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CHICAGO (WLS) -- The owner of North Shore Exchange, an upscale resale shop that donates all of its proceeds to charity, won the $50,000 James Tyree Award during the Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce's annual meeting on Tuesday.
Before the announcement, Wendy Serrino, president of North Shore Exchange in Glencoe, said the award would allow the shop to "open up that pop up shop in the city, spend a much higher level on marketing so more people know about us and send some money on infrastructure so we can operate much more efficiently and those are things we wouldn't be able to do without winning the award."
The shop has already given $700,000 away to charity but by October they hope to hit the $1 million mark. For them winning the award is about expanding and helping more people.
The competition began with more than 30 applicants. Twelve advanced to a "Shark Tank"-like pitch and just six businesses were presented to the Tyree judging panel before selecting three finalists.
The other finalists included Dan Mahoney, founder of Fort Knox Studios, and Roman Kuropas, the founder & CEO of Innova E-V.
"Fort Knox Studios itself is a 140-room music rehearsal, recording and music business facility," Mahoney said.
Inside Fort Knox Studios in the city's Old Irving Park neighborhood is a business incubator called 21-12.
Mahoney said 21-12 is giving younger people coming out of college the opportunity to be exposed to bands and music businesses. He hoped that winning the award will help continue that.
"We do a lot of scholarships and programs in 21-12 in particular that I think would be a big help in order to bring some kids in here that may not be able to afford the basic memberships and give them that same opportunity and I think that would god a long way towards that," Mahoney said.
Innova E-V is a Burr Ridge-based company hoping to expand the mini-car service to the city's South Side to help underserved neighborhoods.
"Innova EV is a first and last mile mobility service so we provide short rides, short commutes between 3 and 4 miles max," Kuropas said.
As a finalist, Kuropas said: "If we do win and I'm praying that we do we're going to take that and invest in Bronzeville and other neighborhoods around it to hire people and let them know that we care about them. Provide love and jobs and purpose to get those areas access and mobility."
Charity-giving Glencoe resale shop owner wins $50K award
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The 1998 Retrospective Rating Table of Insurance Charges, commonly known as Table M, is available in a downloadable Microsoft® Excel
file format. The Table M is used to determine the percentage of ratable losses eliminated (or generated) when limiting the loss amounts between a specified maximum (or minimum) amount. These formats enable you to easily enter the data needed to simplify your retrospective rating calculations.
Affiliate Pricing—A company that has signed an NCCI Affiliation Agreement for states in which NCCI is the licensed rating and/or statistical organization and where the Affiliate is writing or licensed to write workers compensation insurance.
Non-Affiliate Pricing—A customer of NCCI that is not licensed and/or writing workers compensation in a state where NCCI is the licensed rating and/or statistical organization.

subset: commoncrawl


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Today I spoke with a teen who told me that she "wants to save the world." She made me smile to myself, and I thought about how she and I share a common goal. I also feel a passion for "saving the world". I want people to be happy and well, and to treat themselves with respect and let that self-respect ripple outward like gentle movements of water when touched by a falling leaf. I want to leave everyone I encounter feeling a little better, whether they are family, friends, clients, or strangers. Speaking with this young woman reminded me that there a good, caring people all around, of all ages.
We hear so much bad news…the stories of riots in various cities around our country has lately been high in the news. Stories of severe weather and climate change are around us all year-long. We hear stories of people being unkind, dangerous, and completely without regard for themselves or others every day. But we don't hear enough about people, young or old, who want to help others. We don't hear enough about the people who are quietly determined to "save the world." I've often thought this, have commented on it here in my blog before, and now more than ever believe that we should have a "good news station" where people are celebrated for the good that they do.
Can any one person save the world? That is a huge task, and not one that any of us can likely accomplish. But we can, like Mother Theresa, love people as individuals. We can acknowledge that everyone we meet is worthy of love and respect. We can treat everyone as though they are doing the very best they can do (because I believe everyone is doing their best). We can each wake up every day committed to loving and respecting ourselves first, the people we are close to second, and anyone we encounter as if we are all precious. Because we are are all precious. We are all carrying our own burden of self-doubts and fears and desires and dreams. We are all capable of greatness, and we are all capable of making the world a better place, even if we only do it one person at a time.
This young woman I mentioned earlier had a long list of things that she is grateful for. Gratitude for one's gifts is a beautiful way to change the world. Taking to time to appreciate the big and small miracles around us is a way to change the world. Staying positive when all around is negativity is a good way to change the world. Being genuine in a world full of superficial materialism is a good way to change the world. Being kind in the face of unkind acts, returning hatred with love, are good ways to change the world.
Don't ever believe that you lack power. We are all powerful beyond anything we can imagine. Exercise your power today, and leave someone better than before they knew you.
If you would like to reach out to me and get help changing yourself, so that you are more able to save the world, call me at: 831-214-8087. I'd be happy to make time for you in my schedule.
Wishing you belief in the goodness of young people, and the ability to change the world.


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Data is having a moment in our society. Everywhere you look, data is transforming the way we think about everything. Whether it is the data-driven journalism pioneered by Nate Silver or analytics in sports; data is everywhere. Travel data is no exception. Travel managers today have access to more information than ever. However, with that data often includes a new set of problems. Three problems in particular we have heard over and over:
- No single source of truth. Data from booking tool, data from travel management company (TMC) – which is correct and which one should be used?
- The data is not presented in such a way that makes it easy to interpret. Travel data is like a bank statement – it has all my transactions, but it took Mint to categorize everything and make it easy to understand.
- No clear next steps or actions on how to apply that data to maximize the value to a travel program.
As we set out to evolve our reporting suite, we kept these pain points in mind. We believe the new Egencia® Travel Intelligence home page does all that, and more.
You can't have a credible reporting solution without clean data. At Egencia, our travel agents and customers use the same tools and technology. This makes managing, analyzing and presenting data easier and more accurate. We know with 100% certainty what happened with every transaction.
Every. Single. Time.
There are zero conflicts between online booking tool (OBT), TMC, Prism, ARC, etc. Every transaction happens on our technology platform and we have complete visibility. As a travel manager, you only need to go to one place to be completely confident you are getting a full picture.
We also present the data in a way that makes it easy to find what's relevant to you. The Egencia Travel Intelligence home page contains a number of key metrics that every travel manager needs.
Upon using it for the first time, one of our usability participants said "This looks just like the scorecards I used to spend hours putting together!"
We have leveraged our years of experience to deliver the data that a travel manager needs to ensure their program is on track, no matter how mature their program.
Finally, we wanted to go beyond a typical experience and make it easy for our customers to use our data. For every metric on the Egencia Travel Intelligence home page, there is a corresponding insight page that provides additional context, specific insights and clear actions for the travel manager to take.
Some of the information available includes:
- The maverick travellers who have often booked later than expected or booked offline
- Which trips have highly impacted your savings potential
- How much spend is going to your top hotel properties
Travel managers have enough to do. The Egencia Travel Intelligence home page gives them all the data they need, when they need it, where they need it.
Overwhelmed by data? Contact us and together we can get your travel program on track.


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Last month, a letter from a clinic recommending a woman named Hedda fundraise $10,000 for a heart transplant went viral on Twitter. Hedda, who needed a new heart, was deemed ineligible for the procedure because she lacked the "secure financial plan" needed to pay for immunosuppression medication — drugs that keep the body from rejecting a foreign organ.
Insurance groups are recommending GoFundMe as official policy - where customers can die if they can't raise the goal in time - but sure, single payer healthcare is unreasonable.— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@Ocasio2018) November 24, 2018
h/t @DanRifflepic.twitter.com/zetPW0MgDd
The fact that people need to crowdfund medical care is nothing new. But in the letter, Spectrum Health said the quiet part loud, drawing more attention to the inadequacies of healthcare in the United States. Ironically, the attendant outrage mobilized people to contribute money to help Hedda. At the time of writing, her GoFundMe page has beaten its $20,000 goal, raising more than $30,000.
Crowdfunding websites like GoFundMe are the nexus of a particularly American failure. One tragedy collides head on with another, and if the wreck causes enough people to turn their heads, maybe they will pay for it to go away. Consider Anthony Borges, a student who was shot multiple times at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida in February. More than 25,000 people have donated nearly one million dollars to Anthony's family's campaign to pay for his medical expenses and recovery.
In going viral, Anthony and Hedda are both outliers. For all the other banal tragedies not worthy of media attention — your basic cancers, transplants, and surgeries — GoFundMe is probably a last resort, but likely is not a lasting solution.
To get a better picture of the crowdfunding ecosystem, The Outline collected data on nearly 2,000 medical campaigns from the browse page on GoFundMe's website. GoFundMe claims to have hosted over 2.5 million campaigns, so this isn't necessarily a representative sample; the page where we collected the data seems to be curated to highlight campaigns that have already generated a lot of interest (the smallest amount a campaign in the sample had raised was $25,000). GoFundMe did not respond to a request for comment.
According to this sample, Spectrum Health's $10,000 fundraising recommendation seems, well, tame. In fact, the gap between what insurance covers and what medical bills cost — where crowdfunding usually comes in to play — is larger than what you might expect: of the 1,769 medical campaigns we analyzed, the median fundraising goal was $50,000.
For many, successfully raising money through GoFundMe is the difference between life and death. Of the 1,769 medical campaigns, 781 were for cancer treatment expenses. Another 108 aimed to procure funds for an organ transplant. Car accidents, falls, gunshot wounds, the flu; it's all got a price tag. Cumulatively, the medical GoFundMe campaigns had a fundraising goal of almost 140 million dollars. Over 40 percent of Americans can't cover a $400 expense; how else could one deal with tens of thousands of dollars in medical bills?
To the extent that crowdfunding is even a solution to prohibitively expensive medical treatments, GoFundMe campaigns likely don't even capture the people most in need of assistance. Obvious institutional barriers — a computer, internet access — can prevent people from crowdfunding, and there's also the matter of having a social network that can and will help, unless your campaign happens to go viral. In the American healthcare system, spectacle might be the best insurance.


