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Start Smart
Bring your business ideas and be ready for an engaging, hands-on class that will equip you to take the next step on your entrepreneurial journey. This workshop uses the Business Model Canvas, a strategic tool that can be used to develop a new business model or document an existing one. You will learn the who, what, why, when, and how of the Business Model Canvas, including its essential building blocks, its relationship to your formal business plan, and its effectiveness throughout the life of your business. Leave with the skills and knowledge you need to grow your business.
Prerequisite: Intro to GROW
Cost: $25
GROW is an equal opportunity employer. We take pride in the diversity of our staff, and we seek diversity in our participants.

subset: commoncrawl


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Mete Akcaoglu defines "sketchcasting" as:
… an attempt to merge the power of blogging with the "high-bandwidth" experience of talking and scribbling at the same time… it's effectively a podcast with a whiteboard.
He's created the YouTube channel Sketchcaster, and has eight examples posted there to date. He's posted his sketchcasts over on sketch.basement.org. His sketchcast, "RSS For The Masses" reminds me a little of Lee LeFever's approach with his "In Plain English" video series. It's kind of amazing that RSS has STILL (as Mete states in this 2007 video) not "gone mainstream."
These videos are essentially real-time screencasts, using a software program which supports line art drawing. I'm guessing Mete used some kind of touchpad, like a Wacom Bamboo. Watching these, I'm enthused to think about the iPad and the possibilities it could present for sketchcasting.
One of the most effective Sketchcast-like videos I've seen in the past few weeks is the YouTube video, "Drive: The surprising truth about what motivates us." This is narrated by Dan Pink (Author of "Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us") and was created by RSA Animate. It's just under eleven minutes long, and is well worth watching not only to see the time-elapse sketchcasting method but also to hear Dan explain the basic thesis of his new book.
I think the stopmotion / speed-up effects of this video make it even MORE effective than a real-time sketchcast.
See the RSA Animate blog, RSA Comment, for even more examples. Do you know of a software program (for Windows, Macintosh, or iOS) which allows users to sketchcast? I'd love to be able to use an iPad app like Brushes and either record a real-time sketchcast, or record the pen strokes and then LATER record an audio track which is merged with the sped-up version of the drawing screenshots. Lots of creative possibilities here!
H/T to Punya Mishra for sharing the IdeaPlay blog where I read Mete's post.
Technorati Tags:
drawing, podcast, podcasting, sketch, sketchcast, sketchcasting, blogging
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On this day..
- Google Hangouts 101 and Sharing Lessons with Google Tools - 2014
- Playing with Media in Houston, Texas - 2011
- Education can empower us with skills to act upon the world - 2010
- Lots of phone stalls, but not many phones! - 2010
- T3 Grant Notes (ARRA Stimulus funds for Educational Technology competitively released by the Texas Education Agency) - 2009
- Podstock Southwest in El Paso - 6-7 August 2009 - 2009
- Discussing GirlsGoGames.com - A conversation about values and media literacy - 2009
- Moodle as "the killer app" - 2008
- The benefits of unplugging - 2008
- Professional development and professional learning networks are key - 2007


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Same-sex marriage up for debate in Supreme Court
New Hampshire lawmaker says it's time for SC to weigh in
The state of Washington is now one of nine states, including New Hampshire, where gay marriage is legal.
In 30 states, gay marriage is constitutionally banned.
New Hampshire Rep. David Bates said there's a growing lack of clarity, and so it's time for the Supreme Court to finally weigh in.
"It's very significant. I think they recognize the importance of this issue (needs to be) decided once and for all," said Bates.
The justices will look at two cases, one brought on by an 83-year-old woman charged with a $363,000 estate tax after her wife died.
"One of the spouses died, and because of this Defense of Marriage Act, the IRS treated this couple that had been together for 40 years as strangers," said Mo Baxley, with New Hampshire Freedom to Marry.
Baxley said under the federal Defense of Marriage Act, gay couples married in New Hampshire are denied over 1,000 federal protections.
"If you're married in New Hampshire, the federal government still sees you as unrelated parties for everything from Social Security to taxes to federal pensions," said Baxley.
Baxley said she's hoping the high court will change it, but Bates said the will of citizens in the 30 states that banned gay marriage should be respected. He also questions the ramifications for people like him, who morally object to same-sex marriage.
"We've already seen the effects in some cases where rights of our conscious are being cast aside in favor of homosexuals' rights being considered more important. It's not fair," said Bates.


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Registration opens for IEEE wireless certification
- 17 January, 2013 14:39
The next exam for IEEE wireless engineering certification will start in April, and registration is now open.
The exams, for the IEEE Wireless Communication Engineering Technologies Certification, will be held worldwide at test centers run by Prometric, and be available April 7 to May 4. The certification program is designed and sponsored by the IEEE Communications Society (ComSoc).
Successfully completing the exam results in being credentialed as an "IEEE Wireless Communications Professional" (WCET). More information about the credential benefits and program news is on the IEEE website. You register via that website, and registration is due by March 22.
According to a ComSoc statement, "IEEE WCET has since become recognized worldwide as a vendor-neutral and transnational credential for demonstrating the wireless expertise of communications professionals."
To qualify for WCET, candidates must have a "bachelor's or comparable degree from an accredited institution" and a minimum of three years of "professional wireless engineering experience."
The exam is administered via computers at designated sites. It consists of 150 multiple choice questions; applicants have up to four hours to answer them. The $500 fee (or $450 for IEEE and IEEE ComSoc members) covers the application fee, processing, the "seat fee" for taking the test, scoring and score reporting, and a certificate sent to those who pass. For another $50, ComSoc will provide a 75-question online practice exam, which lets you assess your readiness for the full WCET test.
Read more about anti-malware in Network World's Anti-malware section.


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Wolf 359 was the primary of the Wolf system, located approximately eight light years from Sol.
In 2364, the location of Wolf 359 was named in a star chart of a stellar neighborhood with Sol at the center. This chart was stored in the USS Enterprise-D library computer. Later that year, the chart was scanned by Outpost 63. (TNG: "The Naked Now", "The Last Outpost", production art)
In 2371, the location of Wolf 359 was named in the star chart Data and Picard were studying in stellar cartography on the USS Enterprise-D. (Star Trek Generations, okudagram)
Battle of Wolf 359
- Main article: Battle of Wolf 359
The Wolf system was the site of the first large-scale engagement between Starfleet and the Borg. In 2366, a fleet of at least forty ships, under the command of Admiral Hanson, moved to intercept a Borg cube, en route to Earth, at Wolf 359. The Federation fleet made their stand there and engaged the cube represented by Locutus in the Battle of Wolf 359. (TNG: "The Best of Both Worlds") Captain Jean-Luc Picard of the USS Enterprise-D had been assimilated by the Borg, and as Locutus, unwillingly provided them with a decisive advantage through his knowledge of Starfleet technology and tactics. This led to the Federation fleet, tasked with preventing the advance of the Borg to Earth, being quickly overwhelmed and utterly destroyed. Thirty-nine Federation starships were massacred, resulting in approximately eleven thousand deaths or assimilations. (TNG: "The Best of Both Worlds, Part II", "The Drumhead", DS9: "Emissary", VOY: "Unity", "Infinite Regress", "Unimatrix Zero")
The Enterprise-D arrived late to the battlefield only to find the wreckage and debris of the starships destroyed by the Borg. Among the ships lost at Wolf 359 were the USS Melbourne, command of which had been offered to Commander William T. Riker. (TNG: "The Best of Both Worlds, Part II") Also lost was the USS Saratoga, on which then Lt. Commander Benjamin Sisko was serving. Sisko lost his wife Jennifer in the destruction of the Saratoga, and Sisko long blamed and disliked Picard for his role in her death. (DS9: "Emissary")
Background information
The location of Wolf 359 was depicted in the chart naming stars within twenty light years of Sol. The chart was drawn by Rick Sternbach for the Star Trek Spaceflight Chronology in the late 1970s. Found on page 77, this chart showed Earth commercial and exploration routes after the use of warp drive began. This area of space was identified in "The Explored Galaxy" star chart as being between the Tholian Assembly and Romulus. Both were identified in "Call to Arms" as being located in the Alpha Quadrant.
According to the Star Trek Encyclopedia (3rd ed., p. 582), this star was "located 7.8 light years away in the constellation Leo" and was "the fourth-closest star to Earth."
According to StarTrek.com, Wolf 359 was 7.6 light years (2.35 parsecs) from Sol. [1]
According to Star Trek: Star Charts (p. 62) and Stellar Cartography: The Starfleet Reference Library ("Federation Historical Highlights, 2161-2385"), the M-class star Wolf 359 was located in the Beta Quadrant.
David Gerrold's novel The Galactic Whirlpool mentioned Wolf 359 as the next most likely destination undergone by a colony of Humans who left Earth decades before the 22nd century.
Comics of the DC TNG volume 2 series mention Wolf 359 was maintained as a wreckyard of the doomed ships, as depicted in the stories "The Worst of Both Worlds, Part I!" and again in "And Death Shall Have No Dominion". Star Trek Online also depicted such a memorial.
External links
- Wolf 359 at Memory Beta, the wiki for licensed Star Trek works
- Wolf 359 at Wikipedia
- Wolf 359 at the Internet Stellar Database
- Wolf 359 at SolStation.com
- Wolf 359 at Simbad Astronomical Database


