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"I want to learn more about Cognitive Behavior Therapy with couples. How can the PairPAK help?"
We believe the best way to learn CBT with Couples is to learn the principles and methods. These clinical workshops teach theory, stages of treatment, interventions, and troubleshooting. They are an excellent resource for listening to role plays and learning how Drs. Beck and Padesky tread the waters of couple relationships.
The programs in the PairPAK also offer an excellent update and review to those wanting to improve their CBT skills in general.
As always, we recommend you read about CBT with couples, attend workshops/seminars, as well as seek consultation and/or supervision. Our PairPAK is intended to enhance and augment these resources.
Take a few minutes and look over our PairPAK. Order and receive a 22% savings on this Discount Bundle.
* Click on title for detailed description *


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Columbia Wetlands OutpostWhy do so many call the Columbia Wetlands one of the world's living treasures?
Some say it is because the wetlands are home to hundreds of bird, animal and fish species. Others are struck by the sheer beauty of our watery setting nestled between the Rocky and Purcell mountains. What we know is that the mighty Columbia River slows as it winds through the wetlands, setting the pace for us, and, all those who come here.
We are inspired to share this magical place with people drawn to a natural world that is both exhilarating and profound. A day spent in the wetlands is an opportunity to discover one of nature's treasures and, perhaps, to re-discover what is most important
|Thank you for a great day at the wetlands - an amazing place! The area is huge, we met just a few canoes and kayakers on our tour. It's so nice, especially in August, when there are tons of tourists everywhere else in the Rockies. Great for curious explorers!
|Irina, Canada

subset: commoncrawl


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Blue Lotus flowers were found scattered all over Tutankhamen's body when the Pharaoh's tomb was opened in 1922. Blue Lotus is often depicted in Egyptian art held in the hands of the gods and royalty. It is said to be the Soma of the Egyptians symbolizing life and rebirth. It was traditionally and effectively used to regenerate, relieve inflammation and to increase circulation. The Blue Lotus elixir has often been referred to as the "Egyptian Fountain of Youth".
The skincare properties of the blue lotus flower contain health giving phytosterols, powerful antioxidants, bioflavonoids and phosphodiesterase inhibitors.
- Regenerates and smoothes the skin
- Fights against glycation
- Phytosterols
- Antioxidants
- Bioflavonoids
- Phosphodiesterase inhibitors


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Full reviews of recent performances: nytimes.com/dance.
COISCEIM DANCE THEATER It's good to know that even the culturally elevated have their lowbrow moments. The choreographer and director Liam Steel was reaching for an Agatha Christie novel to ease the pain of a bad breakup when a copy of R. D. Laing's "Knots" fell off the shelf. (Clearly lowbrow has no chance in certain contexts.) The eventual outcome was a new work also called "Knots" made for the CoisCeim Dance Theater from Ireland and being performed this weekend as part of the Peak Performances series at Montclair State University in New Jersey.
The writings of Mr. Laing, a Scottish psychiatrist and psychoanalyst best known for his unorthodox views on psychosis, might seem an unlikely inspiration for a dance piece. But Mr. Steel immediately recognized parallels between Mr. Laing's work and his own. "He was looking at relationships and condensing them down into poetry," said Mr. Steel, who danced with DV8 Physical Theater for eight years before working as a freelance theater director and choreographer and forming his own company, Stan Won't Dance, in 2004. "It's about individuals being very different while the themes, our behaviors, are universal."
Mr. Steel has long been fascinated by the interactions between text and movement "a form that hasn't been completely explored" and in "Knots, " above, he uses Mr. Laing's strange language to set up emotionally charged, dramatic vignettes punctuated by bouts of often violent, high-energy dance. While creating the piece, Mr. Steel worked closely with the CoisCeim (pronounced "Kush-Came") dancers to develop the six characters whose messy emotional lives dominate the work.
"It was like being in therapy," he said. "Even though we are playing characters, it's all rooted in our own behavior and stories. There has to be emotional truth in the work; otherwise it's just about dance looking pretty. And in my experience, life is not pretty." (Friday at 7.30 p.m., Saturday at 8 p.m., Sunday at 3 p.m., Alexander Kasser Theater, Montclair State University, 1 Normal Avenue, Montclair, N.J., 973-655-5112, peakperfs.org; $15.) ROSLYN SULCAS
BLUM DANCE THEATER AND JENNIFER WRIGHT COOK (Friday and Saturday) Sometimes descriptions of dances seem like a weird minor art form of their own. Such is Danspace's account of Wendy Blum's "String of Exquisite Distortions": "a nonlinear world of economy and rigorous mischief, where rhythms persist and scents linger." What more is there to say? Ms. Blum shares a double bill with Jennifer Wright Cook, who has a work with a title of equally breathless pedigree: "Every artist is a narcissist after all: bring back the boo & other short selected self-indulgences." But the description "a celebration of the things she loves and a requiem of things she fears" is all plain speaking. And apparently a gold unitard is involved. Ms. Cook's installation begins at 8:05 p.m.; the performance is at 8:30 p.m., Danspace Project, St. Mark's Church, 131 East 10th Street, East Village, (212) 674-8194, danspaceproject.org; $15; $10 for members. (Roslyn Sulcas)
JONAH BOKAER (Wednesday) Dance and technology join forces to investigate the ways in which images of the human body can be caught, pluralized and erased in "The Invention of Minus One" and "False Start." (Through March 16.) At 7:30 p.m., Danspace Project at Abrons Art Center, Henry Street Settlement, 466 Grand Street, at Pitt Street, Lower East Side (212) 352-3101, henrystreet.org/arts; $15. (Jack Anderson)
SHANI NWANDA IKERIOHA COLLINS AND JULIANA F. MAY/MAY DANCE (Wednesday and Thursday) Ms. Collins seeks to examine African-American experience from new choreographic perspectives. Ms. May moves in a fantasy world where she articulates relationships between feeling and form. (Through March 15.) At 7:30 p.m., Dance Theater Workshop, 219 West 19th Street, Chelsea, (212) 924-0077, dtw.org; $20; $12 for students and 65+. (Anderson)
DRASTIC ACTION (Thursday) In her "Lines of Descent" Aviva Geismar's company tries to dance out answers to questions like, "How close is too close?" and "Are there realities you can't admit?" (Through March 16.) At 8 p.m., Dance New Amsterdam, 280 Broadway, at Chambers Street, Lower Manhattan, (212) 279-4200, ticketcentral.com; $20; $17 for students. (Anderson)
FLAMENCO VIVO CARLOTA SANTANA (Friday through Sunday) This company, based in the United States, has long been popular with audiences for its vivid performances, which tend toward the less tortured aspects of the art of flamenco. This season "Carmen: El Baile" ("Carmen: The Dance") makes its New York debut (is there a secret law that obliges a certain percentage of dance companies to have one "Carmen" or one "Rite of Spring" in their repertories?) alongside the new "Estilos Flamenco," a traditional, nonnarrative flamenco piece for the company's nine dancers and five musicians. Friday at 8 p.m., Saturday at 2 and 8 p.m., Sunday at 2 and 7:30 p.m., Joyce Theater, 175 Eighth Avenue, at 19th Street, Chelsea, (212) 242-0800, joyce.org; $40; $30 for members. (Sulcas)
KEELY GARFIELD (Friday through Sunday) Brainy and slyly funny, Ms. Garfield will perform her new "Limerence" with Omagbitse Omagbemi. Friday and Saturday at 8:30 p.m., Sunday at 5 p.m., West End Theater, 263 West 86th Street, Manhattan, (212) 337-9565; $15.
(Jennifer Dunning)
LEILA HADDAD AND THE GYPSY MUSICIANS OF UPPER EGYPT (Friday) Ms. Haddad will perform traditional dances of the Ghawazee Gypsies of southern Egypt, accompanied by an ensemble drawn partly from the Musicians of the Nile. At 8 p.m., Skirball Center for the Performing Arts, 566 La Guardia Place, at Washington Square South, Greenwich Village, (212) 279-4200, worldmusicinstitute.org; $35; $15 for students. (Dunning)
'IVIES @ CUNNINGHAM' (Friday and Saturday) Young choreographers from three Ivy League colleges Barnard, Harvard and Princeton will show their work. Friday at 9 p.m., Saturday at 7:30 p.m., Merce Cunningham Studio, 55 Bethune Street, at Washington Street, West Village, (212) 255-8240, Ext. 14, email@example.com; $15; $10 for students and 65+. (Dunning)
KAZUKO HIRABAYASHI DANCE THEATER (Thursday) Western and Japanese dance influences are reflected in two premieres: "Masks" examines dualities of good and evil, male and female; "Bereft" depicts the ordeal of Adam and Eve. (Through March 16.) At 8:30 p.m., Merce Cunningham Studio, 55 Bethune Street, at Washington Street, West Village, (212) 966-6414, email@example.com; $20; $15 for students. (Anderson)
★ KANSAS CITY BALLET (Tuesday through Thursday) The company celebrates its 50th anniversary with William Whitener's "First Position (A Reminiscence)," Twyla Tharp's "Brahms Paganini" and Donald McKayle's "Hey Hay, Going to Kansas City." (Through March 16.) Tuesday and Wednesday at 7:30 p.m., Thursday at 8 p.m., Joyce Theater, 175 Eighth Avenue, at 19th Street, Chelsea; (212) 242-0800, joyce.org; $44. (Anderson)
LOST WAX (Friday and Saturday) A group from Providence, R.I., combines Buddhist iconography and today's performance technology in "Melt." At 8 p.m., Joyce SoHo, 155 Mercer Street, (212) 352-3101, joyce.org; $18; $12 for students and seniors. (Anderson)
92ND STREET Y HARKNESS DANCE FESTIVAL (Saturday, Sunday, Wednesday and Thursday) The festival continues this weekend with "Out of Israel," a program of new dances by LeeSaar/The Company and Netta Yerushalmy. Starting on Wednesday, Brian Brooks Moving Company closes the festival with Mr. Brooks's new "Happy Lucky Sun," a full-body tackling of the theme of gravity's pull. (Through March 16.) Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday at 8 p.m.; Sunday at 2 p.m.; Ailey Citigroup Theater, 405 West 55th Street, Clinton, (212) 415-5500, 92Y.org/harknessfestival; $20. (Dunning)
LAURA PAWEL DANCE COMPANY (Friday through Sunday) Ms. Pawel and her charmingly oddball dancers of all ages are not afraid to follow their own drummers, not just into the future but also into a comfortable, friendlier past. The program includes her new "Better Than Being Guillotined," set to music composed by Phil Stone and performed live. Friday and Saturday at 8:30 p.m., Sunday at 5 p.m., Dance Forum, 20 East 17th Street, Manhattan, (212) 873-9073; $15. (Dunning)
PEAK PERFORMANCES: COIS CEIM DANCE COMPANY (Friday through Sunday) This modern-dance company from Ireland will perform "Knots," drawn from the psychoanalytical theory of R. D. Laing and choreographed by Liam Steel, formerly with the English troupes DV8 and Stan Won't Dance. Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m., Sunday at 3 p.m., Alexander Kasser Theater, Montclair State University, 1 Normal Avenue, Montclair, N.J., (973) 655-5112, peakperfs.org; $15. (Dunning)
REGINA ROCKE (Friday) Ms. Rocke is one of six artists participating in Dance Theater Workshop's Studio Series, which provides artists with residencies that enable the development of new work. Such is Ms. Rocke's "The Passion of Jen McGin," in which she has drawn on pop music videos as well as more formal dance techniques. At 7:30 p.m., Dance Theater Workshop, 219 West 19th Street, Chelsea, (212) 924-0077, dtw.org; free. (Sulcas)
PEGGY SPINA TAP COMPANY (Friday and Saturday) "Alakazam!" presents cheerful tap dancing in an intimate setting, and the results resemble a friendly party. At 6 and 8:30 p.m., Spina Loft, 115 Prince Street, SoHo, (212) 674-8885; $20. (Anderson)
PAM TANOWITZ DANCE (Friday and Saturday) Ms. Tanowitz describes her new "Dream Sequence (No Secrets)" as a love letter to romantic ballets that play with narrative and abstraction. At 7:30 p.m., City Center Studio 5, 130 West 56th Street, Manhattan, (212) 352-3101, theatermania.com; $15; $12 for students and 65+. (Dunning)
★ PAUL TAYLOR DANCE COMPANY (Friday through Sunday, and Tuesday through Thursday) The Taylor dancers have never been known for holding back, but in terms of repertory, this is an astonishingly rich season. There is a range of themes and moods, and you can't get much more slyly evil than in "Cloven Kingdom"; more sumptuous than "Arden Court"; more joyously and meditatively abandoned than "Esplanade"; or more goofy than "Diggity," with its stageful of dogs and designs by Alex Katz. The week's programs begin with "Equinox," Mr. Taylor's new "De Sueños" and "Cloven Kingdom" (Friday), and continue with "Le Grand Puppetier," "Lines of Loss" and "Arden Court" (Saturday matinee); "Byzantium," Piazzolla Caldera" and "De Sueños que se Repiten," a new companion piece to "De Sueños" (Saturday night); "Antique Valentine," "De Sueños" and "Cloven Kingdom" (Sunday); "Byzantium," "De Sueños que se Repiten" and "Promethean Fire" (Tuesday); "Cloven Kingdom," "De Sueños" and "Esplanade" (Wednesday) and "Le Grand Puppetier," "Musical Offering" and "Black Tuesday" (Thursday). (Through March 16.) Friday at 8 p.m.; Saturday at 2 and 8 p.m.; Sunday at 3 p.m.; Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday at 7 p.m.; City Center, 131 West 55th Street, Manhattan, (212) 581-1211, paultaylor.org; $21 to $79. (Dunning)
'YAMAYANA' (Friday and Saturday) This version of "The Ramayana" has been choreographed by Shwe Man Win Maung and will be performed by his 14-member troupe, which is based in New York. Friday at 8 p.m., Saturday at 2 and 8 p.m., Hudson Guild Theater, 441 West 26th Street, Chelsea, (212) 627-1076, Ext. 10, lotusmusicanddance.org; $20 to $100. (Dunning)


