert had been around since last summer and were surprised that the name was upsetting to folks almost a year later.
When I found out about this gaffe, my first thought was that the owners likely weren't trying to be cavalier about a sex trade that includes thousands of trafficked and underage sex workers. My second thought was that the best way forward for them was to do damage control with a group that advocates for sex workers. So it was a pleasant surprise to read their statement and see that they had done just that! The owners of Milk Cult had a sit down with HIPS (Helping Individual Prostitutes Survive), an organization focused on harm reduction services, advocacy, and community engagement for sex workers, and issued a statement indicating that they had come to a much better understanding of sex work generally and specifically in Thailand. They went on to say that not all sex work is coerced and that positive, sex worker-run operations also exist.
Milk Cult will now add information to their packaging about sex work and plans to donate 5% of proceeds from the vegan ice cream to both HIPS and Empower, a direct service oriented organization doing on-the-ground work for sex workers in Thailand. And to that we say Bravo! But, they have no plans to change the name.
HIPS executive director Cyndee Clay is compassionate and compelling in her stance regarding the name change.
"They were unaware, potentially, about the level of controversy and obviously didn't mean to do what they did," Clay says. She is happy with the outcome and won't be pushing for a name change. "They see their mistake and they're trying to do the right thing and spread the word and to make everybody more knowledgeable about an issue that doesn't get a lot of balanced and good conversation."
While she doesn't think it's a good idea for an ice cream flavor, she does think it could be an opportunity to reclaim brothels and sex work as ipso facto negative spaces, calling attention to the bad ones and recognizing the "empowering and sex-worker run" operations as something to support with harm reduction techniques and respect.
And l understand that. However I think that reclaiming language is tricky at best, and often hard to accomplish, as these erudite people have expressed. I also don't think that changing the name would be 'sweeping it under the rug,' as the owners put it. With their public statement, donations made to HIPS and Empower, and information on the packaging educating about sex work, they have done a whole lot to air this out and fix it. It seems peculiar to say that they're going to leave the name as is, in an effort to show that they're not running away from their mistake. Keeping the name seems to be a doubling down of their explanation that they had seen nothing wrong with it and that it wasn't to be taken too seriously. The easy solution would be to change the name and then include a backstory and let that be the intro to whatever information they already plan on including in packaging. Makes sense, right?
Perhaps what may have made less sense was what I was aiming to accomplish through my comments to the City Paper about the name, as evidenced by some of the comments from aggrieved readers wondering why someone in my position felt it was OK to use the language I did. Part of what I was doing was baiting the reader with a statement I thought would get much more criticism than it did. I wanted it to become a jumping off point for a counter-argument and discussion about several different things - things like what sorts of jokes are OK and which aren't? Why is it hard to navigate such humor? And who's allowed to say what? So, let's get into it, shall we?
A Bag of Dicks: A close reading.
Having just commended Milk Cult's damage control actions and plans, I gave my take on the name change. Here's what I rattled off to Jessica Sidman at the City Paper while pulled over in a gas station parking lot off 95, somewhere in Connecticut.
"If they wanted to be provocative and tongue-in-cheek and edgy, there's so many things they could have done. You could call this thing 'a bag of dicks,' and I would have eaten the hell out of it," Puloka says. But as much as she loves dirty jokes, she thinks there's a way to be sexy and edgy that isn't also "misogynistic and shitty and cavalier about marginalized people."
There's a lot going on in that statement, and I want to unpack it for you here.
"If they wanted to be provocative and tongue-in-cheek and edgy, there's so many things they could have done.
I have no problem with provocative, edgy, and even outright crass humor. What I have a problem with is the lack of imagination, whether naïve or deliberate, that is so often behind jokes at the expense of marginalized groups. Why can't you come up with something that's funny and not at the expense of women and not in the service of reinforcing this limited practice of not-clever provocation?
When someone like me calls out this allegedly harmless fun, critics would say that I can't take a joke. Such a statement implies that it's a lack of a sense of humor on my part. It also suggests that humor and jokes that further attack and demean an already vulnerable population are one and the same, that you can't be funny if you're not sticking to the tired and lazy punchlines full of women and bitches and hookers and their bodies and sexualities. That retort often goes something like this, from the comments on the City Paper article:
Nope, that's not what I'm upset about. It's not the allusion to sex or the celebration of the cheek of sexual innuendo. It's just the part where you're contributing to the lack of seriousness paid to the struggles these punchlines live with to have control over their bodies and exist in safe, productive spaces.
On Twitter I had suggested they change the name to 'Coco-Nut in My Mouth, Not on My Face Please.' You might get the idea that this frozen treat features a coconut flavor. It's also quite sex positive – an articulated request of what you do and don't want from a sexual escapade. Also, you put the ice cream in your mouth -get it? You can be funny, edgy, and rife with sexual innuendo and it doesn't have to be with the hackneyed punchlines that reinforce women's marginalized positions. Jokes don't have to shore up a world where sexual objectification is standard and healthy sexuality and agency are absent. You can be funny and flaunt standards of PC language while not reinforcing harmful stereotypes.
You could call this thing 'a bag of dicks,' and I would have eaten the hell out of it," Puloka says.
Here's an example of me not having a problem with crass and vulgar humor by using that language and then saying I would happily purchase and consume that vulgarity with gusto.
But as much as she loves dirty jokes, she thinks there's a way to be sexy and edgy that isn't also "misogynistic and shitty and cavalier about marginalized people."
As a heterosexual identifying woman who enjoys the company of men and their dicks, my name-change suggestion is also a true statement and one I offer up without embarrassment and with the challenge to find what's wrong with it. It is sex positive and doesn't come at the expense of anyone's humanity.
If what is wrong with it is that it is crass, ask yourself if it is more crass to see a pint of ice cream labeled 'Bangkok Brothel'. The erasing of the realities of the sex trade in Southeast Asia behind an alliterative front is crass and vulgar in its insidiousness. I bet these guys would have given pause before calling peach flavored ice cream 'Plantation Passion'. Maybe culturally there are enough cues that a name like that might offend as it makes cute the idea of the Plantation and maybe even makes light of the forced and coerced sexual relationships and abuse between masters and their slaves. So if we find 'Bangkok Brothel' to be unsavory but ultimately harmless maybe it is because our awareness around sex work exists largely as cultural tropes and wink-winks about those lovely Thai prostitutes and the playland that awaits privileged western travelers. Or even worse, sneering jokes disparaging sex workers, full of the stale and harmful and unfair punchlines that paint them as dirty and without value -thereby reinforcing their vulnerability to dangerous conditions. Light hearted jokes about serious issues not taken seriously in the first place reinforce the injustice by separating the issue from reality and keeping it at the edges of what is worth one's care and attention.
If something about me in particular is what rubs the reader the wrong way, I say it is fair to validate someone's boundaries of decorum, and I can see that my comments are indecorous and you are entitled to thinking so. Without criticizing that opinion I am asking for an examination of why you may find my statements crude. If it's because the phrase coming out of a woman's mouth is harsher, cruder, and more distasteful than if a man had said it, that's a telling thing to explore. Soraya Chemaly talks about the higher standard of politeness expected out of women, such that identical behavior is seen as acceptable or not depending on your gender. And that has serious ramifications. Women who dress a certain way are seen as less deserving of safe spaces, women who are overtly sexually or speak crassly get framed as 'bad girls' who aren't smart enough or cultivated enough to behave properly and therefore don't deserve the safety of respect and acceptance. As Amy Schumer points out, if you're a woman talking about sex with blunt, crude humor then you are just that, but if you're a man you can do far cruder and still be considered intelligent and dynamic. She gets labeled a sex comic perhaps because her sex schtick stands out against her male counterparts. I don't think that's fair, and that is one way women get constrained and restricted from the same livelihood and expression that men are allowed.
So there you have it. Badly named vegan ice creams and how the way we talk about and label things affects how we understand and value them. And this gem. Indeed, what's wrong with it? Asking that question is an important starting point to explore where our beliefs and values come from and why, and can be an opportunity to challenge and change those that are harmful.