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Washington in a Deep Freeze, While Policy Matters Heat Up
February 12, 2014
NEA Chair Nominated
President Obama has nominated Dr. Jane Chu, president and CEO of the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts in Kansas City, to serve as the next chair of the National Endowment for the Arts. The nomination now moves to the Senate for confirmation. In a statement, the President said of Chu, "She knows firsthand how art can open minds, transform lives and revitalize communities, and believes deeply in the importance of the arts to our national culture." In addition to experience in arts management and philanthropy, Dr. Chu holds degrees in visual arts, piano performance, and music education.
Congress Speaks Up for Travel with Instruments
As of this Friday, two years will have passed since a groundbreaking provision was signed into law that would protect musical instruments transported in-cabin; however, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has failed to implement the new policies. The music community – including a close advocacy partnership among the League of American Orchestras, the American Federation of Musicians, and The Recording Academy – has consistently called on the FAA to complete the rule-making process that it has yet to even begin. Now, Congress is stepping in to tell the FAA to take action. Responding to ongoing evidence that musicians' tools of their trade are often in extreme jeopardy when traveling by air, 35 members of Congress signed onto a letter this week to the Secretary of Transportation, urging immediate action. We are grateful to Congressional Arts Caucus Co-Chairs Louise Slaughter (D-NY) and Leonard Lance (R-NJ), as well as Reps. Jim Cooper (D-TN), Howard Coble (R-NC), and Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), for their extraordinary leadership on this effort. Thanks to the many orchestra advocates who responded to the League's request to weigh in with the Hill. We will keep you posted as future action takes place.
Unified Call for the Return of the IRA Rollover
The IRA Charitable Rollover has proven to generate substantial new and increased gifts to orchestras and other nonprofits during its short and spotty lifespan. This opportunity for donors aged 70 ½ and older to give tax-free contributions of up to $100,000 expired at the end of 2013. Since its original enactment in 2006, the provision has expired and been reinstated multiple times, leaving donors incapable of making the most of this valuable charitable giving incentive. The IRA Rollover may be retroactively reinstated, along with other expired tax provisions, at some point later this year. In addition to advocating for this short-term fix, the League has joined an effort, coordinated by Independent Sector, inviting nonprofit organizations to ask Congress to put an end to the on-again-off-again nature of the IRA Rollover by making the provision permanent. If you would like to add your orchestra's name to this effort, act before February 24!
Clear Support for Charitable Giving Incentives
Thousands of nonprofit leaders and program participants continue to make the compelling case that charitable giving incentives are a lifeline to communities and worthy of protection, amidst ongoing talks of tax reform and budget challenges. Incoming Senate Finance Chairman Ron Wyden (D-OR) and a bipartisan group of 32 Senators signed a letter to the Finance Committee last month, urging policy leaders to preserve the "full scope and value" of the charitable deduction. More than a dozen potential changes to the charitable tax deduction have been "on the table" throughout the last few years of fierce negotiations over the debt limit, fiscal cliff, and comprehensive tax reform. While talks on the thorny topic of comprehensive tax reform are slow-moving in advance of the upcoming election cycle, vigilance is the order of the day as policy leaders continue to discuss shorter-term options for raising federal revenue. The League and entire nonprofit community will be watching as the President's budget is released in early March to see if the Administration once again proposes a 28% cap on the rate of deductibility of charitable contributions.
Federal Funding Intact for NEA, Arts Ed
Funding for the National Endowment for the Arts and for the Arts in Education program at the U.S.Department of Education survived the roller coaster ride that was the Fiscal Year 2014 appropriations process, navigating drastic proposals to slash and eliminate funding, the government shutdown, and final budget negotiations to ultimately be restored to their pre-sequester funding levels. Last year, 100 orchestras across the country served their communities with support from direct NEA grants, in addition to NEA funding awarded through state arts agencies. The Arts in Education program – the only dedicated form of support for arts learning at the U.S. Department of Education – will continue the important work of funding model learning programs and professional development for arts educators, with new application opportunities to be announced soon. Your ongoing advocacy will be key in the coming year as Congress considers FY15 funding levels.


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Twitterers are enthusiastic sharers of information of all kinds, from breaking news and blog posts, to press releases and media kits. Harnessing the power of this important social media network can really give your PR campaigns a boost. Here are some tips on writing press releases for Twitter that will help ensure your messages are easy for active Twitterers to share.
1. Write a succinct, "Tweetable" headline. Messages conveyed on Twitter must be 140 characters or less, however, best practices for writing Tweets suggest that you should leave some characters available to allow others to share (or "ReTweet") your message. Our advice? Keep headlines short – no more than 100 characters, which leaves plenty of room for others to comment – and for the URL linking back to your story.
2. Make it easy for people to link to your story. If you're e-mailing a pitch to a journalist or blogger, be sure to include a link to the online version of the message. PR Newswire takes it a step further, embedding a variety of sharing tools for Twitter, Facebook and a host of other sites – within the press releases on our web site. A shortened URL is even more convenient.
3. In a short headline, the language you use counts. Focus your message on what the release is about, and use the keywords people use when discussion the topic at hand. No one wants to re-tweet convoluted jargon.
Paying attention to these details can significantly expand the audience for your press releases and other messages. According to ExactTarget's report, "Subscribers, Fans & Followers: The Collaborative Future," Twitter is the channel that's most likely to drive increases purchases and recommendations after a person chooses to follow a brand.
What other tips do you have for making content easier (and more attractive) for Twitter users to share?
Authored by Sarah Skerik, VP-social media


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To get the most of your SINGER22.com shopping experience, we recommend upgrading your browser.
After creating Protector glasses that became a favorite among the Armed Forces and by pilots in the Italian Military Aviation as well as several air forces around the world, including the United States. In the 1920s, designer Eugenio Colmo designed advertising campaigns for Ratti's products for 50 years, including the Persol line. In 1924, Protector gained the first of 14 international patents. They were also adopted by the Swiss Military Department in 1927.
The Protector model were revolutionary sunglasses that led to the creation of the trademark Persol. The name Persol is derived from "per il sole†meaning for the sun, which highlights their function of protection against the sun's rays. The key attributes of these sunglasses are the neat design, crystal lenses, the Silver Arrow and the Meflecto patent.
In the 1960s, Persol was a source of true pride for the Italian industry. The 1961 legendary movie Divorce Italian Style made Persol sunglasses the item to have when worn by actor Marcello Mastroianni. Holding over 35 international patents, Persol quickly climbed to the top of the world's eyewear industry. In 1962, Persol conquered the United States market, although they had previously been supplying NASA with the "four lens†model.
1991 marks the year of the first Persol boutique opened in Los Angeles on prestigious Rodeo Drive in Beverley Hills. As of 1994, Persol was available in 40 countries worldwide and sold in 3,500 points of sale in Italy and over 12,000 in the rest of the world. Persol sunglasses can be seen in advertising campaigns of prominent fashion brands.
Celebrities today are obsessed with Persol and can't seem to get enough. You can find Julia Roberts, Lindsay Lohan, Ashley Olsen, Heidi Klum, Shenae Grimes, Jessica Alba, Kourtney Kardashian and more wearing Persol sunglasses.


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Hip-hop split: Two groups, two (wild) views
Mos Def
The New Danger (Geffen)
Mobb Deep
America's Nightmare (Geffen)
The election's coming soon, and to tell you the truth, I'm a little bit nervous. Last week at a friend's going-away party, someone told me with a straight face that if W wins the election, she'll turn to domestic terrorism.
Another friend walked up, and I introduced my politically charged new acquaintance as a soldier for "the cause." She turned sharply and corrected me, claiming she was a warrior, not a soldier.
I immediately understood. There's a major difference between a soldier and a warrior– a soldier follows order regardless of the reasons. A warrior adheres to a strict personal code of ethics and decides for herself what battles to fight.
I can't remember a time when politics stirred up such bellicose notions.
"There's a war going on outside no man is safe from. You can run, but you can't hide" are the first words from Mobb Deep's first single, 1994's "Shook Ones." Mobb Deep has always represented the frustrated, violently oppressed voice of the hip-hop urbanite, subscribing to a "live by the gun, die by the gun" mentality befitting their Queens, New York, pedigree. Their most recent offering, America's Nightmare, continues the gun talk and tales of hood misfortune.
While equally revolutionary, Mos Def connects to something much more cerebral. His debut album arrived at the height of the 2000 hip-hop underground movement, with a more intellectual and boundary-smashing approach. Since then, he has promoted change through dialogue in his various appearances as host of HBO's Def Comedy Jam and as a spokesperson for various youth sponsorship groups.
The cover of Mos Def's current offering, The New Danger, features an up-close shot of Def himself wearing a cloth on his face similar to those sported by Iraqi rebels. That's Mos– always provocative.
Americas Nightmare and The New Danger present as polar opposites– not unlike today's divided social/political climate. Whereas Mobb Deep has always provided the same rugged gangster talk and hard, dark beats present on their current release, Mos Def has reached into his bag of tricks and offered up an album that has more in common with punk, rock, and soul than anything gangster.
Our president stands firm with an "us against the world, kill or be killed" mentality similar to Mobb Deep's; Mos Def's "new danger" is the educated minority with the strength to unite and the know-how to work for change.
America's Nightmare falls on the right along with the disenfranchised inner-city youth who have survived the '80's crack epidemic with a nose for money and a soldier's kill-or-be-killed ethos. The New Danger, on the left, represents a heavily cultured audience who condone violence only as a last resort, preferring to write songs to debate the intellectual, and inclusive music that encompasses a wide cultural base.
Maybe America is living a nightmare because none us know what the new danger really is.
Mos Def