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Seek out motivational speakers committed to character training and lifelong success.
Make it a point to attend inspirational lectures each month to consistently renew the
importance of personal growth in your mind.
In a two hour seminar, you can learn powerful techniques and strategies that other shave spent many years learning and refining.
Never feel that you have no time for gathering new ideas, you are investing in yourself.
Read the wonderful book "Discovering Happiness" by Dennis Wholey.
It will certainly open up new horizons for you in your quest for an optimal state of health and happiness.


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The number of people suffering from social anxiety disorder is increasing. Because of that, many studies are being conducted as many treatment options include medication instead of behavioral therapy.
One study conducted used EEG (electroencephalograms) to measure the data of the electrical interactions of the brain. This was executed on 25 adult participants with social anxiety disorder for 12 weekly sessions of brain therapy.
The 25 participants went through two EEG before the therapy, one in the middle of the 12-week therapy and one following therapy. The exercises consisted of group cognitive behavior therapy, structured method for identifying people, and a thinking challenge.
The results at the end, by comparing the pre-therapy and post-therapy results, showed that the correlations of all the patients had already resembled to those people with low-anxiety.
The study was conducted by the group that was led by David Moscovitch from the University of Waterloo. It was funded by Ontario Mental Health Foundation.
To read the full story visit dailyhealthreport.org.
Looking for a new gadget? How about a Drone? You know you want one!


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Recovery Period→Regeneration Period→Development Period
"Recovery Period": Temporary housing, public facilities and other infrastructure are prepared → "Regeneration Period": Rebuilding according to the same or improved building codes than the pre-disaster → "Development Period": Strengthening of the intangible resources, and passing on the memories and records about the earthquake.
Tasks change along with social phenomena
Activities of the architectural field are closely linked to social phenomena such as the beginning of temporary housing preparation and the formulation of restoration plans. Their target tasks change.
Emergency response to community development
Many region-specific groups and organizations that were established in the aftermath of the earthquake shifted their purpose from emergency relief activities to being leading figures in community development.
Starts right after the disaster, reaches completion in several years
Most projects started right after the earthquake. Buildings were completed beginning 3~4 years after the earthquake.
Goals change with time
Facilities that are needed to teach about and prepare people for disasters change from initially being facilities that preserve the scars of a disaster, to communication facilities, to research and experiments facilities, to facilities that prepare for disasters
Architecture and related fields face the issue of rebuilding large-scale cities in the process of reconstruction after a major disaster. Since it takes several years from planning to completion of architectural and urban developments, emergency relief efforts for "building shelters" for people to restore their lives are required. Long, medium and short term projects, such as development projects, emergency efforts and various events and meetings, are overlaid in the mapping of the creative activities of the architecture field during the recovery period. Most projects started right after the disaster, so individual project plots indicate not the starting point but the midpoint or finishing point.
Activities of the architecture field included not only architectural designing and urban development, but also town planning involving the locals, such as preparation of community support, civic forums and the community council etc.
The people of the community, who use the buildings and live in the city, are not only the beneficiaries of the creators' and designers' aid, but they themselves are important creators during the recovery period.
The timeline demonstrates how various seemingly independent civic groups and expert forums coexisted, and shows us the possibilities of mutual information sharing and networking among the different activities.
It is important to understand how the body of independent individuals agreed, debated and achieved in their respective fields, without merging into a large group.
It does not necessarily mean that we already achieved our ideal goal just because the timeline ends here.
The actual timeline goes on. A better future lies ahead.


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Wizberg – Caro
Jos fast rising dance hall actWizberg is up with a new wave titled Caro.Caro is a reggae dance tune with a perfect fusion of dance-able afro-tune. Caro is set to keep you all dancing on the floor as Wizberg murdered this dance tune with his vibe.
CHECK OUT: (New Song) Wizberg – Girly
'Caro' is to serve as Wizberg's debut song of the year and he totally delivered a pro standard. This one is lit
This hit single is will be heating up at high events, radio stations, clubs, social gatherings and other occasions across Nigeria. keep your fingers crossed and wait for more as Wizberg is just getting started.
Download Below; AS PRODUCED BY REAL-TRICKS
Follow Wizberg on social platforms:
INSTAGRAM: @wiz_berg TWITTER: @official_wizberg


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Finding A Reputable Locksmith – Some Tips For Success
A locksmith is one of those people you really don't give much thought to, unless you are faced with an emergency situation. Unfortunately, if you wait until a crisis, you could end up paying through the nose. Avoid this and other locksmith catastrophes by reading the following helpful tips and […]Read More


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RSA vs NED T20 World Cup Match Prediction (March 27, 2014)
The twenty-first match of T20 world cup match is on 27th of March. Numerous teams will be a part of the T20 World Cup series. There will be lot�s of fun excitement and tough competition between the teams. Let�s see which team will win the match according to our expert astrologer Mrityunjai Ojha, who is an expert of KP Horary system:
Series: T20 World Cup
Match Date: March 27, 2014
Group 1 Teams: South Africa vs Netherlands
Let's know what the question is:
Whether South Africa will win this match or not?
Horary no: 05
Date of Judgment: March 26, 2014
Time & Place : 12:58 (Ahmedabad)
Ayanamsa: KP Old
Rahu Position : Mean
1st cuspal sub lord is Mars 1,6,8 and placed in star of Mars 1,6,8.
6th cuspal sub lord is Saturn 7,11,12 and placed in star of Jupiter 3,9,10.
11th cuspal sub lord is Venus 2,7,11 and placed in star of Rahu, Mars 1,6,8.
Winner Of The Match!
As per the prediction, we can see a combination of 6 and 11. Therefore, it shows that South Africa will be the winner.
Note: These predictions are for Astrological researches and practice, do not use for personal gain like betting etc. Success of An Astrological prediction depends on fate of the astrologer too.