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Bots are complicated. They're made to process repetitive actions autonomously and can be fairly easy to build, but they aren't always working on the side of good. Here's what you need to know.
Each year, EContent magazine compiles a list of the 100 companies that matter most in the digital content industry.
Voting is now closed. We'll announce the results of the first-ever EContent 100 list chosen by the people!
Lin Pophal
Nov 16, 2011
Few, if any, would argue that the internet has dramatically and permanently changed the publishing industry. As print publishers have scrambled to find ways to compete with and, ultimately, embrace the digital world, some are excelling through a combination of traditional and online options. Others, new to publishing, are operating in the online-only world, but everyone is dealing with the age-old problem of circulation building.
In many ways, "the legacy of circulation hasn't changed at all-it's a numbers game and it always will be," says Lawrence Lerner, who has been tracking the change from traditional print circulation to online circulation for 15 years. Based in Chicago, Lerner works with clients to improve their businesses through IT strategy, interactive media, and ebusiness. Circulation building is about getting the right number of "qualified" individuals into your list, he says. It is as simple, and ultimately as complex, as that.
While some aspects of circulation building may be the same in traditional as in new media environments, there are some decided differences that can represent both opportunities and challenges. Lynne Brennen, head of circulation marketing for The Wall Street Journal, believes that circulation in a digital world is "very different." Brennen's days are typically spent considering how to drive consumer value and revenue across a range of news platforms including print, web, mobile, social, and "a whole host of yet-to-be-launched media," she says. Brennen says that there are five attributes that drive "commerce viability," or consumers' willingness to pay for content:
In terms of platforms, Brennen considers print, browser-based websites, smartphones, social platforms (such as Facebook and Twitter), and tablets. Of these, she says, tablets as a platform seem to possess all four attributes and come closest to emulating the print reading experience.The digital space is not a monolith, she notes, at least not today with the proliferation of mobile and tablet devices that allow consumers to consume media in a variety of formats across a variety of platforms. Decisions around how to deliver content across these various devices, and, importantly, whether and how to charge for it, are becoming increasingly complex.
At The Wall Street Journal, belief in the paid model is strong. "We feel very strongly that quality content is valuable and that the consumer should pay for it, but that the way we go at that needs to be dynamic-it needs to be ever-changing."
Of course, the free model of information distribution is not something that has emerged with the advent of web-based content. Controlled circulation has long been a practice for various trade and professional publications whose revenue was derived through paid advertising. Online publishers have the same choices related to generating revenue through paid circulation, paid advertising, or a combination of both that publishers have always had. The challenge today, of course, is that with the proliferation of free content, building the case for paid subscriptions has become increasingly challenging for many publishers. In an online environment, the value of a paid audience may be more than it might have been for advertisers in a traditional print world. In other words, delivering a massive audience of people who have opted into a free online subscription likely holds less value to advertisers in the online world than it does for trade publishers who can deliver advertisers a qualified audience clearly linked to advertisers' demographic requirements. Chris Seper is a founding partner of MedCity News and previously worked as the online medical editor and assistant metro editor at The Plain Dealer in Ohio. Publishers in any environment, says Seper, "are either selling audience or they're selling expertise."
Many online content providers share information widely-and freely. The Huffington Post is an example of one organization that has done this quite successfully. In other cases, aggregators sell content to other sites that pay for the content but provide the information freely to visitors to their site, recognizing the value of those visitors in luring online advertisers.
For publishers such as The Huffington Post that choose not to charge for content but to base their revenue model on advertising, building a large audience that is attractive to online advertisers is the key to success. It is not surprising, then, that a certain number of these online publishers will be tempted to take controversial steps to do so.
There is, says Lerner, both a light and a dark side to the world of circulation management in the online world. The light side is permissionbased. The dark side represents those who don't seek permission to add people to their lists, but instead rely on "scraping," the process of cultivating email addresses through more nefarious means.
But it's not numbers alone that draw advertisers to support online publications. The availability of analytics that provide the ability to track even the most minute movements of online readers creates a new dynamic for publishers.
Selling audience online is more challenging than in the traditional print environment, notes Seper, who has done both. With print publications, advertisers would commonly ask, "How many subscribers do you have?" and of course they wanted to know a little bit about those subscribers. In the digital environment, they want to know more, he says. "You're asked how many subscribers do you have, what are their demographics-and what are your open rates." That last one is critical, he says, both from an advertiser's perspective and for the publisher.
Seper points out that when he mails to his distribution list he's paying for all of that distribution whether recipients open the email or not. Ironically, the same was true in traditional publishing; publishers paid to print and mail their materials to subscribers whether they opened the publications or not. There's just something about knowing, though, that makes all the difference. In the digital environment, data can be both a blessing and a curse.
In addition, says Seper, he's much more focused on controlling his online list to ensure a large and engaged audience, with a focus on "carrying as little dead wood as possible."