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Season Finale Crowns Brooklyn, NY Native Minista with the Title of "Hair Battle Spectacular" Champion
NEW YORK, NY - October 6, 2010 - Oxygen Media's fantasy hair competition series "Hair Battle Spectacular" rises to the top to become the most watched freshman series in network history among all key demos, according to Nielsen Media Research. Oxygen's digital platforms were up for the night as well, continuing to engage viewers and make fans a part of the experience.
"Hair Battle Spectacular" ended its season on a high note with its finale on Tuesday, October 5, which named Minista the winner of the competition. The show delivered series highs among key female demos W18-34 (442,000) and W18-49 (602,000). On the digital front, the "Hair Battle Spectacular" show site on www.Oxygen.com was up double digits vs. last week, +55% in daily uniques, +90% in page views and +19% in video streams. Oxygen's real time water cooler, www.OxygenLive.com, increased in page views during the broadcast, +69% on the East Coast and +56% on the West Coast.
In addition to the stellar success of "Hair Battle Spectacular," Oxygen outperformed in the 9pm hour on Tuesday night with an all-new episode of "Bad Girls Club Miami." Oxygen was the #1 ranked cable network in the hour among W18-34, W18-49 and A18-49, outdelivering broadcast network the CW.
Source: Nielsen Explorer, LS data. Omniture Catalyst.
About Oxygen Media
Oxygen Media is a multiplatform lifestyle brand that delivers relevant and engaging content to young women who like to "live out loud." Oxygen is rewriting the rulebook for women's media by changing how the world sees entertainment from a young woman's point of view. Through a vast array of unconventional and original content including "Bad Girls Club," "Dance Your Ass Off" and "Tori & Dean: Home Sweet Hollywood," the growing cable network is the premier destination to find unique and groundbreaking unscripted programming. A social media trendsetter, Oxygen is a leading force in engaging the modern young woman, wherever she is, with popular features online including OxygenLive, shopOholic, makeOvermatic, tweetOverse and hormoneOscope. Oxygen is available in 76 million homes and online at www.oxygen.com, or on mobile devices at wap.oxygen.com. Oxygen Media is a service of NBC Universal.


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Bump Styled: Boho Brights
25 comments:
loving your top! it's a cute look!!ReplyDelete
Sandy a la Mode
you are so stunning! can't wait for the launch, exciting stuff!ReplyDelete
Um look out, hot mama coming through! I love how beautiful you look in this top Anna! Can't wait to see the new site :)ReplyDelete
Love this top! The colors and pattern really flatter you! I know what you mean about enjoying the weather while we can...southern heat is TOUGH:)ReplyDelete
love those earrings! perfect. i just moved my blog to a new site too :) so exciting to be all fresh and shiny and new! can't wait to see!ReplyDelete
Looking gorgeous!!ReplyDelete
That top is just gorgeous, I love those colours! It definitely works well with your little bump. Very boho without being too over the top!ReplyDelete
So cute! Love the contrasting orange and blue!!ReplyDelete
Love it. I need a baby bump...or maybe just some yellow nailpolish...ReplyDelete
beautiful top and perfect for maternity. lovely!!ReplyDelete
xo, aiyanajane || www.citystylecountrysmile.com
i adore that top - and i saw that you were at the dogwood festival via instagram i wish i knew that was even going on or else Ryan and i would have been there, too. it looked like it was a blast. :)ReplyDelete
That shirt is perfect! You look so great! I can't wait to wear heels again. And while I'm being excited about things- I can't wait for your new website launch!ReplyDelete
How beautiful! The top is so pretty and I really love all of your jewelry.ReplyDelete
your bump looks so beautiful in that great top!ReplyDelete
kw, ladies in navy
Zara giveaway
Ah you look adorable. Love the bohemian style and that top is gorgeous for a bump style!ReplyDelete
cant wait to see the new site! love the boho look .ReplyDelete
Meghan Silva's Blog
oh my goodness, I love your earrings! Beautiful look ;)ReplyDelete
Love your top. Gorgeous. Following you via Bloglovin. I'm doing a great stella & dot giveaway and i'm hosting a link up this thursday April 25. Would love it if you joined and followed me via bloglovin.ReplyDelete
you looks adorable! such a cute baby bump!ReplyDelete
You are a vision my friend!ReplyDelete
you are the prettiest mama ever! xoReplyDelete
Such a great top! Love the colors and pattern!ReplyDelete
Obsessed with those earrings too! :)
I like your website, my thanks for doing such great information
Wayanad Empire
Hi! This is my first comment here so I just wanted to give a quick shout out and say I genuinely enjoy reading your blog posts. Can you recommend any other Fashion Write For Us blogs that go over the same topics? Thanks a ton!ReplyDelete


text: This 1 bedroom/1 bath suite is ideal for a couple or small family that is seeking comfort on an extended stay or a short trip to the island. While all of our rooms are in close proximity to the pool, this particular suite opens up just a few feet from the entrance to the pool area. And just like all of our other suites, this particular unit offers a private patio out the back door along with all the other interior luxuries that Palm Tree Villas is known for. There is a king bed in the bedroom and a sleeper sofa in the living room. Maximum occupancy is 4.


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Twinkies Make a Comeback, and More
What's News: A bankruptcy judge clears the sale of Hostess Brands; Microsoft is being investigated for bribery; Starbucks buys its first coffee farm, and more. Photo: Getty Images.
This transcript has been automatically generated and may not be 100% accurate.
... getting back to Michelle's the summer this is what's news I'm WS J live I'm Thailand Co ... the judge has approved the sale of Twinkies to unload global management in metropolis and company ... poses France is selling Twinkies and other brands that investment firms for four hundred and ten million dollars ... the new owners want to have the snack cakes at the store sells by June ... and are also looking at new flavors and other brand extensions ... federal regulators are investigating Micra soft relationship with business ... allegedly bribed foreign officials in return for software contracts ... the Justice Department and Securities Exchange Commission ... are Danny kickback allegations involving representative think farm in Steinour ... Romania and Italy ... investigation into the preliminary phase of the government has not accuse Micra soft or any of its business associates of any wrongdoing and ... five its first coffee farm ... a coffee giant plans to use the six hundred acre property in coaster Rica ... to develop new coffee varieties contests math is backing a fund of these known as coffee Brotz ... Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz would not disclose the purchase price ... and fifty ball roll out the acquisition of more research box and healthiest researchers are launching a major study that Liu's school such as smartphones and other personal technologies ... to gather real-time data associated with cardiovascular health ... the project called the healthy hearts that he would use the data to help develop new strategies ... for preventing and managing heart disease the Fed aims to draw up to one million participants ... bookie keep us in all the way this news about instructed... joanne po reports.


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|1,325 free recipes at www.edenfoods.com
Serves 8 | Prep Time 25 minutes | Cook Time 1 hour
1 Tbsp Eden Extra Virgin Olive Oil
12 ounces Eden Spelt Ziti Rigati, Twisted Pair, or Gemelli Pasta
1 cup roasted red peppers, coarsely chopped
10 ounces frozen chopped spinach, thawed, squeeze dry
1 pound organic medium or soft tofu, pureed in a blender
4 fresh basil leaves, torn or chopped
3/4 cup organic parmesan
1 clove garlic, minced
1 pinch freshly grated nutmeg
1 tsp Eden Sea Salt
1/2 tsp Eden Black Pepper
2 Tbsp organic parmesan, for topping
Preheat oven to 325°. Oil an 8-inch spring form pan. Cook pasta per package directions, drain, rinse. In a large bowl, mix pasta, red pepper and spinach. Set aside. In another bowl combine tofu, basil, 3/4 cup parmesan, garlic and nutmeg. Season with salt and pepper. Add to pasta bowl, gently stir until well combined. Transfer to prepared pan. Smooth top and sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoons parmesan. Bake until the top is golden brown, 40 to 50 minutes. Remove from oven, let stand 10 minutes before removing spring form. Serve warm or at room temperature.