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Breast cancer is a group of abnormal cells which continues to grow and multiply. Eventually these cells may form a lump in the breast. If the cancer is not removed or controlled the cancer cells can spread to other parts of the body and may eventually cause death.
Breast cancer is the most common life threatening cancer in Australian women and cannot be prevented. Women in Australia have a 1 in 7 risk of developing breast cancer in their lifetime. About 200 women in Western Australia die from breast cancer each year.
Breast cancer can also develop in men, but this is rare. Male breast cancer accounts for about 1% of all breast cancers.
No, 90% of breast lumps found are benign and quite harmless, that is, are NOT breast cancer.
We do not know what causes breast cancer. Some risk factors identified as increasing your chances of developing breast cancer include:
Other factors that seem to slightly increase a woman's risk of developing breast cancer include:
Having one or more of these risk factors does not mean that a woman will definitely develop breast cancer, but it might increase her chance of developing breast cancer. Some women with one or more risk factors might never develop the disease.
*Adapted from Breast Cancer Risk Factors - a review of the evidence,
July 2009, National Breast and Ovarian Cancer Centre.
Breast changes. Breasts come in all shapes and sizes and will change throughout your life. Your menstrual cycle, pregnancy, age and weight may alter the size, shape and feel of your breasts. Get to know your own breasts so that you will know what is normal for you.
You should see your GP promptly about the following important changes:
Look in the mirror at your breasts and feel your breasts from time to time.
BreastScreen WA provides FREE screening mammograms to women 40 years or over with no breast symptoms, and specifically targets women aged 50 to 74 years.
BreastScreen WA encourages women aged 50 to 74 years to have a FREE screening mammogram every two years. The benefit from having a screening mammogram every two years is greatest for women in this age group. Over 75 per cent of breast cancers occur in women over 50 years of age.
Women under 40 years are not eligible to attend a screening mammogram at BreastScreen WA. Young women under 40 years have much denser breast tissue than older women, so it is more difficult for screening mammograms to show the changes that may indicate cancer.
A screening mammogram is a low dose X-ray of a woman's breast. Screening mammograms are performed on women 40 years or over with no breast symptoms, for the purpose of detecting breast cancer at an early stage before it can be felt or noticed. Screening mammograms can detect 70-90% of breast cancers and is the only proven means of detecting cancers at this early stage. Generally the earlier a cancer is detected, the better the chance of successful treatment.
Every two years. Remember, once is not enough. Regular screening mammograms every two years assists in detecting any new changes in your breasts at an early stage.
Healthy WA OR Cancer Australia includes information about:
Book online or phone 13 20 50
When making your appointment, please let us know if you
These things may make your appointment a little longer.
If you need an interpreter, please call the Translating and Interpreting Service (TIS) first on 13 14 50 and ask to be connected to the BreastScreen WA call centre on 13 20 50.
Wheelchair access is available at all BreastScreen WA services.
Appointments are available 7:30am-5:45pm on weekdays and 8:15-11:30am on Saturdays at most BreastScreen WA clinics.
Get to know your breasts and what is normal for you. Look in the mirror at your breasts and feel your breasts from time to time.
If you notice any unusual changes in your breasts such as lumps, nipple discharge, or persistent new breast pain, even if your last screening mammogram was normal, please see your GP promptly.
Ask your GP about breast health at your next check-up.
Contact your GP or phone:
BreastScreen WA
13 20 50 for appointments
(08) 9323 6700 for information
National Relay Service
Last Updated:
Appointments: 13 20 50
Facsimile: (08) 9323 6799
Information: (08) 9323 6700
Toll-free for country callers: 1800 800 033
National Relay Service
Translating and Interpreting Service: 13 14 50
BreastScreen WA
9th Floor, Eastpoint Plaza,
233 Adelaide Terrace,
Perth, WA, 6000
Sending, please wait...
BreastScreen WA is brought to you by the Department of Health, Western Australia
Copyright © 2013 All contents copyright Government of Western Australia


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Frequently Asked Questions
Reservation Questions
Question: My budget is tight, can I order a sofa bed instead of one of the bedrooms?
Answer: Yes, you can order a sofa bed instead of a bedroom however, when sofa beds are not ordered as overflow the cleaning fee is calcuated the same as ordering a bedroom.
Question: We have friends staying in Blue Ridge can we invite friends over to watch a movie ?
Answer: It depends on the number of friends you would like to invite and the number of people in your party. The maximum occupancy is 10 over night guests plus two day visitors for a total of 12 people on the premises at all times. The fee for day guest visitors is $10.00 per vistior for the entire stay.
Question: I am not sure of my guest count and how many bedrooms we will require?
Answer: If you are not sure of the number of guests or the number of bedrooms you will require we recommend starting with a limited number and just adding more bedrooms or sofa beds when your headcount is better solidified. We allow deletions up until the final payment has been made and additions up to the day of arrival. Our policy allows up to two changes to the agreement without charge.
Question: What does the Cleaning Fee Cover?
Answer: The Cleaning and Guest Service fee is based on the number of bedrooms required to be attended to during the stay and is based on an allotment of time to cover the following items:
Cleaning covers re-making of all beds, vacuuming, a quick hygiene clean which includes floors, bathroom toilets, tubs and showers, wiping out the refrigerator, microwave and oven, dusting furniture, light fixture, artwork and blinds, hot tub check and chemicals. (No deep cleaning of any kind is included). Cleaning also covers laundry which is the most time consuming element of the guest service fee. The fee covers the washing and drying of towels and bed linens.
The Guest Service fee covers spa check and chemicals, blowing off the patio, decks and gazebo areas, verification of kitchen and linen inventory, checking the sound system, internet connection and testing all televisions to make sure they are all working properly. Inventory counts include all towels, linens, bedding, accessories, artwork and a full accounting of the kitchen inventory. To view a detailed summary and allotment breakdown click link to Guest Service Fees.
General Questions about the Cabin
Question: Do cell phones work at the cabin ?
Answer: It depends on the cell phone carrier you are using. From our experience using an AT&T blackberry and Iphone. We get limited coverage in the kitchen but if you walk up to the top of the driveway next to the garbage cans you can get three bars. No service what so ever with TMobile. For those of you using Verizon and Sprint although the service is somewhat spotty most of the time you will get two bars and be able to retrieve messages.
Question: What are the Roads like during Winter months?
Answer: The cabin is located off of Aska Road which is a paved road that is snow plowed by the county. The road the cabin is located on is also paved with no steep hills to contend with. Our cabin has a flat circular concrete driveway with access on both sides of the driveway should snow shoveling be necessary.
Question: How close is the nearest Neighbor?
Answer: Facing the river the neighbor to the right sits down closer to the river so you can only see the neighbors cabin out one of the side windows on the upper level. Distance is ~200 – 300 feet. The neighbor to the left is about 2 acres away, you cannot see their cabin from our property.
Question: Is Firewood Supplied?
Answer: We do not provide firewood.
Question: Does the Cabin have a Generator?
Answer: No, the cabin does not have a generator as we have not had enough power outages to justify the expense.
Question: Does the Cabin have DVD's?
Answer: Yes, the cabin has about 20 different DVD movies or guests can download movies from our Net Flix account..
Question: Can we arrange for Pay Per View?
Answer: Yes, we offer this service for Events on Pay Per View only. Guests will need to email us 24 hours before the event with the specific event name and channel location. You will be billed at the cost of the event plus a nominal fee for the administration time to set this up and cover the cost to process the transaction.


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IBM Pushes Dynamic Infrastructure Certifications to Mid-Market Partners
Big Blue vows ambitious expansion of new channel partner training and education program.
May 15, 2009
D.H. Kass: More stories by this author:
IBM Corp. said that since introducing its Dynamic Infrastructure solutions platform in February it has paid out about $1 million in support funds to 25 newly certified channel partners and aims to deliver badges to another 125 before the year is out.
"Were trying to help partners draw the mid-market out further," Maule said. "Our customers have a single-minded concern now on containing and reducing costs. Were helping our partners build the skills to deliver solutions to the mid-market that saves money for their customers."
Of the 25 recently certified partners, five have attained elite level, garnering each about $100,000 in market development funds from the vendor. Elite status requires partners to employ eight certified individuals, four with sales pins and four holding technical certifications.
The remaining 20 partners have achieved specialty level and been granted $25,000 a piece in support money. The specialty bar requires two sales and two technical individuals to hold certifications.
Among the certified channel partners are MSI Systems Integrators Inc., Key Info Systems, Meridian IT Inc., thinkASG, Sycomp, Levi, Ray & Shoup Inc., Futuregen Co. Ltd., ABF Data Systems and Mainline Information Systems Inc.
Maule said that IBM expects to pay out an additional $6 million this year to help partners defray the cost of education and training to realize the certifications. The vendor figures that by the end of the year it will have certified a total of 40 partners at the elite level and another 110 at the specialty designation.
"Weve put our investment in partner education around financial issues such as cost containment and reduction," Maule said. "The business development fund is part of a partners return-on-investment. Some partners say its not enough but in the big picture the move to solution selling is more lucrative once they make it. We purposely didnt want to make the financial reward for certification too high," he said.
IBM plans to certify as many as 400 of its business partners worldwide under the Dynamic Infrastructure program, Maule said. "We dont want to set the expectation that every partner should do this because it requires a significant investment," he said. "For partners that dont have that business model it doesnt mean were not interested in them, its that we want to go to the mid-market space with partners who have skills to execute in this environment."
TAGS: IBM,IT,certification,channel program,midmarket
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South Carolina State 59 - 93 5Michigan
Hot shooting leads Michgian past South Carolina StateNov 13, 2013 - 3:10 AM Ann Arbor, MI (SportsNetwork.com) - Caris LeVert had 24 points, Nik Stauskas scored 23 and No. 7 Michigan shot the lights out from 3-point range Tuesday night for an easy 93-59 win over South Carolina State.
LaVert was 6-for-7 on 3-pointers, Stauskas went 5-for-6 and the Wolverines (2-0) made 15 3s as a team to fall one shy of tying a school record.
"Me and Caris were together all spring and summer working out and we have shootouts all the time," said Stauskas. "I know he's capable of doing that any night."
Glenn Robinson III added 13 points and nine rebounds in the victory, Derrick Walton Jr. scored 12 and Jon Horford chipped in 15 rebounds and nine points.
Michigan was fine again without preseason All-American Mitch McGary, who sat out with a back injury. McGary also missed Michigan's season-opening 69-42 win over UMass Lowell on Friday.
Jordan Smith scored 19 points to lead the Bulldogs (1-2) and Matthew Hezekiah had 11.
LeVert made his first five 3-pointers, the last one giving Michigan a 27-10 lead 8:18 into the game.
"When you see one guy on the team get hot we all feed off it," said Stauskas.
His 3 pushed the advantage to 20 and the Wolverines later scored the last six points of the half to take a 59-23 lead into the locker room.
They led by as many as 43 in the second half and finished 31-of-61 from the field in the game, including 15-of-28 on 3s.
Game Notes
It was Michigan's highest point total since a 95-67 win over Big Ten rival Iowa on Jan. 6 ... The Wolverines play at Iowa State on Sunday ... South Carolina State, which plays in the MEAC, is on the road again Sunday at Nebraska.
- 11
rootsKurt Ulrich Added 5 roots
South Carolina State 59, Michigan(7) 93 FinalNov 12 8:52 PM
Nov 12 8:47 PM
Nov 12 7:44 PM
- 6
rootsRUWTbot Added 6 roots
South Carolina State 5, Michigan(7) 5 1st - 17:19Nov 12 7:06 PM
1st Half - 20:00
Nov 12 7:03 PM
Related News
- SC State's Solomon released from hospital after collapse Dec 8
- Clemson adds experience with transfers Skara, Donnal Oct 19
- Michigan-UCLA basketball to play home-and-home series May 13
- Michigan hires assistant hoops coaches Donlon and Washington May 4
- Michigan's Chatman receives release, plans to transfer May 3
- Michigan's Dawkins transferring to play for father at UCF Apr 6
- Michigan lifts transfer restrictions for Doyle, Albrecht Apr 1
- Doyle, Albrecht receive transfer releases from Michigan Mar 29
- Michigan-Notre Dame is still a great rivalry Mar 17
- Michigan's last-second shots set up First Four vs Tulsa Mar 16
- Tough finish for injured Michigan seniors LeVert, Albrecht Mar 2
- Michigan's Caris LeVert out for season because of ailing leg Mar 1