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The answers to the questions on why you are the proper candidate to position or job require careful reflection and guidance. Your response should be dependable and relevant to the job and the unique requirements of the corporation.
An interview about why the organization used it, can discover each interview in one way or another.
Use these pointers to get a solution that allows you to set-up your very own response and is easily noticeable with confidence in your ability to complete the task.
"Why should we hire you?" interview is one of the most common questions. Get ready for this.
Interview question "Why should we hire you?"
Analyze the position or job description and recollect job necessities. Mention your abilities and experience that meet the desires and requirements of your enterprise. What profit do you carry to this position?
If you are looking for more tips about why should we hire you? Hop over to watch this video:
Be sincere and positive regarding your skills
"I have the proper aggregate of skills and experience for this position. I also add additional potential and stable analytical opportunities to remedy issues, as verified via the introduction of a workflow system at Evergreen Company."
"My dedication to high-quality business standards will add worth to the group."
"I learned fast, I needed to study a very new working device in my remaining activity, and I started out operating for a few weeks."
"You desire a person who can perform an extensive range of administrative obligations. I have knowledge in performing these specific duties efficiently and effectively."
The pinnacle reasons why you're an appropriate candidate
While answering this interview query, do not try to say you are the good or best candidate, you aren't acquainted with the competencies and knowledge of other candidates.
"My success at XYZ company is attaining an annual increase of 30%, and I have worked with a similar product line and in-depth understanding of the technical elements.
My knowledge as a senior crew member will assist your division, and I am eager about the new problem associated with this job. "
Be passionate about why you need this job
"I love this gift business, and I firmly consider that I can be convenient at that. I like talking with customers and supporting them obtain what they may be searching out."
"One of the reasons I wish to work for this enterprise is the status in the field of employee development. I genuinely think that I am the proper candidate for this position and this enterprise."


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Gartner Magic Quadrant: Ideal BI Resources of 2016
It feels very good to know you hitched your wagon to the appropriate star. To understand you cheered for the best group. To know the racehorse you're betting on isn't just the chief in the pack-it's a certified Chief. - BI Consultant
That is regarding how we really feel about seeing Microsoft named a "leader" by Gartner's 2016 Magic Quadrant, a useful device that graphs the ratings of distinct technologies-in this case, information warehousing and analytics softwares. We've long employed Microsoft's products with our own consumers. The Magic Quadrant prices items on two important criteria: one particular axis on the quadrant signifies "completeness of vision" (a score according to a company's marketplace knowing, organization design, and innovation), while the other signifies "ability to execute" (a rating that signifies the company's marketplace responsiveness, client knowledge, and pricing). Those that generate places in the upper correct corner on the quadrant would be the couple of exceptional products-designated "leaders"-that both "execute well against their present vision" and "are well positioned for tomorrow." So while the items that slide in to the quadrant's other categories-"visionaries," "challengers," and "niche players"-have their very own strengths and may be a great fit for particular organization versions, more than 66 percent of Fortune 500 businesses have recognized the strengths of Microsoft's BI technologies and turn out to be Azure buyers.
These Magic Quadrants perform as beginning factors for all those shopping for BI technology; they may be rapid and straightforward methods to help organizations recognize at a glance which technology companies will greatest match their data storage and analysis needs. The scores represented on the quadrant are tabulated depending on reports from reference customers-real users who created actual investments in a product and count on true outcomes. A single Magic Quadrant rates BI and analytics software, whilst another rates data warehousing and data options. Microsoft's products-including Energy BI, Azure SQL Server, the Microsoft Analytics System Program, a cloud providing with Azure SQL Data Warehouse (in preview), and Azure HDInsight for Hadoop-were amongst the leading performers according to both quadrants.
And luckily for us, viewing which systems came out on top this year doesn't lead to us to rethink our business decisions. We're certified associates not just with Microsoft but in addition with Tableau, an additional in the top-scoring softwares around the quadrant.
We know that Microsoft gained a coveted spot inside the coveted Chief square. But what landed it there? Listed below are a few of the strengths of Microsoft's systems that Gartner and others have recognized.
Versatility. The Gartner report highlights Microsoft's selection of deployment options, so you are able to tailor your BI resolution to start using the methods you already use. It supports a wide range of operating programs, languages, frameworks, and resources, so you are able to integrate these programs and run them parallel for the things you are currently acquainted with. Because when it comes to your business, you are in cost. You ought to be capable to use the resources you realize and love to maximise perception gleaned out of your information.
End-to-end BI solutions. Making use of Azure and Energy BI in tandem enables customers to consider their information via the entire procedure, from assortment, storage, and integration, all of the strategy to visualization.
Citizen scientist ability. Microsoft's intuitive interface tends to make it to ensure that you do not need to have a PhD in information visualization. Using a small effort, anyone can perform the function of information scientist.
Data safety is among the best issues for BI customers, particularly where the cloud is concerned, but Microsoft's safety actions were amongst its biggest strengths, in accordance with Gartner's reference buyers. Microsoft has made severe investments within the cloud safety match, and they've the potential to keep a worldwide incident response team working to defuse any potential security threats for the Microsoft Cloud system.
Hybrid cloud and on-premises capabilities. Microsoft allows you to lengthen current bodily datacenters in to the cloud and use the two together. Seems you are able to have it all.
Pay-as-you-go design. No want to shoulder an huge upfront price of establishing a database. Microsoft allows you to definitely spend for what you will need as you'll need it, so the technology's capabilities can grow with yours.
You can find other feasible options out there: as an example Teradata as being a database akin to Microsoft Azure, and even Domo's all-enclusive, package deal offer, but enormous differences in pricing and flexibility among these guys and Microsoft prod even enterprise-level executives to analyze Microsoft's inexpensive, a la carte choices. - BI Consultant
Taking into consideration new data options and analytics resources? Let the Magic Quadrant point you inside the correct path (up and for the appropriate, where the Leaders hang out.)