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Incumbent Prime Minister Benjamin 'Bibi' Netanyahu came out victorious on Tuesday 17 March after three months of intensive campaigning. Beating Isaac 'Buji' Herzog and Tzipi Livni's center-left alliance—The Zionist Union—by six parliamentary seats, Netanyahu's Likud party finished at 30 seats, making Netanyahu the most likely candidate to form and head a new right-wing government. While the campaign was mostly marked by a very personal and often vile battle between Bibi and Buji, the two main protagonists, a new and very unique political alliance was also stirring up Israeli politics. For the first time in Israel's political history, the four parties representing the Palestinian citizens of Israel – Hadash, Ra'am, Talal and United Arab List – joined forces and presented themselves to voters as the Joint List, running on a platform of equal rights and an end to the Israeli occupation.
Headed by the chairman of the socialist Hadash party (Hebrew acronym for The Democratic Front for Peace and Equality), Ayman Odeh, the Joint List managed to win 13 seats, making it the third largest party in the Knesset. Founded in response to the new Election Law, which raised the election threshold to 3.25%, making it nearly impossible for any single Arab party to get into the Knesset on its own, the Joint List has made sure the right-wing attempt to politically marginalize Israel's Palestinian citizens failed. The prospect of winning a substantial number of seats in the new Knesset also lead to a higher voter turnout among Palestinian citizens of Israel, which came close to a historic 70%, causing Netanyahu to release a video on his Facebook during election day in which he accused "left-wing NGO's" of bringing "Arabs" in buses to the polls, leaving "the right-wing government in danger."
Fight for equal rights and just peace
Although the Joint List never really had the ambition to be a part of a new government, Odeh expressed the Joint Lists plan to "use every parliamentary mechanism - such as attempting to be appointed to the head of certain Knesset committees - to promote our programme of peace and equality, and create concrete improvements in the lives of Arab-Palestinian citizens in Israel." According to Odeh, in recent years, the Knesset has voted great deal of anti-Arab legislation into law, undermining the equal rights of the Palestinian minority, which makes up 20 percent of the Israeli population. He also stressed the rise of incitement against his community, for example during the recent Gaza war in the summer of 2014.
Anti-Arab incitement was forefront in the campaigns of many right-wing parties, particularly that of Foreign Minister Avigdor Liberman who has notoriously labelled Palestinians citizens as a dangerous fifth column. During the lead up to this week's elections, Liberman labelled Ayman Odeh a terror supporter, proposing he move to Gaza during a live television debate. Liberman also stated that Arabs who are "against us, cannot be helped, we must lift up an axe and behead them — otherwise we will not survive here."
The Joint List not only tried to put equal rights on the Israeli political agenda, but was the most vocal about ending Israel's occupation and achieving peace with the Palestinians, resulting in calls of support by Hamas on Twitter and other Palestinians political factions.
"The Joint List is building support among democratic forces within the Jewish population, presenting itself as the only option for achieving true equality, fighting racism and ending the occupation," Odeh told Al-Jazeera English a day before the elections. In order to reach those goals, avoiding a new right-wing government would be the first important step, according to Odeh. Tuesday's results, however, did not pan out the way Odeh had hoped.
Talking to the Jerusalem Post Ahmed Tibi (formerly of the Ta'al party and now number four on the Joint List) told The Jerusalem Post he was disappointed with the overall election results, stating that the Israeli public "acted in a tribal way, and therefore we are left with Netanyahu." Tibi called the Joint List's 13 seats "not a dramatic success, but the beginning of a path that could lead to future achievements."
Although the Joint List managed to raise the level of representation for the Palestinian community in Israel, it was never seen as a viable coalition partner by any of the centrist or left-wing parties. An Arab-Israeli party has never been part of an Israeli coalition government, nor has an Arab-Israeli politician held a high ministerial position. It has become clear that even a unified political front has not managed to change this.
Boycotting the elections
The unifying effort of the Joint List also eclipsed efforts by Palestinian-Israeli activists to boycott the elections, as the high voter turnout and the election results of the Joint List clearly show. It seems that the display of unity countered the traditional lack of faith in achieving any changes through traditional political participation, although many activists did carry on with their boycott nonetheless. With the Joint List now standing as the third largest party in the Knesset, voters seemed to believe that the party would be able to exert more influence on Israeli politics. Boycotters argue that the participation in elections and in the Knesset of Palestinian parties is merely cosmetic, and only serves to enhance Israel's claim to be the only real democracy in the Middle East. Although this time the boycott movement failed to gain much support, Balad, one of the parties that make up the Joint List, has a history of boycotting the election. In 2001, the movement's efforts lead to a mere 18 percent voter turnout amongst Palestinian Israelis. Reasons for the success of that boycott was the so called "October Ignition" in 2000, when 13 Arab-Israelis were killed due to excessive use of force by the Israeli police during protests in northern Israel that called for an end to the discrimination of the Arab-Israeli community.
This year, the boycott movement not only encountered the force of unity between the four largest Palestinian parties, but also failed to organize and play a major role in the public debate. Talking to the Middle East Eye, Hind Alsana of Adalah, the legal center for Arab Israeli rights, said she was disappointed in Abnaa al Balad, one of the main groups supporting a boycott of the elections. "I haven't seen a single flier from them stating their views. They publish all their statements on Facebook, but not everyone is on Facebook. Statements don't mean anything, they should be present in the streets and talk to the people so that the people can feel some sort of connection," Alsana said.
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Research issues have emerged from the rapid introduction of new technologies in government services in order to deliver efficient and cost effective services, information and knowledge through information and communication technologies. However, the complexity of government services and the diversity of actors involved in the processes make the access to the right information difficult and pose several problems. Some problems are linked to the way of presenting and accessing information. Other problems are linked to interoperability among applications and processes of eGovernment services. The objective of the European TerreGov project is to find a solution to such problems. The project focuses on the semantic requirements of governments at local, intermediate and regional levels, needed to build flexible and interoperable tools to support the change towards eGovernment services. We propose, within this project, an ontology to present knowledge and to achieve the required level of semantic interoperability. We use the ontology to describe the domain knowledge of the organization and to index the resources from which civil servants may receive information. The key point of the system is a unique and multimodal ontology used simultaneously for describing domain knowledge, for adding semantics to agency services, for indexing various documents in knowledge bases used by civil servants and finally for supporting the interaction between the users and the system. We present in this paper the challenges of using ontology in eGovernment environments, such as the lack of expressivity of the formalism chosen for interoperability in the project and the risk of inconsistency when the ontology changes. We propose our solution to such challenges and we demonstrate the use of the ontology by the module in charge of managing complex tasks in the system.
Keywords: ontology, e-government, ontology formalism, semantic interoperability
Factors Influencing Government Employee Performance via Information Systems Use: an Empirical Study pp227‑240
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Based on the task‑to‑performance chain, this study seeks to investigate the implications and consequences of government employee performance via information systems. Data was collected from 847 employees of the Taipei City government through the stratified proportion sampling method. In addition, the multiple regression method is used to investigate factors that influence employee performance. The results indicate that three factors affect performance: task‑technology fit, computer self‑efficacy, and utilization. Utilization was found to have the greatest positive effect on performance. In addition to verifying prior empirical findings, this study presents factors that influence employee performance and information systems development work in the context of e‑government.
Keywords: task-to-performance chain, task-technology fit, computer self-efficacy, performance, e-government
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e‑Government has become a global phenomenon. There have been some great innovations in e‑government over the last decade. Some governments compete for leadership in offering online services. Others do not want to be left behind. Most governments have developed detailed strategies for realizing their e‑government programmes. Although the goals behind these programmes vary across countries, there are still many commonalities among them. Such commonalities result from the application of best practices. Governments have the tendency to learn from each other. We could identify certain trends in e‑government application. e‑Government strategies per se are generally well developed. Yet the problems are mostly associated with implementation. This paper studies the strategies of (21) countries in addition to the European Union to put together a generic strategic framework of e‑government. We found most of these strategies to be lacking a strategic framework ‑ a framework that stems from the e‑government strategy itself. The ultimate purpose of this paper is to introduce a best practice framework that is generic enough to be adopted by any given strategy. The paper argues the missing benefits of such a strategic framework. The proposed framework incorporates very important elements and principles. It has desirable characteristics and features that can add value to the e‑government strategy. Unlike previous studies, the proposed framework defines strategic building blocks of e‑government based on real‑life e‑government implementations of the countries reviewed. Our strategic framework possesses modular design. It is flexible, customisable and extensible. In putting this framework together, we took into consideration commonalities, trends, and best practices in addition to relevant work of other scholars.
Keywords: e-government, framework, strategy, best practice, generic, strategic
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The Swedish public sector is currently in a process of transformation, often referred to as e‑ Government. In this paper stories are told of problematic silences in an e‑Government implementation project in a Swedish government agency. e‑Government is discussed as something that is articulated differently by a range of actors in various locations. This enables articulations of multiple e‑Government and the multiple articulations can also be a means to contest dominant and possibly problematic articulations of e‑Government. The dominant discourse of e‑Government is the rationalisation of the public sector as a means of saving public resources. The improvement of quality and availability of public services, and to improve democratic processes are central in the dominant discourse. In this discourse there is a silence about the dismissal of employees in the public sector. There is neither talk about how the public sector is an important labour market for women nor how the rationalisation will affect the employees. Employees' knowledges are not considered as being a resource for strategic IT‑planning, and thus they are not invited to participate in the further design of IT‑systems. The purpose of the paper is to explore the participation of the administrative officers in an e‑Government implementation project, and the meanings of e‑Government articulated in the project. Ethnographic methods were used in the collection of empirical material, and central ideas in participatory design and feminist technoscience were used in the analysis. The main argument is that the administrative officers participated in an ambiguous way. They were central actors but were at the same time marginalised within the organisation. The ambiguity regarding how they participated is related to different and more inclusive articulations of e‑ Government in the project. The paper is concluded with a discussion concerning how alternative articulations of e‑Government can offer alternatives to the dominant e‑Government discourse.
Keywords: e-Government, public sector employees, silences, feminist technoscience, participatory design
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text: J.P. Morgan is a leader in wholesale financial services, serving one of the largest client franchises in the world. Our clients include corporations, institutional investors, hedge funds, governments and affluent individuals in more than 100 countries. Clients turn to J.P. Morgan for our complete platform of financial services combined with seamless execution.


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Yes! Her soufflé had risen perfectly!
... she smiled to herself as she used her new oven mitt and hot pad to remove her fluffy masterpieces and hoped that her husband remembered to bring home the French Champagne.
Have you met Besty yet?
Thank you all very much for giving me a good "telling off" last Friday ... the winner of the Castle Quilt scrap bag is ...
Love the confession - and I am with you. I don't keep all my scraps - only the large ones!
Is a scrap bag give-away (after a big quilt finish) something you would like to see happen from this blog on a regular basis? I'm a bit scared to throw them in the bin now ...
Serena x
Linking up with:
Paper Pieced Friday at Quiet Play
Finish It Up Friday at Crazy Mom Quilts
Riddle and Whimsy hosting TGIFF


text:
While doing some followup "research" after yesterday's Anna Benson dustup, we came across her official Web site, and, more specifically, her angry "Letter To Peta" found at the bottom of the site's front page. (It's one of them fancy Flash sites, so we can't link you here. Just go there and check it out, it's very easy.)
Anyway, apparently Anna is no fan of PETA and their anti-fur protests. To say the least. From her open letter to the organization:
And where did you get the idea that animals should have the same rights as mentally challenged people? Maybe we should let animals compete in the Special Olympics as well? You re suggesting that they have the same mental capabilities, so why not? You are all fucking crazy and idiotic for being so radical and one sided about animals. They have, like, two cells in their little animal heads, but I think natural instinct helps them understand that they are here to eat and be eaten.
And I also think that the animal gods understand that, in the big scheme of things, some animals must give up their fur to keep me warm just like some humans must give up their lives because Mr. Bear didn t like them walking through his woods. Besides, if animals were not killed some, they would take over the earth, multiplying exponentially, and our resources would be jeopardized. Your idiot-based campaigns make me want to go kill some deer.
We're hardly huge PETA boosters, but, for the record, we would very much like to see dogs compete in the Special Olympics.
Letter To PETA [AnnaBenson.net] (bottom of page)
Anna Benson Is MAKING NEWS [Deadspin]