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¿Hablas Español?
Do you like word and tactical games? Want to practice playing Scrabble in another language? This could be the place for you.
Mindsports Academy (MSA) are pleased to announce, with Federacion Internacional de Scrabble en Español (FISE), the launch of our new and improved online Tournament Spanish Scrabble game.
Working with the team from FISE, we have collaborated and created a multi-language sports room where you can play Tournament Scrabble in the latest language word lists. As a premium member, in your profile settings highlight your preferred language/s in order to be able to play in that lexicon.
MSA Sports Room
Features include but not limited to:
- Multi-language chat in the main entry to the sports room as well as in game chat.
- Player Status - You are able to see if a player is available to play, playing a game or away from their PC.
- Friends list – find your friends online easily by adding their usernames to your 'friends list', as they log into the sports room they will appear at the top of the player list.
- Choose to play either Tournament Scrabble or chess.
- The Tournament Scrabble Game can be played in multiple languages: full members will be able to choose to play the Tournament Scrabble Game in either English, Spanish or Catalan.
- The Tournament Scrabble Games contain the latest language lexicons. The Spanish game includes the recently updated FISE Lexicon.
- Change your Sports Room settings to default to your chosen language when you log in.
The team here at Mindsports Academy will continue to enhance the Sports Room under the guidance of elite level players, and from the feedback received from users.
We are currently developing the system to incorporate Knockout and Round Robin tournaments for Scrabble and chess as part of the tournament structure. Members will begin to see the introduction of new features, one recent feature includes Academy Shields. Academy Shields is the in-play currency that can be used to challenge other players, or to gain entry into tournaments.
"The World Championship is always such a fun event, as we get to gather with so many strong players from all over the world." – David Koenig, US Scrabble Player, finished in the top 10 at the 2016 World Scrabble Championships in Lille, France.
Don't hesitate and start your mindsports journey today, registration is Free, plus as a new member you will receive a 30 day Premium upgrade to explore the whole site as well as play Tournament Scrabble in multiple languages.
About Federacion Internacional De Scrabble En Español (FISE)
In 2000, IFES was established with the approval of the delegates from fifteen countries attending the Fourth International Scrabble Tournament held in November in Chile .
The representatives of the National Scrabble® Associations gathered, in order to consider the constitution of the International Federation Of Scrabble® in Spanish.
About Mindsports Academy
The Mindsports Academy was created in 2013 by Mindsports (International). The Mindsports Academy membership gives individuals and clubs the opportunity to become part of a worldwide network of players through structured online and live events as well as a participation programme involving stimulating Mindsports such as chess, Scrabble and Go.
The Mindsports Academy Sports Room was created to provide a platform for Mindsports enthusiasts of all levels, to come to play and develop their chosen mindsport. Members are able to play against a global base of players, or just their friends.
Whether playing for fun or hoping to compete locally or nationally, the Mindsports Academy has opportunities available for all.
Share This
Also By Rachael Sweet
You Can Help Make A Change
- Complete the short registration form
- Choose what membership you'd like
- Enjoy all the great benefits!
- Guaranteed Games
- Competitive Ranking
- Tournaments with real prizes
- Facetime Experience
- In-game currency
- Multi-language play


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February 26, 2010: The good news: Central States assets increased $2 billion last year.
The bad news: The fund is still in deep trouble.
The assets of the Central States Pension Fund increased by some $2 billion in 2009, ending the year at $19.6 billion. That's the good news.
The bad news is the fund continues to be in deep trouble, and will have to make 12 percent on its investments just to tread water and end this year with that same asset level.
Riding the stock market upturn last year, the fund made 27.5 percent on its investments.
But employer contributions to the fund were down by $211 million, due mainly to YRC's pull-out.
Click here to download the Central States Financial and Analytical Report.
Still Hurting from UPS Pension Grab
If UPS were still a participating employer, they would have contributed some $660 million to the fund in 2009. That would have doubled the employer contributions received by Central States for the year. But Hoffa let UPS withdraw from the fund in the last bargaining round.
If UPS Freight was in the Central States Fund, that would have meant an additional $100 million in contributions last year. But the Hoffa administration inked a substandard contract that keeps UPS Freight out of all Teamster pension funds.
YRC, of course, has frozen pension contributions—costing the fund another $180 million last year. With these key employers not making contributions, the fund had to tap $2.1 billion of its assets to pay $2.7 billion in benefits.
Central States ended 2009 with 60,000 active participants, down from 84,000 a year earlier. This reduction was primarily due to the withdrawal of YRC from the fund in June 2009. Secondarily it was due to layoffs in other industries. The UPS pullout reduced the actives by 44,000 back in January 2008. The number of retirees has been steady at 212,000 for the past two years.
The fund remains in the "Red Zone" or critical status due to its unfunded liabilities.
Trustees, Benefits and Investments
The trustees of the fund—half Teamster officials and half employer reps—say they are not planning any further benefit cuts. The drastic cuts imposed in 2004, which eliminated 25- and 30-and-Out benefits going forward (while preserving credits already earned toward early retirement) remain in effect.
The other element of the fund's rehabilitation plans is a requirement that contracts increase employer contributions by eight percent each year.
YRC's trustee on the fund, Thomas Ventura, was asked to resign after YRC terminated its participation. He resigned in September, and the employer trustees appointed Art Bunte, the former head of Trucking Management, Inc, and employer negotiator with the Teamsters, to fill the position. The union and employer trustees also decided to give the next employer trustee position (in 2011) to the Association of Food and Dairy Retailers, Wholesalers and Manufacturers, and the 2012 appointment will go to ABF, which is presently the largest contributor to the fund.
YRC's concession agreement requires them to resume participation in all Teamster pension plans next January, but there is considerable doubt about the credibility of that commitment.
Central States has 69 percent of its assets in the stock market, most of it managed by Goldman Sachs and Northern Trust Global Advisors; these firms were paid fees of $52 million in 2009.
Click here to download the Central States Financial and Analytical Report.
Showing 3 reactions
Stephanie McAllister followed this page 2016-10-31 15:50:17 -0400
Joseph Dibella commented 2016-04-30 08:39:29 -0400nothing but finger pointing and stupdity whoever is leading this hold wont loose a cent they will line thier pockets.force ups in the fold after all we are brothers will they let old people drown. the horses on the mighty teamster logo should be turned around to represent the pimps that are running this organization.we dont forget just because we are old.sleep well. jesus is waching.good will prevail,
Frank Davis commented 2016-03-21 21:40:37 -0400if yrc can not pay what they owe,close the doors and let abf show how it done.


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The Greenbrier River Trail is a 78-mile long rail trail operated by West Virginia State Park system. Trail uses include bicycling, backpacking, cross-country skiing and horseback riding. A packed, crusher run surface coupled with a mere one per cent grade creates an ease of riding that allows cyclists, young and old, to enjoy the many breathe-taking views. The trail closely mirrors its namesake, the Greenbrier River, for most of its length offering trail users countless opportunities for swimming and fishing.
The Greenbrier River Trail traverses one of the most remote areas in the state and lies adjacent to the Monongahela National Forest, Seneca State Forest and Watoga State Park. A trip along the trail is truly a "Wild and Wonderful" experience.
Trail users are encouraged to wear blaze orange or brightly colored outerwear during hunting seasons in West Virginia.