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Mannar Educational continued to maintain its lead, in the Northern Province Schools Track and Field Athletic meet at the end of the 4th day of the meet.
The Track and Field Athletic meet conducted by the Northern Provincial Council among the Schools is being held from last Friday at the Duraiappah Stadium.
On the basis of the results of the meet up to yesterday,
Mannar Educational Zone is leading notching up 508 points.
Valikamam EZ is in the 2nd position with 478 points.
Jaffna EZ is in the 3rd Place with 383 points.
Kilinochchi EZ is in the 4th Place with 286 points.
Vadamaradchchi EZ is in the 5th Place with 231 points
Vavuniya SouthEZ is in the 6th Place with 202 points
Muliatheevu EZ is in the 7th Place with 163 points
Thenmaradchchi EZ is in the 8th Place with 107 points
Thunukkai EZ is in the 9th Place with 84 points
Madhu EZ is in the 10th Place with 68 points
Islands EZ is in the 11thrd Place with 52 points
Vavuniya North EZ is in the 12rd Place with 10 points


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The photo here shows my son Kyle and I doing a forward bend. It appears that my bend represents an 'advanced' stage of yoga, while Kyle's represents an 'intermediate' stage. In fact, we are at the same stage; we are both beginners.
Any activity you do with full integrity places you at a virtual beginning stage. In this case, doing yoga fully means that I thrust forward until I reach my limit. Kyle is doing the same. We are both at our limit; we are both beginners.
However, people don't usually see life this way. Instead, Kyle appears to be the beginner and me the master. Seeing it this way is competitive and causes us to assume that the goal is to bend forward like the 'master'. This usually rouses comments akin to "I can't do that" or "I can do that better". Actually, the only goal in yoga is to do the task at hand fully and honestly. This applies to all action. The Bhagavad-Gita points this out, albeit, a bit too romantically from a Taoist point of view.
3:7 But great is the man who, free from attachments, and with a mind ruling its powers in harmony, works on the path of Karma Yoga, the path of consecrated action.
6:17 A harmony in eating and resting, in sleeping and keeping awake: a perfection in whatever one does. This is the Yoga that gives peace from all pain.
In this yogic approach to life, one is always a beginner, regardless of how it appears to the outside world. If one is always a beginner, why do we exalt mastery? That just sets up false goals and limits, e.g, "I must do that" or "I can't do that". Alas, comparing and competing are natural stages we go through on our way to impartiality — the Holy Grail of Taoist thought. Chapter 16 ends with, Impartial therefore whole, whole therefore natural, Natural therefore the way. The way therefore long enduring, nearly rising beyond oneself.Yep, nearly rising beyond one's ego sounds peaceful indeed!
We instinctively admire expertise and strength, and in the case of yoga, flexibility too. There is also a social component; we embrace role models who exemplify the strengths we seek for a 'better life'. Chapter 36 reminds us of the ironic path we trod, In desiring weakness, one must first strive, In desiring to let go, one must first begin… Weakness is superior to strength.
I suppose you could say we begin at the end and travel back to the beginning. From a correlations point of view that makes total sense, i.e., time stays backward, energy moves forward. (photo: who is doing the better yoga?)