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Understated, corporate and elegant are featured in the design for the largest global nickel producer. The world of the miner in the 1950's is documented in commissioned oil canvasses. The materiality of stainless steel and natural oak emphasize the sense of corporate scale and prominence.
RELATED PROJECTS ▲George Weston
Marsh Canada HQ
Marsh Canada University Ave.
Vale Sheridan Park
Wealth Management Bay Street
Wealth Management Quebec City
Wealth Management Yorkville
◄ ►


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Beautiful 3 Bed 2 Bath Single Story Home is situated on the Lake with Amazing views and Natural light that shines through the entire back of the home! Sit in the Carolina Room sipping your favorite beverage that over looks the beautifully landscaped back yard and the wild life of the Lake! Upgrades galore include, Updated Kitchen, Quartz counter tops, Porcelain tile, Stainless Steel appliances, Recessed lights, upgraded carpet, upgraded ceiling fans throughout, Custom Closets, Spa Tub in Master Bath, Custom Blinds, Comfort height Toilets, Upgraded windows, Extra Storage Area above Garage, and so much more. Extended 2 Car garage allows for plenty of Storage! Irrigation System to keep the Lush landscaping! Gated community with 24 hour security! Schedule a showing TODAY to see this Beautiful Home!
Listing courtesy of Plantation Realty Group , Nicole Couilliard.
Provided courtesy of The Coastal Carolinas Association of REALTORS®. Information Deemed Reliable but Not Guaranteed. Copyright 2020 of the Coastal Carolinas Association of REALTORS® MLS. All rights reserved. Information is provided exclusively for consumers' personal, non-commercial use, that it may not be used for any purpose other than to identify prospective properties consumers may be interested in purchasing.


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by Andrew Blanchette
Fall in North Attleboro means another highly anticipated football season. The Red Rocketeers' 2016 season kicked off with Friday night's game against the King Philip Warriors in a non-league match-up.
In the 2015 season, North Attleboro beat KP, 24-6. However, things proved to not be quite as easy for North this time around. The game was played at North Attleboro's Community Field at 7 PM and North's passionate fan base was out in full force.
Both teams started quietly on the offensive side, but at the end of the first quarter, quarterback Chad Peterson hit running back Bobby Mylod for a 15-yard touchdown, giving North a 7-0 lead. KP would answer the score with a 26-yard touchdown pass after a North turnover to tie the game at 7 before halftime.
The Warriors carried the momentum into the second half, completing a 48-yard touchdown on their first drive to go ahead 13-7. Long drives by KP proved to be important, as North Attleboro could not get much going on the offensive side. A 75-yard KP touchdown drive gave the Warriors a 19-7 lead in the fourth quarter.
King Philip's aggressive gameplan on defense allowed them to sack Peterson four times. North was only able to record five first downs against the tough defense. A late interception by KP ended North's comeback bid, and they ran out the clock for the 19-7 win.
The loss was certainly a disappointing start to the season, but the Rocketeers will have to pick themselves up and move on.
Starting defensive tackle Tom Kummer said, ''We are just trying to move on at this point.''
There's still plenty of optimism around this team that finished with just two losses last season. North will also have new opponents, as they joined the Davenport division of the hockomock league and will have to compete with teams such as Stoughton and Foxboro.


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The Czech Republic should in the future increasingly rely on nuclear power
while phasing out coal power plants, according to an updated blueprint for
the country's energy strategy unveiled on Monday by the minister of
industry and trade. The share of nuclear power should increase from the
current 16 percent to between 30 and 35 percent by the year 2040. Minister
Martin Kuba told reporters that the state should also halt massive
subsidies for renewable sources of energy.
Environmental groups criticized the plan and said the country has a much greater potential of using renewable energy sources than assumed by the government. The blueprint will be now reviewed by the various government branches before it is discussed by the cabinet at the end of August.
The police will charge the mayor of Přerov, Social Democrat Senator Jiří Lajtoch, along with three council members and two council employees with corruption, a spokesman for the anti-corruption unit of the Czech police said on Tuesday. In 2008, the men allegedly overpriced two public procurement projects. The police were originally going to charge 13 people in the case but the prosecutor dropped the charges against seven of them.
The USAID agency ranked the Czech Republic third among post-communist nations in the sustainability of the civil society sector for 2011. In its annual report, the US Agency for International Development said the Czech NGO sector scored above average in the fields of advocacy and public image but low in financial viability which was affected by the ongoing economy crises. Oldřich Haičman, the head of Charity Czech Republic, the largest Czech NGO, said the survey reflected the reality as many NGOs have been hit by the financial crunch.
Respected Czech artist and composer Vladimír Franz on Monday expressed interest in running in direct presidential elections next year provided he gets 50,000 signatures required. Mr Franz posted a short video clip online discussing his views on the role of the head of state as a moral guarantor and someone who could represent the Czech Republic in a dignified manner in organisations like NATO. Vladimír Franz, recognisable to many Czechs because of his extensive bodily and facial tattoos, has become the 14th person interested in running for the office of the president in next year's election.
Czech NGO IQ Roma Servis on Tuesday announced the start of a new campaign aimed at fighting prejudices against Romanies. The campaign lampoons some of the anti-Romany stereotypes rooted in the Czech society, and cleverly plays with the fact that Czechs might perceive some words differently in a Romany-related context. The campaign which also targets Czech employers, will be launched on Wednesday.
Czech households' debt with banks and financial institutions rose by 4.2 billion crowns in June compared to the previous month, and reached one trillion and 133 billion crowns, or over 55 billion US dollars, according to the latest figures by the Czech National Bank released on Tuesday. The debt increased by 53 billion crowns year-on-year. The bulk of the debt consists of relatively safe housing credits and loans. Analysts say that compared with western European countries, the debt levels in the Czech Republic are still relatively low.
Every third Czech scrap merchant buys stolen metal, the country's trade inspection authority said on Tuesday. In the first six months of this year, the Czech Trade Inspection carried out checks in 200 scrap metal yards and found out that over 30 percent of them breached the law. Theft of metal items has become a serious issue in the Czech Republic; thieves often steal sewage covers, electrical wiring and other items which they sell to scrap yards. Municipalities from around the country have long been calling for introducing stricter regulation of the business.
The film The Dark Knight Rises topped the Czech box offices over the weekend. Some 80,000 viewers came to see the Hollywood blockbuster which made around 11 million crowns at the first weekend in Czech cinemas, according to figures by Czech film distributors released on Tuesday. Second on the list came the animated film Ice Age 4 with jut over 26,000 viewers, followed by Madagascar 3, The Amazing Spiderman and Magic Mike.
A court in Domažlice, in western Bohemia, on Tuesday sentenced a 36-year-old man to six years in prison for having assaulted and injured a bus driver. The court said that the man, who in the past worked as a guard at the US embassy in Prague, was trying to overtake the bus on a country road; when they reach a nearby town, the man got off his car and attacked the bus driver, inflicting permanent injuries in the incident which occurred in September 2011. The convicted man appealed the verdict.
Stanislav Ježek finished fifth in the final of the Olympic men's single canoe event on Tuesday, 8.67 seconds after the winner Tony Enstanguet from France. The 35-year-old Czech canoeist achieved the same position as four years ago at the Games in Beijing. In other Olympic results, Tomáš Berdych and Radek Štěpánek beat the Italian pair Daniele Bracciali, Andreas Seppi 4:6, 7:6, 6:4 to advanced to the second round of the Olympic tennis doubles tournament while skeet shooter Jan Sychra finished sixth in the Olympic finals on Tuesday.


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2011 BMW 3-Series 335i xDrive
Estimated By E.P.A.Actual Mileage May Vary
Internet Price: $13,975
Dealer World
Steven Caloca
246 South 500 East
American Fork, UT 84003
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Visit Dealer World online at www.dealerworlddifference.com to see more pictures of this vehicle or call us at 801-380-5472 today to schedule your test drive.
- ABS Brakes
- Air Conditioning
- Alloy Wheels
- AM/FM Radio
- Automatic Headlights
- CD Player
- Child Safety Door Locks
- Cruise Control
- Daytime Running Lights
- Driver Airbag
- Driver Multi-Adjustable Power Seat
- Electronic Brake Assistance
- Fog Lights
- Front Air Dam
- Front Power Memory Seat
- Front Side Airbag
- Genuine Wood Trim
- Heated Exterior Mirror
- High Intensity Discharge Headlights
- Interval Wipers
- Keyless Entry
- Leather Steering Wheel
- Manual Sunroof
- Passenger Airbag
- Passenger Multi-Adjustable Power Seat
- Power Adjustable Exterior Mirror
- Power Door Locks
- Power Sunroof
- Power Windows
- Rain Sensing Wipers
- Rear Window Defogger
- Run Flat Tires
- Separate Driver/Front Passenger Climate Controls
- Side Head Curtain Airbag
- Steering Wheel Mounted Controls
- Tachometer
- Telescopic Steering Column
- Tilt Steering
- Tilt Steering Column
- Tire Pressure Monitor
- Traction Control
- Trip Computer
- Trunk Anti-Trap Device
- Vehicle Anti-Theft
- Vehicle Stability Control System