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Stone's Pet Wash is a state of the art dog bathing facility. Save your back with our raised tubs, and avoid the mess in your house. We supply aprons, shampoo, an easy-to-use bathing system, grooming tables, dryers, towels, a pet weighing scale, and perhaps most importantly, we clean up the mess!
If your dog needs a nail trim, we can do that too (if a groomer is available). test


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We are delighted to welcome you at the site of the 22nd Conference on Organometallic Chemistry (EuCOMC XXII) that will be held under the auspices of the European Association for Chemical and Molecular Sciences (EuCheMS). This event will take place in the center of the bustling city of Amsterdam from 9 till 13 July 2017.
The EuCOMC is organized every second year and has a now long standing tradition as an exchange platform for all aspects of organometallic chemistry and its applications. We intend to provide a valuable platform for scientific discussions as well as a stimulating meeting place encouraging a close partnership between delegates from academia and industry. Developments, achievements and prospects in all fields of organometallic chemistry will be presented in plenary presentations by distinguished and by young scientists, keynote lectures, as oral communications and posters in various sections.
We invite you to discover more about the meeting on this website, which will be regularly updated with news about this conference. Later on, we will invite you to register and to submit your abstracts using our on-line systems. We are very much looking forward to meet you in Amsterdam in 2017.
On behalf of the organizing committee, Kees Elsevier (Chair).
Beurs van Berlage (conference location)


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**B Grade** Western Digital TV HD Media Player (AVP00BE)
- WD TV HD Media Player turns your My Passport
- or similar USB drive
- into an HD media player. Plug and play convenience with Full HD 1080p video playback and navigation.
Stock Code: BG-089-WD
Manufacturer: WD
+44 (0)1782 44 44 55
**B Grade** Western Digital TV HD Media Player (AVP00BE)
B Grade items may have been used, have damaged packaging, missing accessories or a combination of these (Motherboards may be missing I/O shields).
Some items may have scuff marks or slight scratches but should otherwise be an operable product.
- Full HD 1080p video playback and navigation
- Dock-and-play convenience
- Collect without limits - no need to delete movies, just add more USB drives
Media Formats
- Video: MPEG1/2/4, WMV9, AVI (MPEG4, Xvid & AVC), H.264, MKV, MOV (MPEG4 & H264)
- Picture: JPEG, GIF, TIFF, BMP, PNG
- Music: MP3, WMA, OGG, WAV/PCM/LPCM, AAC, FLAC, Dolby Digital, AIF/AIFF & MKA
- Playlist: PLS, M3U & WPL
- Subtitle: SRT (UTF-8)
More links for "**B Grade** Western Digital TV HD Media Player (AVP00BE)"
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You know, I feel I've made the exasperated speech about why there aren't more women in hip-hop a half-dozen times and pretty much before I cover any artists in this vein, and frankly, I'm sick of making it. I'm also coming to the realization that a lot of promising female rappers are fighting their way through an industry that's cutting them no favours and that the only way we're going to see more of them is if more critics like me start giving attention.
In other words, instead of giving any attention to another dime-a-dozen Gucci Mane project that's only going to give me a headache anyway, let's talk about Chicago MC Dreezy. I've actually mentioned her before a few times in the series, once when she dropped some authoritative bars on Common's Nobody's Smiling back in 2014, and once when she released her pop crossover song 'Body' with Jeremih earlier this year that actually had a bit of success on Billboard BREAKDOWN. What most of this told me is that while Dreezy could play to the mainstream pop charts, she was also a solid MC in her own right, not quite part of the drill scene but still capable of hard bars and good flows, certainly more than what I'd seen from DeJ Loaf out of Detroit. So I figured why not dig into her debut album under Interscope No Hard Feelings, which reportedly was pushing with some real narrative ambition and had guest appearances from Jeremih, Wale, T-Pain, and - unfortunately - Gucci Mane. Looks like I'm not going to be able to get away from this guy this week, but whatever - how's the album?
Honestly, I liked this more than I thought I would. Not a great or starmaking debut, but I bet if you put Dreezy up against over half of the current XXL Freshman list she'd run circles around them in terms of flows and bars, and yet she's also got production that would fit right in with the rest of the mainstream, or at least give Nicki Minaj some serious competition. And yet if you dig a little deeper into the lyrics and narrative of this record, you'll see the sort of promise that should attract a lot more attention - Dreezy might be starting with a pretty intimate or even conventional story, but the details show she has the capacity to go bigger.
But before we get into that, let's talk about Dreezy herself, who on first listen might seem to be downplaying in comparison with the harder and faster material she's known from her mixtapes. And while she definitely has some more aggressive, very well constructed flows on this record, I'd argue she's opting for more versatility than spitting, stepping into smoother R&B territory where she seems plenty capable of holding her own as a pretty good expressive singer. And thus of course the Nicki Minaj comparison is going to get made, and while you can see some similarities in their flows, Nicki's always played more towards flashier, more cartoonish excess in both hip-hop and pop, something in which Dreezy doesn't seem all that interested. She's more languid and confident, capable to striking hard but also with a slightly more measured hold on her bars, and that means we get far less wack lines or missteps in her delivery. And in another plus, her guest stars are all a solid fit - Jeremih is well-balanced on 'Body', Wale tries to seduce but is playfully batted aside on 'Afford My Love', and T-Pain of all people delivers a solid performance opposite her on 'Close To You', even if his content isn't particularly stellar - I mean, come on dude, feel the mood and use some subtlety. Hell, even Gucci Mane seems to be riding behind Dreezy on their team-up 'We Gon Ride' instead of dominating the track, and this is exactly what you want for a debut: compliment your main MC rather than overshadowing them or outright embarrassing yourself.
And believe it or not, that fits the narrative of this record as well, loose as it might be. The six skits roughly sketch out the story of how she catches her guy Jumal cheating, dumps him, runs into a new guy Sean who wins her over and for whom she has feelings, all amidst songs of her finding the fine line between flossing, smacking down her competition male or female, and trying to keep her heart safe as she gradually warms up to the new guy. And if I were going to find a significant weakness in the content, it'd come in the detail within the songs to flesh out more of the story. Don't get me wrong, I can appreciate how these songs could stand out as both R&B or hip-hop singles, from the flexing on 'Spazz', 'Bad Bitch', 'Don't Know Me', and the insane double time flow she uses on the closer 'Invincible' to the more relationship-driven songs like the balance she's trying to walk on 'See What You On' between her own alpha rap persona and her growing feelings for this guy, or where she makes use of Wale's stumbling performance to reassert herself on 'Afford My Love', or when she pushes the drunken entreaties away on 'Wasted', an easy standout here. But while the skits do string things together and the topics of the songs roughly fall into an arc, the actual detail telling the story can feel a bit thin, kept out in order to make the songs more single-ready so they can stand on their own... and honestly, I'm not sure that was needed, as the hooks are strong and Dreezy's got enough punchlines in a Drake-esque mold for it not to matter. It also probably could have cut down on some of the bloat - while this record does go down easy, the back half does drag a bit with tracks like 'Ready' that don't really contribute much. And then there's the ending - Jumal and Sean confront each other and there's a shootout - it's left ambiguous who actually dies - and then we have 'Break The News', which is a bit of an odd fit within the narrative as she feels neglected by Sean and considers going back to Jumal, even if the relationship was lousy. And it's a bit of an alarming moment because at that point one or both of them could be dead, and Dreezy's choice almost feels irrelevant, which undercuts some of the drama. Thankfully, the implication with that and 'Invincible' is that she winds up going her own way, which is probably for the best, but again, it's an oddly sloppy moment in the writing that could have been tightened up.
Thankfully, the production also does a fair amount of heavy lifting, and definitely shows the split in sound between her hometown of Chicago and her current residence in LA, as we get the rougher drill-like snares, low tides of synth and heavy bass opposite tracks that have a much stronger west-coast, borderline g-funk feel. Take the bright sparkles of synth around the thicker bass on 'Wasted' that develops some real gloss on the bridge, or the very distinctive g-funk synths and guitars on 'Afford My Love', even getting some sax from Terrace Martin to add to the smoother vibe on 'See What You On' and 'Close To You'. Now that's not saying that she doesn't have her hard side, like the oddly elegant dark low pianos against the warble of guitars and synth on 'Don't Know Me' or the sparse ominous tapping punch of 'Bad Bitch' or the warped hollow fragments against the bass on 'Spazz' - for as much as there are pop-friendly moments on this record like 'Body', the production definitely lends these tracks some heavier bite. And considering how melodic many of these hooks turn out to be, there are very few of the beats that I outright disliked, the two being the murky grind of bassy synth punctuated by high airhorn squeals and warping vocal fragments on 'We Gon Ride' and the borderline atonal hollow-warbles filling up the background of 'Ready' that just didn't flatter the vocal melody at all.
But at the end of the day... again, I was surprised by how much I liked this, because on the surface a lot of her content really isn't all that different from her male peers, especially when it comes to the more braggadocious material. But it's bragging done better, with good beats, well-structured bars, and enough of a narrative framework to support it and add context, and more importantly flesh out Dreezy's dramatic persona. Again, it can feel a little stretched and thin at points, and there's a part of me that wishes Dreezy would stick with more of the complex flows, but I don't mind the R&B touches and I just hope that Dreezy doesn't spread herself too thin, especially as Jhene Aiko can play in similar territory with sharper and more complex insight. But this is a potent debut from a promising artist nonetheless, netting a light 7/10 from me and definitely a recommendation if you're looking for a female MC that could play in the mainstream and kick the asses of so much of her competition. Let's just hope the rest of the world catches onto it.