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I got invited to the Catfe and seeing how popular it has been since opening two months ago in December, I decided to go and check it out!
Cat + cafe = catfe =^_^= There are many cat cafes in Asia, but Catfe is the first of its kind in Vancouver. In addition, all the cats at the Catfe are from the SPCA and are open for adoption. It's a great way for potential pet owners to get a sense of what the cat's personality is like, before adopting.
Of course, I forgot to bring my allergy pills! Yes, unfortunately I've been allergic to cats ever since I was a child. But cats are so cute! Luckily, my allergies only get really bad after two hours, so I just dealt with a itchy nose for the time being. My bad…
Catfe is located on the second level of Tinseltown. As you can tell from the picture, there is one main entrance (the full, clear glass door). The actual cafe where they serve food and where the cats are, are separated due to Vancouver's health rules.
They have a LOT of cute cat themed merchandise for the cat lover in you! These would also make great gifts for those people in your life that have a huge affinity for cats. *insert heart eyes cat emoji here*
Vegan & gluten-free brownie, around $5: Many of their pastries are healthy and suitable for those with alternative diets. I ordered a brownie with peanut butter icing. The brownie was a bit on the dry side and lacked a chocolate flavour, but the peanut butter on top was delicious.
Let's be honest here, you don't come to Catfe for their food and drink. You come here to see the cute cats, so let's enter the cat headquarters! I actually got pretty distracted by the cats and forgot about my brownie.
After washing my hands (a requirement before entering) and having a staff member go over all the rules with me (basically don't be a jerk to the cats), I saw a big, brown sleepy cat on the counter, pictured on the top left. I am in awe at how he managed to snooze so deeply when there is so much going on around him. I wish I could do that too.
Many of the cats were sleeping when I went. Some were sleeping on the chairs, or in little shelves and boxes.
There was around seven cats when I visited Catfe. The number of cats vary each day, depending on if they have been adopted or not yet.
Here are some of the places for the cats to play. One of their entire wall is a wooden shelf for cats to crawl around in, or sleep in the holes.
They also have cat themed board games and children's story books as well! It truly is a cat lover's paradise here.
Hehe, a selfie with one of the sleepy cats. The chairs are cat themed too!
All in all, I think the Catfe is a great place for cat lovers. I wouldn't recommend coming if you aren't a fan of cats, because you are essentially paying $5 (with purchase from cafe) or $8 (no cafe purchase, just to see the cats) to see them.
Think of the Catfe as a cat shelter, but with average drinks/pastries, really cute interior design and better living conditions for the cats while they wait to be adopted.
Thanks for reading!
Complementary media pass provided, I paid for the food. All opinions are own.


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Niche Publishing
Stay within reach of your audience
with personalised email content,
newsletters and magazines.
With websites, its not just about how they look
Sure, your business website needs to be beautiful, responsive and 'on brand' – and we can help with that. But if you don't think about what you'll tell prospective customers, your new website will only be half as effective.
Website Development and Content Writing
We understand that explaining exactly what you do and importantly how you do it, isn't always easy. And writing that down in a way that appeals to both your customers and search engines is even harder. That's why we provide professional SEO copywriting with our WordPress web development service. Your potential customers will understand exactly what you offer and why you are the best choice for them.
Not only do we save you time and stress, but you get a much better website as a result.
Small Business Website Experts
When you are busy running your business you can't stay on top of web design trends and technology – unless of course, that is your business. By working with Hook and Loop, you benefit from our 10 years' experience creating websites and marketing that really work for small to medium enterprise.
Specialists in professional website solutions
We work extensively with businesses that are ready to upgrade their current website to a more professional one – one that sounds, looks and performs exactly how need it to. We give you the website solution that helps you get your business from where it is, to where you want to be.
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I loved working with Sarah and Moz – they are the perfect team. Sarah took the time and effort to understand my business and how it needed to be represented. Sarah's an expert writer who was also able to share my vision in a way that appealed to my market. Moz was the technical/branding expert to make sure it all came together. I seriously love my new website, as do my customers. I would highly recommend using Hook and Loop.Debbie Rivers, Dare 2 Date
We have been using Hook & Loop for about 3 years and we have nothing but the highest praise for the amazing work they have done for our business: a website, rebranding and Facebook campaign. Hook and Loop's professionalism has been vital to the success of our rebranding and expansion giving us the results we required within our time frame and budget.Katrina Comito, Pearl Sea Laundry
Prior to our approaching Hook and Loop (H&L), our web site was a drab affair, almost 70's in clunkyness, and our turnover was $1.7m per annum. One and a half years from then, and we are pushing toward $10m turnover.Anthony Pillinger, Swell Homes
Can you afford Hook and Loop? Well the real question, if you have your own business is, can you afford not to have them work for you. Hook and Loop helped me realise my business plan and are now providing me with ongoing support. The result; a business that is rapidly growing. In today's market businesses can't ignore the importance of an online presence and having someone that knows what they are doing help you get this done is vital. Hook and Loop come with my high recommendation.Brendan Stemp, YouTurn
The team at Hook and Loop created and developed the Avid Events logo and website and we couldn't be happier with the result. The website has the look, content and functionality that we need. It is fresh, innovative and clear. The Hook and Loop team took our brief and responded perfectly. They took the time to understand our business and this is reflected in the content and functionality, plus they made the whole process easy catering for all levels of technical capabilities.Simone Woodard - Avid Events
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A week of firsts
This past week has been one of many firsts, especially for Year 3 who hosted Friday night dinner last Shabbat, attended the Israeli dance festival on Tuesday and WE day at Wembley on Wednesday.
In keeping with our Shabbat rules no photos were taken throughout the evening, guests were encourage to take a visual photograph of the special moment we all shared.
On Tuesday 21 March year 3 went to the Israeli Dance Festival for children. All the way up in Edmonton, North London. After 1.5 hrs on the coach we arrived to proudly represent Mosaic Primary School for the first time.
On Wednesday 22nd March Year 3 went to celebrate WE Day, this is an international event which celebrates making a difference in the world.
Shabbat Shalom