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Coffee Grind Size for Every Brewing Method
Learning how to grind coffee beans yourself at home, whether you're looking for a coarse or a finer grind, can be a satisfying experience. You are able to learn a new skill, and at the same time benefit from making fresh, enjoyable coffee in your own kitchen. You will save money by brewing your coffee at home so all you need to know to get started is the coffee grind size for every brewing method.
The way in which you grind your coffee is the initial step in swaying how the final coffee tastes when it is ready to drink. You can have the maximum quality coffee beans, the purest water, the first-class filters, and an outstanding coffee maker and still go on to make horrible tasting coffee – it all depends on the grind size. The mainstay of great coffee is to use the proper sized coffee grounds to give you the best flavors. Your grinds are a vital tool in helping you to control your flavors and really get your beans working for you. Coffee beans ought to be ground just before you intend to brew your coffee, as aromas develop throughout the grinding and coffee making process. These smells are full of taste and you do not want them to escape your final drink.
Coffee Grind Size
When the coarseness of coffee is mentioned, what is actually being discussed is the size of the coffee beans that are being selected for use. A coarse grind is when you grind the beans only a small amount, resulting in fairly large portions of coffee beans being left over. With a fine grind, the beans are ground down until they become a silky, powdery texture.
A coarse coffee grind will enable hot water to bind to the exterior of the individual bean and so it can grip onto the flavor as it gradually infiltrates to the center of every grind. With a fine coffee grind however, as the individual grinds are so much smaller in texture, this means that water can enter and take out the flavors much faster.
This is why coffee grind size can have an enormous effect on the flavor of your coffee.
Irrespective of your coffee brewing technique, the rudimentary goal of grinding coffee will basically work in the same way. You will need to break up the roasted coffee bean to its central heart to allow the oils and tasty flavors inside it to be removed and transferred into your final coffee drink. Ground coffee will have more surface area than a whole coffee bean which is then useful as it lets water get into contact with more of the flavors while brewing.
The key "rules" when grinding your coffee are:
- Grind just before you are about to make your coffee to keep the flavors fresh.
- Select the correct grind size according to your taste and machine.
- Hand-pick and use a first-class coffee grinder for your favorite type of coffee.
- Ensure that your coffee grinder is always kept perfectly clean.
Choosing the Correct Grind Size
The ideal size of your ground coffee is subject to what type of brewing method you are using. Remember that you will not be able to simply choose one grind size and then stick with that for every different type of coffee that you wish to make. Some grinds sizes are also suited better to different kinds of coffee maker. Picking the appropriate grind size can sometimes be puzzling. So, to determine which grind setting to use, you need to think about the following factors:
- Abstraction rate
Larger grind sizes want more interaction time with water to fully extract the flavor from the bean. Smaller grind sizes require much less contact time get the best flavor. So, generally speaking, you will need to use a coarser grind for lengthier brewing times and a smaller grind for quicker brewing coffees ready in under 4 minutes.
- Rate of water movement
A larger grind allows water to pass through rapidly whereas a fine grind reduces the movement of water, so this alters the taste of your coffee.
- What it feels like
One active way to evaluate the size of the coffee grind is to touch it. Rub some of the coffee grounds between your thumb and finger lightly to get a sense of its texture. Coffee grinds when coarse should feel a little like sea salt, they feel like sand for a medium sized grind, and feel like sugar if it is a fine grind.
- How it tastes
In the end, it will come down to how your coffee tastes. Taste is very personal. If the coffee tastes to bitter, sharp, or just too strong then fine-tune the grind to make it coarser the next time that you brew. If the coffee tastes a little weak, water-logged, flat or tart then just make the grind much finer. Minor modifications to your grind make a big difference. Keep your changes small to begin with so that you can take note of differences and then keep altering the size of the coffee grind to get it right.
You will probably notice some brew approaches will work for more than one grind size grouping – this is due to the fact that you are able control the result of your brew with the alteration of grind size alongside changing the brewing time for different brew methods.
Coffee Grind Size Chart
|Coffee Bean Grind Size
|Perfect Brewing Technique
Separate, chunky fragments of coffee beans. Like Rock Salt in texture.
Gritty consistency with noticeable flakes. Like coarse sand.
Very smooth quality. Slightly finer than table salt.
|Extra Fine
Coffee grains only just noticeable. A little finer than white sugar.
Ground with no grains. Like flour.
Coarse Ground Coffee
Coarse grinds are unsurpassed for the French press, but this can set limits on you when it comes to using course ground for making coffee. Many of the much-loved coffee's like cappuccino, and even the humble flat white, are usually made with fine grinds.
Nonetheless you are still able to use your coarse grinds to make some delicious coffee drinks. As soon as you get the coarseness precise for a French press, you will be able to enjoy barista style quality coffee. There are two main ways to create coarse grinds, or course you can buy them in the form of pre-ground coffee, but the taste is so much better when you get coffee beans to freshly grind yourself in the moment. Usually however, coffee brewed with grounds which are much to coarse will give you weak and less palatable coffee as this leads to them being under-extracted.
Fine Grind Coffee
You will need this kind of delicate grind to create a prodigious shot of espresso. If you have been using anything other than fine grounds to try this then you are undoubtably in for a treat when using fine coffee grounds. Fine grind is also perfect for moka pot coffee.
Why is Your Coffee Bitter?
Coffee making is a subtle art and there are a number of reasons why your coffee can taste bitter. Your instant reaction might be to blame the coffee beans themselves, nevertheless there are countless other explanations as to why your coffee is not tasting right.
Over brewing your coffee– This is really easy to do if you are new to brewing coffee and very exasperating. Over brewing occurs when the coffee grounds have been left too long in water. This causes you to have bitter, unwanted flavors in your coffee.
Water being too hot – A lot of people use water that has been freshly boiled, but this will be too hot for your coffee grounds and will even give them a singed or bitter taste. The perfect temperature to brew coffee beans at is about 90°C, therefore let the boiled water cool down for a while before you use it.
Keep your coffee machine clean – Left over deposits from your preceding brew may well be producing the disagreeable taste, ensure that you methodically wash your apparatus between each and every use.
If you have considered all the previous suggestions, it might be the coffee beans themselves in the end. Low quality coffee beans will have unpleasant features no matter how much effort you put into the brewing, so ensure that you always buy fresh first-rate coffee beans.
In summary, the grind size of your coffee is enormously more significant than most people realize, even coffee experts forget this from time to time. Use the above coffee grind chart to practice achieving the faultless brew. As soon as you have pinned down the exact thing that makes your coffee drink perfect, you will be left wondering how you spent so many of your years using coffee grounds of mysterious grind size to make your ideal coffee.
- There's A Right And Wrong Way To Grind Coffee – HuffPost Life
- How Coffee Makers Work – How Stuff Works


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Upon arrival, all clients will be required to complete a check in form, where credit card details will be required. This is to cover for any damages which will be €500 which may be deducted from the clients credit card within 30 days of departure against any breakages, excessive cleaning or loss to property. Should items who's value exceeding the security deposit be broken, Horizon Holidays will debit the card accordingly.
- Phone Number: Click on the link to see the property


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that's just a rumor and he is FINE
5 Answers · Entertainment & Music · 28/06/2006
i think that they would make a cute couple. besides d-wade's wife look like his mama so there ain't much to be said but the fact that hoopz and D got they eyes on each other and maybe something else!!!! (LOL)(LOL)
2 Answers · Entertainment & Music · 28/06/2006
Maybe, but idk. He should go to the Jazz.
9 Answers · Sports · 12/07/2009
While I'd rather start Matthews over Stewart (Just because Matthews will get more handoffs.),,I'd shop Stewart around a little more before pulling the trigger on Bowe.. If any team is weak at...
4 Answers · Sports · 05/09/2010
Dwayne Wade and Tony Parker will join Stoudemire in NY? Bosh/LeBron on their way to Chicago? Done Deals !!?
12 Answers · Sports · 07/07/2010
I am being offered Dwayne Bowe and Steven Jackson for Jimmy Graham and Ahmad Bradshaw. Deal or no deal ?
No, I wouldn't. Jackson is injury prone (hurt on first play of the season) and the Rams play from behind a lot meaning less running the ball. Bowe is having a good season but I'm fairly certain Jimmy...
5 Answers · Sports · 24/10/2011
I have Dwayne Bowe for Maurice Jones-Drew? I have Bowe but need a solid RB2. Good deal ? MJD sucks right now?
MJD is great buy low candidate. People tend to forget he had an even worse start last year, then exploded for like 10 TDs and a bunch of yards. With KC having no QB to speak of, Bowe should struggle. So...
4 Answers · Sports · 22/09/2008
U dirty dog..LMAO.."Best breaking news of all time"
10 Answers · Sports · 07/06/2009
looks good to me, stastny might blow up with sakic out of the way
2 Answers · Sports · 29/09/2009
Where do you see these players ending up this summer: Dwayne Wade, Lebron James, Chris Bosh, Amare Stoudemire?
... own hometown. Even his ego wouldn't be able to take that. Dwayne Wade's situation is interesting. He lives...
10 Answers · Sports · 21/01/2010