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DayTimer For Free
This is a slick app that does many things to help remind you of an important date. It will remind you with an alarm that the day is here, or is coming, if you set it up beforehand. You can add messages, like "Wedding Anniversary" or "buy gift" and you can write down the gift you intend to get.
This app can also give you a countdown to the number of days left for the event.
Price: Free. [Download Link]
Goons & Bots Alarm Clock
There is one way to sleep, with a Bot, and you can wake up with a Goon … Ok, there are other ways, more personal ways, but with this free animated cartoon clock you will have a different daytime and night time experience. You will have an animated night time Bot to go to sleep to, and a Goon to wake up to. Also there are multiple alarms for setting appointments throughout the day. The built in musical alarms are unique and you can import music and sounds from your musical library.
Price: Free. [Download link]
Lovely Sakura Live Wallpaper
Why have a boring screen background when you can have a lively one? With this live wallpaper, you can have the feel of a Spring day in Japan, with this Sakura (Cherry Blossom) live wallpaper. You also have the background scenery, which will automatically change as daylight falls. It will go from sunrise to sunset and into night time, with the backdrop of falling cherry blossoms. You will see the sun rise or set, or comets fall in the background whenever your screen turns on, or when you tilt the phone to see the cherry blossoms change direction.
Price:Free. [Download Link]
Daytime Widget
Here is a simple app. It shows the dawn, sunrise, sunset, and dusk times for your physical location. It also shows the time remaining to and from the closest one. Asterisk color depends on day phase. You can also get a list of worldwide locations if you purchase the World Clock app, or World Watch including weather info.
Price: Free. [Download Link]
Weissbluth Infant Nap App
Almost all new parents have a common experience with newborns. The newborn has a sleep habit that is not in sync with the parent's sleep habit. So parents end up trying to stay awake or modifying their children's sleep habit to the standard day and night version we are so familiar with.
This app is a first-of–its-kind. It was inspired by Dr. Marc Weissbluth's book,
"Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child." The app will offer parents a guide into creating healthy sleep habits for their children. This program, designed for any infant from birth to 12 months, gives not only age specific sleep advice but also age specific "nap reminders" to ensure your infant becomes a healthy sleeper.
Price: $1.29 [Download Link]
These are fun iPhone apps that can help you keep time in a variety of different ways. Some look nice, also others can help you keep track of important dates. An interesting app is the Weissbluth Infant Nap App. Most parents would welcome some help in getting their infant children to sleep in a healthy way. This app will do that.
- Daytimer Image, https://www.appbrain.com/app/daytimer-for-free/com.softgame.daytimer
- Goons and Bots, https://www.androidzoom.com/android_applications/tools/goons-bots-alarm-clock_tqqg.html
- Lovely Sakura Live Wallpaper, https://www.androidzoom.com/android_themes/wallpapers/lovely-sakura-live-wallpaper_rhuq.html
- Daytime Widget, https://www.androidzoom.com/android_applications/lifestyle/daytime-widget_nmah.html
- Weissbluth Infant Nap App, https://www.androidzoom.com/android_applications/education/weissbluth-infant-nap-app_sceu.html


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A fifth Oakland police officer and a sheriff's deputy have been placed on administrative leave, the department confirmed Monday, as the young woman at the center of the growing sex scandal claims to have had sex with 28 officers stretching across several agencies.
The 18-year-old Celeste Guap, which is not her real name, told NBC Bay Area on Monday that she's had sex with officers from the Richmond Police Department, the Alameda County Sheriff's Office and the Contra Costa County Sheriff's Office, as well as a Livermore police officer and a law enforcement worker based in Stockton. In all, she said she's had sex with 28 law enforcement officers throughout the Bay Area. And she also said that some officers paid her for the sex, either with money or with information. She said four of those encounters were when she was underage.
That number is more than she told both the East Bay Express and the East Bay Times, which reported many details about the scandal over the weekend.
Guap told those agencies that she had sex with at least 14 Oakland officers, including three when she was underage; that two officers provided her with confidential police information, including tips on scheduled anti-prostitution stings; and that a retired OPD captain in his 80s paid $250 to have sex with her in a rundown San Pablo Avenue motel.
Guap is not her real name. She posts her status updates frequently on Facebook and has been commenting throughout the scandal on social media.
The Oakland Police department did not name the latest officer on leave, but it comes days after Police Chief Sean Whent left the department in a sudden and tight-lipped announcement.
Sources told both news organization that Whent's ouster was at the behest of the federal monitor overseeing the department over a growing sex scandal involving Guap, the daughter of a police dispatcher, who said she exchanged sex with officers for being tipped off about prostitution rings so that she could avoid arrest.
Guap also told NBC Bay Area she befriended Whent's wife on Facebook and told her that she was dating an Oakland police officer when she was just 17.
Of the five Oakland officers who have been placed on paid administrative leave, two have resigned from the force. An unnammed Contra Costa County Sheriff's deputy was also placed on leave.
"The Oakland Police Department can confirm that another officer has been placed on administrative leave as part of our ongoing investigation into the alleged sexual misconduct case involving Oakland police officers," a Police Department statement said. "The Internal Affairs Division will continue to investigate all of the misconduct allegations. The Oakland Police Department is committed to transparency. However, a complete investigative process requires confidentiality in order to maintain the integrity of the investigation."
Alameda County Sheriff's Sgt. Ray Kelly told NBC Bay Area that deputy Eric Chaloner had a Facebook relationship with Guap and that they chatted. But there is no reason to believe, he added, that there was sexting or sexual activity with her while she was a minor. Kelly added the deputy has done nothing wrong other than a lapse in judgment.
The Contra Costa Sheriff's Office confirmed in a statement Monday that it was investigating the allegations against its officer.
"We are aware of the allegation against our employee and are awaiting the criminal investigation interview by Oakland PD," the statement said. "We will be conducting our own administrative investigation immediately. We take the allegation seriously and will not tolerate this alleged conduct by our employee, as we uphold the highest ethical standards."
Mayor Libby Schaaf originally told reporters on Friday that Whent's departure had nothing to do with the sex scandal.


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Who We Are
Launch Fiber is a coalition initiative started by Tyler England, an Electrical Engineering student at the University of Alabama in Huntsville. Tyler started the petition for gigabit fiber in February of 2014 to raise awareness of the severe lack of a high-tech internet infrastructure in Huntsville and Madison County.
Rod Montgomery is an internet technologist that has designed, implemented, or managed networks for DealNews.com, NASA, service provider API Digital, the City of Huntsville, the Smithsonian Institution, and others. He joined Launch Fiber to advocate for an open fiber network on which many service providers compete.
Launch Fiber now consists of a list of diverse and powerful partners, all who have one clear goal: To bring gigabit fiber internet infrastructure to our community.
Please consider joining us and helping bring fiber to our community.


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Skill training
Do you really OWN your bike or do you just sit on it? Learn to be able to control your bike and improve the fun! Learn from the basics and give your skills a boost! It's not only more fun, it will make you a better rider. Our goal is to make you a better rider! We end the training with a nice cup of coffee or tea, and do a review on the training by watching foto & film taken during the training.
- Climbing situations
- Break control
- Downhill situations
- Turns, U turns, switchbacks
- Material
- Choice of tires
- How to fine tune the bike
- Obstacles
Sunday 11-02-2018 Level 1 Skill Training 08.30 Johanna's Hof finish ca 12.00 €60,- p.p.
Sunday 04-03-2018 Level 2 Skill Training 08.30 Johanna's Hof finish ca 12.00 €60,- p.p.
Both training €110,- p.p. Min 4 and Max of 6 participants
info en aanmelden email@example.com


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Saturday, 14 October 2017
My belly is still big #DadDirt
DAD, clothed, checks himself out in the mirror, front on, while MUM is in bed.
I don't get it. I've been working out every day with the ioniser... and I'm bigger than when I started.
He turns, revealing the bulge on his tummy.
You mean Ab-dominiser.
He pulls up his jumper. A room ioniser is taped to his stomach.
My belly's still big.
On the upside, it smells nice and fresh.
Previous post...
We love those advert banners all over our school gates don't we. #DadDirt
All about me, and getting these by email.
Posted by Neil Mossey at 16:27
Labels: AlphaMale, Bedroom, BetaMale, Comedy, Dad, DadDirt, Daddy, embarrassment, Funny, Health, Ideas, Neil Mossey, Sketches, Technology, Writer, writing
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)


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Ready to Dominate: Raptor Octavius wants to take over the world
When you a hear a band name like Raptor Octavius, you might get all kinds of assumptions of what they sound like, what they look like, who they are, and how many neck tattoos they may or may not collectively have – but that's exactly what the band is trying not to do. Don't make any assumptions about them, because you're probably wrong.
"The best crowds are when it's late in the night and everyone's slimey. That's the ideal show." – Rollie Duerre, Raptor Octavius
The name is a mashup of Octavius, the surname of Roman conqueror Augustus, and of course raptor – you know – the dinosaur. Both had a penchant for domination, a line that metaphorically threads through this band.
"Octavius, that's some take over the world sh*t," said Rollie Duerre, one of the band's guitarists and songwriters. "That's what we're trying to do. We're gonna rule and we're gonna do it like some dinosaurs."
Raptor Octavius is a band made up of recent Eau Claire Memorial grads that's developing their vibe by writing all kinds of songs from rock to psychedelic to pop, playing sweaty shows together, making huge vibrations whenever they play, letting loose, and having a good time. And as the young band preps for their first tour ever – a string of shows in Eau Claire, Menomonie, Madison, and Milwaukee – their future is bright as all get-out.
The band started a couple years ago with Memorial's annual Uganda Rock benefit concert. Before they were Raptor Octavius, some members of the band had a Strokes cover band cleverly called The Aneurisms. After making a splash at Uganda Rock, they ended up starting to write some original songs inspired by bands like Queens of the Stone Age, Weezer, and Tame Impala. Now after about a year of performing together, they don't want to shoehorn themselves into a definable genre, they write the songs they want to write, feel it out as a full band, and let the live show speak for itself.
"Somebody will lay something down and we'll all hop on it, and if we all like it we'll keep going, but if we're not feeling it, we'll scrap it," said Zack Hopkins, the band's lead vocalist. Bassist Henry Wisner adds: "Sometimes Rollie will write a riff and be like, 'Is this too heavy?' And we're like, 'No.'"
Raptor has a five-track collection of songs they recorded at Pine Hollow Studio they're looking to drop soon, but they've already moved on to writing more and more material, upgrading their gear, planning out bigger and better shows, and learning more about what they want to be.
In the last year, they've notched a bunch of cool shows on their collective belt at places like The Plus and Every Buddy's Bar, not to mention a litany of house shows and even the Third Ward Neighborhood block party. In a live setting, their energy and eclectic song catalog make for an undeniably fun show.
"When we can all coordinate jumping off our amps at the same time, it's great," Wisner said, laughing. "But we don't time it right that much."
As for the future, after this string of shows, Raptor Octavius is putting their focus on working out new songs, molding their sound, and playing a bunch of DIY shows wherever they can.
"The hotter the house, the better," Duerre said. "The best crowds are when it's late in the night and everyone's slimey. That's the ideal show."
So keep an eye on Raptor as they start to launch all the things they want to do. After all, they might conquer the world someday.
For more on Raptor Octavius, follow the band on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.