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Whatever the magnitude of your home remodeling project is, one of the unfortunate byproducts is a mess. The mess can be short-lived and a temporary hassle or it can linger for much longer than you want. Dust and debris are guaranteed with many home improvement projects. There will be a mess; there is no way around it. But there are some practical steps homeowners can take to limit the mess and lead to a better remodeling experience.
First and foremost, you must vet your contractor. Get references from other homeowners who used their services and follow up with the references to see how clean the contractor is. Additionally, ask the contractor up front what they do to ensure a clean job. Make sure the contractor agrees to sweep and leave the job site orderly at the end of the day with a regular cadence of debris pickup. Ensuring a contractor is clean can get lost in the excitement of the improvement project but a few questions and requests can help mitigate the mess.
In addition to working with the contractor to ensure a clean remodel job, homeowners can take a few key proactive steps to limit the mess.
1. Get the room ready – Before the work starts on any room, remove everything from the room that you don't want to get dirty. This includes furniture and decorations. The trick is to leave the area being renovated as clear as possible. If it's not practical to move heavy furniture, cover it with plastic. By covering the furniture, you protect it from debris getting into tiny areas that will be impossible to clean down the road. The other benefit of moving the furniture out of the room is you don't subject it to possible damage from the remodeling process. You are already spending good money on the project; you don't want to spend more to fix furniture!
2. Isolate the mess – In addition to clearing the room, ask your contractor to isolate the mess to the area that is being remodeled. One of the most aggravating results of a remodel project is having debris, dust, tools or other materials spread out throughout the house. Big remodel jobs might not be able to avoid this but if a job is concentrated to one area or room, ask the contractor to put plastic sheeting over doors to other rooms. Tarps can be huge aids as well. Build pathways through the house for any areas that contractors will be walking. Shoes carrying dust and dirt are a huge issue for keeping a house clean. Tarps can prevent shoes tracking mud and dust to other areas. Each day homeowners can pick up the tarps and remove all the dust and debris from them. Or you can buy some cheap carpet pieces and lay them over the areas where contractors will walk. Once the job is over, you can throw out the carpet.
3. Daily cleanup – It is imperative to vet the contractor as suggested above. But it's not enough just to vet the company up front; you can help aid in the cleaning process yourself. Sweep, dust and vacuum all the impacted areas and keep the environment as clean as you can with a daily clean up. Running a vacuum over the renovated area can help protect wood floors. Also, a simple way to help aid the contractors in the cleaning process is to provide large trash cans each day where they can throw out and contain their mess. Whatever you can do to aid in the clean-up process frees up the contractor to do the actual project. For instance, if the contractor spends 30 minutes on clean-up each day that you can help eliminate, that time can be spent on the job.
4. Keep the area open – If weather permits, keep doors and windows open. Keeping maximum ventilation to the home will allow dust and debris to be carried outside of the home. The messiest part of any project is usually the drywall, especially when it is being sanded. Be sure to ask the contractor which day he will be sanding the drywall and request that while sanding they take extra precautions such as covering vents and potentially even shutting down the furnace to not spread dust throughout the house. All of these activities will also prevent smells from traveling through the house and lingering after the project is over.
Now that you have followed the above steps to limit the mess while the project is ongoing, what happens after the project is done? It's possible there is still some residual mess. There are two options to deal with this. One, the homeowner can take matters into their own hands and do a thorough clean-up job on the renovated area. There are also professional cleaning services for residential jobs. Companies that specialize in cleaning after a remodel can help eliminate the hassle for the homeowner and conduct a superior job. In fact, it's a good idea to either put the cost of the professional clean-up into your remodel budget or ask the contract to provide the service as part of the cost of the job. Remodeling your home can be an exciting time and you can follow the above steps to not let the mess get in the way!


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Termite Control in Naples, FL
Subterranean Termites
No one likes having pests in the house. However, there are few pests that can make homeowners cringe like termites. This is because termites are not just unpleasant. It is not even the fact that pests are unsanitary. Instead, the problem is that termites can actively destroy your home, robbing it of its integrity and value from the inside out.
When you look at a termite, it can be hard to imagine the damage it can cause. Termites actually look a lot like ants, which can make it difficult for homeowners to identify the risk. However, termites are thicker than ants, and the wings are all the same size. Ants, by contrast, are narrow at the waist, and they have two sets of wings that are different sizes. One of the most notable differences is in the antennae. Ants have bent antennae, but termites will have antennae that are very straight.
Do You Know the Difference
- Narrow waists
- Bent antennae
- Two sets of wings (one wing is longer than the other)
- Thick waists
- Straight antennae
- Two sets of wings (same size)
Even with this description, termites can still be hard to find in your home or business. This is largely due to the fact that termites do not generally live in exposed areas. Instead, termites like dark areas, and some species prefer the damp. For these reasons, termites often make themselves at home in your walls or your attic. They may also infest the floors, cupboards, decks or any other wooden structures on the property.
Once termites take up residence, their appetites spiral out of control. It is estimated that termites cause $2 billion in damage each year. For a homeowner, this kind of damage can be financially untenable. That is not even the biggest problem. The fact is that termites can cause severe structural damage to your home. This can be costly to fix, and it can seriously impede the quality of your life. All of this is made worse because termite damage often starts out small and hard to find. By the time most people see visible signs of damage, the problem is advanced and much harder to fix.
Termites can spread to your home without warning, but it is important to realize what draws these pests to your property. Termites are known for their affinity for wood, which is why exposed wooden structures are always the most vulnerable. Homeowners can take some preventative measures to decrease their risk of an infestation. It is a good idea to never have wood stored near your home, and wood chips are not the best choice for flower beds near the foundation of your home. However, even these measures cannot prevent problems. Termites can spread quickly from one home to another. Therefore, if other homes in the area have reports of termites, then it is best to take preemptive action sooner rather than later.
This is why you should call Dame Pest Control the instant termites become a factor in your neighborhood. Dame Pest Control has extensive experience with termites. The Advance Termite Bait System is an excellent choice because it keeps the termites from molting. When termites cannot molt, they quickly die. This effect rapidly spreads through the colony, eventually leading to total eradication. With this treatment, you get effective results that are also safe. There is no drilling into the foundation of the home, and dangerous chemicals are avoided.
For termites or any other pests, contact Dame Pest Control.