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|This list does not cite any references or sources. (October 2010)
A list of characters from the 1998 anime series Beast Wars Neo.
- Big Convoy
Big Convoy is a powerful, independent warrior character. He transforms into a mammoth.
- Longrack
Longrack is a gregarious Maximal. He has one Arm Shot attack on his right arm, while his Crush Arm allows him to mangle his enemies. He transforms into a giraffe.
*Cohrada His transformative powers favor dry climates. His right hand produces a vacuum shockwave, the Hand Vute, that slices through steel. He transforms into a cobra.
- Stampy
Stampy has Mighty Ears to allow him to hardly miss any distant sounds. He transforms into a white rabbit.
- Break
Break launches anchors from his right arm as his weapons. He transforms into a penguin.
- Heinlad (aka Heinrad)
Heinlad has a clock in his stomach, giving him the ability to manipulate time. He transforms into a Tanuki Raccoon Dog.
- Mach Kick
Mach Kick has an Elastic Hand attack and a Tail Tomahawk, a combination axe/whip. He transforms into a horse.
- Navi
Navi is the Maximal's navigational computer.
- Rockbuster
Rockbuster has a hard shell that provides endurance for the character in battle. His Claw Buster and Crush Claw are powerful weapons that destroy armor. He transforms into a crab. The toy version is a redesign of Beast Wars Razorclaw.
- Randy
Randy's firepower is his Charge Buster weapon. He transforms into a boar. The toy version is a redesign of Beast Wars Razorbeast.
- Sharp Edge
Sharp Edge's weapon is a powerful cutter hidden in his flank region, the Diamondtail. He transforms into a sawshark. The toy is a remold of Beast Wars Cybershark.
- Bump
Bump has strong, shell-like skin, and displays a lightning-fast draw-and-fire technique with the weapons at his hips. He transforms into an armadillo. The toy is a redesign of Beast Wars Armordillo.
- Survive
Survive transforms into a bear. The toy is a redesign of Beast Wars Polar Claw.
Magmatron's beast mode involves three dinosaurs: Landsaurus, Skysaurus, and Seasaurus.
- Guiledart
He is Magmatron's right-hand man. He releases the Thunder Horn blast from his horns to damage an enemy, while his tail can become a Tail Shooter, a missile launcher. He transforms into a Triceratops.
- Saberback
Saberback is able to use his tail to disguise himself as a flower to lure in enemies. He uses the Triple Claw, sharp talons in his right hand, at full power. He transforms into a Stegosaurus.
- Sling
Sling's right arm becomes a Tail Bunker to pierce through his enemies, while his left becomes the Sling Shield for protection. He transforms into a Dimetrodon.
Dead End's weapon is a Spiral Bomb attack, launching the shell off his right shoulder. He transforms into an ammonite.
- Archadis
Archadis' wings are armed with Wing Gundreads, rapid-fire cannons, and can drop Wing Bombs. He transforms into an Archaeopteryx. Archadis' toy was later remolded into Beast Machines Airraptor.
DNAVI is a dragonfly-shaped navigational computer.
- Killerpunch
Killerpunch has a Head Punch that is used as offense, as well as a homing device. He transforms into a Styracosaurus.
- Hydra
Hydra has a Wing Shot, and transforms into a Pteranodon.
- Crazybolt
Crazybolt has a tail rifle as his weapon. He transforms into a Frill-necked Lizard.
- Bazooka
Bazooka uses the hammer-like lump attached to the end of his tail to smash open enemy head modules with his Gigaton Stamp. He transforms into an Ankylosaurus.
Hardhead's uses his Head Attack to confront his enemies. Hardhead also wields a Pilesaber blade. He transforms into a Pachycephalosaurus.
- Rartorarta
He possesses the form of a Lionfish[disambiguation needed] and a hornet fused together; and uses a rapid-fire poison arrow launcher. The toy version is a remold of Beast Wars Injector.
- Elephaorca
He possesses the form of an orca and an elephant fused together. His Killer Tusks shoot a liquid that liquefies any material on contact. The toy is a remold of Beast Wars Torca.
- Drancron
It possesses the form of a lizard and dragonfly. It uses its Drancutter to sneak up on its prey. He also has a Clap Missile. The toy is a redesign of Beast Wars Sky Shadow.
Unicron is the leader of the Blendtrons.


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Inbox: How to keep arms fresh all season?
Beat reporter Greg Johns answers questions from Mariners fans
Here's the latest in our Inbox series. You can click here to submit a question of your own.
We all know the Mariners' pitching dominated last year but tailed off at the end of the season. How will manager Lloyd McClendon keep his arms fresh for the stretch run and playoff push in 2015?
-- Travis P., Spokane, Wash.
That question is exactly why the Mariners -- and every team -- always say you can never have enough pitching. Seattle was impacted last year by early injuries to Hisashi Iwakuma, Taijuan Walker and James Paxton, then saw Chris Young and Roenis Elias wear down in the final month as their innings mounted. That is why general manager Jack Zduriencik felt the need to trade for J.A. Happ, even though that gives Seattle six or seven starters fighting for five spots, even with Young not returning.
As it stands, Felix Hernandez, Iwakuma, Paxton and Happ appear to be the top four, with Walker and Elias fighting for the fifth spot and Erasmo Ramirez seemingly on the outside. But lots of things happen once pitchers start throwing, as we learn every spring.
McClendon drew some heat last year for taking Hernandez out early of some close games, but Hernandez stayed strong through September for the first time in several years. A good bullpen can help take the load off all the starters, which is one of Seattle's strengths. Combined with a year's growth and experience for their youngsters, hopefully it adds up to the right mix for the full year.
What will it take for Robinson Cano to make it into the Hall of Fame as a Seattle Mariner?
-- Craig L., Kirkland, Wash.
Well, Cano played nine years and made five All-Star teams with the Yankees. He's already had one year and one All-Star appearance with Seattle and still has nine years to go on his contract, so there's plenty of time to rack up stats and honors in a Mariners uniform. But here's something to remember: Players don't have to go into the Hall of Fame representing one team.
Since 2001, the rules have been changed to allow the Hall -- instead of the player -- to select what cap a player will wear, with input from the player. And, in some instances, they've chosen hats with no team logo at all. Greg Maddux and Tony La Russa both were inducted last year with no logo on their hat because their careers were equally split between more than one club. And that may well be what happens if Cano reaches that point.
When do the Mariners arrive at Spring Training?
-- Marcus C., Maple Valley, Wash.
Pitchers and catchers report on Feb. 20, with workouts beginning Feb. 21. Position players must report by Feb. 24, with the first full-squad workout Feb. 25. Cactus League games begin March 4. Those are the official dates, but many players arrive earlier and begin working out on their own at the club's facility in Peoria, Ariz., and a few live in the area and spend much of the winter there working out.
What is the Mariners' plan for Danny Hultzen? Do they plan on keeping him or trying to trade him in a package deal for another right-handed bat?
-- Brandon H., Tacoma, Wash.
Hultzen is expected to be ready to pitch at the start of Spring Training, though he'll be carefully monitored after missing much of the last two seasons with shoulder problems. There's zero expectation of him being ready to start the season with the big league club, but if all goes well, he'll begin the year in the Minors and then see how things progress. There's no point in trading him now when his value is low due to the injuries. The Mariners will be eager to see how he does this year and he should be one of the interesting stories to watch in camp.
While the Mariners have addressed a lot of their needs this offseason, there doesn't seem to be a lot of backup first-base options besides Jesus Montero. Any chance the Mariners are interested in signing Mike Carp or J.P. Arencibia?
-- Inigo O., Manila, Philippines
There isn't an experienced option behind Logan Morrison at this point. Assuming Willie Bloomquist is healthy and begins the season as the utility man, he'd likely be the backup first baseman. But the Mariners do want to give Montero a chance to show what he can do after a long winter of workouts in Arizona, and Ji-Man Choi will get a look in camp as well. And it wouldn't surprise me if another veteran is added on a non-roster invite for more depth in the coming weeks.
With Ichiro Suzuki available, why isn't he being talked about more? The Mariners need a right fielder, and it would just be right if he finished his career in Seattle.
-- Rick M., Naches, Wash.
I've addressed Ichiro's situation before, but this keeps getting asked, so I'll give it another whirl. Ichiro is 41 and clearly at the end of a great career. People in baseball will tell you he isn't the same defender and is losing the bat and footspeed that allowed him to be so good for so long, which is why the Yankees let him go this winter. None of that is surprising or insulting, given nobody yet has beaten Father Time. The man has literally had two outstanding careers -- one in Japan and one in MLB -- and will wind up in the Hall of Fame.
The Mariners tried the reunion route with Ken Griffey Jr. and that didn't end well. This is a team now looking ahead, not backward. They've traded for Seth Smith and Justin Ruggiano to play right field and appear set in the outfield. Ichiro is still hopeful of getting 156 more hits to reach 3,000 for his MLB career and is reportedly drawing some interest from the Orioles. I know some fans think he should get that shot in Seattle, but personally I'd rather remember him at his All-Star-level best and am glad the Mariners are more interested in fielding the best team to chase a playoff berth in 2015.


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With the latest Leap Day now behind us, how did you spend the extra 1,440 minutes you were granted? If you are a typical data analyst, you likely spent over 240 minutes that day working with data itself. That estimate is a recent finding in the newly published report from Blue Hill Research, "Quantifying the Case for Enhanced Data Preparation." The report is a useful guide to help data analysts and technology decision makers alike explore solutions to ease the data preparation process.
In fact, they found that at least 120 minutes in a day is spent just performing data preparation activities. Instead of spending so much time collecting, cleaning, and consolidating your data, wouldn't your time be better spent examining it, allowing you to make more informed decisions to drive your business forward?
If you answered yes, you'll be happy to know there are tips and tricks to make this a reality. When it comes to data preparation, timing truly is everything – both in terms of understanding why it's such a laborious process in the first place and how you can streamline your activities.
What's Taking So Long?
Whether you're a data analyst or typical business user, your data prep process likely involves correcting any errors (most often human and/or machine input), filling in nulls and incomplete data, and merging data from several disparate sources or data formats. Your series of steps will typically involve the following which all add up:
- Data analysis – The data is audited for errors and anomalies to be corrected. For large datasets, data preparation applications prove helpful in producing metadata and uncovering problems.
- Creating an Intuitive workflow – A workflow consisting of a sequence of data prep operations for addressing the data errors is then formulated.
- Validation – The correctness of the workflow is next evaluated against a representative sample of the dataset. This process may call for adjustments to the workflow as previously undetected errors are found.
- Transformation – Once convinced of the effectiveness of the workflow, transformation may now be carried out, and the actual data prep process takes place.
- Backflow of cleaned data – Finally, steps must also be taken for the clean data to replace the original dirty data sources.
There's Got to Be an Easier Way
If you're finding yourself banging your head on your keyboard more often than you'd like, take solace in knowing there are a number of ways to make your day-to-day easier. Try incorporating the following steps the next time you're tasked with a data prep project:
Have an idea of what problem you're trying to solve.
Try to work backwards from that point and only prepare and clean the data that you need to answer the question at hand. Standard data prep is estimated to take nearly 80% of data analysts' time, so it's vital to only focus your time on the work that provides value to you.
Remember to leave time to analyze your data.
Preparing the data is only part of the project. Without careful and thoughtful analysis, what's the point in the project to begin with? While it's great to have clean, organized data, it's more important for that data to add value to you and your organization.
Never rekey data if there's another option.
Not only is rekeying data one of the biggest sources of errors in a data set, but it's also a waste of time – time you don't have. When working with multiple data sources, always try to find a unique identifier to match up between the sources. At that point, you can perform a data join to combine the data into one table.
Last, and most importantly, use the best tool for the job.
At some point, it's time to say when. Sometimes the existing tools at our disposal aren't enough and need replacing. Don't get stuck in a rut by failing to admit that. Take Excel for instance. Sure, it's a powerful tool that is often used as the default when it comes to preparing data. However, instead of Googling for formulas every other minute, it may be time to seek out a solution that's more efficient for you. In fact, such a solution may enable you to uncover data you never knew existed, much less had access to.
If you're looking for a faster, more agile way to get at any data and incorporate it into any data tool, be sure to learn more about and sign up for a free trial of Monarch. And then start thinking about how you're going to spend the 240 minutes you just gained back in your day.
- Data Fabric: Stitch Up Your Data Strategy With Visualization - September 13, 2019
- Data Fabric: Save a Stitch in Time with Predictive Analytics - September 5, 2019
- Data Fabric: Skip the Patchwork with Powerful Data Prep - August 14, 2019