text: [i:Vibes] :: View topic - Lange pres Intercity #132 inc. Follow Me 2013 first listen! Guidelines FAQ Search Memberlist Usergroups Bookmarks Register Profile Log in to check your private messages Log in Main Menu Frontpage News Reviews Interviews Party Reports Artist Profiles Label profiles Diaries Tutorials What is... Links Radio-info Interactive Forum User Stats Info FAQ Crew-info i:Vibes Info Site Updates Lange pres Intercity #132 inc. Follow Me 2013 first listen! [i:Vibes] Forum Index -> Radio Broadcasts View previous topic :: View next topic Author Message Lange RecordingsFeeling The MusicVibes: 34.14Joined: 16 Dec 2008Member #: 27,182Posts: 141 Post subject: Lange pres Intercity #132 inc. Follow Me 2013 first listen! The latest episode of Langes Intercity show is now available! Lange is spinning new music by Ferry Tayle, Lele Troniq, Susana, Richard Durand, Paul Van Dyk, John O'Callaghan and more! Plus an exclusive first listen to his 2013 update of his classic hit Follow Me, featured on his forthcoming Ministry of Sound Trance Nation compilation! The show is available on Itunes as a podcast at www.lange-music.com/podcast, but you can catch it on AH.FM, 20:00 GMT / 21:00 CET / 15:00 EST or head over to www.intercityradio.com to listen after the broadcast and vote for your favourite track of the show! You can now also get Intercity on Mixcloud, just head to www.mixcloud.com/LangeIntercity Dont forget you can now shout at Lange for your favourite classic or hot off the press promo to hear in the next show. Email shout [at] djlange.com! Tune in Wednesdays at 20:00 GMT / 21:00 CET / 15:00 EST. www.ah.fm podcast.djlange.com www.intercityradio.com www.lange-music.com Post rating: 0 Rate this post: Not logged in Posted: Mon Jul 15, 2013 2:52 am Back to top Display posts from previous: All Posts1 Day7 Days2 Weeks1 Month3 Months6 Months1 Year Oldest FirstNewest First [i:Vibes] Forum Index -> Radio Broadcasts All times are GMT Page 1 of 1 Jump to: Select a forum Spam----------------Spam posts Music----------------Music discussion (trance, techno, progressive and other genres)EquipmentArtist and Label NewsRadio BroadcastsMusic Production and DJ Mix PromotionClub Listings Non-music related----------------Other discussionBuy & Sell [i:Vibes]----------------Site Feedback and Help Content Discussion----------------News DiscussionReview DiscussionInterview DiscussionTutorial DiscussionWhat is...Party ReportsArtist ProfilesLabel Profiles You cannot post new topics in this forumYou cannot reply to topics in this forumYou cannot edit your posts in this forumYou cannot delete your posts in this forumYou cannot vote in polls in this forumYou cannot attach files in this forumYou cannot download files in this forum Powered by phpBB © 2001, 2005 phpBB Group


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Find out how we combine global strength in R&D with local knowledge to create unique products with proven benefits.
More than 6,000 people work within R&D. Find out what types of jobs they do and where they are based.
Our role is to assure the safety and environmental sustainability of Unilever products and their manufacturing processes.
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We're always looking to connect with those who share an interest in a sustainable future.
Get in touch with Unilever and specialist teams in our headquarters, or find contacts around the world.Contact us


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17 Best Non-Disney Animated Movies You Should Watch (P.2)
Posted 2018/01/30 3293 0
Disney isn't the only studio that's created some of our animated favorites.
10. Rango (2011)
A chameleon (Johnny Depp) who has lived as a sheltered family pet finds himself in the grip of an identity crisis. Rango wonders how to stand out when it is his nature to blend in. When he accidentally winds up in a frontier town called Dirt, he takes the first step on a transformational journey as the town's new sheriff. Though at first Rango only role-plays, a series of thrilling situations and outrageous encounters forces him to become a real hero.
11. Shrek (2001)
Once upon a time, in a far away swamp, there lived an ogre named Shrek (Mike Myers) whose precious solitude is suddenly shattered by an invasion of annoying fairy tale characters. They were all banished from their kingdom by the evil Lord Farquaad (John Lithgow). Determined to save their home, not to mention his, Shrek cuts a deal with Farquaad and sets out to rescue Princess Fiona (Cameron Diaz) to be Farquaad's bride. Rescuing the Princess may be small compared to her deep, dark secret.
12. Chicken Run (2000)
This engaging stop-motion, claymation adventure tells the story of an American rooster who falls in love with a gorgeous hen on a British farm. The couple decides to run away from the farm, but they must first contend with the evil farmer who is intent on keeping them under her control. The chickens decide to attempt an escape so they don't get turned into chicken pot pies.
13. South Park: Bigger, Louder & Uncut (1999)
When Cartman and his friends go see an R rated movie, they start cursing and their parents think that Canada is to blame.
14. Song of the Sea (2014)
An Irish youth (David Rawle) discovers that his mute sister is a selkie who must find her voice and free supernatural creatures from the spell of a Celtic goddess (Fionnula Flanagan).
15. Happy Feet (2006)
Mumble (Elijah Wood), a young emperor penguin, lives in Antarctica. Like others of his kind, he needs to be able to sing to attract a mate, but he has a terrible voice. Instead, Mumble must express himself, and lure a female through his amazing talent for tap-dancing.
16. Transformers: The Movie (1986)
The Autobots must stop a colossal planet consuming robot who goes after the Autobot Matrix of Leadership. At the same time, they must defend themselves against an all-out attack from the Decepticons.
17. The Land Before Time (1988)
Littlefoot (Gabriel Damon), a young plant-eating dinosaur, is orphaned after his mother (Helen Shaver) perishes while protecting him from a vicious carnivore. With her last breath, she tells him how to get to the legendary Great Valley, where he will be reunited with others of his kind. With his friend Cera (Candace Hutson), Littlefoot sets out for the fabled land, meeting a variety of new friends along the way, while also being tracked by the killer dinosaur that mortally wounded his mother.


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Same-sex marriage is garnering new-found, or at least more publicized, acceptance across the United States, cutting across political and philosophical lines as the idea of two people of the same sex in a committed relationship isn't as off-putting as it was, say, a year ago.
A year ago, 15 members of the U.S. Senate backed same-sex marriage. Now it's 50 -- 49 senators plus Joe Biden, who as vice president is Senate president -- who by voting against the Defense of Marriage Act or sought its appeal or flat-out said they support gay marriage, The Washington Post reported recently.
In the past month, nine congressional members, including Sens. Mark Kirk, a Republican from Illinois, and Tom Carper, a Democrat from Delaware, changed their positions on the matter. The relative floodgate of support opened following Ohio's U.S. Sen. Rob Portman -- a man on Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney's short list of running mates in the 2012 elections -- announcement he supports same-sex marriage, and the Supreme Court arguments on repealing California Proposition 8 that bans same-sex marriage and the federal Defense of Marriage Act.
During oral arguments on the Defense of Marriage Act, several justices wondered aloud whether the act has a constitutional leg to stand on.
Nine states and the District of Columbia recognize same-sex marriage and other states are considering it. Twelve states allow some type of civil union or domestic partnership, which offers same-sex couples varying levels of rights comparable to opposite-sex married couples.
A Washington Post-ABC News poll indicated support for gay marriage has gone from about 40 percent in 2004 to nearly 60 percent today.
A March survey taken by Gallup indicated 54 percent of Americans said they would vote for a law that would give marriage benefits to federal government employees who are legally married to a same-sex partner. Results indicated 39 percent said they would vote against it.
A year ago, 64 percent said told Gallup pollsters they thought same-sex relationships between consenting adults should be legal.
And while some folks may be saying same-sex marriage has "won" in all of this, others say that's not exactly the case.
Josh Barro, in his blog on Bloomberg View, said unless the Supreme Court "rules in our favor this summer, we will likely have to spend more than 20 years fighting to repeal provisions in 30 state constitutions before national marriage equality is achieved. Many of us will be dead, or at least old and unmarriageable, before then."
"The more accurate statement is that foes of gay marriage have already lost. Opponents of gay marriage don't just want to deny equal rights to same-sex couples," Barro wrote. "They want to use that denial of rights to establish a social norm that holds out opposite-sex marriage as the right and best way to form a family. But overwhelming elite and [soon] mass opinion in favor of marriage equality have destroyed the norm-setting power of laws against same-sex marriage, even if those laws themselves prove durable."
Even if the Supreme Court invalidates Prop 8, only about 28 percent of the country population will live in states recognizing same-sex marriages, the Post said. If Prop 8 stands, then number shrinks to 16 percent.
Why now?
Public sentiment, for one, The New York Times' Nate Silver wrote in his blog. But at some point, the endorsements will slow down because gay marriage's acceptance has become the majority position nationally, the stragglers have been picked up, a senator opposes it for moral reasons or, for the political reason of worrying about a party primary than a general election.
During speech after speech at the Democratic National Convention last year, speaker after speaker called for an end to discrimination based, among other things, on "who you love."
Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus told USA Today even though the GOP platform opposes same-sex marriage, supporters of such marriages shouldn't be excluded from the party.
"I don't believe we need to act like Old Testament heretics," he said.
Mike Huckabee, who sought the Republican presidential nomination in 2008 and is now a commentator on the Fox News Network, warned "evangelicals will take a walk" if the party were to become more accepting of same-sex marriage.
"And it's not because there's an anti-homosexual mood, and nobody's homophobic that I know of," the former Arkansas governor said during an interview with Newsmax, "but many of us, and I consider myself included, base our standards not on the latest Washington Post poll, but on an objective standard, not a subjective standard."
Huckabee said he admires Portman, but said his changed position was subjective. Portman said the change was influenced by conversations with his gay son.
"I think that the mistake is that we sometimes base our public policy decisions on how we feel, how we think, maybe even some personal experiences," the former Arkansas governor said, "and we don't regard a lot of these issues from the standpoint of an objective standard."
Drilling down, the city of Bisbee, Ariz., last week passed a city ordinance that legalizes civil unions, sending shockwaves across the state. The city-only ordinance grants same-sex couples a civil union certificate and allows them some of the rights of married couples, The (Phoenix) Arizona Republic reported.
The ordinance passed on a 3-2 vote, but not before some sometimes nasty debate and a threat of legal action from the state's Republican attorney general.
Supporters called the measure symbolic, the Republic said. Since 1996, Arizona has had a law defining marriage as between one man and one woman. In 2008, voters approved adding language that defined marriage as between a man and a woman in the state Constitution.
While Arizona law does not allow civil unions or domestic partnerships it doesn't ban them either, the Republic said.
The conservative advocacy group Center for Arizona Policy threatened to sue Bisbee over the ordinance.
President Cathi Herrod said the group believes the state's strict definition of same-sex marriage prohibits civil unions and that Bisbee is acting outside of its scope of authority as a subsidiary of the state.
"It's a publicity stunt," Herrod said. "They must need tourism dollars."
State Attorney General Tom Horne also threatened to sue the city.
"While it is our understanding that the city council's intent is that the impact of the ordinance will be limited to the jurisdictional boundaries of the city of Bisbee, the impact goes beyond those boundaries," Horne wrote, referring to the ordinance's reference to life insurance, adoption, property and other areas. "These are areas of statewide concern and exceed the authority and powers of the city of Bisbee to regulate by ordinance."
Drilling further, some organizations known for their opposition to same-sex marriage toned down their opposition, Politico said.
Richard Land, the president of the Southern Baptist Convention's Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission, told Politico young members of his community aren't interested in vocalizing opposition to same-sex marriage.
"Basically, they just don't think it's something we want to talk about," said Land, who opposes same-sex marriage. "[They say,] 'It feels intolerant. We believe what we believe; they have a right to what they want to believe. Marriage should be a church thing, not a legal thing.'"
College Republicans, too, aren't very vocal on same-sex marriage, one campus organizer said, noting they generally focus more on economic issues.
In 2007-08, 70 percent of Republicans ages 18-29 opposed gay marriage while 25 percent supported it, a study by the Pew Research Center for the People and the Press found. Pew said it found nearly 40 percent of Republicans in that age group support same-sex marriage in a recently released poll.
"Clearly it's all Americans in a certain age bandwidth," Fred Sainz, a Human Rights Campaign spokesman, told Politico. "So among Republican youth ... it's not an issue they spend an awful lot of time thinking about. So for us, the issue, it's really become, at least among that generation, of 'when,' not 'if.'"
"There's a ton of momentum right now," said Tyler Deaton, the campaign manager for Young Conservatives for the Freedom to Marry, the GOP-friendly unit of the Freedom to Marry coalition, which supports gay marriage.
"We've always believed this is the right thing to do, the moral thing to do," Deaton told Politico, "and now it's becoming the politically smart thing to do. Republicans have the opportunity to be on the right side of history and public opinion.