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Parents, Guardians & Mentors
A Message from the Vice Provost of International Affairs
Dear Parents and Guardians,
Greetings from the Office of International Affairs! We are delighted that your student is thinking about study abroad or has already decided to participate. Research demonstrates that a study abroad experience can have a tremendous, transformative impact on a college student's academic, professional, and personal development. At Texas Tech, study abroad is an integral part of the Red Raider experience and better prepares students – whether they are from Texas, New York, Bangkok, or Cairo – to work, live, and compete in a global economy.
Study abroad programs allow students to earn academic credit and can include international experiences such as research, internships, and service. It is the mission of our office to break down barriers, financial and otherwise, to make study abroad accessible to as many students as possible. Texas Tech recognizes that parents, family, and guardians are critical partners in achieving these goals and supporting student success. To assist, we have developed the following website and resources for parents and guardians to explain the various aspects of the study abroad process and answer questions that you may have.
By studying abroad with Texas Tech, your student can make substantial progress toward their academic collegiate pursuits. Our staff is committed to connecting your student with opportunities that not only meet their unique goals and needs but also provide a significant and enriching cultural experience. TTU expects students to take responsibility for and ownership of their process because doing so can further develop the maturity, independence, self-confidence, and self-sufficiency that students learn while abroad. As such, our staff will communicate directly with your student, and we encourage you to help support their direct communication with us as well.
We strive to provide each student with the support, guidance, knowledge, and tools to safely and successfully participate in study abroad as part of their academic career. Please be assured that our overarching priority is the safety and security of our Study Abroad participants. Given the inherent threats in today's world – not just abroad, but everywhere – we continuously monitor global events and trends and will not hesitate to remove a site, or even an entire country, as a study abroad destination until such time as conditions improve.
During the decades that I have been with Texas Tech University, I have been happy to see thousands of our students pursue education abroad experiences all over the world. They have enjoyed the friendliness of international professors and the host communities that welcome their curiosity and desire for intercultural engagement.
It is my belief that our study abroad students bring something special back to Texas Tech, and I want to thank you whole-heartedly for playing a vital part in the study abroad process – from their decision to participate all the way through their return. We are very proud of our study abroad students, and Texas Tech is dedicated to making your student's study abroad one of the most meaningful and impactful experiences of their life.
Sukant Misra, Ph.D.
Vice Provost for International Affairs
Professor of Agricultural & Applied Economics
What we can promise you...
- We are complying with the FERPA laws that affect what information we can and cannot share with our student's family members and/or guardians. If a student would like for their information to be made available to others, then they must first complete a FERPA waiver, and indicate on their study abroad application that we can communicate certain information to you. Please visit FERPA/Academic Information Waiver for more information about FERPA.
- We are preparing your student to adapt, learn, and excel in their new environment.
- We are mitigating risks appropriately in all locations where we place students. Please visit the OIA's Global Safety and Security Resources for more information.
- We are communicating with your student's host institution or program provider appropriately with information pertinent to their experience before, during, and after their education abroad experience.
- We are listening to your student and responding promptly to their concerns regarding registration, billing, and other university matters.
How you can work with us...
- Your student understands the centrality of their role in co-creating a positive education abroad experience to include disclosing any needs they have that might affect their health, safety, or wellness. Students should feel comfortable sharing issues and concerns directly with program staff in their host country, and students are responsible for paying any bills, library fines, or balances owed to TTU in a timely manner.
- Your student has made the time to discuss with you the goals and expectations that they have for their international experience. Students must also be thinking ahead about housing and registering for classes for the semester following their education abroad experience.
- Your student discloses to you as well as the TTU Study Abroad staff any additional travel and activities they have planned which are independent of their study abroad program.
- You are aware that your student – rather than TTU staff or the study abroad program – may be the most appropriate source for some information.
- Your student develops a communication plan with you that addresses when and how often to be in contact while abroad. It is particularly important to discuss the importance of a first call home upon arrival in their host country.
Additional Information of Interest to Parents & Guardians
- TTU Study Abroad Data
- Cost & Billing Information
- Policies & Procedures
- Health, Safety, & Insurance Information
- The Application Process
- Helpful Tips for Non-U.S. Citizens and Resident Aliens
- Additional Resources
- Suggested Readings
- Global Safety and Security Resources
- Study abroad webinar recorded in partnership with Texas Tech Parents' Association: Recorded February, 2018
Suggested Readings
- "Before They Go Abroad" by James McCommons from Better Homes and Gardens magazine, August 2006
- NAFSA's What Parents Need to Know! Before, During and After Education Abroad
- Communicating with Strangers: An Introduction to Intercultural Communication by William B. Gudykunst and Young Yun Kim
- American-Cultural Patterns: A Cross-Cultural Perspective by Edward C. Stewart and Milton J. Bennett (especially chapters 4 and 5)
- Survival Kit for Overseas Living by Robert Kohls
- Surviving Re-entry: A Readjustment Manual for Parents
- Voting procedures while abroad
See also newspaper websites from around the world to gain other (non-U.S.) perspectives on particular issues or incidents.
Study Abroad
Address601 Indiana Avenue, Lubbock, TX 79409


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Cooking, the very word strikes fear in some people's hearts, but for others, like myself it's met with mixed emotions. I absolutely love to cook (and here comes the B word), BUT I hate to try to figure out what we are going to eat every, single night. Let's face it, we all have our go to recipes and we only seem to cook those go to recipes, ever. Seriously. I think I make spaghetti at least every two weeks. My child loves it, it's quick, and it's super easy to clean up. I maybe have two weeks of food recipes that I use religiously and that gets old.
Pinterest has certainly helped with shaking up the recipes and all the internet searches and cookbooks. But what about those who don't have the internet and don't make it a habit of buying those crazy expensive cookbooks? Who doesn't have internet these days, you say? This girl right here. I do most of my interneting (not a word, I know, I know) from my phone. I post blog updates, check out the latest drama on Facebook, and browse for my cool new project or recipe on Pinterest all from that little, tiny screen (I will admit that I do edit and sometimes make posts on my break at work, though). One day, I will break down and not be a cheapskate but for now I'm enjoying not having an internet bill (If that blows your mind I'm sure it will be equally devastating for you to learn I only have free T.V., I know, I know, shocker!) =). But back to the question, what about those few of us?
That's where the library comes in. I think most people over look everything libraries have to offer. My library has a rich collection of cookbooks. Any type of food you can imagine, there's a cookbook for it. I'm sure some of you already knew about this awesome (and free!) resource, but did you know about that pamphlets?
I think this is going to be the next big thing (because we all know how up to the times I am, right?). The library I work at has a HUGE pamphlet collection that ranges from recipes to household care. It even has some awesome church cookbooks (we all know church lady's know how to cook some of the best food you ever put on your tongue). It's housed in our Special Collections so it can't go home with you, but we are in the process of digitizing it (You can check it out here: http://libcdm1.uncg.edu/cdm/landingpage/collection/HENP) . Which is what I've been up to in digital projects here lately.
I submitted a proposal a couple of years ago to get these pamphlets on the internet, where they can be used, instead of just sitting in a vertical file. I can honestly say, this is one of the funnest projects I've worked on. Just knowing that you can try to make a recipe from 1914 is just amazing to me. You can eat what someone else ate exactly 100 years ago! I just blows my mind. Some of them sounds fabulous, some of them not so much (like ham in a jello mold–not my cup of tea), but I have been dying to try some of these sucker out. One from the Baker's Cocoanut Recipes is going to happen soon (How could you not want to make something with that cute little coconut on the cover?).


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November Legal Tidbit
Posted on
Question: After I have served a Demand on my tenant for non-payment, what are my choices?
Answer: If the tenant pays the amount demanded (or the amount legally due) in full within the three days following the date on which the Demand was delivered, the landlord has no choice but to accept the payment and allow the tenant to stay. The landlord may refuse or reject a partial payment. If a partial payment is accepted, then a new demand for the balance still due should be served. Once the three days have passed, the landlord is not required by law to accept it and may instead require the tenant to vacate by
commencing an eviction lawsuit.


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|First time ever that I have taken a rest during a walk!
Licks and Wags,
It's alright to take a break. Hope you got a treat too. Happy Black n White SUNDAY. Lots of Golden Woofs, SugarReplyDelete
Well it is easy Sunday Dina. Have a serene Sunday.
Best wishes Molly
Must be getting hot there...I like to run from shade tree to shade tree on our walks, take a quick lie down and wait for the slow hoomin to catch up :) Have a peaceful SundayReplyDelete
Must have been either hot out or one long walk!ReplyDelete
I'll bet the grass felt great.ReplyDelete
That must have been some walk, Dina! :)ReplyDelete
Hey no worries - working up a sweat takes a lot out of you. Rest is good!ReplyDelete
LOL! Love the happy face. My Sheltie, Jasper, does the same thing. I love it when they have a good time. Very cute!ReplyDelete
Great smile!
Judging from the length of that tongue, I'd say you earned your rest! Happy Black and White Sunday!ReplyDelete
What a gorgeous puppy! Thanks for coming by--nice to meet you!ReplyDelete
Look at that tongue! That must have been a long walk Dina.ReplyDelete
Must have been an awesome walk!!ReplyDelete
Gosh, I wish my dogs were ball dogs like you! And yes, Dina, you look quite pretty in those flowers! What a fun day!
Looks like you got tired out if the way your tongue is hanging is an indicator! Lots and lots of fun!!ReplyDelete


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Have you ever thought, "Man, I really want some movies on Steam." Well, that is sort of a reality now, as Indie Game: The Movie is now up for pre-order on Steam this very second. If you pre-order it before June 12th, you can save yourself one dollar and pick it up the 1080p documentary for $8.99. If iTunes is more your style, it's up there as well.
If you hate that pesky DRM all those digital stores force on your products, the IGTM site will be offering a direct download DRM-free in either 1080p or 720p for only $9.99. They've also just announced that there is a Blu-ray copy for sale. As an added bonus, if you've already pre-ordered the DVD version, you have the option of upgrading to the Blu-ray version absolutely free.
It doesn't seem like it was ever out of the question, but it's still very surprising to see Steam offering a movie for purchase on their store. It was also brilliant to do so, as anything that is offered on Steam usually benefits substantially. I know I'll be putting down my pre-order here pretty soon, as I've not been able to see the film myself yet. Plus, Steam is just pretty damned convenient.
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New York Ophthalmology
Quality Vision Care in Your Neighborhood
Whether you live in the South Bronx or Queens, New York Ophthalmology is part of your community. Established in 2014 with the mission of providing residents and their families exceptional vision care in a positive and friendly environment, our practice has now grown to include 3 locations. Our ophthalmologists use the latest technology to diagnose and treat a range of vision problems, and to perform advanced LASIK surgery.