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Today I had off, this being Martin Luther King Jr. Day and all. I wish I could tell you that I participated in some sort of high-falutin', multi-cultural appreciation festival, but in fact I spent the bulk of the day watching Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire on the IMax with agaysexicon and koriandrkitten, and then hanging out with them and fuzzyinthehead.
Thoughts on Harry Potter: It's an attractive movie full of great performances, but it's bogged down by the fact that 734 pages is far too much material to cram into two and a half hours. I wasn't lost at any point in the story, but things seemed rushed and I could tell that I was missing a great deal of background information. IMDB tells me that Warner Bros.' original plan had been to release GoF in two parts (ala Kill Bill), but director Mike Newell vetoed that idea in favor of one making movie. I don't think this was the right choice, especially given that the Harry Potter franchise is a guaranteed box office draw. Not having read the book I can only guess that they didn't cut out anything that would have made an impressive effects sequence, so while two movies would have been more expensive to make than one, they would also have been disproportionately more profitable. Oh, well. As a non-fan, it was worth matinee price at the IMax, which is slightly more than full price anywhere else.
On the subject of movies, I watched the "Love Conquers All" cut of Brazil on Saturday night. For those unfamiliar, Universal Studios was initially unhappy with the film, and had proposed 47 minutes of cuts to make it palatable to a mainstream U.S. audience. Terry Gilliam refused to release the edited movie under his name, and the studio finally caved when Brazil started winning awards and Oscar nominations before actually being released in the States. Still, the shorter cut has aired on television in the past, and is available with the special edition of the DVD. I'd been led to believe that this cut of the movie was awful, so I was surprised to learn that it's really not that bad, just very, very different.
In Terry Gilliam's Brazil, Sam Lowry is a stagnant bureaucrat who lives more inside his head than outside of it. His fantasies begin to overlap with reality when he realizes that the girl of his dreams is a real person. He starts taking the opportunities he would otherwise have waived, making decisions he otherwise would have avoided, and eventually loses himself within his fantasies because he can no longer cope with real life. Though happy, Sam has made himself dysfunctional. It's a tragic ending.
The shorter cut virtually excises the dream sequences, leaving just enough to introduce Jill, Sam's dream-girl. The end result is that there is no fantasy in the movie. Everything onscreen happens in real life. In this version, Sam's infatuation with Jill inspires him to break free of his shackles and escape with her to a better life thanks to the help of an underground resistance movement which may have infiltrated the government. This is a very happy ending.
The keys to unlocking the story in Brazil are contained plainly within the movie. Some people get it the first time. Others require multiple viewings (or simply give up). The thing is, many of the keys are missing in the shorter cut. Some of the puzzles go unsolved. Some of them can no longer be described puzzles. Terry Gilliam's cut is weird, but the weirdness makes sense when you figure out that Sam is dreaming it. Sam's nightmare visions (Tuttle literally being consumed by paperwork, for example) become incomprehensible as real-world events in the Love Conquers All version. Then again, this is the movies, and if you can't handle Robert DeNiro disappearing in a pile of papers, you're probably better off sticking to the news (and not Fox news, since you've indicated that you can't handle fantasy).
Obviously, Terry Gilliam's cut is the better movie, but it's startling to see that both versions work, and yet make such different points. Had Terry Gilliam actually written the Love Conquers All version, his fans would have embraced it as a masterpiece.


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First, welcome to Next Gen PFMA! We are so humbled to be the FIRST (and only) association dedicated to representing nutritionally defensible™ pet food and treat manufacturers — as well as the distributors and retailers of these great products — and we are honored to have you join us.
We were created to come alongside the 2% of smaller pet food manufacturers… those without the budget of Purina… those born of a passion for pets…. those who may have previously navigated regulations, law suits and recalls alone. Not anymore.
First things first, please look to your right and sign up to receive updates from this site. That will ensure that you don't miss any updates from the association.
Your membership doesn't JUST include advocacy and grassroots lobbying (in fact, as executive director, I meet regularly with the FDA insisting they share the same information as is shared with PFI) and representation at AAFCO. We've also created a couple of "mission critical" guides for our members only.
- The first is a Marketing document that helps our members continue to generate demand for their products. The more pet parents demand nutritionally defensible food for their pets, the more successful you are as a company and the more power we hold as a group.
- The next is a full overview, check list and guide for FSMA preparation, created by me and designed specifically for our members who are smaller than the pet food giants these regulations were custom-created to fit.
Both are platinum member benefits and available to you with a simple email to me. (Silver members can also pay to have access to this with a one time payment.) These documents and guides have been a "draw" for recruiting new members to our cause. Because there IS a certain "safety in numbers," I ask that you not share these with non-members so that we can gain as many proud, principled pet food manufacturers to our association as possible.
Regardless of your level of membership, if you are faced with a recall or an inspection, if they are at your door, please call us before either begins.
Together, we will not only protect the ability to produce the pet food options we are so passionate about, but we are also being seen, heard and respected as a legitimate pet food category by lobbyists, AAFCO and even the United States Government.
We're honored by your support and humbled by the tasks ahead of us as an association. With your support, I promise we'll keep fighting for you.


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Grove Park
Location Details
Grove Park , Rayleigh SS6 8UA
Site Times
- Saturday - 09:30
(Shown as start times)
Join Now
Site Details
Meet in the car park at Grove Woods in Rayleigh. Just follow Grove Road all the way to the end, onto a short stretch of unmade road into the woods and you'll soon see the car park on your left. Park in Grove Woods Car Park (free parking).
Grove Park , Rayleigh SS6 8UA


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The evil eye symbol is said to represent divine protection, freedom and peaceful co-existence with others. A beautiful message that makes this necklace a wonderful gift or special piece to wear everyday.Details:
Worn layered with our gold crescent moon necklace.THE NECKLACE THAT GIVES BACKAmanda Deer Jewelry donates a portion of the proceeds of this necklace to the Glaucoma Research Foundation to help fight to find a cure for Glaucoma, one of the leading causes of blindness. Learn more.
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If your student information system (SIS) is integrated with SameGoal, student information (Basics and Details tabs in SameGoal) will be automatically updated nightly. If you find a student's information is incorrect in SameGoal, correct the information in your SIS. After the nightly integration runs, you will see the information updated in SameGoal the following morning. Avoid changing information in SameGoal directly, since the changed information will be overwritten within 24 hours by the integration. The SIS is considered the "master" source of student information when the two systems are integrated.
It is important to enter the correct SIS Student ID. Cases when you should update this field include:
The Basics tab for a student contains information used on list pages (student first and last name), print SIS Student ID (printed in documents), and building (used for determining user access when user groups are in place).
The student information which copies into documents is found on the student Details tab. If no information is entered, none will be available for document prefill/copying.