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TNT to Introduce New Online Games for Hit Caper Series LEVERAGE and New Undercover Police Drama DARK BLUE
LEVERAGE: Art of the Con (LeverageHQ.com) and DARK BLUE: Undercover (DarkBlueUndercover.com) to Launch in Conjunction with Series' July 15 Premieres
This July, TNT viewers can get in on the action with two of the network's exciting summer series through a pair of exciting, season-long online promotional games. Fans will have a chance to join the hackers, grifters and thieves of the caper series LEVERAGE and the undercover officers of DARK BLUE. Immersive, online experiences will include weekly challenges received directly from series characters. The games will coincide with the season premieres of LEVERAGE, starring Academy Award� winner Timothy Hutton, and DARK BLUE, starring Golden Globe� winner Dylan McDermott, on Wednesday, July 15, at 9 and 10 p.m. (ET/PT).
LEVERAGE: Art of the Con
Last season, fans of LEVERAGE proved themselves worthy of being part of the team in the �Get Ready to Get Even� game at LeverageHQ.com. This season, Nate (Hutton) needs their help in an all-new promotional game. Nate's laptop, which contains valuable, extremely secret information about each person on the team, has been stolen. In the life of a con artist, information is the deadliest weapon. The Leverage team needs game players to recover the files, documents and photos on the laptop by completing a series of missions. Those who accomplish each task will be entered in a drawing for a chance to win a multi-city trip to become an expert in the art of the con. One lucky winner will visit Paris, London and New York, sites of some of history's greatest capers. Last season's edition of the LeverageHQ promotional game was visited by more than half a million users, with two out of three respondents to a survey reporting that they watched all of LEVERAGE's first season episodes. This game was developed in collaboration with Lead Dog Marketing.
DARK BLUE: Undercover
Viewers will learn there is a fine line between going under and crossing over as they engage in a new promotional online game for DARK BLUE. At DarkBlueUndercover.com, game players will become members of an elite undercover squad run by Carter Shaw (McDermott). Each player will get a false identity and weekly missions to bring down a gun-running ring. The challenges will force players to make some of the difficult decisions that undercover cops face. Based on these decisions, players will either get caught by the group they are trying to infiltrate; get �flipped� and become seduced by a life of crime; or go deeper undercover. At the end of 10 weeks, those who have taken the challenge will be entered in a drawing for a chance to win a trip undercover in Los Angeles with VIP access to the hottest clubs and restaurants, a private helicopter tour of the Sunset strip and a ride with a former undercover LAPD officer. This game was developed in collaboration with Omelet.
About LEVERAGE and DARK BLUE
TNT set Tuesday nights on fire last winter with the first season of LEVERAGE, a thrilling, fast-paced drama series starring Academy Award� winner Timothy Hutton (Ordinary People). This summer, the gang is back with more elaborate scams designed to exact revenge against those who use power and wealth to victimize people. Hutton stars as Nate Ford, a former insurance investigator determined to bring down the kind of corrupt bigwigs whose neglect led to the death of his son. His highly skilled team includes Sophie Devereaux (Gina Bellman � Coupling), a grifter who uses her acting skills to corner her marks; Eliot Spencer (Christian Kane � TNT's Into the West), a �retrieval specialist� with bone-crunching fighting skills; Alec Hardison (Aldis Hodge � Friday Night Lights), a gadget and technology wizard who keeps the team connected and informed; and Parker (Beth Riesgraf � Alvin and the Chipmunks), a slightly off-center thief adept at repelling off buildings or squeezing into tight places. Together, the team puts their energy, quick minds and keen intellects toward securing justice for society's underdogs.
LEVERAGE, which is executive-produced by Dean Devlin (Independence Day, TNT's The Librarian movies), scored big in its first season, ranking as ad-supported cable's #1 show in its timeslot with an average of 3.7 million viewers.
DARK BLUE is a gripping undercover police drama from prolific producer Jerry Bruckheimer (the CSI series, Without a Trace). The series, which stars Golden Globe� winner Dylan McDermott (The Practice, TNT's The Grid), Omari Hardwick (TNT's Saved), Logan Marshall-Green (The O.C.) and Nicki Aycox (Supernatural), follows the exploits of a crack undercover team of police officers so covert, many of their own colleagues don't even know they are involved. Leading the group is Carter Shaw (McDermott), a deeply wounded character who has lost much of his former life as he struggles to bring down bad guys through complex undercover assignments. His team includes Ty Curtis (Hardwick), a recently married cop who struggles with personal relationships he has developed while undercover; Dean Bendis (Marshall-Green), a shoot-from-the-hip officer whose activities make fellow team members wonder if he has gone over to the bad side; and Jaimie Allen (Aycox), a green patrol cop brought in because of her excellent skill in lying and a shady past.
About TNT
TNT, one of cable's top-rated networks, is television's destination for drama and home to such original series as the acclaimed and highly popular detective drama The Closer, starring Kyra Sedgwick; Saving Grace, starring Holly Hunter; Raising the Bar, with Mark-Paul Gosselaar, Gloria Reuben and Jane Kaczmarek; Leverage, starring Timothy Hutton; Hawthorne, with Jada Pinkett Smith; and Dark Blue, starring Dylan McDermott. TNT also presents such powerful dramas as Bones, Cold Case, Law & Order, Without a Trace, ER and Charmed; broadcast premiere movies; compelling primetime specials, such as the Screen Actors Guild Awards�; and championship sports coverage, including NASCAR and the NBA. TNT is available in high-definition.
Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., a Time Warner company, creates and programs branded news, entertainment, animation and young adult media environments on television and other platforms for consumers around the world.