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John Scofield - New Morning: The Paris Concert DVD
John Scofield is considered one of the most important and influential jazz guitarists and composers since he arrived on the scene in the mid seventies. A masterful improviser at the peak of his creative art, Scofield revisits today compositions & interpretations richly combining post-bop, funk edged jazz, and R&B influences. The New Morning is deeply honored to welcome this 2010 performance by John Scofield (backed by master drummer Bill Stewart, bassist Ben Street and pianist Michael Eckroth) to its series of DVDs dedicated to the great musicians of the Sons of Miles generation. A veteran alum, John toured & recorded with Miles for nearly four years in the eighties.
Track Listing:
* Ten Taken
* Woody'n You
* Slinky
* My Foolish Heart
* Steeplechase
* Hive
* Lost Found & Inbetween
* Chirikawa
* Relaxin' at Camarillo
* I Want To Talk To You
* Groove Elation
* The Guiness Spot
Released 11.23.2010
# Run Time: 135 mins
# Audio: 5.1 SURROUND
# Year of Production: 2010
# Director: Daniel Farhi
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Cozy Up
Creating a cozy throw for your sofa or bed that matches your colors and style is an easy afternoon project that could also morph into an idea for gift giving. Giving one in interesting colors and textures is sure to please someone on your list.
Have a length of your favorite fabric cut 50-by-60 inches for a small throw; 60-by-90 inches for a large one, then customize the edges with one of these choices.
Fringe: Pull out 1 to 1 1/2-inch of the weave on each end of the cut fabric with your fingers. The looser and fuzzier the textile, the easier it will be to separate the weave and make the fringe. Wool-mohair blends work well.
All stitched up: To finish the edge with a blanket stretch, roll each end of the cut fabric with your fingers. Then using yarn or stitching floss in a contrasting color, sew around the folded loop of fabric, removing the pins as you go. For more on the blanket stitch, go to marthastewart.com/blanket-stitch.
Braids: Trim a 4-inch square from each corner of a wool or fleece fabric. Fold each edge of throw over 2 inches; stitch along each edge, creating tubes. Using chalk, mark notches every 3/4 inch along each tube. Cut each notch down to the stitch line, creating loops. Starting in the middle of one side, slip one loop over the next loop to it. The take that loop, and slip it over the one next to it. Continue around the perimeter. At the end, cut the last loop open at one side of the stitch line, thread it through the first loop, and hand-sew shut.
Transform old sweaters into decorative pillows
Rather than taking your favorite old sweater to the thrift store transform it into a pillow that you can use for many more years to come. Add interest by positioning a button edge down the middle of the pillow, or place a ribbed edge as a closure to one side.
Step 1: Cut a pattern out of paper to conform to the pillow form. (The sweater cover should be slightly loose.) Pin pattern to sweater front, and zigzag stitch around pattern before cutting to prevent raveling. Carefully cut out pillow front around zigzag. Repeat process for sweater back.
Step 2: With right sides together, machine-stitch the front to the back leaving one end open to fill with pillow form. Turn right side out, and insert form; then handsew to close. If you choose to use the button edge of the sweater on the pillow, you can insert the pillow form at that opening.
Step 3: Handsew antique buttons to replace original ones, or add buttons to the ribbed edges for a decorative closure.
(Source: Southern Living)
Susan Woody has been a home and garden writer for more than 20 years and is a master gardener.


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We know the story: Nine years before Aaron Alexis went on a homicidal rage at the Washington Navy Yard last month, shooting dead a dozen people, he was on another rage.
With a Glock 30 .45-caliber pistol, he shot the tires of a car belonging to a construction worker employed next door to Alexis's home in Seattle.
In 2007, three years after that, Alexis, a defense contractor, was granted a "secret" security clearance. Government officials didn't even know details of his earlier wrath. It led to his arrest but not a conviction.
That level of ignorance left members of a Senate committee dismayed at a federal security-clearance process that does not always check an individual's police record.
"This is a shocking revelation," said Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.), echoing the views of colleagues at a Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee hearing Thursday.
"The notion that you're calling what you're doing 'quality control' is offensive," she told Elaine Kaplan, acting director of the Office of Personnel Management, which oversees background investigations.
"If we do a gut check on this issue, we'll realize a lot of the work we've been doing on this has just been checking boxes," she said.
There are efforts to ensure that background checks go beyond that.
McCaskill, along with Sens. Susan Collins (R-Maine), Heidi Heitkamp (D-N.D.) and Kelly Ayotte (R-N.H.) introduced legislation Wednesday that would require an automated search of public records for everyone with a security clearance. The searches would come at random times but at least twice every five years.
Brian A. Prioletti, an assistant director in the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, told the committee about a similar "Continuous Evaluation" tool under development that "will enable us to more reliably determine an individual's eligibility to hold a security clearance or sensitive position on an ongoing basis."
President Obama has ordered an administration review of the security clearance process.
"In particular, we recognize that evolution of the security clearance process must include the ability to obtain and easily share relevant information on a more frequent or real-time basis," Kaplan said.
She also had to field complaints about USIS, the private contractor that did the background investigation of Alexis and Edward Snowden, who leaked National Security Agency documents.
The Justice Department has joined a lawsuit that accuses the firm of billing the government for incomplete investigations.
"Maybe it's a cold comfort, but the cases that . . . were, to use the phrase 'dumped,' were cases that also were subject to OPM quality review," Kaplan said. "So it is not that the cases were never reviewed before they were passed on to the agency" responsible for determining if someone will get a security clearance.
Kaplan must be pleased that she won't have to suffer critical congressional questioning much longer: She'll soon leave the OPM to serve as a judge with the United States Court of Federal Claims. But for one last time as an OPM official, she had to answer to senators who found serious problems with the OPM's supervision of background investigations.
"I think we have to ask whether the system is fundamentally flawed," Chairman Thomas R. Carper (D-Del.) said.
Kaplan didn't defend the system, but she did try to explain it.
"It is important to understand the relatively limited nature of the investigation prescribed in the standards as they existed in 2007 for individuals like Mr. Alexis being considered for a Secret-level clearance in connection with their military service," she said in testimony submitted to the committee. "Those standards were records based, unlike the investigations for higher levels of clearance, and did not require that the investigator interview references."
She said that in the Alexis case, the investigation examined court records but not Seattle Police Department reports, because in the past, that department and others would not provide those reports.
"I don't believe that is accurate," said Mark Jamieson, a Seattle police detective in the department's public affairs office. "Anyone who was doing a proper background investigation" could have seen the police report on Alexis because it is a public document.
Indeed, that document is now online. Though it might not have been online in 2007, Jamieson said that "if they had called and inquired, we would have provided that to them."
Court records in Washington state were checked, Kaplan said, and indicated that a malicious-mischief allegation concerning Alexis had been dismissed.
But senators noted that court records do not always reveal the complete story. The disposition of a case "may tell us nothing," said Ayotte, a former prosecutor.
Asked Carper: "Why did the investigator responsible for looking into that arrest write up that Alexis had 'retaliated by deflating' someone's tires instead of disclosing that Alexis had shot the tires?"
An unhappy Sen. Tom Coburn (Okla.), the top Republican on the committee, said that "this is an issue of us failing to do our job in a proper way when it comes to security clearances."
But, he added, "it's unlikely that a stricter clearance process would have prevented a deranged individual from committing murder."
Twitter: @JoeDavidsonWP
Previous columns by Joe Davidson are available at wapo.st/JoeDavidson.


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Slick warehouse conversion
Off-centre Clerkenwell
The Zetter hotel in London's hip Clerkenwell neighbourhood is a 1960s-design-lover's dream city pad, filled with clever clashes of modern styles and mid-century-inspired furniture. In the lobby, the red-lit atrium and bright pink chandelier hint at what the rooms hold (okay, think shag carpets and neon colours). Farringdon's gastronomic delights are on your doorstep, while the Zetter Townhouse, across the courtyard, is home to one of London's top cocktail bars.
Smith Extra
Get this when you book through us:
A selection of cake bites and guaranteed late check-out until 1pm


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|Biosequences .. Software .. Molbio soft .. Network News .. FTP
>> Has anyone ever really proven the existence of a single electron? >> Has anyone ever managed with machines to perceive an electron? >> (Quite possibly this is nonsense, just if I were working on what you >> do, I'd wonder about that point.) >I think the existence of electrons was initially more mathematically >proven than actually being observed. However, accumulated evidence in >physics and chemistry has proven its actual existence. = "Accumulated evidence..." In short: HAS anyone SEEN one ever with some machine. Is there any single existing picture or something like that of one single electron? And no guessing, I am serious: Have you or anyone ever seen a picture of one single electron or can tell me where I can find such a picture? Cheng, if I were you I'd get such a picture. Just of fun calculate through for the brain and other stuff if there were no electrons and the stuff were instead sort of a roundish "layer-energy" hull/halo.... ! And then stick your photon theories slightly altered in again. Ciyadrachon