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Another terrific thing about these sets is that it includes the normal conventional size that is generally offered in dorm rooms. Nevertheless, simply to be sure, confirm this with the college dormitory. In addition, you can also opt to buy these online. So if they need a new set, you can acquire it online and have it straight delivered to your little girl's or son's dormitory. This saves them the headache of going out to find a set or needing to wait for you to send them the cash to acquire one.
Exactly what I have actually learned is that absolutely nothing beats the very best. Picking superior quality bedding is certainly an investment. After all, whilst polyester-filled products lose much of their lofting and insulating capability after a relatively brief time, a well-cared-for down or silk duvet could last a lifetime. So let's pitch the "Rolls Royce" versus the "Aston Martin" of duvet fillings, the personal jets of the duvet world – delicious silk against euphoric down. Which is much better?
You can likewise buy bed comforter sets. Take adequate time to identify together, have a look at all of the quilts, bedding, comforters and various others. The alternatives are limitless. The following are basic tips to assist you in choosing the best ways to use your decorative bedding devices to the fullest.
Do People Really Need New Sheets?
Since the bedroom is where you recharge your battery, it is necessary that the space be one that actually talks with your senses. One will pick 800 thread count bed sheets that attract them; bed pillows will be the right firmness for your comfort. Everyone requires a various pillow to produce the very best sleeping environment for them; which is why there are numerous various kinds of pillows for sale. Support pillows offer cervical support in numerous sleeping positions. Memory foam pillows are becoming increasingly more popular. Made from shredded memory foam, this kind of pillow in fact helps relieve back and neck discomfort.
There are different levels of heat for option down from light-weight to heavy duty. The comforters will feel the very same and have the very same elegant feel when they are on your bed. But, the heavy duty comforter will make a really cold room really comfy to oversleep.
If you wish to pick a quality comforter, comprehend exactly what down is prior to making your choice. Sown is the fluffy and soft feathers utilized in comforters. These feathers usually belong to young birds or a certain kind. When on the market for a comforter, seek on out with an enhanced fill power. This is a 3 digit number that grades the quality of thread on the bedding. The greater the number, the much better. The heavier the comforter, the warmer it will be this is the time to consider your sleep pattern.
How Come You Really Need 800 Thread Count Bed Sheets?
The bedspread sets are the most vital elements within the bed, and the bedspread sets will be the fundamental tone from the overall bedding. As being the bedspread sets will not be near with human skin, so they will not be necessarily to obtain the cotton element, instead, bedspread sets could be picked the Dacron or poplin element, for these supplies are moderately stiff, so that they are crease-resistant, which is the major element in choosing the bedspread sets. As for the color with the bedspread sets, it is higher to pick the cold color series, so that you can rest together with the tranquil head.
Ornamental pillows are the accents or throw pillows which are offered in different shapes, sizes and colors to enhance the total appearance of the bedrooms interior. Bolster pillows are tubular shape pillows that use to lean back versus for lumbar support. Though, it is made use of as an ornamental item. Pillow covers shield the pillows from dust, oil and other spots. These are among the fundamental item of thethat appearance really ornamental and usually been available in rectangular shapes with the opening on one end where pillows are inserted.
What lots of people miss out on is the truth that embellishing the bedroom is truly something that can be done reasonably easily. If even more people knew that changing cotton bedspreads and adding appealing throw pillows on the bed can make a huge effect to the feel of the space, such a huge number of people would do this that sales for such items would blow up! When you find bedspreads that teem with colors that you find peaceful, the bed ends up being a beacon of rest for the tired. You can bring a splash of color to your bedspread by adding ornamental pillows. Finishing off the appearance with matching drapes can truly complete the change. You will be shocked by the distinction that brand-new bedspreads and window drapes can make in a room.
Don't Be Seduced By This Scam About Sheets
Many people think that thread count is only crucial when dealing with sheets. However, all linens are produced in a range of various thread matters. Thread count refers to exactly how tightly a material is woven. When you are shopping for a duvet, the thread count will have a direct effect on the lightness and gentleness of the product. If you wish to discover a top quality duvet, you ought to search for thread matters of 250 or greater.
A brand-new comforter might be built of many various type of materials. Among the better materials is Egyptian cotton. You will not see it in more economical 800 thread count bed sheets. Boxed stitching is another great quality. It keeps the filling from moving. There are several aspect to consider when buying quality comforters. The greater the thread matter, the better the cover. Find a power fill of 500 or better. The very best filling is down. Nevertheless, option down benefits people with allergies. Check for boxed stitching and Egyptian cotton, likewise.
Find Out How To Turn Your Sheets From Horrid Into Phenomenal
A quality comforter will be long enduring. It will feel good against your skin. It likewise will be well insulated for heat. The filling material is likewise crucial. Below are some attributes of quilted bed covers to consider. The best duvets will be filled with down or alternative down. Down is a feathery insulating material. Option down is made use of by people that are allergic to down. Either kind will make a great comforter.
Silk is natural material made from the cocoons of silkworms When it is crafted from these natural processes, it is doinged this in a vulnerable means that allows the silk to keep a natural compound called sericin. This protein wards off allergen and mold, keeping the silk 800 thread count bed sheets sets spick-and-span. Those suffering from asthma and allergies will not have a trouble with their bed sheets if they sleep with silk during the night.
Check out the care label of your duvet and follow it to the dot. If it states, "For dry clean only", follow this strictly. The exact same goes with labels that indicates, "Hand wash only". If the care label indicates that it is machine-washable, follow the directions connected to it.2. Wash your duvets frequently. Now, this one would depend on your judgement.3. For those who would hand wash or machine wash, make sure that you are following the directions given to the dot. Also, make sure that your duvet is perfectly dry prior to using it again.4. For those who would machine clean the duvet, make sure that you are utilizing the most affordable settings of both your washer and your dryer to prevent harming the duvet. Also, despite the fact that it appears that your dryer has dried your duvet, it is best to air or sun-dry it for around an hour more. This is just to make sure that the duvet is really dry. Also, make sure that your washer and dryer can really handle the weight of your duvets.
The Ways To Purchase Sheets On A Restricted Budget
A greater thread matter for cotton materials normally symbolizes a much better quality comforter. You will also want to consider whether you 'd be happier with a common white down comforter that you will need to get a safety cover for to fit the decor of your bedroom, or despite whether you will desire washable microfiber down comforter with a fabric that is currently in a coordinating color or pattern.
The designer bedding sets are the latest trends in bedroom interiors which produce fresh and attractive effects and improve total appearance of interior. Theincludes different bedding devices such asTop sheetsTop sheets are the sheet that topped the top of the bed to detach you from the duvet or comforter. It is commonly called the flat sheets. Some of the smooth side comforters or duvets dont have top sheet.
However prior to purchasing the bed linens it is good to do a little study and afterwards move on. With this you will get a hang of exactly what is available in the market and their rates. It will also provide you a larger concept of the on-going trends. An excellent set of bed linens will help you in putting on a contemporary and elegant planning to your bedroom. The higher the thread matter much better will be its quality and will provide you the much required sturdiness and longevity. Those will accompaniment you for years to come without stressing over the day-to-day wear and tear.
Widley Known 800 Thread Count Bed Sheets That Even You Can Own
Bed linens play an essential role in every house. They have a major influence on an individual's quality of sleep. This is specifically why it is so crucial to choose luxury 800 thread count bed sheets sets whenever possible, in order to guarantee getting an excellent night's sleep. Whether you look for bedding for a youngster, yourself, or your guest bedroom, you most likely wish to get the very best possible rate. Following are some ideas for success in finding discount bedding online.
Eiderdown features a characteristic described as "hooks.". These hooks enable the clusters to cling on to one someone else, for that reason capturing teeny air pockets. All these air pockets form barriers. Eiderdown, while made use of in bed comforters or duvets plus bedroom pillows, checks out at around 700 fill power. However, since of the "hooks" within the eiderdown cluster it carries an unrivaled density as well as adhesiveness and warms at a superb 850 to 900 fill power.
Your bed must be your sanctuary. And, in a world that is busier than ever, sleep can be a precious product. The only means to get the most from your resting experience is by creating an area that meets your specific needs in terms of convenience and design. There are large comforter sets, sheet sets, and bed skirts offered to keep anybody comfy no matter their size. Offered in an array of designs and materials, it's simple to find bedding sets that matches the decoration of the house. This decorating option is simply among the methods the industry is making strides to improve the quality of plus sized life.
It's Only About Sheets Naturally!
Silk duvets are now acquiring pride and popularity among other sleeping garments or beddings due to the luxury of silk and the ideal convenience that it certainly offers. The gentleness of silk and its glossy appeal makes a silk duvet even more reassuring, peaceful and genuinely tempting when you rest.
All your bed room needs is beauty. With comforters and duvets, which hare versatile and practical components to constantly offer your be that attractive appearance and style day in day out. You can be assured of sufficient decor and warmth for your bedroom. Their qualities of inexpensiveness, many pain-free as well as the quickest response to the bedroom desires for beauty grants you every opportunity to love your bedroom.
This expert has 8 different varieties of duvet for you to select from in four different sizes so you actually are spoilt for selection. With duvets readily available in single, double, king and super king, no matter exactly what the size of your bed, you are assured a duvet to fit perfectly.
Knit satin materials which are normally crafted with acetate or polyester possess coarser surface area compared with an extremely threaded, woven satin. This makes knit satin appropriate as comforter and more cost effective. Yet, if you like better the slick silkiness that only satin comforters can provide, find a woven satin comforter.
Beware The Scam Over Sheets
In case you can not afford a goose down duvet, you can select feather packed duvets rather. These are fulled of feathers and are a little heavier than those stuffed with down. The feather duvets are typically as successful as their down equivalents. However, there is a drawback to them also. The mites that inhabit the feather shafts can trigger skin allergies like acne. In case you are currently fighting from an acne breakout as a result of an allergy, you can make use of successful options like Clearpores Skin Cleansing System to fix it.