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A smaller scavenger hunt will be held during the East Liverpool Tri County Pottery Festival. Bring your four person team and sign up at our booth. It is $20 per team. ALL PROCEEDS WILL GO TO THE WELLSVILLE DOG POUND AND THE COLUMBIANA COUNTY DOG POUND.. We will also accept donations of items they need, such as blankets, towels, toys, leashes, etc.
The hunt will be a challenge and a lot of fun! Please join us!


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Create an extension to the movie Hidden Figures that educates the world on the Fox movie about African American women working at NASA in the 1960s.
We collaborated with IBM on an AR project called "Outthink Hidden". The project launched inside a new Times AR app. The idea was to turn a smartphone into a virtual museum to learn about lesser-known people in the STEM fields using 3D images, video, audio, and text that's activated by AR markers. These markers exist on physical plinths in major cities, as well as on the actual NYT paper.
Gold Honors for Northeast Region
A Communication Arts Interview
Rolling Stone, EDM.com, Teen Vogue +
Fake Love is an innovative experiential design agency, crafting
award-winning work that creates real emotional connections.
We concept, design, fabricate, animate, generate and invent anything you can imagine. And some things you can't.
Some call what we do experiential marketing or event marketing, others interactive design or new media art. We call it Fake Love.
Founder | CEO
Chief Creative Technologist
Managing Director
Executive Strategy Director
Head of Delivery
VP, Client Services
Senior Designer
Lead Creative Technologist
Concept Artist
Lead Creative Technologist
Business Development Manager
Lead Creative Technologist
Senior Creative Technologist
Office Manager
Senior Project Manager
3D Designer
Resource Manager
Program Manager
Financial Operations Manager
Senior Technical Program Manager
Business Director


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Twitter dummy hilariously mistakes LeBron James for Derrick Rose
Look, we realize that not everyone follows sports the way we all do, but come on, who doesn't know LeBron James at this point? I mean the guy is on TV all the time playing basketball or appearing in commercials, he's on magazine covers, he's omnipresent these days. Derrick Rose, meanwhile, has been injured and out of the spotlight the past few years.
Yet somehow this clown posts a photo on Twitter acting all jealous about his sister and her friends running into Derrick Rose, when in fact the player they saw was LeBron.
How jealous can you really be if you don't even know the guys? Pathetic.
Also see: Dwight Howard responds to girl who mistakenly thinks she took picture with him
H/T Bleacher Report


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A little sneak peak into my latest cookbook – Green Week, which is full of amazing vegetarian recipes. This salad is great for #MeatFreeMondays or as a side with any protein. It makes a big batch so expect lunch leftovers. Oh, and it's not only vegan but gluten-free, dairy-free and nut-free as well. Triple bonus!
Mexican Bean Quinoa
2017-08-18 21:48:28
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- ¼ cup red quinoa
- ¼ cup white quinoa
- 1 tbsp EVOO
- 1 red onion
- 1 red bell pepper
- 1 yellow bell pepper
- 2 red chillis
- 2 cloves crushed garlic
- 2 corn cobs – kernels removed
- 1 tbsp paprika
- 1 tsp chilli powder (optional)
- 1 cup black beans – washed and drained
- 1 cup chickpeas – washed and drained
- 2 cups baby spinach
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes
- Juice 2 limes
- Zest one lime
- Sea salt and cracked pepper
- 3 tbsp coriander or flat leaf parsley
- 1 avocado
- Place quinoa in a medium saucepan with 1/2 cup of water or stock and bring to boil. Reduce to low heat and cover, and simmer for 15 minutes until most of the liquid has been absorbed. Add more water if needed. Fluff with a fork and leave covered to cool.
- Dice red onion, bell peppers and chilli, and sauté in a pan with EVOO, garlic, corn kernels and spices until corn is golden and starting to brown
- Mix black beans, chickpeas, chopped spinach and halved cherry tomatoes in with quinoa.
- Add lime juice, zest, salt, pepper and chopped coriander to the quinoa.
- Once slightly cooled add the corn mixture and mix through.
- Top with sliced avocado, extra chilli and lime.
Carrotsticks and Cravings http://carrotsticksandcravings.com/