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Dean Mouscher's Masteroptions.com is an excellent new site and he is producing great and free educational videos. I really like his take and hope that if you trade options that you follow his advice…
Below is a link to a 16 minute video called "Trading the VIX…"
Trading the VIX…
Dean is also writing some good "mythbuster" articles, like Do 90% of Options Expire Worthless?
Good stuff, thanks Dean!
Thursday: Unemployment Claims, ISM Services
9 hours ago


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Lakeville man killed in New Milford crash
NEW MILFORD >> A Lakeville man was killed and a New Fairfield woman injured in a two-vehicle collision late Sunday afternoon on Danbury Road (Route 7) on the stretch of roadway just south of Veterans Bridge.
The collision occurred in the "left most northbound travel lane," according to the police report.
At the time of the accident, Aman Egan, 34, of Lakeville was traveling south on Danbury on a motorcycle and Katherine Morehead of New Fairfield, 21, was making a left turn in her car from a driveway, according to police.
Local police, fire and emergency medical services personnel responded to the accident scene.
New Milford Police Department (NMPS) spokesman Lt. Larry Ash said in an interview Monday morning that Egan "was ejected from his motorcycle and went through the driver's side window and ended up in the front passenger compartment of the vehicle."
Egan was wearing a helmet at the time of crash, he said.
Morehead had to be extricated from her vehicle and was transported to Danbury Hospital for treatment, where she remains in stable condition, according to police.
Details about the two vehicles involved in the collision were not available at this timeAsh said.
The NMPD crash team conducted a preliminary investigation at the accident scene.
"The investigation is ongoing," said Ash.
Anyone with information regarding the accident is asked to Officer James McGraw, the investigating officer, or the public information officer at 860-355-3133.
Danbury Road in the vicinity of the crash was closed for about four hours, said Ash, noting that it was open again by about 9 p.m.


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LITTLE ROCK, Ark. - The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says a chlorine gas leak at an Arkansas poultry plant last year that sickened nearly 200 people occurred because a worker couldn't read English.
The CDC said in a report released Thursday that a Spanish-speaking worker at the Tyson Foods plant in Springdale knew not to mix sodium hypochlorite with an acid but couldn't read the label on a container of chemicals that had been misplaced.
Tyson Foods disputes the report. Spokesman Gary Mickelson says the worker wasn't Hispanic and that a language issue wasn't to blame. He didn't say why the accident happened.
The health agency recommends that U.S. industries take steps to better train workers and says warning labels should be tailored to workers' languages and educational levels.


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One of the many ways to promote your miniature site is to join a ring.
A webring is a way a group of related sites are linked to allow visitors to travel.
By chosing to travel around the web by a ring, visitors can see a variety of sites
and will still end up back at the site they started at (if they keep going).
These rings are open to any dollhouse scale miniature related sites, including
manufacturers, distributors, retail stores, artisans and information sites. No adult
sites will be allowed. If what is on any site disturbs you, please contact us
immediately at firstname.lastname@example.com. You can
also contact us at this email if you have any questions or queries about any of the rings.
These eleven rings are available on Miniature Net. Please join the ring
that suits your site best. In some cases, these rings will be limited to 100 sites each. The rings are:
Collections - a private personal collection or home page.
For Sale - retailer or artisan with Dollhouse scale miniatures for sale.
Resources - typically not selling something, but a site with DIY instructions, tips, a list, or a general collection of information. Museums and online miniature groups and lists would fit this category.
Dolls - 1"=1' scale or smaller (6" or less in height) dolls.
Printables - with printies for visitors to print on their own.
Canadian - Canadian collectors, sellers and resources.
Smaller Scales - sites with information about miniatures smaller than 1:12.
Artisan - The term "artisan" is used to mean artist, handcrafter or craft person of high
quality. Other artists' or manufacturers' work can be on these sites as well, but the site must contain miniatures handcrafted by the site owner.
Holidays - Christmas, Chanukah, Easter, Halloween, Valentines etc.
Wholesale - sites that have items available for wholesale (does not need to
list prices).
Dollhouses - sites that sell dollhouses, dollhouse kits or dollhouse finishing
services. May have a single house for private sale.
You do *not* need a domain to join these rings, you *do* need a web site (not a Photopoint or similar album) as you need to add the html code to your site.
When signing up, you will be asked for a siteID - this is any words or numbers that you want to use to uniquely identify your site - you make it up, and it will show in the URL in your code on your site. Password is anything you want to make up - do not use any important password you currently use - you will be emailed a copy to keep so it does not need to be memorable for you. Webmaster email is the email address you want the code and information sent to - this is your email address. You can forward the code to someone else if you have them update your site.
This code is needed to make the ring work. Add the code to your links or rings page, or to URL you gave us for your site. By adding the code, you
are adding links to up to 99 other sites, and in return these other sites have
a link to you. The list page lists all the other sites in the ring, while the next will take you around the ring one site at a time. If you or your webmaster wish to modify the code, please email and check with us first.
You can edit your information at the Site Admin page. If you don't remember your password, you can have it emailed to you. Your site id is used in the links in the code on your page.
Here is an example of how the code should look on your page:
This site is owned by
Miniature Network
Want to join a
Miniature Network Ring?
[Next] [Previous] [Random] [List Sites]
January 25 2005 - Three New Rings! Holidays, Wholesale and Dollhouses!
August 19 2002 - Another new ring, this one is for Smaller Scales - smaller than the dollhouse standard 1:12. A site can probably only be one of For
Sale, Resources or Collections, but can join any of the others that it qualifies for.
October 30 2001 - We've added a new ring! A Canadian resource ring - especially for Canadian collectors, sellers, and resources.


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Yesterday i did not try yet another venture to find the cave Ntaveli. Instead we went to a near by park that i just love. It is my favorite park although there are many near us with excellent things to do. This does not have any scheduled activities or things to see, but the energy is amazing and the nature beautiful. We laid on the grass and watched the tree tops dance slowly and smelled the clean air. It was majestic. I could feel my mind slowing down and my soul able to soar. It was one of the most beautiful days of my life and yet i find myself unable to describe it, because it was filled with all these little things that make life wonderful.
I have been so tired these days. I had my period because it always comes on the New Moon, took a bunch of pain killers -for various pains- that always wear me down. And although during the New Moon i always feel like someone unplugged me and took all my strength away there is one good thing about it, i always sleep like a baby. But this time i did not have time to sleep. So, yesterday although it has been wonderful i have been quite sleep deprived and generally exhausted and i do not know about you, but when i am like that i am really bad on maintaining a healthy lifestyle. I ate so much candy. It was delightful. Chocolate, almond cookies filled with cream and a beautiful quiche. It has been long since i ate in a such decadent way and i have to admit there is something quite freeing in the process. There are still some left, but after that i am going to detox from sugar till the holidays come marching in with enough chocolate to make Willy Wonka jealous. After that wonderful day, all that yumminess and some sexy time with my husband*wink, wink* i slept for almost 11 hours and today i feel like i can conquer the world.
It feels as if i am heavily intoxicated, i believe that is how drugs must feel like. One of those things can make a person relax but i had not had a day like that even on vacation. I really needed that.
Be blessed, be loved and remember to unwind! I love you all!
A day to remember....
Yesterday i did not try yet another venture to find the cave Ntaveli. Instead we went to a near by park that i just love. It is my favorite park although there are many near us with excellent things to do. This does not have any scheduled activities or things to see, but the energy is amazing and the nature beautiful. We laid on the grass and watched the tree tops dance slowly and smelled the clean air. It was majestic. I could feel my mind slowing down and my soul able to soar. It was one of the most beautiful days of my life and yet i find myself unable to describe it, because it was filled with all these little things that make life wonderful.
Straightening your hair...the witch's way!
So, i do not know if i have mention it here but my hair are very thin and long and curly with a tendency to frizz a lot. During the cold part of the year, in the very humid Athens it is impossible for me to make them straight. I do not like to overheat them, or use any chemical treatments, especially since i prefer them curly. It is the uncontrollable frizz that i could live without.
Last night i made a hair mask with warm olive oil, cinnamon and honey( i also added castor oil, but you can skip that part) and i slept with it and this morning when i dried my hair like i usually do, they were shiny, straight and frizz free. Plus, the smell fantastic! I do not know yet, how they will react after i wash my hair tomorrow but it is definitely worth the trouble.
After i gave birth, breastfed for 8 months and had various hormonal issues my hair have not been well. I have tried many things but i was always hesitant to do any over night treatments, mainly because of, well...boredom.
I am not going to lie to you. It is messy and sticky and not the best sensation in the world, but sleeping with it is definitely doable. Once again something natural works wonders for me when the expensive hair treatment products i have been given lately as gifts( in a hint, hint, wink, wink kind of way!). I have read that it is supposed to burn at the beginning, but i did not feel anything, perhaps because i did not use cassia but actual cinnamon!
So, if you try it tell me how it goes!!
No cave...
..today either. Baby overslept. Someday, somehow I will get there!
Blessings to all!
Going to cave Ntaveli, take two.
Last Sunday, we tried. We dressed up the baby as if she was going to the North Pole, packed up food although it is just 10 minutes from here and off we went to find the cave. We went up the mountain but found nothing and on the way home we finally found a half broken sign. We took the dirt road up to where our poor little town car could take us and when we were about to take it by foot the zip of Melina Nefeli's coat broke. By that time the Sun had set and everything was turning into a dark blue colour. So, we gave up and told ourselves we will get there next week.
Raising a child in Witchcraft, yule decorations, anniversaries and an update
Greetings blogfriends. How are you? I am recovering after practice and i know i will be sore tomorrow. I have n't been in practice for more than two weeks. First it was my back and then the cold, then my back again and today i was hurting but i felt i had to go. Melina Nefeli is healthy again although by the end of her antibiotics treatment she had an allergic reaction and it was scary. I had a feeling that it would happen but since after eight days of treatment she was still doing good , i thought it was all in my head. But just before she took her last pill, she started having a couple of red spots in the diaper area. My first thought was allergy but then i thought i am such a worrywart and it was just a diaper rash. But after a couple of hours her whole body was covered in red spots. I have the same problem. It is really hard to find an antibiotic that i am not allergic and even then i can not take them for a long time and even then i can not take them with other medications.
Usually, we are the last people to decorate for Yule, since we do it on December 21st, but this year it just felt right.to do it early. So, after we celebrated Samhein on Friday i decided we should decorate our Yule tree. And so, this Sunday we decorated the house in a candy theme. It took a bit of convincing to make the baby to stop trying to eat the decorations. She finally understood they are fake.
Catching a cold, a magical cave and Samhein
So, Melina Nefeli kissed yet another little boy that lives in our apartment building. Actually, she was kissed by him, but that is not the point. Although, she rather enjoys the attention and there is not a cuter sight, especially when afterwards she tilts her head and smiles and he says i love you Melina(i mean come on, how can you put a stop to that?), he just started preschool and she caught a virus that turned into an ear infection. I had to give her antibiotics. You all know how i feel about antibiotics. The doctor did not share my feelings. Of course, i also caught the bug and i fought it off with teas and tinctures(still fighting to be exact!). I gave her many herbal teas the day before she started the antibiotics, but they were not enough and she was in pain. Now, she is feeling great and she got quite a taste for tea and she is always asking for it, so there is not a spot in our entire home that did not have at some point tea spilled over it. I got rather frustrated that i gave in so easily to antibiotics the first time she caught a cold and that i was not prepared. Now i have a rosemary and a echinacea tincture on the way, plus i stocked up in herbs and honey, but i can not stop feeling guilty and like a failure.
This is her and her dad. They were doing funny faces but when she realized i was taking a picture she let him hanging.
These are some of our decorations a while back.
I would love to visit on that day a very spiritual cave that has many lores and legends tied to it and that is not a very long trip from here to get to it. It is called Ntaveli cave and conspiracy theorists would have a blast with the fact that the military sealed it down. It is sort of the Area 51 of Greece. There is also a story about a greek priest that is said to be taken down there by an elevator that supposedly appeared after some rocks opened up and was lead into a place that was full of doors with the radiation sign on them. There was an ancient temple of Pana there, as well as many little churches. There is a magnetic field, unexplained little red tornados, sightings of creautures, the small pond of the Nymphs and many other interesting facts about that cave. Although it is no longer possible to fully explore the cave you can still go there. It saddens me that a place with such spiritual and archaeological value has been completely destroyed by the greek government. I will not be able to visit it on Friday due to work, but i plan on going there very soon. I will let you know what happened there and i will post pictures.
Until then, be blessed, be loved and be very, very magical?