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Last weekend, Matt ran into the Vineman finish line and punched his ticket to the Ironman World Championships in Kona!!! That journey was a whole lot longer than 140.6 miles, and it was riddled with plain old bad luck. But Matt kept a smile on his face, kept pushing forward, and kept working toward his goals. The 4th time was finally the charm! And the whole story is below.
Ironman #1, Texas 2014
Once upon a time, in May 2014, Matt lined up for his first Ironman with less than 18 months of non-consecutive triathlon training under his belt. Only 30 weeks of that was consecutive and serious, and it was all self-coached. I remember a group of athletes asking what his goal time was for his first Ironman and him responding "low 10's" (to raised eyebrows). It was just what his training translated into and we didn't think anything of it. He crossed the finish line in 10:06, which put him in the top 5% overall. Suddenly, we realized he had some real potential!
The other thing that happened that day? As I held 2-year-old Jake and baby Summer while cheering all day long, I thought, "I could do this!" I'd never swam more than a single lap at a time, my idea of riding a bike was a beach cruiser, and I hadn't ran consistently in years (since my broken hip). But I wanted to do it -- and Matt believed in me. I believed in him, too, and told him I thought he could qualify for Kona. He laughed, but I was serious. It lit a fire and Kona became the dream!
Meanwhile, my mom met Wes Johnson @balancedartmultisport at Ironman Texas and passed his information along. Wes started coaching Matt in December and we became part of the BAM fam! Matt and I spent much of that winter side by side on bike trainers while our babies slept. He helped me figure out the swim and the bike, and I started to get my running legs under me again. We balanced Matt's Air Force career, family time with our littles, time with extended family, church responsibilities, etc, with both my training and Matt's much-more-serious training. His improvements and training stats were ridiculous(ly awesome) and all signs pointed to earning a Kona slot at IMTX in May 2015.
Ironman #2, Texas 2015
Just 6.5 weeks before Texas, I got a phone call from a stranger telling me Matt had been in a bad bike accident with an SUV and was headed to the hospital in an ambulance. We are still so grateful that it wasn't anything serious, but he did have a herniated disc and his knee was bigger than a softball thanks to a giant hematoma. Doctors told him not to run at all for at least two months, until the hematoma was gone. But Texas was going to be my first Ironman, and so much of that triumph was that we had made it happen together. Matt wanted to share that day with me. He couldn't train, but he worked hard in PT for those next 6 weeks.
The first time he ran again was a few days before the race, and the hematoma was still noticeable on his knee. That man lined up for Ironman Texas knowing it would not be his A or even B race, just so he could share the course with me and hang that medal around my neck. I love him for it. Matt still finished in 10:35, and the last Kona slot went to a 9:57. Had he been healthy, it would have easily been his.
Superfrog 70.3, September 2015
Superfrog is a classic military race, so it awards a few special Kona slots to military. We decided that would be his make-up race, and he'd cap off the season by punching a ticket to Kona 2016. But just a few miles into the bike, he hit an unmarked pothole and his aero bars snapped down, sending him endo. He flipped over the front and his head hit first. A race official saw it happen, and they made him sit and wait to be cleared by medical before continuing. He was finally cleared and fought through the rest of the day with only one functioning gear on his crooked bike, and then blood trickling down his leg on the tough run course. His Garmin showed 16 minutes of stoppage time waiting for medical clearance (not to mention time lost by racing hurt!) -- and he only missed the Kona slot by 2 minutes. That was a tough one to swallow.
Ironman #3, Texas May 2016
October rolled around, and we both signed up for Ironman Texas again! The next month, we resumed the now-familiar routine of handing off the baton with the kids and taking turns getting our training in (including our weekly trainer dates, of course). Life was busier than anticipated and Matt had to travel for the Air Force far more often than usual. His training was ramped up to have a shot at Kona against what was sure to be a more competitive field in Texas. I felt like I was always scraping the barrel on my end of things, and felt bad when I'd make the frequent phone call requesting he pick up some hot-and-ready pizza because dinner just wasn't happening. (It's not exactly the meal of champions, ha.) Matt never got the recovery he needed, and neither did I. But we did our best and made it work!
Matt handled everything so well and kept his priorities straight, always making time for our kids. In the midst of the crazy, I'd tell him I doubted there were many more 30-34 guys who were juggling Kona-hopeful training with their wife's Ironman training with their 2- and 4-year-old kids with an Air Force career, being a Boy Scout leader, and everything else in his life! All of those things that make the Ironman journey harder would make the reward that much sweeter. Race day came and I pictured crossing the finish line and having him waiting there with news of Kona. I thought about it all day long. If he could just keep the rubber side down on his bike, I knew he could make it happen.
Mother Nature had her way with Texas during the marathon. At mile 10, I was trying to cool off in 100-degree real-feel temps. By mile 12, there was a cold torrential downpour, hail, flooding pathways, strong winds, and lightning. It was crazy! And a lot of fun, actually. But as I came around the back side of the lake, I saw Matt walking and my heart sank. He should have been finished already. Yet there he was, trudging slowly through the storm -- and it was clear he was not feeling well. Matt kissed me and sent me on my way, but I found out what was going on while stopped at mile 14 during the lightning delay. He told me about his freak accident in T1, when another athlete dropped his bike *just* as Matt's foot was stepping down. It sprained Matt's foot and cut it -- and that cut went on to develop a staph infection DURING the race, due to all that pumping blood on the bike. That poor boy had to walk the final half of the marathon with a giant, swollen, painful foot, nausea, chills, and a high fever from the infection... plus hamstring cramps for good measure. I mean, what are the odds?! For the third time, a freak accident took away his ability to race to his potential, and any shot at a ticket to Kona.
Matt had the best attitude about it. He was standing in the finisher's chute waiting for me again, and he beamed at me as I crossed that line. His pride for me accomplishing my goals overshadowed his own disappointment, but I cried for him. I cried for nearly two years of sacrifice working toward this goal, and then not even having the chance to give it his all. Again. It broke my heart. The silver lining was that three of our BAM girls qualified for Kona that day, and we celebrated for them!
I suggested Vineman the next morning, but Matt wasn't sure. Money doesn't exactly grow on trees in military land, it was pretty soon after Texas, and it wasn't the greatest timing with our impending mid-August cross-country move. Him doing an Ironman on July 30th meant I'd be handling the long pre-move checklist mostly solo, and he didn't want to put that all on me. But I wanted him to race!!! I could take care of the rest. A few days later, with the encouragement of our families, Matt came around. We all believed in him.
However, the agreement was that the goal would be to race a smart, safe, conservative race and just have some fun out there. After that rotten string of bad race luck, it was time for some FUN!!! The problem with not saying Kona is the goal, though, is that when you are as fast as Matt, it is kind of the elephant in the room. Obviously if he could hit even his conservative goal times, he'd be in the hunt for a Kona slot. But we didn't really talk about Kona until a few days before the race. I had done some recon on the fast guys in his age group and thought he had a really good chance.
Ironman #4, Vineman July 2016
Race day came and it was the most stressful day of my life! Ha. Matt rocked a huge swim PR, coming in at 1:02. He had the biggest smile on his face coming out of the water! (That still put him at 27th in his age group, though. It's a rough life when you're not a swimmer by nature. ;) I would know!) Then, when I saw him at miles 30 & 75 of the bike, he was smiling big again and it was obvious that he was having a blast out there. It made me so happy! He didn't have a goal time for the bike, but wanted to watch his power instead and keep it ultra conservative. The leaders in his age group were picking up the pace on the bike and I was dying not being able to communicate that to him somehow. Even with the conservative bike, Matt had moved up the ranks! Transition was nearly empty when he rolled in, and he was among the top 20 amateurs to head out on the run. ... But 8th in his age group! Holy stacked. Thanks to my recon, though, I knew Matt still had a shot at closing the gap. He needed 5th for the podium, 3rd for a guaranteed Kona slot, and 4th for a Kona prayer.
I cheered and yelled at him that he was in 6th, because 8th sounded demoralizing at that point. (Transition is virtually empty but I'm in 8th?) At mile 8, he had moved into that 6th place for real. I ran to the middle of the tough hill to wait for him at about mile 15. The first guy in his age group came by looking strong. I knew he'd thrown down a fast marathon in Kona last year, so he was a lock. #2 came by shortly after and was also looking really good. He didn't race last year and therefore wasn't on my radar pre-race, but I'd noticed him on the bike. A quick check by my momma let me know he also had a fast Kona run split in 2014. He was a lock, too. Third place showed up and was going faster than predicted but seemed to be holding his pace really well. Then came 4th, who looked like he was hurting. There was a chance Matt could catch him if he wasn't too far back!
The tracker wasn't loading, as usual, so I anxiously waited and watched the clock. Five minutes went by with no one from his age group. Then six, then seven. Eight minutes and counting as I waited for #5 to round the corner, just praying it would be Matt! My heart was beating out of my chest. Then, finally, almost nine minutes after watching #4 go by, there he was! He had moved into a podium spot!!! I'm pretty sure I screamed "Yes!" and did a fist pump. Haha! The first three were out of reach at that point, barring anything major, but I told Matt he was just five minutes back from 4th. (Turns out I'm a liar on race day. Sorry babe!) "He's hurting more than you are," I said. Matt told me he was hurting, too. (Obviously; it's an Ironman.) I responded: "Matt, if you run him down, you could go to Kona." He had that fire in his eyes -- he was going to fight for it.
But there was oddly not much disappointment -- because Matt was finally able to RACE. I was just so grateful for that and so freaking proud of him for running it down like he did! Then, the finishers started coming in: 1, 2, 3 in his age group -- finishing 2, 4 and 5 amateur overall (talk about a stacked AG, right?). Minutes passed, and then the phone call came that Matt was headed toward the finish! Thanks to some friends, I was able to go into the finisher's chute and wait for Matt just past the finish line.
He came running down that red carpet with his fist pumping and the biggest smile on his face. FINALLY!!! The kind of race we knew he was capable of all along. A 9:36 on a tougher course. A smart race and a solid day. And a podium! I put the medal around his neck, gave him the biggest hug and told him how ridiculously proud I am of him! When so many others were dropping off, he fought, and he ran his was all the way to 4th. To a Kona prayer. Since there was no one else coming, they let us have a minute there. (In front of the camera... Oops. Sorry for the PDA everyone! I swear the announcers told us to kiss again. Haha) As we walked off, I told him he was among the first 10 amateurs to cross that finish line, but there were only 3 slots. He was bummed, of course, but okay. The big goals of the day were accomplished. The confidence was restored. Kona would come in its due time.
Our buddy Sam came across the finish line a few minutes later -- 3rd in his age group! Sam was going to Kona! We celebrated for Sam, we celebrated Matt's great race, and we spent the rest of the day cheering for our friends. That night, we went to bed just so grateful and happy and proud. The next morning, we woke up excited to go pick up a 4th place trophy! Some friends suggested the possibility of a Kona slot, but we assured them it wasn't happening and it was okay. We'd talked to #1's friend and knew he was taking it. I'd been next to #3's cheer squad earlier and knew he'd take it. And #2 is part of an elite tri team that collects Kona slots like candy, so of course he'd take his!
The program started and before long, it was time for the 30-34 podium. They called up #5, and then it was Matt's turn! That Ironman podium has been a long time coming and we were ecstatic. #3 took the stage, and then #2... And as #1 was walking up, the second place guy, Adam, leaned over to say something to Matt. They chatted for a bit and smiled, then pictures were taken and everyone walked off the stage. I gave Adam a high five as he walked by and told him congrats on the awesome race!
Then Matt turned toward me with an incredulous smile and said: "He's not taking his Kona slot." What?! Matt had to repeat himself. On the stage, Adam had told him congratulations, and to have fun in Kona because he wasn't taking his spot!!! I turned around and hugged that poor stranger like he was my best friend! (I'm sure he thought I was crazy.) Aaaand then I basically jumped into Matt's arms and cried a few long-overdue happy tears. It was so well-deserved.