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Way back in 1984, I was inspired by my love of walking in the Pyrenees to start a company sharing my knowledge and enjoyment with others.
I named the company after the warm breeze that blows up from the south – from the Sahara in fact – that gives us such a unique climate making the Pyrenees both warm and green.
And now we help over 13,000 people every year to enjoy walking and cycling holidays in the Pyrenees, and in other equally beautiful and unspoilt parts of the world.
While I am French and a Pyrenean through and through, I have always had, as you say, a soft spot for Britain, and worked there while learning English.
So I am delighted that we are now launching a proper English language holiday programme with itineraries, accommodation, transfers and packages designed exclusively for the worldwide English speaking market.
One of the major differences is this: many English speakers may visit the Pyrenees only once, so we have packed as many highlights into each itinerary as we can. You visit iconic places every day, and stay in truly authentic hotels enjoying some of the best cuisine in France.
So if you ask who we are, we are Pyreneans – and you can be sure we will do everything in our powers to give you the best possible experience of our homeland.
As people say these days, ENJOY !
Vincent Fonvieille
Founder, La Balaguere & Purely Pyrenees
There are five things you can be sure about with Purely Pyrenees :
1. Independent, self-guided holidays, so we don't offer group holidays, but groups of friends or family upto 6 or even 8 are most welcome.
2. The Pyrenees – or "The Greater Pyrenees" region – and nowhere else, but we offer more choice than any other tour operator. All our holidays are journeys, so you move from place to place, because we've found that's the best way to discover the true Pyrenees.
3. Walking and cycling holidays – and nothing else. With our walking holidays, transfers make sure each day is a comfortable distance for you, route directions are well written and clear as glass, baggage is transported for you, and support always available. With our cycling holidays, electric bikes are an option – and sometimes included.
4. Well organised, comfortable and enjoyable holidays with good quality, authentic accommodation with character and good food. We don't do trekking or roughing it, but when staying in a mountain refuge for one night gives you a truly unforgettable experience then we will include that in the itinerary.
5. Great value for money because we have more buying power than any other tour operator offering Pyrenees holidays, and because we include more so transfers from airport or rail station are included as are good quality hotels and three course meals on most (or all) nights. When you compare like for like, we can't be beaten on price !
1 Shoe: Ideal for someone new to walking holidays, or for the occasional walker. You will have time to hike at a slow pace, you need to be in good physical condition but do not need to be an experienced hiker.
2 Shoes: For anyone who has some experience of walking holidays and / or practices endurance exercise regularly. The pace will be low to moderate for a person in good physical condition.
3 Shoes: For anyone used to hiking and / or doing an endurance activity 1 to 2 times a week. The pace will seem fairly steady to a person in good physical condition.
4 Shoes: For anyone very accustomed to hiking trips, who practices a sports activity at least 2 times a week. The pace will seem sustained to a person in good physical condition.
5 Shoes: For any sports person very accustomed to hiking, in excellent physical condition and capable of maintaining a fast pace over a long period.
We have designed our itineraries to be comfortable rather than challenging, and they are suitable for people aged 12 to 82 who are reasonably fit and like "a good walk" or bike ride. Some are inevitably more strenuous than others, and the first couple of days are usually harder until you get into the rhythm.
When walking, there are often longish ascents, but usually they are along shepherds' paths and cart tracks so rarely steep - and the panoramic views from the top always make it worth the climb! On many days, we begin or end with a transfer so you only do "the best bits" – something others rarely if ever do – and of course we transport your luggage for you, so you only need a small daysack.
Our cycling itineraries are in the foothills and up glorious valleys deep into the heart of the Pyrenees. They avoid like the plague Tour de France type steep climbs, and electric bike options are available. That should tell you we want you to gently enjoy discovering the best of the Pyrenees, not train you for racing !
Natural hospitality, authentic cuisine and magnificently located hotels are part of the DNA of the Pyrenees. We make sure you enjoy all three every night !
Only small owner-managed hotels where often Monsieur or Madame are the chefs. Usually 3 and 4 star hotels, always with en suite - except when the best place to stay is in a characterful chambres d'hôtes or mountain refuge (no more than one night per holiday). Always good rooms, almost always with stunning views. Your luggage waiting for you when you arrive. Three course table d'hôte dinner included, so you have choices with each course, except when you are staying in a village where there are several restaurants, and we think you would prefer to choose the one that suits you best. You choose and pay for your wine and other drinks on departure.
Simple, filling picnic lunches are included except when there are no shops, cafes or restaurants en route for that day, and anyway you can always ask the hotel to make you a picnic.
Our choice of accommodation is based on answering this simple question: where would I like to stay if I had checked out all the hotels in this village or town? That is the place you will be staying in.
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text: I have been contributing a regular column to the Financial Times since 2007. I also write a couple of pieces a year for the Spectator, the most literate and readable of the UK's surviving weekly magazines (excluding of course The Week, in which I was fortunate to be a founding shareholder). Between 1995 and 2007 I spent 12 years as a weekly columnist for The Independent, which means, I calculate, that I have written between half a million and a million words about investment in this format. The columns here are shown in date order, with the most recent at the top.


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Efficiency and convenience are important to you. That's why we think you'll find value in our multi-fuel stoves. They're built as heating alternatives—for your garage, your living room or your basement—to supplement your furnace. They not only offer the timeless features of traditional stoves, but also the versatility of modern efficiency. You can burn any of six renewable fuels—wood pellets, distillers grain pellets, corn, wheat, rye or cherry pits. For you, that means efficiency, convenience and clean-burning, long-lasting fuel.
Perfect for tight spots, corners or smaller rooms and cabins that still call for ample warmth, the Element-MF steps up to the challenge by delivering big heat when you need it. With easy-cleaning features and a generous-for-its-size 50-pound hopper, it delivers the performance and reliability of a genuine St. Croix stove in a size that fits where you need it to.


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This is for my homies in math class.
Mathematical matrices are blocks of numbers, arrayed in 2-D. (Higher-dimensional arrays are called tensors.)
Left "times" right equals target. Each entry in the target is the result of a series of +'s and ×'s along the red and blue. A long sum of pairwise products.
- Your left hand goes across and your right hand goes up/down.
- There need to be as many abcdefg's as there are 1234567's or else the operation can't be done.
- Also you can tell how big the output matrix will be. There can be three blue rows so the output has three rows. There can be four red columns so the output has four columns.
- This is the "inner product" because multiplying vector-shaped blocks (tall blocks) like Aᵀ•B results in an equal or smaller sized output.
(There is also an "outer product" which is a different way of combining the info from the two matrices. That gives you an equal or larger shaped result when you multiply vector/list-shaped tall blocks A∧B.)
- Try playing around with this one or that one.
Matrix multiplication is the simplest example of a linear operator, the broad class of which explains quantum mechanics and ODE's. You can also apply different matrices at different points as in a vector field — on a flat surface or a curvy, holey surface.