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Strained oblique forces Freeman to DL
ATLANTA -- Freddie Freeman arrived at Turner Field knowing that he was not going to be permitted to play in Sunday afternoon's series finale against the Cubs. But Freeman certainly was not expecting to be overcome with the outrage he felt when he learned he had been placed on the 15-day disabled list with a strained right oblique muscle.
"I've got to sit now for 15 days when this is not a 15-day thing," Freeman said. "It could be a two-day thing. Now I'm out for two weeks for no reason."
Freeman has batted .412 (7-for-17) with a home run and a double through the season's first five games. Simply looking at the statistics, it would be impossible to know that the 23-year-old first baseman first began feeling oblique discomfort during a March 31 workout.
Approximately 24 hours after he initially felt the oblique strain, Freeman homered in his first at-bat of the season.
"It's not hurt to the point that I can't play," Freeman said. "I'm playing just fine."
The Braves allowed Freeman to play through discomfort and then grew concerned when they once again saw him grab at his side after he produced an RBI single in Saturday's eighth inning. The decision to place him on the disabled list was essentially sealed when Freeman winced in pain when the Braves head trainer touched the injured area after Saturday night's game.
"There really isn't a gray area when it comes to obliques," Braves general manager Frank Wren said. "Obliques are going to be a couple weeks at minimum. If you're really lucky, you can get a player back right after the DL stint. This early in the season we're not going to turn a two-to-three week (thing) into a six-to-eight week by tearing that oblique area."
When asked about the fact that he had been seen grabbing his side multiple times over the past few days, Freeman said he was able to deal with the issue with a series of stretches that began before the game.
"You should see me before games," Freeman said. "I've got to get it loose just to play. It grabbed me just a little bit more during that last at-bat than it had been."
Freeman certainly did not try to hide his emotions on Sunday morning. He loudly expressed his feelings during a meeting in manager Fredi Gonzalez's office and then defiantly took the field to shag fly balls during batting practice.
"He's a young guy who wants to play and you appreciate that," Wren said. "You want him to be out there. But I think sometimes we have to protect players from themselves. They want to play and they want to be a big part of the team, which he is. But this is not a situation where we want to lose him for the first half by letting him go out and tear that area."
Freeman was baffled by the fact that the decision to put him on the disabled list came just a few hours after he was in the on-deck circle as Justin Upton ended Saturday's win over the Cubs with a walk-off home run.
"They didn't even give me a choice," Freeman said. "It's my career. I should be able to make that decision. I walked in there and they didn't give me one."
As Wren said, the Braves also have the responsibility to protect their key players like Freeman, who is targeted to serve as the cleanup hitter throughout this season. Rookie catcher Evan Gattis was in the cleanup spot for Sunday's game.
Chris Johnson is expected to serve as the regular first baseman while Freeman is sidelined. With Johnson across the diamond, Juan Francisco will likely serve as an everyday third baseman during the next couple of weeks. Johnson and Francisco were targeted to platoon at third base.
To compensate for the loss of Freeman's left-handed presence, the Braves opted to fill Freeman's roster spot by purchasing Blake DeWitt's contract from Triple-A Gwinnett. DeWitt, who can play each infield position, has batted .257 in 422 career games at the big league level.


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Most 20-year-olds wouldn't have the nerve to cold call billionaire energy tycoon T. Boone Pickens once. But when Joseph Maddalone was that age, he called Picken's office everyday for 30 days until he finally got an answer.
"I love cold calling. It's the best thing in the world," Maddalone told Business Insider admitting that it's not an easy task.
"If cold calling was easy everyone would do it."
Maddalone, 22, was a college sophomore hanging out in his dorm room at the University of Scranton watching television when a commercial of Pickens aired. That's when the idea popped into his head.
"I called his office and said I interned at UBS, I have a passion for energy and I'd really like to come down and intern for you guys."
He didn't receive an immediate response, so he continued calling the office everyday and still didn't hear anything. A month later, Pickens' chief of staff reached out to the college student and said they appreciated his interest but didn't have an opening for an internship.
A few hours later, the persistent Maddalone received another phone call with a new proposition from Pickens' chief of staff. If he could get a hundred people to stand outside of ABC's "Good Morning America" studio in Times Square prior to the 2008 election to help promote the Picken's Plan they would talk to him about an internship.
Determined to earn that internship, Maddalone boarded a Greyhound bus from Pennsylvania to New York and rallied friends and relatives to stand with him outside of ABC's studio.
He was successful. Pickens himself called him shortly after to offer him a six week internship at his Dallas-based BP Capital.
Pickens, who Maddalone said taught him to live everyday like it's the last, is now one of his role models.
"He's one of those people that have taken a chance on me."
A few years later, Maddalone, a self-described "news junkie" who begins his day at 4:45 a.m. and fills it with meetings and networking events, now serves as the chief executive officer of his namesake recruiting firm Maddalone Global Strategies.
"My best skill is my ability to network, so recruiting seemed to be a natural fit," he said.
His business focuses on recruiting young professionals in finance and technology fields.
"It's a bridge between the Wall Street and technology crowd," he explained. "I'm kind of like a sports agent for people who have followed me in my brief, 22-year-old career."
To help aid the connecting process, the entrepreneur also organizes conferences for young professionals.
Here's how he started that venture. Last year, he cold called media giant Thompson Reuters' public relations department about hosting a conference. Once again, he didn't hear back.
That didn't deter him though. He emailed the chief executive of Thomson Reuters and pitched his idea to host a young professionals conference.
"He emailed me back — liked my idea — and invited me to pitch it to him on Thanksgiving Eve," he told Business Insider.
As a result of his efforts, Maddalone has hosted two conferences at Thomson Reuters' New York headquarters — one for young professionals and another with Pickens.
The initial idea to host his own conferences started when he was an intern at UBS at the age of 18.
His internship at the Swiss bank entailed menial tasks such as stuffing marketing envelopes for a week. He said he held that position because he wasn't from a "target school."
"You don't have to go to a target school to work at the companies," he said. "You really have to separate yourself."
That's what he tried to do when it came to executing those menial office tasks such as filling envelopes.
"I was so quick that everyone in the office wanted me to send out their letters," he said. "I would finish stuffing one person's packet and I'd go meet this guy. I got a reputation doing menial tasks as a way to meet people."
While at UBS, he discovered his passion for networking. He later attended a "Future of Finance Conference" and realized that he was literally the only person under the age of 30 there.
"So I wanted to host my own conference that would give young professionals a seat at the table," he said.
He's even invited hedge fund behemoth Bridgewater Associates executives to speak at one of his conferences.
Bridgewater said it sounded "enterprising," Maddalone recounted.
Maddalone, a Long Island native, graduated from the University of Scranton in three years. Following graduation, he went to work at Ray Dalio's Bridgewater.
He didn't stay very long.
"I didn't feel like I was put in the right position to succeed there — I have an entrepreneurial bug," he said.
That's when he decided to go off on his own and start his own recruiting firm. He said he wasn't worried about it either.
"It was definitely like holy sh-t," he said. "There's that holy sh-t moment, but you can't let it consume you. You have to keep going forward and you can't really think about it."
He's not even nervous about the possibility of failure.
"My response is 'If I don't think I can do it, what's going to make you think that I can?'"
Again, this goes back to the idea of living every day as if it was truly the last.
His mother was diagnosed with cancer and died six weeks later and it had a defining influence on how he lives his life.
"I actually believe it — you should really live your life like there's no tomorrow."
This story originally appeared on Business Insider
Read more from Business Insider:
10 Billionaires Give You The Best Investment Advice They KnowOne Trader Recounts Literally Losing His Mind As Lehman Brothers Exploded
GOLDMAN: Here Are Our Top 6 Trades For 2012
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