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This weeks block is from Jo Morton and it has Flying Geese in it...I am having way too much fun making Flying Geese units right now. Do you remember that old commercial for potato chips with the tagline, "Bet you can't eat just one?" Well, I am finding it hard to make just one of these blocks and once you give it a try you may feel the same. There are so many looks you can get just by changing the fabric placement and if you have been looking at all of the lovely blocks being shared on Facebook you know just what I mean.
You can find the pattern HERE.
I am going to use the No Waste method for making the Flying Geese units again. That means I changed the cutting directions for A and B.
A-2 1/8" x 2 1/8" (cut 8)
B- 3 1/2" x 3 1/2" (cut 2)
Since I am making two different colors of Flying Geese I cut one B from each fabric choice.
We should be getting pretty good at this now...place two A squares on opposite corners of the B square and draw a diagonal line through both.
Sew 1/4 inch from each side of the drawn line. I find it helps to have that point on the top A square facing towards me as I feed it though my machine.
Cut apart on the line and press towards the triangles.
I draw the diagonal line on the remaining A squares before placing them on the unit just made.
Just like before, sew 1/4 inch from each side of the drawn line. Again, I like to sew with the unit in this direction so that everything stays nice and flat. Cut apart on the drawn line and press towards the triangles. Voilà! Four little Flying Geese made.
We need to trim these to 1 1/2" x 2 1/2" I am using one of my Bloc Loc rulers, but will demonstrate with a regular ruler as well.
If you are using a regular ruler line up the 1 1/4 inch mark with the point of the "Goose" making sure that you have 1/4 inch extending beyond. Place your 1 1/2 inch mark along the diagonal seam on the right and 2 1/2 inch mark on the left. Trim the side and top.
Rotate the unit and once again place the 1 1/4 inch mark at the point of the "Goose" and the 1 1/2" line of your ruler should run along the edge we just trimmed. Line up the diagonal of the ruler with the seam on the right, and the 2 1/2" line should fall right on the other edge we you just trimmed. Trim the last two sides.
Now lay out all of the lovely geese in pairs and sew them together.
There is going to be some bulk when you go over this seam so go slow. A stilleto can help to guide it through as you attempt to have your needle land right on the center of the X made by the seams of the flying geese. (see next photo)
I tried to zoom in to show how X marks the spot you want to hit with your needle. If you land to the left of the stitches you will lose your sharp point.
All my geese are in a row and waiting for me to make the Square in a Square unit for the center.
I did not make any changes to Jo Morton's cutting directions for the C and D blocks. She is making this unit the same way I would have chosen. Start by drawing diagonal lines on all four C squares. Place one C square on the D square.
This time we will sew along the diagonal line. I have found it is best to place your needle just to the right of the drawn line rather than landing on top of it.
Before cutting away the extra, check to see that the triangle covers the square underneath. You may find that you need to move your needle a little more to the right as you sew if any of the D square extends beyond the little corner triangle. Place the 1/4 inch mark of your ruler on the seam and trim away the excess. (Be sure to leave a 1/4" seam allowance.)
Now repeat the process with the next C square on the opposite corner.
After you have added all four C squares make sure the unit still measures 2 1/2" x 2 1/2"
Time to lay out all of the pieces. This will give us a nine patch block, so all we need to do is first join the units to make three rows. There will be some bulky seams so take your time. The center row will have the points of the triangles to watch out for-just go slow and aim for the X.
Next we need to sew the rows together. I pressed the top and bottom rows towards the D squares and found the center row did best if I pressed it open. This allowed me to match the seams well when joining the rows. I did place a pin at the seams to hold them in place.
I am really pleased with the bees that are buzzing in my Garden Notes blocks.
Click here for a pdf version.
Thank you for all of the kind words you have shared about how much these tutorials have helped you to have success in piecing your blocks. Thank you too for the questions you ask along the way. I am enjoying getting to know you!
Until next time...
Happy Quilting!!!
It's Betsy Chutchian's turn this week and she brings us Block 20-Devil's Claw. Betsy posted a photo of the plant on her blog and also gives us lots of options for putting this block together. You can read her post HERE.
I decided to make flying geese units using two different methods and a quick hourglass method that I like. You end up with two hourglass units, but I will use the extra one in another block. Of course that means I have different pieces to cut so here is my list.
From Light Fabric:
A (cut 1)- 4 3/4" x 4 3/4"
C (cut 4)- 2 5/8" x 2 5/8"
E (cut 2)- 2 1/4" x 3 3/4"
From Dark Fabric:
B (cut 1)- 4 3/4" x 4 3/4"
D (cut 1)- 4 1/2" x 4 1/2"
F (cut 4)- 2 1/4" x 2 1/4"
I am going to start with the A and B (4 3/4" x 4 3/4") squares; draw a diagonal line through the A square and lay them right sides together.
Now I just stitch 1/4 inch from each side of the line.
Cut on the line and press both units towards the dark side.
Lay one of the Half-square triangles on top of the other, with dark sides opposing each other. The seams will nest together now. It is a good idea to check and make sure you can see the hourglass before actually sewing.
Draw a diagonal line down the middle.
Sew 1/4" from each side of the drawn line.
I like to have the seam pointing away from the needle as I sew.
Just like before, cut apart on the line and press open.
I am only going to trim one of these Hourglass units since that is all I need for this block.
To do that I place the 1 3/4 inch mark on my ruler at the middle intersection and make sure the diagonal line on my ruler follows the seam.
(1 3/4" is half of the trimmed size of the block which is 3 1/2")
I want this block to measure 3 1/2" x 3 1/2" so again, I place the 1 3/4" mark in the center-
the 3 1/2" lines are on the edges I have already trimmed, and the diagonal line is sitting nicely on the seam line-all is good for a final trim.
Setting the Hourglass unit aside I move on to the No-waste method to make four Flying Geese units just like I did for Block 19. First lay two of the C squares onto the right side of the D square and draw a diagonal line through them both.
Sew 1/4 inch from each side of the liine.
Cut apart on the line and press towards the C triangles.
Draw a diagonal line on the remaining C triangles and place one on each unit as pictured.
Sew 1/4 inch from each side of the line.
Cut apart on the line and trim to 2 x 3 1/2 inches.
I am using a Bloc Loc ruler, for directions on how to trim using a regular ruler read over my directions for Block 19 by clicking HERE.
For our block we need to sew two Flying Geese units together.
Here they are complete along with the Hourglass unit.
Since I only need two more Flying Geese I decided to show you another easy method for making individual geese using my E and F pieces.
Start by drawing a diagonal line on all of the F squares.
Place an F square on top of an E rectangle; being careful with the direction of the diagonal line.
Sew right along that line, I am a needle width to the outside of the line.
Before trimming, I always check to make sure that the triangle piece covers up the rectangle underneath.
Trim leaving 1/4" for the seam and press towards the dark side.
If you are making any of Betsy's minis, these leftover triangles are perfect.
Place another F square on the other side of the rectangle, again making sure that the diagonal line is going in the correct direction and sew as before with the needle just to the outside.
These get trimmed just like the other Flying Geese units and are then ready to be added to each side of the Hourglass unit. For this block it is important to make sure the Hourglass is facing the correct way-with the light colored fabric on top and bottom.
I pressed these towards the Hourglass unit.
The final step is to add the Flying Geese units we made earlier to the top and bottom of the Block. I decided to press these final seams open as it just seemed like less bulk.
And here is Block 20 with the other blocks I have completed so far.
Some exciting news for me is the completion of my first pattern- a little Mug Rug that is perfect for beginners. To celebrate I am giving away one kit with the fabrics I used in my sample. So hop on over to my Facebook page and enter for your chance to win. Just go to the post about the Mug Rug and in the comments tell me what your favorite summer flower is. The winner will be selected by a random number generator and announced on Monday July 24th.
Until next time...
Happy Quilting!!
A Free PAttern and a Contest!
A few months ago I was approached about writing quilting tutorials for the National Quilters Circle. To celebrate my very first pattern designed for that purpose I am going to give away one kit for my Purple Coneflower Mug Rug. This was a pattern designed with beginners in mind and my complete tutorial can be found on the National Quilters Circle website.
The free pattern and a limited number of kits made up of the same fabrics I used in my sample can be found on the My Patterns page.
To enter for your chance to win the kit you need to go to my Facebook Page and tell me what your favorite summer flower is.
A winner will be picked at random and announced on Monday July 24th.
Welcome to the site of Debra Davis-a woman who loves the Lord and loves to quilt.
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A notice board in a veterinary waiting room is a natural place to celebrate the pets we love so much. It's not unusual for a client to want to share photos with the vet staff they entrust to care for their furry friends. Notice boards can serve multiple purposes in the waiting room: to entertain and inform. Everyone likes to look at adorable pets, and pet owners often are keen to learn about pet care relating to their favourite breeds.
Vet Techs Tips and Tricks
Most animal hospitals have behind-the-scenes vet techs and nurses who are not as recognisable in the office as the veterinarian or front desk personnel. Create a headline that reads "Vet Techs Tips and Tricks" in large text on a notice board decorated with paw prints and silhouetted pet shapes. A photo of each vet tech with the tech's name and a list of some of their favourite pet care tips underneath the photo will serve to give a name and face to the support staff and educate the client. Important tips such as "How to De-Skunk Your Dog" or "Recognize These Poisonous Plants" are sure to be noticed and appreciated.
Adopt Me!
A notice board emblazoned with "Adopting a Pet Makes a World of Difference" across the top features a homeless pet that is looking for a loving "forever" home. Photos of other animals in situations around the world, such as overcrowded shelters or homeless animals in poor countries, highlights the responsible choice to adopt, spay and neuter.
Tricks and Treats
This Halloween-themed notice board displays the vet hospital's patients in colourful costumes. Spray-on cobwebs, fake insects and other seasonal decorations add to the effect. Ask clients to bring in photos of their pets performing their best tricks, such as rolling over, fetching or sitting pretty. Display photos on one side of the notice board under the word "Tricks," and under "Treats," display prizes given in the form of dog show-style ribbons.


text: Commercial customer may be required to maintain a grease trap and or oil interceptors as part of Seacoast Industrial Pretreatment Program (IPP). Seacoast performs quarterly inspections to ensure traps and interceptors are being maintained properly. Violations are issued to those that fail an inspection. Follow up inspections are made 10 days following the initial violation. A second violation results in the start of formal legal action and enforcement. Failure to comply with Seacoast's (IPP) may result in termination of water service.


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Combining sleek, contemporary styling and intelligent storage, HiB Novum boasts ten exquisite bathroom furniture ranges with co-ordinated accessories designed to take your bathroom out of the ordinary and into the extraordinary.
With our beautiful bathroom ideas, you can be assured of creating the perfect sanctuary which will set the tone to the beginning and end of your day.
The very comprehensive range is designed to suit any bathroom with a wide offer of colours and sizes and the availability of both the modern look of wall hung or the more traditional style of floor standing.